Prevention and management of radiotherapy-related toxicities in gynecological malignancies. Position paper on behalf of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology).

Multi-modal therapies for gynecological cancers management may determine a wide range of side effects which depend on therapy-related factors and patient characteristics and comorbidities. Curative or adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy is linked with acute and late toxicity due to irradiation of organs at risk, as small and large bowel, rectum, bladder, pelvic bone, vagina and bone marrow. Successful toxicity management varies with its severity, Radiation Centre practice and experience and skills of radiation oncologists.

Radiomics classifier to quantify automatic segmentation quality of cardiac sub-structures for radiotherapy treatment planning.

Purpose: A radiomics features classifier was implemented to evaluate segmentation quality of heart structures. A robust feature set sensitive to incorrect contouring would provide an ideal quantitative index to drive autocontouring optimization.

Methods: Twenty-five cardiac sub-structures were contoured as regions of interest in 36 CTs.

Brachytherapy or external beam radiotherapy as a boost in locally advanced cervical cancer: a Gynaecology Study Group in the Italian Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) review.

This review analyzes the experience and trends in external beam radiotherapy for delivering a boost in locally advanced cervical cancer, identifying whether radiation therapy modalities impact clinical outcomes with the ultimate aim of evaluating alternatives to brachytherapy. Three independent Italian radiation oncologists conducted a literature search on different external beam radiotherapy boost modalities in locally advanced cervical cancer. The search yielded 30 studies.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Derived Biomarkers of IDH Mutation Status and Overall Survival in Grade III Astrocytomas.

The evaluation of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status in the glioma decision-making process has diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) can noninvasively predict the most common IDH mutational status (R132H) in GIII-astrocytomas and the overall survival (OS). Hence, twenty-two patients (9-F, 13-M) with a histological diagnosis of GIII-astrocytoma and evaluation of IDH-mutation status (12-wild type, 10-mutant) were retrospectively evaluated.

Hierarchical clustering applied to automatic atlas based segmentation of 25 cardiac sub-structures.

Purpose: Segmentation of cardiac sub-structures for dosimetric analyses is usually performed manually in time-consuming procedure. Automatic segmentation may facilitate large-scale retrospective analysis and adaptive radiotherapy. Various approaches, among them Hierarchical Clustering, were applied to improve performance of atlas-based segmentation (ABS).

Role of perfusion CT in the evaluation of functional primary tumour response after radiochemotherapy in head and neck cancer: preliminary findings.

Objective: To report the initial results of a prospective study aimed at evaluating the CT perfusion parameter changes (∆PCTp) of the primary tumour after radiochemotherapy (RCT) in head and neck cancer (HNC) and to correlate with positron emission tomography (PET)/CT response.

Methods: Eligibility criteria included HNC (Stage III-IV) candidates for RCT. Patients underwent perfusion CT (PCT) at baseline and at 3 weeks and 3 months after treatment.

A Fatal Case of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome After Paralytic Bowel in a Patient Taking Antiparkinson Medication.

Objectives: We report a fatal case of neuroleptic malignant-like syndrome, which occurred as a consequence of paralytic bowel in a 72-year-old woman on treatment with antiparkinson medication.

Case Description: Contrast enhanced computerized tomography of the chest and abdomen demonstrated the presence of paralytic bowel.

Results: The patient died.

Long-Term PSA Control with Repeated Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in a Patient with Oligometastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies and main causes of cancer death in Western countries. In the presence of metastatic disease, systemic treatment remains the main clinical option. However, since the introduction of highly sensitive imaging techniques, a new clinical 'entity' of metastatic patients with a limited number of lesions has been defined: oligometastatic patients.

How does radiotherapy impact swallowing function in nasopharynx and oropharynx cancer? Short-term results of a prospective study.

The objective of this study is to report the initial results of a prospective trial assessing instrumental deglutition function in nasopharynx and oropharynx cancers after radio or chemoradiotherapy using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). IMRT was delivered aiming to spare the swallowing organ at risk (SWOARs) for Stage II-IV naso- and oropharynx cancer. Objective instrumental assessment included videofluoroscopy (VFS), fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and oro-pharyngeal-oesophageal scintigraphy (OPES) at baseline and at 1 month after radiotherapy.

[(18)F]Choline PET/CT and stereotactic body radiotherapy on treatment decision making of oligometastatic prostate cancer patients: preliminary results.

Background: A new entity of patients with recurrent prostate cancer limited to a small number of active metastatic lesions is having growing interest: the oligometastatic patients. Patients with oligometastatic disease could eventually be managed by treating all the active lesions with local therapy, i.e.

Predictors of survival and effect of short (40 Gy) or standard-course (60 Gy) irradiation plus concomitant temozolomide in elderly patients with glioblastoma: a multicenter retrospective study of AINO (Italian Association of Neuro-Oncology).

The efficacy of temozolomide (TMZ) plus radiation therapy (RT) in elderly patients with glioblastoma is unclear. We performed a large multicenter retrospective study to analyze prognostic factors and clinical outcome in these patients. Inclusion criteria were age ≥65 years, newly histologically confirmed glioblastoma, ECOG PS 0-2, adjuvant treatment with RT plus TMZ.

Akt1 rs2498801 is related to survival in head and neck squamous cell cancer treated with radiotherapy.

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) with or without chemotherapy (CT) plays an important role as exclusive treatment in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). Unfortunately, in some cases, benefit for patients is not recorded and only treatment-related complications are registered.

Materials And Methods: Data relating to Akt1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and response to treatment of 46 patients treated with exclusive RT or RT-CT for HNSCC were evaluated.

Radio-chemotherapy with temozolomide in elderly patients with glioblastoma. A mono-institutional experience.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxicity and clinical outcome of radio-chemotherapy with temozolomide in patients with glioblastoma aged more than 65 years.

Materials And Methods: The analysis was performed in 20 male and 20 female patients with a mean age at diagnosis of 71.2 (range=65-81) years, with Karnofsky performance status greater than 70 without important comorbidities.

An observational retrospective/horizontal study to compare oxygen-ozone therapy and/or global postural re-education in complicated chronic low back pain.

Acute low back pain (LBP) is the fifth most common reason for physician visits and about nine out of ten adults experience back pain at some point in their life. In a large number of patients LBP is associated with disc herniation (DH). Recently, oxygen-ozone (O2O3) therapy has been used successfully in the treatment of LBP, reducing pain after the failure of other conservative treatments.

[Possible use of microRNAs as biomarkers for monitoring of workers exposed to asbestos].

Exposure to asbestos is the predominant cause of pleural mesothelioma (PM). The PM is a tumor difficult to diagnose, chemoresistant, and with rising Incidence. The long latency periods and the lack of preventive and therapeutic strategies for the MP, suggest that asbestos will be a social and health issue in the near future.

[Metastatic gastric cancer successfully treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Case report].

A case of long-term survivor 50-year-old man treated for advanced gastric cancer with two liver metastases is described. Patient underwent a total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and atipic liver resection. After surgery, chemotherapy with PELF achieved a complete clinical response; six month from the fourth cycle, Ca19.

Effects of immunomodulatory treatment with subcutaneous interferon beta-1a on cognitive decline in mildly disabled patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of subcutaneous (sc) interferon beta-1a (IFNbeta-1a) on cognition in mildly disabled patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Patients aged 18-50 years with RRMS (McDonald criteria; Expanded Disability Status Scale score View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rapid and sustained response of an intra- and extracranial large cell lymphoma mass to liposomal intrathecal Ara-C and R-MegaCEOP systemic chemotherapy.

Prognosis of patients suffering from secondary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is dismal. Intracranial spread of a lymphoma arising in adjacent extranodal tissues is a rare event. A 32-year-old patient was diagnosed with progressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with extra- and intracranial localization.

Cognitive impairment and its relation with disease measures in mildly disabled patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: baseline results from the Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (COGIMUS) study.

Background: Cognitive impairment is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the association between cognitive impairment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disease measures in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) MS is unclear.

Objectives: To study the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its relation with MRI disease measures in mildly disabled patients with RRMS.

Methods: Patients aged 18-50 years with RRMS (McDonald criteria) and an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Differential diagnostic problems between nodular fasciitis and soft-tissue sarcomas. A review of the literature and a case report].

After a review of literature and the report of a case with intrathoracic location, the authors consider present criteria for a correct diagnosis of low grade soft tissue sarcoma, when the possibility of nodular fasciitis is under evaluation. Nodular fasciitis is a benign pathology up to day not well characterised from the clinical and pathological point of view. The authors conclude that differential diagnosis between low grade soft tissue sarcoma and nodular fasciitis is frequently possible only on the basis of clinical course evaluation; otherwise the management may be inadequate.

[Desmoids associated with multiple familial polyposis: description of a clinical case].

The Authors report a case of great desmoid tumor of the abdominal wall with intestinal adhesions and enterocutaneous fistula, in a patient with Gardner's syndrome, who underwent total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis. The patient was treated at first with non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, then with local chemotherapy. The Authors performed a second surgical procedure resecting the tumor and opening a temporary ileostomy.

[Acute hepatic necrosis in a patient treated with cyproterone acetate].

The Authors report a case of prostatic carcinoma in a 84 year old male, treated with cyproterone acetate (CPA), complicated by a fatal fulminant hepatitis. He was admitted with a mixed jaundice followed by a derange of all liver function tests. Serological markers for hepatitis were negative.

[Indications for splenectomy in Gaucher's disease. Case report].

Gaucher's disease is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by the lack of beta-glucocerebrosidase enzyme. In this case report a 26-year-old male patient was, first diagnosed as having splenomegaly and a huge haemangioma, therefore managed by total splenectomy. Histologic examination and specific colouring techniques using PAS and Black Sudan dyes allowed the diagnosis of Gaucher's disease.

Molecular studies on DNA sequences coding for factor VII and factor XII of human coagulation.

In this paper are described the immunological and molecular procedures that have allowed the identification and the nucleotide sequence characterization of recombinant cDNA coding for factor XII of human coagulation and have suggested the possible identification of other cDNA clones as coding for factor VII of human coagulation.