Induction TPF followed by concomitant treatment versus concomitant treatment alone in locally advanced head and neck cancer. A phase II-III trial.

Background: Platinum-based chemoradiation (CCRT) is the standard treatment for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous-Cell Carcinoma (LAHNSCC). Cetuximab/RT (CET/RT) is an alternative treatment option to CCRT. The efficacy of induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by chemoradiation compared to chemoradiation alone has not been demonstrated in randomized clinical trials.

An unusual case of tracheo-pleural fistula and cardiac metastases in oropharyngeal carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Oropharyngeal cancer is frequently associated with human papilloma virus, that also represents a strong prognostic factor. Local relaps and treatment-related complications are frequent, whereas distant metastases occur in about 25% of patients.

Case Presentation: A 49 years-old male presented with a loco-regionally advanced oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and was treated with concomitant chemoradiation.

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor skin toxicity: a matter of topical hydration.

Skin toxicity is a frequent complication of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy, which can be an obstacle in maintaining the dose intensity and may negatively impact on the clinical outcome of cancer patients. Skin lesions depend on the disruption of the keratinocyte development pathways and no treatment is clearly effective in resolving the cutaneous alterations frequently found during anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy. Among systemic treatments, oral tetracycline proved to be useful in preventing skin manifestations.

Estimating the risk of chemotherapy toxicity in older patients with cancer: The role of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13).

Objective: Some parameters of the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) are predictive of chemotherapy toxicity. The Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) is a short instrument that has been tested as a means of identifying patients who need a full CGA, but its ability to predict chemotherapy toxicity is still unclear. We performed a pooled analysis of four published clinical trials studying VES-13 as a means of diagnosing vulnerability, in order to evaluate its accuracy in predicting the risk of grade 3/4 toxicity in older patients undergoing chemotherapy.

A randomized, multicenter, phase II study of vandetanib monotherapy versus vandetanib in combination with gemcitabine versus gemcitabine plus placebo in subjects with advanced biliary tract cancer: the VanGogh study.

Background: The management of biliary tract cancers (BTCs) is complex due to limited data on the optimal therapeutic approach. This phase II multicenter study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of vandetanib monotherapy compared with vandetanib plus gemcitabine or gemcitabine plus placebo in patients with advanced BTC.

Patients And Methods: Patients were randomized in a 1 : 1 : 1 ratio to three treatment groups: vandetanib 300 mg monotherapy (V), vandetanib 100 mg plus gemcitabine (V/G), gemcitabine plus placebo (G/P).

Multimodality treatment of osteosarcoma of the jaw: a single institution experience.

Osteosarcomas of the jaws are rare mesenchymal tumors frequently diagnosed in the fourth decade of life which account for 6 % of all osteosarcomas. This study evaluated the efficacy on the patients outcome of multimodality treatment consisting of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The records of 22 patients affected by jaw osteosarcoma treated with a combination of surgery, poly-chemotherapy and adjuvant radiotherapy in selected cases were reviewed.

miR-296/Scribble axis is deregulated in human breast cancer and miR-296 restoration reduces tumour growth in vivo.

miR-296-5p is a central regulator of signalling pathways affecting development, stem cell differentiation and cancer. We hypothesized that miR-296-5p is involved in breast cancer onset and progression possibly through regulation of its target SCRIB (Scribble), a polarity protein recently implicated in the acquisition of cancer stem cell traits and in cell motility. We found that miR-296-5p levels were consistently reduced in human breast cancer tissues compared with non-neoplastic mammary parenchyma, and low expression of this miRNA predicted shorter disease-free survival independently of classic clinicopathological parameters.

Cisplatin and fluorouracil with or without panitumumab in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SPECTRUM): an open-label phase 3 randomised trial.

Background: Previous trials have shown that anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies can improve clinical outcomes of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). We assessed the efficacy and safety of panitumumab combined with cisplatin and fluorouracil as first-line treatment for these patients.

Methods: This open-label phase 3 randomised trial was done at 126 sites in 26 countries.

A phase II randomized dose escalation trial of sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Sorafenib has proven survival benefits in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The viability of continuing sorafenib at a higher dosage in patients who experienced radiologic disease progression was investigated.

Methods: Patients who experienced disease progression while on sorafenib 400 mg twice daily were randomized to sorafenib 600 mg twice daily (n = 49) or best supportive care (n = 52).

Screening elderly cancer patients for disabilities: evaluation of study of osteoporotic fractures (SOF) index and comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA).

Background: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional tool aimed at detecting multiple age-related problems; the study of osteoporotic fractures (SOF) index is a 3-item instrument designed to measure frailty and pre-frailty status. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate the accuracy of the SOF index and CGA in predicting the disability status in elderly cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: Patients aged ≥ 70 years with a confirmed diagnosis of a solid or hematologic tumor underwent both CGA and SOF assessment.

Role of plasma EBV DNA levels in predicting recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a Western population.

Background: Loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas can be cured by the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In Eastern countries, plasma levels of viral Epstein-Barr deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are accurate in predicting recurrence, but few data are available in Western populations. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the relationship between viral Epstein-Barr DNA copy numbers in plasma and the response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival in a cohort of Western patients with stage IIb-IVb nasopharyngeal cancer.

Prospective phase II trial of cetuximab plus VMAT-SIB in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Feasibility and tolerability in elderly and chemotherapy-ineligible patients.

Introduction: Cetuximab plus radiotherapy (RT) may be an effective alternative to chemoradiation in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LASCCHN) patients. We analyzed a group of patients treated at our institute with cetuximab plus volumetric modulation arc therapy (VMAT) with the RapidArc technique in a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) regime. The primary end point was the assessment of acute toxicity and the feasibility of the combined approach.

Water reuse: >90% water yield in MBR/RO through concentrate recycling and CO2 addition as scaling control.

Over 1.5 years continuous piloting of a municipal wastewater plant upgraded with a double membrane system (ca. 0.

Palifermin decreases severe oral mucositis of patients undergoing postoperative radiochemotherapy for head and neck cancer: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Purpose: Radiochemotherapy of head and neck cancer causes severe mucositis in most patients. We investigated whether palifermin reduces this debilitating sequela.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 186 patients with stages II to IVB carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx.

Detecting disabilities in older patients with cancer: comparison between comprehensive geriatric assessment and vulnerable elders survey-13.

PURPOSE Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional method used by geriatricians and oncologists to detect and evaluate multiple age-related problems and to plan and coordinate interventions. Because its main drawback is the time required, efforts have been made to evaluate screening instruments suitable for preliminarily assessing elderly patients. The main aim of this study was to establish the accuracy of the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) in predicting the presence of abnormalities revealed by CGA.

A review on the treatment of relapsed/metastatic head and neck cancer.

The efficacy of traditional chemotherapy in inducing objective responses and prolonging survival in recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer has been disappointing. More recent drugs have not proven superior to the classic regimen of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies, either as single agents or associated to chemotherapy, have been shown to be active and little toxic.

Biomolecular markers in cancer of the tongue.

The incidence of tongue cancer is increasing worldwide, and its aggressiveness remains high regardless of treatment. Genetic changes and the expression of abnormal proteins have been frequently reported in the case of head and neck cancers, but the little information that has been published concerning tongue tumours is often contradictory. This review will concentrate on the immunohistochemical expression of biomolecular markers and their relationships with clinical behaviour and prognosis.

A phase II study of carboplatin and paclitaxel for recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.

The aim of this study was to investigate the activity and safety of a regimen containing carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients affected by recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer. Eligible patients were treated with a 3-week combination of paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 and carboplatin area under the concentration time curve 5 mg/ml/min for a maximum of four cycles. A total of 27 patients entered the study.

Phase II study of an all-oral combination of vinorelbine with capecitabine in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Purpose: Combination of intravenous (i.v.) vinorelbine and capecitabine was shown to be feasible and effective in metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Dose intensity correlate with survival in elderly patients treated with chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: In elderly patients treated with chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), frequently an adequate dose intensity (DI) is difficult to be delivered. We therefore performed in this population a study to assess the delivered DI and its impact on clinical outcome.

Patients And Methods: Inclusion criteria were: age equal or greater than 70 years; cytological or histological diagnosis of NSCLC; stage IIIB or IV; no previous chemotherapy for advanced disease.

Rhodococcus equi infection in a patient with spinocellular carcinoma of unknown origin.

A Rhodococcus equi pulmonary infection in a 63-year-old man receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy for spinocellular carcinoma is described. The patient, a knife-grinder, was promptly treated with levofloxacin plus amikacin followed by rifampicin for 2 months, and he is still in good clinical condition after an 8-month follow-up.

Fatigue and functional dependence in older cancer patients.

Objectives: Functional dependence is a costly manifestation of aging that compromises the quality of life of elderly individuals and their caregivers. In this study, we hypothesized that fatigue may be a cause of functional dependence in older cancer patients. To establish whether fatigue was associated with dependence in 1 or more activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and declining performance status (PS).

Locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil followed by radiotherapy and concurrent cisplatin: a phase II study.

Background: Chemoradiotherapy is the current standard of care for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of induction chemotherapy (CHT) followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy in this patient population.

Patients And Methods: In this single-arm, phase II study, patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with 3 cycles of induction CHT with cisplatin (100 mg/m(2) on day 1) and 5-fluorouracil (1,000 mg/m(2) continuous infusion on days 1-4) followed by 3 cycles of cisplatin (100 mg/m(2) on days 1, 22 and 43) and concurrent radiotherapy up to 70 Gy.

Complete pathological response of hepatocellular carcinoma with systemic combination chemotherapy.

Prognosis of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma is dismal when locoregional treatments have failed. Systemic chemotherapy is seldom effective in inducing objective response and prolonging survival. We report a case of complete pathological remission of hepatocellular carcinoma after three cycles of systemic chemotherapy.