Safety and activity of the first-in-class locked nucleic acid (LNA) miR-221 selective inhibitor in refractory advanced cancer patients: a first-in-human, phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation study.

Background: We developed a 13-mer locked nucleic acid (LNA) inhibitor of miR-221 (LNA-i-miR-221) with a full phosphorothioate (PS)-modified backbone. This agent downregulated miR-221, demonstrated anti-tumor activity against human xenografts in mice, and favorable toxicokinetics in rats and monkeys. Allometric interspecies scaling allowed us to define the first-in-class LNA-i-miR-221 safe starting dose for the clinical translation.

Severe thoracic or abdominal injury in major trauma patients can safely be ruled out by "Valutazione Integrata Bed Side" evaluation without total body CT scan.

Background: During the initial assessment of trauma patients, the severity of injury is very often not immediately recognizable. In trauma centers, a total body CT (TBCT) scan is routinely used to evaluate this kind of patients, even if it is burdened with health risk, economical costs, and logistical difficulties.

Aim: We investigated the use of a clinical guide to establish a safe alternative to this routine practice.

Prediction of Mortality With the Use of Noninvasive Ventilation for Acute Respiratory Failure.

Background: In actuality, it is difficult to obtain an early prognostic stratification for patients with acute respiratory failure treated with noninvasive ventilation (NIV). We tested whether an early evaluation through a predictive scoring system could identify subjects at risk of in-hospital mortality or NIV failure.

Methods: This was a retrospective study, which included all the subjects with acute respiratory failure who required NIV admitted to an emergency department-high-dependence observation unit between January 2014 and December 2017.

Accuracy of abdominal ultrasound for the diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum in patients with acute abdominal pain: a pilot study.

Background: Pneumoperitoneum is a rare cause of abdominal pain characterized by a high mortality. Ultrasonography (US) can detect free intraperitoneal air; however, its accuracy remains unclear. The aims of this pilot study were to define the diagnostic performance and the reliability of abdominal US for the diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials on the role of targeted therapy in the management of advanced gastric cancer: Evidence does not translate?

It is still uncertain if targeted therapy-based regimens in advanced gastric cancer actually produce survival benefit. To shed light on this important question, we performed a systematic review and meta-analyses on each relevant targeted-pathway. By searching literature databases and proceedings of major cancer meetings in the time-frame 2005-2014, 22 randomized clinical trials exploring targeted therapy for a total of 7022 advanced gastric cancer patients were selected and included in the final analysis.

Nanoparticle albumin bound Paclitaxel in the treatment of human cancer: nanodelivery reaches prime-time?

Nanoparticle albumin bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) represents the first nanotechnology-based drug in cancer treatment. We discuss the development of this innovative compound and report the recent changing-practice results in breast and pancreatic cancer. A ground-breaking finding is the demonstration that nab-paclitaxel can not only enhance the activity and reduce the toxicity of chromophore-diluted compound, but also exert activity in diseases considered refractory to taxane-based treatment.

A retrospective analysis of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in ovarian cancer: do we still need it?

Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the sixth most common cancer in women. Currently, carboplatin/paclitaxel ± bevacizumab is the cornerstone of front-line treatment. Conversely, the therapeutic options for recurrent or progressive disease are not well defined.