Certolizumab Pegol for the Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis in Routine Clinical Practice: One-Year Results from the CIMREAL Study.

Introduction: Certolizumab pegol (CZP) is an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PSO). However, data on its real-world use is currently limited. The objective of this study was to describe the 1-year real-world effectiveness of CZP, its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and safety outcomes in patients with moderate to severe PSO in multi-country settings.

Prognostic Factors and Survival According to Tumor Subtype in Women With Breast Cancer Brain Metastases.

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most cause of central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Studies report that almost one third of patients (pts) with triple-negative, one-third with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive and 15% of those with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer will develop brain metastases. It is known that the development of symptomatic brain metastases in women with advanced breast cancer is associated with poor prognosis, irrespective of local and systemic treatments.

Early detection of the major male cancer types in blood-based liquid biopsies using a DNA methylation panel.

Background: Lung (LC), prostate (PCa) and colorectal (CRC) cancers are the most incident in males worldwide. Despite recent advances, optimal population-based cancer screening methods remain an unmet need. Due to its early onset, cancer specificity and accessibility in body fluids, aberrant DNA promoter methylation might be a valuable minimally invasive tool for early cancer detection.

Cell-Free DNA Methylation of Selected Genes Allows for Early Detection of the Major Cancers in Women.

Background: Breast (BrC), colorectal (CRC) and lung (LC) cancers are the three most common and deadly cancers in women. Cancer screening entails an increase in early stage disease detection but is hampered by high false-positive rates and overdiagnosis/overtreatment. Aberrant DNA methylation occurs early in cancer and may be detected in circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA), constituting a valuable biomarker and enabling non-invasive testing for cancer detection.

The effects of infliximab or adalimumab on vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin 1 angiogenic factor levels in inflammatory bowel disease: serial observations in 37 patients.

Background: Infliximab and adalimumab effectiveness might be related with changes in angiogenic factors. The aim of the study was to compare the concentrations of angiogenic proteins in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and healthy controls and to analyze changes in the levels during infliximab and adalimumab treatment.

Methods: A prospective case-control study was conducted in 37 patients with IBD starting treatment with infliximab (16 with Crohn's disease and 6 with ulcerative colitis) or adalimumab (15 with Crohn's disease) and 40 control subjects.

Insight into p95HER2 in breast cancer: molecular mechanisms and targeted therapies.

Breast cancer afflicts more than 1.3 million people worldwide and is the main cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Many efforts are underway to develop new therapeutic and biomarker strategies for the management of this disease.

Corticosteroids modulate angiogenic soluble factors in ulcerative colitis patients.

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare angiogenic factors in serum levels of active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and in healthy controls, and to analyze these angiogenic levels depending on the achievement of remission after oral corticosteroid treatment throughout treatment, and according to the Truelove-Witts activity index.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 13 patients receiving oral corticosteroids for treatment of UC flares at three different intervals--baseline, during, and after treatment--and from 26 healthy controls. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PlGF), VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1), angiopoietins (Ang) 1 and 2, and its receptor Tie2 were assayed by ELISA.

Effect of 5-aminosalicylates on renal function in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: 4-year follow-up study.

Objective: Nephrotoxicity has been described in some patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASA). Our aim was to conduct a retrospective study of IBD patients, both with and without 5-ASA treatment, who underwent regular evaluation of renal function over a 4-year period.

Methods: Serum creatinine was measured before the start of 5-ASA therapy, and thereafter yearly up to 4 years.

Role of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin systems in serum of Crohn's disease patients.

Background: The purposes of this study were to determine soluble angiogenic factors in Crohn's disease (CD) patients and to compare these factors according to the pathological behavior of the disease in order to establish a possible relationship with its evolution in patients with CD.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 70 patients with CD, grouped according to their phenotypic behavior, and from 30 healthy controls. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PlGF), angiopoietin 1 (Ang1), angiopoietin 2 (Ang2), and their cognate receptors [VEGFR1, VEGFR2, and angiopoietin receptor tyrosine kinase (Tie2)] were assayed by ELISA.

Liver injury in inflammatory bowel disease: long-term follow-up study of 786 patients.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of abnormality of liver tests (LTs) or hepatotoxicity in a large group of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and, specifically, to assess the incidence of azathioprine (AZA)/mercaptopurine (MP)-induced liver injury in a long-term follow-up study.

Methods: All consecutive IBD patients followed for at least 5 years were included in this retrospective study. LTs including alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and bilirubin were periodically monitored.

[Vascular development in inflammatory bowel disease].

There are 4 major concepts in vascular development: vasculogenesis (formation of blood vessels from angioblasts), angiogenesis (formation of vascular sprouts from preexisting vessels), arteriogenesis (thickening and development of vessels) and lymphangiogenesis (formation of lymphatic vessels). In the last decade, these concepts, especially angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, have acquired major importance due to their role in tumoral growth and metastatic dissemination. Moreover, the activity of various diseases that involve chronic inflammation, such as asthma, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, has been associated with vascular development.