Central venous catheters-related-thrombosis and risk factors in oncological patients: A retrospective evaluation of recent risk scores.

Background: Insertions of central venous catheters (CVC) has become a common practice in Onco-Hematologic Units to administer systemic treatments. Unfortunately they can cause complications influencing patient's care-pathway significantly. Oncological patients have a higher thrombotic risk than the general population, therefore specific recent risk scores are spreading through the clinical practice, such as Khorana, Protecht, COMPASS-CAT, and Michigan scores.

Comparison of outcomes of central venous catheters in patients with solid and hematologic neoplasms: an Italian real-world analysis.

Introduction: Although many reports have analyzed the outcomes of central venous catheters (CVCs) in oncologic and oncohematologic patients, current guidelines do not routinely recommend a specific type of CVC over the other.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of 178 patients with CVCs referred to an Italian specialized cancer center between January 2016 and December 2018. The analysis compares midterm peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) with long-term centrally inserted catheters, including totally implanted ports and tunneled catheters with central insertion (tCVCs).

Khorana score and thromboembolic risk in stage II-III colorectal cancer patients: a analysis from the adjuvant TOSCA trial.

Background: The risk of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) during adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) is unknown. We aim to evaluate if the Khorana score (KS) can predict this risk, and if it represents a prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) through a analysis of the phase III TOSCA trial of different durations (3- 6-months) of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: A logistic regression model was used to test the associations between the risk of VTE and the KS.

Impact of Metformin Use and Diabetic Status During Adjuvant Fluoropyrimidine-Oxaliplatin Chemotherapy on the Outcome of Patients with Resected Colon Cancer: A TOSCA Study Subanalysis.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with increased risk of colon cancer (CC), whereas metformin use seems to be protective. However, the impact of metformin use on the risk of death or disease recurrence after radical surgery for CC remains uncertain.

Materials And Methods: This is a substudy conducted in patients with high-risk stage II or stage III CC randomized in the TOSCA trial, which compared 3 versus 6 months of fluoropyrimidine-oxaliplatin adjuvant chemotherapy.

Dose-Dense Temozolomide in Patients with MGMT-Silenced Chemorefractory Colorectal Cancer.

Background: In a phase II study, we showed that temozolomide (TMZ) was tolerable and active in heavily pre-treated patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) and MGMT methylation. A schedule of dose-dense TMZ may have enhanced activity due to the higher cumulative dose and induction of MGMT depletion, even in resistant tumors.

Methods: Thirty-two patients with chemorefractory MGMT-methylated CRC were treated with TMZ at a daily dose of 75 mg/m(2) for 21 consecutive days every 4 weeks, for up to six cycles or until the occurrence of progressive disease/unacceptable toxicity.

Capecitabine, oxaliplatin and irinotecan in combination, with bevacizumab (COI-B regimen) as first-line treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer. An Italian Trials of Medical Oncology phase II study.

Background: A dose-finding phase I/II trial that evaluated the maximum tolerated doses of a combination of three drugs with irinotecan, oxaliplatin and capecitabine (COI regimen) has been conducted in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In this study the safety and activity of the combination of COI regimen plus bevacizumab (COI-B) were assessed.

Methods: Patients judged to be unresectable for metastatic disease, were enrolled in a phase II, open-label study and treated with the combination of bevacizumab (5mg/kg on day 1) and COI regimen (irinotecan 180mg/mq on day 1, oxaliplatin 85mg/mq on day 2, capecitabine 2000mg d2-6; q14) as first-line treatment.

Circulating biomarkers in advanced colorectal cancer patients randomly assigned to three bevacizumab-based regimens.

The need to identify biomarkers for bevacizumab-based treatment in advanced colorectal cancer is imperative. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic role of circulating VEGF, PDGF, SDF-1, osteopontin and CEA in patients randomly assigned to three bevacizumab-based regimens. Plasma samples from 50 patients treated at a single Institution were analysed using the multiplex assay BioPlex™ 2200 (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc, Berkeley, CA, USA) at baseline, before first three cycles and subsequently every three cycles until disease progression.

Chronomodulated capecitabine and adjuvant radiation in intermediate-risk to high-risk rectal cancer: a phase II study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and tolerability of capecitabine administration according to a specific time schedule, combined with adjuvant radiation therapy, in intermediate-risk to high-risk rectal cancer patients treated with an upfront surgery. The primary endpoint was the rate of grade 3 to 4 diarrhea during chemoradiation (CRT).

Materials And Methods: Stage II and III rectal cancer patients received, after total mesorectal excision, 2 cycles of XELOX regimen (oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) on day 1; capecitabine 1000 mg/m(2) bid on day 1 to 14, q21), followed by capecitabine (800 mg/m(2) bid daily; 20% dose at 12:00 AM and 80% dose at 12:00 PM) administered continuously during pelvic radiation (total 50.

Hepatic colorectal cancer metastases showing a distinctive pattern of pathological response after metronomic capecitabine and bevacizumab.

A 48-year-old man was referred to our hospital with the diagnosis of colon cancer with multiple hepatic metastases. After right hemicolectomy, the rapid progression of liver disease was treated with metronomic capecitabine and bevacizumab according to a study protocol. A gradual regression of metastatic lesions was observed during a 9-month treatment period.

Dose finding study of erlotinib combined to capecitabine and irinotecan in pretreated advanced colorectal cancer patients.

Purpose: This study evaluated the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the dose limiting toxicity (DLT) of erlotinib when combined to irinotecan and capecitabine in pre-treated metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: Five dose level combinations with irinotecan (from 180 to 240 mg/m(2), day 1, q21), capecitabine (1,500-2,000 mg/m(2) per day, days 2-15, q21) and erlotinib (50-150 mg per day, continuously) were planned. Patients were enrolled in cohorts of three, and evaluated for first cycle acute toxicity.