The safety and efficacy of Onivyde (irinotecan liposome injection) for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer following gemcitabine-based therapy.

Introduction: Patients with advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer refractory to gemcitabine based therapy have a dismal prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Recently, the FDA approved nanoliposomal irinotecan combined with fluorouracil/folinic acid for such patients based upon results of the NAPOLI-1 study which showed this regimen compared to fluorouracil/folinic acid significantly prolonged progression free survival (3.1 vs.

Percentage Change in Plasma Cytokeratin 18 Is Associated with Clinical Outcomes in Patients Receiving Pemetrexed and Carboplatin for the Adenocarcinoma Subtype of NSCLC.

Background: The adenocarcinoma subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (adeno-NSCLC) is routinely treated with chemotherapy if patients do not have molecular aberrations such as epidermal growth factor receptor mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements. There are currently no validated biomarkers that can predict if patients will gain clinical benefit from chemotherapy, leading to a majority of patients receiving many cycles of unnecessary chemotherapy. We hypothesized that the percentage rise in plasma caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 (cCK18) and total cytokeratin 18 (tCK18) assessed before and after chemotherapy correlates with the radiological response to chemotherapy.

Maintenance therapy with capecitabine in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Therapeutic options for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) include concurrent chemoradiation, induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation or systemic therapy alone. The original Gastro-Intestinal Study Group and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group studies defined fluorouracil (5-FU) with concurrent radiation therapy followed by maintenance 5-FU until progression, as the standard therapy for this subset of patients. Although this combined therapy has been demonstrated to increase local control and median survival from 8 to 12 months, almost all patients succumb to the disease secondary to either local or distant recurrence.

Targeted agents in treatment of neuroendocrine tumors of pancreas.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of the pancreas are uncommon neoplasms that arise from the pancreatic islet cells. Surgical resections are being tested, as well as multiple chemotherapy agents. Current treatment options for nonresectable disease include somatostatin analogs and chemotherapy.

Elderly patients with pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer marked significant increase of incidence during the last decades in the elderly population. Despite the certain increase of incidence there are no international guidelines for elderly patients who are suffering from pancreatic cancer. During the ASCO Annual Meeting 2014, two abstracts focusing on elderly patients suffering from different histological types of pancreatic cancer were presented.

Quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer.

QOL is highly affected in individuals suffering from pancreatic cancer. One parameter that influences negatively QOL in these patients is cancer -cachexia syndrome. During the ASCO Annual Meeting 2014, one abstract focusing on cancer-cachexia syndrome (Abstract #15208) emphasized the fact that cachexia is under diagnosed even in patients with pancreatic cancer who constitute a high-risk group for presenting this syndrome.

First line treatment for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma: looking for the step forward.

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease and its prognosis remains dismal. The modest results of existing available treatments in the first line setting reveal the need of new therapeutic strategies. In this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting four remarkable studies were presented regarding this vulnerable group of patients.

Mixed acinar-neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas with neuroendocrine predominance.

Background. Pancreatic tumors are rare and could arise from either the exocrine (ductal and acinar cells) or the endocrine (neuroendocrine cells) components of the pancreas. In some instances, the occurrence of pancreatic tumors comprising both acinar cells and neuroendocrine cells, with neuroendocrine cells making up more than 30% of the tumor, has been identified.

Epidemiology of active tuberculosis in lung cancer patients: a systematic review.

Objectives: The aim of this review article is to evaluate the available literature concerning the prevalence of active tuberculosis in lung cancer patients.

Data Source: MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE and Medscape databases were searched for studies with quantitative data on the interaction between tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer, published since 1952. We used the Medical Subject Headings' term 'tuberculosis' and the text-word terms 'TB' and 'Mycobacterium infection', and also, the Medical Subject Headings' terms 'neoplasm' and 'lung neoplasm', or the text-word term 'lung cancer'.

Association between Rash and a Positive Drug Response Associated with Vinorelbine in a Patient with Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma.

Vinorelbine (Navelbine, VRL) is commonly used for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and has been shown to be effective in patients with recurrent primary peritoneal carcinoma. Of VRL's major side effects, skin rash is uncommon, and, if it does occur, it is usually localized to site of injection. In this case report, a 71-year-old Hispanic female with primary peritoneal carcinoma received single agent VRL as fourth-line regimen, which she tolerated very well except for a skin rash related to VRL.

Novel agents and future prospects in the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. The majority of patients are diagnosed at advanced stage with inoperable locally advanced tumors or metastatic disease, and palliative chemotherapy remains the best therapeutic option for these patients. Despite intensive clinical and pre-clinical research over the last few years, the combination of the anti-metabolite drug gemcitabine with the targeted agent erlotinib, is considered standard of care in the treatment of these patients, with only minimal or modest efficacy.

Update on novel therapies for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: 2013.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (pNETs) are classified on the basis of their differentiation as well as the functional status. Current treatment options for non resectable disease include everolimus, sunitinib, somatostatin analogs and chemotherapy. A number of trials with novel compounds and drug combinations were reported at the recent ASCO Annual Meeting.

Pharmacogenomics in pancreatic adenocarcinoma: new data and their clinical implications.

Despite advances and investments in translation research, clinical trials and health service in general, there is no significant impact on the survival of most patients diagnosed with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. It is broadly recognized though that there is a small minority of patients who really benefit from particular treatments for reason usually not well understood. Light to this fact is gradually shed by developments in the field of pharmacogenomics, which plays pivotal role in what we call individualized medicine.

New therapeutic strategies in the second line setting of advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease and its prognosis remains dismal. The modest results of existing available treatments in the second line setting reveal the need of new therapeutic strategies. In this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting two remarkable trials and one retrospective analysis were presented regarding this vulnerable group of patients.

Pancreatic cancer: what about screening and detection?

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in both sexes in the United States. In 2013, it is expected to account for 7% of all female cancer deaths and 6% of all male cancer deaths in the USA. Late presentation of the disease and poor prognosis even after complete operative resection, justify the necessity for early detection of pancreatic cancer as well as identifying high-risk individuals (screening).

Nutrition habits, physical activity, and lung cancer: an authoritative review.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Because of high incidence rates and low survival rates, it is important to study the risk factors that may help prevent the disease from developing. It has been well established that cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for lung cancer.

Dysfunctional remembered parenting in oncology outpatients affects psychological distress symptoms in a gender-specific manner.

Evidence suggests that gender differences appear in a variety of biological and psychological responses to stress and perhaps in coping with acute and chronic illness as well. Dysfunctional parenting is also thought to be involved in the process of coping with stress and illness; hence, the present study aimed to verify whether dysfunctional remembered parenting would influence psychological distress in a gender-specific manner in patients suffering from cancer. Patients attending an outpatient oncology clinic completed the Remembered Relationships with Parents (RRP), Hospital Anxiety and Depression and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scales and the National Cancer Center Network Distress Thermometer.

Clinical studies in the second line setting of advanced pancreatic cancer: are we making any progress?

Despite the enormous advances in clinical research in oncology, the prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma remains poor. The therapeutic options in this type of cancer are very limited, with modest results at present. In the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, four interesting trials on the second line treatment of pancreatic cancer were presented.

Novel agents and new combination treatments on phase I studies on solid tumors and pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a relatively rare malignancy with a very aggressive natural course, not restrained by the existing current treatments. At the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the results of few phase I clinical studies on solid tumors and pancreatic cancer were presented. In particular, in the field of immunotherapy, a pilot phase I study tested for first time a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-based vaccine (Abstract #2561) on patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and another one the optimal dose and efficacy of trabedersen, an inhibitor of tissue growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-β2) aiming to enhance antitumor immune responses (Abstract #4034).

Clinical and laboratory biomarkers in the management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Despite improvements in the health service and the available treatment means, the outcome of the majority of patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma, even in the Western world, is disappointing. This fact necessitates invention and development of clinical and laboratory biomarkers that help us detect early enough those patients who have the worst prognosis, and who may benefit or not from our treatments and individualize thus our management accordingly. In the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, four interesting scientific works on biomarkers in pancreatic cancer were presented.

Bone lesions in recurrent glucagonoma: A case report and review of literature.

Glucagonomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors that arise from α cells of the pancreatic islets. Most of them are malignant and usually present as metastatic disease. Sites most commonly involved in metastases are the liver and regional lymph nodes.

Azithromycin pulses for the treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor-related papulopustular eruption: an effective and convenient alternative to tetracyclines.

Background: Papulopustular eruption (PPE) is the most common cutaneous side effect of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs).

Objective: To document the efficacy and safety of pulsed azithromycin doses in the treatment of EGFRI-related PPE.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients under EGFRIs who exhibited at least grade 2 PPE and were intolerant or resistant to tetracyclines was performed.

The role of endobronchial ultrasound in lung cancer diagnosis and staging: a comprehensive review.

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) technology is a relatively new bronchoscopic method of visualizing the tracheobronchial tree, the surrounding pulmonary parenchyma, and the mediastinal structures, with a particular role in lung cancer diagnosis, staging, and treatment. There are 2 types of probes used in EBUS: the peripheral or radial probe (RP) and the linear or convex probe (CP) EBUS, which have technical differences and distinct diagnostic abilities. Both are used for EBUS-guided biopsies and transbronchial needle aspirations (TBNA), which increases the diagnostic yield over conventional bronchoscopic techniques, thus providing advanced information on staging, diagnosis, and treatment.

Translational research. New findings and potential future applications in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

The current achievements in pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment are disappointing for patients and clinicians alike. Still, in the dawn of 2012, most patients are diagnosed at a late stage where cure is not feasible, with the majority going to succumb within the same year of diagnosis. Thus, the only hope for early and diagnosis and radical treatment is the invention of diagnostic and prognostic tests which might predict accurately patients who may develop this disease and those who have the most aggressive potential, so clinician adopt the appropriate strategy.