Mitochondrial transfer from Adipose stem cells to breast cancer cells drives multi-drug resistance.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a complex disease, showing heterogeneity in the genetic background, molecular subtype, and treatment algorithm. Historically, treatment strategies have been directed towards cancer cells, but these are not the unique components of the tumor bulk, where a key role is played by the tumor microenvironment (TME), whose better understanding could be crucial to obtain better outcomes.

Methods: We evaluated mitochondrial transfer (MT) by co-culturing Adipose stem cells with different Breast cancer cells (BCCs), through MitoTracker assay, Mitoception, confocal and immunofluorescence analyses.

Presence of tumor deposits is a strong indicator of poor outcome in patients with stage III colorectal cancers undergoing radical surgery.

Background: Tumor deposits (TDs) are emerging as an adverse prognostic factor in colorectal cancers (CRCs). However, TDs are somewhat neglected in the current staging system. It has been proposed either to add the TD count to the number of metastatic lymph nodes or to consider TDs as distant metastases; however, the scientific basis for these proposals seems questionable.

Assessment of the DNA Mismatch Repair System Is Crucial in Colorectal Cancers Necessitating Adjuvant Treatment: A Propensity Score-Matched and Win Ratio Analysis.

A deficient DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system is identified in a non-negligible part of sporadic colorectal cancers (CRCs), and its prognostic value remains controversial. High tumor mutational burden, along with a poor response to conventional chemotherapy and excellent results from immunotherapy, are the main features of this subset. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of DNA MMR system status for its best treatment.

ESPERANTO: a GLP-field sEmi-SuPERvised toxicogenomics metadAta curatioN TOol.

Summary: Biological data repositories are an invaluable source of publicly available research evidence. Unfortunately, the lack of convergence of the scientific community on a common metadata annotation strategy has resulted in large amounts of data with low FAIRness (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable). The possibility of generating high-quality insights from their integration relies on data curation, which is typically an error-prone process while also being expensive in terms of time and human labour.

Mallory-Weiss syndrome from giant gastric trichobezoar: A case report.

Background: Mallory-Weiss syndrome (MWS), representing a linear mucosal laceration at the gastroesophageal junction, is a quite frequent cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, usually induced by habitual vomiting. The subsequent cardiac ulceration in this condition is likely due to the concomitance of increased intragastric pressure and inappropriate closure of the gastroesophageal sphincter, collectively inducing ischemic mucosal damage. Usually, MWS is associated with all vomiting conditions, but it has also been described as a complication of prolonged endoscopic procedures or ingested foreign bodies.

Inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular/fibroblastic dendritic cell sarcoma: focus on immunohistochemical profile and association with Epstein-Barr virus.

Inflammatory pseudotumour-like follicular/fibroblastic dendritic cell sarcoma (IPT-like FDCS) is a rare EBV-associated variant of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma, usually arising in the liver or spleen and characterized by a favourable prognosis. The neoplastic cells show variable follicular dendritic cell or fibroblastic reticular cell differentiation and their immunoprofile is still poorly characterized. We describe a case of splenic IPT-like FDCS with unexpected CD31 expression and provide a concise review of English literature on the topic.

Giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma treated with radical conservative surgery: A case report and review of literature.

Background: Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) is a rare malignant tumor of the connective tissue and usually grows to a large size, undetected. Diagnosis is currently based on collective findings from clinical examinations and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging, the latter of which show a fat density mass and possible surrounding organ involvement. Surgical resection is the main therapeutic strategy.

Prediction of SARS-CoV-2-Related Lung Inflammation Spreading by V:ERITAS (Vanvitelli Early Recognition of Inflamed Thoracic Areas Spreading).

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be complicated by interstitial pneumonia, possibly leading to severe acute respiratory failure and death. Because of variable evolution ranging from asymptomatic cases to the need for invasive ventilation, COVID-19 outcomes cannot be precisely predicted on admission. The aim of this study was to provide a simple tool able to predict the outcome of COVID-19 pneumonia on admission to a low-intensity ward in order to better plan management strategies for these patients.

Microsatellite Status Detection in Gastrointestinal Cancers: PCR/NGS Is Mandatory in Negative/Patchy MMR Immunohistochemistry.

Background: Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors. The main goal was to investigate the discordance between IHC and PCR/NGS for MSI testing in gastrointestinal cancers.

Methods: Two series were analyzed through IHC for mismatch-repair-system proteins (MMRP) and PCR, with one series of 444 colorectal cancers (CRC) and the other of 176 gastric cancers (GC).

Subcutaneous Quadrantectomy Is a Safe Procedure in Management of Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

Background: A less-invasive surgery is often required today for many tumors, when oncologic radicality is strictly ensured, both to minimize hospital stay and health costs and to guarantee aesthetical results. Breast surgery for cancer has been radically changed in the last years since conservative interventions are widely performed everywhere.

Methods: The authors present 75 cases of early breast cancer, randomly treated with standard quadrantectomy and subcutaneous quadrantectomy; the totally subcutaneous surgical technique implies only a short periareolar skin incision and a complete quadrant resection with skin and subcutaneous layer preservation.

Naples Prognostic Score Predicts Tumor Regression Grade in Resectable Gastric Cancer Treated with Preoperative Chemotherapy.

Despite recent progresses, locally advanced gastric cancer remains a daunting challenge to embrace. Perioperative chemotherapy and D2-gastrectomy depict multimodal treatment of gastric cancer in Europe, shows better results than curative surgery alone in terms of downstaging, micrometastases elimination, and improved long-term survival. Unfortunately, preoperative chemotherapy is useless in about 50% of cases of non-responder patients, in which no effect is registered.

Inflammatory and nutritional status is a predictor of long-term outcome in patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer. Validation of the Naples prognostic score.

Purpose: Oncological outcome depends not only on tumor behaviour but also on nutritional and immune-inflammatory host status. Data in gastric cancer are limited. The main aim of this study was to prospectively assess Naples prognostic score (NPS) in gastric cancer patients.

Clinical and pathological factors predictive of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: A single center experience.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) of breast cancer (BC) improves outcomes, especially in patients with locally advanced and inflammatory cancer. Further insight into clinic-pathological factors influencing outcomes is essential to define the optimal therapeutic strategy for each category of patients and to predict the response to the treatment. In total, 117 patients with BC were treated with NAC with or without trastuzumab between 2010 and 2015.

Perioperative Treatment in Resectable Gastric Cancer: Current Perspectives and Future Directions.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth-most common cancer worldwide and an important cause of cancer-related-death. The growing knowledge of its molecular pathogenesis has shown that GC is not a single entity, but a constellation of different diseases, each with its own molecular and clinical characteristics. Currently, surgery represents the only curative approach for localized GC, but only 20% of patients (pts) showed resectable disease at diagnosis and, even in case of curative resection, the prognosis remains poor due to the high rate of disease relapse.

Three dimensional primary cultures for selecting human breast cancers that are sensitive to the anti-tumor activity of ipatasertib or taselisib in combination with anti-microtubule cytotoxic drugs.

Two inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway taselisib, targeting the mutant PI3K-subunit-alpha (PI3KA) and ipatasertib, AKT-inhibitor, are currently under clinical investigation in breast cancer (BC) patients. We have previously demonstrated the anti-tumor efficacy of these anti-PI3K/AKT-inibitors in combination with anti-microtubule drugs in human BC cell lines, through a complete cytoskeleton disorganization. In this work, we generated ex-vivo three-dimensional (3D) cultures from human BC as a model to test drug efficacy and to identify new molecular biomarkers for selection of BC patients suitable for anti-PI3K/AKT-inibitors treatment.

Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Surgery in Primary and Metastatic Liver Tumors.

Background: After surgery for liver tumors, recurrence rates remain high because of residual positive margins or undiagnosed lesions. It has been suggested that detection of hepatic tumors can be obtained with near-infrared fluorescence imaging (FI). Indocyanine green (ICG) has been used with contrasting results.

Propensity score-matched comparison between complete mesocolic excision and classic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer.

Background: The prognosis of right colon cancer remains disappointing. Complete mesocolic excision (CME) with central vascular ligation (CVL), based on the same oncological principles of total mesorectal excision, has been speculated to result in a better outcome. To evaluate the oncological adequacy of CME with CVL, we carried out a comparative study with propensity score-matched analysis between two different surgical procedures performed at Italian and Egyptian University cancer centers.

Naples Prognostic Score, Based on Nutritional and Inflammatory Status, is an Independent Predictor of Long-term Outcome in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Colorectal Cancer.

Background: The existing scores reflecting the patient's nutritional and inflammatory status do not include all biomarkers and have been poorly studied in colorectal cancers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess a new prognostic tool, the Naples prognostic score, comparing it with the prognostic nutritional index, controlling nutritional status score, and systemic inflammation score.

Design: This was an analysis of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer.

Fluorescence-Guided Surgery in the Combined Treatment of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis from Colorectal Cancer: Preliminary Results and Considerations.

Background: Indocyanine green (ICG) is a near-infrared fluorescent contrast agent, which preferentially accumulates in cancer tissue. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of fluorescence imaging (FI) with ICG (ICG-FI) for detecting peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) from colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Four CRC patients with PC scheduled for cytoreductive surgery + hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy were enrolled in this prospective study.

Eribulin for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treatment: a retrospective, multicenter study based in Campania, south Italy (Eri-001 trial).

Background: On the basis of the results of two pivotal phase III clinical trials, eribulin mesylate is currently approved in EU for the treatment of advanced breast cancer (aBC) in patients who have previously received an anthracycline and a taxane in either the adjuvant or the metastatic setting, and at least one chemotherapeutic regimen for metastatic disease.

Methods: In our study, we investigated the efficacy and tolerability of eribulin as second or further line chemotherapy in 137 women affected by aBC.

Results: Eribulin as monotherapy provided benefit in terms of progression-free survival (PFS), response rate (RR) and disease control rate (DCR) independently of its use as second or late-line therapy.

Preoperative Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and Lymphocyte to Monocyte Ratio are Prognostic Factors in Gastric Cancers Undergoing Surgery.

Background: Cancer outcome is considered to result from the interplay of several factors, among which host inflammatory and immune status are deemed to play a significant role. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) have been profitably used as surrogate markers of host immunoinflammatory status and have also been shown to correlate with outcome in several human tumors. However, only a few studies on these biomarkers have been performed in gastric cancer patients, yielding conflicting results.

Comparison of the current AJCC-TNM numeric-based with a new anatomical location-based lymph node staging system for gastric cancer: A western experience.

Background: In gastric cancer, the current AJCC numeric-based lymph node staging does not provide information on the anatomical extent of the disease and lymphadenectomy. A new anatomical location-based node staging, proposed by Choi, has shown better prognostic performance, thus soliciting Western world validation.

Study Design: Data from 284 gastric cancers undergoing radical surgery at the Second University of Naples from 2000 to 2014 were reviewed.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for prediction of distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in early breast cancer: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Objective: To assess the correlation between presurgery neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in patients with early breast cancer.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Participants: 300 Caucasian patients with early (T1-2, N0-1, non-metastatic) breast cancer who were followed from July 1999 to June 2015 at our Institution.