Application of the NSE score (Neurology-Stability-Epidural compression assessment) to establish the need for surgery in spinal metastases of elderly patients: a multicenter investigation.

Purpose: This retropective multicentric study aims to investigate the clinical applicability of the NSE score in the elderly, to verify the role of this tool as an easy help for decision making also for this class of patients.

Methods: All elderly patients (> 65 years) suffering from spinal metastases undergoing surgical or non-surgical treatment at the authors' Institutions between 2015 and 2022 were recruited. An agreement group (AG) and non-agreement group (NAG) were identified accordingly to the agreement between the NSE score indication and the performed treatment.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of trials assessing PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors activity in pre-treated advanced stage malignant mesothelioma.

Introduction: Advanced stage malignant mesothelioma (asMM) patients have poor prognosis. Several trials investigated the role of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and its ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in pre-treated asMM.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature of clinical trials testing single-agent anti PD-1/PD-L1 ICIs in pre-treated asMM was performed.

Impact of adoption of patient-reported outcomes in clinical practice on the accuracy of symptom reporting in medical records of cancer patients.

Purpose: Medical records are a relevant source for real-world evidence. We introduced patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in clinical practice, demonstrating a significant quality-of-life improvement, compared to usual visit. In this secondary analysis, we describe the agreement between patients' and physicians' reports of 5 symptoms.

Ramucirumab, A Second-Line Option For Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review Of The Evidence.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary liver cancer and predominantly develops in patients with liver cirrhosis. In patients with advanced disease, such as extra-hepatic extension or portal vein involvement, and with intermediate disease unsuitable for locoregional therapies, systemic therapy is recommended, if liver function and performance status are adequate. Following a decade of negative Phase III trials since the approval of sorafenib, more recently several drugs have proven efficacy both in first line versus sorafenib (lenvatinib) or in second line versus placebo (regorafenib, cabozantinib, ramucirumab).

The Use of Not-Negative Conclusions to Describe Results of Formally Negative Trials Presented at Oncology Meetings.

This quality improvement analysis of oral presentations of phase 3 randomized clinical trials evaluates the frequency and risks of emphasizing results of borderline significance.

Immunotherapy in Underrepresented Populations of Patients with Cancer: Do We Have Enough Evidence at Present? A Focus on Patients with Major Viral Infections and Autoimmune Disorders.

The safety and activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors have been characterized in interventional and observational studies. However, only small studies have specifically investigated these agents in patients who are excluded or underrepresented in clinical trials, frequently referred to as "special populations" or "underrepresented populations." These include older adults, those with dysregulated immune activation, patients with a compromised immune function, and those carrying major viral infections, lymphoproliferative diseases, and major organ dysfunctions.

Impact of influenza syndrome and flu vaccine on survival of cancer patients during immunotherapy in the INVIDIa study.

INVIDIa was a retrospective, multicenter study, exploring the clinical efficacy of influenza vaccine in 300 cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy. Overall survival (OS) was immature at the initial report. We reported the final OS analysis from the original study population and within subgroups.

Quality of life assessment and reporting in colorectal cancer: A systematic review of phase III trials published between 2012 and 2018.

Background: In this study, our aim was to describe quality of life (QoL) prevalence and heterogeneity in QoL reporting in colorectal cancer phase III trials.

Methods: We included all phase III trials evaluating anticancer drugs in colorectal cancer patients published between 2012 and 2018 by 11 major journals.

Results: Out of the 67 publications identified, in 41 (61.

Quality of life analysis in lung cancer: A systematic review of phase III trials published between 2012 and 2018.

Objectives: We previously reported that quality of life (QoL) is not included among trial endpoints and QoL results are underreported in a significant proportion of phase III oncology trials. Here we describe QoL adoption, reporting and methodology of QoL analysis in lung cancer trials.

Materials And Methods: We selected all primary publications of lung cancer phase III trials assessing anticancer drugs published between 2012 and 2018 by 11 major journals.

Validated Nomogram Predicting 6-Month Survival in Pancreatic Cancer Patients Receiving First-Line 5-Fluorouracil, Oxaliplatin, and Irinotecan.

Background: FOLFIRINOX (leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin) is an option for fit patients with metastatic (MPC) and locally advanced unresectable (LAPC) pancreatic cancer. However, no criteria reliably identify patients with better outcomes.

Patients And Methods: We investigated putative prognostic factors among 137 MPC/LAPC patients treated with triplet chemotherapy.

Quality-of-Life Assessment and Reporting in Prostate Cancer: Systematic Review of Phase 3 Trials Testing Anticancer Drugs Published Between 2012 and 2018.

Quality of life (QoL) is not included among the end points in many studies, and QoL results are underreported in many phase 3 oncology trials. We performed a systematic review to describe QoL prevalence and heterogeneity in QoL reporting in recently published prostate cancer phase 3 trials. A PubMed search was performed to identify primary publications of randomized phase 3 trials testing anticancer drugs in prostate cancer, issued between 2012 and 2018.

A validated prognostic classifier for BRAF-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer: the 'BRAF BeCool' study.

Background: Despite the well-known negative prognostic value of the BRAF mutation in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), its outcome is quite heterogeneous, and the basis for this prognostic heterogeneity should be better defined.

Methods: Two large retrospective series of BRAF-mutated mCRC from 22 institutions served as an exploratory and validation set to develop a prognostic score. The model was internally and externally validated.

The role of patient-reported outcomes in outpatients receiving active anti-cancer treatment: impact on patients' quality of life.

Introduction: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are the gold standard to describe subjective symptoms. Nurses can be successfully involved in collecting symptom information, because of their direct relationship with the patient. In order to improve clinical management of outpatients receiving active anti-cancer treatment, we introduced in routine clinical practice an assessment of patient-reported symptoms and toxicities, starting from January 2018.

INfluenza Vaccine Indication During therapy with Immune checkpoint inhibitors: a transversal challenge. The INVIDIa study.

Aim: Considering the unmet need for the counseling of cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (CKI) about influenza vaccination, an explorative study was planned to assess flu vaccine efficacy in this population.

Methods: INVIDIa was a retrospective, multicenter study, enrolling consecutive advanced cancer outpatients receiving CKI during the influenza season 2016-2017.

Results: Of 300 patients, 79 received flu vaccine.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors in previously treated patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Immunotherapy represents a new hope for patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). However, to date, only one of two randomized studies showed a clear survival advantage with these treatments. Aimed to investigate the role of immune-checkpoint inhibitors in patients with platinum progressed metastatic UC we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and activity, in terms of Overall Survival (OS) and Objective Response Rate (ORR).

YAP-Dependent AXL Overexpression Mediates Resistance to EGFR Inhibitors in NSCLC.

The Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional co-activator upregulating genes that promote cell growth and inhibit apoptosis. The main dysregulation of the Hippo pathway in tumors is due to YAP overexpression, promoting epithelial to mesenchymal transition, cell transformation, and increased metastatic ability. Moreover, it has recently been shown that YAP plays a role in sustaining resistance to targeted therapies as well.

Intercalated Chemotherapy and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors for Patients With Advanced Non-Small-cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of concurrent epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) plus chemotherapy for unselected patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) produced negative results. Intercalated administration could avoid the reduction of chemotherapy activity due to G cell-cycle arrest from EGFR-TKIs. A PubMed search was performed in December 2015 and updated in February 2016.

Lovastatin stimulates human vascular smooth muscle cell expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2, a potent inhibitor of low-density lipoprotein-stimulated cell growth.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) stimulate ectopic bone formation in skeletal muscle. Here we show that human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) abundantly express mRNA encoding for BMP receptor type II, BMP-2, and BMP-7 proteins. Treatment with the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibitor lovastatin (34 microM) increased BMP-2 gene transcription >14-fold as measured by real-time PCR analysis (P<0.

Green tea polyphenols inhibit human vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation stimulated by native low-density lipoprotein.

This study investigated whether human vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation induced by native low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is affected by green tea catechins. Furthermore, the effects of native LDL on extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 activity were determined. Cell proliferation stimulated by native LDL was concentration-dependently inhibited by epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, green tea polyphenon, and the nonspecific antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (P<0.