Cell proliferation of the primary tumor predicts ipsilateral axillary node disease in elderly breast cancer patients.

The present study investigated whether tumor markers such as cell proliferation and steroid receptor status, which have been shown to have relevance for important endpoints (relapse-free and overall survival), can also predict axillary disease in elderly patients with breast cancer. We evaluated 351 consecutive elderly women with breast cancer ≥70 years of age with estrogen receptor (ER)‑positive tumors with no palpable axillary nodes, for whom information on cell proliferation determined by the 3H-thymidine labeling index (TLI) and progesterone receptor (PgR) was available. Patients underwent quadrantectomy (70.

Outcome prediction in primary resected retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma: histology-specific overall survival and disease-free survival nomograms built on major sarcoma center data sets.

Purpose: Integration of numerous prognostic variables not included in the conventional staging of retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas (RPS) is essential in providing effective treatment. The purpose of this study was to build a specific nomogram for predicting postoperative overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with primary RPS.

Patients And Methods: Data registered in three institutional prospective sarcoma databases were used.

Tp53 status as guide for the management of ethmoid sinus intestinal-type adenocarcinoma.

Objective: Intestinal-type adenocarcinoma (ITAC) of the ethmoid sinus is a rare, occupational-related tumor. Optimal treatment consists of surgery and radiotherapy, while chemotherapy is still investigational. The molecular profile of ITAC is characterized by the occurrence of TP53 mutations associated with genotoxic agents such as wood dust.

Intra-parotid facial nerve schwannoma with intra-temporal extension; a case report. Is there a role for stereotactic radiotherapy?

Facial nerve schwannoma (FNS) is an extremely rare benign tumour that may arise anywhere along the course of the facial nerve; the standard treatment is total removal via microsurgery. Stereotactic radiotherapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of skull base tumours, in particular for acoustic neuromas; it is interesting to notice that also the few data existing in literature about the use of radiotherapy for non acoustic schwannomas show an excellent local control rate and few adverse effects. Here we report a case of facial nerve neuroma, involving the nerve sheath from the geniculate ganglion to the parotid gland, treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy after debulking surgery.

Predictors of outcome in an AIEOP series of childhood ependymomas: a multifactorial analysis.

Several molecular biomarkers have been suggested as predictors of outcome for pediatric ependymomas but deserve further validation in independent case series. We analyzed intracranial ependymomas belonging to a series of 60 patients prospectively treated according to the protocol sponsored by the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. We used a tissue microarray to analyze nucleolin (NCL), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), tumor protein 53 (TP53), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by immunohistochemistry and by 1q gain by fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Impaired awareness of deficits in Alzheimer's disease: the role of everyday executive dysfunction.

The present study analyzed the awareness of deficits in 117 mild Alzheimer's disease participants. Since few studies have examined the cognitive and behavioral domains of reduced awareness in detail, we performed a domain-specific assessment using the Awareness of deficit Questionnaire - Dementia scale with the novel aim of describing the relationship with everyday executive dysfunction. Through the use of the subtests of the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome, we hypothesized that executive cognitive functions may play an important role in the reduced awareness of deficits.

Clinical, pathological and surgical characteristics of duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor and their influence on survival: a multi-center study.

Background: The duodenum is a rare site of primary gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) after limited resection (LR) versus pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) were studied.

Methods: All patients who underwent surgery for primary, localized duodenal GIST between 2000 and 2011 were identified from four prospective institutional databases.

Histological variants of medulloblastoma are the most powerful clinical prognostic indicators.

Background: Medulloblastoma histological classification has gained in importance and newer treatment protocols will include histology stratification. We centrally reviewed medulloblastoma cases from past 10 years reassessing their histology to ascertain its prognostic significance.

Methods: Samples from 125 consecutive patients (99 males; 10 under age 3 years) were reviewed according to the two WHO classifications of 2000/2007.

Leiomyosarcoma and sarcoma with myogenic differentiation: two different entities or 2 faces of the same disease?

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the distinction between leiomyosarcomas (LMS) and sarcomas with myogenic differentiation (SMD), based on the expression of muscular markers, has any clinical implications.

Methods: Patients with localized LMS (excluding any gynecologic subtype) or SMD who underwent surgery at the authors' institution from 1994 to 2010 were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) and the crude cumulative incidence of local recurrence and distant metastasis (DM) were calculated, and multivariable analyses for DM and OS were carried out.

Cone-beam computed tomography in hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for brain metastases.

Background: To assess interfraction translational and rotational setup errors, in patients treated with image-guded hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, immobilized by a thermoplastic mask and a bite-block and positioned using stereotactic coordinates.

Methods: 37 patients with 47 brain metastases were treated with hypofractionated stererotactic radiotherapy. All patients were immobilized with a combination of a thermoplastic mask and a bite-block fixed to a stereotactic frame support.

Short, full-dose adjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk adult soft tissue sarcomas: a randomized clinical trial from the Italian Sarcoma Group and the Spanish Sarcoma Group.

Purpose: A previous randomized clinical trial by the Italian Sarcoma Group (ISG) had shown a survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in high-risk extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS). However, the dose-intensity of the last two cycles was suboptimal. We then undertook a multicentric international phase III study to compare three and five cycles of the same CT.

Breast change perception in women after smoking cessation. A pilot study.

Aims And Background: There are several barriers to smoking cessation that are unique to women. Compared to men, women report lower levels of motivation to quit and greater perceived difficulty with cessation. However, recent studies might favor commitment by women to quit through higher risk perception related e.

Tumor stage, human papillomavirus and smoking status affect the survival of patients with oropharyngeal cancer: an Italian validation study.

Background: Tumor human papillomavirus (HPV) status strongly affects overall survival (OS) of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) patients. Recently, three groups with different outcomes were identified based on HPV status, smoking history and tumor stage. Our objective was to validate this model using a single-institutional retrospective database.

Survival prediction for terminally ill cancer patients: revision of the palliative prognostic score with incorporation of delirium.

Purpose: An existing and validated palliative prognostic (PaP) score predicts survival in terminally ill cancer patients based on dyspnea, anorexia, Karnofsky performance status score, clinical prediction of survival, total WBC, and lymphocyte percentage. The PaP score assigns patients to three different risk groups according to a 30-day survival probability--group A, >70%; group B, 30%-70%; group C, <30%. The impact of delirium is known but was not incorporated into the PaP score.

Natural history of imatinib-naive GISTs: a retrospective analysis of 929 cases with long-term follow-up and development of a survival nomogram based on mitotic index and size as continuous variables.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) natural history per se has not been extensively investigated yet, with most data being drawn from large studies with a relevant referral bias. Hence, the estimation of prognosis still remains a critical issue. We retrospectively evaluated 929 GISTs resected between 1980 and 2000 in 35 Italian institutions.

Frontline extended surgery is associated with improved survival in retroperitoneal low- to intermediate-grade soft tissue sarcomas.

Background: The purpose of the study was to retrospectively reassess in our institutional series at a longer follow-up the value of a systematic attempt to carry out wide resections in retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma.

Patients And Methods: Three hundred and thirty-one consecutive patients surgically treated were analyzed. Since a shift toward a systematic more extended surgical approach took place starting from 2002, patients were divided in two groups according to the time of surgery.

Importance of early nutritional screening in patients with gastric cancer.

In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between nutritional status, disease stage and quality of life (QoL) in 100 patients recently diagnosed with gastric carcinoma. The patients' nutritional status was investigated with anthropometric, biochemical, inflammatory and functional variables; and we also evaluated the nutritional risk with the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002. Oncological staging was standard.

Myeloablative doses of yttrium-90-ibritumomab tiuxetan and the risk of secondary myelodysplasia/acute myelogenous leukemia.

Background: Because the long-term toxicity of myeloablative radioimmunotherapy remains a matter of concern, the authors evaluated the hematopoietic damage and incidence of secondary myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia (sMDS/AML) in patients who received myeloablative doses of the radiolabeled antibody yttrium-90 (⁹⁰Y)-ibritumomab tiuxetan.

Methods: The occurrence of sMDS/AML was investigated prospectively in 53 elderly patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who underwent an autograft after high-dose radioimmunotherapy (HD-RIT) myeloablative conditioning with ⁹⁰Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan. Bone marrow (BM) hematopoietic progenitors and telomere length (TL) also were investigated.

Anterior craniofacial resection for malignant paranasal tumors: a monoinstitutional experience of 366 cases.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of a mono-institutional series of patients treated with anterior craniofacial resection for malignant paranasal sinus tumors.

Methods: We analyzed all patients with malignant paranasal sinus tumors treated with anterior craniofacial resection at our institution between 1987 and 2007. All tumors were classified according to both the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)-2002 and the Istituto Nazionale Tumori (INT) classifications.

Sorafenib with interleukin-2 vs sorafenib alone in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: the ROSORC trial.

Background: Preclinical investigations support combining sorafenib with IL-2 in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

Methods: In this open-label, phase II study, 128 patients with mRCC were randomised to receive oral sorafenib, 400 mg twice daily, plus subcutaneous IL-2, 4.5 million international units (MIU) five times per week for 6 in every 8 weeks, or sorafenib alone.

Docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil-based induction chemotherapy followed by intensity-modulated radiotherapy concurrent with cisplatin in locally advanced EBV-related nasopharyngeal cancer.

Background: This monocentric study evaluates the activity and tolerability of docetaxel (Taxotere), cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (TPF) induction chemotherapy followed by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) concurrent with high-dose cisplatin in Epstein-Barr virus -related locally advanced undifferentiated nasopharyngeal cancer.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who received induction docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) on day 1, and 5-FU 750 mg/m(2)/day (96-h continuous infusion). Following induction, patients received full doses of IMRT concurrently with cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) every 21 days for three cycles.

Image-guided-radiotherapy retreatment of spine metastasis: a case report and radiobiological evaluation.

Aims And Background: The present case report describes vertebral metastasis retreatment using kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for setup error correction, in order to improve target irradiation and prevent spinal cord toxicity. We evaluated the feasibility of the second radiation therapy course on the overlapping treatment volume.

Methods And Study Design: A patient with metastatic kidney cancer, previously treated to the tenth dorsal vertebra with conventional radiation planning (21 Gy; 3 x 7 Gy), underwent retreatment.

Primary extremity soft tissue sarcomas: outcome improvement over time at a single institution.

Background: To assess changes in survival over time of extremity soft tissue sarcoma (ESTS) patients treated at a single reference institution.

Patients And Methods: Patients with primary localized adult-type ESTS surgically treated at our institution between 1987 and 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into four 5-year groups according to the timing of their first operation.

Non-metastatic unresected paediatric non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas: results of a pooled analysis from United States and European groups.

Background: Non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas (NRSTS) with initially unresected tumours represent a particular subset of patients with a poor outcome. Various international research groups pooled their data in a joint study in order to investigate prognostic variables and treatment modalities.

Methods: The study population consisted of 304 patients <21 years old treated between 1980 and 2005 using a multimodality therapeutic strategy.