Current Therapeutic Strategies in BRAF-Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Around 8-12% of patients with advanced colon rectal cancer (CRC) present with BRAF alterations, in particular V600E mutation, which is associated with right-side, poorly differentiated and mucinous type tumors. The presence of BRAF mutation (BRAF-mt) has been identified as a hallmark of poor prognosis and treatment optimization in this patient subgroup is an important goal. Currently, the standard of care is an aggressive strategy involving triplet chemotherapy and anti-VEGF agents, but new therapeutic approaches are emerging.

Metronomic capecitabine vs. best supportive care in Child-Pugh B hepatocellular carcinoma: a proof of concept.

There is a relative lack of evidence about systemic treatments in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and moderate liver dysfunction (Child-Pugh B). In this multicenter study we retrospectively analyzed data from Child-Pugh B-HCC patients naïve to systemic therapies, treated with MC or best supportive care (BSC). To reduce the risk of selection bias, an inverse probability of treatment weighting approach was adopted.

Sustained complete response of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with metronomic capecitabine: a report of three cases.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related death. Sorafenib, a multitarget angiogenesis inhibitor, is an approved frontline treatment for advanced HCC in Western countries, although a complete response (CR) to treatment is infrequently reported. Capecitabine, an oral fluoropyrimidine, has been shown to be effect in both treatment-naïve patients and those previously treated with sorafenib.

Metronomic capecitabine as second-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma after sorafenib discontinuation.

Purpose: Metronomic capecitabine (MC) is a well-tolerated systemic treatment showing promising results in one retrospective study, as second-line therapy after sorafenib failure, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: 117 patients undergoing MC were compared to 112 patients, eligible for this treatment, but undergoing best supportive care (BSC) after sorafenib discontinuation for toxicity or HCC progression. The two groups were compared for demographic and clinical features.

Brain Metastases from Biliary Tract Cancer: A Monocentric Retrospective Analysis of 450 Patients.

Objective: Brain metastases (BMs) from biliary tract cancer (BTC) are extremely rare. The aim of our study was to report the incidence of BMs in patients with BTC.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a series of 450 patients with BTC.

The role of metronomic capecitabine for treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation.

The management of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma untreatable with surgical options is based on systemic therapy with sorafenib. Due to the high rates of adverse events connected to the therapy with sorafenib, metronomic capecitabine seems a promising strategy for these patients. We analyzed the data of 38 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma recurrent after liver transplantation performed at our center.

Postsorafenib systemic treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma: questions and opportunities after the regorafenib trial.

The search for systemic therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma has been characterized by difficulties and failures. Despite recent progresses, many issues are still to be settled. In particular, the development of drugs inhibiting different neoplastic pathways remains a priority for patients intolerant or resistant to antiangiogenic drugs.

Good performance of platinum-based chemotherapy for high-grade gastroenteropancreatic and unknown primary neuroendocrine neoplasms.

To evaluate efficacy and safety of platinum and etoposide combination in the treatment of advanced gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) and unknown primary (CUP) neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC), we analysed the records of 21 consecutive patients treated with this regimen from 1999 to 2012. Objective responses were obtained in 11 patients (52%) and disease stability (DS) in 5 (24%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7 months (95% CI, 5.

Adjuvant chemotherapy for resected colorectal cancer metastases: Literature review and meta-analysis.

Surgical resection is the only option of cure for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the risk of recurrence within 18 mo after metastasectomy is around 75% and the liver is the most frequent site of relapse. The current international guidelines recommend an adjuvant therapy after surgical resection of CRC metastases despite the lower level of evidence (based on the quality of studies in this setting).

Antitumoral efficacy of the protease inhibitor gabexate mesilate in colon cancer cells harbouring KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA mutations.

The employment of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies represents a backbone of the therapeutic options for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, this therapy is poorly effective or ineffective in unselected patients. Mutations in KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA genes have recently emerged as the best predictive factors of low/absent response to EGFR-targeted therapy.