Purpose: Alpelisib plus fulvestrant demonstrated a significant progression-free survival benefit versus fulvestrant in patients with PIK3CA-mutated HR+ /HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC) (SOLAR-1). Hyperglycemia, an on-target adverse effect of PI3Kα inhibition, can lead to dose modifications, potentially impacting alpelisib efficacy. We report data from preclinical models and two clinical trials (SOLAR-1 and BYLieve) on Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) use to improve PI3Kα inhibitor-associated hyperglycemia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Optimal use of bone-modifying agents (BMAs) in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors is uncertain in some aspects: the drug choice; the planned treatment duration and long-term therapy; the prevention and management of possible side effects, including renal toxicity, hypocalcaemia, and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ).
Methods: Italian oncologists were invited to fulfil a 24-question web survey about prescription of BMAs for bone metastases of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other solid tumors. Prevention and management of side effects were also investigated.
Background And Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic affected surgical oncology healthcare in a large sample from Piedmont, Northern Italy. Patients admitted for regular hospitalization were included (n = 99 651). Data from 2020 were compared to the averages from 2016 to 2019, stratified by tumor site, year, month, and admission method, using interrupted time series analysis post-March 2020.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been approved and currently used in the clinical management of recurrent and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) patients. The reported benefit in clinical trials is variable and heterogeneous. Our study aims at exploring and comparing the predictive role of gene-expression signatures with classical biomarkers for immunotherapy-treated R/M HNSCC patients in a multicentric phase IIIb trial.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) dramatically changed. PEACE-1 and ARASENS trials established triplet therapy efficacy. Identifying prognostic factors supporting treatment choice is pivotal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiotherapy and chemotherapy represent important treatment modalities for head and neck cancer. Rhinosinusitis and smell alterations are common side effects in the sinonasal region. This review will summarize and analyze our current knowledge of the sinonasal side effects of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC), with a specific focus on mucosal and olfactory disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: With the availability of multiple treatment options for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), new real-world data on disease management and drugs' performance are needed.
Methods: We described characteristics, management and clinical outcomes of patients receiving first-line mCRPC treatment within the Italian cohort of the real-world, prospective, international Prostate Cancer Registry. Patients were enrolled consecutively (2013-2016) in 32 Italian sites and followed for 3 years.
Aim: Recommendations for managing patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in non-endemic areas are largely derived from studies conducted in endemic areas. We analysed the impact of treatment approaches on survival in non-endemic areas.
Methods: In an international, multicentre, retrospective study, we analyse consecutive patients with NPC diagnosed between 2004 and 2017 in 36 hospitals from 11 countries.
Importance: Several studies have evaluated cardioprotective strategies to prevent myocardial dysfunction in patients who are receiving cardiotoxic therapies. However, the optimal approach still represents a controversial issue.
Objective: To determine whether pharmacological cardioprevention could reduce subclinical heart damage in patients with breast cancer who are being treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy.
Baseline clinical prognostic factors for recurrent and/or metastatic (RM) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with immunotherapy are lacking. CT-based radiomics may provide additional prognostic information. A total of 85 patients with RM-HNSCC were enrolled for this study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEribulin shows some activity in controlling brain metastasis in breast cancer. This observational, multicenter study evaluated brain disease control rates, survival and safety in patients with brain metastatic breast cancer treated with eribulin in clinical practice. A total of 34 patients were enrolled (mean age 49 years, 91% with visceral metastases) and 29 were evaluable for brain disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Many types of research have been performed to improve the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of oropharyngeal carcinomas (OP-SCCs). Since they arise in lymphoid-rich areas and intense lymphocytic infiltration has been related to a better prognosis, a TREM-1 putative function in tumour progression and survival has been hypothesized.
Materials And Methods: Twenty-seven human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 OP-SCC specimens have been analyzed to relate TREM-1 expression with histiocytic and lymphocytic markers, HPV presence and patients' outcome.
Purpose: A large proportion of patients with cancer suffer from breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP). Several unmet clinical needs concerning BTcP treatment, such as optimal opioid dosages, are being investigated. In this analysis the hypothesis, we explore with an unsupervised learning algorithm whether distinct subtypes of BTcP exist and whether they can provide new insights into clinical practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTher Adv Med Oncol
October 2020
Background: Real-world data on chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with abiraterone plus prednisone are limited, largely deriving from small retrospective studies.
Methods: ABitude is an Italian, observational, prospective, multicenter study of mCRPC patients receiving abiraterone plus prednisone in clinical practice. Chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients were consecutively enrolled at abiraterone start (February 2016 to June 2017) and are being followed for 3 years, with evaluation approximately every 6 months.
Breast Care (Basel)
February 2020
Background: Different studies suggest that fulvestrant 500 mg every 28 days (HD-FUL) could be an active treatment in HR+ advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients even treated with aromatase inhibitors in the adjuvant setting. The aim of this analysis is to describe the outcome of ABC patients treated with HD-FUL as first-line treatment in terms of median duration of treatment and the overall response rate in a real-world setting.
Methods: For the purpose of the present analysis, we considered two data sets of HR+ ABC patients collected in Italy between 2012 and 2015 (EVA and GIM-13 AMBRA studies).
: A range of combination chemotherapy regimens are currently used in clinical practice. However, international antiemetic guidelines often only categorize the emetogenic potential of single agents rather than the emetogenicity of combination chemotherapy regimens. To manage the nausea and vomiting induced by antineoplastic combinations, guidelines suggest antiemetics that are appropriate for the component drug with the highest emetogenic potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHead and neck cancer (HNC) can have a devastating impact on patient's lives as both disease and treatment may affect the ability to speak, swallow and breathe. These conditions limit the oral intake of food and drugs, reduce social functioning and impact on patient's quality of life. Up to 80% of patients suffering from HNC have pain due to the spread of the primary tumor, because of consequences of surgery, or by developing oral mucositis, dysphagia or neuropathy as toxic side effects of radiotherapy, chemotherapy or both.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDysgeusia and nausea are common side effects observed in head and neck cancer patients treated with either exclusive radiotherapy or combined modality treatment. The aim of the present study was to prospectively evaluate dysgeusia, during treatment and follow-up, using the chemotherapy-induced taste alteration scale (CiTAS), a metrics based on 18-items exploring three dimensions (quantitative and qualitative changes in taste perception, and diet-related issues) identified through a four-factor analysis: decline in basic taste, discomfort, phantogeusia-parageusia, and general taste alterations. Moreover, we scored, according to Common Toxicity Criteria Adverse Events, nausea and other treatment-related toxicities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Significant and symptomatic cardiac comorbidity is a contraindication to adjuvant trastuzumab in breast cancer patients. However, some patients with asymptomatic, nonlimiting cardiac comorbidity and normal baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) receive adjuvant trastuzumab in the clinical practice. We sought to describe the tolerability of trastuzumab in these patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis to describe the characteristics, frequency of skeletal-related events (SREs), and prognosis of head and neck cancer (HNC) in patients with bone metastases (BM).
Patients And Methods: The data of 192 HNC patients with BMs were collected. Analyses were conducted separately in 64 nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients and in 128 non-NPC patients.