Publications by authors named "Martina Angi"

Article Synopsis
  • The study presents a standardized surgical technique for endoresection of uveal melanoma (UM) that aims to reduce the risk of serious complications, like fatal gas embolism.
  • The procedure was conducted on ten patients after proton beam radiotherapy and involved careful methods such as cauterizing vortex veins, vitrectomy, and using specialized fluids to stabilize the retina.
  • Results showed successful endoresection in all cases with no intraoperative complications, and follow-up indicated no signs of local recurrence or additional complications for the majority of patients.
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Purpose: The aim of this article is to conduct a comprehensive systematic review about the current understandings and differential diagnosis of myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) and other several similar diseases, describing their multimodal imaging analysis, prognostic implications, and current types of management.

Methods: This systematic review was performed based on a search on the PubMed database of relevant papers regarding mCNV and other entities discussed in the paper, according to our current knowledge.

Results: Through the integration of a multimodal imaging approach, especially optical coherence tomography (OCT), along with accurate demographic and clinical assessment, it becomes possible to effectively differentiate mCNV from similar yet heterogeneous entities.

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Background: The multidisciplinary approach is considered "best practice" in oncology. Multidisciplinary Teamwork (MDTW) can be broadly classified into Multidisciplinary Team Meetings (MDTM) and Multidisciplinary Cancer Clinics (MDCC; involving also patients), yet both models are heterogeneously implemented.

Purpose: This study aims at describing the different MDTW implemented models in a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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Purpose: To describe a case of ocular inflammation associated with dabrafenib and trametinib chemotherapy for cutaneous melanoma by using a multimodal image approach.

Materials And Methods: We report on a 51-year-old woman with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome, which occurred while she was undergoing treatment with dabrafenib and trametinib for cutaneous melanoma. The patient complained of sudden, bilateral vision loss of 2 days' duration.

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Toxic tumour syndrome (TTS) is a particularly aggressive form of secondary vasculopathy occurring after radiation therapy of uveal melanoma due to the persistence of the necrotic tumour mass inside the eye. The development of TTS confers a particularly unfavourable functional and anatomical ocular prognosis, ultimately requiring enucleation in most cases if untreated. Vitreoretinal (VR) surgery has been successfully applied for treatment and prevention of TTS using both resecting and non-resecting techniques.

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Background: Outcomes of patients with metastatic melanoma discontinuing BRAF-targeted therapy for cumulative toxicity after sustained response are unknown.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective case series analysis conducted at a single Cancer Center in Italy included patients with BRAF mutated metastatic melanoma treated with a BRAF inhibitor as a single agent or in combination with a MEK inhibitor between June 1, 2011 and January 1, 2020 and interrupted treatment due to cumulative toxicity after achieving complete response (CR) or long-lasting partial response (PR; i.e.

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Background: Prognostic parameters in sentinel node (SN)-positive melanoma are important indicators to identify patients at high risk of recurrence who should be candidates for adjuvant therapy. We aimed to evaluate the presence of melanoma cells beyond the SN capsule-extranodal extension (ENE)-as a prognostic factor in patients with positive SNs.

Methods: Data from 1,047 patients with melanoma and positive SNs treated from 2001 to 2020 at the Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milano, Italy, were retrospectively investigated.

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The ocular surface represents a finely regulated system that allows the protection of the eye. It is particularly susceptible to different treatments for intraocular tumours, such as uveal melanoma and conjunctival cancers. Traditionally, the management of ocular tumours depends on the characteristics of the lesion, and is based on a combination of selective surgery, topical chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy delivered through different mechanisms (e.

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To investigate effectiveness and safety of a curcumin-based nutritional supplement in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We conducted a controlled retrospective study, reviewing the medical records of patients referred to the Eye Center, Humanitas Hospital, Bergamo due to neovascular AMD and treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intravitreal injections (IVIs) and oral administration of a curcumin-based nutritional supplement vehiculated by enterosoma-I. We retrospectively collected data of 18 naive patients who received IVI and daily oral nutritional supplement and 24 naive age-matched controls with the same diagnosis undergoing only IVI.

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Purpose: To compare the adverse side effects of fractionated stereotactic photon beam radiotherapy (fSRT) with proton beam radiotherapy (PBR) in patients with uveal melanoma (UM).

Methods: A retrospective study investigating 306 UM patients treated with fSRT (N=153) by the Rotterdam Ocular Melanoma Study group (ROMS), The Netherlands, between 1999-2014 or with PBR (N=153) at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Bebington, United Kingdom, between 1993-2014. The tumours treated with fSRT were matched with tumours treated with PBR based on sex, left or right eye, TNM classification, posterior margin ≤ or > 3mm of the fovea and of the optic disc.

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Background: Optic disc drusen (ODD) are acellular deposits in the prelaminar optic nerve head. The most accredited theory is that they are secondary to abnormalities in axonal metabolism and degeneration, but the pathogenesis is not clear to date.

Clinical Manifestation: Although ODD are often considered a benign condition, the great majority of patients with ODD show visual field defects and are at higher risk for developing anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

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: To provide useful guidelines, targeted at ophthalmology professionals, to minimize COVID-19 infection of both health-care workers and patients.: In this review we present updated literature merged with our experience from hospitals in Bergamo, the epicenter of the COVID-19 European outbreak.: Non-pharmaceutical interventions, hygienic recommendations and personal protective equipment to contain viral spread as well as a suggested risk assessment for postponement of non-urgent cases should be applied in ophthalmologist activity.

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This study aimed to assess the cytotoxic effect of low molecular weight components (LMWC) and conventional silicone oils (SOs) 1000 cSt with different degree of purification (raw, intermediate, and purified) using in vitro cytotoxicity tests. Direct contact cytotoxicity tests were performed in BALB 3T3 and human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) using quantitative and qualitative evaluation according to the ISO 10993-5 (2009) standards. Conventional SOs 1000 cSt in form of raw, intermediate (intermediate product obtained during distillation process), and purified SO (final product after distillation) and a concentrate of LMWC (including siloxane chains with molecular weight up to 1557 g/mol) were directly applied to 100% of cell layer area for 24 h.

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Objective: To present an investigation into the intake of cannabinoids in a population of adolescents and young adults with cancer.

Methods: Sixty-six patients took part in the research: 27 reported having used cannabinoids, 21 before diagnosis; among the latter, 10 increased use during treatment.

Results: Benefits were reported by 19% of responders regarding anxiety control, 24% for nausea, 29% for pain control and improvement of sleep, and 48% for appetite improvement.

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: To report the clinical features and treatment outcomes in immunocompetent patients with anterior segment inflammation (ASI) related to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) depending on their ethnic origin.: Multicenter retrospective study of 38 patients with at least one test, either HCMV-positive PCR or GWc.: Features of Posner-Schlossman syndrome were observed in 50% of the eyes, Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis in 13% of the eyes, chronic nonspecific anterior uveitis in 21% of the eyes, and corneal endotheliitis in 18% of the eyes.

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This study compared the cytogenetic profiles of choroidal melanoma samples retrieved before and after proton beam irradiation. Twenty-four consecutive patients who underwent both fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) during tantalum clip positioning, and endoresection within three months of irradiation, were retrospectively included. Chromosome alterations were explored by array comparative genomic hybridization.

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There is increasing evidence of the survival benefit of treating uveal melanoma in an early stage, however it is important to discuss with the patient the associated risk of visual loss. We investigated visual outcomes for uveal melanomas staged T1 (T1UM) treated by proton beam radiotherapy (PBR) as a function of their distance to fovea-optic disc. This retrospective study included a cohort of 424 patients with T1UM treated with PBR between 1991 and 2010 with at least a 5-year follow-up.

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Purpose: To report the characteristics of cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis (CMV AU) and the comparative response to 2 types of antiviral induction treatments.

Design: Retrospective, consecutive case series.

Methods: Consecutive immunocompetent patients with polymerase chain reaction-positive CMV AU were included.

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Background: Accurate survival prognostication for patients with uveal melanoma (UM) enables effective patient counselling and permits personalised systemic surveillance for the early detection of metastases and, in high-risk patients, enrolment in any trials of systemic adjuvant therapy. The aim of this work is to determine the success of prognostic UM tumour biopsy using an improved surgical approach and optimised sample handling workflow.

Methods: Patients with UM treated by primary radiotherapy between 2011 and 2013 and who underwent a prognostic biopsy with cytology, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and/or microsatellite analysis were included.

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Uveal melanoma (UM), the most common primary intraocular tumour in adults, is characterised by a high frequency of metastases to the liver, typically with a fatal outcome. Proteins secreted from cancer cells ('secretome') are biologically important molecules thought to contribute to tumour progression. We examined the UM secretome by applying a label-free nanoLCMS/MS proteomic approach to profile proteins secreted into culture media by primary UM tumours with a high- (HR; n = 11) or low- (LR; n = 4) metastatic risk, compared to normal choroidal melanocytes (NCM) from unaffected post-mortem eyes.

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A major challenge in cancer research is the use of appropriate models with which to study a specific biological question. Cell lines have long been used to study cellular processes and the effects of individual molecules because they are easy to use, grow rapidly, produce reproducible results and have a strong track record in research. In uveal melanoma in particular, the absence of animal models that faithfully replicate the behavior of the human disease has propagated the generation and use of numerous cell lines by individual research groups.

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Purpose: Recent studies on temperature control in biology and medicine have found the temperature as a new instrument in healthcare. In this manuscript, we reviewed the effects of temperature and its potential role in pars plana vitrectomy. We also examined the relationship between intraocular pressure, viscosity, and temperature in order to determine the best balance to manipulate the tamponades during the surgery.

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