Primary Chemoradiotherapy Treatment (PCRT) for HER2+ and Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients: A Feasible Combination.

Primary systemic treatment (PST) downsizes the tumor and improves pathological response. The aim of this study is to analyze the feasibility and tolerance of primary concurrent radio−chemotherapy (PCRT) in breast cancer patients. Patients with localized TN/HER2+ tumors were enrolled in this prospective study.

Macrometastasis at selective lymph node biopsy: A practical going-for-the-one clinical scoring system to personalize decision making.

Background: Axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is standard treatment for patients with clinically and pathological negative lymph nodes. However, the role of completion axillary lymph node dissection (cALND) following positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is debated.

Aim: To identify a subgroup of women with high axillary tumor burden undergoing SLNB in whom cALND can be safely omitted in order to reduce the risk of long-term complications and create a Preoperative Clinical Risk Index (PCRI) that helps us in our clinical practice to optimize the selection of these patients.

Impact of the Lockdown Due to COVID-19 Pandemic in the Use of Combined Hormonal Oral Contraception in Spain - Results of a National Survey: Encovid.

Objective: To know the contraceptive behaviour of Spanish women who use combined oral contraception (COC) during the period of lockdown due to COVID-19.

Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive study of a sample of Spanish women who use COC based on a survey conducted through social networks using the online platform Survey Monkey. The survey was conducted during the period of home confinement.

Towards a New Strategy for Diagnosis of Congenital Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.

The immigration of Latin American women of childbearing age has spread the congenital transmission of Chagas disease to areas of nonendemicity, and the disease is now a worldwide problem. Some European health authorities have implemented screening programs to prevent vertical transmission, but the lack of a uniform protocol calls for the urgent establishment of a new strategy common to all laboratories. Our aims were to (i) analyze the trend of passive IgG antibodies in the newborn by means of five serological tests for the diagnosis and follow-up of congenital infection, (ii) assess the utility of these techniques for diagnosing a congenital transmission, and (iii) propose a strategy for a prompt, efficient, and cost-effective diagnosis of infection.

Serological Diagnosis of Chronic Chagas Disease: Is It Time for a Change?

Chagas disease has spread to areas that are nonendemic for the disease with human migration. Since no single reference standard test is available, serological diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease requires at least two tests. New-generation techniques have significantly improved the accuracy of Chagas disease diagnosis by the use of a large mixture of recombinant antigens with different detection systems, such as chemiluminescence.

Molecular effects of lapatinib in patients with HER2 positive ductal carcinoma in situ.

Introduction: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification is frequent in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast and is associated with poorly differentiated tumors and adverse prognosis features. This study aimed to determine the molecular effects of the HER2 inhibitor lapatinib in patients with HER2 positive DCIS.

Methods: Patients with HER2 positive DCIS received 1,500 mg daily of lapatinib for four consecutive weeks prior to surgical resection.