Ladies project: large database in endometrial cancers for a personalized treatment.

Purpose: To compare Italian use with current international guidelines and to evaluate oncological outcomes and toxicity patterns of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) for endometrial cancer (EC) in Italian women.

Materials And Methods: To conduct a retrospective multicentre Italian study a large database was set up. Inclusion criteria were: accrual between 2010 and 2020, treatment with surgery, post-operative external beam RT (EBRT) and/or interventional radiotherapy (IRT) associated or not with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Exploring the potential of digital therapeutics: An assessment of progress and promise.

Digital therapeutics (DTx), a burgeoning subset of digital health solutions, has garnered considerable attention in recent times. These cutting-edge therapeutic interventions employ diverse technologies, powered by software algorithms, to treat, manage, and prevent a wide array of diseases and disorders. Although DTx shows significant promise as an integral component of medical care, its widespread integration is still in the preliminary stages.

Automated segmentation in pelvic radiotherapy: A comprehensive evaluation of ATLAS-, machine learning-, and deep learning-based models.

Artificial intelligence can standardize and automatize highly demanding procedures, such as manual segmentation, especially in an anatomical site as common as the pelvis. This study investigated four automated segmentation tools on computed tomography (CT) images in female and male pelvic radiotherapy (RT) starting from simpler and well-known atlas-based methods to the most recent neural networks-based algorithms. The evaluation included quantitative, qualitative and time efficiency assessments.

Contouring of emerging organs-at-risk (OARS) of the female pelvis and interobserver variability: A study by the Italian association of radiotherapy and clinical oncology (AIRO).

Purpose: To provide straightforward instructions for daily practice in delineating emerging organs-at-risk (OARs) of the female pelvis and to discuss the interobserver variability in a two-step multicenter study.

Methods And Materials: A contouring atlas with anatomical boundaries for each emerging OAR was realized by radiation oncologists and radiologists who are experts in pelvic imaging, as per their knowledge and clinical practice. These contours were identified as quality benchmarks for the analysis subsequently carried out.

Updating approach for lexicographic optimization-based planning to improve cervical cancer plan quality.

Background: To investigate the capability of a not-yet commercially available fully automated lexicographic optimization (LO) planning algorithm, called mCycle (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden), to further improve the plan quality of an already-validated Wish List (WL) pushing on the organs-at-risk (OAR) sparing without compromising target coverage and plan delivery accuracy.

Material And Methods: Twenty-four mono-institutional consecutive cervical cancer Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) plans delivered between November 2019 and April 2022 (50 Gy/25 fractions) have been retrospectively selected. In mCycle the LO planning algorithm was combined with the a-priori multi-criterial optimization (MCO).

Vaginal Toxicity Management in Patients with Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer following Exclusive Chemoradiation-A Nationwide Survey on Knowledge and Attitudes by the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) Gynecology Study Group.

: Exclusive radiotherapy, including external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and interventional radiotherapy/brachytherapy (IRT/BT), with concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy, represents the standard of care in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). The emerging topic of vaginal toxicity has become a key endpoint in LACC management, although different approaches and non-standardized procedures were available. Our aim was to analyze a nationwide study of the attitudes of Italian gynecological radiation oncology teams in the management of LACC patients' vaginal toxicities.

Peritransplant Radiation Therapy in Patients With Refractory or Relapsed Hodgkin Lymphoma Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplant: Long-Term Results of a Retrospective Study of the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi.

Purpose: In this multicenter collaboration, we report real-world data in the largest published series of long-term outcomes for patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treated with peritransplant radiation therapy (pt-RT) and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).

Methods And Materials: We conducted a retrospective analysis including data from 12 institutions. Eligibility required histologic diagnosis of HL, receipt of ASCT plus pt-RT between 2004 and 2014 for r/r HL, and age ≥18 years at the time of ASCT.

Comprehensive dosimetric and clinical evaluation of lexicographic optimization-based planning for cervical cancer.

Aim: In this study, a not yet commercially available fully-automated lexicographic optimization (LO) planning algorithm, called mCycle (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden), was validated for cervical cancer.

Material And Methods: Twenty-four mono-institutional consecutive treatment plans (50 Gy/25 fx) delivered between November 2019 and April 2022 were retrospectively selected. The automatic re-planning was performed by mCycle, implemented in the Monaco TPS research version (v5.

Digital Twins in Healthcare: Is It the Beginning of a New Era of Evidence-Based Medicine? A Critical Review.

Digital Twins (DTs) are used in many different industries (e.g., manufacturing, construction, automotive, and aerospace), and there is an initial trend of applications in healthcare, mainly focusing on precision medicine.

Postoperative treatment of intermediate-risk early stage cervical cancer: results of a survey from the Gynecology Study Group in the AIRO Gyn and MITO Groups.

This survey investigated prognostic factors, treatment modalities, references followed and radiation oncologists' opinions to prescribe adjuvant therapy in early intermediate-risk cervical cancer. All but one recommended pelvic radiotherapy ± vaginal boost (45%) with or without chemotherapy (20%). 88% believed other prognostic factors could integrate classic risk criteria.

Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL) expert consensus on the use of intensity-modulated and image-guided radiotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma involving the mediastinum.

Aim: Advances in therapy have resulted in improved cure rates and an increasing number of long-term Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) survivors. However, radiotherapy (RT)-related late effects are still a significant issue, particularly for younger patients with mediastinal disease (secondary cancers, heart diseases). In many Centers, technological evolution has substantially changed RT planning and delivery.

A Rare Case Report: Isolated Mediastinal Lymph Node Recurrence in High-Risk Endometrial Cancer at 5 Years after Primary Laparoscopic Surgery.

Endometrial cancer is the most common malignancy in some developed countries, with an estimated 102 423 new cases reported in 2015. Isolated mediastinal lymph node recurrence has not been reported previously in this setting. We report a 78-year-old woman with an isolated lymph node recurrence in the mediastinal aortic region detected 5 years after her initial surgical treatment and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Comparative evaluation of CT-based and respiratory-gated PET/CT-based planning target volume (PTV) in the definition of radiation treatment planning in lung cancer: preliminary results.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare planning target volume (PTV) defined on respiratory-gated positron emission tomography (PET)/CT (RG-PET/CT) to PTV based on ungated free-breathing CT and to evaluate if RG-PET/CT can be useful to personalize PTV by tailoring the target volume to the lesion motion in lung cancer patients.

Methods: Thirteen lung cancer patients (six men, mean age 70.0 years, 1 small cell lung cancer, 12 non-small cell lung cancer) who were candidates for radiation therapy were prospectively enrolled and submitted to RG-PET/CT.

Effects of the conventional antitumor therapies surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy on regulatory T lymphocytes in cancer patients.

Background: Several clinical studies have clearly demonstrated that the immune status is one a major prognostic factor for the survival time in cancer patients. However the main clinical problem is to identify the most prognostically important index within the great number of immune parameters. Recently the evaluation of regulatory T (T-reg) (CD4CD25) lymphocyte count and function with respect to the T helper (TH) (CD4) number has been shown to represent the main immune parameters capable of representing the functional status of the anticancer immunity in cancer patients.

Brain irradiation-induced lymphocytosis predicts response in cancer patients with brain metastases.

Lymphocytopenia is one of the main toxicities of radiotherapy and its severity is related to the irradiation dose. The occurrence of lymphocytopenia depends on the body site of radiotherapy; it is most pronounced with pelvic irradiation, whereas the effect of brain irradiation on the lymphocyte count is to be elucidated. This preliminary study was performed to evaluate changes in lymphocyte number occurring during brain irradiation in cancer patients with brain metastases.

Giant intracranial aneurysms treated with deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest.

The use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA), using groin cannulation with the chest closed (CCDHCA), has improved the surgical treatment of large and giant cerebral aneurysms. Twelve consecutive ASA I-II patients (10 women and 2 men), with a mean age of 35 years (range 14 to 55 y) underwent DHCA for clipping or trapping of their aneurysm (giant, n=10; large, n=2; 42% posterior circulation), under balanced general anesthesia. Intraoperative standard monitors were completed with jugular oxygen saturation, pulmonary artery, pulmonary artery occlusion, central venous pressures, electroencephalography, evoked potentials, and cerebral (subdural), and core temperature.

Impact of radiotherapy technique on the outcome of early breast cancer treated with conservative surgery: A multicenter observational study on 1,176 patients.

Purpose: To quantify the impact of radiotherapy technique on cosmetic outcome and on 5-year local control rate of early breast cancer treated with conservative surgery and adjuvant radiation.

Methods And Materials: A total of 1,176 patients irradiated to the breast in 1997 were entered by eight centers into a prospective, observational study. Surgical procedure was quadrantectomy in 97% of patients, with axillary dissection performed in 96%; pT-stage was T1 in 81% and T2 in 19% of cases; pN-stage was N0 in 71%, N + (1-3) in 21%, and N + (>3) in 8% of cases.

Radiotherapy-induced lymphocytopenia: changes in total lymphocyte count and in lymphocyte subpopulations under pelvic irradiation in gynecologic neoplasms.

Lymphocytopenia is one of the most negative biological prognostic factors in cancer patients. Lymphocytopenia may depend on tumor progression, or on various anticancer therapies. In particular, radiotherapy (RT) may induce direct lymphocyte damage.

The favorable prognostic significance of surgery-induced hyperprolactinemia in node-positive breast cancer patients: ten-year disease-free survival results.

It has been shown that each manipulation of the mammary region, including breast surgery, may stimulate prolactin secretion. However, it has also been observed that in more than 50% of breast cancer patients surgical removal of the tumor is not followed by enhanced prolactin secretion. This might be indicative of an altered psychoneuroendocrine control of the mammary gland, which could lead to the onset of more biologically aggressive breast cancer.

Are international guidelines for the prescription of adjuvant treatment for early breast cancer followed in clinical practice? Results of a population-based study on 1547 patients.

Aims And Background: The results of several randomized trials and meta-analyses have been reported on adjuvant treatment for early breast cancer and treatment guidelines have been defined accordingly, but detailed data are lacking on the appropriateness of treatment prescription in clinical practice.

Methods: We performed a prospective, observational, multicenter study to monitor the prescription, delivery and effectiveness of radiotherapy following conservative surgery for early breast cancer; 1610 patients treated with postoperative radiation to the breast in 1997 were entered by 12 centers in Lombardy, Italy. Here we report the results of a secondary analysis focused on the prescription of medical adjuvant treatment (1547 eligible patients).

[Study of Mycobacterium bovis in milk using bacteriological methods and the polymerase chain reaction].

The frequency of Mycobacterium bovis detection in milk samples obtained from infected animals was explored in an intensive dairy area in Argentina. To this end, an "in house" polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed using Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex specific INS1-INS2 primers, and its performance was compared with that of bacteriological methods. The decontamination procedures previous to culture reduced M.

Intermittent falls and fecal incontinence as a manifestation of epileptic negative myoclonus in idiopathic partial epilepsy of childhood.

We report two children, suffering from idiopathic partial epilepsy, who started to present, in the same period of time, with epileptic negative myoclonus (ENM) in one lower limb and fecal incontinence (FI). Polygraphic recordings showed that ENM was associated with paroxysmal activities distributed over the vertex region. Both ENM and FI disappeared when ethosuximide treatment was started.

Five-year survival results of subcutaneous low-dose immunotherapy with interleukin-2 alone in metastatic renal cell cancer patients.

After the discovery of its essential role in anticancer immunity, IL-2 cancer immunotherapy has shown that comparable results may be obtained with different schedules, including intravenous high-dose IL-2 as a bolus or as a 24-hour intravenous infusion or prolonged subcutaneous injection of low-dose IL-2 with or without IFN-alpha. This study shows the long-term results obtained in 92 metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC) patients with low-dose subcutaneous IL-2, which was given at 3 million IU twice/day for 5 days/week for 6 consecutive weeks. In nonprogressing patients, a second cycle was planned after a 21-day rest period, followed by maintenance therapy consisting of 5 days of treatment every month until disease progression.

Circulating dendritic cells in early and advanced cancer patients: diminished percent in the metastatic disease.

Despite the well demonstrated fundamental role of dendritic cells (DC) in generating antitumor immunity in experimental conditions, to date there are only few preliminary studies which investigate the percent of DC in the peripheral blood of cancer patients. Several cell surface markers have now been described which are specific to cultured DC, however their expression in vivo is still controversial. Recently, however, two DC subsets, consisting of immature and mature DC, have been shown to be present in peripheral blood, which can be recognized as CD123+ and CD11c+ cells, respectively.