Inflammation-related biomarkers as predictors of pathological complete response in early-stage breast cancer.

Background: Neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NAT) represents an attractive option for improved outcomes of early-stage breast cancer (BC) patients, as it can significantly reduce tumor burden thus permitting breast-conserving resections. Equally important, the eradication of viable cancer cells post-NAT, also known as pathological complete response (pCR), has emerged as a strong prognostic biomarker, reflecting tumor's biology and subsequent treatment responses. Yet to date, no validated markers predictive of pCR have been identified.

Emerging Therapies in Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Virus (+) Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) is the most frequently found oncogene in human cancers, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For many years, KRAS was considered "undruggable" due to its structure and difficult targeting. However, the discovery of the switch II region in the KRAS-G12C-mutated protein has changed the therapeutic landscape with the design and development of novel direct KRAS-G12C inhibitors.

Efficacy of NSCLC Rechallenge with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors following Disease Progression or Relapse.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are at the forefront of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. Still, only 27-46% of patients respond to initial therapy with ICIs, and of those, up to 65% develop resistance within four years. After disease progression (PD), treatment options are limited, with 10% Objective Response Rate (ORR) to second or third-line chemotherapy.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Treatment Decisions: A New Era for NSCLC.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women and men, in developed countries, despite the public health interventions including tobacco-free campaigns, screening and early detection methods, recent therapeutic advances, and ongoing intense research on novel antineoplastic modalities. Targeting oncogenic driver mutations and immune checkpoint inhibition has indeed revolutionized NSCLC treatment, yet there still remains the unmet need for robust and standardized predictive biomarkers to accurately inform clinical decisions. Artificial intelligence (AI) represents the computer-based science concerned with large datasets for complex problem-solving.

Cardiovascular complications of ribociclib in breast cancer patients.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have unprecedentedly advanced hormone-dependent breast cancer treatment paradigm. In the metastatic setting, ribociclib has consistently demonstrated survival benefit in pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal patients, conjugating efficacy with health-related quality of life preservation. Accordingly, the emergence of cardiac and/or vascular adverse events related to this novel targeted agent is gaining significant interest.

What to expect from paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system in uterine cancer: A review of the literature.

Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes are a rare subgroup of diseases commonly related to neuroendocrine tumors. However, they have been associated with uterine malignancies (sarcomas, endometrial carcinomas, and neuroendocrine cancers). Their presentation often correlates with a cancer diagnosis or cancer recurrence underlining their clinical significance.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage in a postpartum mother: A rare manifestation of an uncommon disease.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage, a potentially lethal medical emergency, represents an atypical clinical manifestation of gestational choriocarcinoma. We present the uncommon case of a 31-year-old primigravid female who presented with cerebral oncotic aneurysmal rupture, five weeks after vaginal delivery. Albeit the absence of neurological deficits after endovascular embolization, the patient was soon readmitted, complaining of fever, abdominal pain, and fetid lochia, all suggestive of puerperal endometritis.

Assessment of Postvaccination Neutralizing Antibodies Response against SARS-CoV-2 in Cancer Patients under Treatment with Targeted Agents.

The administration of a third dose of a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 has increased protection against disease transmission and severity. However, the kinetics of neutralizing antibodies against the virus has been poorly studied in cancer patients under targeted therapies. Baseline characteristics and levels of neutralizing antibodies at specific timepoints after vaccination were compared between patients suffering from breast, ovarian or prostate cancer and healthy individuals.

Machine learning applications in gynecological cancer: A critical review.

Machine Learning (ML) represents a computer science capable of generating predictive models, by exposure to raw, training data, without being rigidly programmed. Over the last few years, ML has gained attention within the field of oncology, with considerable strides in both diagnostic, predictive, and prognostic spectrum of malignancies, but also as a catalyst of cancer research. In this review, we discuss the state of ML applications on gynecologic oncology and systematically address major technical and ethical concerns, with respect to their real-world medical practice translation.

Advances in Gynecological Cancers.

The burden of gynecological cancer constitutes a major focus of public health efforts, as it continues to represent a significant cause of cancer mortality, exerting not only physical and emotional distress but also serious financial strain upon individuals, caregivers, and communities [...

SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies Kinetics Postvaccination in Cancer Patients under Treatment with Immune Checkpoint Inhibition.

Considering that COVID-19 could adversely affect cancer patients, several countries have prioritized this highly susceptible population for vaccination. Thus, rapidly generating evidence on the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in the subset of patients with cancer under active therapy is of paramount importance. From this perspective, we launched the present prospective observational study to comprehensively address the longitudinal dynamics of immunogenicity of both messenger RNA (mRNA) and viral vector-based vaccines in 85 patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for a broad range of solid tumors.

What Has Changed in the Management of Uterine Serous Carcinomas? Two Decades of Experience.

Uterine serous carcinoma accounts for 3-10% of endometrial cancers, but it is the most lethal histopathological subtype. The molecular characterization of endometrial carcinomas has allowed novel therapeutic approaches for these patients. We undertook a retrospective analysis of patients with uterine serous carcinomas treated in our hospital within the last two decades to identify possible changes in their management.

Mutation Types Do Not Affect Prognosis in Ovarian Cancer Patients.

Background: High grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most lethal type of epithelial ovarian cancer, with a prevalence of germline mutations as high as 20%. Our objective is to determine whether the location of mutations in the different domains of the genes affects the clinical outcome of HGSOC patients.

Methods: A total of 51 women with or mutated ovarian cancer were identified.

Immunological Response to COVID-19 Vaccination in Ovarian Cancer Patients Receiving PARP Inhibitors.

Objective: Vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 provides significant protection against the infection in the general population. However, limited data exist for cancer patients under systemic therapy.

Methods: In this cohort, we prospectively enrolled cancer patients treated with PARPi as well as healthy volunteers in order to study the kinetics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (NAbs) after COVID-19 vaccination.

Pembrolizumab in endometrial cancer: Where we stand now.

Recently, immunotherapy has shown promising results in solid tumors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review of published literature synthesizing all the available data and evaluating both the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in endometrial cancer. The present study was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.

Treatment with abiraterone or enzalutamide does not impair immunological response to COVID-19 vaccination in prostate cancer patients.

Data regarding the safety and efficacy of COVID-10 vaccines among cancer patients are lacking. Factors such as age, underlying disease and antineoplastic treatment confer negatively to the immune response due to vaccination. The degree of immunosuppression though may be lessen by targeted treatments like the androgen receptor-targeted agents (ARTA) that are commonly used in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Occupational Exposure and Multiple Myeloma Risk: An Updated Review of Meta-Analyses.

The precise etiology of multiple myeloma remains elusive, but both genetic and environmental factors have been suggested to contribute to disease risk. Several occupational categories and toxic agents have been implicated as potentially causative, yet findings from the literature are inconsistent. The aim of this review was to summarize and critically comment on the accumulated epidemiological evidence, across published meta-analyses, about the association between occupational exposure and risk of multiple myeloma.

SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies after first vaccination dose in breast cancer patients receiving CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Undoubtedly, the development of COVID-19 vaccines displays a critical step towards ending this devastating pandemic, considering their protective benefits in the general population. Yet, data regarding their efficacy and safety in cancer patients are limited. Herein we provide the initial analysis of immune responses after the first dose of vaccination in 21 breast cancer patients receiving cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors.

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration in platinum-responsive endometrial cancer: A case report and review of literature.

Paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia is a rare immune-induced, non-metastatic neurologic syndrome, most frequently associated with gynecological cancers, which carries an abysmal prognosis. We report the case of a patient with advanced-stage uterine cancer, who developed severe pancerebellar ataxia, while in partial remission, after the completion of 3 cycles of neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. Swift initiation of immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids combined with plasmapheresis did not result in significant clinical benefit.

CDK4/6 Inhibitors and Arthralgia: A Single Institution Experience.

Background: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are associated with musculoskeletal pain in one third (20-47%) of breast cancer patients. Recently, CDK4/6 inhibitors have emerged as a new therapeutic approach in hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer. While hematological and gastrointestinal toxicities are frequently reported during treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors, musculoskeletal symptoms are less commonly encountered.

The Emerging Role of Immunotherapy in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Biliary tract cancer, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCC) in particular, represents a rather uncommon, highly aggressive malignancy with unfavorable prognosis. Therapeutic options remain scarce, with platinum-based chemotherapy is being considered as the gold standard for the management of advanced disease. Comprehensive molecular profiling of tumor tissue biopsies, utilizing multi-omics approaches, enabled the identification of iCC's intratumor heterogeneity and paved the way for the introduction of novel targeted therapies under the scope of precision medicine.

Overweight/Obesity and Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance.

Background: Obesity and high body mass index (BMI) are associated with increased incidence of multiple myeloma (MM). MM usually evolves from a precursor asymptomatic disease, namely monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). MGUS progresses to MM at a 1% annual rate; however, risk factors predisposing to MGUS are not completely understood.

Aromatase and CDK4/6 Inhibitor-Induced Musculoskeletal Symptoms: A Systematic Review.

Background: Treatment with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is fundamental in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in the adjuvant as well as the metastatic setting. Even though it is considered to be a well-tolerated therapy, aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal syndrome (AIMSS) is the most common adverse event encountered by breast cancer patients. CDK4/6 inhibitors have emerged as a new treatment strategy in metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Propranolol and Weekly Paclitaxel in the Treatment of Metastatic Heart Angiosarcoma.

Heart angiosarcoma, the most frequent among cardiac malignancies, is an extremely rare vascular tumor known to carry a dismal prognosis. The spectrum of presenting symptoms depends on tumor's size, its anatomic location, and its invasiveness, whereas imaging techniques including cardiac magnetic resonance are critical in the differential diagnosis between malignant and benign neoplasms. Despite there are various available systemic therapeutic regimens for advanced cardiac angiosarcomas, yet, it still remains unclear which of them offers the best survival outcome in general.