Prevalence and Spectrum of Germline Variants in Central Italian High Risk or Familial Breast/Ovarian Cancer Patients: A Monocentric Study.

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancers are mainly linked to variants in /2 genes. Recently, data has shown that identification of variants has an immediate impact not only in cancer prevention but also in targeted therapeutic approaches. This prospective observational study characterized the overall germline variant and variant of uncertain significance (VUS) frequency and spectrum in individuals affected by breast (BC) or ovarian cancer (OC) and in healthy individuals at risk by sequencing the entire genes.

Osimertinib.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated (exons 18-21) advanced non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) are generally characterized by exquisite sensitivity to treatment with an EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (-TKI). First-generation or reversible EGFR-TKIs include gefitinib and erlotinib, while, more recently, second-generation or irreversible EGFR-TKIs have been developed, namely afatinib and dacomitinib, with the aim of overcoming/delaying acquired resistance to treatment. Nevertheless, clinical trials have shown that resistance eventually emerges after a median time of slightly less than one year, regardless of whether first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs are used.

High spatial resolution Raman thermometry analysis of TiO2 microparticles.

A new technique of high-resolution micro-Raman thermometry using anatase TiO2 microparticles (0.5-3 μm) is presented. These very high spatial resolution measurements (280 nm) reveal temperature gradients even within individual microparticles.

HER-3 status by immunohistochemistry in HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab: correlation with clinical outcome.

Aims And Background: HER-3 signaling might contribute to resistance to trastuzumab. To clarify the role of HER-3 in HER-2-positive breast cancer, it is important to evaluate the level of HER-3 and its correlations with clinical outcome in metastatic breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab.

Methods: HER-3 status by immunohistochemistry was evaluated in HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab-based therapy at our institution.

In vitro evaluation of fresh sperm quality in tomcats: a comparison of two collection techniques.

The collection of semen from tomcats by urethral catheterization (CT) after medetomidine administration offers a novel and easy approach to obtain good quality sperm for in vitro fertilization. This study was designed to compare the sperm quality parameters and in vitro fertilizing capacity of CT spermatozoa with those of spermatozoa retrieved after epididymal slicing (EP). Semen was collected in seventeen adult cats by urethral catheterization, after which the cat was orchiectomized.