Publications by authors named "R J Ragusa"
Background: Epidemiological data for sarcoma in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and across age groups are limited. We aim to: 1) update sarcoma incidence, survival, and changes over time in European AYAs; 2) provide an updated comparison of sarcoma survival in AYAs versus children and mature adults.
Methods: We calculated crude incidence rates (IR) per 100,000 European population per year from 2006 to 2013.
Background: The phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor apremilast downregulates the production of IL-23 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Aim: To investigate the effects of apremilast on the production of cytokines by peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages, innate-like lymphocyte cells (ILCs), mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, γδ T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and NKT-like cells from patients with PsA manifesting different clinical responses to the treatment.
Methods: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from patients with PsA at baseline and after 1 and 4 months of apremilast therapy (n = 23) and 20 controls with osteoarthritis.
Background: Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is rare in adolescents and young adults (AYA, 15-39 years at cancer diagnosis) and studies on CM in AYAs are scarce. Our aim is to update CM incidence and survival in European AYAs and to compare incidence and survival both with other age groups and over time.
Methods: We used the EUROCARE-6 database (108 cancer registries; 29 EU countries), calculating incidence rates (IR) per 100,000 individuals/year in the European population (years of diagnosis: 2006-2013), 5-year relative survival (RS), and 5-year RS conditional to surviving the first year after diagnosis, for the follow-up period 2010-2014 (cases diagnosed in 2006-2013).
Article Synopsis
- * A review of Italian vaccination documents highlights HTA's role in evaluating vaccines between 2012-2025 but shows a lack of independent funding for HTA reports.
- * Improved utilization of HTA is needed to ensure timely and evidence-based vaccine recommendations, filling gaps between research findings and policy decisions.
Article Synopsis
- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has a notable link to an increased risk of cancer, with a study revealing a 20% overall prevalence of cancer among 290 SSc patients, including 8% classified as cancer-associated scleroderma.
- The study found that older patients and those with specific autoantibodies (anti-Ro52 or anti-U3-RNP) were more prone to both cancer and cancer-associated scleroderma.
- Additionally, cancer surveillance is crucial for patients with diffuse SSc, especially those who are older and lack classic SSc autoantibodies, as they have a higher risk for certain cancers, like breast cancer.