Role of microsatellite instability and HER2 positivity in locally advanced esophago-gastric cancer patients treated with peri-operative chemotherapy.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) significantly improved the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC). Several biomarkers, including HER2 and MMR/MSI are crucial for treatment decisions in the advanced stage but, currently, no biomarkers can guide the choice of NAC in clinical practice. Our aim was to evaluate the role of MSI and HER2 status on clinical outcomes.

Observational Study on Antibody Response to COVID-19 Vaccines in PAtients with Gastro-Entero-PanCreatic Cancers and NeuroendocrIne NeoplAsms on Systemic TreatmEnts (VACCINATE).

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic dramatically impacted oncological patients' care. Since the introduction of vaccines and the demonstration of their benefit on frail patients, COVID-19 vaccinations were indicated to also be beneficial to oncological population. However, data about the impact of anticancer-treatments and the timing between vaccinations and systemic therapy delivery were not available.

Validation of the ONKOTEV Risk Prediction Model for Venous Thromboembolism in Outpatients With Cancer.

Importance: The assessment of the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among outpatients with cancer represents an unsolved topic. Current international guidelines recommend primary prophylaxis for patients at intermediate to high risk of VTE, indicated by a Khorana score of 2 or more. A previous prospective study developed the ONKOTEV score, a 4-variable risk assessment model (RAM) consisting of a Khorana score of more than 2, metastatic disease, vascular or lymphatic compression, and previous VTE event.

Addressing the Role of Angiogenesis in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors Treated with Everolimus: A Biological Prospective Analysis of Soluble Biomarkers and Clinical Outcomes.

Background: The success of targeted therapies in the treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors has emphasized the strategy of targeting angiogenesis and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. However, the major challenge in the targeted era remains the early identification of resistant tumors especially when the efficacy is rarely associated to a clear tumor shrinkage at by imaging assessment.

Methods: In this prospective study (NCT02305810) we investigated the predictive and prognostic role of soluble biomarkers of angiogenesis turnover (VEGF, bFGF, VEGFR2, TSP-1) circulating endothelial cells and progenitors, in 43 patients with metastatic panNET receiving everolimus.

Biomarker evaluation in radically resectable locally advanced gastric cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: an evidence reappraisal.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) significantly improved the prognosis of patients with locally advanced resectable gastric cancer but, despite important progresses, relapse-related death remains a major challenge. Therefore, it appears crucial to understand which patients will benefit from peri-operative treatment. Biomarkers such as human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2), microsatellite instability (MSI), and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) have been widely studied; however, they do not yet guide the choice of perioperative treatment in clinical practice.

Should platinum-based chemotherapy be preferred for germline BReast CAncer genes (BRCA) 1 and 2-mutated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. Recent studies have shown that 4-20% of patients with PDAC have a germline BReast CAncer (gBRCA) genes 1 and 2 mutation (m). Because homologous recombination is impaired in patients with gBRCAm, some reports suggested that these tumors may be more sensitive to platinum compounds.

Chemotherapy in Patients with Hereditary Angioedema.

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disorder characterized by episodic swelling of many body regions (especially throat and abdomen), potentially triggered by medication. No data are available for HAE in patients with cancer assigned to standard chemotherapy. The aim of our study was to identify circulating mediators potentially predictive of acute HAE attacks during chemotherapy.

Cancer Patients in the Emergency Department: A "Nightmare" that Might Become a Virtuous Clinical Pathway.

Background/aim: Emergency departments (EDs) often face overcrowding issues while simultaneously confronting with the increasing clinical needs of patients, such as cancer patients, with both acute and chronic illnesses. In order to guarantee a prompt and specialized treatment of ED-attending cancer patients and reduce inappropriate inpatient admissions, a dedicated ED cancer pathway (EDCP) consisting of ED-bound Medical Oncology (MO) resident doctor and direct admission for candidate patients exclusively to the MO division was established at the Tor Vergata University Hospital in April 2015.

Patients And Methods: Consecutive cancer patients attending the ED in two reference three-month periods were enrolled: pre-EDCP period, from 1st October 2014 to 31st December 2014, and post-EDCP period, from 1st October 2014 to 31st December 2015.

Systemic therapies in patients with advanced well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs): When cytoreduction is the aim. A critical review with meta-analysis.

Introduction: Cytoreduction is sometimes an important aim of systemic anti-tumor therapies in well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs). As there is not a gold standard treatment for these tumors in this field, we conducted a literature review in order to identify objective criteria for treatment choice.

Materials And Methods: We critically reviewed and performed a meta-analysis of all published clinical studies of systemic therapies in patients with well-differentiated unresectable PanNETs, selecting only those articles which reported tumor shrinkage (TS) with a waterfall plot (WP).

Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio helps select metastatic pancreatic cancer patients benefitting from oxaliplatin.

Background: High Neutrophil/Lymphocyte ratio (NLR), as a measure of enhanced inflammatory response, has been negatively associated with prognosis in patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA).

Objective: In the present study, we aimed at investigating the prognostic value of NLR in two homogeneous groups of chemotherapy-naïve metastatic PDA patients. Patients were treated with either gemcitabine (GEM) or gemcitabine/oxaliplatin (GEMOXA).

Emerging role of S-1 in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer remains one of the most important malignancies worldwide in terms of incidence and mortality. The treatment is based on the combination of local surgery and radiation therapy as well as systemic chemotherapy and targeted molecules. Fluoropyrimidines and particularly 5-fluorouracil (FU) represent still the backbone for gastric cancer chemotherapy and new molecular versions of this molecule have been brought to clinical practice in order to improve benefits and reduce adverse effects.

Kallikrein-related peptidases targeted therapies in prostate cancer: perspectives and challenges.

Introduction: Despite the emergence of several new effective treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients, disease progression inevitably occurs, leading scientific community to carefully look for novel therapeutic targets of prostate cancer. Kallikrein (KLK)-related peptidases have been demonstrated to facilitate prostate tumorigenesis and disease progression through the development of an oncogenic microenvironment for prostate cells.

Areas Covered: This review first summarizes the large amount of preclinical data showing the involvement of KLKs in prostate cancer pathobiology.