The role of surgery in recurrent local cerebral metastases: a multi-institutional retrospective analysis.

Background: Local recurrent brain metastases are defined as lesions that recur in the brain at the same site after a previous local therapy. In patients already submitted to surgery, a second operation may be potentially challenging due to scar formation, infiltration of cerebral vessels or eloquent brain areas and local effect of previous radiotherapy. The aim of this study is to retrospectively review the results and complications of a second surgical treatment in a series of local recurrent lesions and to review the literature on this topic.

Second surgery for relapsed glioblastoma: an observational study on criteria for patient selection in real life.

There is little consensus on salvage management of glioblastoma after recurrence, for lack of evidence. A retrospective study of treatments in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. Surgery at recurrence was related to better overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

Prognostic scoring system for surgical treatment of intramedullary spinal cord metastases.

Although rare, intramedullary spinal cord metastases (ISCMs) are on the rise, most likely due to prolonged survival and improved outcomes as a result of the advances in cancer treatment for cancer patients. While the management of these lesions remains controversial, surgery for ISCM has recently been advocated for selected patients. We performed a retrospective analysis on 30 patients who were surgically treated for intramedullary spinal cord metastases in order to determine a preoperative prognostic scoring system to guide patient selection for surgical interventions.

The Glioma-IRE project - Molecular profiling in patients with glioma: steps toward an individualized diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Background: This study aimed to characterize the genetic profile of patients with glioma and discuss the impact of next-generation sequencing in glioma diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: Between 2019 and 2022, we analyzed the genetic profile of 99 patients with glioma through the Oncomine Focus Assay. The assay enables the detection of mutations in 52 driver genes, including single nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy number variants (CNVs), and gene fusions.

Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuresis and Diabetes Insipidus as Two Sides of the Same Coin in Hypothalamic Lymphoma: A Case Report.

Background: Hypothalamic-pituitary region lymphoma is rare and diabetes insipidus (DI) represents one of the most common endocrine manifestations. We report the first case of hypothalamic lymphoma associated with both the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) and DI.

Case Presentation: A 64-year-old woman with a history of stage IV large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, underwent atypical right lung resection for pulmonary nodules.

Breast cancer metastasis: Is it a matter of OMICS and proper ex-vivo models?

Genomics has greatly increased the understanding of the study of breast cancer (BC) and has shaped the concept of intra-tumor heterogeneity, currently recognized as a propelling force for cancer progression. In this context, knowledge and understanding of metastatic breast cancer (mBC) has somehow lagged behind that of primary breast cancer. This may be explained by the relative scarcity of matched mBC samples, however it is possible that the mutation spectrum obtained from primary BC does not capture the full complexity of the metastatic disease.

Recurrent glioblastoma: which treatment? A real-world study from the Neuro-oncology Unit "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute.

Background: The majority of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) experience disease progression. At recurrence, treatment options have limited efficacy. Many studies report a limited and short duration response rate.

Multidomain and long-term cognitive evaluation in malignant glioma patients.

We performed longitudinal evaluations of the neurocognitive status in glioma patients to describe possible variations over the course of illness. Glioma patients underwent a complete battery of standardized neuropsychological tests pre-radiotherapy at 6, 12 and 24 months. We enrolled 130 patients, 67.

Surgical treatment of solitary intradural extramedullary spinal cord metastases from solid cancers of non-neurogenic origin. A multicenter study.

Purpose: Intradural extramedullary spinal metastases (IESM) represent an extremely rare manifestation of systemic cancer. We evaluated the surgical indications, complications and outcome in a series of 43 patients with solitary intradural extramedullary metastases originating from solid cancer of non-neurogenic origin.

Methods: Patients' age, histopathological diagnoses of primary cancer, tumor size, spinal location, and extramedullary tumor dissemination were collected.

Major Differences in Lymphocyte Subpopulations Between Cerebrospinal Fluid and Peripheral Blood in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Without Leptomeningeal Involvement: Flow Cytometry Evidence of a Cerebral Lymphatic System.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow cytometry has a crucial role in the diagnosis of leptomeningeal disease in onco-hematology. This report describes the flow cytometry characterization of 138 CSF samples from patients affected by non-Hodgkin lymphoma, negative for disease infiltration. The aim was to focus on the CSF non-neoplastic population, to compare the cellular composition of the CSF with paired peripheral blood samples and to document the feasibility of flow cytometry in hypocellular samples.

Eribulin in brain metastases of breast cancer: outcomes of the EBRAIM prospective observational trial.

 Eribulin shows some activity in controlling brain metastasis in breast cancer. This observational, multicenter study evaluated brain disease control rates, survival and safety in patients with brain metastatic breast cancer treated with eribulin in clinical practice.  A total of 34 patients were enrolled (mean age 49 years, 91% with visceral metastases) and 29 were evaluable for brain disease.

Surgical treatment of intramedullary spinal cord metastases: functional outcome and complications-a multicenter study.

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) is a rare event in the course of advanced malignancy. Management of these lesions remains controversial. Recently, surgery for ISCM has been advocated for selected patients.

Hemorrhagic Attitude in Frameless and Frame-Based Stereotactic Biopsy for Deep-Seated Primary Central Nervous System Lymphomas in Immunocompetent Patients: A Multicentric Analysis of the Last Twenty Years.

Background: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare manifestation of aggressive extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In patients with deep-seated lesions, stereotactic brain biopsy (SBB) is an accepted diagnostic procedure to obtain histopathologic confirmation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, diagnostic yield, safety, and complications of stereotactic procedures in midline and deep-seated PCNSLs.

Oblique Lateral Retroperitoneal Lumbar Pre-Psoas Approach for Vertebrectomy in Cancer Patients: Surgical Technique.

Due to the longer survival of cancer patients secondary to improved systemic treatments, there has been a recent increase in the incidence of spinal metastases. Metastatic disease involves the anterior vertebral body in 80% of cases. Progressive osseous invasion may result in pathologic vertebral fractures and neural structure compression.

Schwannomas of the sciatic nerve: A rare and neglected diagnosis. A review of the literature with two illustrative cases.

Objective: Schwannomas of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve of the human body, are very rare accounting for ≤ 1% of all schwannomas. They often may raise confusion with other more common causes of sciatica, such as lumbar degenerative and inflammatory diseases or spinal tumors, which may often lead to a late correct diagnosis.

Patients And Methods: We present two cases of sciatic nerve schwannomas that were recently treated at our Institution, and we review the pertinent English literature on this topic over the last 15 years, yielding twenty three cases to analyze.

Neurocognitive evaluation in older adult patients affected by glioma.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) has an increasing incidence and dismal prognosis in older adults. This study evaluated neurocognitive status of an older adult population with GBM and its correlation with clinical and demographical variables.

Methods: Each patient underwent an extended neuropsychological evaluation by means of a battery of standardized tests describing eight cognitive domains: global function; verbal learning; short- and long-term memory (LTM); executive functions (EFs); abstract reasoning (AR); attention; and visuo-constructional abilities (CA).

A multicenter real-world study of bevacizumab in heavily pretreated malignant gliomas: clinical benefit is a plausible end point?

This multicenter, retrospective study evaluates the clinical benefit (CB) of bevacizumab, alone or in combination, in recurrent gliomas (RG).  The CB was measured as a reduction of corticosteroid dosage and an improvement ≥20 points in the Karnofsky Performance Status lasting ≥3 months. We collected data of 197 RG patients.

Open Kyphoplasty for Metastatic Spine Disease: A Retrospective Clinical Series.

Objective: Symptomatic metastatic spine disease (MSD), is a challenging disease involving 3%-20% of patients with bone metastases. Different surgical options are available and must be tailored to the general and neurologic conditions of the patients. Open kyphoplasty (OKP) refers to decompressive hemilaminectomy, associated with a contralateral percutaneous kyphoplasty, and in some cases, to a posterior stabilization.

Comorbidities in elderly patients with glioblastoma: a field-practice study.

Aim: This single-center study evaluated the effect of comorbidities on progression-free and overall survival in elderly patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Patients & Methods: Comorbid conditions were identified in each patient with the modified version of the cumulative illness rating scale (CIRS).

Results:  Total of 118 patients with GBM were enrolled.

How is stereotactic brain biopsy evolving? A multicentric analysis of a series of 421 cases treated in Rome over the last sixteen years.

Objective: In recent decades, frame-based (FBB) and frame-less stereotactic brain biopsy (FLB) have played a crucial role in defining the diagnosis and management of expanding intracranial lesions in critical areas. During the same period, there have been significant advances in diagnostic imaging, a shift in surgical strategies towards extensive resection in gliomas and new molecular classification of brain tumors. Taking these advances into account, we have evaluated whether significant changes have occurred over the last sixteen years of our clinical practice in terms of frequency, indications, target selection, and the histologic results of stereotactic brain biopsy (SBB) procedures.

Kyphoplasty with purified silicone VK100 (Elastoplasty) to treat spinal lytic lesions in cancer patients: A retrospective evaluation of 41 cases.

Objectives: Balloon Kyphoplasty (BKP) for vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) in cancer patients is more challenging than for osteoporotic ones. Cord compressions are frequent and the incidence of complications ten-fold greater. Polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA) is the gold standard material for BKP but has disadvantages: exothermic reaction, short working time, rapid solidification, absence of osteoconduction.

MicroRNA-128-3p-mediated depletion of Drosha promotes lung cancer cell migration.

Alteration in microRNAs (miRNAs) expression is a frequent finding in human cancers. In particular, widespread miRNAs down-regulation is a hallmark of malignant transformation. In the present report, we showed that the miR-128-3p, which is up-regulated in lung cancer tissues, has Drosha and Dicer, two key enzymes of miRNAs processing, as the main modulation targets leading to the widespread down-regulation of miRNA expression.