Post-Induction Management in Patients With Left-Sided and Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated With First-Line Anti-EGFR-Based Doublet Regimens: A Multicentre Study.

Background: Few data regarding post-induction management following first-line anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-based doublet regimens in patients with left-sided wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are available.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study aimed at evaluating clinicians' attitude, and the safety and effectiveness of post-induction strategies in consecutive patients affected by left-sided wild-type mCRC treated with doublet chemotherapy plus anti-EGFR as first-line regimen, who did not experience disease progression within 6 months from induction initiation, at 21 Italian and 1 Spanish Institutions. The measured clinical outcomes were: progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), adverse events, and objective response rate (ORR).

Clinicians' Attitude to Doublet Plus Anti-EGFR Versus Triplet Plus Bevacizumab as First-line Treatment in Left-Sided RAS and BRAF Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Multicenter, "Real-Life", Case-Control Study.

Background: Doublets plus antiepidermal growth factor receptors monoclonal antibodies (EGFRi) are widely considered the preferable first-line regimen in patients with left-sided RAS/BRAF wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), resulting superior in terms of activity and efficacy compared to doublets plus bevacizumab. However, data comparing doublet plus EGFRi and triplet plus bevacizumab are lacking, and the relative benefit of an intensive regimen plus an antiangiogenic backbone in this population is debated.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study aimed at evaluating clinicians' attitude to triplet-bevacizumab and doublet-EGFRi as first-line regimen in patients with left-sided RAS/BRAF wild-type mCRC treated in clinical practice at 22 Oncology Units from March 2012 to October 2020.

Alkaline phosphatase (alp) levels in multiple myeloma and solid cancers with bone lesions: Is there any difference?

Introduction: Bone involvement in Multiple Myeloma results from increased osteoclast formation and activity that occurs in proximity to myeloma cells. The role of Alkaline Phosphatse (ALP) in this process and the diagnostic significance of plasma levels in patients with MM are unclear.

Aim: To compare plasma ALP levels in patients with MM and solid cancers and metastatic lesions to the bone.

A case of segmental hepatic necrosis complicating oxaliplatin and capecitabine chemotherapy A case report and review of the literature.

Chemotherapy is associated with different patterns of histopathological changes of the non-tumor-bearing liver. Hepatic infarction represents a relatively rare condition; the prevalence in several series of consecutive autopsies is 1.1%.

Predictive Ability for Disease-Free Survival of the GRade, Age, Nodes, and Tumor (GRANT) Score in Patients with Resected Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Recently, the GRANT (GRade, Age, Nodes, and Tumor) score was validated through an adjuvant trial population.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the performance of the GRANT score as a prognostic model for disease-free survival (DFS), compared to the University of California Los Angeles Integrated Staging System (UISS) score, in a "real-life" population of early renal cell carcinoma patients. A uni-/multivariate analysis of DFS was also performed, to weigh the roles of baseline clinical factors.

Evaluation of Second-line Anti-VEGF after First-line Anti-EGFR Based Therapy in RAS Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The Multicenter "SLAVE" Study.

Unlabelled: Background: The optimal anti-angiogenic strategy as second-line treatment in wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with anti-EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) based first-line treatment is still debated.

Methods: This multicenter, real-world, retrospective study is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of second-line Bevacizumab- and Aflibercept-based treatments after an anti-EGFR based first-line regimen. Clinical outcomes measured were: objective response rate (ORR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and adverse events (AEs) profiles.

Weighing the role of skeletal muscle mass and muscle density in cancer patients receiving PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors: a multicenter real-life study.

Sarcopenia represents one of the hallmarks of all chronic diseases, including cancer, and was already investigated as a prognostic marker in the pre-immunotherapy era. Sarcopenia can be evaluated using cross-sectional image analysis of CT-scans, at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3), to estimate the skeletal muscle index (SMI), a surrogate of skeletal muscle mass, and to evaluate the skeletal muscle density (SMD). We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive advanced cancer patient treated with PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors.

Weight loss and body mass index in advanced gastric cancer patients treated with second-line ramucirumab: a real-life multicentre study.

Aims And Methods: This multicenter retrospective study aims to evaluate the correlations between Body Weight Loss (BWL), Body Mass Index (BMI) and clinical outcomes (ORR, PFS, and OS) of advanced gastric cancer (aGC) patients treated with second-line ramucirumab-based therapy in a "real-life" setting.

Results: From December 2014 to October 2018, 101 consecutive aGC patients progressed to a first-line chemotherapy were treated with ramucirumab alone (10.9%) or in combination with paclitaxel (89.

Weekly alternate intensive regimen FIrB/FOx in metastatic colorectal cancer patients: an update from clinical practice.

Background: Several trials evaluated the role of intensive regimens, made of triplet chemotherapies plus bevacizumab, as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We previously reported, in a Phase II prospective study, the efficacy and the tolerability of FIrB/FOx regimen, reporting interesting results in terms of received dose intensities (rDIs) and safety.

Methods: We reported a retrospective update of 85 patients treated with FIrB/FOx, an intensive regimen of 5-fluorouracil, bevacizumab, and weekly alternate irinotecan and oxaliplatin, to confirm its feasibility in "real life".

Looking for A Place for Dose-Dense TMZ Regimens in GBM Patients: An Experience with MGMT Exploratory Evaluation.

Prolonged exposure to temozolomide (TMZ) could improve clinical outcomes in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. We previously developed a dose-dense regimen of TMZ in a phase II study (180 mg/m2 from days 1 to 5 every two weeks). A retrospective analysis of patients with macroscopic residual GBM treated with "post-induction" dose-dense TMZ was conducted, adding an explorative subgroup analyses among patients with different O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expressions (negative vs positive, < vs ≥ of 50 % of cells stained, < vs ≥ 70% of cells stained).

The possible different roles of denosumab in prevention and cure breast cancer bone metastases: A 'hypothesis-generator' study from clinical practice.

The most frequent site of recurrence in breast cancer (BC) is the bone, particularly in patients with 'luminal-like' disease. Denosumab has been shown to prevent aromatase inhibitors (AIs) induced bone resorption in postmenopausal early BC patients and reduce skeletal-related events (SREs) in bone metastatic breast cancer (BMBC). A 'real life' analysis of 90 BMBC patients treated with denosumab was performed.

Timed‑flat infusion of 5‑fluorouracil with docetaxel and oxaliplatin as first‑line treatment of gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma: A single institution experience with the FD/FOx regimen.

To date, there is no consensus regarding first‑line chemotherapy for patients with HER2‑negative, locally advanced/metastatic gastric cancer (a/m GC). In the present study we reported a retrospective case‑series of patients treated with a weekly regimen containing timed‑flat infusion of 5‑fluorouracil (TFI/5‑FU), docetaxel and oxaliplatin. From June 2007 to July 2017, 32 consecutive a/m GC patients were treated with first‑line standard (st) or modulated (mod) 'FD/FOx' regimen: Weekly 12 h (from 10.

Pazopanib and pancreatic toxicity: a case report.

Background: Pazopanib is an oral multitargeted tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, used as a single agent to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma. Treatment with other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors is known to be associated with asymptomatic elevations of serum amylase and lipase levels. As regards the pazopanib, data are lacking in literature.

Ipilimumab and immune-mediated adverse events: a case report of anti-CTLA4 induced ileitis.

Background: Ipilimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody directed against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 , a key negative regulator of T-cell activation approved by the Food and Drug Administration as of March 2011 for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. As a result of the up-regulation of the immune system, several immune-mediated adverse effects have been reported including colitis, dermatitis, hepatitis and rarely hypophysitis. The most frequent immune-mediated adverse effects described in literature include gastrointestinal toxicity such as diarrhea, colitis and case of colitis and ileitis.

Sunitinib in malignant melanoma: a treatment option only for KIT-mutated patients?

Sunitinib has previously been reported to be potentially effective in the treatment of malignant melanomas expressing c-KIT. Here we report on the case of a 77-year-old gentleman affected by a metastatic clear cell carcinoma of the kidney and a metastatic malignant melanoma with liver and lung metastases. Despite the negativity for CD117 and the absence of KIT amplification or mutations in the melanoma specimen, he achieved a partial response both in the lungs and in the liver while on sunitinib (50 mg once/day, 4 weeks on/2 weeks off) for the treatment of kidney cancer.

'Old' and 'new' drugs for the treatment of cancer pain.

Introduction: More than 20 years ago the World Health Organization (WHO) published the booklet 'Cancer Pain Relief', including the fundamentals and clear principles, which was summarized in five simple sentences: 'by mouth', 'by the clock', 'by the ladder', 'for the individual' and 'attention to detail'. Over the years, several modifications to the analgesic ladder have been proposed, as the addition of two further steps, related to the switch of opioid and/or non-invasive route of administration, and to the use of invasive approaches, or again the skip of the second step; nevertheless the educational value and benefits related to the worldwide dissemination are of paramount importance.

Areas Covered: To date, all the guidelines are inspired by the strategy of WHO; below some of the most important international guidelines published in the last two years are compared, particularly as regards the criteria of choice of opioids for moderate/severe pain.

Aprepitant for management of severe pruritus related to biological cancer treatments: a pilot study.

Background: Itch is a common side-effect of treatment with anti-EGFR antibodies and tyrosine-kinase inhibitors. We designed a pilot single-centre study to assess the effects of aprepitant-a neurokinin receptor inhibitor-for management of severe pruritus induced by biological drugs.

Methods: In this single-group, prospective study, we consecutively enrolled 45 outpatients with metastatic solid tumours treated with biological drugs at the Campus Bio-Medico Hospital of Rome, Rome, Italy, between September, 2010, and November, 2011.

Cetuximab rechallenge in metastatic colorectal cancer patients: how to come away from acquired resistance?

Background: Scientific data provide the evidence that secondary K-RAS mutations do not occur during anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy in colorectal cancer patients. This multicenter phase II prospective study aims to investigate the activity of a retreatment with a cetuximab-based therapy.

Patients And Methods: We enrolled 39 irinotecan-refractory patients who had a clinical benefit after a line of cetuximab- plus irinotecan-based therapy and then a progression of disease for which underwent a new line chemotherapy and finally, after a clear new progression of disease, were retreated with the same cetuximab- plus irinotecan-based therapy.

Natural history of bone metastasis in colorectal cancer: final results of a large Italian bone metastases study.

Background: Data are limited regarding bone metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). The objective of this study was to survey the natural history of bone metastasis in CRC.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective, multicenter, observational study of 264 patients with CRC involving bone examined cancer treatments, bone metastases characteristics, skeletal-related event (SRE) type and frequency, zoledronic acid therapy, and disease outcomes.

Targeted therapy in sarcomas: mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors from bench to bedside.

Introduction: Sarcomas are rare heterogeneous malignancies of mesenchymal origin relatively common during childhood. Disruption of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is a very common event during the tumorigenesis of several types of cancer. In particular, strong preclinical evidences suggest pivotal roles of this pathway during the sarcomagenesis.

Cetuximab: from bench to bedside.

Cetuximab (IMC-C225, Erbitux ImClone Systems Inc, New York, NY) is a recombinant, human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody (MAb) that binds specifically to the extracellular domain of the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on both normal and tumor cells, and competitively inhibits the binding of epidermal growth factor (EGF) as well as other ligands. Cetuximab binding to the EGFR blocks phosphorylation and activation of receptor-associated kinases and their associated downstream signalling (MAPK, PI3K/Akt, Jak/Stat pathways) resulting in inhibition of many cellular processes such as induction of apoptosis, cell growth, decreased Matrix Metallo-Proteinase (MMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production. Cetuximab is also able to display cytotoxic effect through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).