New Circulating Circular RNAs with Diagnostic and Prognostic Potential in Advanced Colorectal Cancer.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a group of special endogenous long non-coding RNAs which are highly stable in the circulation, and, thus, more suitable as new biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of our study was to explore the plasma expression levels of four circRNAs: has_circ_0001445, hsa_circ_0003028, hsa_circ_0007915 and hsa_circ_0008717 in patients with CRC and to evaluate their associations with clinicopathological characteristics and the clinical outcome of the patients. CircRNAs were extracted from patients' plasma obtained prior to chemotherapy.

Oncogenic Functions and Clinical Significance of Circular RNAs in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the second most commonly diagnosed disease in females and the third in males worldwide. Therefore, the finding of new more reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis, for prediction of metastasis, and resistance to conventional therapies is an important challenge in overcoming the disease. The current review presents circular RNAs (circRNAs) with their unique features as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in CRC.

Circulating miR-618 Has Prognostic Significance in Patients with Metastatic Colon Cancer.

The present study evaluated the prognostic role of circulating miRNA-618 in patients with metastatic colon cancer (mCC) and whether miR-618 gene rs2682818 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are associated with colon cancer susceptibility and expression levels of mature miR-618. In total, 104 patients with mCC before starting the chemotherapy were investigated. The expression status of circulating miR-618 in mCC was evaluated by quantitative PCR.

Access to Novel Drugs for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Central and Southeastern Europe: A Central European Cooperative Oncology Group Analysis.

Background: Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) improved substantially in the last decades. Novel targeted and immune-oncologic drugs were introduced into routine treatment. Despite accelerated development and subsequent drug registrations by the European Medicinal Agency (EMA), novel drugs for NSCLC are poorly accessible in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

Comparing Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Young-onset and Late-onset Colorectal Cancer: An International Collaborative Study.

Background: Compared with the general population, the incidence of young-onset (YO) colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing. However, a significant knowledge gap exists in the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes for these patients.

Materials And Methods: Six international tertiary cancer centers conducted a retrospective study.

Sorafenib in metastatic MTC - a case report and minireview of the literature.

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare and only surgically treatable disease with early development of metastases and bad prognosis. Due to the lack of efficient systemic treatment, new strategies and approaches are needed to better the patients' outcome. One of the most promising treatment options is the use of tyrosine multikinase inhibitors, which appear to have some effect on the disease progression with tolerable toxicity.

Fulminate anaerobic bacteremia after chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer despite the prophylactic use of GCSF.

Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia often occurs in our routine work and presents an obstacle for adequate (dose and continuance) treatment, which may affect patients' outcome. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (GCSFs) effectively prevent myelosuppression and thus improve the standard treatment. Through their application cases of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia have been reduced.

Plasma DNA, microsatellite alterations, and p53 tumor mutations are associated with disease-free survival in radically resected non-small cell lung cancer patients: a study of the perugia multidisciplinary team for thoracic oncology.

Introduction: This prospective study examined association between circulating plasma DNA, microsatellite alterations (MA), p53 mutations with time to relapse and survival in surgically treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (pts).

Methods: Plasma samples, adjacent lung tissue, and lung tumor tissue specimens were collected from consecutive patients with stage I-III NSCLC. Blood samples of 66 matched healthy donors with positive smoking history were collected as controls.

Effects of gefitinib on serum epidermal growth factor receptor and HER2 in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess serum extracellular binding domains of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and HER2 as surrogate markers of Gefitinib (Iressa, ZD1839, AstraZeneca, London, United Kingdom) activity in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Experimental Design: Serum EGFR and HER2 levels were monitored in blood samples taken within 1 week of starting Gefitinib at day 28 and at every computed tomography scan evaluation. EGFR and HER-2 were assayed in duplicate using commercial sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits (Oncogene Science Bayer Corporation, Cambridge, UK).

Vascular endothelial growth factor, p53, Rb, Bcl-2 expression and response to chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increases microvascular permeability and stimulates endothelial cell growth. p53 Overexpression has been associated with resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in patients (pts) with NSCLC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive role of VEGF for chemotherapy response, its relationship with p53, Rb, Bcl-2 and hemoglobin levels and its impact on overall survival in pts with advanced NSCLC.

The clinical relevance of Bcl-2, Rb and p53 expression in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Bcl-2, retinoblastoma (Rb) and p53 proteins on overall survival of 102 patients with locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC who underwent cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Paraffin-embedded bronchial biopsy and fine-needle biopsy specimens were evaluated by an immunostaining method.

Results: Median age of analyzed patients was 61 years.