The prognostic and predictive role of hyponatremia in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with bone metastases.

Purpose: Hyponatremia and bone metastasis (BMs) are known as negative prognostic factors in patients affected by metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Hyponatremia is associated with higher risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture, but no data are available about the relationship between hyponatremia and bone metastasis. This study aims to analyze the prognostic impact of hyponatremia in NSCLC patients with bone metastases.

Correction: Everolimus (EVE) and exemestane (EXE) in patients with advanced breast cancer aged ≥ 65 years: new lessons for clinical practice from the EVA study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25874.

Autophagic Gene Polymorphisms in Liquid Biopsies and Outcome of Patients with Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Autophagy has been shown to be involved in cancer development and response to cancer therapy. In this study, genotypes of autophagic genes were analyzed to assess their correlation with the risk of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and the outcome of patients treated with pazopanib for metastatic ccRCC.

Materials And Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)were selected in the following genes: ATG4A (rs7880351), ATG4B (rs6709768), ATG4C (rs2886770, rs6670694, rs6683832), ATG5 (rs9373839, rs3804333, rs490010), ATG16L1 (rs6752107), ATG16L2 (rs10751215) and IRGM (rs10059011).

Everolimus (EVE) and exemestane (EXE) in patients with advanced breast cancer aged ≥ 65 years: new lessons for clinical practice from the EVA study.

Background: The present analysis focuses on real-world data of Everolimus-Exemestane in advanced HR+ve, HER2-ve elderly breast cancer patients (aged 65 years) included in the EVA study, with unique findings in those aged 70 years.

Methods: Data are collected from clinical records and analysed according to age cut-off (< 65 years; 65 - 69 years and {greater than or equal to} 70 years). Relationship of analyzed variables with response were tested by mean of a Mantel-Haenszel chi square test.

Practical issues for the management of hyponatremia in oncology.

Hyponatremia is common in cancer patients and has a negative impact on outcomes and survival. Both the diagnosis and treatment of hyponatremia are challenging. Easy-to-use, practical guidelines are needed.

Outcomes in Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation: Current State-of-the Art and Future Directions.

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the one of the most frequent valvular heart diseases in the developed world, often requiring surgical correction. Degenerative MR is the most common type of non-ischemic, organic MR in the western world. Since no medical treatment has been shown to be effective in preventing the consequences of volume overload in asymptomatic degenerative MR, risk stratification is essential.

Hyponatremia normalization as an independent prognostic factor in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with first-line therapy.

The aim of the study was to assess, for the first time, the prognostic role of hyponatremia and sodium normalization in patients receiving first-line chemo- or targeted therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.Four hundred thirty-three patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer were treated with first line chemo- or targeted therapy between 2006 and 2015 at our institutions. Patients were stratified in two groups, with or without hyponatremia (group A and B, respectively).

Bivalirudin or unfractionated heparin in patients with acute coronary syndromes managed invasively with and without ST elevation (MATRIX): randomised controlled trial.

Objective:  To test the optimal antithrombotic regimen in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Design:  Randomised controlled trial.

Setting:  Patients with acute coronary syndrome with and without ST segment elevation in 78 centres in Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.

Systemic immune-inflammation index predicts the clinical outcome in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer treated with sunitinib.

Background: In this retrospective analysis, we explored the prognostic and predictive value of the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), based on lymphocyte, neutrophil, and platelet counts, at baseline and changes at week 6 during first-line sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC).

Results: Patients were stratified into high SII (≥ 730) and low SII (< 730) groups. SII was associated with objective response, p < 0.

Prognostic models to predict survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with first-line chemo- or targeted therapy.

Background: We aimed to assess the prognostic role of neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and to design models to define the prognosis of patients receiving first-line chemo- or targeted therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analysed 401 consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC treated with first line chemo- or targeted therapy. Patients were stratified into two groups with pre-treatment NLR ≥ 3.

Impact of VEGF, VEGFR, PDGFR, HIF and ERCC1 gene polymorphisms on thymic malignancies outcome after thymectomy.

We aimed to analyze genotypes of VEGF-A, VEGFR2, Flt4, PDGFRα, HIF-1α and ERCC1 and their correlation with thymic tumor risk and patient outcome. DNA of 57 consecutive patients (43 thymomas and 14 thymic carcinomas) who underwent total thymectomy at our Institution was extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue. We selected polymorphisms in the following genes:HIF1-α (rs2057482T > C, rs1951795A > C, rs2301113C > A, rs10873142C > T, rs11158358G > C, rs12434438G > A, rs11549465C > T, rs11549467G > A), VEGF-A (rs2010963G > C, rs699947A > C), VEGFR-2 (rs2305948C > T, rs1870377T > A), VEGFR-3 (rs307826T > C, rs307821C > A), PDGFR-α (rs35597368C > T) and ERCC1 (rs11615A > G).

Current Histopathologic and Molecular Characterisations of Prostate Cancer: Towards Individualised Prognosis and Therapies.

Data on TMPRSS2-ERG and AR-V7 may pave the way for personalised therapy for prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Comprehensive molecular profiling can help identify multiple PCa subtypes and driving alterations. Translating these findings into clinical practice is still challenging.

Small renal masses in the era of personalized medicine: Tumor heterogeneity, growth kinetics, and risk of metastasis.

Small renal masses (SRMs) represent a heterogeneous group showing a variety of clinical and biological behaviors. The best treatment for SRMs has been the focus of much debate over the past decades. Present strategies include surgery (partial or radical nephrectomy), local treatments (radiofrequency and cryoablation), or active surveillance.

Rare diseases in clinical endocrinology: a taxonomic classification system.

Purpose: Rare endocrine-metabolic diseases (REMD) represent an important area in the field of medicine and pharmacology. The rare diseases of interest to endocrinologists involve all fields of endocrinology, including rare diseases of the pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands, paraganglia, ovary and testis, disorders of bone and mineral metabolism, energy and lipid metabolism, water metabolism, and syndromes with possible involvement of multiple endocrine glands, and neuroendocrine tumors. Taking advantage of the constitution of a study group on REMD within the Italian Society of Endocrinology, consisting of basic and clinical scientists, a document on the taxonomy of REMD has been produced.

Aldosterone suppression on contralateral adrenal during adrenal vein sampling does not predict blood pressure response after adrenalectomy.

Context: Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is the only reliable means to distinguish between aldosterone-producing adenoma and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, the two most common subtypes of primary aldosteronism (PA). AVS protocols are not standardized and vary widely between centers.

Objective: The objective of the study was to retrospectively investigate whether the presence of contralateral adrenal (CL) suppression of aldosterone secretion was associated with improved postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy for PA.

Genetic spectrum and clinical correlates of somatic mutations in aldosterone-producing adenoma.

Primary aldosteronism is the most common form of secondary hypertension. Somatic mutations in KCNJ5, ATP1A1, ATP2B3, and CACNA1D have been described in aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs). Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of somatic mutations in these genes in unselected patients with APA (n=474), collected through the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors.

Effect of partial fatty acid oxidation inhibition with trimetazidine on mortality and morbidity in heart failure: results from an international multicentre retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The aim of this cohort study was to retrospectively evaluate, in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), the long term effect of trimetazidine (TMZ) on morbidity and mortality.

Background: Previous small studies in patients with CHF have shown that TMZ can improve left ventricular function, exercise capacity and NYHA class compared to placebo. However, no data on the effects of TMZ on survival in patients with CHF have ever been produced.

Cetuximab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin compared with gemcitabine and cisplatin alone in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: a randomised, multicentre, phase II trial.

Background: Preclinical data have suggested a synergistic effect of cetuximab combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin and clinical data have shown a substantial improvement in response and survival when gemcitabine is combined with a platinum analogue compared with gemcitabine alone. The aim of this study was to assess the activity and feasibility of a combination of cetuximab with gemcitabine and cisplatin compared with use of gemcitabine and cisplatin alone for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

Methods: In a multicentre, randomised phase II trial, 84 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were randomly assigned to either 250 mg/m2 cetuximab weekly, after a loading dose of 400 mg/m2, plus 1000 mg/m2 gemcitabine and 35 mg/m2 cisplatin on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle or to the same chemotherapeutic regimen without cetuximab.

Cannulation of the brachiocephalic trunk during surgery of the thoracic aorta: a simplified technique for antegrade cerebral perfusion.

Here we present our simplified technique of cannulation of the brachiocephalic trunk for cardiopulmonary bypass and antegrade cerebral perfusion institution.

Separate grafts or en bloc anastomosis for arch vessels reimplantation to the aortic arch.

Background: This study compares the results of the separated graft technique and the en bloc technique as a method of arch vessels reimplantation during surgery of the aortic arch and determines the predictive risk factors associated with hospital mortality and adverse neurologic outcome during aortic arch repair.

Methods: Between October 1995 and March 2002, 352 patients (mean age 64.9 +/- 11.