Somatic genomic imbalances in 'tumour-free' surgical margins of oral cancer.

Up to 30% of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients develop local recurrence and distant metastasis. The molecular status of histologically cancer-free tumour margins could be a critical factor in predicting tumour behaviour. The aim of this study was to detect somatic genomic imbalances in OSCC with emphasis on the surgical margins.

First-Line Osimertinib in Patients with EGFR-Mutant Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Outcome and Safety in the Real World: FLOWER Study.

Background: Osimertinib became the standard treatment for patients with untreated EGFR-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) following results reported in the phase III randomized FLAURA trial. Because of strict exclusion criteria, patient populations included in pivotal trials are only partially representative of real-world patients.

Methods: We designed an observational, prospective, multicenter study enrolling patients with EGFR-mutant aNSCLC receiving first-line osimertinib to evaluate effectiveness, safety, and progression patterns in the real-world.

Apolipoprotein E polymorphism influences orthotopic liver transplantation outcomes in patients with hepatitis C virus-induced liver cirrhosis.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is responsible for a chronic liver inflammation, which may cause end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Apolipoprotein E (protein: ApoE, gene: ), a key player in cholesterol metabolism, is mainly synthesized in the liver and polymorphisms may influence HCV-induced liver damage.

Aim: To determine whether alleles affect outcomes in HCV-infected patients with liver cirrhosis following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

Determination of salivary cortisol to assess time-related changes of the adrenal response to stress in critically ill patients.

Background: The value of salivary cortisol measurement to study stress-related adrenal response is controversial. The study aim was to assess the role of salivary cortisol measurement to detect time-related changes of adrenal response in critically ill patients.

Patients And Methods: Patients with organ failure, sepsis or trauma were prospectively recruited in the Emergency Department.

Combination of novel systemic agents and radiotherapy for solid tumors - Part II: An AIRO (Italian association of radiotherapy and clinical oncology) overview focused on treatment toxicity.

Clinical development and use of novel systemic agents in combination with radiotherapy (RT) is at nowadays most advanced in the field of treatment of solid tumors. Although for many of these substances preclinical studies provide sufficient evidences on their principal capability to enhance radiation effects, the majority of them have not been investigated in even phase I clinical trials for safety in the context of RT. In clinical practice, unexpected acute and late side effects may emerge especially in combination with RT.

Combination of novel systemic agents and radiotherapy for solid tumors - part I: An AIRO (Italian association of radiotherapy and clinical oncology) overview focused on treatment efficacy.

Over the past century, technologic advances have promoted the evolution of radiation therapy into a precise treatment modality allowing for the maximal administration of dose to tumors while sparing normal tissues. In parallel with this technological maturation, the rapid expansion in understanding the basic biology and heterogeneity of cancer has led to the development of several compounds that target specific pathways. Many of them are in advanced steps of clinical development for combination treatments with radiotherapy, and can be incorporated into radiation oncology practice for a personalized approach to maximize the therapeutic gain.

Local High-Dose Radiotherapy Induces Systemic Immunomodulating Effects of Potential Therapeutic Relevance in Oligometastatic Breast Cancer.

Local irradiation of cancer through radiotherapy can induce spontaneous regression of non-directly irradiated lesions, suggesting the involvement of systemic antitumor immune responses. In oligometastatic breast cancer (BC) patients, the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) favors the local control of treated lesions and may contribute to break local tolerance and release tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), improving host antitumor immunity. We performed a detailed immunomonitoring of BC patients undergoing SBRT to verify its ability to "switch on" the anti-tumor immunity both systemically, in peripheral blood, and locally, employing BC models.

Short and long-term outcome in very old patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Although octogenarians constitute a fast-growing portion of cardiovascular patients, few data are available on the outcome of patients aged ≥85 years with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).

Methods And Results: We analyzed 126 consecutive patients aged ≥85 years (age 88±2 years) with STEMI, undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) within 12 hours from symptoms onset. Long-term follow-up (median 898 days) was obtained for the 102 patients surviving the index-hospitalization.