Treatment of an unresectable cardiac angiosarcoma using paclitaxel and image guided radiotherapy: Case report and literature review.

Primary cardiac angiosarcomas (PCAs) are rare tumors that are typically found in the right atrium between the third and the fifth decade of life. While surgical removal of the tumor combined with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is the treatment of choice, most of the patients present with unresectable tumors and metastatic disease carrying a dismal prognosis with a median survival of less than 1 year. Doxorubicin and ifosfamide based chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy is currently employed in these patients, but no standardized treatment algorithms exist.

Prophylaxis of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism with low-molecular-weight heparin-tinzaparin: Real world evidence.

Thromboprophylaxis, as a preventive measure for cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT), may be beneficial for patients with active cancer and high-risk for thrombosis. The present post hoc analysis include a total of 407 patients enrolled in the Greek Management of Thrombosis study, who received thromboprophylaxis with tinzaparin. The objectives of the present analysis were: i) To obtain sufficient evidence for the administration of prophylaxis in patients with active cancer, irrespective of Khorana risk assessment model score; ii) to identify the selection criteria for both dose and duration of tinzaparin; and iii) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tinzaparin administered for CAT prophylaxis.

Real-World Data on Thromboprophylaxis in Active Cancer Patients: Where Are We? Are We Getting There?

Cancer patients are at high risk for cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT). CAT is the second leading cause of death in these patients but it can be preventable with thromboprophylaxis. An observational, prospective, multicenter study aiming to record CAT management in clinical practice was conducted by the Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology (HeSMO).

Management of Cancer-associated Thrombosis (CAT): Symptomatic or Incidental.

Background: Cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT), the second leading cause of death in patients with cancer can be treated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) according to guidelines.

Patients And Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was carried out to record anti-thrombotic treatment practice, assess thrombosis recurrence and bleeding, and identify potential risk factors. Adult patients from 18 Oncology Departments throughout Greece were followed-up for 12 months.

Effectiveness and easiness of adherence to behavioural guidelines for diet and lifestyle changes for cholesterol-lowering: the Increasing Adherence of Consumers to Diet & Lifestyle Changes to Lower (LDL) Cholesterol (ACT) randomised controlled trial.

Background: The present study aimed to assess perceived effectiveness and easiness of behavioural diet and lifestyle changes related to dyslipidaemia given by physicians or dieticians as a result of diet and lifestyle modifications being difficult to maintain.

Methods: One-hundred hypercholesterolaemic individuals were enrolled in a parallel, randomised 6-week study. Fifty were advised by dietitians (dietitian group: DG) in six weekly face-to-face behavioural therapy sessions and 50 received standard advice from physicians (physician group: PG).

Diagnostic molecular techniques in haematology: recent advances.

Hematopoietic disorders are often driven by genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations. New advanced technologies including next-generation sequencing, ultra-deep PCR and whole-genome and exome sequencing were proved very efficient in detecting several mutations implicated in the pathogenesis of hematological diseases. Emerging evidence indicates that genomic data can be useful in all aspects of clinical practice including diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of response to specific treatments, as well as in the development of novel targeted treatments for patients with hematological disorders.

Risk stratification of 282 differentiated thyroid cancers found incidentally in 1369 total thyroidectomies according to the 2015 ATA guidelines; implications for management and treatment.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of incidental differentiated thyroid carcinoma in thyroid operations for a benign preoperative diagnosis, to identify the risk factors involved and to risk stratify the cancer patients according to the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines. Materials and methods The study was a retrospective review of all thyroidectomy operations performed in a single institution (January 2004 to January 2009). We excluded patients with a preoperative diagnosis of thyroid malignancy.

Inadvertent parathyroidectomy risk factors in 1,373 thyroidectomies-male gender and presence of lymphadenopathy, but not size of gland, independently increase the risk.

Background: Inadvertent parathyroidectomy (IP) during thyroid operations is a recognised phenomenon. We evaluated the incidence of IP during thyroid operations in a large case-series and identified the risk factors involved.

Methods: Retrospective review of all thyroidectomy operations [total thyroidectomies (TT) and near-total thyroidectomies (NTT)] performed in a single institution from January 2004 to January 2009.

Malignant central nervous system tumors among adolescents and young adults (15-39 years old) in 14 Southern-Eastern European registries and the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program: Mortality and survival patterns.

Background: Unique features and worse outcomes have been reported for cancers among adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 15-39 years old). The aim of this study was to explore the mortality and survival patterns of malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors among AYAs in Southern-Eastern Europe (SEE) in comparison with the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program.

Methods: Malignant CNS tumors diagnosed in AYAs during the period spanning 1990-2014 were retrieved from 14 population-based cancer registries in the SEE region (n = 11,438).

Therapeutic approaches to reducing atrophic acne scarring.

Atrophic acne scars are a common and undesirable outcome of acne vulgaris related to both its severity and delay in treatment. Such scars can be classified according to the depth and shape of the collagen loss: ice pick, boxcar, or rolling. The presence of atrophic acne scars can compromise the self-esteem and psychologic well-being of patients, creating a challenge for both the patient and the dermatologist.

Bone metastasis in breast cancer is treated by high-dose tamoxifen.

Purpose: Bone metastases in breast cancer are quite common, and some patients may have no other site of metastasis. An effective treatment is often endocrine agents administration (tamoxifen or antiaromatases), given mainly to postmenopausal women. Radiation treatment is also effective, although difficult to perform in cases of extensive skeletal disease.

The role of Ki-67 in the proliferation and prognosis of breast cancer molecular classification subtypes.

The Ki-67 antigen was identified in the early steps of polymerase I-dependent ribosomal RNA synthesis. Although it seems that this protein has an important function in cell division, its exact role is still unclear and there is little published work on its overall function. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contribution of the level of Ki-67 with respect to tumor recurrence in molecularly classified groups of breast cancer patients.

Cisplatin: process and future.

One of the most important anticancer agents is cisplatin (CDDP). Numerous studies with a CDDP-based combination have been reported over the last 30 years. The use of CDDP in the 1980s and 1990s showed responses in advanced stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

High-dose tamoxifen in breast cancer bone metastasis.

High-dose tamoxifen was used as a treatment for bone metastasis in 16 patients with breast cancer. All of them had been pretreated with hormonal therapy, including lowdose tamoxifen. The results were extremely positive with clinical amelioration and also disappearance of osteolysis in 5 patients.

Maintenance chemotherapy or not in ovarian cancer stages IIIA, B, C, and IV after disease recurrence.

Purpose: Ovarian cancer may have a high percentage of residual disease after chemotherapy. It is questionable whether second or more lines of chemotherapy are needed in patients with slow-growing residual disease. In the present trial we compared the median survival of patients with residual or recurrent disease who received 1-2 lines of chemotherapy with those who received 3-9 lines.

Two consecutive days of treatment with liposomal cisplatin in non-small cell lung cancer.

Liposomal cisplatin (Lipoplatin) is a new agent, a cisplatin formulation that has been investigated in a number of studies and compared with cisplatin with respect to toxicity and effectiveness. It has been administered once weekly and in combination with a second agent, once every two weeks. The main outcome of the studies was that lipoplatin has no renal toxicity and is as equally effective as cisplatin.

Combination of three cytotoxic agents in small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The established treatment for small-cell lung cancer has been a cisplatin-etoposide combination, as the most effective chemotherapy regimen. Paclitaxel has also been used in combination with cisplatin and etoposide but this has been unacceptable due to the toxicity. This toxicity could be attributed to the three consequent days of treatment with etoposide plus the doses of each of the three drugs.

Survival of untreated advanced colorectal cancer patients.

Colorectal cancer has specific biological characteristics that distinguish it from other malignancies. One such characteristic is its slow growth in patients in advanced stages. For the past 15 years, no effective systemic treatment has been available in clinical practice.

Lipoplatin formulation review article.

Patented platform technologies have been used for the liposomal encapsulation of cisplatin (Lipoplatin) into tumor-targeted 110 nm (in diameter) nanoparticles. The molecular mechanisms, preclinical and clinical data concerning lipoplatin, are reviewed here. Lipoplatin has been successfully administered in three randomized Phase II and III clinical trials.

Metastatic lung disease treated with pemetrexed-docetaxel combination chemotherapy.

Purpose: According to the ASCO guidelines 4 cytotoxic agents are used in colorectal cancer. Numerous agents have not been used or tested and thus their effectiveness is not known. Herein we present the preliminary data of a trial whose objective was to investigate the effectiveness to 2 combined agents in patients with heavily pretreated adenocarcinomas.

Comparison of liposomal cisplatin versus cisplatin in non-squamous cell non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Liposomal cisplatin was developed to reduce the systemic toxicity of cisplatin, particularly the nephrotoxicity, and it has been used in combination with other agents in pancreatic and head and neck cancers and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our objective was to compare the effectiveness of lipoplatin combined with paclitaxel versus cisplatin with paclitaxel in advanced non-squamous NSCLC.

Methods: During 2007-2010, 202 patients with non-squamous NSCLC (stage IIIB and IV) were recruited from the two participating institutions and divided into two arms: Arm A was treated with liposomal cisplatin 200 mg/m(2) combined with paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2) and Arm B with cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) in combination with paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2), repeated every 2 weeks.

Treatment of colorectal cancer with and without bevacizumab: a phase III study.

Objective: The objective of this phase III trial was to compare chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab versus chemotherapy alone in the treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Methods: From September 2004 till September 2008, 222 treatment-naive patients were enrolled and divided into 2 arms: 114 arm A patients were treated with leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil plus irinotecan in combination with bevacizumab, and 108 arm B patients were treated as above without bevacizumab. All patients were stage IV with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma.

Liposomal cisplatin: a new cisplatin formulation.

Over the last three decades, cisplatin has been one of the most effective cytotoxic agents, but its administration has been hindered by its nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity and myelo toxicity. Recently, liposomal cisplatin, lipoplatin, has been formulated and tested thoroughly in preclinical (in vitro) and phase I, II and III trials, as documented in the literature. Experiments in animals showed that lipoplatin is less toxic than cisplatin and that it produces tumour reduction.

Plasma VEGF levels in breast cancer patients with and without metastases.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key mediator of angiogenesis since it stimulates the formation of new blood vessels. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is related to the promotion of endothelial cells into tube-like structures, and it is therefore expected to promote angiogenesis with a greater potency than VEGF. VEGF and bFGF are considered to be biomarkers that predict treatment effectiveness.

Liposomal cisplatin dose escalation for determining the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity: a phase I study.

Background: The aim of the present trial was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of liposomal cisplatin (lipoplatin) using nephrotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity and myelotoxicity as the main adverse reactions.

Patients And Methods: Lipoplatin, a liposomal formulation of cisplatin was first tested as monotherapy starting at a dose of 125 mg/m(2) and escalating up to 350 mg/m(2). Lipoplatin was then escalated in combination with paclitacel starting at a dose of 100 mg/m(2) escalating up to 250 mg/m(2) for the former and 100 mg/m(2) escalating up to 175 mg/m(2) for the latter.