18F-FDG PET/CT for Early Postradiotherapy Assessment in Solitary Bone Plasmacytomas.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance and possible prognostic value of early (18)F-FDG PET/CT (FDG PET/CT) assessment after radiotherapy (RT) in patients with solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP).

Methods: Twenty-one patients affected by SBP who underwent FDG PET/CT scan for early restaging (≤6 months) postradiotherapy assessment were selected from the PET databases of University College London Hospital of London and San Raffaele Hospital of Milan. Patients with no abnormal uptake were classified as having no pathologic uptake (NPU).

Different clinical effects upon separate inhibition of coexisting EGFR and PI3KCA mutations in a lung adenocarcinoma patient.

We present a very interesting case of lung adenocarcinoma carrying an uncommon EGFR exon 19 insertion with concomitant PIK3CA mutation showing dramatic and persisting improvement upon erlotinib therapy, after progression during PI3K inhibitor.

Cost-effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in today's world.

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is an example of an effective intervention with high up-front costs and delayed benefits. It has become a proven and well-accepted therapy not only for secondary but also for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease. In recent years, the international guidelines have extended the indications to the prophylactic ICD, increasing the number of eligible patients and, together, the financial challenges of a widespread implementation.

Unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: multimodal palliative treatment.

Aim: To evaluate the survival of patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC) treated with multimodal palliative approaches.

Patients And Methods: thirty-two patients were enrolled in a multimodal protocol including: bilateral biliary drainage; Yridium-192 intraluminal brachytherapy (BT); metal biliary stenting; external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT); systemic chemotherapy (ChT). All patients underwent BT and biliary stenting: this was the only treatment for 14 patients, it was combined with EBRT in 11, and with EBRT and ChT in seven.

Use of PET/CT to evaluate response to therapy in lymphoma.

(18)F-FDG-PET is a well established standard procedure for most lymphoma subtypes. In particular the advantage of metabolic imaging stands in its strong predictivity in response. Indeed PET scan has been incorporated into revised response criteria for aggressive lymphomas and recommended to be performed at baseline and after therapy.

Large regenerative nodules in a patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome after TIPS positioning while on the liver transplantation list diagnosed by Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI.

Background: Large regenerative nodules (LRNs) are hyperplastic benign nodules most commonly associated with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS), caused by outflow obstruction of the hepatic veins or vena cava. To our knowledge, no cases of LRNs arising in BCS after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) positioning and detected by Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI have been reported in the literature.

Methods: A 58-year-old woman with BCS, on the liver transplantation (LT) list, underwent a follow-up enhanced MRI.

Changes in the surgical approach to hilar cholangiocarcinoma during an 18-year period in a Western single center.

Background: Liver resection is the only potential curative treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. In this article, we evaluate mortality, survival, prognostic factors, and changes in surgical approach during the last two decades at a Western hepato-biliary center.

Methods: Fifty-one patients undergoing liver resections constitute the study population.

Liver transplantation for benign hepatic tumors: a systematic review.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been performed for several benign hepatic tumors. Most of these diseases are usually managed conservatively, or treated by liver resection. OLT might be required when the lesions are symptomatic, diffuse in hepatic parenchyma, causing life-threatening complications or malignant transformation cannot be ruled out.

Comparison of two frailty measures in the Conselice Study of Brain Ageing.

Objectives: Uncertainty about the definition of frailty is reflected by the development of many ways to identify frail people. We aimed to compare the validity of two frailty measures in participants of the Conselice Study of Brain Aging.

Design: Prospective population-based study with 4 year follow up.

Plasma tocopherols and risk of cognitive impairment in an elderly Italian cohort.

Background: Evidence that vitamin E may preserve cognitive function in elderly subjects is conflicting. The most abundant and most investigated form of vitamin E in humans is alpha-tocopherol, but other antioxidant tocopherols (beta, gamma, and delta) exist in nature.

Objective: We aimed to investigate plasma concentrations of the natural tocopherols and the tocopherol oxidation markers alpha-tocopherylquinone (alphaTQ) and 5-nitro-gamma-tocopherol (5NGT) in relation to cognitive function in the elderly.

Results of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the treatment of biliary tract complications after orthotopic liver transplantation: our experience.

Background/aims: Biliary tract complications are a common cause of morbidity and mortality after orthotopic liver transplantation. We report our experience in the use of ERCP in the treatment of post liver transplantation biliary complications.

Methodology: Retrospectively we evaluated 34 patients who had undergone ERCP out of 460 who received a liver transplantation between January 1999 and December 2004.

Therapeutic effectiveness of echo-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation therapy with a LeVeen needle electrode in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the results of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in obtaining the necrosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients and to assess the results of RFA in relation to recurrence of HCC and survival of the treated patients.

Methods: Fifty-six consecutive cirrhotic patients with 63 HCCs were treated with RFA between May 2000 and May 2004. The diameter of the HCCs ranged from 1 cm to 5 cm (mean 2.

The role of liver resections for noncolorectal, nonneuroendocrine metastases: experience with 142 observed cases.

Background: To evaluate the role of liver resection for noncolorectal, nonneuroendocrine metastases, indications and results were retrospectively reviewed in 142 observed patients.

Methods: A curative liver resection was performed in 83 cases (58.5%), and the remaining 59 patients received palliative treatments.

Effect of micronutrient status on natural killer cell immune function in healthy free-living subjects aged >/=90 y.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells play a role in natural immunity against tumor and infected cells. Advanced aging is associated with functional impairment of NK cells and increased susceptibility to nutritional deficiencies.

Objective: Our objective was to test whether micronutrient status affects NK cell activity in an older population.