Patterns of recurrence and survival probability after second recurrence of retroperitoneal sarcoma: A study from TARPSWG.

Background: In this series from the Transatlantic Australasian Retroperitoneal Sarcoma Working Group (TARPSWG), the authors examined longitudinal outcomes of patients with a second recurrence of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) after complete resection of a first local recurrence (LR).

Methods: Data from patients undergoing resection of a first LR from January 2002 to December 2011were collected from 22 sarcoma centers. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) after second recurrence.

Limited Usefulness of 18F-FDG PET/CT in Predicting Tumor Regression After Preoperative Chemotherapy for Noncardia Gastric Cancer: The Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG) Experience.

Background: The present study aimed to better define the usefulness of F-FDG PET/CT in predicting pathological tumor response (PTR) and survival in patients with noncardia gastric cancer treated with preoperative chemotherapy.

Methods: Seventy-one patients were recruited in 6 Italian centers. The SUV of F-FDG PET/CT was measured at baseline and after treatment, and the difference (dSUV) was computed.

p2PSA for predicting biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer earlier than total prostate-specific antigen after radical prostatectomy: an observational prospective cohort study.

Background: There is an unmet clinical need for more biochemical specific tests that may detect clinically significant recurrent PCa at an early stage after radical prostatectomy (RP). Our purpose is to test the hypothesis that p2PSA (Index test) detects prostate cancer relapse (BCR) earlier than the current Reference Standard Test (total prostate-specific antigen [tPSA]) in patients who underwent RP for localized PCa.

Methods: This is an observational, prospective, cohort, follow-up study in patients subjected to RALP (robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy) for clinically localized PCa from January 2013 to July 2013 at a high-volume Institution (450 average RP/year).

Sigmoid compliance and visceral perception in spinal cord injury patients.

Intestinal motor and sensory dysfunctions in traumatic complete or incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) are frequent and result in altered mechanisms of defecation. The aim of this study is to investigate sigmoid compliance and perception in chronic SCI patients. Sigmoid responses to fixed-tension distentions were assessed using a tensostat in six patients (six men, 42 ± 4 years) with chronic complete transection of the spinal cord (high-SCI; five tetraplegic C5-C7 and one paraplegic T4-T6) and impaired evacuation (i.

Serotonin-mediated tuning of human helper T cell responsiveness to the chemokine CXCL12.

In addition to its role as neurotransmitter, serotonin (5-HT) is an important modulator of inflammation and immunity. Here, we report novel findings suggesting a 5-HT involvement in T cell migration. In particular, we show that 5-HT tunes the responsiveness of human T lymphocytes to the broadly expressed chemokine CXCL12 in transwell migration assays.

Radiological estimation of size in colorectal liver metastases: is it reliable? Comparison with post-resectional measurements.

Since the efficiency of percutaneous ablation techniques in treating colorectal liver metastases is dependent on tumor size, the aim of this study was to verify the accuracy of computed tomography or magnetic resonance in estimating the maximum diameter of colorectal liver metastases by comparing these findings with those of pathology in a series of patients who underwent liver resection. Radiological and pathological tumor measurements in 39 patients operated for 69 colorectal liver metastasis were recorded. The radiological measurement was performed by magnetic resonance in 40 tumors (23 cases) and by computed tomography in 29 tumors (16 patients).