Sun exposure and melanoma prognostic factors.

Previous studies have reported an association between sun exposure and the increased survival of patients with cutaneous melanoma (CM). The present study analyzed the association between ultraviolet (UV) light exposure and various prognostic factors in the Italian Clinical National Melanoma Registry. Clinical and sociodemographic features were collected, as well as information concerning sunbed exposure and holidays with sun exposure.

Gastric schwannoma misdiagnosed as GIST: A case report with immunohistochemical and molecular study.

Schwannomas are tumors derived from Schwann cells. Generally, they are benign and their typical site of origin is the subcutaneous tissue of the distal extremities or of the head and neck region. Gastrointestinal localization of schwannomas is extremely rare, and the stomach is the prevalent site.

Mechanisms underlying brain monitoring during anesthesia: limitations, possible improvements, and perspectives.

Currently, anesthesiologists use clinical parameters to directly measure the depth of anesthesia (DoA). This clinical standard of monitoring is often combined with brain monitoring for better assessment of the hypnotic component of anesthesia. Brain monitoring devices provide indices allowing for an immediate assessment of the impact of anesthetics on consciousness.

Ultrastable Liquid-Liquid Interface as Viable Route for Controlled Deposition of Biodegradable Polymer Nanocapsules.

Liquid-liquid interfaces are highly dynamic and characterized by an elevated interfacial tension as compared to solid-liquid interfaces. Therefore, they are gaining an increasing interest as viable templates for ordered assembly of molecules and nanoparticles. However, liquid-liquid interfaces are more difficult to handle compared to solid-liquid interfaces; their intrinsic instability may affect the assembly process, especially in the case of multiple deposition.

The Role of miRNAs in the Regulation of Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is currently one of the deadliest cancers with low overall survival rate. This disease leads to an aggressive local invasion and early metastases and is poorly responsive to treatment with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Several studies have shown that pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) play different roles in the regulation of drug resistance and recurrence in pancreatic cancer.

Role of Viral miRNAs and Epigenetic Modifications in Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Gastric Carcinogenesis.

MicroRNAs are short (21-23 nucleotides), noncoding RNAs that typically silence posttranscriptional gene expression through interaction with target messenger RNAs. Currently, miRNAs have been identified in almost all studied multicellular eukaryotes in the plant and animal kingdoms. Additionally, recent studies reported that miRNAs can also be encoded by certain single-cell eukaryotes and by viruses.

Dietary total antioxidant capacity in relation to endometrial cancer risk: a case-control study in Italy.

Purpose: To investigate the role of the overall antioxidant activity of diet, we estimated the relation between three dietary indices of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and endometrial cancer risk

Methods: We analyzed data from an Italian case-control study including 454 women with incident, histologically confirmed endometrial cancer, and 908 frequency-matched controls admitted to the same hospitals as cases for acute non-neoplastic conditions. A reproducible and valid food frequency questionnaire was used to assess subjects' habitual diet. TAC was measured using Italian food composition tables in terms of Ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP).

The Experiments on Electrical Anesthesia in Italy in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century. A Dispute Between a Fearless Surgeon Patriot and a Positivist Researcher.

Electric anesthesia is the anesthesia, usually general anesthesia, produced by the application of an electrical current. This fascinating issue of the anesthesia history was made possible thanks to the pioneering experiments on electrotherapy and electrophysiology performed by two researchers: the neurologist Guillaume Duchenne (1806-1875) and the biologist Stéphane Leduc (1853-1939). The aim of this study is the review of the dispute between two Italian scientists on the effectiveness of electric anesthesia in the second half of the 19th century.

TLR4 down-regulation identifies high risk HPV infection and integration in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

TLRs are main actors of the innate immune response against HPV. There are very few studies on the role of TLRs mediated HPV clearance in Head and Neck oncology. Our aim was to evaluate whether TLR4 expression identifies HPV infection and/or HR-HPV integration status in oral and oropharyngeal cancers.

Panitumumab in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin does not prolong survival in wild-type KRAS advanced biliary tract cancer: A randomized phase 2 trial (Vecti-BIL study).

Background: Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a rare and lethal disease with few therapeutic options. Preclinical data suggest that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway could be involved in its progression.

Methods: This open-label, randomized phase 2 trial recruited chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced BTC displaying a wild-type (WT) KRAS status.

The intercalatus nucleus of Staderini.

Rutilio Staderini was one of the leading Italian anatomists of the twentieth century, together with some scientists, such as Giulio Chiarugi, Giovanni Vitali, and others. He was also a member of a new generation of anatomists. They had continued the tradition of the most famous Italian scientists, which started from the Renaissance up until the nineteenth century.

Role of Sex Hormones in the Development and Progression of Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in developed countries. Epidemiological reports indicate that the incidence of HBV-related HCC is higher in males and postmenopausal females than other females. Increasing evidence suggests that sex hormones such as androgens and estrogens play an important role in the progression of an HBV infection and in the development of HBV-related HCC.

Surgical treatment of sacral chordoma: survival and prognostic factors.

Introduction: Sacral chordoma is a rare low-to-intermediate grade malignant tumour. The mainstay of treatment is still surgery with en bloc and wide resection margins, which can grant the best chances of a long-term control or cure of this disease. The first aim of this paper is to collect data about survival, time to local recurrence and metastasis among patients affected by sacral chordoma and primarily treated with surgery.

Autologous Platelet Gel Improves Bone Reconstruction of Large Defects in Patients with Bone Giant Cell Tumors.

Background/aim: Giant cell tumors are mostly benign but locally aggressive tumors. The excision of bone tumors can result in large defects, therefore bone reconstruction is still one the most demanding procedures in orthopedic surgery. Our study addresses the opportunity for improving surgical outcome by employing β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) at the surgical site.

Medical conditions, family history of cancer, and the risk of biliary tract cancers.

Background: Scanty data exist on the role of personal medical conditions, except for gallstones, and family history of cancer on the risk of biliary tract cancers (BTC).

Methods: We analyzed this issue using data from two Italian case-control studies, including 159 cases of BTC and 795 matched hospital controls. Odds ratios (ORs) of BTC and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multiple logistic regression models.

Expression and clinical implication of cyclooxygenase-2 and E-cadherin in oral squamous cell carcinomas.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and angiogenesis are crucial events for development of aggressive and often fatal Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas (OSCCs). Both blood vessel neo-formation and contribute to OSCC cell growth, tumor mass development, and dissemination. has an important role, not only in angiogenic mechanisms, but also in favoring cancer invasion.

Novel mechanisms and therapeutic approaches in melanoma: targeting the MAPK pathway.

The development of novel treatments that selectively inhibit the RAS-RAF-MAPK pathway represents a milestone in the history of melanoma treatment. BRAF mutations occur in approximately 45% of cutaneous melanomas, while mutations in NRAS occur in 15-25%. Vemurafenib was the first BRAF inhibitor to be approved in 2011, based on the results of a phase III trial (BRIM-3) that showed higher progression-free survival and overall survival compared with dacarbazine chemotherapy in metastatic BRAF-mutated melanoma.

Determination of whether screening tests for chronic atrophic gastritis really has a positive predictive value.

Intestinal‑type gastric adenocarcinomas are preceded by precancerous lesions, which begin with chronic atrophic gastritis. Over the last few years, multiple serological screening techniques have been performed and commercialized for the diagnosis of chronic atrophic gastritis. In the present study, 123 patients were recruited at the International Cancer Institute 'G.

Mammographic density: Comparison of visual assessment with fully automatic calculation on a multivendor dataset.

Objectives: To compare breast density (BD) assessment provided by an automated BD evaluator (ABDE) with that provided by a panel of experienced breast radiologists, on a multivendor dataset.

Methods: Twenty-one radiologists assessed 613 screening/diagnostic digital mammograms from nine centers and six different vendors, using the BI-RADS a, b, c, and d density classification. The same mammograms were also evaluated by an ABDE providing the ratio between fibroglandular and total breast area on a continuous scale and, automatically, the BI-RADS score.

Immunomodulatory pathways regulate expression of a spliced FKBP51 isoform in lymphocytes of melanoma patients.

FKBP51 (gene FKBP5) is an immunophilin capable of immunosuppression expressed in melanoma and lymphocytes. We found increased levels of a spliced FKBP5 variant in the PBMCs of 124 patients with melanoma. This variant encodes for an unknown isoform (FKBP51s).

The Illness and Death of Enrico Caruso (1873-1921): A Medical Chorus Out of Tune?

The Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso is considered by many people the most famous opera singer of all time or "The Matchless Singer" for his unique and suggestive vocal timber. Although a man of humble origins, he managed to rise from poverty, thanks to his extraordinary intelligence and determination. From his debut in 1895 in Naples, until December 24, 1920, the tenor had a brilliant career with many performances and over 500 songs in his repertoire.

Bevacizumab and first-line chemotherapy for older patients with advanced colorectal cancer: final results of a Community-based Observational Italian Study.

Background: Although the efficacy and safety of combining first-line chemotherapy with bevacizumab in elderly patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) is supported by the results of a phase III trial, real-practice data are limited.

Patients And Methods: Our multi-center, community-based observational study included 233 elderly patients with CRC (median age=73 years, range=70-84 years). Baseline comorbidities and geriatric evaluation were also analyzed.

Primary peritoneal clear cell carcinoma versus ovarian carcinoma versus malignant transformation of endometriosis: a vexing issue.

Peritoneum is a site for both primary and secondary tumors. Primary peritoneal tumors are fairly rare. The most common primary tumors of the peritoneum are malignant mesothelioma and serous papillary adenocarcinoma.

Use of allogeneic platelet gel in the management of chemotherapy extravasation injuries: a case report.

The allogeneic platelet (PLT) gel offers to be a valid supportive measure in the management of chemotherapy extravasation injuries. We report a case of a 58-year-old patient with multiple myeloma enrolled for high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. As pretransplant therapy, the patient received induction therapy with bortezomib, adriblastina, and desametazone.