Radiation Therapy in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers: An Italian Survey on Behalf of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology.

Aims: The National Palliative Care and Interventional Radiotherapy Study Groups of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) carried out a survey whose aim was to obtain a "snapshot" of the real-world practice of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) treatments in Italy.

Materials And Methods: The survey was conducted on SurveyMonkey's online interface and was sent via e-mail to our society Radiation Oncologists.

Results: Fifty-eight Italian radiation oncologists (ROs), representing 54 centers, answered the survey.

Navigating the evolving diagnostic and therapeutic landscape of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

In this nonsystematic review of the literature, we explored the changing landscape of detection and treatment of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa). Through emphasizing improved cancer assessment with histology classification and genomics, we investigated key developments in PCa detection and risk stratification. The pivotal role of prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the novel diagnostic pathway is examined, alongside the benefits and drawbacks of MRI-targeted biopsies for detection and tumor characterization.

Differential diagnosis of cardiac tumors: General consideration and echocardiographic approach.

Cardiac tumors may be primary (either benign or malignant) or secondary (malignant) and are first detected by echocardiography in most cases. The cardiologist often challenges their identification, the differential diagnosis and the best therapeutic approach. Malignant tumors have usually a poor prognosis, which may be significantly improved by appropriate and timely therapies.

Trabectedin and Radiation Therapy for Cardiac Metastasis From Leiomyosarcoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is one of the most frequent subtypes of soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs). Metastatic spread to the heart in cancer patients carries a poor prognosis and there is no known effective treatment. Cardiac metastases of STSs are very rare.

IMRT versus 2D/3D conformal RT in oropharyngeal cancer: A review of the literature and meta-analysis.

Based on literature, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) provides less related toxicity compared with conventional 2D/3D-RT with no impact on oncological outcomes for oropharyngeal cancer. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess whether IMRT might provide similar clinical outcomes with reduced related toxicity in comparison with conventional 2D/3D RT in patients treated for clinically advanced oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). Inclusion criteria for paper selection included: squamous OPC patients, treatment performed by concomitant CRT or RT alone, four treatment performed for curative intent, and presence of clinical outcome of interest, namely, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) and full paper available in English.

Eribulin plus trastuzumab in pretreated HER2-positive advanced breast cancer patients: safety and efficacy. An Italian experience.

Background: Chemotherapy plus targeted therapy is the established treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing breast cancer (BC). Limited data regarding the safety and activity of the combination of eribulin and trastuzumab (E/T) in pretreated HER2-positive advanced BC (ABC) are available. The aim of this observational, retrospective, multicenter study was to examine the tolerability and the clinical activity of E/T in this setting.

Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Prognostic and Predictive Factors.

Colorectal cancer represents the third most frequently occurring cancer worldwide. In the last decade, the survival of patients affected by metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has improved through the introduction of biological drugs. However, in this new and dynamic therapeutic context, research about prognostic and predictive factors is important to guide the oncologists to effective therapies as well as to improve the understanding of colorectal cancer biology.

First-of-its-kind STARD Inhibitor: Identification and Biological Evaluation as Anticancer Agent.

STARD3 is a cellular protein that represents an attractive target for cancer therapy, being overexpressed in breast cancer and implied in the development of colorectal, gastric, and prostate cancers. Unfortunately, no STARD3 inhibitor has been identified yet. In this work, an strategy was applied to predict a reliable binding mode of cholesterol into STARD3 and to develop a pharmacophore-based virtual screening protocol that allowed the identification of the first STARD3 inhibitor ever reported.

Multimodal treatment for high-risk locally-advanced prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy and extended lymphadenectomy.

Background: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the safety and oncologic outcomes of multimodal treatment in high risk-locally advanced prostate cancer patients (PCa).

Methods: High-risk-locally advanced prostate cancer patients without distant metastases before radical prostatectomy (RP) were included. Adjuvant high-dose intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with concurrent docetaxel and long-term androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) were started after 3-6 months from RP.

Can the addition of radiotherapy postoperatively increase clinical outcome of patients with gastric cancer? A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis.

Background: Although several studies have been carried out to determine the best treatment for gastric carcinoma, the data on survival rate still remain inconclusive.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of postoperative radio-chemotherapy on overall and disease-free survival.

Data Sources: MEDLINE and CANCERLIT searches of reference lists (for the period 1970 to 2016) were supplemented with hand search of reference lists.

Impedance biosensor for real-time monitoring and prediction of thrombotic individual profile in flowing blood.

A new biosensor for the real-time analysis of thrombus formation is reported. The fast and accurate monitoring of the individual thrombotic risk represents a challenge in cardiovascular diagnostics and in treatment of hemostatic diseases. Thrombus volume, as representative index of the related thrombotic status, is usually estimated with confocal microscope at the end of each in vitro experiment, without providing a useful behavioral information of the biological sample such as platelets adhesion and aggregation in flowing blood.

Management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: A focus on radium-223: Opinions and suggestions from an expert multidisciplinary panel.

Radium-223, a calcium mimetic bone-seeking radionuclide that selectively targets bone metastases with alpha particles, is approved for the treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and symptomatic bone metastases. In patients with mCRPC, treatment with radium-223 has been associated with survival benefit, regardless of prior docetaxel use, and also has a positive impact on symptomatic skeletal events and quality of life. Radium-223 is best suited for patients with symptomatic mCRPC and bone-predominant disease and no visceral metastases, and may lead to better outcomes when given early in the course of the disease.

The Role of Target Therapy in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Noncolorectal Cancers: Clinical Impact and Cost Consideration.

Gastrointestinal (GI) tumors are among the leading cause of death in cancer patients worldwide. Particularly, gastric cancer (GC) is the third cause of cancer deaths, whereas esophageal neoplasm is the eighth leading most common cancer worldwide and its incidence, especially adenocarcinoma type, is continuously increasing. Also, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic cancer represent a very interesting model to multidisciplinary approach and recently new drugs are used in their treatment.

Low glycemic index diet, exercise and vitamin D to reduce breast cancer recurrence (DEDiCa): design of a clinical trial.

Background: Mechanisms influencing breast cancer (BC) development and recurrence include hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, high insulin-like growth factor-1, high circulating estrogen, inflammation and impaired cellular differentiation/apoptosis. A lifestyle program that targets all the above mechanisms may be warranted. Low glycemic index (GI) foods produce lower post-prandial glucose and insulin responses and have been associated with lower BC risk.

Bottom-up synthesis of carbon nanoparticles with higher doxorubicin efficacy.

Nanomedicine requires intelligent and non-toxic nanomaterials for real clinical applications. Carbon materials possess interesting properties but with some limitations due to toxic effects. Interest in carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) is increasing because they are considered green materials with tunable optical properties, overcoming the problem of toxicity associated with quantum dots or nanocrystals, and can be utilized as smart drug delivery systems.

Association of the germline BRCA2 missense variation Glu2663Lys with high sensitivity to trabectedin-based treatment in soft tissue sarcoma.

We report an interesting clinical case of a patient carrying a specific BRCA2 germline variant affected by bone and hepatic metastases from a high grade uterine stromal sarcoma who obtained a complete metabolic response after only 3 cycles of trabectedin treatment (1.5 mg/m given intravenously over 24 hours every 21 days). Molecular investigations linked this outstanding positive pharmacological response with the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the mutated BRCA2 gene.

Primary tumors of the heart.

Purpose Of Review: Primary cardiac tumors are a rare disease, which may have severe clinical consequences. Malignant tumors may be misdiagnosed as mixomas, with improper treatment. The aim of this review is to report how to make a differential diagnosis using old and modern tools, the latest trends in tumor classification and treatment, and their possible impact on prognosis.

Exosomes increase the therapeutic index of doxorubicin in breast and ovarian cancer mouse models.

Aim: To demonstrate that exosomes (exo) could increase the therapeutic index of doxorubicin (DOX).

Materials & Methods: Exosomes were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis and western blot. Tissue toxicity was evaluated by histopathological analysis and drug efficacy by measuring tumor volume.

The ability of 18F-choline PET/CT to identify local recurrence of prostate cancer.

Purpose: To determine when 18F-choline PET/CT can truly identify local recurrence of prostate cancer.

Methods: 1031 patients from 3 European centers underwent (18)F-choline PET/CT (FCH PET/CT) for recurrent disease; 131 subjects (12.7%) showed a positive FCH uptake in the prostatic gland or prostatic fossa.

Exosomal doxorubicin reduces the cardiac toxicity of doxorubicin.

Aim: To test the efficacy and toxicity of exosomal doxorubicin (exoDOX) compared with free doxorubicin.

Materials & Methods: The cytotoxic effects of exoDOX were tested in vitro and in nude mice by measuring the tumor volume. The toxic effects were evaluated by measuring the bodyweight and through histopathologic analyses.

An integrative approach for the identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers in rectal cancer.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world, a small fraction of which is represented by locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). If not medically contraindicated, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, represent the standard of care for LARC patients. Unfortunately, patients shows a wide range of response rates in which approximately 20% has a complete pathological response, whereas in 20 to 40% the response is poor or absent.

Special issues in fertility preservation for gynecologic malignancies.

Gynecologic malignancies account for 1,09 million new cancer cases worldwide consisting of about 12% of tumors affecting female population. About 10% of all female cancer survivors are younger than 40 years of age. Since cancers affecting female genital organs are usually treated by radical surgery, chemotherapy or chemoradiation approaches that induce permanent damage of reproductive functions, the development of strategies for fertility preservation represent one of the most important goals for gynecologic oncology.