Gingival Overgrowths Revealing Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome: Report of Novel Pathogenic Variants.

PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), is a spectrum of disorders caused by mutations of PTEN, in which non-cancerous growths, called hamartomas, develop in different areas of the body, often including the oral mucosa. PHTS also implies a recognized increased risk of malignancies, as PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene capable of inhibiting progression of several cancers. One of the main and most common clinical manifestation of PHTS are gingival overgrowths presenting as warty lumps.

The Role of Rituximab in Primary Focal Segmental Glomerular Sclerosis of the Adult.

Introduction: Primary focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) is a rare, likely immune-mediated disease. Rituximab (RTX) may play a role in management, although data in adults are scanty.

Methods: We collected cases of RTX-treated primary FSGS within the Italian Society of Nephrology Immunopathology Working Group and explored response rate (24-hour proteinuria <3.

Opportunities and challenges for nonaddictive interventions in chronic pain.

The worlds of chronic pain and addiction continue to intersect too often in many ways. Chronic pain significantly impairs and disrupts the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. Opioids remain the most prescribed pharmacotherapy offered to patients to alleviate chronic pain.

Rituximab or Cyclophosphamide in the Treatment of Membranous Nephropathy: The RI-CYCLO Randomized Trial.

Background: A cyclic corticosteroid-cyclophosphamide regimen is the first-line therapy for membranous nephropathy. Compared with this regimen, rituximab therapy might have a more favorable safety profile, but a head-to-head comparison is lacking.

Methods: We randomly assigned 74 adults with membranous nephropathy and proteinuria >3.

Mortality after cardioverter-defibrillator replacement: Results of the DECODE survival score index.

Background: Device replacement is the ideal time to reassess health care goals regarding continuing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Only few data are available on the decision making at this time.

Objectives: The goals of this study were to identify factors associated with poor prognosis at the time of ICD replacement and to develop a prognostic index able to stratify those patients at risk of dying early.

Enhanced MAPK1 Function Causes a Neurodevelopmental Disorder within the RASopathy Clinical Spectrum.

Signal transduction through the RAF-MEK-ERK pathway, the first described mitogen-associated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, mediates multiple cellular processes and participates in early and late developmental programs. Aberrant signaling through this cascade contributes to oncogenesis and underlies the RASopathies, a family of cancer-prone disorders. Here, we report that de novo missense variants in MAPK1, encoding the mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (i.

Shoulder Function After Cardioverter-Defibrillator Implantation: 5-Year Follow-up.

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) represents the main tool for prevention of sudden cardiac death. Different kinds of postimplant complications have been described; however, little is known about shoulder functional impairment and its impact on quality of life.

Methods: Patients with standard indications for elective prepectoral subcutaneous ICD insertion were enrolled during a 1-year period.

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.

An Explorative Study of CYP2D6's Polymorphism in a Sample of Chronic Pain Patients.

Background: A proper antalgic treatment is based on the use of titrated drugs to provide adequate relief and a good tolerability profile. Therapies have a variable effectiveness among subjects depending on medical and genetic conditions. CYP2D6 variations determine a different clinical response to most analgesic drugs commonly used in daily clinical practice by influencing the drugs' pharmacokinetics.

Unusual metastatic localization to the kidney of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx.

Case Presentation:: A 55-year-old man with a history of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx with laterocervical lymph node metastases 6 years before (and treated with chemoradiation) presented with flank pain and hematuria. Computed tomography scan found a renal lesion, with radiological features more suspicious for primitive renal neoplasia. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination after surgical excision revealed a basaloid squamous cell carcinoma involving renal parenchyma.

Thoracic endovascular repair versus medical management for acute uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.

Background: Current treatment options and outcomes for acute uncomplicated thoracic Type-B aortic dissection (TBAD) remain unclear between medical management (MED) and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). In this study we aim to compare both strategies in terms of all-cause mortality, aortic dilation, and aortic rupture.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were queried from January 1990 through March 2017.

Efficacy and Safety of Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab Administered in a Single Infusion Bag, Followed by Vinorelbine: VELVET Cohort 2 Final Results.

Background: VELVET Cohort 1 demonstrated the applicability of pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and vinorelbine as an alternative first-line treatment regimen for patients with HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who cannot receive docetaxel. Co-infusion of pertuzumab and trastuzumab may reduce clinic time and medical resource utilization. We report results from Cohort 2, in which pertuzumab and trastuzumab were co-infused, followed by vinorelbine.

Safety and efficacy of vinorelbine in combination with pertuzumab and trastuzumab for first-line treatment of patients with HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer: VELVET Cohort 1 final results.

Background: Pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and docetaxel is standard of care for first-line treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, alternative chemotherapy partners are required to align with patient/physician preferences and to increase treatment flexibility. We report VELVET Cohort 1 results in which the efficacy and safety of pertuzumab and trastuzumab, administered sequentially in separate infusions, followed by vinorelbine, were evaluated.

Rapidly changing landscape of PET/CT imaging in prostate cancer.

Purpose Of Review: PET/CT imaging in men with prostate cancer (PCa) is rapidly growing as clinicians are becoming aware of its possible fundamental role in the diagnostic flow chart of these patients. As this technology becomes more available worldwide, a considerable number of scientific studies are focusing on specific clinical scenarios and novel PET radiopharmaceuticals that might assist improving early diagnosis and shifting to a truly tailored treatment for PCa. This review focuses on the most recent and important publications in PET/CT imaging of PCa.

Prospective Comparison of 18F-Fluoromethylcholine Versus 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in Prostate Cancer Patients Who Have Rising PSA After Curative Treatment and Are Being Considered for Targeted Therapy.

Unlabelled: In prostate cancer with biochemical failure after therapy, current imaging techniques have a low detection rate at the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels at which targeted salvage therapy is effective. (11)C-choline and (18)F-fluoromethylcholine, though widely used, have poor sensitivity at low PSA levels. (68)Ga-PSMA (Glu-NH-CO-NH-Lys-(Ahx)-[(68)Ga-N,N'-bis[2-hydroxy-5-(carboxyethyl)benzyl]ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid]) has shown promising results in retrospective trials.

Impact of perineural invasion as independent prognostic factor for local and regional failure in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: Perineural invasion (PNI) is frequent in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and could play an important role in treatment decisions.

Study Design: This retrospective study used multivariate analysis to evaluate the impact of PNI on locoregional recurrence, neck metastases, and survival in 236 consecutive patients with oral cancer.

Results: There were significant differences in the local (P = .

Usefulness and limitations of 99mTc-3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid scintigraphy in the aetiological diagnosis of amyloidotic cardiomyopathy.

Purpose: We previously reported in a small series of patients that (99m)Tc-3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid ((99m)Tc-DPD) scintigraphy tested positive in transthyretin-related (TTR) (both mutant and wild-type) but not in primary (AL) amyloidotic cardiomyopathy (AC). We extended our study to a larger cohort of patients with AC.

Methods: We evaluated (1) 45 patients with TTR-related AC (28 mutant and 17 wild-type), (2) 34 with AL-related AC and (3) 15 non-affected controls.

Standardized uptake values of (68)Ga-DOTANOC PET: a promising prognostic tool in neuroendocrine tumors.

Unlabelled: Despite the fact that several studies have been published regarding the prognostic factors of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), there are some cases in which available data are not sufficient to predict disease progression and to define a correct therapeutic approach. To our knowledge, the role of maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) as a prognostic factor has never been studied in NET patients. Therefore, we prospectively investigated whether (68)Ga-[1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid]-1-NaI3-octreotide ((68)Ga-DOTANOC) PET SUVmax could be used as an accurate noninvasive marker for disease prognosis.

Oestrogen receptor 1 mRNA is a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer patients treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy: determination by array and kinetic PCR in fresh tissue biopsies.

Oestrogen receptors (ESRs) regulate the growth and differentiation of normal ovarian epithelia. However, to date their role as biomarkers in the clinical setting of ovarian cancer remains unclear. In view of potential endocrine treatment options, we tested the role of ESR1 mRNA expression in ovarian cancer in the context of a neo-adjuvant chemotherapy trial.

11C-methionine vs. 18F-FDG PET in soft tissue sarcoma patients treated with neoadjuvant therapy: preliminary results.

Objective: In patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) the histological response (tumour grade regression: TGR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) may influence the outcome. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of 11C-methionine (MET) and 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with STS treated with neoadjuvant CRT, correlating TGR with SUVmax (standardized uptake value) percentage variation before and after CRT.

Patients And Methods: Nine patients with STS already scheduled for a neoadjuvant CRT and surgery were enrolled.

68Ga-DOTA-NOC: a new PET tracer for evaluating patients with bronchial carcinoid.

Background: Conventional imaging techniques [computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, magnetic resonance] and somatostatin receptor scintigraphy are often insufficient to make a conclusive diagnosis of bronchial carcinoid (BC). PET is commonly used for the assessment of lung cancer but 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, the most frequently used PET tracer, presents a low sensitivity for the detection of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). New PET radiopharmaceuticals such as 68Ga-DOTA peptides, which directly bind to somatostatin receptors and are usually expressed on NET cell surfaces, have been reported to be superior to both morphological and somatostatin receptor scintigraphy imaging for gastroenteropancreatic NETs.

Diagnostic role of 18F-FDG PET in gastric MALT lymphoma.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of 18F-FDG-PET in patients with gastric lymphoma, in particular those affected by mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type and aggressive gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Material And Methods: The study group consists of 15 patients with a previous diagnosis of gastric NHL referred to our PET centres in Bologna Hospital and Rovigo Hospital, Italy, in the period 2003-2004. In 9/15 patients the subsequent histological evaluation was consistent with a gastric MALT lymphoma, while aggressive gastric NHL was diagnosed in the other 6/15.