The Tensor Tympani Tendon: A Hypothetical Site of Origin of Congenital Cholesteatoma.

Multiple theories have been discussed about the etiopathogenesis of congenital middle ear cholesteatoma (CMEC) and its specific site of origin. The intraoperative identification of the precise location of the keratinous mass is important to guarantee its complete removal, in order to reduce the risk of recurrence. This study proposes the tensor tympani tendon (TTT) as a possible site of origin of CMEC.

Prognostic Role of Circulating Tumor Cells in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Large, Multicenter, Prospective Trial.

Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) correlate with adverse prognosis in patients with breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer. Little data are available for renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Materials And Methods: We designed a multicenter prospective observational study to assess the correlation between CTC counts and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with metastatic RCC treated with an antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor as a first-line regimen; overall survival (OS) and response were secondary objectives.

Dermoid Cyst of the retroauricular region: a rare clinicopathological entity.

Dermoid cysts (DC) of the head and neck are rare congenital anomalies derived from entrapment of ectodermal cells at lines of fusion in the embryo into mesoderm. We describe a 22-years-old female with an unusual presentation of DC in the subcutaneous tissue of the retro-auricular region, confirmed by pathological examination of the surgically removed specimen. A DC in this region is rare and may be misdiagnosed as a retroauricular lymph node.

Infliximab is more effective than cyclosporine as a rescue therapy for acute severe ulcerative colitis: a retrospective single-center study.

Background: Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a potentially life-threatening disease, and the best option in cases of steroid-refractory disease is still debated. We compared the early- and long-term efficacy and safety of the 2 available "rescue therapies", infliximab (IFX) and cyclosporine (CYS), in this setting.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients admitted for ASUC and treated with "rescue therapy".

Perinatal Exposure to Phthalates: From Endocrine to Neurodevelopment Effects.

Phthalates, as other endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), may alter the homeostasis and the action of hormones and signaling molecules, causing adverse health outcomes. This is true especially for infants, who are both more exposed and sensitive to their effects. Phthalates are particularly harmful when the exposure occurs during certain critical temporal windows of the development, such as the prenatal and the early postnatal phases.

The Prognostic and Predictive Role of Somatic Mutations in Ovarian Cancer: Results from a Multicenter Cohort Study.

Previous research involving epithelial ovarian cancer patients showed that, compared to germline (gBRCA) mutations, somatic (sBRCA) mutations present a similar positive impact with regard to overall survival (OS) and platinum and PARP (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase) inhibitor sensitivity. Nevertheless, molecular testing in these studies did not include copy number variation (CNV) analyses of genes. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic and predictive role of sBRCA mutations as compared to gBRCA mutations in patients who were also tested for CNVs.

First prospective data on breast cancer patients from the multicentre italian bone metastasis database.

Bone metastases (BM) are still the main cause of morbidity in cancer patients because of skeletal-related events (SREs) that reduce quality of life. They have also led to increased social and healthcare costs. At present, data available on BM are insufficient.

Immune microenvironment and intrinsic subtyping in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer.

Little is known regarding the interaction between immune microenvironment and tumor biology in hormone receptor (HR)+/HER2- breast cancer (BC). We here assess pretreatment gene-expression data from 66 HR+/HER2- early BCs from the LETLOB trial and show that non-luminal tumors (HER2-enriched, Basal-like) present higher tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte levels than luminal tumors. Moreover, significant differences in immune infiltrate composition, assessed by CIBERSORT, were observed: non-luminal tumors showed a more proinflammatory antitumor immune infiltrate composition than luminal ones.

Newborn hearing screening programme based on an integrated hospital and community care system. Results of the first 4 years of activity.

Since January 2012, babies born in the province of Modena, Italy, have routinely undergone hearing testing as part of a two-stage screening programme. Newborn hearing screening (NHS) has been based on an integrated hospital and community care system and this study aims to assess screening coverage, referral rates, the prevalence, type and extent of hearing loss several years into the programme. Data were collected from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015.

Spectrum of Cardiovascular Diseases in Children During High Peak Coronavirus Disease 2019 Period Infection in Northern Italy: Is There a Link?

Background: Children with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have a milder clinical course than adults. We describe the spectrum of cardiovascular manifestations during a COVID-19 outbreak in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was performed, including all patients diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (KD), myocarditis, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) from February to April 2020.

Multicentric Atrial Strain COmparison between Two Different Modalities: MASCOT HIT Study.

Two methods are currently available for left atrial (LA) strain measurement by speckle tracking echocardiography, with two different reference timings for starting the analysis: QRS (QRS-LASr) and P wave (P-LASr). The aim of MASCOT HIT study was to define which of the two was more reproducible, more feasible, and less time consuming. In 26 expert centers, LA strain was analyzed by two different echocardiographers (young vs senior) in a blinded fashion.

Inflammatory indexes as predictive factors for platinum sensitivity and as prognostic factors in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer patients: a MITO24 retrospective study.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic inflammatory index (SII) are prognostic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Their predictive value for platinum-sensitivity and their role in recurrent EOC are unknown. A total of 375 EOC patients were retrospectively analyzed.

Incidence and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: Patients with cancer are at increased risk of complicated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but it is still unclear if the risk of mortality is influenced by cancer type or ongoing anti-cancer treatments. An interesting debate concerning the potential relationship between androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and SARS-CoV-2 infection has recently been opened in the case of prostate cancer (PC), and the aim of this multi-centre cohort study was to investigate the incidence and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostrate cancer (mCRPC).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients with mCRPC who developed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recorded their baseline clinical characteristics, their history of PC and SARS-CoV-2 infection, and their oncological status and treatment at the time of infection.

Cochlear implantation under local anesthesia and conscious sedation: an Italian experience.

Purpose: To report our experience in performing cochlear implantation under local anesthesia in a group of patients who were deemed unfit for general anesthesia.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to analyze undesirable events and any other discomfort complained by patients during cochlear implantation. Analysis of patient's satisfaction was performed by means of a survey instrument.

Non-coronary cardiac events, younger age, and IVIG unresponsiveness increase the risk for coronary aneurysms in Italian children with Kawasaki disease.

Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is the most frequent cause of acquired heart disease in children in high-income countries because of coronary artery involvement. Risk factors for coronary lesions can vary in consideration of different genetic background and environmental factors.

Methods: Multicenter retrospective and prospective study including 372 consecutive children (58% boys; mean age 34.

Mutation in the ShortHER Randomized Adjuvant Trial for Patients with Early HER2 Breast Cancer: Association with Prognosis and Integration with PAM50 Subtype.

Purpose: We explored the prognostic effect of mutation in HER2 patients enrolled in the ShortHER trial.

Patients And Methods: The ShortHER trial randomized 1,253 patients with HER2 breast cancer to 9 weeks or 1 year of adjuvant trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy. hotspot mutations in exon 9 and 20 were analyzed by pyrosequencing.

Effectiveness of bevacizumab in first- and second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer: ITACa randomized trial.

Background: Cancer trials involving multiple treatment lines substantially increase our understanding of therapeutic strategies. However, even when the primary end-point of these studies is progression-free survival (PFS), their statistical analysis usually focuses on each line separately, or does not consider repeated events, thus missing potentially relevant information. Consequently, the evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment strategies is highly impaired.

Successful repair of wide traumatic rectal perforation using over-the-scope clip.

 We report on a case of a traumatic rectal perforation that occurred in a 16-year-old girl, which was successfully treated using an over-the-scope clip, avoiding major surgery and stoma.

ECCO Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care: Prostate cancer.

Background: ECCO Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care (ERQCC) are written by experts representing all disciplines involved in cancer care in Europe. They give oncology teams, patients, policymakers and managers an overview of essential care throughout the patient journey.

Prostate Cancer: Prostate cancer is the second most common male cancer and has a wide variation in outcomes in Europe.

Environmental Factors and Kawasaki Disease Onset in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

Kawasaki disease (KD)is an idiopathic acute febrile illness that primarily occurs in children <5 years of age and can lead to artery lesions if not promptly treated. Recent studies have shown possible correlations between KD onset and currents and air pollutants.The present study describes results on the correlation between environmental conditions, frequency, and variability ofKD onset in children under five years of age in Emilia-Romagna, a region of Northern Italy, over the period from 2000 to 2017.