Outcome of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Adult Patients with Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the Era of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A Registry-Based Study of the Italian Blood and Marrow Transplantation Society (GITMO).

We performed a nationwide registry-based analysis to describe the clinical outcome of adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph ALL) who underwent an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-based treatment A total of 441 patients were included in the study. The median age at HSCT was 44 years (range, 18 to 70 years). All 441 patients (100%) received TKI before HSCT (performed between 2005 and 2016).

European Association of Nuclear Medicine Practice Guideline/Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Procedure Standard 2019 for radionuclide imaging of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma.

Purpose: Diverse radionuclide imaging techniques are available for the diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL). Beyond their ability to detect and localise the disease, these imaging approaches variably characterise these tumours at the cellular and molecular levels and can guide therapy. Here we present updated guidelines jointly approved by the EANM and SNMMI for assisting nuclear medicine practitioners in not only the selection and performance of currently available single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography procedures, but also the interpretation and reporting of the results.

An unusual skin reaction in uveal melanoma during treatment with nivolumab: extragenital lichen sclerosus.

Antibodies directed against programmed death receptor 1 emerged as beneficial immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy in many different types of cancer. However, programmed death receptor 1 is critical in promoting self-tolerance and the most common toxicities of checkpoint inhibitors are immune-related adverse events. We present a 48-year-old woman affected by metastatic uveal melanoma treated with nivolumab (3 mg/kg every 2 weeks).

Clinical Features and Pathophysiology of Disorders of Arousal in Adults: A Window Into the Sleeping Brain.

Disorders of Arousal (DoA) are NREM parasomnias that have been typically regarded as self-limited childhood manifestations. It is now clear that DoA can persist in adults, often presenting with distinctive characteristics. So far, few studies have described the clinical course and characteristics of DoA in adulthood, therefore a large part of their semiology is ignored.

Economic burden of moderate to severe irritable bowel syndrome with constipation in six European countries.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome with predominant constipation (IBS-C) is a complex disorder with gastrointestinal and nervous system components. The study aim was to assess the economic burden of moderate to severe IBS-C in six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK).

Methods: An observational, one year retrospective-prospective (6 months each) study of patients diagnosed in the last five years with IBS-C (Rome III criteria) and moderate to severe disease at inclusion (IBS Symptom Severity Scale score ≥ 175).

Dilated cardiomyopathy in a pediatric population: etiology and outcome predictors - a single-center experience.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess predictors of outcome in patients hospitalized for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and severe left ventricular dysfunction. Patients & methods: 83 pediatric patients hospitalized for heart failure due to DCM with coexistent left ventricular dysfunction were enrolled.

Results: Overall, 5-year survival free from heart transplantation was 69.

Cu and fluorescein labeled anti-miRNA peptide nucleic acids for the detection of miRNA expression in living cells.

MiRNAs are single stranded RNAs of 18-22 nucleotides. They are promising diagnostic and prognostic markers for several pathologies including tumors, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. In the present work the development and characterization of anti-miRNA radiolabeled probes based on peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) for potential non-invasive molecular imaging in vivo of giant cell arteritis are described.

Long-Term Implications of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Scientific guidelines consider atrial fibrillation (AF) complicating degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) a debated indication for surgery.

Objectives: This study analyzed the prognostic/therapeutic implications of AF at DMR diagnosis and long-term.

Methods: Patients were enrolled in the MIDA (Mitral Regurgitation International Database) registry, which reported the consecutive, multicenter, international experience with DMR due to flail leaflets echocardiographically diagnosed.

Ramucirumab after sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and increased α-fetoprotein concentrations (REACH-2): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

Background: Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and increased α-fetoprotein concentrations have poor prognosis. We aimed to establish the efficacy of ramucirumab in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and α-fetoprotein concentrations of 400 ng/mL or higher.

Methods: REACH-2 was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial done at 92 hospitals, clinics, and medical centres in 20 countries.

Modulation of RAB7A Protein Expression Determines Resistance to Cisplatin through Late Endocytic Pathway Impairment and Extracellular Vesicular Secretion.

Background: Cisplatin (CDDP) is widely used in treatment of cancer, yet patients often develop resistance with consequent therapeutical failure. In CDDP-resistant cells alterations of endocytosis and lysosomal functionality have been revealed, although their causes and contribution to therapy response are unclear.

Methods: We investigated the role of RAB7A, a key regulator of late endocytic trafficking, in CDDP-resistance by comparing resistant and sensitive cells using western blotting, confocal microscopy and real time PCR.

Busulfan- or Thiotepa-Based Conditioning in Myelofibrosis: A Phase II Multicenter Randomized Study from the GITMO Group.

We report a randomized study comparing fludarabine in combination with busulfan (FB) or thiotepa (FT), as conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with myelofibrosis. The primary study endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Sixty patients were enrolled with a median age of 56 years and an intermediate-2 or high-risk score in 65%, according to the Dynamic International Prognostic Staging System (DIPSS).

Production of Ga-68 with a General Electric PETtrace cyclotron by liquid target.

Purpose: In recent years the use of Ga (t = 67.84 min, β: 88.88%) for the labelling of different PET radiopharmaceuticals has significantly increased.

Plasma miR-181a-5p Downregulation Predicts Response and Improved Survival After FOLFIRINOX in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify plasma microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for stratifying and monitoring patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treated with FOLFIRINOX, and to investigate their functional roles.

Summary Background Data: FOLFIRINOX has become a standard therapy for patients with advanced PDAC and can be used to potentially downstage disease. However, only a subset of patients respond, and biomarkers to guide decision-making are urgently needed.

Intrabone transplant provides full stemness of cord blood stem cells with fast hematopoietic recovery and low GVHD rate: results from a prospective study.

Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) represents a valid option for patients with hematopoietic malignancies lacking an HLA matched donor. To overcome the limitation of the low stem cell dose of UCB, the intrabone (IB) route has been proposed. We report the results of a prospective study on a poor-prognosis cohort of 23 patients receiving intrabone single UCB transplant (Clinicaltrials.

An uncommon cause of hemoptysis: aortobronchial fistula.

Background: Hemoptysis is a frequent sign of respiratory and non-respiratory diseases. While in most cases the underlying cause is rapidly identified, sometimes the real etiology might be misdiagnosed with dramatic delay in treatment.

Case Presentation: A 46-year-old man with hiatal hernia and a history of aortic surgery for aortic coarctation presented with dramatic episodes of hemoptysis and subsequent severe anemia (6,9 g/dl).

TUSC3 accelerates cancer growth and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition by upregulating claudin-1 in non-small-cell lung cancer cells.

Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, but its molecular pathogenesis is poorly understood. The tumor suppressor candidate 3 (TUSC3) gene is located on chromosome 8p22 and is universally acknowledged as a cancer suppressor. However, our research has demonstrated that TUSC3 expression is significantly upregulated in non-small-cell lung cancer compared to benign controls.

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pediatric obesity: consensus position statement of the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology and the Italian Society of Pediatrics.

The Italian Consensus Position Statement on Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Obesity in Children and Adolescents integrates and updates the previous guidelines to deliver an evidence based approach to the disease. The following areas were reviewed: (1) obesity definition and causes of secondary obesity; (2) physical and psychosocial comorbidities; (3) treatment and care settings; (4) prevention.The main novelties deriving from the Italian experience lie in the definition, screening of the cardiometabolic and hepatic risk factors and the endorsement of a staged approach to treatment.

Outcomes of Advanced Hodgkin Lymphoma after Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation: A Eurocord and EBMT Lymphoma and Cellular Therapy & Immunobiology Working Party Study.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is an alternative for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), but only limited data on unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) are available. We analyzed 131 adults with HL who underwent UCBT in European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation centers from 2003 to 2015. Disease status at UCBT was complete remission (CR) in 59 patients (47%), and almost all patients had received a previous autologous stem cell transplantation.

Low-Dose Anti-T Lymphoglobulin as Prophylaxis for Graft-versus-Host Disease in Unrelated Donor Transplantations for Acute Leukemias and Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a major complication after stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Several randomized studies already demonstrated that anti-T lymphoglobulin (ATLG) is effective in preventing GVHD after myeloablative unrelated and HLA-identical sibling transplants. However, the issue of doses and the potential increase of relapses still remain unsolved.

Alpha-fetoprotein kinetics in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma receiving ramucirumab or placebo: an analysis of the phase 3 REACH study.

Background: Post-hoc analyses of AFP response and progression and their relationship with objective measures of response and survival were performed in patients from REACH.

Methods: Serum AFP was measured at baseline and every 3 cycles (2 weeks/cycle). Associations between AFP and radiographic progression and efficacy end points were analysed.

Modeling of a Cyclotron Target for the Production of 11C with Geant4.

Background: In medical cyclotron facilities, 11C is produced according to the 14N(p,α)11C reaction and widely employed in studies of prostate and brain cancers by Positron Emission Tomography. It is known from literature that the 11C-target assembly shows a reduction in efficiency during time, meaning a decrease of activity produced at the end of bombardment. This effect might depend on aspects which are still not completely known.

Micro-incision thoracoscopic treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: the "loop" technique.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax has been defined as the disease of the 'young and healthy'. There are multiple possible therapies and in recent years, surgery has evolved towards the use of the uniportal thoracoscopic approach. The objective of our study is to describe and present an innovative approach to access to the thoracic cavity in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax.