Valeria Stati

Fertility drugs, reproductive strategies and ovarian cancer risk

Several adverse effects have been related to infertility treatments, such as cancer development. In particular, the relationship between infertility, reproductive strategies, and risk of gynecological cancers has aroused much interest in recent years. The evaluation of cancer risk among women treated for infertility is very complex, mainly because of many factors that can contribute to occurrence of cancer in these patients (including parity status). This article addresses the possible association between the use of fertility treatments and the risk of ovarian cancer, through a scrupulous search of the literature published thus far in this field. Our principal objective was to give more conclusive answers on the question whether the use of fertility drug significantly increases ovarian cancer risk. Our analysis focused on the different types of drugs and different treatment schedules used. This study provides additional insights regarding the long-term relationships between fertility drugs and risk of ovarian cancer.

Breast cancer metastatic to the pituitary gland: a case report

BackgroundMetastases to the pituitary gland are rare events, and usually indicate widespread malignant disease. The lung and the breast are the most common sites of primary tumors that metastasize to the pituitary gland.Metastases are more frequent in older patients and the most common symptoms at presentation are diabetes insipidus and visual alterations.Case presentation72-year-old white woman was treated for a breast carcinoma with right superoexternal quadrantectomy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. Twelve years later, the patient presented with bone pain, bilateral progressive visual decline, and onset of hypopituitarism. A diagnosis of secondary bone involvement and pituitary metastasis was made.ConclusionThis was an unusual disease course, and stresses the importance of intensive follow-up in patients with breast cancer even many years after the initial diagnosis This case emphasizes that diagnosis can be difficultand controversial when relapse occurs at uncommon sites.

Correlation between fertility drugs use and malignant melanoma incidence: the state of the art

The relationship between fertility, reproductive hormones, and risk of malignant melanoma has acquired much interest in recent years. Melanocytes are hormonally responsive cells, and some in vitro studies demonstrated that estrogen hormones stimulate the growth of melanocytes. Moreover, estrogen receptors have been identified in melanoma cells, as well as in melanocytic nevi and in normal skin. Some evidences suggest a possible link between fertility treatments and the increased risk of malignant melanoma. This article addresses this association through a scrupulous search of the literature published thus far. The aim of this review is to determine the incidence of malignant melanoma in women treated with fertility drugs and to examine if the exposure to fertility treatments really increases the risk of malignant melanoma. In particular, our analysis focused on the different types of drugs and different treatment schedules used. Finally, this study provides additional insights regarding the long-term relationships between fertility drugs and the risk of malignant melanoma.

Factors influencing choice of chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)

Management of metastatic colorectal cancer requires a multimodal approach and must be performed by an experienced, multidisciplinary expert team. The optimal choice of the individual treatment modality, according to disease localization and extent, tumor biology, and patient clinical characteristics, will be one that can maintain quality of life and long-term survival, and even cure selected patients. This review is an overview of the different therapeutic approaches available in metastatic colorectal cancer, for the purpose of defining personalized therapeutic algorithms according to tumor biology and patient clinical features.

Subcutaneous metastases from colon cancer: a case report

IntroductionDukes A stages of colorectal cancer are rarely reported to metastasize. Subcutaneous or skin metastases from colon cancer are rare events and usually indicate widespread disease.Case presentationWe present the case of a 72-year-old Caucasian woman with Dukes A colorectal cancer at diagnosis and, three years later, a single secondary subcutaneous involvement with no other metastatic sites. The description of this case is supported by critical analysis of its clinical, radiological and pathological features. Our report illustrates that diagnosis can be difficult and controversial when relapse occurs in early stage patients and at uncommon sites.ConclusionThe unusual and aggressive course of the reported disease stresses the importance of intensive follow-up in colorectal cancer patients with good prognostic factors.

A 68-year-old Caucasian man presenting with urinary bladder lymphoepithelioma: a case report

IntroductionLymphoepithelioma is a very rare form of malignant tumor originating from epithelial line cells. Its occurrence has potential clinical, therapeutic and prognostic implications. In the present report we describe an unusual case of bladder cancer with two different histological varieties: transition cell carcinoma and lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma. Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the bladder has only been rarely reported in the literature to date.Case presentationWe present the case of a 68-year-old Caucasian man who, after occurrence of hematuria, underwent transurethral resection of a bladder tumor. The results of a histological examination confirmed a high-grade non-muscle-invasive pT1 lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the urinary bladder, associated with a concurrent high-grade transition cell carcinoma. After analyzing the histological features, our patient was subjected to treatment with intra-vesical instillations of bacillus Calmette-Guérin. Our work stresses that diagnosis and therapeutic approaches can be difficult and controversial, especially in the early stages of this rare carcinoma.ConclusionsThis report emphasizes the importance of extending our knowledge and experiences regarding this uncommon carcinoma. Further studies are needed to better understand this rare disease and define more accurate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Multimodal treatment for local recurrent malignant gliomas: Resurgery and/or reirradiation followed by chemotherapy

The therapeutic management of recurrent malignant gliomas (MGs) is not determined. Therefore, the efficacy of a multimodal approach and a combination systemic therapy was investigated. A retrospective analysis of 26 MGs patients at first relapse treated with multimodal therapy (chemotherapy plus surgery and/or reirradiation) or chemotherapy alone was performed. Second-line chemotherapy consisted of fotemustine (FTM) in combination with bevacizumab (BEV) (cFTM/BEV) or followed by third-line BEV (sFTM/BEV). Subgroup analyses were performed. Multimodal therapy provided a higher overall response rate (ORR) (73 vs. 47%), disease control rate (DCR) (82 vs. 67%), median progression-free survival (mPFS) (11 vs. 7 months; P=0.08) and median overall survival (mOS) (13 vs. 8 months; P=0.04) compared with chemotherapy. Concomitant FTM/BEV resulted in higher ORR (84 vs. 36%), DCR (92 vs. 57%), mPFS (10 vs. 5 months; P=0.22) and mOS (11 vs. 5.2 months; P=0.15) compared with sFTM/BEV. Methylated patients did not experience additional survival benefits with multimodality treatment but had higher mPFS (10 vs 7.1 months; P=0.33) and mOS (11 vs. 8 months; P=0.33) with cFTM/BEV. Unmethylated patients experienced the greatest survival benefit with the multimodal approach (mPFS: 10 vs. 5 months; mOS 11 vs 6 months; both P=0.02) and cFTM/BEV (mPFS: 5 vs. 2 months; mOS 6 vs. 3.2 months; both P=0.01). In conclusion, in recurrent MGs, multimodal therapy and cFTM/BEV provide survival and response benefits. Methylated patients benefit from a cFTM/BEV but not from a multimodal approach. Notably, unmethylated patients had the highest survival benefit with the two strategies.

Breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) and quality-of-life outcomes.

61 Background: Breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) is frequent in patients with advance solid tumors and is always associated with worsening of the quality of life (QoL). There are few studies in the literature on the effect of BTcP treatment on QoL. The aim of this analysis was to provide a qualitative evaluation of the effect of BTcP therapies considering different fentanyl formulation(nasal spray, lollipop or buccal tablets) on the QoL of treated patients. METHODS In our study, we enrolled patients with different advanced solid cancer treated with active and/or palliative therapies. All patients included have a baseline analgesis therapy and showed frequent BTcP episodes during the day. The patients were evaluated with a simultaneous care control (medical oncologist, palliativist, psychologist and nurse) every week for four consecutively weeks after initiating treatment with BtcP medicaments. A questionary about BtcP and QoL evaluation (QoL-BTcP scale) was administered. It was also completed by an interview during periodic visit. The main parameters investigated were frequency of BTcP, cancer pain value (NRSscale), fentanyl formulation for BTcP (nasal spray, lollipop or buccal tablets), time of onset of cancer pain relief and adverse events correlated with use of BTcP medicaments. At each simultaneuous care evaluation the authors evaluated the impact of BTcP medicaments on psychologic aspects using a validated Anxiety, Depression and health status Scale integrated to QoL-BTcP questionary (QoL-BTcP scale). RESULTS A total of 35 patients with > 2 BTcP episodes/die were enrolled (50% from 2 to 4 episodes, 45% from 5 to 6 episodes and 5% for those patients with more than 6 episodes). QoL-BTcP scores showed significant improvement in the QoL in terms of depression and other psychologic aspects in the first two subgroups (from 2 to 6BTcP episodes). The QoL-BTcP scale was worse in more depressed patients and in those patients at the end of life. CONCLUSIONS QoL-BTcP scale is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring QoL correlated to efficacy and tolerability of BTcP drugs. Results provide some suggestions for the development of programs to evaluate QoL in patient with cancer pain and implement BTcP interventions among cancer survivors.