Tumori
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In 2003, the second-generation, 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist (5-HT(3) RA) palonosetron was approved by the FDA for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with highly and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. We reviewed the current knowledge on the role of palonosetron against acute and delayed emesis in patients with solid tumors undergoing single-day moderately emetogenic chemotherapy regimens. ⋯ On the basis of accumulating data, the evidence-based international guidelines devised from the major organizations have been recently updated to recommend the use of palonosetron plus 3-day dexamethasone for the optimal prevention of nausea and vomiting due to moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. There is still a need to investigate the efficacy of palonosetron in combination with an NK-1 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone in well-designed randomized trials.
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Clinical Trial
Electrochemotherapy for the treatment of recurrent head and neck cancers: preliminary results.
Electrochemotherapy is a tumor ablation modality providing delivery into the cell interior of impermeant or poorly permeant chemotherapeutic drugs such as cisplatin and bleomycin. A locally applied electrical field enhances the membrane permeability allowing intracellular accumulation of the chemotherapeutic agent. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ECT for the treatment of a group of patients affected by recurrent of extended primary head and neck cancer and not suitable for standard therapeutic options. ⋯ Our study confirms the effectiveness of electrochemotherapy in the treatment or local control of recurrent or extended primary head and neck cancer in patients not suitable for standard therapeutic options.
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Although hope is a widely used term, the experience of hope in patients with chronic or even life-threatening diseases is often disregarded due to the scarcity of carefully designed and validated assessment tools. The aim of this study was to validate the Hope Herth Index (HHI) questionnaire in the Italian population of patients with solid or hematological malignancies during active cancer treatment. ⋯ The Italian version of HHI is a valid and reliable assessment tool - useful to initiate conversation with someone who is troubled but finds it difficult to talk - in patients with either solid or hematological malignancies on active cancer treatment during the non-advanced stages of the disease.
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Sentinel lymph node biopsy is the standard method for axillary lymph node staging in patients with early stage breast cancer. The aim of the study was to evaluate the necessity of axillary lymph node dissection in patients with breast cancer and sentinel lymph node micrometastasis or isolated tumor cells. ⋯ Results suggest that micrometastasis or isolated tumor cells of the sentinel lymph node represent the only site of cancer involvement of the axilla, especially in patients with early breast tumors, and that axillary lymph node dissection may be unnecessary in these cases and represent an overtreatment.