Tumori
-
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have attracted considerable attention as a possible alternative to tobacco cigarettes, but uncertainties about their impact on health and indoor air quality as well as their commercial success without a clear regulatory framework are arousing concern. We have therefore tried to summarize the health-related implications of the use of e-cigarettes in order to help physicians and health professionals provide accurate information on this device. Given the lack of unequivocal scientific data on their toxicity and safety, we conclude that at the moment there is no reason to approve e-cigarettes as a safe alternative to tobacco smoke.
-
In the last 20 years, the survival and quality of life outcomes for patients with metastatic melanoma have been poor, with unsatisfactory results of chemotherapy and immunotherapy-based regimens. No drug or combination of drugs had any impact on survival until 2011, when ipilimumab, a monoclonal antibody against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), was approved for clinical use. Phase III trials have shown, for the first time ever, an overall survival benefit of ipilimumab compared with standard treatment, with a manageable toxicity profile. This review will discuss the mechanism of action of ipilimumab and the clinical trials that led to its approval.