Tumori
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Approximately half of metastatic breast cancers expressing estrogen and/or progesterone receptors responds to endocrine therapy, and postoperative adjuvant endocrine therapy provides about a 50% reduction in the development of recurrent disease. A number of publications have focused on the correlation of biomarkers, in particular estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER-2/neu status as well as different gene profiles, multigene assays and genetic polymorphisms with response to hormone therapy. The purpose of this article is to review the literature to identify biological markers predictive of response to tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. ⋯ Available clinical data are inconclusive to support preferential use of aromatase inhibitors over tamoxifen in progesterone-receptor-negative and HER-2-positive tumors, but it was also clear that lower estrogen receptors, lower progesterone receptors, and positive HER-2 are associated with lower responsiveness to any type of endocrine therapy. Tumors overexpressing HER-2 are endocrine resistant and they require the blockage of the HER-2 pathway in addition to estrogen deprivation. Recent molecular studies have shown that endocrine responsiveness is to a large extent influenced by estrogen-receptor-related pathways. In the future, the key to the correct tailoring of hormone therapy will probably be the ability to subtype estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.
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Multicenter Study
Lung cancer stage is an independent risk factor for surgical mortality.
To study surgical mortality and evaluate major risk factors, with specific focus on the role of pathological stage in patients undergoing lung cancer resection. ⋯ Early stage lung cancer resection has a favorable effect on surgical mortality, not only by preventing the need for pneumonectomy, but also by reducing mortality after lobectomy.
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To evaluate whether doses or dose rates at International Commission on Radiation Units (ICRU) reference points are of value for predicting risks of late rectal and bladder morbidity in patients with uterine cervical cancer who have undergone external beam radiotherapy and intracavitary irradiation. ⋯ RTOG grade 3 late rectal and bladder morbidity developed in respectively 7.4% and 1.9% of the patients. The significant risk factors for late rectal and bladder morbidity were old age and biologically effective doses at the bladder reference point, respectively.
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To report the dosimetric data and clinical outcomes of patients with advanced neoplasm of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, treated by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. ⋯ The local control rate for these tumors remains low. The prognosis depends on localization, tumor stage and treatment modality. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy reduces the risk on optical pathways but does not modify outcome.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between a panel of biological markers (p53, Bcl-2, HER-2, Ki67, DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction) and clinical-pathological parameters and its impact on outcome in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ Our data do not support a relevant prognostic role of immunocytochemical markers in NSCLC, even if the Ki67 index might have particular relevance to identify patients with more aggressive tumors who are at high risk for disease relapse.