Hormone Receptor-Positive/HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Hormone Therapy and Anti-HER2 Treatment: An Update on Treatment Strategies

Hormone receptor (HR)-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer represents a distinct subtype expressing estrogen and progesterone receptors with an overexpression of HER2. Approximately 14% of female breast cancer cases are HER2-positive, with the majority being HR-positive. These tumors show a cross-talk between the hormonal and HER2 pathways; the interaction has implications for the treatment options for the disease. In this review, we analyze the biology of HR-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer and summarize the evidence concerning the standard of care options both in neoadjuvant/adjuvant settings and in advanced disease. Additionally, we focus on new trials and drugs for HR-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer and the new entity: HER2-low breast cancer.

Thirty-day mortality in hospitalised patients with lung cancer: incidence and predictors

OBJECTIVES

Patients with lung cancer experience high rates of hospitalisation, mainly due to the high risk of complications that emerge during the natural history of the disease. We designed a retrospective, single-centre, observational study aimed at defining the clinical predictors of 30-day mortality in hospitalised patients with lung cancer.

METHODS

Clinical records from the first admission of patients with lung cancer to the oncology ward of the University Hospital of Parma from 1 January 2017 to 1 January 2022 were collected.

RESULTS

251 consecutive patients were enrolled at the time of data cut-off. In the univariate analysis, baseline clinical predictors of 30-day mortality were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) (≥2 vs 0-1: 27.5% vs 14.8%, p=0.028), high Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score (BRASS) (high vs intermediate-low: 34.3% vs 11.9%, p<0.001), presence of pain (yes vs no: 24.4% vs 11.7%, p=0.009), number of metastatic sites (≥3 vs <3: 26.5% vs 13.4%, p=0.017) and presence of bone metastases (yes vs no: 29.0% vs 10.8%, p=0.001). In the multivariate analysis, high BRASS remained significantly associated with increased 30-day mortality (high vs intermediate-low; OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.21 to 6.78, p=0.016).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that baseline poor ECOG PS, high BRASS, presence of pain, high tumour burden and presence of bone metastases could be used as clinical predictors of 30-day mortality in hospitalised patients with lung cancer. In particular, the BRASS scale should be used as a simple tool to predict 30-day mortality in hospitalised patients with lung cancer.

Clinical impact of COVID-19 in a single-center cohort of a prospective study in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy

Aim: Evaluating the incidence and course of COVID-19 in cancer patients treated with immunotherapy. Patients & methods: We reported the influenza-like illness events with diagnosis of COVID-19 within the patient cohort enrolled in the prospective observational multicenter INVIDIa-2 study in the single center of Parma. Results: Among 53 patients, eight experienced influenza-like illness during the influenza season 2019/2020, and three of them had diagnosis of COVID-19. They were males, elderly, with cardiovascular disease. Radiological features of COVID-19 pneumonitis were found in all of three cases, although the pharyngeal swab resulted positive in only two. Two of these three patients died due to respiratory failure. Conclusion: Cancer patients are at high risk of severe events from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Ulcerative colitis masked by giant urticaria

The occurrence of giant urticaria and ulcerative colitis is very infrequent. A 23 year-old female reported the initial eruption of short-lived cutaneous itchy weals on her arms. Then lesions ran together and became confluent, extending to her legs, followed by undefined abdominal pain and a slight increase of body temperature. Exams showed hystologically confirmed ulcerative colitis, with perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positivity. Ulcerative colitis therapy led not only to the remission of the colitic symptoms, but also to the prompt recovery of skin manifestations. Urticaria was the epiphenomenon of ulcerative colitis.

Bucrylate treatment of bleeding gastric varices: 12 years' experience

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

For several years now there has been an increasingly widespread use of a tissue adhesive in the treatment of bleeding gastric varices to achieve rapid, safe control of hemostasis and prevent rebleeding. In this study we report on our experience with the use of Bucrylate (Hystoacryl) for the treatment of gastric varices over a period of more than a decade.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Since 1988, 174 cirrhotic patients with actively bleeding gastric varices have been admitted to our department, where they received emergency treatment with injections of Bucrylate. Any associated nonbleeding esophageal varices were subjected to traditional sclerotherapy in combination with the Bucrylate treatment. The gastric varices were subdivided into four distinct groups according to the method advocated by Sarin in 1989. The patients underwent weekly sclerotherapy sessions until their varices were eradicated, and the follow-up with a mean of 36 months (range 9-90 months) consisted of endoscopy at 3, 6, and 12 months during the first year and then yearly checks to confirm obliteration of the varices.

RESULTS

The hemostasis (97.1%), early rebleeding (15.5%), and hospital mortality (19.5%) rates of the patients with bleeding gastric varices, treated with the tissue adhesive, were very similar to those of patients treated for esophageal varices over the same period (98.1%, 13.0%, and 16.4%, respectively). The most frequent cause of death at 30 days was liver failure (76% of cases), followed by hemorrhagic shock (8.8%), and other less frequent causes. Sclerotherapy achieved obliteration rate for gastric varices (70-75%) similar to that for esophageal varices in those patients with portal hypertension due to intrahepatic block (alcoholic and posthepatitis cirrhosis), but a rate of only 32% in the group of patients with prehepatic block (splenoportomesenteric thrombosis), where surgery proved more effective (69%). The medium- and long-term survival rates depended on the stability of the patients' liver conditions, on rapid, effective control of variceal hemostasis, and on complete, lasting obliteration of the gastric varices.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of Bucrylate in emergency sclerotherapy achieved results in bleeding gastric varices on a par with those obtained in esophageal varices in cases of alcoholic and posthepatitis cirrhosis. The group of patients with portal hypertension due to prehepatic block (splenoportal thrombosis) showed no benefit from sclerotherapy in terms of obliteration of gastric varices, but benefited from elective surgery. The choice of the obliterating treatment indicated may be facilitated by classifying gastric varices into distinct groups on the basis of anatomicotopographic criteria.

Endoscopic treatment of bronchopleural fistulas using N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate

Bronchopleural fistulas represent a serious complication of pulmonary surgery. Surgical treatment of bronchopleural fistulas has a high morbidity and mortality rate. Endoscopic sealing procedures are less invasive and more effective. We describe two patients successfully treated for fistulas stemming from pulmonary surgery. Biological (Tissucol) and synthetic glues (N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate: Histoacryl) have been used. The technique must be chosen according to the fistulas' characteristics: Tissucol for small and medium-size fistulas, Histoacryl for large ones.

[The treatment of recurrences in the surgery of reflux diseases]

The authors, basing on their own experience and after a wide review of the literature, analyse the incidence and the etiopathogenesis of the relapses after surgical operations for gastro-esophageal reflux. Furthermore they point out the actual trends in diagnosis and medical therapy and the indications for surgical therapy.

[Emergencies in carcinoma of the esophagus]

The authors reviewed their experience in the emergency treatment of complications of esophageal cancer. They have treated 5 cases of acute obstruction, bleeding (4 cases), perforations or rupture (5 cases), feeding and neoplastic obstruction of esophageal endoprostheses (30 cases), dislocations and migrations of endoprostheses (15 cases), damage of endoprostheses (1 case) and, finally, acute complications after laser treatment.

[Esophageal prostheses by the endoscopic route (technics and results)]

The Authors reviewed their experience with palliative intubation for esophageal cancer. They have treated with endoscopic endoprostheses 197 patients with malignant strictures of the esophagus and/or cardias. Results and complications ore reported.

[Conservative treatment of stenosis of the pylorus. A proposal of a technic and results]

The authors reported 6 cases of pyloric stenosis treated endoscopically by a new technic. Results have been good in all cases.

[Late sequelae of caustic esophagitis]

The caustic burns of the oesophagus still play a significant role in the framework of oesophageal conditions, both in terms of therapeutic approach in the acute phase, when high morbidity and mortality rates are recorded, and of long-term consequences. These are as follows: stenoses of varying extent, carcinoma, wall deformation, oesophago-bronchial fistulae and motor disturbances. This paper is concerned with the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic implications of these late consequences.