Background: This prospective, multicentre, observational INVIDIa-2 study is investigating the clinical efficacy of influenza vaccination in advanced-cancer patients receiving immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), enrolled in 82 Italian centres, from October 2019 to January 2020. The primary endpoint was the incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI) until 30 April 2020. All the ILI episodes, laboratory tests, complications, hospitalizations and pneumonitis were recorded. Therefore, the study prospectively recorded all the COVID-19 ILI events. Patients and methods: Patients were included in this non-prespecified COVID-19 analysis, if alive on 31 January 2020, when the Italian government declared the national emergency. The prevalence of confirmed COVID-19 cases was detected as ILI episode with laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2. Cases with clinical-radiological diagnosis of COVID-19 (COVID-like ILIs), were also reported. Results: Out of 1257 enrolled patients, 955 matched the inclusion criteria for this unplanned analysis. From 31 January to 30 April 2020, 66 patients had ILI: 9 of 955 cases were confirmed COVID-19 ILIs, with prevalence of 0.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3–2.4], a hospitalization rate of 100% and a mortality rate of 77.8%. Including 5 COVID-like ILIs, the overall COVID-19 prevalence was 1.5% (95% CI: 0.5–3.1), with 100% hospitalization and 64% mortality. The presence of elderly, males and comorbidities was significantly higher among patients vaccinated against influenza versus unvaccinated ( p = 0.009, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001). Overall COVID-19 prevalence was 1.2% for vaccinated (six of 482 cases, all confirmed) and 1.7% for unvaccinated (8 of 473, 3 confirmed COVID-19 and 5 COVID-like), p = 0.52. The difference remained non-significant, considering confirmed COVID-19 only ( p = 0.33). Conclusion: COVID-19 has a meaningful clinical impact on the cancer-patient population receiving ICIs, with high prevalence, hospitalization and an alarming mortality rate among symptomatic cases. Influenza vaccination does not protect from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Background: Malignant pleural effusion, which is a common clinical problem in patients with cancer, may be due to both primary thoracic tumours or to a metastatic spread in the chest and constitutes the first sign of disease in approximately 10% of patients. Almost all cancers can potentially produce a pleural effusion. The presence of malignant tumour cells in the pleural fluid is generally indicative of advanced disease and is associated with high morbidity and mortality with reduced therapeutic options. Dyspnoea during mild physical activity or at rest is generally the typical sign of restrictive respiratory failure. </P><P> Methods: This is a systematic review of all the main articles in the English language on the topic of malignant pleural effusion and reported by the Pubmed database from 1959 to 2018. I reviewed the literature and guidelines with the aims to focus on what is known and on future pathways to follow the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural effusions. Results: The main goal of palliation of a malignant pleural effusion is a quick improvement in dyspnoea, while thoracentesis under ultrasound guidance is the treatment of choice for patients with a limited life expectancy or who are not candidates for more invasive procedures such as drainage using an indwelling small pleural catheter, chemical pleurodesis with sclerosing agents, pleurectomy or pleuro-peritoneal shunt. Conclusion: Despite progress in therapeutic options, the prognosis remains severe, and the average survival is 4-9 months from the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. Moreover, mortality is higher for patients with malignant pleural effusion compared with those with metastatic cancer but no malignant pleural effusion. Therefore, the prognosis of these patients primarily depends on the underlying disease and the extension of a primary tumour. This review focuses on the most relevant updates in the management of malignant pleural effusion.
Dyspnea is a complex, multidimensional symptom that results from an interaction between factors and their causes, perception and expression. The main target of assessment and management is the intensity of dyspnea, as expressed by the patient, rather than the objective parameters of the disease. Although dyspnea is a very common symptom, debilitating and often difficult to control, especially in the terminal phase of the disease, few controlled studies have been conducted on cancer patients. Dyspnea remains a well-known but neglected symptom in advanced and terminal cancer patients. Future studies should be conducted regarding the careful assessment and management of this symptom.
Colorectal cancer is a very common malignancy worldwide and development of liver metastases, both synchronous or metachronous, is a common event. Of all patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, up to 77% have a liver-only disease and approximately 10%-20% of patients with colorectal liver metastases are considered resectable at the time of diagnosis. Surgical resection of liver metastases remains the best treatment option and it is associated with a survival plateau and a 20%-25% of long-term survivors. Perioperative chemotherapy for resectable liver metastases may improve resecability of liver metastases and disease free survival, but its impact on overall survival is still unclear and more studies are needed. Moreover, preoperative chemotherapy can increase postoperative complications. Further studies are needed to define the role of adjuvant chemotherapy after a R0 resection of liver metastases and to define the criteria for a better selection of patients candidate to hepatectomy. New strategies such as targeted therapies are emerging with promising results. Optimal management requires a multidisciplinary approach, local and systemic, but it is a still pending question. Colorectal liver metastases represent a major challenge for oncologists and surgeons. In this review will be analyzed available data about assessment and management of the patients with potentially resectable colorectal liver metastases.© 2013 Baishideng. All rights reserved. Key words: Colorectal cancer; Liver metastases; Perioperative chemotherapy; Surgical resection; Targeted therapiesCore tip: Colorectal cancer is a very common malignancy and its incidence is rapidly increasing worldwide. Of all patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, up to 77% have a liver-only disease and about 10%-20% of them are considered resectable at the time of diagnosis. Surgery actually still represents the best option of treatment, but new strategies such as perioperative chemotherapy and targeted therapies are emerging with promising results. However, optimal management requires a multidisciplinary approach, both local and systemic. This review aims to critically analyze the management of potentially resectable colorectal liver metastases.Meriggi F, Bertocchi P, Zaniboni A. Management of potentially resectable colorectal cancer liver metastases. World J Gastrointest Surg 2013; 5(5): 138-145 Available from:
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