Real-World Toxicity and Effectiveness Study of Abemaciclib in Greek Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative Breast Cancer: A Multi-Institutional Study.

Background/objectives: This study aimed to assess real-world toxicity and efficacy data of patients with early and advanced breast cancer (BC) who received treatment with abemaciclib.

Methods: This was a prospective/retrospective multi-institutional collection of clinicopathological, toxicity, and outcome data from patients with early or metastatic hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative BC who received treatment with abemaciclib in combination with endocrine therapy in departments of oncology in Greece. Treatment combinations of abemaciclib with any endocrine therapy were accepted.

The Impact of Lifestyle Medicine on Quality of Life in Female Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aims to critically evaluate the outcomes and characteristics of lifestyle medicine interventions among breast cancer survivors (BCS), with a particular emphasis on improvements in various dimensions of quality of life (QoL). A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted to identify original articles published in English from September 2012 to July 2024. Databases included PubMed, Embase, and secondary sources such as BMC, Sage Journals, Korea Science and Google Scholar.

CDK4/6 and aromatase inhibitors as first-line treatment in metastatic high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast: A case report.

Key Clinical Message: There is no consensus regarding the therapeutic approach of breast neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). As most NECs are hormone receptor positive and HER-2 negative, we suggest that endocrine-based strategies may play a leading role. Here, we report a new treatment strategy by incorporating CDK4/6 inhibitors in the therapeutic armamentarium.

Genetic Testing of Breast Cancer Patients with Very Early-Onset Breast Cancer (≤30 Years) Yields a High Rate of Germline Pathogenic Variants, Mainly in the BRCA1, TP53, and BRCA2 Genes.

Early-onset breast cancer constitutes a major criterion for genetic testing referral. Nevertheless, studies focusing on breast cancer patients (≤30 years) are limited. We investigated the contribution and spectrum of known breast-cancer-associated genes in 267 Greek women with breast cancer ≤30 years while monitoring their clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes.

Advancing Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis with AI-Powered Breathomics: Navigating Challenges and Future Directions.

Early detection of colorectal cancer is crucial for improving outcomes and reducing mortality. While there is strong evidence of effectiveness, currently adopted screening methods present several shortcomings which negatively impact the detection of early stage carcinogenesis, including low uptake due to patient discomfort. As a result, developing novel, non-invasive alternatives is an important research priority.

Characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients who develop pulmonary embolism: A cross-sectional study.

Pulmonary embolism (PE), along with deep vein thrombosis, are collectively known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). Predisposing factors for PE include post-operative conditions, pregnancy, cancer and an advanced age; of note, a number of genetic mutations have been found to be associated with an increased risk of PE. The association between cancer and VTE is well-established, and cancer patients present a higher risk of a thrombotic event compared to the general population.

mRNA expression of specific HER ligands and their association with clinical outcome in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with trastuzumab.

Prognostic and predictive biomarkers are being studied for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The present study retrospectively assessed the mRNA expression of HER family receptor ligands and of other potential prognostic biomarkers and their association with time to progression (TTP), survival and clinicopathological characteristics in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treated with trastuzumab. A total of 145 tumour tissue samples were analysed.

Melanoma and Sarcoidosis in Patients Receiving or Not Antineoplastic Therapy.

Sarcoidosis and sarcoid-like reactions have been associated with many solid tumors including malignant melanoma. There are reports of melanoma patients who develop sarcoidosis without having received any antineoplastic treatment, but there are also melanoma patients who have received immunotherapy or targeted therapy and, therefore, develop drug-associated sarcoidosis. Herein, we describe 2 cases of thoracic sarcoidosis which occurred in asymptomatic patients with known malignant melanoma.

AGAPP: efficacy of first-line cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil with afatinib in inoperable gastric and gastroesophageal junction carcinomas. A Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group study.

Purpose: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common neoplasm worldwide with high rates of mortality. Afatinib, a low molecular, irreversible potent inhibitor of ErbB trans-membrane receptor family, has shown promising results according to preclinical and phase I clinical trial data when combined with chemotherapy. We aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of the combination of cisplatin, 5FU with afatinib in molecularly unselected patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Real-world clinical outcome and toxicity data and economic aspects in patients with advanced breast cancer treated with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy: the experience of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group.

Background: We evaluated real-world clinical outcomes and toxicity data and assessed treatment-related costs in patients with advanced breast cancer who received treatment with cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKi).

Patients And Methods: We conducted a prospective-retrospective analysis of patients with advanced hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer who received a CDKi, in combination with endocrine therapy, at any line of treatment. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

Pathology of BRCA1- and BRCA2-associated Breast Cancers: Known and Less Known Connections.

Introduction: BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers indefinitely comprise a distinct group of patients with breast cancer (BC), with their tumors displaying specific pathologic characteristics. Although these connections are known, they are not fully elucidated. We therefore sought to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics and overall survival of Greek patients with BC carrying BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations.

Pilot study of bevacizumab in combination with docetaxel and cyclophosphamide as adjuvant treatment for patients with early stage HER-2 negative breast cancer, including analysis of candidate circulating markers of cardiac toxicity: ICORG 08-10 trial.

Background: Combining bevacizumab and chemotherapy produced superior response rates compared with chemotherapy alone in metastatic breast cancer. As bevacizumab may cause hypertension (HTN) and increase the risk of cardiac failure, we performed a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and toxicity of a non-anthracycline-containing combination of docetaxel with cyclophosphamide and bevacizumab in early stage breast cancer patients.

Methods: Treatment consisted of four 3-weekly cycles of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (75/600 mg/m).

One in three highly selected Greek patients with breast cancer carries a loss-of-function variant in a cancer susceptibility gene.

Background: Gene panel testing has become the norm for assessing breast cancer (BC) susceptibility, but actual cancer risks conferred by genes included in panels are not established. Contrarily, deciphering the missing hereditability on BC, through identification of novel candidates, remains a challenge. We aimed to investigate the mutation prevalence and spectra in a highly selected cohort of Greek patients with BC, questioning an extensive number of genes, implicated in cancer predisposition and DNA repair, while calculating gene-specific BC risks that can ultimately lead to important associations.

Estrogen receptor beta increases sensitivity to enzalutamide in androgen receptor-positive triple-negative breast cancer.

Purpose: Androgen receptor (AR) is playing an important role in the progression of a subset of TNBC. We evaluated the impact of ERβ expression along with anti-AR drugs in AR-positive TNBC.

Methods: ERβ expression was examined in AR-positive TNBC cell line using MTT assay, scratch and Annexin V-FITC assay in the presence or absence of anti-androgens.

Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Tendinopathy and Muscle Tendon Rupture: Report of Three Cases of This Exceedingly Rare Adverse Event.

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are a commonly used antihormonal therapy in the treatment of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, specifically in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. AI-associated tendinopathy and muscle tendon rupture is exceedingly rare. Until now, only one case with AI-associated severe tendinopathy has been reported in the medical literature, and there are no recorded cases of AI-associated muscle tendon rapture.

Impact of timing of trastuzumab initiation on long-term outcome of patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer: the "one thousand HER2 patients" project.

Background: The optimal timing of (neo)adjuvant trastuzumab initiation with respect to chemotherapy and surgery remains undefined.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of a large institutional database of HER2-positive patients who received anti-HER2 therapy. We included all Stage I to III patients treated with trastuzumab with a minimum follow up of 3 years.

Germline deleterious mutations in genes other than BRCA2 are infrequent in male breast cancer.

Purpose: Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare cancer entity, with mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes accounting for ~ 10% of patients. Multiple-gene sequencing has already entered clinical practice for female breast cancer, whereas the performance of panel testing in MBC has not been studied extensively. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of panel testing for MBC, by the largest gene panel used so far, through investigation of patients deriving from a population with known founder effects.

Predictive biomarkers for dasatinib treatment in melanoma.

Dasatinib has anti-proliferative and anti-invasive effects in melanoma cell lines. However clinical trials have shown modest activity for dasatinib in metastatic melanoma. Although dasatinib targets SRC kinase, neither expression nor phosphorylation of SRC appears to predict response to dasatinib.

A collecting duct carcinoma producing carcinoembryonic antigen and Ca-125 in a 29-year-old woman.

Collecting duct carcinoma is a rare renal malignant neoplasm, arising from the medullary collecting duct and accounting for less than 1% of renal cell carcinomas. It is more common in middle-aged men and is usually presented with hematuria, abdominal mass and back or flank pain. Its immunohistochemical analysis detects the expression of various markers, such as low and high molecular weight keratins, Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1, epithelial membrane antigen and peanut lectin.

Coexistence of intracranial germ cell tumor and craniopharyngioma in an adolescent: case report and review of the literature.

Purpose: We present the case of a patient treated for intracranial germ cell tumor in which elements of craniopharyngioma were found in the residual tumor mass.

Findings: A 17 year old patient presented with a history of secondary amenorrhea. She deteriorated with headache and left eyelid drop, paresis of the abducent nerve and convergent strabismus (Parinaud syndrome).

A case of paraneoplastic autoimmune pancreatitis: mini-review of paraneoplastic syndromes in breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC), the most common type of cancer in women of the Western world, is often associated with paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS). Autoimmune pancreatitis is a recently recognized entity belonging to the spectrum of IgG4-related systemic diseases, which are characterized by target-organ plasmacytic infiltration and fibrosis. In this report we review PNS associated with BC and we present the first case of BC-associated autoimmune pancreatitis as well as its successful management with steroids and immunosuppressive BC-tailored chemotherapy.

Salvage chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in metastatic breast cancer. Particular activity against liver metastases.

Background: The prognosis of patients with metastatic breast cancer who have failed to respond to at least two different chemotherapy regimens is poor. Such patients with metastatic disease to the liver have even worse prognosis. Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) can be given in patients with impaired hepatic function but their combination has not been extensively studied in this setting.

Chemotherapy-associated recurrent pneumothoraces in lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare cause of pneumothorax in women. We present the case of a 48-year-old woman with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, who had never had a pneumothorax prior to commencing chemotherapy for breast cancer. During chemotherapy she developed 3 pneumothoraces and 2 episodes of pneumomediastinum.