Immunotherapy in the neoadjuvant treatment of hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative early breast cancer: novel approaches and future perspectives.

Purpose Of Review: To summarize recent advances and emerging strategies for integrating immunotherapy into the neoadjuvant treatment of patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive/HER2-negative early breast cancer (eBC). This review explores how combining immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with standard treatments and/or novel strategies may potentially improve responses and long-term outcomes.

Recent Findings: Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that adding ICIs to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in HR-positive eBC significantly increases pathological complete response (pCR) rates.

Fertility preservation in young patients with breast cancer: insights from the Gemme Dormienti network.

Background: Fertility preservation (FP) is a key aspect of care for young women with breast cancer (BC), as oncologic treatments can compromise future reproductive potential. Early counseling and access to FP strategies are essential to support long-term quality of life.

Objectives: To evaluate the uptake of FP counseling, the choice of preservation techniques, and reproductive outcomes in women aged 18-39 years with BC.

The role of the L421P mutation in Penicillin-Binding Protein 1 (PBP1) in the evolution of chromosomally mediated penicillin resistance in .

Unlabelled: encodes a mutated variant of penicillin-binding protein 1 (PBP1) and is a key resistance determinant that increases the penicillin MIC (MIC ) above the clinical breakpoint in . Despite the removal of penicillin from treatment guidelines for gonococcal infections in the 1980s, is present in nearly 50% of current isolates in the PubMLST database. Bioinformatic analysis indicates that is exclusive to isolates, whereas Leu-421 is 100% conserved in other species.

The financial toll of cancer: uncovering the links between financial toxicity and symptom burden.

Purpose: This prospective observational study investigated the relationship between financial toxicity, symptom burden, disease characteristics and out-of-pocket (OOP) medication use in patients with cancer across 5 Italian institutions.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey assessed financial toxicity, symptom burden and OOP costs sustained by patients with cancer using validated questionnaires (COST, PERSONS). Associations between financial toxicity (COST score), symptom burden (PERSONS score) and clinical variables were explored.

Management of fertility preservation in young female patients with gastrointestinal cancer: A case series and systematic literature review.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers in young women pose significant challenges to fertility due to the gonadotoxic effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical interventions. While fertility preservation options exist, counseling remains underutilized, limiting patients' reproductive choices. This systematic review and case series examine the impact of GI cancer treatments on female fertility, available preservation techniques, pregnancy outcomes and sexual dysfunction.

Gonadotoxicity of immunotherapy and targeted agents in patients with cancer and impact on subsequent pregnancies.

In recent years, cancer treatment has been revolutionized by the introduction of many novel drugs, including immunotherapy and targeted agents, which have significantly improved the prognosis of patients with different solid tumors. While the role of traditional cytotoxic agents on fertility and reproductive health of patients with cancer is currently well established, the impact of novel treatments remains an unmet medical need and a subject of concern. Limited clinical evidence exists to date on the potential gonadotoxicity of targeted agents and immunotherapy.

Beyond the BRCA1/2 genes in ovarian cancer: the role of germline pathogenic variants in the ATM gene.

Background: Ovarian Cancer (OC) prevention and early-stage detection represents a challenge due to the lack of effective surveillance. The identification of high-risk women is crucial as it provides access to prophylactic oophorectomy and reduces disease burden. Next-Generation Sequencing approaches enable the investigation of several genes associated with monogenic hereditary cancer predisposition, including ovarian cancer.

Quantifying the impact of antibiotic use and genetic determinants of resistance on bacterial lineage dynamics.

The dynamics of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial populations are informed by the fitness impact of genetic determinants of resistance and antibiotic pressure. However, estimates of real-world fitness impact have been lacking. To address this gap, we developed a hierarchical Bayesian phylodynamic model to quantify contributions of resistance determinants to strain success in a 20-year collection of isolates.

Assessing risks and knowledge gaps on the impact of systemic therapies in early breast cancer on female fertility: A systematic review of the literature.

The therapeutic landscape for early breast cancer (eBC) has expanded by introducing novel anticancer agents into clinical practice. During their reproductive years, women with eBC should be informed of the potential risk of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and infertility with the proposed systemic therapy. Although the topic of female fertility is becoming increasingly relevant in patients with cancer, limited information is available on the gonadotoxicity of new agents available for eBC treatment.

Tumor Inflammatory Microenvironment of the Thyroid Cancer: Relationship between Regulatory T-Cell Imbalance, and p-NFΚB (p65) Expression-A Preliminary Study.

Background: Inflammatory microenvironment is an essential component of all tumors, including thyroid cancer. Autoimmune thyroid diseases are often associated with thyroid cancer. CD25, expressed in Treg cells and B cells, has been found to be associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases and the NFkB pathway is critical to tumor formation, regulating immune-related genes, and pro-inflammatory cytokine.

Evaluation of Efficacy of ALK Inhibitors According to Body Mass Index in ALK Rearranged NSCLC Patients-A Retrospective Observational Study.

No evidence exists as to whether body mass index (BMI) impairs clinical outcomes from ALK inhibitors (ALKi) in patients with ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Retrospective data of patients affected by metastatic ALK-rearranged NSCLC treated with ALKi were collected. We divided patients into "low- BMI" (≤25 kg/m) and "high- BMI" (>25 kg/m) categories and correlated them with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

The efficacy of preoperative low-residue diet on postoperative ileus following cesarean section.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of preoperative low-residue diet on postoperative ileus in women undergoing elective cesarean section (CS).

Methods: This is a surgeon-blind, randomized controlled trial enrolling pregnant women at ≥39 weeks of gestation undergoing elective CS. Patients were preoperatively randomized to receive either low-residue diet (arm A) or free diet (arm B) starting from three days before surgery.

Chemo-surgical approach in vulvar leiomyosarcoma: A case report.

Introduction: Primary sarcoma of the vulva is an extremely rare entity, representing only 1%-3% of all vulvar malignant neoplasms. Among sarcomas, leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is the most prevalent histologic variant. Due to the rarity of LMS, guidelines are lacking and phase III trials have not been carried out, so clinical management is based on local clinical practice and physician experience.

Phenotypic Variations of Oleispira antarctica RB-8(T) in Different Growth Conditions.

The peculiar biotechnological applications of Oleispira spp. in the natural cleansing of oil-polluted marine systems stimulated the study of the phenotypic characteristics of the Oleispira antarctica RB-8(T) strain and modifications of these characteristics in relation to different growth conditions. Bacterial abundance, cell size and morphology variations (by image analysis) and hydrocarbon degradation (by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection, GC-FID) were analysed in different cultures of O.

Identification of a Cytopathogenic Toxin from Sneathia amnii.

is a poorly characterized emerging pathogen that has been implicated in amnionitis and urethritis. We found that damages fetal membranes, and we identified and purified a cytotoxic exotoxin that lyses human red blood cells and damages cells from fetal membranes. The gene appears to be cotranscribed with a second gene that encodes a protein with identity to two-partner system transporters, suggesting that it is the "A," or secreted component of a type Vb system.

Differential effects of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) inhibition by lithium or selective inhibitors in the central nervous system.

Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3) is a constitutively active serine-threonine kinase associated to neurological and psychiatric disorders. GSK3 inhibition is considered a mediator of the efficacy of the mood-stabiliser lithium. This study aimed at comparing the central nervous system effect of lithium with the selective GSK3 inhibitors AZ1080 and compound A in biochemical, cellular, and behavioural tests.

5-Aryl-4-carboxamide-1,3-oxazoles: potent and selective GSK-3 inhibitors.

5-Aryl-4-carboxamide-1,3-oxazoles are a novel, potent and selective series of GSK-3 inhibitors. The optimization of the series to yield compounds with cell activity and brain permeability is described.

Identification of 2-(4-pyridyl)thienopyridinones as GSK-3β inhibitors.

The discovery of a novel series of 2-(4-pyridyl)thienopyridinone GSK-3β inhibitors is reported. X-ray crystallography reveals its binding mode and enables rationalization of the SAR. The initial optimization of the template for improved cellular activity and predicted CNS penetration is also presented.

Exploration of the amine terminus in a novel series of 1,2,4-triazolo-3-yl-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes as selective dopamine D3 receptor antagonists.

A novel series of 1,2,4-triazol-3-yl-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes with high affinity and selectivity for the DA D(3) receptor and excellent pharmacokinetic profiles was recently reported.

[3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hex-1-yl]phenyl-benzenesulfonamides as selective dopamine D3 antagonists.

A new class of azabicyclo[3.1.0]benzenesulfonamides is presented as selective dopamine D3 antagonists together with SAR and selectivity data.

Pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine and pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrazine: novel, potent, and selective series of Vasopressin 1b receptor antagonists.

Novel series of pyrrole-pyrazinone and pyrazole-pyrazinone have been identified as potent and selective Vasopressin(1b) receptor antagonists. Exploration of the substitution pattern around the core of these templates allowed generation of compounds with high inhibitory potency at the Vasopressin(1b) receptor, including examples that showed good selectivity with respect to Vasopressin(1a), Vasopressin(2), and Oxytocin receptor subtypes.

1,2,4-Triazolyl azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes: a new series of potent and selective dopamine D(3) receptor antagonists.

The discovery of new highly potent and selective dopamine (DA) D(3) receptor antagonists has recently allowed the characterization of the DA D(3) receptor in a range of preclinical animal models of drug addiction. A novel series of 1,2,4-triazol-3-yl-azabicyclo[3.1.

Dopamine D3 receptor antagonists: the quest for a potentially selective PET ligand. Part 3: Radiosynthesis and in vivo studies.

Compound 1 is a potent and selective antagonist of the dopamine D(3) receptor. With the aim of developing a carbon-11 labeled ligand for the dopamine D(3) receptor, 1 was selected as a potential PET probe. [(11)C]1 was obtained by palladium catalyzed cross coupling using [(11)C]cyanide and 4 with a specific activity of 55.