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S Marchini

Publications and source records attributed to S Marchini.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

The role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect minimal residual disease in locally advanced gastroesophageal carcinoma: the BUTTERFLY study.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in perioperative and neoadjuvant strategies, patients with locally advanced gastroesophageal cancers remain at high risk of recurrence after curative intent treatment. No validated biomarkers are available to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) or to guide post-operative risk-adapted management. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a noninvasive tool for disease monitoring; single-parameter or tumor-informed assays, however, may lack sensitivity in low-tumor burden settings. Multimodal, tumor-agnostic approaches may overcome these limitations. METHODS: The BUTTERFLY study is a prospective, multicenter observational study enrolling patients with stage II-III gastric, gastroesophageal junction, or esophageal cancer treated with perioperative chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. It evaluates the diagnostic performance and prognostic value of an academic, tumor-agnostic, multimodal ctDNA assay for MRD detection and prognostic stratification. Serial plasma samples are collected from baseline through post-operative follow-up and at relapse. Cell-free DNA is analyzed using the Agnostic Liquid Biopsy Multimodal Advancement (ALMA) platform, integrating tumor fraction estimation, somatic copy number alterations, fragmentomic features, single-nucleotide variants, and whole-genome methylation profiling. Multimodal features are combined with clinical variables using machine learning-based models to enhance MRD detection and relapse risk stratification. The primary endpoint includes sensitivity and specificity of ALMA-defined ctDNA/MRD status at the 4-8 weeks after surgery landmark, whereas secondary endpoints assess diagnostic performance at other time points and associations between ctDNA status and dynamics with disease-free survival, overall survival, treatment response, and lead time to recurrence. FUTURE PERSPECTIVES: If validated, this tumor-agnostic, multimodal ctDNA approach may enable earlier molecular relapse detection and support personalized post-operative management strategies.

circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)

Breast carcinoma presenting as axillary metastases without evidence of a primary tumor.

BACKGROUND: Sixty cases of axillary metastases from clinically occult breast cancer were analyzed. All cases had histologic evidence of metastatic nodes compatible with breast carcinoma. METHODS: Thirty-three patients underwent breast surgery at the time of histologic diagnosis of the axillary metastases, 6 patients were treated with radiation therapy to the breast, and 17 patients did not receive any immediate treatment of the breast carcinoma (9 of these subsequently had a primary breast carcinoma) during the follow-up. Thirty-seven of 60 patients underwent adjuvant therapy (29 underwent chemotherapy and 8 underwent tamoxifen therapy). From the histologic point of view, the number of metastatic nodes was 1 in 13 patients, 2 to 3 in 10 patients, and 4 or more in 23 patients; the number of metastatic nodes was not evaluable in 14 cases. Invasion was extranodal in 92% of cases. Eighty-six percent of cases were histologically classified as Grade 3 according to Bloom and Richardson. RESULTS: The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 77% and 58%, respectively. The comparison between the survival curves of the patients treated with immediate surgery/radiation therapy and of the patients whose cases were followed-up without treatment to the breast showed no difference. Adjuvant treatments did not improve prognoses. CONCLUSIONS: The coexistence of a minimal (or unidentifiable) primary carcinoma with an extensive involvement of axillary nodes and a predominance of the undifferentiated histologic type, together with an unexpectedly good prognosis, makes this type of presentation an interesting example of a dissociated host resistance.

Adult

Cisplatin in advanced salivary gland carcinoma. A phase II study of 25 patients.

A prospective Phase II study was carried out to test cisplatin (CDDP) as a single agent in salivary gland carcinomas. CDDP was administered (100 mg/m2) every 3 weeks to 25 consecutive patients with either recurrent or locally advanced salivary gland carcinoma. Six patients had received prior chemotherapy, and the other patients had had only surgery or radiation therapy or no treatment at all. The response rate was 18% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6% to 41%). Response duration was between 5 and 9 months. Median overall survival time was 14 months. CDDP is a moderately active drug in salivary gland carcinomas. It should be included in multidrug regimens to be tested in prospective studies, which are difficult to carry out due to the rarity of these tumors.

Adult

Breast conservation is the treatment of choice in small breast cancer: long-term results of a randomized trial.

From 1973 to 1980, 701 women with small breast cancer (less than 2 cm in diameter) were randomized into two different treatments. 349 patients received classic Halsted mastectomy and 352 patients received quadrantectomy, axillary dissection and radiotherapy on the ipsilateral breast. 24.6% of the patients in the mastectomy group and 27.0% of the patients in the conservation group had axillary metastases. Overall 10 year survival was 76% in the Halsted patients and 79% in the quadrantectomy patients; 13 year survival was 69% and 71%, respectively. No differences were observed after analysis by site and size of the primary tumour and age of the patients. Patients with positive axillary nodes had consistently better survival curves in the quadrantectomy group compared with the Halsted group (not significant). Among the quadrantectomy patients there were 11 local recurrences (with 4 deaths) while among the Halsted patients, 7 had local recurrences (5 deaths). There were 19 cases of contralateral breast carcinomas in the quadrantectomy group and 20 in the Halsted group. At 16 years from the beginning of the trial no evidence of oncogenic radiation risk was observed. In patients with small size carcinomas total mastectomy should have no role.

Breast Neoplasms

Extent of metastatic axillary involvement in 1446 cases of breast cancer.

One thousand, four hundred and forty-six patients with carcinoma of the breast treated with Halsted mastectomy (167), Patey mastectomy (732), and conservative surgery with axillary dissection, either at the same time (340), or separately (207), were evaluated with regard to the number and distribution of axillary lymph nodes. A total of 29,378 were removed and examined, on average 20.3 per patient. The average number of nodes was 13.5 at the first level, 4.5 at the second and 2.3 at the third. The same number of nodes were removed in patients treated with extensive surgery, such as Halsted mastectomy and limited surgery such as lumpectomy and in independent axillary dissection. In 839 cases metastases were found in the axilla. The average number of involved nodes was 6.4. Out of 839 patients, the first level was the site of metastases in 828, the second level in 364 and the third in 187. When a single lymph node was involved, it was nearly always at the first level. In only 11 cases, were the second and/or third levels invaded without metastases at the first level. Therefore, the percentage of cases with skipping metastases was very low (1.3%). It appears from the present data that the spread of breast cancer to the axilla follows a regular pattern; the first level is invaded first, whilst in most cases, the second and third levels are involved only when the first is substantially affected.

Adult

A phase II study of the administration of recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) plus lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells in stage IV melanoma patients.

From January 1987 to February 1988, 15 stage IV melanoma patients were treated with two courses of bolus injection of rIL-2 plus LAK cell infusions at the National Cancer Institute of Milan. The original treatment regimen included a first course of rIL-2 administration (400 micrograms/m2 bolus injection 3 times a day [TID] for 4 days) and a second course of rIL-2 administration (800 micrograms/m2 bolus injection TID for 7 days) separated by 4 consecutive daily leukaphereses. Autologous lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells were reinfused into each patient on three occasions during the second period of rIL-2 administration. Due to the appearance of grade III-IV neurological, hepatic and cardiopulmonary toxicity, 7 patients discontinued dosing before the end of treatment, one patient desired to be withdrawn and one patient died from rapidly progressive disease, although complications of rIL-2 administration may have contributed to her death. Only 6 patients completed the schedule without evidence of major intolerance, even though the planned dose during the second course of rIL-2 was reduced to 400 micrograms/m2. The complete duration of treatment ranged from 11 to 19 days. The total dose of rIL-2 injected ranged from 12.6 to 30.4 mg. The number of infused LAK cells ranged from 15.5 x 10(9) to 60 x 10(9)/patient. Two of the 14 evaluable patients showed a minor anti-tumor response. In 5 patients new metastases in other sites were documented from 2 to 5 months after completion of dosing. No apparent association was found between progression of the disease (or the appearance of new metastases) and the total dose of rIL-2 injected, the number of LAK cells administered or the number of days of treatment. By December 1988, all patients had died of their disease in a period ranging from 3 to 14 months from the last injection of rIL-2. The lack of significant clinical responses in this study and the high toxicity of this treatment lead us to conclude that at least as far as melanoma patients are concerned, adoptive immunotherapy with rIL-2 plus LAK cells (as described here) is not a justifiable treatment option unless new evidence presents itself.

Adult

Percutaneous transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy: a case report of implantation metastasis.

Dissemination of tumor cells along the needle tract after needle aspiration biopsy has been reported in the literature, but it is an extremely uncommon event, especially when 'fine needles' (above 21 Gauge) are used. In the work presented, a patient with a mammary nodule of doubtful nature is reported. After histological evaluation the node proved to be an intra-mammary dissemination of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung via the needle track after aspiration biopsy. The needle used was a 20 Gauge, which is not included in the fine needle category recommended by most authors. The possibility of tumor cells dissemination after needle biopsies is discussed.

Adenocarcinoma

QSARs and pesticides design.

A multivariate analysis of phytotoxicity and measured ecotoxicity data of a set of 30 herbicidal triazines was carried out. Results indicate that it is feasible to design triazines that combine limited ecotoxicity with high herbicidal potency.

Animals

Herbicidal triazines: acute toxicity on Daphnia, fish, and plants and analysis of its relationships with structural factors.

The 24- and 48-hr EC50 immobilization test of Daphnia magna has been performed on 14 herbicidal triazines characterized by structural differences with respect to the substituent groups at the three carbon atoms in the s-triazinic ring. EC50 values of the tested compounds were found to vary within a factor of 6 to 7; such variations of toxicity have been analyzed in terms of structural variations concerning (i) the type of substituents, i.e., Cl, SCH3, or OCH3, at the carbon atom C-2, and (ii) the number and size of the alkyl groups at the aminic nitrogen atoms bound to the ring carbons C-4 and C-6. Literature data relative to the acute toxicity of the considered herbicides on fish and plants were also analyzed with reference to the above structural features. The possibility that separate contributions to toxic effects of triazines are provided by specific groups bound to the common structural moiety, constituted by the 1,3,5-triazinic ring, is examined and discussed.

Animals

Chemotherapy with adriamycin and vincristine alternated with cyclophosphamide and actinomycin D in testicular germ cell tumors refractory to cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin.

Eighteen patients with testicular cancer refractory to cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin (PVB) were treated with a non-cross-resistant regimen including adriamycin, 60 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1, and vincristine, 1.2 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8, alternated q 3 weeks with cyclophosphamide, 600 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8, and actinomycin D, 1 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8. The median number of administered cycles was 8 (range 3-14). The results were analyzed according to previous response to PVB. One of two patients relapsing after the first-line therapy obtained a transient second complete response (CR) (duration 7 months). None of seven patients who showed no response to PVB obtained a CR; in 3/9 patients with a partial response (PR) after PVB, the achievement of CR could not be definitely attributed to salvage therapy. Toxicity was mild; no cardiac failure or drug-related deaths were observed. In conclusion, these two alternating regimens were well tolerated, but this treatment was not found to be useful in patients not responsive to PVB, for whom new and alternative therapies are required. The favorable impact on prognosis, evident only in the subgroup of patients with PR, was probably attributable to PVB rather than to this salvage regimen.

Adult

Single agents known to be active in head and neck cancer.

Despite good results of polychemotherapy in head and neck cancer, monochemotherapy retains a valuable role in managing patients with advanced disease. In a palliative setting, lower toxicity and simpler handling of therapy with single agents are outlined by the Authors, who review results of most active drugs in their different schedules.

Antineoplastic Agents

Preliminary 3-year results of 12 versus 6 cycles of surgical adjuvant CMF in premenopausal breast cancer.

In hope of reducing the duration of adjuvant treatment in premenopausal patients with operable breast cancer and histologically positive axillary lymph nodes, a prospective controlled study was started in September 1975. A total of 160 patients were randomized to receive 12 cycles of adjuvant CMF, while 165 were allocated to receive 6 cycles. At 3 years from radical mastectomy, the relapse-free survival was 85.4% in the 12-cycle group compared to 82.6% for the 6-cycle subset (P = 0.29). In both treatment groups, the incidence of treatment failure was directly proportional to the number of involved axillary nodes and to the clinical tumor size. Drug-induced amenorrhea as well as estrogen receptor status failed to significantly affect the results obtained. Treatment failures were more often documented in distant sites, while only 4--5% relapse was observed in local-regional areas. Overall survival was also similar for both treatment arms (86.2% vs. 85.1%, P = 0.49). Toxicity was moderate and reversible and no drug-induced neoplasms were so far observed. Present results achieved with 6 cycles of adjuvant CMF appear encouraging. However, they are still too preliminary to recommend the routine use of 6 cycles instead of the classical 12 cycles.

Adult

[Effect of an anticoagulant rodenticide on the female albino rat with offspring].

Lactating female albino rats have been treated with coumatetralyl rodenticide, having anticoagulant activity. The letal effect on mothers was of 40% (using a maximum concentration of toxic substance) while it was of 54% in offsprings. Among the probable causes of death in offsprings, the authors suggest the hypothesis that an interference in the relationship mother-offsprings is due to the influence of coumatetralyl on parental behavior.

4-Hydroxycoumarins

Adriamycin plus cyclophosphamide in advanced bronchial carcinoma.

Adriamycin (40 mg/m2 i.v., on day 1) plus cyclophosphamide (200 mg/m2 orally, day 1 to 5) were given to 23 patients with advanced lung cancer. Administration cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. No patient had been previously treated with chemotherapy, 5 received prior radiotherapy. Objective improvement was observed in 7 patients, partial remission was observed in 3. The median duration of response was 2 months.

Adult