Browsing by Author "Montironi, Rodolfo"
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Item Adjuvant therapy in renal cell carcinoma: is it the right strategy to inhibit VEGF?(AME Publishing, 2021-03) Mollica, Veronica; Rizzo, Alessandro; Di Nunno, Vincenzo; Santoni, Matteo; Cheng, Liang; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Scarpelli, Marina; Cimadamore, Alessia; Montironi, Rodolfo; Massari, Francesco; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineDespite several clinical trials have assessed different agents in the adjuvant setting, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) still remains a disease orphan of an effective adjuvant treatment. In fact, systemic therapies targeting angiogenesis that have been observed to be effective in metastatic setting failed to show an improvement in terms of clinical outcomes when used ad adjuvant treatments. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis of 5 randomized clinical trials to assess the impact of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting angiogenesis after surgery: ASSURE, S-TRAC, PROTECT, ATLAS, SORCE. Among the 6,531 patients assessed, we confirmed the lack of efficacy of adjuvant treatments in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) (pooled-HR 0.93, 95% CI, 0.84–1.02, P=0.16) and overall survival (OS) (pooled-HR 0.98, 95% CI, 0.88–1.09, P=0.54). To the best of our knowledge, we still ignore why some treatments active in the metastatic setting do not show similar efficacy as adjuvant treatment. Exploring possible reasons of this apparently conflicting results is important as it may offer new insights that should be evaluated in next generation adjuvant trials. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have reported significant results—as monotherapy or in combinations with other anticancer agents—in metastatic setting, and the results of trials evaluating these agents in the adjuvant setting are awaited.Item Androgen Receptor Signaling Pathway in Prostate Cancer: From Genetics to Clinical Applications(MDPI, 2020-12) Aurilio, Gaetano; Cimadamore, Alessia; Mazzucchelli, Roberta; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Verri, Elena; Scarpelli, Marina; Massari, Francesco; Cheng, Liang; Santoni, Matteo; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineAround 80–90% of prostate cancer (PCa) cases are dependent on androgens at initial diagnosis; hence, androgen ablation therapy directed toward a reduction in serum androgens and the inhibition of androgen receptor (AR) is generally the first therapy adopted. However, the patient’s response to androgen ablation therapy is variable, and 20–30% of PCa cases become castration resistant (CRPCa). Several mechanisms can guide treatment resistance to anti-AR molecules. In this regard, AR-dependent and -independent resistance mechanisms can be distinguished within the AR pathway. In this article, we investigate the multitude of AR signaling aspects, encompassing the biological structure of AR, current AR-targeted therapies, mechanisms driving resistance to AR, and AR crosstalk with other pathways, in an attempt to provide a comprehensive review for the PCa research community. We also summarize the new anti-AR drugs approved in non-metastatic castration-resistant PCa, in the castration-sensitive setting, and combination therapies with other drugs.Item Another one in the chamber: cabozantinib for patients with metastatic non clear cell renal cell carcinoma(AME Publishing Company, 2019-07) Di Nunno, Vincenzo; Massari, Francesco; Mollica, Veronica; Cimadamore, Alessia; Santoni, Matteo; Cheng, Liang; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Scarpelli, Marina; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineItem Circulating Tumor Cells in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Recent Findings and Future Challenges(Frontiers, 2019-04-05) Santoni, Matteo; Cimadamore, Alessia; Cheng, Liang; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Battelli, Nicola; Massari, Francesco; Scarpelli, Marina; Galosi, Andrea Benedetto; Bracarda, Sergio; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineItem Circulating Tumor DNA Testing for Homology Recombination Repair Genes in Prostate Cancer: From the Lab to the Clinic(MDPI, 2021-05-24) Cimadamore, Alessia; Cheng, Liang; Massari, Francesco; Santoni, Matteo; Pepi, Laura; Franzese, Carmine; Scarpelli, Marina; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Benedetto Galosi, Andrea; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineApproximately 23% of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancers (mCRPC) harbor deleterious aberrations in DNA repair genes. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPi) therapy has shown improvements in overall survival in patients with mCRPC who harbor somatic and/or germline alterations of homology recombination repair (HRR) genes. Peripheral blood samples are typically used for the germline mutation analysis test using the DNA extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes. Somatic alterations can be assessed by extracting DNA from a tumor tissue sample or using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) extracted from a plasma sample. Each of these genetic tests has its own benefits and limitations. The main advantages compared to the tissue test are that liquid biopsy is a non-invasive and easily repeatable test with the value of better representing tumor heterogeneity than primary biopsy and of capturing changes and/or resistance mutations in the genetic tumor profile during disease progression. Furthermore, ctDNA can inform about mutation status and guide treatment options in patients with mCRPC. Clinical validation and test implementation into routine clinical practice are currently very limited. In this review, we discuss the state of the art of the ctDNA test in prostate cancer compared to blood and tissue testing. We also illustrate the ctDNA testing workflow, the available techniques for ctDNA extraction, sequencing, and analysis, describing advantages and limits of each techniques.Item Contemporary best practice in the management of urothelial carcinomas of the renal pelvis and ureter(Sage, 2019-01-08) Bianconi, Maristella; Cimadamore, Alessia; Faloppi, Luca; Scartozzi, Mario; Santoni, Matteo; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Cheng, Liang; Scarpelli, Marina; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineUpper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) accounts for 5% of urothelial carcinomas (UCs), the estimated annual incidence being 1-2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Similarly to bladder UC, divergent differentiations and histologic variants confer an adverse risk factor in comparison with pure UTUC. Molecular and genomic characterization studies on UTUC have shown changes occurring at differing frequencies from bladder cancer, with unique molecular and clinical subtypes, potentially with different responses to treatment. Systemic chemotherapy is the standard approach for patients with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic UCs. Although initial response rates are high, the median survival with combination chemotherapy is about 15 months. In first-line chemotherapy several cisplatin-based regimens have been proposed. For patients with advanced UC who progress to first-line treatment, the only product licensed in Europe is vinflunine, a third-generation, semisynthetic, vinca alkaloid. Better response rates (15-60%), with higher toxicity rates and no overall survival (OS) benefit, are generally achieved in multidrug combinations, which often include taxanes and gemcitabine. The US FDA has recently approved five agents targeting the programmed death-1 and programmed death ligand-1 pathway as a second-line therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC with disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy. Potential therapeutic targets are present in 69% of tumours analyzed. Specific molecular alterations include those involved in the RTK/Ras/PI(3)K, cell-cycle regulation and chromatin-remodeling pathways, many of them have either targeted therapies approved or under investigation. Angiogenic agents, anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway inhibitors and immunotherapeutic drugs are being successfully investigated.Item Contemporary grading of prostate cancer: 2017 update for pathologists and clinicians(Wolters Kluwer, 2017-08-04) Gasparrini, Silvia; Cimadamore, Alessia; Scarpelli, Marina; Massari, Francesco; Doria, Andrea; Mazzucchelli, Roberta; Cheng, Liang; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineThe Gleason grading system for prostate cancer (PCa) was developed in the 1960s by DF Gleason. Due to changes in PCa detection and treatment, the application of the Gleason grading system has changed considerably in pathology routine practice. Two consensus conferences were held in 2005 and in 2014 to update PCa Gleason grading. This review provides a summary of the changes in the grading of PCa from the original Gleason grading system to the prognostic grade grouping, as well as a discussion of the clinical significance of the percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5.Item Current Strategies and Novel Therapeutic Approaches for Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma(MDPI, 2020-06-02) Mollica, Veronica; Rizzo, Alessandro; Montironi, Rodolfo; Cheng, Liang; Giunchi, Francesca; Schiavina, Riccardo; Santoni, Matteo; Fiorentino, Michelangelo; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Brunocilla, Eugenio; Brandi, Giovanni; Massari, Francesco; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineUrothelial carcinoma (UC) is a frequent cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Metastatic UC has been historically associated with poor prognosis, with a median overall survival of approximately 15 months and a 5-year survival rate of 18%. Although platinum-based chemotherapy remains the mainstay of medical treatment for patients with metastatic UC, chemotherapy clinical trials produced modest benefit with short-lived, disappointing responses. In recent years, the better understanding of the role of immune system in cancer control has led to the development and approval of several immunotherapeutic approaches in UC therapy, where immune checkpoint inhibitors have been revolutionizing the treatment of metastatic UC. Because of a better tumor molecular profiling, FGFR inhibitors, PARP inhibitors, anti-HER2 agents, and antibody drug conjugates targeting Nectin-4 are also emerging as new therapeutic options. Moreover, a wide number of trials is ongoing with the aim to evaluate several other alterations and pathways as new potential targets in metastatic UC. In this review, we will discuss the recent advances and highlight future directions of the medical treatment of UC, with a particular focus on recently published data and ongoing active and recruiting trials.Item Digital diagnostics and artificial intelligence in prostate cancer treatment in 5 years from now(AME, 2021-03) Cimadamore, Alessia; Cheng, Liang; Scarpelli, Marina; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineItem Distinct clinicopathological features in metanephric adenoma harboring BRAF mutation(Impact Journals, 2016-07-08) Caliò, Anna; Eble, John N.; Hes, Ondrej; Martignoni, Guido; Harari, Saul E.; Williamson, Sean R.; Brunelli, Matteo; Osunkoya, Adeboye O.; Wang, Lisha; Comperat, Eva; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Wang, Mingsheng; Zhang, Shaobo; Curless, Kendra L.; Post, Kristin M.; Chang, Hsim-Yee; Luchini, Claudio; Baldrige, Lee Ann; MacLennan, Gregory T.; Montironi, Rodolfo; Grignon, David J.; Cheng, Liang; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of MedicineBRAF mutation recently has been reported in metanephric adenoma. We sought to determine the clinical and morphologic features of BRAF-mutated metanephric adenoma and to correlate BRAF mutation with BRAF V600E immunohistochemical staining results. A series of 48 metanephric adenomas and 15 epithelial-predominant nephroblastomas were analyzed for the occurrence of BRAF mutation (BRAF V600E/V600E complex, BRAF V600D, BRAF V600K and BRAF V600R) using the BRAF RGQ PCR kit (Qiagen). Immunohistochemistry was performed using monoclonal mouse antibodies against p16INK4 and VE1 (Spring Bioscience), recognizing the BRAF V600E mutant protein. Forty-one of 48 cases (85%) showed BRAF V600E mutation; none of the other BRAF variants was detected. Of 41 BRAF-mutated metanephric adenomas, 33 showed positive VE1 immunostaining (sensitivity 80%, specificity 100%); in all cases we detected p16INK4 expression regardless of BRAF mutation status. All epithelial-predominant nephroblastomas were BRAF-wild-type and none expressed VE1. The following features were associated with BRAF V600E mutation: older patients (p=0.01), female predominance (p=0.005) and the presence of a predominantly acinar architecture (p=0.003). In summary, BRAF-mutated metanephric adenomas were associated with older age, female predominance, and the presence of a predominant acinar component. A subset (20%) of BRAF-mutated metanephric adenomas was not detected by VE1 immunostaining.