Molecular diagnosis of primary CNS lymphoma in 2024 using MYD88Leu265Pro and IL-10.

Early diagnosis is crucial for the successful treatment of primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL), a rapidly progressing tumour. Suspicion raised on brain MRI must be confirmed by a histopathological diagnosis of a tumour specimen collected by stereotactic biopsy. In rare cases, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or vitreous humour might aid in providing a cytological diagnosis. Several disease-related, patient-related, and treatment-related factors affect the timing and accuracy of diagnosis and patient outcome. Some molecules detected in CSF, aqueous and vitreous humour, and peripheral blood were proposed as diagnostic biomarkers for PCNSL; however, detection methods for most of these molecules are not yet standardised, have a long turnaround time, are expensive, and have little reproducibility among labs. By contrast, the MYD88Leu265Pro somatic hotspot mutation, revealed by PCR-based assay, is currently and reliably used during the diagnosis of some lymphomas, and IL-10, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, is routinely used to diagnose and monitor different common metabolic and immunological diseases. Several independent studies have shown that MYD88Leu265Pro and IL-10 can be easily assessed in peripheral blood, plasma, aqueous and vitreous humour, and CSF of patients with PCNSL with substantial sensitivity and specificity, especially when evaluated in combination. In this Viewpoint, evidence supporting the routine use of MYD88Leu265Pro and IL-10 in diagnosing PCNSL is considered, and some examples of the frequent difficulties found in the diagnosis of PCNSL are provided, highlighting the role and indications of these two biomarkers to improve the timely recognition of this aggressive tumour.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Atypical Spitz Tumor: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Atypical Spitz tumor (AST) is an intermediate category among Spitz melanocytic neoplasms. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been proposed in the clinical management of AST patients, but this approach remains the subject of debate. This systematic review aims to summarize the available evidence on SNB procedures in AST patients. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted, including MEDLINE/Pubmed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS, through April 2023. Case series, cohort studies, and case-control studies of AST patients were eligible for inclusion. PRISMA guidelines were followed. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies with a total of 756 AST patients were included. The pooled SNB prevalence was 54% (95% CI 32 to 75%), with substantial heterogeneity (I2 90%). The pooled SNB+ prevalence was 35% (95% CI 25 to 46%) with moderate heterogeneity (I2 39%). Lymphadenectomy was performed in 0-100% of SNB+ patients. Overall survival rates ranged from 93% to 100%, and disease-free survival ranged from 87% to 100% in AST patients. Overall and disease-free survival rates were 100% in SNB patients. Pooled survival estimates were not calculated due to the heterogeneous timing of the survival assessment and/or the small size of the subgroups. All studies clearly reported inclusion criteria and measured the condition in a standard way for all participants, but only 50% indicated valid methods for the identification of the condition. CONCLUSIONS: The oncologic behavior of AST is related to an almost always favorable outcome. SNB does not seem to be relevant as a staging or prognostic procedure, and its indication remains debatable and controversial.

Isolated Limb Perfusion and Immunotherapy in the Treatment of In-Transit Melanoma Metastases: Is It a Real Synergy?

BACKGROUND: Isolated limb hyperthermic-antiblastic perfusion (ILP) was the most effective local treatment for advanced in-transit melanoma, but the advent of modern effective immunotherapy (IT), such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, has changed the treatment landscape. METHODS: This study evaluated the role of the association between ILP and IT in the treatment of locally advanced unresectable melanoma, particularly in relation to modern systemic therapies. We analyzed 187 consecutive patients who were treated with ILP (melphalan or melphalan associated with TNF-alpha) for advanced melanoma at the Veneto Institute of Oncology of Padua (Italy) and the Padua University Hospital (Italy) between June 1989 and September 2021. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), local disease-free survival (local DFS) and distant disease-free survival (distant DFS) were evaluated. Local toxicity was classified according to the Wieberdink scale and surgical complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Response to locoregional therapy was evaluated during follow-up according to the RECIST 1.1 criteria (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor). RESULTS: A total of 99 patients were treated with ILP and 88 with IT + ILP. The overall response rate was 67% in both groups. At 36 months, OS was 43% in the ILP group and 61% in the ILP + IT group (p = 0.02); DSS was 43% in the ILP group and 64% in the ILP + IT group (p = 0.02); local DFS was the 37% in ILP group and 53% in the ILP + IT group (p = 0.04); and distant DFS was 33% in the ILP group and 35% in the ILP + IT group (p = 0.40). Adjusting for age and lymph node involvement, receiving ILP + IT was associated with improved OS (p = 0.01) and DSS (p = 0.007) but not local DFS (p = 0.13) and distant DFS (p = 0.21). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm the synergy between ILP and IT. ILP remains a valuable loco-regional treatment option in the era of effective systemic treatments. Further studies are needed to establish the optimal combination of loco-regional and systemic treatments and address the best timing of this combination to obtain the highest local response rate.

Cutaneous melanoma in adolescents and young adults.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) ranks among the five most common cancers in young people in high-income countries and it features peculiar clinicopathological traits. Very few studies have addressed the quality of care and the costs for adolescents and young adults (AYA) population. OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive epidemiological and clinicopathological profile of CMM in AYA. The study also addresses the cost-of-illness and the diagnostic-therapeutic performance indicators by patient age category. METHODS: This population-based cohort study included 2435 incident CMM (age range 15-65 years; age 15-39 = 394; age 40-65 = 2041), as recorded in 2015, 2017 and 2019 by the Regional Veneto Cancer Registry (Italy). Cramer's-V tested the strength of association between pairs of variables. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to test the association between age and survival rate. The clinical performance indicators were computed using the Clopper-Pearson exact method. RESULTS: In AYA patients (16.2%), CMM incidence rates increased significantly from 1990 to 2019. Low-stage CMM (p = 0.007), radial growth pattern (p = 0.026) and lower Clark levels (p = 0.007) prevailed; males had less advanced malignancies (p = 0.003), with the trunk as the most common primary site (67.5%); the lower limbs (32.6%) were the most common primary site for females (p < 0.001). Overall survival was better in AYA than adults. No significant difference was detected in the clinical management of the two age groups, with the only exception of the margin in wide local excision. The care costs were lower in AYA (€195.99 vs. €258.94, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: In AYA patients, the CMM clinicopathological presentation shows a distinctive profile. The present results provide critical information for optimizing primary and secondary prevention strategies and for tailoring diagnostic therapeutic procedures to the peculiar profile of AYA CMM patients.

Could the mitotic count improve personalized prognosis in melanoma patients?

A number of studies have indicated that the mitotic rate may be a predictive factor for poor prognosis in melanoma patients. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the mitotic rate is associated with other prognostic clinical and anatomopathological characteristics. After adjusting for other anatomopathological characteristics, we then verified the prognostic value of the number of mitoses, determining in which population subgroup this variable may have greater prognostic significance on 3-year mortality. The Veneto Cancer Registry (Registro Tumori del Veneto-RTV), a high-resolution population-based dataset covering the regional population of approximately 4.9 million residents, served as the clinical data source for the analysis. Inclusion criteria included all incident cases of invasive cutaneous malignant melanoma recorded in the RTV in 2015 (1,050 cases) and 2017 (1,205 cases) for which the number of mitoses was available. Mitotic classes were represented by Kaplan-Meier curves for short-term overall survival. Cox regression calculated hazard ratios in multivariable models to evaluate the independent prognostic role of different mitotic rate cut-offs. The results indicate that the mitotic rate is associated with other survival prognostic factors: the variables comprising the TNM stage (e.g., tumor thickness, ulceration, lymph node status and presence of metastasis) and the characteristics that are not included in the TNM stage (e.g., age, site of tumor, type of morphology, growth pattern and TIL). Moreover, this study demonstrated that, even after adjusting for these prognostic factors, mitoses per mm2 are associated with higher mortality, particularly in T2 patients. In conclusion, these findings revealed the need to include the mitotic rate in the histological diagnosis because it correlates with the prognosis as an independent factor. The mitotic rate can be used to develop a personalized medicine approach in the treatment and follow-up monitoring of melanoma patients.

Cutaneous melanoma in older patients.

BACKGROUND: In industrialized countries, the aging population is steadily rising. The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) is highest in old people. This study focuses on the clinicopathological profile of CMM and indicators of diagnostic-therapeutic performance in older patients. METHODS: This retrospective population-based cohort study included 1,368 incident CMM, as recorded in 2017 by the Regional Veneto Cancer Registry (Northeast Italy). Older subjects were defined as ≥ 80, old as 65-79, and adults as < 65 years of age. The strength of association between pairs of variables was tested by Cramer's-V. Using age groups as the dependent variable, ordered logistic regression was fitted using the clinicopathological CMM profiles as covariates. In each of the three age-groups, the indicators of clinical performance were computed using the Clopper-Pearson exact method. RESULTS: Compared to patients aged younger than 80 years (1,187), CMM in older patients (181; 13.2%) featured different CMM topography, a higher prevalence of ulcers (43.3% versus 12.7%; p < 0.001), a higher Breslow index (p < 0.001), a lower prevalence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (64.4% versus 76.5%, p < 0.01), and a more advanced pTNM stage at clinical presentation (p < 0.001). Elderly patients with a positive sentinel-lymph node less frequently underwent sentinel- lymph node biopsy and lymphadenectomy (60.0% versus 94.2%, and 44.4% versus 85.5%, respectively; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In older CMM patients, the clinicopathological presentation of CMM shows a distinctive profile. The present results provide critical information to optimize secondary prevention strategies and refine diagnostic-therapeutic procedures tailored to older patients.

Kaposi's Sarcoma: Evaluation of Clinical Features, Treatment Outcomes, and Prognosis in a Single-Center Retrospective Case Series.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a rare angioproliferative tumor classified in four different clinical-epidemiological forms. The diagnosis is based on histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. The treatment is heterogeneous and includes several local and systemic therapeutic strategies. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study including 86 KS patients treated between 1993 and 2022 at the University Hospital of Padua (AOPD) and at the Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV). The data were extracted from an electronic database. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed to explore associations with overall and disease-free survival. The male sex (89.53%), classical variant (43.02%), and cutaneous involvement (77.9%) were predominant. More than 61.6% of patients received a single treatment. Surgery, antiretroviral therapy, and chemotherapy were the mostly adopted approaches. A persistent response was observed in approximately 65% of patients, with a 22% relapse rate (at least 2 years). The overall survival ranges from 90 to 70% at 2 to 10 years after the diagnosis. Iatrogenic KS demonstrated a higher mortality (52.9%). This study reflects our experience in the management of KS. Comorbidities are very frequent, and treatments are heterogeneous. A multidisciplinary approach involving multiple referral specialists is essential for the appropriate management of this disease during diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

Do Tumor SURVIVIN and MDM2 Expression Levels Correlate with Treatment Response and Clinical Outcome in Isolated Limb Perfusion for In-Transit Cutaneous Melanoma Metastases?

Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) involves the local administration of high doses of anticancer drugs into a limb affected by unresectable locally advanced tumors (with special regard to in-transit melanoma metastases), minimizing systemic side effects. Tumor response to anticancer drugs may depend on the expression of apoptosis-related genes, such as SURVIVIN and MDM2. This retrospective cohort study investigated the association between tumor SURVIVIN and MDM2 expression levels and treatment response or clinical outcomes in patients undergoing ILP for in-transit melanoma metastases. The study cohort consisted of 62 patients with in-transit metastases who underwent ILP with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and melphalan. Tissue samples were taken from the in-transit metastases, and RNA was extracted for gene expression analysis. Patients' response to treatment was assessed using clinical and radiological criteria two months after ILP, and disease response was classified as complete, partial, or stable/progressive disease. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were also analyzed. Expression of SURVIVIN and/or MDM2 was observed in 48% of patients; in these cases, complete response to ILP occurred in 40% of cases, with the overall response rate (complete + partial) being 85%. Patients with expression of MDM2 alone had a lower complete response rate (28%), while patients with expression of SURVIVIN alone had a higher complete response rate (50%). The combined expression of MDM2 and SURVIVIN resulted in a complete response rate of 30%. Patients without expression (of SURVIVIN or MDM2) had the highest complete response rate (58%). Survival analysis showed that high MDM2 expression was independently associated with a lower probability of a complete response to ILP. In addition, patients with MDM2 expression were three times more likely to have an incomplete response to ILP. This study highlights the importance of considering SURVIVIN and MDM2 expression in patients undergoing ILP for in-transit cutaneous melanoma metastases. High MDM2 expression was found to be an independent factor associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving a complete response to ILP, suggesting potential mechanisms of chemoresistance. These data support further research to explore the role of already available targeted therapies (i.e., MDM2 inhibitors) in improving tumor response to ILP in patients with in-transit melanoma metastases.

Desmoid Tumors in the Active Surveillance Era: Evaluation of Treatment Options and Pain Relief in a Single-Center Retrospective Analysis.

In patients with desmoid tumors (DTs), active surveillance has been increasingly preferred over surgery, while treatment (including pharmacological therapy, radiotherapy, and/or surgery) is performed in cases with confirmed disease progression. This study aimed to evaluate event-free survival and pain management according to different treatment strategies. We evaluated event-free survival, including recurrence after initial surgical treatment or changes in the therapeutic management after initial non-surgical treatment and pain management according to different treatment strategies. All patients referred for DT in 2001-2021 at our institutions were stratified into four groups: those treated surgically prior to 2012 (SGPre12) or after 2012 (SGPost12), those treated pharmacologically (MG), and those under active surveillance (ASG). An event was defined as recurrence after initial surgical treatment or a change in therapeutic management. Overall, 123 patients were included in the study: 28 in SGPre12, 41 in SGPost12, 38 in MG, and 16 in ASG. Pharmacological treatment resolved painful symptoms in 16/27 (60%) patients (p = 0.0001). The median follow-up duration was 40 months (IQR 23-74). Event-free survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was: 85%, 70%, and 62% in SGPre12; 76%, 58%, and 49% in SGPost12; 49%, 31%, and 31% in MG; and 45%, 45%, and 45% in ASG. Our findings support the role of active surveillance as initial management, as demonstrated by the fact that about half the patients did not experience any progression, while surgery can be reserved as a first-line approach for selected patients. In terms of pain relief, medical therapy led to symptom resolution in more than half the cases.

Cost items in melanoma patients by clinical characteristics and time from diagnosis.

Background: Costs related to the care of melanoma patients have been rising over the past few years due to increased disease incidence as well as the introduction of innovative treatments. The aim of this study is to analyse CMM cost items based on stage at diagnosis, together with other diagnostic and prognostic characteristics of the melanoma. Methods: Analyses were performed on 2,647 incident cases of invasive CMM that were registered in 2015 and 2017 in the Veneto Cancer Registry (RTV). Direct melanoma-related costs per patient were calculated for each year ranging from 2 years before diagnosis to 4 years after, and were stratified by cost items such as outpatient services, inpatient drug prescriptions, hospital admissions, hospice admissions, and emergency room treatment. Average yearly costs per patient were compared according to available clinical-pathological characteristics. Lastly, log-linear multivariable analysis was performed to investigate potential cost drivers among these clinical-pathological characteristics. Findings: Overall, the average direct costs related to melanoma are highest in the first year after diagnosis (€2,903) and then decrease over time. Hospitalization costs are 8 to 16 times higher in the first year than in subsequent years, while the costs of outpatient services and inpatient drugs decrease gradually over time. When stratified by stage it is observed that the higher expenditure associated with more advanced stages of CMM is mainly due to inpatient drug use. Conclusion: The results of the present study show that grouping patients according to tumour characteristics can improve our understanding of the different cost items associated with cutaneous malignant melanoma. CMM patients experience higher costs in the first year after diagnosis due to higher hospitalization and outpatient services. Policy makers should consider overall and stage-specific annual costs when allocating resources for the management of CMM patients.

Sex Differences in Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Incidence, Clinicopathological Profile, Survival, and Costs.

Background: There are evident sex differences in the incidence of and mortality rates for several tumors. Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) account for no more than 1% of all malignancies in adults. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the sex differences in the epidemiology of STSs and the related costs. Methods: This retrospective population-based study draws on epidemiological data regarding cases of STS collected by the cancer registry of the Italian Veneto region for the years 1990-2018. A joinpoint regression analysis was performed to identify significant changes in the trends of the standardized incidence rates in males and females. Bivariate and survival analyses were conducted to assess differences in clinicopathological characteristics and short-term mortality by sex. Direct health care costs incurred over 2 years after a diagnosis of STS were calculated, stratified by sex. Results: The incidence rates of STS at any age were higher for males; only among males the incidence rates showed a tendency to slightly increase. No significant sex differences came to light in short-term mortality or clinicopathological profile, except for the cancer site. Health care costs in the 2 years after a diagnosis of STS were not sex related. Conclusion: The STS incidence was found to be higher for males and showed a rising trend over the last three decades only for males. These findings could result from the occupational exposure to environmental mutagens mainly involving men. Sex did not affect the survival or the clinicopathological STS profile.

Indicators of clinical performance in monitoring soft tissue sarcoma management: a population-based perspective.

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare malignancies which prognosis varies significantly by primary site, histological subtype, and tumor stage. Their low incidence, and the complexity of their clinico-pathological characteristics demand standardized, cancer-tailored diagnostics and therapies managed at high-volume, multidisciplinary care centers. This study evaluates the quality of STS management in north-east Italy (Veneto Region) through a list of ad hoc defined clinical indicators. Methods: This population-based study concerns all incident cases of STS in 2018 (214 cases) recorded in the adult population censored by the Veneto's regional Cancer Registry. Based on the international literature, a multidisciplinary working group of experts identified a set of indicators for monitoring the quality of diagnostic, therapeutic, and end-of-life clinical interventions. The quality of care was assessed by comparing the reference thresholds with the indicators' values achieved in clinical practice. Results: Diagnostic procedures showed poor adherence to the thresholds, with a low percentage of histological diagnoses validated by a second opinion. The indicators relating to the surgical treatment of superficial, small, low-grade STS, or of medium, high-grade STS of the head-neck, trunk, or limbs were consistent with the thresholds, while for intermediate, high-grade (large-sized, deep) and retroperitoneal STS they fell significantly below the thresholds. Conclusion: A critical evaluation of the clinical indicators allowed to uncover the procedures needing corrective action. Monitoring clinical care indicators improves cancer care, confirms the importance of managing rare cancers at highly specialized, high-volume centers, and promotes the ethical sustainability of the healthcare system.

New hopes in relapsed refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patients with relapsed/refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma (rrPCNSL) have poor prognosis, with a median survival after relapse of 6.8 months. In this review, we discuss the evolving landscape and the possible future directions related to this important unmet clinical need. RECENT FINDINGS: The modern two-phase approach for newly diagnosed PCNSL based on an induction using high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) combinations and a subsequent consolidation, has significantly improved the outcome in this setting. However, this strategy is able to cure more or less 50% of patients. rrPCNSL patients have a very poor prognosis with a reported 5-year overall survival of 18%. Late relapses (after third year) and use of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDT-ASCT) represent important factors associated with a better outcome in this setting. On the basis of the growing acquisition of knowledge on the molecular characteristics of PCNSL, the use of non-chemotherapeutic drugs such as bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTK-is), immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) is increasing in the last years along with the introduction of novel approaches (CAR-T cells and blood--brain barrier disruption). However, despite high responses in some cases, durations are often short, translating in outcome results still unsatisfactory. SUMMARY: Treatment of rrPCNSL patients is challenging. As no standard of care exist in this setting, it is of paramount importance to acquire new knowledge related to this condition and start multidisciplinary collaboration in order to improve pts outcome.

Synchronous and metachronous multiple primary cancers in melanoma survivors: a gender perspective.

Background: Long-term survivors of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) risk subsequent malignancies due to both host-related and environmental risk factors. This retrospective population-based study differentially assesses the risk of synchronous and metachronous cancers in a cohort of CMM survivors stratified by sex. Methods: The cohort study (1999-2018) included 9,726 CMM survivors (M = 4,873, F = 4,853) recorded by the cancer registry of all 5,000,000 residents in the Italian Veneto Region. By excluding subsequent CMM and non-CMM skin cancers, the incidence of synchronous and metachronous malignancies was calculated according to sex and tumor site, standardizing for age and calendar year. The Standardized Incidence Ratio (SIR) was calculated as the ratio between the number of subsequent cancers among CMM survivors and the expected number of malignancies among the regional population. Results: Irrespective of the site, the SIR for synchronous cancers increased in both sexes (SIR = 1.90 in males and 1.73 in females). Both sexes also demonstrated an excess risk for synchronous kidney/urinary tract malignancies (SIR = 6.99 in males and 12.11 in females), and women had an increased risk of synchronous breast cancer (SIR = 1.69). CMM male survivors featured a higher risk of metachronous thyroid (SIR = 3.51, 95% CI [1.87, 6.01]), and prostate (SIR = 1.35, 95% CI [1.12, 1.61]) malignancies. Among females, metachronous cancers featured higher SIR values than expected: kidney/urinary tract (SIR = 2.27, 95% CI [1.29, 3.68]), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (SIR = 2.06, 95% CI [1.24, 3.21]), and breast (SIR = 1.46, 95% CI [1.22, 1.74]). Females had an overall increased risk of metachronous cancers in the first 5 years after CMM diagnosis (SIR = 1.54 at 6-11 months and 1.37 at 1-5 years). Conclusion: Among CMM survivors, the risk of metachronous non-skin cancers is higher than in the general population and differs significantly by sex. These results encourage sex-tailored interventions for metachronous secondary cancer prevention.

Soft Tissue Sarcoma Mimicking Melanoma: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoma may show similarities to malignant melanoma in terms of morphologic and immunohistochemical aspects, making it difficult to differentiate between these two neoplasms during the diagnostic process. This systematic review aims to summarize available evidence on cases of sarcoma that were initially diagnosed as melanoma. METHODS: A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE/Pubmed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases was conducted through March 2023. We included case series and case reports of sarcoma patients that were initially diagnosed as malignant melanoma. PRISMA guidelines were followed. RESULTS: Twenty-three case reports and four case series with a total of 34 patients were included. The clinical presentation was heterogeneous, and the most involved anatomical regions were lower limbs (24%), head/neck (24%), and upper limbs (21%). IHC positivity was reported for S100 (69%), HMB45 (63%), MelanA (31%), and MiTF (3%). The main reasons for a second assessment were unusual presentation (48%) and uncertain diagnosis (28%). EWSR1 translocation was investigated in 17/34 patients (50%) and found to be positive in 16/17 (94%). The final diagnosis was clear cell sarcoma (50%) or other soft tissue sarcomas (50%). CONCLUSIONS: Melanoma and some histotypes of sarcoma share many similarities. In cases of atypical lesions, a second diagnosis should be considered, and ESWR1 translocation should be investigated.

Epidemiology, pathological characteristics and survival of retroperitoneal soft­tissue sarcomas compared with non­retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas.

Retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcomas (RPS) are rare forms of mesenchymal tumors that account for ~0.15% of all malignancies. The purpose of the present study was to determine the differences between RPS and non-RPS anatomopathological and clinical features and to analyze whether the hazard ratio for short-term mortality differs between patients with RPS and non-RPS, after adjusting for differences in baseline anatomopathological and clinical features. The Veneto Cancer Registry, a high-resolution population-based dataset spanning the regional population, was used as a data source for the analysis. The current analysis focuses on all incident cases of soft-tissue sarcoma recorded by the Registry from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018. A bivariate analysis was carried out to compare demographic and clinical characteristics in RPS and non-RPS. Short-term mortality risk was analyzed by primary tumor site. The significance of variations in survival by site group was determined using Kaplan-Meier curves and the Log-rank test. Finally, Cox regression was used to assess the hazard ratio for survival by sarcoma group. RPS accounted for 22.8% of the total sample (92 out of 404 cases). The mean age at diagnosis was 67.6 years for RPS vs. 63.4 for non-RPS; 41.3% of RPS were >150 mm vs. 5.5% for non-RPS. Stages III and IV were more prevalent in RPS (53.2 vs. 35.6%), despite the fact that, in both groups, advanced stages are the most common onset at diagnosis. Regarding surgical margins, the present study showed that R0 is the most prevalent in non-RPS (48.7%), while R1-R2 is the most frequent in patients with RPS (39.1%). The 3-year mortality rate for retroperitoneum was 42.9 vs. 25.7%. Comparing RPS and non-RPS, the multivariable Cox model showed a hazard ratio of 1.58 after adjusting for all other prognostic factors. RPS clinical and anatomopathological characteristics differ from those of non-RPS. Overall, despite adjusting for other prognostic factors, the retroperitoneum site was an independent prognostic factor associated with a worse overall survival in sarcoma patients compared with other sites.

Splenic irradiation prior to allogeneic transplant conditioning in myelofibrosis: A pilot experience.

INTRODUCTION: In the era of JAK inhibitors, allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only curative treatment for patients with Myelofibrosis (MF). Splenic irradiation (SI) may be used to reduce spleen size and related symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis on 14 patients with MF who underwent HSCT with SI from any donor source at our center between June 2016 and March 2021. All patients received a conditioning backbone based on treosulfan and fludarabine, with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and sirolimus as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis. Patients received SI with 10 Gy involved-field radiotherapy in five 2-Gy fractions over the course of a week prior to the beginning of conditioning. RESULTS: At transplant all patients were transfusion-dependent and had splenomegaly (median bipolar diameter by ultrasound: 20.75 cm). Overall, 12 patients had received ruxolitinib prior to transplant. Re-evaluation of spleen dimensions was available for 13 patients: median splenic bipolar diameter after at least 3 months from transplant decreased by a median of 25%. With a median post-transplant follow-up of 25 months, 6 patients remain in CR with full-donor chimerism, 3 patients died due to NRM. Overall, 4 patients relapsed. At last follow-up, nine patients are currently alive and achieved transfusion-independence. CONCLUSIONS: In a small cohort of mostly ruxolitinib pre-treated patients, SI and treosulfan-based conditioning appeared a safe and effective tool to reduce spleen dimensions and ameliorate symptoms. Future prospective studies with adequate sample size are warranted to further investigate the usefulness and safety of this approach in MF.

The prognostic role of mitotic rate in cutaneous malignant melanoma: Evidence from a multicenter study on behalf of the Italian Melanoma Intergroup.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to improve the understanding of the prognostic value of tumor mitotic rate (TMR) in cutaneous melanoma and assessed its significance as a predictor for overall, melanoma-specific, and recurrence-free survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective multicenter Italian cohort study of 13,016 patients diagnosed with and treated for invasive primary melanoma between 2005 and 2020 with median follow-up of 5.5 years. The survival probability was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method, hazard ratios (HRs), and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) of all-cause mortality and recurrence/death by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Higher dermal mitoses number was associated with decreased overall survival. Among patients with TMR 0/mm2 , 1/mm2 , 2/mm2 -3/mm2 , 4/mm2 -10/mm2 , and >10/mm2 , 5-year overall survival (OS) was 97.3%, 93.6%, 88.3%, 73.0%, and 60.9%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, compared to TMR of 0/mm2 , HRs for all-cause mortality were 1.35 (95% CI, 1.08-1.68), 1.70 (95% CI, 1.40-2.07), 2.04 (95% CI, 1.67-2.49), and 2.39 (95% CI, 1.90-3.00) for 1 mitoses/mm2 , 2 mitoses/mm2 -3 mitoses/mm2 , 4 mitoses/mm2 -10 mitoses/mm2 , and >10 mitoses/mm2 , respectively. A similar increase in risks was observed in melanoma-specific survival (MSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). The HRs for MSS and RFS for the highest compared to the lowest TMR category were 3.01 (95% CI, 2.20-4.11) and 2.26 (95% CI, 1.88-2.73), respectively. Sentinel lymph-node biopsy positivity was significantly associated with TMR increase even with adjustment for several potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: A clear association was demonstrated between an increasing TMR and decreased OS, MSS, and RFS, suggesting a reconsideration of TMR prognostic role for future inclusion in the melanoma staging system. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: The 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer for melanoma staging removed tumor mitotic rate (TMR) from the staging criteria for T1 melanomas, giving way to ulceration and tumor thickness as stronger prognostic predictors. However, it is still recommended that TMR should be assessed and recorded in all primary invasive melanomas. In a large retrospective multicenter study on primary invasive melanomas, we investigated the prognostic value of TMR to assess its significance as survival predictor. Our results showed a clear association between increasing TMR and decreased patients' survival, suggesting that TMR should be considered for inclusion in the melanoma staging system.

Uncommon presentation of a giant psoas muscle lipoma: a case report and brief literature review.

Giant retroperitoneal lipomas, particularly within the psoas muscle, are a rare condition. We herein present one such case of a 45-year-old Italian man and a literature review. There are only two case reports published in the literature, thus posing challenges for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Our patient was admitted to the emergency department with colicky abdominal pain. Computerized tomography (CT) with contrast enhancement revealed kidney stones and a 19.5×13.6×18 cm mass of adipose tissue with septa located in the right retroperitoneum, in close continuity with the right psoas major muscle. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a voluminous neoformation with predominantly adipose content and a compressive effect on adjacent vascular structures. The CT-guided biopsy indicated spindle cell mesenchymal neoplasm, not otherwise specified. Surgical resection of the retroperitoneal mass with the capsule was performed, and a histopathology examination confirmed the diagnosis of spindle cell lipoma. Despite the fact that CT and MRI are the main diagnostic tools, this case report emphasizes the need for a CT-guided core needle biopsy prior to surgery for appropriate diagnosis.