Screening of Anisakis-Related Allergies and Associated Factors in a Mediterranean Community Characterized by High Seafood Consumption.

Dietary changes expose consumers to risks from Anisakis larvae in seafood, leading to parasitic diseases and allergies. Anisakis is recognized by EFSA as a significant hazard, with potential oncogenic implications. Diagnostic advancements, like the Basophil Activation Test (BAT), enhance sensitivity and accuracy in identifying Anisakis sensitization, complementing traditional IgE tests. We conducted a cross-sectional study on patients with allergic symptoms from April 2021 to April 2023 at two outpatient clinics in western Sicily. Our goal was to assess the prevalence of Anisakis-related allergies and to identify risk profiles using specific Anisakis IgE and the BAT, especially in regions with high raw fish consumption. The study evaluated specific Anisakis IgE as a screening tool for Anisakis sensitization, using questionnaires, blood samples, and immuno-allergology analyses. Anisakis-specific IgE values were compared with the BAT results, with statistical analyses including Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. The results showed an 18.5% seroprevalence of Anisakis IgE, while the BAT as a second-level test showed 4.63%, indicating the BAT's superior specificity and accuracy. The study highlighted the importance of the BAT in diagnosing Anisakis sensitization, especially in cases of cross-reactivity with Ascaris and tropomyosin. The findings confirm the BAT's exceptional specificity in identifying Anisakis sensitization and support using Anisakis-specific IgE for population-based risk profiling. The BAT can effectively serve as a confirmatory test.

Factors Associated with Primary Liver Cancer Survival in a Southern Italian Setting in a Changing Epidemiological Scenario.

A retrospective observational study utilising cancer incidence data from a population-based registry investigated determinants affecting primary liver cancer survival in a southern Italian region with high hepatitis viral infection rates and obesity prevalence. Among 2687 patients diagnosed between 2006 and 2019 (65.3% male), a flexible hazard-based regression model revealed factors influencing 5-year survival rates. High deprivation levels [HR = 1.41 (95%CI = 1.15-1.76); p < 0.001], poor access to care [HR = 1.99 (95%IC = 1.70-2.35); p < 0.0001], age between 65 and 75 [HR = 1.48 (95%IC = 1.09-2.01); p < 0.05] or >75 [HR = 2.21 (95%CI = 1.62-3.01); p < 0.0001] and residing in non-urban areas [HR = 1.35 (95%CI = 1.08-1.69); p < 0.01] were associated with poorer survival estimates. While deprivation appeared to be a risk factor for primary liver cancer patients residing within the urban area, the geographic distance from specialised treatment centres emerged as a potential determinant of lower survival estimates for residents in the non-urban areas. After balancing the groups of easy and poor access to care using a propensity score approach, poor access to care and a lower socioeconomic status resulted in potentially having a negative impact on primary liver cancer survival, particularly among urban residents. We emphasise the need to interoperate cancer registries with other data sources and to deploy innovative digital solutions to improve cancer prevention.

Low Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection for Fully or Boosted mRNA Vaccinated Subjects in Sicily: A Population-Based Study Using Real-World Data.

Background: Reinfections occur as a response to natural infections wanes and novel strains of SARS-CoV-2 emerge. The present research explored the correlation between sex, age, COVID-19 vaccination, prior infection hospitalization, and SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in Sicily, Italy. Materials and Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study was articulated using the vaccination flux from a regional registry and the Sicilian COVID-19 monitoring system of the Italian Institute of Health. Only adult Sicilians were included in the study, and hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression. Results: Partial vaccination provided some protection (adj-HR: 0.92), when compared to unvaccinated individuals; furthermore, reinfection risk was reduced by full vaccination (adj-HR: 0.43), and the booster dose (adj-HR: 0.41). Males had a lower risk than females of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 (adj-HR: 0.75). Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 was diminished by hospitalization during the first infection (adj-HR: 0.78). Reinfection risk was higher among those aged 30-39 and 40-49 compared to those aged 18-29, whereas those aged 60-69, 70-79, and 80+ were statistically protected. Reinfection was significantly more frequent during the wild-type-Alpha, Delta, Delta-Omicron, and Omicron dominance/codominance waves compared to the wild type. Conclusions: This study establishes a solid base for comprehending the reinfection phenomenon in Sicily by pinpointing the most urgent policy hurdles and identifying some of the major factors. COVID-19 vaccination, one of the most effective public health tools, protects against reinfection, mostly caused by the Omicron strain. Elderly and hospitalized people's lower risk suggests stricter PPE use.

[Ovarian cancer in the province of Palermo (Italy): data from 2003 to 2005]. / Il carcinoma ovarico nella provincia di Palermo: dati del triennio 2003-2005.

Ovarian cancer is characterized by a low incidence of disease and a high mortality. To correctly analyze the epidemiology of this disease it is therefore necessary to obtain data from population-based tumor registries. From 2003 to 2005, 251 new cases were registered in the tumor registry of the province of Palermo. Cases were identified from various sources, mainly hospital discharge forms, pathology reports and death certificates.The distribution of incident cases was analysed by age, type of diagnosis, disease stage, and treatment. Survival was calculated at one, three and five years. Morphologically, epithelial tumors were the most common frequent. The disease was more frequent in older age groups, with the highest incidence observed in the age group 55-69 years. Incidence and mortality rates were similar to those reported by the pool of Italian tumor registries. Disease stage was found to be related to patient age. Survival was related to stage of disease, age at diagnosis and type of treatment. Younger patients had a longer survival while advanced staging was the most unfavorable prognostic factor. Regarding the type of treatment, treatment of ovarian cancer is complex and requires close integration and coordination of the various healthcare professionals involved.

Tissue content of hydroxyestrogens in relation to survival of breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The main goal of our study was to assess estrogen contents of breast tumor tissues, having different estrogen receptor status, in relation to long-term follow-up of patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Twenty-one breast cancer cases, all collected from January 1986 to January 1988 at the M. Ascoli Cancer Hospital Centre in Palermo, were included in the study and compared with 6 healthy women as a control group. Average follow-up time of patients was 144 +/- 10 months. The estrogen receptor status of tissues was determined by both ligand binding and immunohistochemical assays. A high performance liquid chromatography-based approach, jointly with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, was used to identify and measure main estrogens, various hydroxyestrogens, and their methoxy derivatives in both normal and tumor tissues. RESULTS: Although variable concentrations of hydroxylated estrogens were detected, they consistently accounted for >80% of all of the estrogens. Significantly greater amounts of both 2- and 4-hydroxyestradiol, along with a marked increase of 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone (OHE(1)), were observed in cancer with respect to normal breast tissues. A significant positive association was observed with elevated 16 alpha OHE(1) (P = 0.015) in patients alive, leading to significantly lower (P = 0.043) 2OHE(1):16 alpha OHE(1) ratio values. Conversely, ratio values of 4:2 hydroxy+methoxy estrogens was significantly lower (P = 0.006) in deceased patients. Using cutoff values of 1.2 for 4:2 hydroxy+methoxy ratio and 150 fmol/mg tissue for 16 alpha OHE(1) we achieved a clear-cut separation of patients, with over-cutoff patients having 147 months and under cutoff patients showing only 47 months median survival time (P = 0.00008). CONCLUSIONS: Our data imply that individual hydroxyestrogens may have a distinct role in the onset and the clinical progression of breast cancer, with greater 16 alpha OHE(1) levels being in turn associated to cancer with respect to normal tissues and to a prolonged survival of breast cancer patients.

Expression levels and clinical-pathological correlations of HER2/neu in primary and metastatic human breast cancer.

In this retrospective study we assessed the expression of the HER2/neu oncogene product in a series of 574 consecutive breast cancer cases, all recruited at the Maurizio Ascoli Cancer Center of Civico Hospital, in Palermo, between January 1998 and June 2003. The HER2/neu expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and scored from 0 to +3 as per FDA recommendations. The HER2/neu expression levels were related to the clinical-pathological features of the disease, including tumor size, nodal and menopausal status, estrogen and progesterone receptors, and hormonal or chemotherapeutic treatment. In 108 patients with a follow-up period of 3 years or more, the HER2/neu expression was also related to their survival characteristics. A significant correlation (P = 0.011) between HER2/neu +3 and estrogen receptor-negative cases was observed in the 487 M0 patients. In addition, HER2/neu +3 cases were associated with a positive nodal status (57.4%), although this association was not quite significant (P = 0.06). More importantly, follow-up data revealed that, in the 91 M0 patients with an average follow-up period of 37 months, the percentage of HER2/neu +3 patients who relapsed was remarkably greater (54.8%) than that observed for the HER2/neu +1/0 cases when combined (34.2%). Furthermore, the disease-free interval (DFI) was 47 months in the HER2/neu +1/0 group, while it dropped to 45 months in c-HER2/neu +3 cases. Although the limited number of cases does not allow us to draw any definitive conclusions, our data suggest that high expression levels of HER2/neu +3 are associated with an early relapse and a shorter disease-free interval in M0 breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer incidence in the city and province of Palermo in 1999-2002: a Breast Cancer Registry report.

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of breast cancer in women from the city and province of Palermo (Sicily) in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, using a population-based cancer registry approach. In recent years, a sharp increase of breast cancer incidence has been observed worldwide. Overall, direct age-standardized incidence rates (SIR) were 81.0 per 100,000 person-years, higher in Palermo City (89.4) than in Palermo Province (70.4). Results reported here show a highly significant difference in breast cancer incidence in different areas of Sicily, particularly in the youngest age groups; and a profound difference between the metropolitan area of Palermo and the surrounding areas. The evidence of the different breast cancer incidence in Palermo City and in the other small municipalities of Palermo Province suggests a different cancer risk pattern that seems to be related to recent changes in lifestyle and diet.

Comparison between disk diffusion and microdilution methods for determining susceptibility of clinical fungal isolates to caspofungin.

We compared the caspofungin (CAS) susceptibility testing results generated by the disk diffusion (DD) assay with the results of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) broth microdilution (BD) reference method for 106 yeast isolates. The isolates represented 11 different fungal species, including Candida albicans (n = 50), C. parapsilosis (n = 10), C. glabrata (n = 10), C. tropicalis (n = 10), C. guillermondii (n = 6), C. rugosa (n = 5), C. krusei (n = 5), C. kefyr (n = 2), C. pelliculosa (n = 2), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (n = 3), and Geotrichum candidum (n = 3). The DD assay was performed in supplemented Mueller-Hinton agar with CAS, which was tested at concentrations of 2, 10, and 25 mug per disk. MICs and inhibition zone diameters were evaluated at 24 and 48 h. In general, the results obtained by the DD assay correlated well with those obtained by the BD method. In particular, a significant correlation between methods was observed when CAS was used at concentration of 2 mug/disk at a reading time of either 24 or 48 h.

Comparison of female breast cancer registration in the city and province of palermo with other italian cancer registries.

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of breast cancer in women from the city and province of Palermo (Sicily) in 5 yr, 1999-2003, using a population based cancer registry approach. In the last years, a sharp increase of breast cancer incidence has been observed worldwide. Overall, direct age-standardized incidence rates were 89.3 per 100,000 person-yr, being markedly higher in Palermo City (101.0) than in Palermo Province (75.0). Results show a highly significant difference in breast cancer incidence in different areas of Sicily, particularly in the older (>50 yr) age groups and a profound difference between the metropolitan area of Palermo and the surrounding areas. The evidence of the different rates of breast cancer incidence in Palermo City and in the other small municipalities of the Palermo Province suggests a different pattern of breast cancer risk as a consequence of different lifestyle and diet modifications in the urban population of Palermo City.

A traditional Mediterranean diet decreases endogenous estrogens in healthy postmenopausal women.

Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates are markedly lower in the south than in the north of Europe. This has been ascribed to differences in lifestyle and, notably, dietary habits across European countries. However, little information exists on the influence of different dietary regimens on estrogens and, hence, on breast cancer risk. Here we report results of our MeDiet Project, a randomized, dietary intervention study aimed to assess the effect of a Mediterranean diet on the profiles of endogenous estrogens in healthy postmenopausal women. Out of the 230 women who initially volunteered to participate in the study, 115 were found to be eligible and were enrolled. Women were then randomly assigned into an intervention (n = 58) and a control (n = 57) group. Women in the intervention group adhered to a traditional, restricted Mediterranean diet for 6 mo, whereas women in the control group continued to follow their regular diet. Women in the intervention group changed their dietary regimen substantially, and this eventually led to a shift from a prevalent intake of animal fat and proteins to a prevalent intake of vegetable fat and proteins. Regarding urinary estrogens, no significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups at baseline. After 6 mo, however, control women did not show any major change but women in the intervention group exhibited a significant decrease (over 40%) of total estrogen levels (P < 0.02). The largest part of this modification was based on a marked decrease of specific estrogen metabolites, including hydroxy- and keto-derivatives of estradiol or estrone. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that a traditional Mediterranean diet significantly reduces endogenous estrogen. This may eventually lead to identify selected dietary components that more effectively decrease estrogens levels and, hence, provide a basis to develop dietary preventive measures for breast cancer.