Gastrointestinal bleeding as a result of entero-iliac fistula due to intestinal foreign body.

Ingested toothpicks are a relatively rare event, but they may cause serious gut injuries and can be listed among rare causes of perforation, peritonitis, sepsis or death. Unless the foreign bodies were intentionally swallowed, many patients who ingested them fail to remember the event and they do not refer it during the medical history collection; this makes diagnosis problematic. In this work, a case of perforation of the sigmoid colon is described, caused by a toothpick ingestion. The patient had to be surgically treated because of a complication: the formation of an entero-iliac fistula with subsequent development of a pseudoaneurysm of the right external iliac artery. Vascular perforation due to toothpick ingestion has rarely been reported. In similar cases, it could be difficult to establishing the correct diagnosis because of the low sensitivity and accuracy rates of diagnostic investigations. The ingestion of foreign bodies should be kept in mind as an important differential diagnosis in patients with acute abdomen or chronic abdominal pain of unknown origin.

Real-life multidisciplinary treatment for unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases including hepatic artery infusion with chemo-filtration and liquid biopsy precision oncotherapy: observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic artery infusion (HAI) and drug selection by liquid biopsy precision oncotherapy are under investigation for the multidisciplinary treatment of unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRCLM) in progression after systemic therapy. Here, we compare the safety and efficacy of third-line HAI followed by target therapy with drug regimes selected by liquid biopsy precision oncotherapy to third-line systemic therapy with drug regimes selected partly by tissue biopsy precision oncotherapy, in a retrospective real-life study of 106 unresectable CRCLM patients. METHODS: Drug regimens for HAI/target therapy were selected by assessing the sensitivity of purified circulating tumor cell (CTCs) to 5-fluorouracil, carboplatin, cisplatin, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, doxorubicin, mitomycin, raltitrexed, and melphalan in-vitro and by real-time qRT-PCR gene expression assays, and for the Systemic therapy cohort were selected by age, comorbidity, performance status, and absence of RAS mutations. Therapeutic responses, adverse events, and quality of life were evaluated by RECIST 1.1, CTCAE 4.03, and ECOG criteria, respectively, and chemo-filtration performed following HAI to reduce systemic toxic effects. RESULTS: HAI/target therapy with drugs selected by liquid biopsy precision oncotherapy (44 patients), resulted in 2.27% CRs, 38.63% PRs, 56.81% SD,s and 2.27% PDs; ECOG 2 to 1 improvement, but no infusion-related technical or vascular complications, or deaths. Systemic therapy (62 patients) resulted in 1.6% CRs, 17.74% PRs, 37.09% SDs, and 45.16% PDs; more grade 1-2 adverse events and 4.84% ECOG 1 to 2 worsening. The median 5 month PFS in the HAI/target therapy cohort was significantly longer than 3 months in the systemic cohort (P < 0.007) and the median 14 month survival in the HAI/target therapy cohort was longer than 8.5 months in the systemic therapy cohort but not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis identified ECOG grade 2 as the most unfavourable survival prognostic factor in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: HAI plus chemo-filtration followed by target therapy, with drug regimens selected by liquid biopsy precision oncotherapy, is a safe and efficacious alternative therapeutic strategy for unresectable CRCLM in progression after two lines of systemic therapy and should be considered for a multicentre prospective phase III study, to fully confirm this potential.

Percutaneous management of bone metastases: state of the art, interventional strategies and joint position statement of the Italian College of MSK Radiology (ICoMSKR) and the Italian College of Interventional Radiology (ICIR).

Interventional radiology provides local management of bone metastases (BM) with a palliative intent in most cases, or with a curative intent in selected patients. Its role has rapidly expanded in the last decade, offering new treatment solutions often in combination with surgery, radiation therapy and medical treatments. The aim of the present paper is to increase awareness, acceptance and adoption of interventional radiology procedures for the treatment of BM; and to present the joint position of the Italian College of Musculoskeletal Radiology and the Italian College of Interventional Radiology.

Surgical Treatment of Arteriovenous Malformations: Role of Preoperative Staged Embolization.

Preoperative embolization is complementary to surgery for large brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). From January 2005 to December 2015, 69 patients harboring an AVM were managed in our department by the same surgeon (RG). Forty one were ruptured and 65 were supratentorial. Thirty nine smaller AVMs were treated with surgery stand-alone, whereas, for 30 larger malformations, surgery was combined with adjuvant treatment involving preoperative staged embolization and/or, less frequently, radiosurgery. In all patients treated with surgery alone, complete resection of AVM was achieved. A successful preoperative partial endovascular obliteration of AVM was obtained in 24 out of 27 more complex cases, with a zero mortality rate and a very low morbidity. Here, embolization was of a certain utility in the handling of deeper feeders and nidus excision, also facilitating intraoperative hemostasis. In three cases of residuals, radiosurgery was performed. In those patient treated with a combined approach, a good overall outcome, 0-2 modified Rankin Scale (mRS), was achieved in 25 cases. Preoperative embolization proved to be a reasonable option complementary to high-grade AVMs surgery, reducing the frequency of breakthrough hemorrhages, aiding the elimination of deep feeders, and making the nidus dissection easier.

Real life triplet FIr/FOx chemotherapy in first-line metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients: recommended schedule for expected activity and safety and phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel and FOLFIRINOX demonstrated significantly increased survival compared with gemcitabine in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC): objective response rate (ORR) 23 and 31.6%, progression-free survival (PFS) 5.5 and 6.4 months, overall survival (OS) 8.7 and 11.1 months. Present phase II study evaluated recommended first-line triplet FIr/FOx schedule. METHODS: Simon two-step design: p010%, p130%, power 80%, α5%, ß20%. Projected ORR: I step, 1/10; II 5/29. Schedule: 12h-timed-flat-infusion/5-fluorouracil 750-800-900 mg/m2 d1-2,8-9,15-16,22-23; irinotecan 120-140-160 mg/m2 d1,15; oxaliplatin 70-80 mg/m2 d8,22; every 4 weeks, according to clinical parameters (age, comorbidities, performance status (PS), liver function). Activity and efficacy were evaluated, and compared using log-rank; limiting toxicity syndromes (LTS), using chi-square. RESULTS: Twenty-nine consecutive patients were enrolled, according to primary/intermediate/secondary Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Median age 62; elderly 13 (44.7%); PS2 3 (10.4%), secondary CIRS 5 (17.2%). Primary endpoint was met: ORR 53% (7/13 patients) as-treated, 50% intent-to-treat. Cumulative G3-4 toxicities: diarrhea 17%, asthenia 14%, hypertransaminasemy 7%, mucositis 7%, vomiting 3%, anemia 3%, thrombocytopenia 3%. LTS were 27.5% overall, 38.4% in elderly. At 3 months median follow-up, PFS 4 months, OS 11 months. PS2 patients showed significantly worse OS (P 0.022). CONCLUSION: Intensive first-line triplet FIr/FOx is tolerable at modulated doses, and confirms high activity/efficacy in metastatic PDAC. Patients' careful selection, and exclusion of PS2, can maintain safety profile and efficient dose intensity.

Interventional radiology of the thyroid gland: critical review and state of the art.

Thyroid nodules are a common incidental finding during a routinely ultrasound (US) exam unrelated to the thyroid gland in the healthy adult population with a prevalence of 20-76%. As treated before with surgery, in the last years new minimally invasive techniques have been developed as an alternative to surgery. The aim of this review, based on newly revised guidelines, is to provide some information regarding the basic principles, indications, materials, techniques, and results of mini-invasive procedures or treatments for thyroid nodules. We performed a narrative review including both newest and representative papers and guidelines based on the different procedures of ablation techniques developed in the last years for the diagnosis and the treatment of thyroid nodules. All examined papers referred very good results in term of volume nodule reduction, improvement in related symptoms and cosmetic problems, with a very low rate of complications and side effects for all the minimally invasive technique analyzed. Obviously, some differents between technique based on different kind of thyroid nodules and different indication were found. In conclusion, many thyroid nodules nowadays could be treated thanks to the advent of new mini-invasive technique that are less expensive and present a lower risk of major complications and side effects compared to surgery.

Acute-phase endovascular management of an uncommon bleeding peripancreatic pseudoaneurysm.

Pancreatic pseudoaneurysms represent relatively rare but potentially lethal complications of acute or chronic pancreatitis, involving several visceral arteries. Due to their intrinsic instability and subsequent high risk of massive bleeding, these lesions require prompt treatment, regardless of the size of the pseudoaneurysm. First option of treatment is today represented by transcatheter embolization; this treatment, in fact, shows higher rates of clinical and technical success and lower recurrence rates than conventional surgery. We present a clinical case of endovascular management of a large pseudoaneurysm, measuring 54 × 53 mm (AP × LL), involving right gastric artery in a 35-year-old woman with history of chronic alcoholic abuse presenting with severe anemia.

Surgical versus percutaneous isolated pelvic perfusion (IPP) for advanced melanoma: comparison in terms of melphalan pharmacokinetic pelvic bio-availability.

BACKGROUND: Isolated pelvic perfusion (IPP) can be used to treat unresectable melanoma metastases of the pelvis. IPP can be performed either by surgical or percutaneous approaches, using different balloon catheters. The aim of this study was to examine whether the surgical and percutaneous approaches were comparable with respect to tumor drug exposure in the pelvis. METHODS: A pharmacokinetic study was performed in 5 melanoma patients treated with surgical IPP and five with percutaneous IPP. Both groups received melphalan at the dose of 30 mg/m2. Melphalan pharmacokinetic analyses were performed and the main parameter used to evaluate pelvic tumor drug-exposure was the ratio of areas under the melphalan plasma concentration curves in the pelvis and the systemic compartment, during the perfusion time (AUC0 to 20). Non-parametric Mann-Whitney tests were employed for statistical comparisons. RESULTS: The median and interquartile range (IQR) values of the ratios between melphalan AUC0 to 20 in pelvic and systemic compartments were 7.9 (IQR 7.2 to 9.9) and 5 (IQR 4 to 7.9) for surgical and percutaneous IPPs, respectively (p = 0.209). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor exposure to drug using these two methods did not statistically differ and both methods, therefore, can be adopted interchangeably, utilizing a perfusion blood flow rate of approximately 120 ml/min. The small sample size is a limitation of this study but our preliminary results can be used to calculate the effect size of a larger trial. Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov Identifier NCT01920516; date of trial registration: August 6, 2013.

Uterine fibroid therapy using interventional radiology mini-invasive treatments: current perspective.

Uterine fibroids are common benign tumors of unclear etiopathology that affect the female reproductive tract. They are responsible for considerable morbidity and deterioration of life quality, and may have a negative impact on the reproductive system as well. Besides surgery aided by uterus-saving techniques, several minimally invasive procedures are now available within the field of interventional radiology that represent a valid solution for women who desire pregnancy and relief from disease-specific symptomatology. The main advantages offered by these techniques are low grade of invasiveness and short times of hospitalization. The most diffuse techniques are uterine artery embolization (UAE) and magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgFUS). UAE is an endovascular procedure whose goal is obtained by provoking ischemia of the uterine vessels. MRgFUS is a thermoablation procedure that selectively ablates the symptomatic fibroids. In this review study, both procedures will be described, including a description of technical details, indications, contraindications, complications, and outcomes.

Interventional Radiology Management of a Ruptured Lumbar Artery Pseudoaneurysm after Cryoablation and Vertebroplasty of a Lumbar Metastasis.

We describe the management of a complication (a lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm and its rupture) after combined procedure (cryoablation and vertebroplasty) on a lumbar (L2) metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. Review of the literature is also presented with discussion about the measures to be taken to prevent these types of complications.

Multidisciplinary management of hepatocellular carcinoma in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients require different treatment strategies according to disease extension, liver function, and patient's fitness. We evaluated HCC multidisciplinary management in clinical practice. METHODS: Consecutive patients were followed and treated with tailored medical, locoregional, and surgical treatments, according to disease stage and patient's fitness (age, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS)). Activity, efficacy, and safety were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were evaluated: median age, 74; elderly 92%; CIRS secondary 28 (74%); Child-Pugh A 20 (53%), B 11 (29%); and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) 0 2 (5%), A 9 (24%), B 10 (26%), C 13 (34%), and D 4 (11%). Overall survival (OS) was 30 months. At 9 months median follow-up, among 25 unresectable HCC, OS was 10 months; BCLC B-D unfit for sorafenib showed OS 3 months. Ten patients (40%) received sorafenib: Child-Pugh A 5 (50%) and B 5 (50%) and disease control rate 89%, progression-free survival 7 months, and OS 9 months. G3-4 toxicities: anorexia, hypertransaminaemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and hypercreatininemia. Limiting toxicity syndromes were 40%, all multiple sites. CONCLUSION: HCC patients require multidisciplinary clinical management to properly select tailored treatments according to disease stage, fitness, and liver function. Patients suitable for sorafenib should be carefully selected, monitored for individual safety, and prevalently characterized by limiting toxicity syndromes multiple sites.

Prognostic relevance of KRAS genotype in metastatic colorectal cancer patients unfit for FIr-B/FOx intensive regimen.

First-line triplet chemotherapy plus bevacizumab (FIr-B/FOx) can improve efficacy of metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC), KRAS wild-type and mutant. Prognostic relevance of KRAS genotype was evaluated in patients unfit for FIr-B/FOx, treated with conventional medical treatments. Consecutive MCRC patients not eligible for FIr-B/FOx regimen due to age (≥75 years) and/or comorbidities were treated with tailored conventional first-line treatments. KRAS codon 12/13 mutations were screened by direct sequencing. Activity and efficacy were evaluated and compared according to medical treatments, age (non-elderly and elderly≥65 years), comorbidity stage (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale), metastatic extension (liver-limited and other/multiple metastatic), and KRAS genotype, using log-rank. Selected first line treatments were medical in 37 patients (92.5%), and surgical in 3 patients (7.5%). Medical treatment regimens: triplet, 18 (45%); doublet, 15 (37.5%); mono-therapy, 4 (10%). At median follow-up of 8 months, objective response rate (ORR) was 37%, median progression-free survival (PFS) 7 months, liver metastasectomies 8% (liver-limited disease 37.5%), median overall survival (OS) 13 months. Triplet regimens failed to significantly affect clinical outcome, compared to doublet. According to KRAS genotype, ORR, PFS and OS were, respectively: wild-type 50%, 8 months, 13 months; mutant 25%, 6 months, 9 months. KRAS genotype wild-type compared to mutant significantly affected PFS, while not OS. KRAS c.35 G>A mutation (G12D) significantly affected worse PFS and OS compared to wild-type and/or other mutations. KRAS genotype, specifically the c.35 G>A KRAS mutation, may indicate poor prognosis in MCRC patients unfit for intensive medical treatments.

Differential prognosis of metastatic colorectal cancer patients post-progression to first-line triplet chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, FIr-B/FOx, according to second-line treatment and KRAS genotype.

Clinical outcome post-progression to first-line triplet chemotherapy (CT) plus bevacizumab (FIr-B/FOx) was evaluated in metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC) patients (pts). Second-line treatment was selected according to fitness, KRAS genotype, previous efficacy and safety. Efficacy was evaluated and compared according to treatment or KRAS genotype, using log-rank analysis. Among 54 pts, median overall survival (OS) post-progression was 12 months, significantly better in 40 (74.1%) treated compared to 14 (25.9%) who died without further treatment. Second-line surgical treatment, 4 pts (7.4%), medical treatment, 36 pts (66.7%): triplet CT plus targeted agent, 10 (18.5%); triplet regimens, 19 (35.2%); doublet/monotherapy, 7 (13%). At follow-up of 14 months, objective response rate (ORR) was 38%, metastasectomies 12.5%, progression-free survival (PFS) 10 months, OS 14 months. According to treatment, ORR, metastasectomies, PFS and OS were significantly favourable in triplet CT plus targeted agent compared to triplet, respectively: 80%, 40%, 13 months, not reached; 28%, 6%, 8 months, 11 months. PFS and OS were significantly worse in c.35 G>A mutant compared to wild-type and/or other mutant patients. Prognosis after progression to first­line FIr-B/FOx may be significantly favourable in MCRC pts re-challenged with intensive regimens, and unfavourable in c.35 G>A KRAS mutant patients.

Effectiveness and safety of intensive triplet chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, FIr-B/FOx, in young-elderly metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

Four-drug regimens, such as FIr-B/FOx schedule, can improve efficacy of first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC) patients. The present study specifically evaluates feasibility of FIr-B/FOx first-line intensive regimen in fit young-elderly MCRC patients, representing approximately 40% of overall MCRC patients. Activity, efficacy, and safety were equivalent to overall MCRC patients, not significantly different according to KRAS genotype. Clinical outcome was significantly prolonged in liver-limited compared to other/multiple metastatic disease. Safety evaluation of the individual young-elderly patient showed that limiting toxicity syndromes (LTS) in multiple sites were significantly increased, compared to LTS in single site, with respect to non-elderly patients.