COVID-19 mortality and risk factors in patients with cancer in Ecuador: A retrospective, non-randomized, controlled study.

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected different human populations since March 2020 and challenged healthcare systems, especially in chronic non-communicable diseases such as cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the mortality, risk factors, and symptoms of cancer patients and control subjects, diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). This retrospective, observational, non-randomized, controlled study of patients admitted to ICU was conducted between March and August 2020 in an Ecuadorian oncology center. Patient information collected from electronic medical records included sociodemographic information, clinical history, symptoms, laboratory test results, COVID-19 treatment, and discharge status. For patients with neoplasia, diagnosis, type, and status of cancer, as well as antineoplastic treatment received over the past month was also recorded. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS (version 22.0) and R (version 4.1.3). In total, 79 adult COVID-19 patients were studied (40 with cancer and 39 controls). The total mean time until COVID-19 symptoms onset was 6.2 ±â€…3.5 days (5.3 ±â€…3.2 days in the cancer group vs 7.2 ±â€…3.6 days in the control group; P = .016) but no difference was observed in reported symptoms. All patients received an antibiotic treatment, but only 70% of the cancer group had antivirals (P < .001). Cancer patients had lower hemoglobin levels than controls (10.7 ±â€…2.8 vs 13.3 ±â€…1.7 g/dL; P < .001). In terms of mortality, not statistically significance difference was reported between groups. The study showed that high ferritin (Absolute Odds Ratio of 3.9; 95% CI 1.1-14.6) and mechanical ventilation (Absolute Odds Ratio of 4.9; 95% CI 1.3-18.6) were independent COVID-19 mortality risk factors. COVID-19 infection did not represent an increased risk of mortality in cancer patients, but elevated ferritin levels and the need for mechanical ventilation were identified as mortality risk factors.

Tratamiento del Cáncer de Mama Metastásico, Receptor Hormonal Positivo, Her 2 Negativo: Enfoque actual a Dianas Terapéuticas / Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer, Hormone Receptor Positive, Her 2 Negative: Current Approach to Therapeutic Targets

En el cáncer de mama luminal, la terapia hormonal está indicada en adyuvancia y neoadyuvancia. El estadio metastásico incluye un grupo heterogéneo de tumores que varían de acuerdo con el sitio de metástasis, tiempo de aparición, condición general de las pacientes, entre otras características intrínsecas del tumor. Esto establece tiempos de sobrevida con rangos variables de meses a muchos años. Los estrógenos actúan en receptores de membrana citoplasmática y nuclear: en las células neoplásicas estimulan la transcripción del ARN, con persistencia de la proliferación. El bloqueo de la acción hormonal en el cáncer avanzado encuentra mecanismos de resistencia con el uso de vías de señalización paralelas, este conocimiento ha permitido el desarrollo de inhibidores de CDK 4/6, mTOR y PIK3-CA, que se recomiendan en enfermedad metastásica, con prolongación significativa de la supervivencia global. En crisis visceral aún se mantiene el uso de quimioterapia sistémica secuencial o combinada

For a patient with estrogen receptor positivebreast cancer, the adjuvant and neoadjuvant endocrine therapy has an absolute benefit. The metastatic stage includes a diverse group of tumors that vary according to the site of metastasis, time of appear, general condition of the patients, and other intrinsic characteristics of the tumor. survival in cancer varies according these features, from a few months to many years. Estrogen hormones stimulate nuclear and cytoplasmic receptors. In neoplastic cells, estrogen regulate RNA transcription, with persistence of proliferation. The blocking of hormonal action in metastatic cancer, has resistance mechanisms with the use of parallel signaling pathways, this knowledge has allowed the development of inhibitors of CDK 4/6, mTOR and PIK3-CA, which are recommended in metastatic disease. with significant prolongation of overall survival. In visceral crisis, the use of sequential or combined systemic chemotherapy is still maintained