Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Is a Major Prognostic Factor in Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma Patients Undergoing First Line Immunotherapy With Pembrolizumab.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant neoplastic diseases and by far the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have received increasing attention for playing a crucial role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Biomarkers, such as programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and tumor mutational burden (TMB), seemed to be helpful in selecting patients who are more likely to benefit from ICI treatment: however, their role has not yet been fully clarified. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we evaluated the relationship between pre-treatment peripheral blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and survival in 252 patients suffering from advanced NSCLC who had received pembrolizumab as their first-line immunotherapy. RESULTS: Compared to their NLR low counterparts who had a median overall survival (OS) of 34.8 months, patients with NLRs above 4.8 had a median OS of 7.6 months (HR=3.26, 95%Cl=2.3-4.6, p-value<0.0000001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, alongside other variables, such as metastatic sites, age, and sex, NLR and PD-L1 predicted progression-free survival and OS; furthermore, a very high NLR - over 10 - seemed to forecast a very dismal prognosis in patients undergoing immunotherapy, with sudden deaths in the days immediately following therapy (median OS=3.8 months). CONCLUSION: NLR acts as a valuable and reliable prognostic factor in non-small cell lung carcinoma patients undergoing first line immunotherapy with pembrolizumab. Additional investigation is necessary to fully elucidate the underlying biological rationale, which can be found in myeloid derived suppressor cells, a heterogeneous population of cells with neutrophil-like immunophenotypic features.

Multi-Omic Approaches in Colorectal Cancer beyond Genomic Data.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent tumours and one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Its incidence has increased in recent years and could be linked to unhealthy dietary habits combined with environmental and hereditary factors, which can lead to genetic and epigenetic changes and induce tumour development. The model of CRC progression has always been based on a genomic, parametric, static and complex approach involving oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. Recent advances in omics sciences have sought a paradigm shift to a multiparametric, immunological-stromal, and dynamic approach for a better understanding of carcinogenesis and tumour heterogeneity. In the present paper, we review the most important preclinical and clinical data and present recent discoveries in the field of transcriptomics, proteomics, metagenomics and radiomics in CRC disease.

A giant mediastinal teratoma: From diagnosis to complete resection and restitutio ad integrum.

The current report highlights the integrated work-up of an unexpected giant mediastinal teratoma in 28 years old female. A comprehensive multi-modality imaging approach was implemented in order to define the diagnosis and tailor the most appropriate surgical intervention.

Computed tomography imaging of septic shock. Beyond the cause: the "CT hypoperfusion complex". A pictorial essay.

Septic shock is a medical emergency that represents one of the most important underlying causes for presentation to the Emergency Department. Sepsis is defined as organ dysfunction, life-threatening event caused by a deregulated inflammatory host response to infection, with a mortality risk ranging from 10 to 40%. Early sepsis identification is the cornerstone of management and diagnostic imaging can play a pivotal role in this clinical context. The choice of imaging modality depends on several factors, associated with the clinical condition and the presence or absence of localising signs and symptoms. The diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced total-body CT has been well established during septic shock, allowing for a rapid, panoramic, and detailed study of multiple body areas, simultaneously. The aim of this article is to illustrate the controversial CT hypoperfusion complex in patients with septic shock, characterised by the following imaging features: decreased enhancement of the viscera; increased mucosal enhancement; luminal dilation of the small bowel; mural thickening and fluid-filled loops of the small bowel; the halo sign and flattening of the inferior vena cava; reduced aortic diameter; peripancreatic oedema; abnormal parenchymal perfusion; and other controversial findings that are variably associated with each other and reversible during the early stages. Increasing physicians' awareness of the significance of these findings could prompt alternative approaches to the early assessment and management of septic shock. In this perspective, CT imaging represents a useful tool for a complete, rapid and detailed diagnosis of clinically suspected septic shock, which can be used to improve patient outcomes.

The use of ultrasound in the management of a life-threatening malignant laryngotracheal obstruction.

Ultrasound is becoming a valuable diagnostic tool in the armamentarium of thoracic surgeons. We report its use to follow stent placement in the laryngotracheal position for management of life-threatening neoplastic obstruction. For this purpose, a 15-MHz linear probe was placed in the midline at the level of the cricoid cartilage. Ultrasound performed daily at bedside showed normal movement of vocal folds and no stent dislocation. This strategy may be an alternative to computed tomography scan or endoscopy to follow stent placement in extrathoracic airways.

Present and future of metastatic colorectal cancer treatment: A review of new candidate targets.

In the last two decades, great efforts have been made in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) due to the approval of new target agents for cytotoxic drugs. Unfortunately, a large percentage of patients present with metastasis at the time of diagnosis or relapse after a few months. The complex molecular heterogeneity of this disease is not completely understood; to date, there is a lack of predictive biomarkers that can be used to select subsets of patients who may respond to target drugs. Only the RAS-mutation status is used to predict resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents in patients with mCRC. In this review, we describe approved targeted therapies for the management of metastatic mCRC and discuss new candidate targets on the horizon.

Vascular microinvasion from hepatocellular carcinoma: CT findings and pathologic correlation for the best therapeutic strategies.

Recurrence of HCC reduces survival rates in patients treated with surgery, and one of the most relevant risk factors for tumour recurrence is microvascular invasion (mVI). The identification of mVI on preoperative examinations could improve surgical planning's and techniques so as to reduce the risk of tumour recurrence. During our study, we have revised 101 CT examinations of the liver performed on patients diagnosed with solitary HCC who had surgical treatment and pathological analysis of the specimens for mVI in order to detect CT signs which could be reliable in mVI prediction. On CT examinations, the tumours were evaluated for margins, capsule, size, contrast enhancement, halo sign and Thad. From our statistical analysis, we found out that irregularity in tumour margins and defects in peritumoural capsule are the most significant characteristics predicting mVI in HCC. Every report on CT examinations performed on surgical candidate patients should include suggestions about mVI probability in order to tailor procedures, reduce tumour recurrence risk and improve survival rates.

Three-dimensional virtual bronchoscopy using a tablet computer to guide real-time transbronchial needle aspiration.

Objectives: We proposed a new virtual bronchoscopy tool to improve the accuracy of traditional transbronchial needle aspiration for mediastinal staging. Methods: Chest-computed tomographic images (1 mm thickness) were reconstructed with Osirix software to produce a virtual bronchoscopic simulation. The target adenopathy was identified by measuring its distance from the carina on multiplanar reconstruction images. The static images were uploaded in iMovie Software, which produced a virtual bronchoscopic movie from the images; the movie was then transferred to a tablet computer to provide real-time guidance during a biopsy. To test the validity of our tool, we divided all consecutive patients undergoing transbronchial needle aspiration retrospectively in two groups based on whether the biopsy was guided by virtual bronchoscopy (virtual bronchoscopy group) or not (traditional group). The intergroup diagnostic yields were statistically compared. Results: Our analysis included 53 patients in the traditional and 53 in the virtual bronchoscopy group. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy for the traditional group were 66.6%, 100%, 100%, 10.53% and 67.92%, respectively, and for the virtual bronchoscopy group were 84.31%, 100%, 100%, 20% and 84.91%, respectively. The sensitivity ( P = 0.011) and diagnostic accuracy ( P = 0.011) of sampling the paratracheal station were better for the virtual bronchoscopy group than for the traditional group; no significant differences were found for the subcarinal lymph node. Conclusions: Our tool is simple, economic and available in all centres. It guided in real time the needle insertion, thereby improving the accuracy of traditional transbronchial needle aspiration, especially when target lesions are located in a difficult site like the paratracheal station.

A conical self-expanding metallic stent for the management of critical complex tracheobronchial malignant stenosis.

Tracheobronchial malignant stenosis is a life-threatening and challenging condition. In inoperable patients, a stent is the mainstay treatment to ensure ventilation. Here, we report the use of a fully covered standard conical self-expandable metallic stent as an emergency treatment for complex tracheobronchial malignant stenosis.

[Acustic neurinoma: correlation between clinic and MRI]. / Neurinoma dell'acustico: correlazione tra clinica e RM.

The purpose of this paper is to study acoustic neuroma diagnostic process, describe tumor's molecular basis and its magnetic resonance imaging characterization, which is considered to be the gold standard diagnostic tool to study this disease.

[Chordoma: diagnostic considerations and review of the literature]. / Cordoma: considerazioni diagnostiche e revisione della letteratura.

Chordoma is a rare malignant tumor of the bone; it arises from embryonic remnants of the primitive notochord and occurs along the midline from the skull base to the sacrum. In this article, we reviewed the origin, location, clinical, histopatological and imaging features, treatment, and differential diagnosis of chordoma.

[Radionuclide imaging of neurendocrine tumors: biological basis and diagnostic results]. / Imaging con radionuclidi dei tumori neuroendocrini: basi biologiche e risultati diagnostici.

Many radiopharmaceuticals have been successfully used in nuclear medicine to detect neuroendocrine tumors, and many of them are based on a specific mechanism of uptake, while others are non-specific probes. This "review" focuses on the clinical applications of metaiodobenzylguanidine, (111)In-pentreotide and positron emission tomography (PET) tracers. New avances in diagnostic imaging will be discussed. Molecular imaging serves these diagnostic functions and provides powerful means for non-invasively detecting disease.

[Effectiveness of conventional diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine in the treatment of pain from bone metastases]. / Efficacia della radiodiagnostica convenzionale e della medicina nucleare nel trattamento del dolore osseo da metastasi.

Bone is one of the most common metastasis sites from solid tumors. Bone pain due to metastatic neoplastic growth is due to tumor infiltration and expansion of bone membranes. Treatment of acute and chronic pain represents one of the greatest problems in clinical oncology, requiring a multidisciplinary approach. This review focuses on the effectiveness of conventional diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine for the detection, management and treatment of pain from bone metastasis.

[Cerebral pseudovasculitic lesion associated with von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis: a case report]. / Lesione pseudovasculitica cerebrale associata a neurofibromatosi di von Recklinghausen.

A child with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) with headache was submitted to magnetic resonanace imaging and a pseudovasculitic lesion was found. Vascular lesions are uncommon in patients with NF1 and our case highlights an even more rare feature of this form of vascular disease.

[Spontaneous dissection of the internal carotid artery: description of a case with lower cranial nerve palsy]. / Dissezione della carotide interna: descrizione di un caso con paralisi del XII nervo cranico.

Spontaneous dissection of the extracranial internal carotid artery is a well recognized cause of headache and juvenile stroke; lower cranial nerve palsy as a complication of dissection is rare. We report the case of a female patient with bilateral dissecting aneurysm of the internal carotid artery, associated with unilateral cranial nerve XII palsy and oculosympathetic palsy. Neuroradiological findings, in particular those obtained by Magnetic Resonance imaging, allow the identification of the dissecting pathology and the correlation of the aneurysmal formation with nerve palsy.

[Inflammatory bowel disease: possibilities and limits in multidetector computed tomography]. / La malattia infiammatoria intestinale: possibilità e limiti della enteroclisi TC.

Technical advances in computed tomography (CT), including helical CT and multidetector CT, have resulted in an improved ability to evaluate the small intestine. CT examination of the small bowel requires the use of dedicated techniques for optimal evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease in order to select the most appropriate therapeutic strategy for the individual patient and to monitor disease progression over time.Although intraluminal contrast media combined with intravenous iodinated contrast agents with a biphasic injection protocol provide good visualization of the typical lesions of the disease, accurate estimation of the degree of disease activity can only be achieved with nuclear imaging. Owing to continuous technical improvements, magnetic resonance imaging is expected to play an increasing role in the near future. However, in selected patients, three-dimensional endoanal ultrasonography remains the gold standard technique for assessing the anal sphincter and the recto-anal junction.

[Dw-MRI and bone scintigraphy in monitoring radio-therapy response in bone metastases]. / DW-MRI e scintigrafia ossea con difosfonati nella valutazione del trattamento con radioterapia a fasci esterni delle metastasi ossee.

Bone is one of the most common sites of metastatic spread of malignancy, with possible deleterious effects including pain, hypercalcemia, and pathologic fracture. External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) remains the mainstay for treatment of painful bone metastases. Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) has been described as an efficient method to differentiate good and poor responders to radiotherapy in bone metastases patients. The addition of DWI to conventional whole-body MRI sequences enhanced lesion conspicuity and improved diagnostic accuracy. We evaluate bone metastases patients with bone scintigraphy and DW-MRI. With technical optimization, whole-body MRI with DWI, as a nonionizing imaging modality, may potentially be useful as an alternative method to bone scintigraphy in the management of bone metastases.

[Evaluation of the small bowel with computed tomography enteroclysis: technical applications and clinical indications]. / La valutazione del piccolo intestino con radiologia computerizzata: l'enteroclisi TC. Tecnica di esecuzione ed indicazioni cliniche.

CT enteroclysis is an imaging technique that allows better visualization of the small bowel than standard abdomino-pelvic CT. It is more accurate than CT enterography and provides complementary diagnostic information to digestive endoscopy. Multiplanar reconstruction allows better evaluation of the diseases arising from the small bowel wall, or from surrounding organs, resulting in increased accuracy and effectiveness of this imaging technique. CT enteroclysis often enables a comprehensive assessment of small bowel disease, allowing a definite diagnosis and characterization of intestinal bowel disease, or of other related pathological conditions.