Implementation of a virtual multicenter gastrointestinal tumor board to reduce cancer disparities in Argentina.

Given the increasing complexity of cancer care, multidisciplinary tumor boards have become essential in daily clinical oncology practice. The Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) initiative developed an innovative telementoring model using a "hub and spoke" design consisting of a team of experts (hub) that offers a full service to multiple participants (the spokes) during regularly scheduled sessions discussing patients' clinical cases. The Alexander Fleming Cancer Institute in Buenos Aires was the first hub in Latin America to implement Project ECHO for gastrointestinal tumors. In our 3-year experience, 80 patients from 37 centers were evaluated within Project ECHO and a range of three to five cases were discussed in each meeting. From our perspective, the impact of this novel approach was a remarkable strategy to reduce care disparities by equalizing access to high-quality medical knowledge in a multidisciplinary environment for medical discussions. Additionally, it was shown to have a cost-effective impact directly on the patients and the local health system, since relevant costs were saved after unnecessary treatments, studies and travel expenses were avoided.

Prognostic impact of K-RAS mutational status and primary tumor location in patients undergoing resection for colorectal cancer liver metastases: an update.

Aim: To determine the impact of KRAS mutation status on survival in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). Patients & methods: Patients with resected CLM and KRAS mutations. Survival was compared between mt-KRAS and wt-KRAS. Results: Of 662 patients, 174 (26.3%) were mt-KRAS and 488 (73.7%) wt-KRAS. mt-KRAS patients had significantly lower recurrence-free survival (HR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.10-1.84). There were no differences between the groups for sidedness. Poorer survival was associated with mt-KRAS with positive lymph nodes, >1 metastases, tumors >5 cm, synchronous tumors and R1-R2. Conclusion: KRAS mutation status can help predict recurrence-free survival. Primary tumor location was not a prognostic factor after resection. KRAS mutation status can help design a multidisciplinary approach after curative resection of CLM.

Phenotypic and Functional Dysregulated Blood NK Cells in Colorectal Cancer Patients Can Be Activated by Cetuximab Plus IL-2 or IL-15.

The clinical outcome of colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with the immune response; thus, these tumors could be responsive to different immune therapy approaches. Natural killer (NK) cells are key antitumor primary effectors that can eliminate CRC cells without prior immunization. We previously determined that NK cells from the local tumor environment of CRC tumors display a profoundly altered phenotype compared with circulating NK cells from healthy donors (HD). In this study, we evaluated peripheral blood NK cells from untreated patients and their possible role in metastasis progression. We observed profound deregulation in receptor expression even in early stages of disease compared with HD. CRC-NK cells displayed underexpression of CD16, NKG2D, DNAM-1, CD161, NKp46, and NKp30 activating receptors, while inhibitory receptors CD85j and NKG2A were overexpressed. This inhibited phenotype affected cytotoxic functionality against CRC cells and interferon-γ production. We also determined that NKp30 and NKp46 are the key receptors involved in detriment of CRC-NK cells' antitumor activity. Moreover, NKp46 expression correlated with relapse-free survival of CRC patients with a maximum follow-up of 71 months. CRC-NK cells also exhibited altered antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity function responding poorly to cetuximab. IL-2 and IL-15 in combination with cetuximab stimulated NK cell, improving cytotoxicity. These results show potential strategies to enhance CRC-NK cell activity.

Non-surgical management of rectal cancer. Series of 68 cases, long follow up in two leading centres in Argentina.

BACKGROUND: The non-surgical management in a selected group of rectal cancer patients has shown promising results with adequate follow up. AIMS: describing the results of the non-surgical management in patients with complete clinical response, with a close follow up. METHODS: Between 2006 and 2015, patients with rectal cancer, stages I-III, without metastasis, treated with neoadjuvant CRT/CT, who had clinical complete response were included. CCR was defined through digital palpation, endoscopy-based criteria and MRI. Follow up was set according to institutional guidelines. RESULTS: 68 patients were included. Initial stage was assessed with MRI in 55/68 pts and EUS 11/68. Considering the recurrence risk factors 57.6% (29/68) were T2-3ab N0, 3.3% (2/68) were T4N0, 29% (20/68) were T3-4 N1-2, with 39.7% with positive MRC. Mean distance to the anal margin was 3cm. Chemoradiation included radiotherapy at 50.4cGy, and concurrent capecitabine. In 22% a fluoropirimidine and oxaliplatin-based schema was used as induction therapy. Median follow up was 37.5 months and response assessment time 9 weeks (5-19). Eleven patients recurred, 6 endoluminally, 3 developed mesorectal recurrence, and two distant failure. Five years DFS and OS were 76.3% and 93.8%. CONCLUSIONS: conservative management was feasible with close follow up in leading cancer centres. In this series, DFS and OS were comparable to the data already reported in the literature.

Biopsia del ganglio centinela: su importancia en el tratamiento del melanoma localizado / Identification of the \"sentinel node\" in patients with localized melanoma

Se describen los resultados obtenidos en la identificación del ganglio centinela en doce pacientes con melanoma localizado (estadío I y II) tratados entre Diciembre de 1994 y Abril de 1995. Se detalla la técnica utilizada combinando la inyección intradérmica de Azul Patente con una linfografía isotópica. En todos los casos se pudo identificar el ganglio, presentando uno de ellos micrometástasis. La biopsia del ganglio centinela parecería ser una forma lógica de indicar vaciamientos selectivos. La técnica utilizada permite acortar la curva de aprendizaje, reducir costos y morbilidad

Biopsia del ganglio centinela: su importancia en el tratamiento del melanoma localizado / Identification of the "sentinel node" in patients with localized melanoma

Se describen los resultados obtenidos en la identificación del ganglio centinela en doce pacientes con melanoma localizado (estadío I y II) tratados entre Diciembre de 1994 y Abril de 1995. Se detalla la técnica utilizada combinando la inyección intradérmica de Azul Patente con una linfografía isotópica. En todos los casos se pudo identificar el ganglio, presentando uno de ellos micrometástasis. La biopsia del ganglio centinela parecería ser una forma lógica de indicar vaciamientos selectivos. La técnica utilizada permite acortar la curva de aprendizaje, reducir costos y morbilidad (AU)