BRAF as a positive predictive biomarker: Focus on lung cancer and melanoma patients
In the era of personalized medicine, BRAF mutational assessment is mandatory in advanced-stage melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The identification of actionable mutations is crucial for the adequate management of these patients. To date various drugs have been implemented in clinical practice. Similarly, various methods may be adopted for the identification of BRAF mutations. Here, we briefly review the current literature on BRAF in melanoma and NSCLC, focusing attention in particular on the different methods and drugs adopted in these patients. In addition, an overview of the real-world practice in different Italian laboratories with high expertise in molecular pre…
In situ transcriptional profile of a germinal center plasmablastic burst hints at MYD88/CD79B mutants-enriched Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphomas
AbstractThe germinal center (GC) reaction results in the selection of B-cells acquiring effector Ig secreting ability by progressing towards plasmablastic differentiation. This transition is associated with exclusion from the GC microenvironment. The aberrant expansion of plasmablastic elements within the GC fringes configures an atypical condition, the biological characteristics of which have not been defined yet. We investigated the in situ immunophenotypical and transcriptional characteristics of a non-clonal germinotropic expansion of plasmablastic elements (GEx) occurring in the tonsil of a young patient. Compared to neighboring GC and peri-follicular regions, the GEx showed a distinct…
Spatial transcriptome of a germinal center plasmablastic burst hints at MYD88/CD79B mutants-enriched diffuse large B-cell lymphomas
The GC reaction results in the selection of B cells acquiring effector Ig secreting ability by progressing toward plasmablastic differentiation. This transition is associated with exclusion from the GC microenvironment. The aberrant expansion of plasmablastic elements within the GC fringes configures an atypical condition, the biological characteristics of which have not been defined yet. We investigated the in situ immunophenotypical and transcriptional characteristics of a nonclonal germinotropic expansion of plasmablastic elements (GEx) occurring in the tonsil of a young patient. Compared to neighboring GC and perifollicular regions, the GEx showed a distinctive signature featuring key r…
Next generation diagnostic algorithm in non-small cell lung cancer predictive molecular pathology: The KWAY Italian multicenter cost evaluation study
Abstract Aims The KWAY project aims to investigate the economic sustainability of the up-front NGS technologies adoption in the analysis of clinically relevant molecular alterations in NSCLC patients. Methods The diagnostic workflow and the related sustained costs of five Italian referral centers were assessed in four different evolving scenarios were analyzed. For each scenario, two alternative testing strategies were evaluated: the Maximized Standard strategy and the Maximized NGS strategy. Results For each center, the robustness of obtained results was verified through a deterministic sensitivity analysis, observing the variation of total costs based on a variation of ±20 % of the input …