0000000001320474
AUTHOR
Francesco Ferraù
showing 16 related works from this author
Adjuvant anastrozole versus exemestane versus letrozole, upfront or after 2 years of tamoxifen, in endocrine-sensitive breast cancer (FATA-GIM3): a r…
2018
Background: Uncertainty exists about the optimal schedule of adjuvant treatment of breast cancer with aromatase inhibitors and, to our knowledge, no trial has directly compared the three aromatase inhibitors anastrozole, exemestane, and letrozole. We investigated the schedule and type of aromatase inhibitors to be used as adjuvant treatment for hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Methods: FATA-GIM3 is a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial of six different treatments in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed invasive hormone receptor-positive breast cancer that had been completely remov…
Pasireotide treatment reduces cardiometabolic risk in Cushingâs disease patients: an Italian, multicenter study
2018
Purpose: Patients with Cushing’s disease (CD) experience metabolic alterations leading to increased cardiovascular mortality. Recently, the visceral adiposity index (VAI) has been proposed as a marker of visceral adipose tissue dysfunction (ATD) and of the related cardiometabolic risk. We aimed to evaluate the impact of 12-month pasireotide treatment on cardiometabolic risk in CD patients. Methods: This is a multicentre, prospective, and observational study. Sixteen CD patients, referred to the Endocrine Units of the University Hospitals of Messina, Napoli, Padova, and Palermo (Italy), successfully treated with pasireotide for 12 month have been enrolled. In all patients, we assessed anthro…
A randomized trial comparing tamoxifen therapy vs. tamoxifen prophylaxis in bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia.
2012
BACKGROUND: Tamoxifen (TAM) has been shown to be active against the bicalutamide-induced breast events (BEs) gynecomastia, and breast pain in patients with prostate cancer (PC). Optimal doses and schedules are not yet established. Debate still exists about whether prophylaxis with TAM is more effective than treatment of BEs when diagnosed. The results of a randomized study comparing TAM prophylaxis vs. TAM therapy are presented. METHODS: One hundred seventy-six patients with prostate cancer (PC) who were candidates for bicalutamide monotherapy were randomized to receive TAM 20 mg daily orally within 1 month from the onset of BEs (arm A) vs. TAM 10 mg daily starting simultaneously with bical…
Adherence, compliance and persistence to oral antineoplastic therapy: a review focused on chemotherapeutic and biologic agents
2011
Introduction: To date, orally administered chemotherapy and biologic agents represent a significant percentage of all antineoplastic treatments in several types of cancer, which are most likely to increase in the near future. In this scenario, the issue of adherence and persistence to oral therapy is a key issue since poor compliance to oral antineoplastic treatments may negatively influence patients' clinical outcomes and, in turn, cause an increase in costs, number of hospitalizations and time spent in the hospital. Areas covered: The issue of adherence to new oral chemotherapeutic and/or biologic agents has not been deeply evaluated and data published in medical literature are quite scar…
Natural History of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Bone Metastases
2015
AbstractWe conducted a large, multicenter, retrospective survey aimed to explore the impact of tumor bone involvement in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.Data on clinical-pathology, skeletal outcomes and bone-directed therapies for 661 deceased patients with evidence of bone metastasis were collected and statistically analyzed. Bone metastases were evident at diagnosis in 57.5% of patients. In the remaining cases median time to bone metastases appearance was 9 months. Biphosphonates were administered in 59.6% of patients. Skeletal-related events were experienced by 57.7% of patients; the most common was the need for radiotherapy. Median time to first skeletal-related event was 6 months. Median su…
Treatment Monitoring Program for Implementation of Adherence to Second-Line Erlotinib for Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
2012
Abstract Background Adherence to erlotinib could be a determinant for clinical outcome and treatment toxicity in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (A-NSCLC). Patients and Methods In an observational study, the Basel Assessment of Adherence Scale (BAAS), a visual analogue scale (VAS), pill counting, and missed appointment rate were used to evaluate adherence in a first cohort of patients who was prescribed erlotinib without a specifically designed management strategy and in a second cohort of patients followed by an oral treatment monitoring program. Results Adherence > 95% by BAAS at 2 months of treatment in the first and second cohorts was 72% and 84%, respectively ( P = .0…
Diabetes Secondary to Acromegaly: Physiopathology, Clinical Features and Effects of Treatment.
2018
Acromegaly is a rare disease due to chronic GH excess and to the consequent increase in IGF-1 levels. Both GH and IGF-1 play a role in intermediate metabolism affecting glucose homeostasis. Indeed, chronic GH excess impairs insulin sensitivity, increases gluconeogenesis, reduces the glucose uptake in adipose tissue and muscle and alters pancreatic β cells function. As a consequence, glucose metabolism alterations are a very frequent complication in acromegaly patients, further contributing to the increased cardiovascular risk and mortality. Treatment modalities of acromegaly differently impact on glucose tolerance. Successful surgical treatment of acromegaly ameliorates glucose metabolism a…
Mitotane Concentrations Influence Outcome in Patients With Advanced Adrenocortical Carcinoma
2020
Mitotane is the main option of treatment for advanced adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). However, limited evidence is available regarding the impact of plasma mitotane levels on patient outcome. To address this question, we retrospectively analyzed patients with advanced ACC treated with mitotane for &ge
Reactions and countermeasures of medical oncologists towards the incoming COVID-19 pandemic: A whatsapp messenger-based report from the Italian colle…
2020
Background This descriptive, unplanned investigation has been undertaken to report reactions, attitudes and countermeasures which have been put in place and implemented by medical oncology units facing the COVID-19 outbreak in Southern Italy. Materials and methods Data have been retrospectively obtained from the time-related analysis of conversations via a WhatsApp messenger-based group chat between the medical directors belonging to the Italian College of Medical Oncology Directors. Overall number, intensity and time trend of conversations related to reactions during the 4 weeks of observation related to the crucial events which occurred between 24 February and 28 March, 2020 2020 are incl…
Natural history of malignant bone disease in non-small cell lung cancer: Preliminary results of a multicenter bone metastasis survey
2013
e19084 Background: Bone metastases represent an increasing clinical problem in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as disease-related survival improves. This is a multicenter, retrospective survey aimed to explore the impact of bone involvement in this severe, life-threatening disease. Methods: Data on clinicopathology, skeletal outcomes, skeletal-related events (SREs), and bone-directed therapies for 421 deceased NSCLC patients (48.6% aged >66 years) with evidence of bone metastasis were statistically analyzed. Results: ECOG performance status at diagnosis of NSCLC was 0 in 41.4% of patients, 1 in 42.8% and 2 in 13.9%. The most frequent stage at diagnosis was IV (76.8%). Adenoc…
Eribulin mesylate use as third-line therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer (VESPRY): a prospective, multicentre, observational study
2019
Background: In real-world practice, eribulin mesylate provides significant survival benefit, with a manageable safety profile in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Methods: In this prospective, open-label, multicentre, observational study we evaluated the effectiveness and tolerability of eribulin as third-line treatment in a homogeneous population. The primary endpoints were the safety profile and response in metastatic sites; secondary endpoints included the response in different subtypes, overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: From 2013 to 2016, 118 women were treated in 21 Sicilian institutions; the …
From microbiota toward gastro-enteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: Are we on the highway to hell?
2020
AbstractGut microbiota is represented by different microorganisms that colonize the intestinal tract, mostly the large intestine, such as bacteria, fungi, archaea and viruses. The gut microbial balance has a key role in several functions. It modulates the host’s metabolism, maintains the gut barrier integrity, participates in the xenobiotics and drug metabolism, and acts as protection against gastro-intestinal pathogens through the host’s immune system modulation. The impaired gut microbiota, called dysbiosis, may be the result of an imbalance in this equilibrium and is linked with different diseases, including cancer. While most of the studies have focused on the association between microb…
Cancer: New Needs, New Models. Is It Time for a Community Oncologist? Another Brick in the Wall
2021
Simple Summary Community care activity in the oncology field does not exist. This unmet need contrasts with the increasing number of patients with a previous diagnosis of cancer. Abstract Over the last few decades, thanks to early detection, effective drugs, and personalized treatments, the natural history of cancer has radically changed. Thanks to these advances, we have observed how survival of cancer patients has increased, becoming an ever more important goal in cancer care. Effective clinical governance of survivorship care is essential to ensure a successful transition between active and post-treatment life, identifying optimization of healthcare outcomes and quality of life for patie…
Prospective validation of a lymphocyte infiltration prognostic test in stage III colon cancer patients treated with adjuvant FOLFOX.
2017
IF 6.029; International audience; BackgroundThe prognostic value of lymphocyte infiltration (LI) of colorectal carcinoma (CC) has been demonstrated by several groups. However, no validated test is currently available for clinical practice. We previously described an automated and reproducible method for testing LI and aimed to validate it for clinical use.Patients and methodsAccording to National Institutes of Health criteria, we designed a prospective validation of this biomarker in patients included in the PETACC8 phase III study. Primary objective was to compare percentage of patients alive and without recurrence at 2 years in patients with high versus low LI (#NCT02364024). Associations…
Corrigendum: Natural History of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Bone Metastases.
2016
We conducted a large, multicenter, retrospective survey aimed to explore the impact of tumor bone involvement in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.Data on clinical-pathology, skeletal outcomes and bone-directed therapies for 661 deceased patients with evidence of bone metastasis were collected and statistically analyzed. Bone metastases were evident at diagnosis in 57.5% of patients. In the remaining cases median time to bone metastases appearance was 9 months. Biphosphonates were administered in 59.6% of patients. Skeletal-related events were experienced by 57.7% of patients; the most common was the need for radiotherapy. Median time to first skeletal-related event was 6 months. Median survival a…
Virtual Multidisciplinary Tumor Board: A Narrative Review Focused on Lung Cancer
2021
Article full text The above summary slide represents the opinions of the authors. For a full list of declarations, including funding and author disclosure statements, please see the full text online (see “read the peer-reviewed publication” opposite). © The authors, CC-BY-NC 2021.