LDCT-based lung cancer screening and small cell lung cancer: Limited but non-negligible impact on survival. A brief report

Research Article

Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT)-based lung cancer screening (LCS) seems to have very limited impact on small cell lung cancer (SCLC) outcomes. This study aims at describing frequency and outcomes of SCLC in a large LCS population.
Patients diagnosed with SCLC among the total population enrolled in three different trials (n = 7473) were selected for the present analysis.

From intravenous to subcutaneous pertuzumab/trastuzumab in breast cancer: Clinical and pharmacoeconomic drivers and barriers to switching

Research Article

Patients with HER2+ breast cancer (BC) can receive pertuzumab/trastuzumab (PT) subcutaneous (SC) or intravenous (IV) with similar efficacy. This study explores patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) perceptions post-PT-SC implementation, alongside a pharmacoeconomic analysis.
This multicentre observational study included semi-structured interviews with HER2+ BC patients (SC or IV) and HCPs from six Lombardy (Italy) BC units plus a pharmacoeconomic analysis of organisational and cost impact. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to identify key themes: safety perception, treatment comfort, and trust issues.

Letrozole for hormone receptor–positive low-grade ovarian cancer: Preliminary toxicity results of a phase III trial

Research Article

Epidemiological and retrospective studies suggest that letrozole may improve outcomes in low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary (LGSCO) by targeting estrogen-driven tumor progression.
We designed a multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III trial to compare letrozole versus standard chemotherapy (carboplatin plus paclitaxel) in prolonging progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), quality of life (MENQoL), and musculoskeletal pain (BPI-SF).

Volume 111 Issue 6, December 2025

Research Article

Read the latest issue. It contains the following articles:
The use of bone-modifying agents in early breast cancer: AIOM Guidelines update and perspectives
Delphi Study on the creation of a Committee of patients, caregivers, and representatives of patient associations
The e-BRAVE study: A prospective web-based cohort and biobank of women carriers of BRCA mutations
An indirect approach to identify the healthcare services for thyroid and melanoma cancer patients in Italy: Epicost-2 project
Association of APOC1 levels and nutritional indices with clinicopathological features and prognostic value in patients with DLBCL
Predicting severe toxicity after head-and-neck cancer RT: Validation of the synergist role of a biological marker and dosimetry
Effects of uniportal 3D video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy on postoperative pain and immune function in patients with NSCLC
Medication-related jaw osteonecrosis in metastatic RCC treated with VEGFR-TKIs ± IO and bone agents: A real-world analysis

Abdominal specimen retrieval in endometrial cancer patients with large uteri

Research Article

Endometrial cancer surgery has a low risk of specimen fragmentation, but removing large uteri can be challenging. This study aimed to assess whether the use of minilaparotomic incision for specimen retrieval compromises the benefits of minimally invasive surgery in endometrial cancer patients with a large uterus or utero-vaginal discrepancy.
This is a retrospective multi-institutional study, including endometrial cancer patients with FIGO 2009 clinical stage I–II, undergoing minimally invasive staging surgery (laparoscopic or robot-assisted) followed by minilaparotomic specimen retrieval. A propensity-matched algorithm was used to compare outcomes of minimally invasive staging with open surgery.

Two years after the reform of Italian Ethics Committees: Time for reflection

Editorial

The recent reform of Italian Ethics Committees (ECs), formalized between 2022 and 2023, aimed to streamline ethical oversight in clinical research by transitioning from a fragmented local system to a coordinated national framework. The new structure includes 40 Territorial Ethics Committees (CETs) and three National Committees (CENs), under the supervision of the National Coordination Centre (CCNCE). While the reform aligned Italy with European Regulation (EU) No 536/2014, significant implementation gaps remain.

Postoperative radiotherapy for stage IV breast cancer following primary tumor removal: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Review Article

De novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) is diagnosed when breast cancer has spread at presentation and accounts for 5–10% of cases. The benefit of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after primary tumor surgery in this setting remains uncertain.
We conducted a review and meta-analysis of observational studies published between 2013 and 2024. Two databases (PubMed and Embase) were searched and the review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

A phase II study of nivolumab plus metformin in pre-treated metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients: NivoMet TWINS-GU002 Study

Research Article

This study evaluates the activity of nivolumab plus metformin in pre-treated metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients.
The NivoMet TWINS-GU002 Study was a prospective, multicentre, single-arm, phase II trial conducted in pre-treated mRCC patients eligible for nivolumab and without diabetes mellitus. Patients received nivolumab (240 mg every two weeks) plus metformin (500 mg orally twice a day) until disease progression.