Baseline characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients infected with sars-cov-2 in the lombardy region, italy (Aiom-l corona): A multicenter, observational, ambispective, cohort study

Cancer patients may be at high risk of infection and poor outcomes related to SARS-CoV2. Analyzing their prognosis, examining the effects of baseline characteristics and systemic anticancer active therapy (SACT) are critical to their management through the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. The AIOM-L CORONA was a multicenter, observational, ambispective, cohort study, with the intended participation of 26 centers in the Lombardy region (Italy). A total of 231 cases were included between March and September 2020. The median age was 68 years; 151 patients (62.2%) were receiving SACT, mostly chemotherapy. During a median follow-up of 138 days (range 12\u2013218), 93 events occurred. Age 6560 years, metastatic dissemination, dyspnea, desaturation, and interstitial pneumonia were all independent mortality predictors. Overall SACT had a neutral effect (Odds Ratio [OR] 0.83, 95%Confidence Interval [95%CI] 0.32\u20132.15); however, metastatic patients receiving SACT were less likely to die as compared to untreated counterparts, after adjusting for other confounding variables (OR 0.23, 95%CI 0.11\u20130.51, p < 0.001). Among cancer patients infected by SARSCoV-2, those with metastases were most at risk of death, especially in the absence of SACT. During the ongoing pandemic, these vulnerable patients should avoid exposure to SARS-CoV-2, while treatment adjustments and prioritizing vaccination are being considered according to international recommendations

HER2/neu: an increasingly important therapeutic target. Part 2: Distribution of HER2/neu overexpression and gene amplification by organ, tumor site and histology

No biological molecule in the field of oncology has been more extensively or more successfully targeted for therapeutic intent than the product of the c-erbB2 gene, HER2/neu. This is the second of a comprehensive three-part review of the foundation for and therapeutic targeting of HER2/neu. The distribution of HER2/neu overexpression and/or gene amplification by individual tumor sites and histologies will be comprehensively surveyed and described. This provides a bridge between the primarily basic science focused Part I, and the survey of clinical applications to follow in Part III. In combination, this comprehensive survey will identify opportunities and promising areas for future evaluation of HER2/neu-targeted therapies, highlighting the importance of HER2/neu as an increasingly important therapeutic target