Introducción a la geología de la provincia de Cádiz

La ausencia, en el momento actual, de una síntesis sobre la geología de la provincia de Cádiz, que recogiera la documentación geológica existente sobre la misma, junto al interés y el deseo de los autores de poder comunicar los conocimientos y experiencias adquiridas a lo largo de un dilatado periodo de tiempo, durante el que alguno de los cuales ha realizado trabajos de investigación en la región, han sido las causas motrices para la elaboración de este libro. Su objetivo no es otro que sintetizar las características geológicas principales de la provincia en un manual, que facilite su comprensión por parte de un público no especializado, ya que en la actualidad esto resulta difícil, dado que, a pesar de la gran cantidad de estudios y publicaciones existentes, éstos se encuentran dispersos en revistas especializadas, tesis doctorales, etc., que, en la mayoría de los casos, son difíciles de conseguir, y abordan estudios sobre zonas o aspectos concretos, a menudo escritos en lenguas extranjeras

Frequency and Characteristics of familial melanoma in Spain: the FAM-GEM-1 Study.

Familial history of melanoma is a well-known risk factor for the disease, and 7% melanoma patients were reported to have a family history of melanoma. Data relating to the frequency and clinical and pathological characteristics of both familial and non-familial melanoma in Spain have been published, but these only include patients from specific areas of Spain and do not represent the data for the whole of Spain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An observational study conducted by the Spanish Group of Melanoma (GEM) analyzed the family history of patients diagnosed with melanoma between 2011 and 2013 in the dermatology and oncology departments. RESULTS: In all, 1047 patients were analyzed, and 69 (6.6%) fulfilled criteria for classical familial melanoma (two or more first-degree relatives diagnosed with melanoma). Taking into account other risk factors for familial melanoma, such as multiple melanoma, pancreatic cancer in the family or second-degree relatives with melanoma, the number of patients fulfilling the criteria increased to 165 (15.8%). Using a univariate analysis, we determined that a Breslow index of less than 1 mm, negative mitosis, multiple melanoma, and a history of sunburns in childhood were more frequent in familial melanoma patients, but a multivariate analysis revealed no differences in any pathological or clinical factor between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to that observed in other countries, familial melanoma accounts for 6.6% of melanoma diagnoses in Spain. Although no differences in the multivariate analysis were found, some better prognosis factors, such as Breslow index, seem more frequent in familial melanoma, which reflect a better early detection marker and/or a different biological behavior

Tumor and Microenvironment Evolution during Immunotherapy with Nivolumab.

The mechanisms by which immune checkpoint blockade modulates tumor evolution during therapy are unclear. We assessed genomic changes in tumors from 68 patients with advanced melanoma, who progressed on ipilimumab or were ipilimumab-naive, before and after nivolumab initiation (CA209-038 study). Tumors were analyzed by whole-exome, transcriptome, and/or T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing. In responding patients, mutation and neoantigen load were reduced from baseline, and analysis of intratumoral heterogeneity during therapy demonstrated differential clonal evolution within tumors and putative selection against neoantigenic mutations on-therapy. Transcriptome analyses before and during nivolumab therapy revealed increases in distinct immune cell subsets, activation of specific transcriptional networks, and upregulation of immune checkpoint genes that were more pronounced in patients with response. Temporal changes in intratumoral TCR repertoire revealed expansion of T cell clones in the setting of neoantigen loss. Comprehensive genomic profiling data in this study provide insight into nivolumab\u27s mechanism of action

Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics as tools in cancer therapy

Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics (PGx) are rapidly growing fields that aim to elucidate the genetic basis for the interindividual differences in drug response. PGx approaches have been applied to many anticancer drugs in an effort to identify relevant inherited or acquired genetic variations that may predict patient response to chemotherapy and targeted therapies. In this article, we discuss the advances in the field of cancer pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, driven by the recent technological advances and new revolutionary massive sequencing technologies and their application to elucidate the genetic bases for interindividual drug response and the development of biomarkers able to personalize drug treatments. Specifically, we present recent progress in breast cancer molecular classifiers, cell-free circulating DNA as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in cancer, patient-derived tumor xenograft models, chronic lymphocytic leukemia genomic landscape, and current pharmacogenetic advances in colorectal cancer. This review is based on the lectures presented by the speakers of the symposium >Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics as Tools in Cancer Therapy> from the VII Conference of the Spanish Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Society (SEFF), held in Madrid (Spain) on April 21, 2015.AERV is supported by a grant from the Fundación Ramón Areces.Peer Reviewe

Recent Therapeutic Advances and Change in Treatment Paradigm of Patients with Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive, primary cutaneous neuroendocrine tumor that typically presents as an indurated nodule on sun‐exposed areas of the head and neck in the white population. Major risk factors include immunosuppression, UV light exposure, and advanced age. Up to 80% of MCC are associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus. About 50% of patients present with localized disease, and surgical resection with or without adjuvant radiotherapy is generally indicated in this context. However, recurrence rates are high and overall prognosis rather poor, with mortality rates of 33%–46%. MCC is a chemosensitive disease, but responses in the advanced setting are seldom durable and not clearly associated with improved survival. Several recent trials with checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, avelumab, nivolumab) have shown very promising results with a favorable safety profile, in both chemonaïve and pretreated patients. In 2017, avelumab was approved by several regulatory agencies for the treatment of metastatic MCC, the first drug to be approved for this orphan disease. More recently, pembrolizumab has also been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in this setting. Immunotherapy has therefore become the new standard of care in advanced MCC. This article reviews current evidence and recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of MCC and discusses recent therapeutic advances and their implications for care in patients with advanced disease. This consensus statement is the result of a collaboration between the Spanish Cooperative Group for Neuroendocrine Tumors, the Spanish Group of Treatment on Head and Neck Tumors, and the Spanish Melanoma Group.Merck KGaA and Pfizer financially supported medical writer assistance and should also be acknowledged

Diffuse dermal mucinosis secondary to colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor monoclonal antibody treatment: A novel and peculiar drug-induced diffuse cutaneous mucinosis

Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitors represent a new class of immune-modulatory drugs, mostly investigated in clinical trials in different malignant neoplasms. Four patients, diagnosed with recurrent or advanced malignant neoplasm and treated with a combination of anti-programmed death ligand 1 and anti-CSF1R monoclonal antibodies, developed an asymptomatic cutaneous eruption characterized by an ill-defined pseudoedematous to waxy diffuse infiltration with a reticular cobblestone-like pattern. Histopathological examination revealed diffuse mucin deposition involving the superficial and mid-dermis with fragmented and scattered elastic fibers. The exact pathogenic mechanisms implicated in the development of mucin deposits in patients treated with CSF1R inhibitors remain to be elucidated. A reduced degradation and clearance of components of the extracellular matrix by macrophages secondary to CSF1 pathway inhibition may be hypothesized. Shredding and fragmentation of elastic fibers may be a result of the increased accumulation of mucopolysaccharides. This observation illustrates the new spectrum of skin-related toxicities secondary to new targeting therapies. This may contribute to a better understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms in skin diseases characterized by a persistent dermal glycosaminoglycan deposition

Assessment of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and K-Ras Mutation Status in Cytological Stained Smears of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Correlation with Clinical Outcomes

EGFR and K-ras mutation status was determined from tumor DNA extracted from cytological samples from non-small cell lung cancer patients, with results comparable with those from biopsy samples. Clinical outcomes of patients harboring mutations and their response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy are also discussed