Historical Photogrammetry and Terrestrial Laser Scanning for the 3d Virtual Reconstruction of Destroyed Structures: a Case Study in Italy

The current dramatic episodes of destruction of archaeological sites have again highlighted the problem of the safeguarding the threatened heritage and, if possible, recovering those damaged by all the armed conflicts of the past. The historical photogrammetry offers the possibility to recover a posteriori the geometrical and material properties of destroyed structures, reconstructing their 3D model to document, study and maintain their memory, until to support their real anastylosis. The presented work is about the 3D reconstruction of the civic tower of the little town of Sant'Alberto, near the city of Ravenna, Italy. The tower, as a symbol of resistance and pride of the town's population, was destroyed in December 1944 by German troops in retaliation, when they were forced to leave the area. A city committee has subsequently collected all the historical evidence concerning the tower, including a series of photographic images that can be used for the photogrammetric reconstruction; the images calibration and orientation have been solved using the geometric information derived by a terrestrial laser scanner survey realized in the area where the tower was originally located. Despite the scarcity and very poor quality of the available images, the conducted photogrammetric procedure has allowed a complete and qualitatively satisfying object reconstruction, also thanks to the use of geometric constraint tools offered by the chosen software. The integration between the obtained model of the old tower and the 3D TLS survey of the square made it possible to reconstruct the ancient situation of the area

Expression of apoptosis-related markers and clinical outcome in patients with advanced colorectal cancer

The clinical relevance of bax and bcl-2 protein expression has been investigated in 84 patients with recurrent or metastatic colorectal cancer submitted to a chemotherapy regimen including methotrexate and fluorouracil/leucovorin. Cytoplasmic immunostaining of bax and bcl-2 was present in 65.5% and 38%, respectively, of the tumours. No association was found between bax and bcl-2 or between p53 and bax or bcl-2 protein expression. Moreover, the biomarkers were unrelated to patient and tumour characteristics known to affect the clinical outcome of colorectal cancer patients. In general, the apoptosis-related markers did not appear indicative of short- and long-term clinical response nor of prognosis. Bcl-2-negative lesions were more frequent among patients who reached an objective clinical response, which is in agreement with previously reported data regarding other tumour types. When the interrelationship between p53 and bax expression was examined, a better response rate (40%) was found for patients whose tumours did not express p53 and bax, and a better prognosis (2-year probability of overall survival 75%) for patients with p53-positive and bax-negative tumours. In the present series of patients with advanced colorectal cancer submitted to systemic chemotherapy we did not find a clear association between expression of apoptosis-related markers and clinical outcome, even in the subset of patients in which the apoptotic index as determined by the TUNEL approach was investigated. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING FOR THE 3D VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF DESTROYED STRUCTURES: A CASE STUDY IN ITALY

The current dramatic episodes of destruction of archaeological sites have again highlighted the problem of the safeguarding the threatened heritage and, if possible, recovering those damaged by all the armed conflicts of the past. The historical photogrammetry offers the possibility to recover a posteriori the geometrical and material properties of destroyed structures, reconstructing their 3D model to document, study and maintain their memory, until to support their real anastylosis. The presented work is about the 3D reconstruction of the civic tower of the little town of Sant’Alberto, near the city of Ravenna, Italy. The tower, as a symbol of resistance and pride of the town's population, was destroyed in December 1944 by German troops in retaliation, when they were forced to leave the area. A city committee has subsequently collected all the historical evidence concerning the tower, including a series of photographic images that can be used for the photogrammetric reconstruction; the images calibration and orientation have been solved using the geometric information derived by a terrestrial laser scanner survey realized in the area where the tower was originally located. Despite the scarcity and very poor quality of the available images, the conducted photogrammetric procedure has allowed a complete and qualitatively satisfying object reconstruction, also thanks to the use of geometric constraint tools offered by the chosen software. The integration between the obtained model of the old tower and the 3D TLS survey of the square made it possible to reconstruct the ancient situation of the area

Prognosis of selected triple negative apocrine breast cancer patients who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy

Background: Triple negative breast cancer encompasses several biological entities with different outcomes and is a priority to identify which patients require more treatment to reduce the risk of recurrence and which patients need less treatment. Patients and methods: Among the 210 women with first primary invasive apocrine non metastatic breast cancer operated on between January 1998 and December 2016 at the European Institute Oncology, Milan, we identified 24 patients with a pT1-pT2, node-negative, triple negative subtype and Ki-67 64 20% who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (CT). We compared the outcome of this cohort with a similar group of 24 patients with ductal tumors who received adjuvant chemotherapy, matched by pathological stage and biological features and also with a similar group of 12 patients with apocrine tumors who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: The median age was 64 and 61 years in the apocrine (w/o CT) and ductal group, respectively. The median value of Ki-67 expression was 12% in the apocrine group (w/o CT) and 16% in the ductal group (p < 0.001). After a median follow-up of 7.5 years, no patients in the apocrine group (w/o CT) experienced a breast cancer related event compared with 4 events in the ductal carcinoma group (Gray test p-value = 0.11). Conclusions: The outcome of selected apocrine triple negative breast cancer patients who did not received adjuvant chemotherapy is excellent and supports a treatment de-escalation. Multicenter projects focusing on the possibility of avoiding adjuvant chemotherapy in selected subtypes of triple negative breast cancers with favorable outcome are warranted

Patients' preferences for adjuvant endocrine therapy in early breast cancer: what makes it worthwhile?

Adjuvant endocrine therapy improves recurrence and survival rates, but has side effects and is inconvenient. The aim of this study was to determine the preferences of premenopausal women who had adjuvant endocrine therapy in a randomised trial. In all, 85 (or eighty-five) women completed semistructured interviews 6–30 months after finishing adjuvant endocrine therapy. Hypothetical scenarios based on known potential survival times (5 or 15 years) and rates (60% or 80% at 5 years) without adjuvant endocrine therapy were used to determine the smallest gains women judged necessary to make their adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile. Although a third of the women considered gains of 1% in survival rates or 6 months in survival times sufficient to make their adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile, more than half the women required gains of at least 5% in survival rates or 3 years in survival time as necessary to make adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile. Larger benefits were required by women who had longer treatment, worse side effects, and by those who were treated with goserelin alone. The route of administration (tablet vs injection) did not affect preferences and some women judged small benefits sufficient to make their adjuvant endocrine therapy worthwhile, but many women required larger benefits than their counterparts in similar studies of preferences for adjuvant chemotherapy

CA15-3 and alkaline phosphatase as predictors for breast cancer recurrence: a combined analysis of seven International Breast Cancer Study Group trials

Background: We evaluated the ability of CA15-3 and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to predict breast cancer recurrence. Patients and methods: Data from seven International Breast Cancer Study Group trials were combined. The primary end point was relapse-free survival (RFS) (time from randomization to first breast cancer recurrence), and analyses included 3953 patients with one or more CA15-3 and ALP measurement during their RFS period. CA15-3 was considered abnormal if >30 U/ml or >50% higher than the first value recorded; ALP was recorded as normal, abnormal, or equivocal. Cox proportional hazards models with a time-varying indicator for abnormal CA15-3 and/or ALP were utilized. Results: Overall, 784 patients (20%) had a recurrence, before which 274 (35%) had one or more abnormal CA15-3 and 35 (4%) had one or more abnormal ALP. Risk of recurrence increased by 30% for patients with abnormal CA15-3 [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.30; P = 0.0005], and by 4% for those with abnormal ALP (HR = 1.04; P = 0.82). Recurrence risk was greatest for patients with either (HR = 2.40; P < 0.0001) and with both (HR = 4.69; P < 0.0001) biomarkers abnormal. ALP better predicted liver recurrence. Conclusions: CA15-3 was better able to predict breast cancer recurrence than ALP, but use of both biomarkers together provided a better early indicator of recurrence. Whether routine use of these biomarkers improves overall survival remains an open questio

Perioperative serum VEGF and extracellular domains of EGFR and HER2 in early breast cancer

Background: The prognostic role of serum levels of molecular biomarkers during the perioperative period in patients with early breast cancer is not clear. Patients and Methods: Serum VEGF and extracellular domains (ECD) of EGFR and HER2 were prospectively determined in 119 consecutive patients with early breast cancer on the day before and after surgery. Results: After a median follow-up of 93 months, the preoperative value and the absolute change from pre- to postoperative serum levels of VEGF and HER2 ECD did not predict disease-free survival (DFS). A decrease after surgery of EGFR ECD correlated with a statistically significant lower DFS; each 1 ng/ml decrease in EGFR ECD serum level was associated with an increase of event risk of 15% on multivariable analysis (hazard ratio 1.15 95% confidence interval 1.04.-1.28, p=0.006). Conclusion: The perioperative absolute change of EGFR ECD significantly correlated with disease outcome of patients with early breast cancer. No correlation was found between preoperative and perioperative absolute change of serum VEGF and HER2 ECD

Adjuvant endocrine therapy for premenopausal women with early breast cancer

Adjuvant endocrine therapy is a pivotal component of treatment for premenopausal women with early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Currently, the standard endocrine therapy for premenopausal women is tamoxifen; a role for ovarian suppression or ablation has also been identified. Uncertainty remains about the optimal use of endocrine therapy in this setting. The role of ovarian suppression with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor, the optimal duration of adjuvant endocrine therapy and the utility of biomarkers and pharmacogenetic studies to select therapy are questions worthy of further investigation

Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in combination with low-dose metronomic cyclophosphamide as preoperative treatment for patients with locally advanced breast cancer

AIM: To evaluate the role of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin with low-dose metronomic cyclophosphamide as primary systemic treatment in locally advanced breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The activity and safety of intravenous pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 20 mg sqm(-1) biweekly for eight courses in combination with metronomic cyclophosphamide 50 mg day(-1) orally were evaluated in 29 patients with locally advanced breast cancer who were not suitable to receive a standard chemotherapy due to age or co-morbidities or who asked for a regimen with low incidence of toxic effects irrespective of age. RESULTS: The rate of breast-conserving surgery was 44.8%. Eighteen patients (62.1%) achieved a partial response (including one pathological complete response), 10 (34.5%) a stable disease and one patient experienced a progressive disease. Treatment was well tolerated, with no grade 4 toxicities, and with grade 3 skin toxicity in three patients and hand-foot syndrome in four patients. CONCLUSION: The regimen was well tolerated but with limited activity in the preoperative setting. Other options (e.g., endocrine therapy in estrogen receptor -positive disease) should be considered in locally advanced breast cancer patients who are not suitable to receive a standard chemotherapy

Outcomes of patients with breast cancer who present with ipsilateral supraclavicular or internal mammary lymph node metastases

BACKGROUND: The prognostic implications of internal mammary (IM) and supraclavicular (SC) node involvement in locally advanced breast cancer is still unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated 107 patients with IM (n = 65) or SC (n = 42) node involvement who underwent operation at the European Institute of Oncology between 1997 and 2009 to assess their prognostic features. We subsequently analyzed matched cohorts, using the 107 patients as cases and another group of patients as a control cohort, to evaluate prognostic differences between patients with and those without IM or SC node involvement. RESULTS: Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 84% in IM vs. 38.8% in SC node involvement (P < .0001), and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 96.9% in IM node vs. 57.1% in SC node involvement (P < .0001). No difference in outcome was found between patients with and controls without IM node involvement. Conversely, a statistically significant difference in DFS and locoregional recurrence was observed in patients with SC node involvement compared with controls without SC node involvement. CONCLUSION: SC node involvement correlated with a significantly poorer outcome in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Adequate staging, including biopsy of suspicious locoregional ipsilateral lymph nodes, is mandatory in these patients. Patients with IM or SC node involvement should be treated with curative intent using combined-modality treatments