Cell–cell fusion as a potential target in cancer therapy

In the fight against cancer, new and more specific targets are needed. Here, we offer an example of a potential target that has not been widely studied, namely the syncytin protein. Syncytin is expressed mainly in the human placenta and is implicated in placental syncytiotrophoblast cell fusion. Not much is known about the role of syncytin in cancer, but the existing data call for more intense research. Its retroviral origin and particular tissue distribution make syncytin an interesting potential target in cancer therapy

PSA Decrease with Fulvestrant Acetate in a Hormone-Resistant Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patient: A Case Report

Metastatic prostate cancer is an incurable disease. After a period of hormone sensitivity that allows for the use of antiandrogens, the disease invariably progresses to a situation of androgen-independent growth, which deserves the consideration or the use of chemotherapy. As many of these patients are elderly and fragile, treatment with chemotherapy is challenging. Therefore, new drugs are required. Preclinical evidence supports the role of estrogen receptor (ER) signaling in prostate cancer. In this paper, we report the first published evidence of PSA control in a patient with metastatic prostate cancer treated with fulvestrant acetate

Amelanotic Anorectal Malignant Melanoma: Case Report with Immunohistochemical Study and Literature Review

Epithelioid cell tumors presenting in the gastrointestinal tract are uncommon, but when they arise, arriving at a correct diagnosis is important. We report a case of anal malignant melanoma in an 82-year-old man who microscopically showed an epithelioid malignant tumor simulating a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. C-kit stain and Melan-A were diffusely and strongly positive, while HMB-45 was focally positive. This case illustrates the potential pitfall of relying on a single antibody or inadequate panel of immunohistochemical stains to confirm the diagnosis. We recommend to apply an adequate immunohistochemical panel which includes S-100 protein, HMB-45 and Melan-A in order to make an accurate diagnosis, and discuss the differential diagnosis and surgical treatment modalities

Oral ethinylestradiol in castration resistent prostate cancer: 10 year experience

To describe our 10-year experience with the use of oral ethinylestradiol in the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. METHODS: From February 2000 to April 2010, 116 patients with a metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer were prospectively submitted to oral ethinylestradiol monotherapy. Inclusion criteria were: diagnosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer after failure of at least two lines of androgen deprivation therapy and radiological evidence of metastases. Exclusion criteria were: symptomatic cases with a European Cooperative Oncology Group score >2 and severe or uncontrolled cardiovascular diseases. At inclusion in the study, all patients discontinued the previous androgen deprivation therapy and started oral ethinylestradiol at the daily dose of 1 mg. Aspirin (100 mg/daily) was concomitantly given. RESULTS: The median ethinylestradiol therapy duration was 15.9 months (range 8-36 months), whereas the median follow up of patients was 28 months (range 13-36 months). During ethinylestradiol therapy, a confirmed prostate-specific antigen response was found in 79 patients (70.5%). The median time to prostate-specific antigen progression was 15.10 months (95% confidence interval 13.24-18.76 months). A toxicity requiring treatment cessation was observed in 26 patients (23.2%) at a median time of 16 months (mainly thromboembolism). CONCLUSIONS: Our 10-year experience shows that ethinylestradiol provides a prostate-specific antigen response in a high percentage of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Cardiovascular toxicity can be managed through accurate patient selection, close follow up and a concomitant anticoagulation therapy

Final Report of the First Refractory Germ Cell Tumor Treated with Sunitinib Malate

Patients with advanced germ cell tumors can be cured with cisplatin-based chemotherapy, but the outcome remains unsatisfactory for patients with relapsed disease, including those patients with refractory disease after bone marrow transplantation. Targeted therapies have changed the standard of care for many advanced solid tumors. We have identified, in the literature, potential targets for the treatment of refractory germ cell tumors, and applied to a patient with a refractory disease. We chose sunitinib for this purpose. To our knowledge, this is the first case to be treated with sunitinib, and we have found a promising activity

The Acoustic and Cultural Heritage of the Banda Primitiva de Llíria Theater: Objective and Subjective Evaluation

[EN] La Banda Primitiva is one of Europe's most notable symphonic civic bands. Located in Ll & iacute;ria (Val & egrave;ncia, Spain), part of the UNESCO creative cities network, its theater was designed by Joaqu & iacute;n Rieta, one of the most relevant Valencian architects of the twentieth century. This study analyses the current state of the theater, its relevance to the town's cultural heritage, and how it has evolved over the years in terms of its acoustic performance. The objective is to understand how the theater's acoustics have evolved over the years and to unveil the reasons behind the preference of the regular audience for specific areas of the venue, considering if these tendencies are influenced by tradition rather than the current auditory experience. The theater's acoustics were studied with objective and subjective parameters. The objective parameters were assessed by conducting on-site measurements and ray-tracing simulations. One hundred and three musicians answered a survey of auralizations to evaluate subjective acoustic parameters. Three musical pieces were recorded in an anechoic chamber and convoluted by the impulse response of the venue at different positions to obtain the auralizations. The results show that the objective acoustic parameters do not differ significantly. Overall, the reverberation time was longer before the renovation. Regarding subjective testing, the sample only shows a subtle tendency (57%) towards preferring seats on the second balcony. For that reason, it can be concluded that there is no evidence to support the claim that the seats located on the second balcony have better acoustics than those in the stalls.A.Q.-G. gratefully acknowledges receiving funding from the Spanish Ministry of Universities and the Polytechnic University of Valencia under the 'Plan de Recuperacion Transformacion y Resiliencia' (investment funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU).Pérez-Aguilar, B.; Quintana-Gallardo, A.; Gasent-Blesa, JL.; Guillén Guillamón, IE. (2024). The Acoustic and Cultural Heritage of the Banda Primitiva de Llíria Theater: Objective and Subjective Evaluation. Buildings. 14(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings1408232914

PSA Response to Lenalidomide Therapy in a Pre-Treated Patient with Metastatic Prostate Cancer Refractory to Hormones and Chemotherapy: A Case Report

Hormone-resistant prostate cancer (HRPC) occurs when prostate cancer is no longer responsive to hormone therapy. Treatment options are limited, and there is a clear necessity for therapies that improve outcome. Preclinical and clinical evidence supports the role of the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide in HRPC. In this paper, we report that lenalidomide showed antitumoral activity in a patient with HRPC and bone metastases pre-treated with chemotherapy, decreased the PSA level and improved the patient's health status for the first 5 months. It is important to emphasize that it was not associated with hematologic toxicity

Old and New Insights in the Treatment of Thyroid Carcinoma

Thyroid cancer is the endocrine tumor that bears the highest incidence with 33 550 new cases per year. It bears an excellent prognosis with a mortality of 1530 patients per year (Jemal et al.; 2007). We have been treating patients with thyroid carcinoma during many years without many innovations. Recently, we have assisted to the development of new agents for the treatment of this disease with unexpected good results. Here we present a review with the old and new methods for the treatment of this disease

Joaquín Rieta y el teatro de la Banda Primitiva de Llíria

Joaquín Rieta Síster (Valencia, 1897-1982) es uno de los principales exponentes de la arquitectura valenciana de las décadas centrales del siglo XX. Su reconocimiento se circunscribe principalmente a las obras racionalistas de la década de 1930. Menos conocida es, sin embargo, su “otra” arquitectura, la construida después de la Guerra Civil, ignorada con frecuencia desde la óptica de una historiografía excluyente que ha puesto el valor en la modernidad. Dentro de este contexto podemos situar el teatro de la Banda Primitiva de Llíria (1950-1951). El presente estudio comienza encuadrando la figura del arquitecto y académico, seguida de una breve recensión de la sociedad comitente, la prestigiosa banda bicentenaria valenciana. A continuación, el discurso se centra en el análisis arquitectónico de los dos proyectos del teatro, y de su habilidosa reconducción de la mano de Rieta, para finalmente poner en valor su realidad física como bien patrimonial plenamente activo. Al interés arquitectónico y social se suma el hecho de ser el único de los teatros construidos por Rieta que se conserva en buen estado y con escasas alteraciones