Genome tumor profiling in endometrial cancer and clinical relevance in endometrial cancer management: a retrospective single-center experience.

OBJECTIVE: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis has become an essential tool for endometrial carcinoma management. Moreover, molecular-driven therapies play an increasingly remarkable role in the era of precision oncology. This study aims to determine the clinical relevance of NGS testing in endometrial carcinoma management by analyzing the clinical benefit of NGS-driven targeted therapies. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study was conducted on 25 endometrial carcinoma patients who underwent Foundation Medicine CDx assay at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS (Rome, Italy). Tumor samples were analyzed by Foundation One CDx. A descriptive analysis of tumor genome profiles was performed. Assessment of clinical benefit according to RECIST 1.1 criteria was analyzed for patients who received a tailored treatment according to actionable targets identified by NGS testing. RESULTS: Out of 25 endometrial carcinoma patients, 11 received targeted therapy. One patient was excluded from the clinical benefit assessment because of COVID-19-related death 1 month after starting the treatment. Eight of the remaining 10 patients benefited from targeted therapies, with an overall clinical benefit rate of 80%. A targeted agent belonging to the PI3K pathway was given to seven patients, with evidence of three partial responses (42.9%), three stable diseases (42.9%), and one progressive disease (14.2%) according to RECIST 1.1 criteria. One complete response (33.3%), one stable disease (33.3%), and one progressive disease (33.3%) were observed in the three patients treated with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors according to their homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) status. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of characterizing the mutation profile of patient tumors through NGS. Our findings suggest a clinical benefit of using NGS-driven targeted therapies in endometrial carcinoma patients. However, this personalized approach could benefit the health system in terms of cost-effectiveness by reducing the costs of inappropriate, ineffective, and often expensive treatments.

Parental stress during COVID-19: A brief report on the role of distance education and family resources in an Italian sample.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, school closures have affected over 1.5 billion children worldwide. Many countries implemented a rapid transition to distance education (DE), but the effects of such transition on family life remain largely underexplored. The current study used a cross-sectional, correlational survey design to explore the role of DE and family resources (parenting self-efficacy and family functioning) in perceived stress among Italian parents of first-grade children (N = 89). Results of hierarchical multiple regression indicated that, after controlling for stressful events experienced during school closure, parents' difficulty to manage children's DE was positively linked to levels of stress. However, this association became nonsignificant after adding family resources to the model, with more parental self-efficacy and good family functioning predicting less perceived stress. The findings underscore the importance of supporting positive resources within the family environment to reduce DE-related parental stress in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.