Spectroscopic investigations of nanosized Cr3+ doped Sc2-x Inx (WO4 )3 : A new promising laser material.

Chromium(III) doped nanosized Sc2-x Inx (WO4 )3 , (x = 0-2) solid solutions were prepared by the co-precipitation/calcination method. The obtained powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), infrared (IR), absorption and luminescence spectra. X-ray analysis showed that the compounds are pure solid solutions with orthorhombic symmetry at x values 0 and 0.5 and with monoclinic symmetry for x values 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0. The calculated crystallite size ranged from about 20 to 110 nm, except for Sc2 (WO4 )3 characterized by considerably larger sizes. IR spectra of the solid solutions contain the characteristic vibrations of the WO4 and MeO6 , (Me = Sc, In) polyhedra, building the Sc2 (WO4 )3 and In2 (WO4 )3 structures. EPR analysis proved the presence of isolated Cr3+ ions in the crystal field with rhombic symmetry. The presence of Cr3+ in sites with weak and strong crystal field was revealed by absorption and luminescence spectra. This study demonstrates the effect of hosts crystal symmetry, particles size and doping concentration on the luminescence properties.

PSMA targeted radioligandtherapy in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer after chemotherapy, abiraterone and/or enzalutamide. A retrospective analysis of overall survival.

AIM: Our aim was to evaluate overall survival and parameters prognosticating longer survival in a large and homogeneous group of patients treated with 177Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy with heavily pretreated advanced metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. METHODS: A total of 104 patients were treated with 351 cycles of 177Lu-PSMA-617. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) changes after the first cycle of therapy were documented prior to a second cycle. Patients were followed-up for overall survival (OS). Any PSA decline, PSA decline ≥50%, initial PSA, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), visceral metastases and cumulative injected activity were analyzed and evaluated according to OS. Multivariable analysis with parameters with a p-value ≤0.05 in univariate analysis was performed, additionally adjusting for age and presence of visceral metastases. RESULTS: A total of 51 patients (49%) died during the observation period. The majority of patients (97%) presented with bone metastases, 77% with lymph node metastases and 32% with visceral metastases. All patients were treated with at least one line of chemotherapy. Either abiraterone or enzalutamide had been given in 100% of the patients. Any PSA decline occurred in 70 (67%) and a PSA decline ≥50% in 34 (33%) of patients after the first cycle. The median OS was 56.0 weeks (95%CI: 50.5-61.5). Initial PSA decline ≥50%, initial LDH, visceral metastases, second line chemotherapy or prior radium-223 did not have an effect on survival, whereas any initial PSA decline, initial ALP <220 U/L and cumulative injected activity ≥18.8 GBq were associated with a longer survival. A step-by-step analysis revealed a PSA decline ≥20.87% as the most noticeable cut-off prognosticating longer survival, which remained an independent prognosticator of improved OS in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: 177Lu-PSMA-617 RLT is a new effective therapeutic and seems to prolong survival in patients with advanced mCRPC pretreated with chemotherapy, abiraterone and/or enzalutamide.

A Step-by-Step Clinical Approach for the Management of Neuroendocrine Tumours.

Neuroendocrine tumours (NET) are rare neoplasms, but the incidence is permanently increasing. Most of the NETs are slow proliferating and clinically silent, and for that reason, they are often diagnosed at a stage with advanced disease. The complexity and diversity of the NET-biology require the treatment of patients in specialised centres to guarantee a qualified, multidisciplinary treatment planning. At our institution, we developed an interdisciplinary model for the assessment and treatment of NET. The aim was to adapt the guidelines to the clinical practice, exchange of current knowledge, and a tailored approach to the individual patient. In our team are included medical professionals from pathology, radiology, oncology, gastroenterology, oncological surgery, and nuclear medicine. In this paper, we describe step-by-step a procedural algorithm for the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumours, focusing on midgut-NETs in terms of therapy.