Takotsubo cardiomyopathy Afatinib-related in a non-small cell lung cancer patient: Case report.

Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutations are frequently found among NSCLC patients. Second-generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI) Afatinib is frequently used in this population of patients achieving better results than cytotoxic chemotherapy in terms of survival and progression. Afatinib-related cardiotoxicity has been rarely reported. Here we comment on a clinical case of a Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Afatinib-induced in an NSCLC patient.

Total neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FLOT scheme in resectable adenocarcinoma of the gastro-oesophageal junction or gastric adenocarcinoma: impact on pathological complete response and safety.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is the fifth cause of cancer incidence worldwide. Multidisciplinary approaches that improve the survival are needed. Perioperative chemotherapies show improvement in pathological complete remission (pCR) and overall survival (OS), but less than 50% of the patients completed the chemotherapeutic regimen. The recent 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, docetaxel-4 (FLOT4) study shows OS 50 months and pCR 16.6%, but only 46% of the patients completed pre- and postoperative treatment. This case series report evaluated pCR and safety in patients that received complete preoperative chemotherapeutic with FLOT. METHODS: Patients received eight cycles FLOT regimen before surgery. Each cycle comprised 50 mg/m2 docetaxel intravenous (iv) on day 1, 85 mg/m2 oxaliplatin iv on day 1, 200 mg/m2 leucovorin iv on day 1 and 2,600 mg/m2 5-fluorouracil iv in a 24-hour infusion on day 1, every 2 weeks. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients were evaluated, 58 patients received preoperative cycles. Thirty-one patients received all eight cycles of preoperative therapy. 65.5% patients presented any major adverse event. Thirty-nine patients underwent surgery. Thirty-three biopsy reports were obtained. Six patients (18.2%) presented pCR, 13 patients (39.4%) had no lymph node involvement. OS was 21.32 months. Patients with histology of signet ring carcinoma cells had a shorter survival than other histologies. CONCLUSION: Total neoadjuvant with FLOT chemotherapy presents an adequate safety profile, a similar pathologic regression rate, and a slightly higher rate of completing treatment to report in perioperative FLOT regimen studies. A prospective clinical study with suitable diagnostic, staging tools and an adequate follow-up may prove total neoadjuvant chemotherapy's efficacy.

Triple-negative breast cancer: the reality in Chile and in Latin America.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. While triple-negative breast cancer is less common among various sub-types of breast cancer, it tends to affect younger women and is more aggressive, having a higher rate of early recurrence and mortality compared to other sub-types. We know about the association between triple-negative breast cancer and BRCA mutations, which are highly prevalent in founding populations of European origin, but the true prevalence of these mutations in Latin American populations is unknown. There is also very little information about the demographic and epidemiological aspects of triple-negative breast cancer in Latin America, which we will try to summarise in this article. In addition, we will try to provide a brief introduction to the most common recommendations for treating this histological class in Latin America.

Mortality of Adult Patients With Cancer Admitted to an Intensive Care Unit in Chile: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Increasing numbers of reports have shown acceptable short-term mortality of patients with cancer admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of this study was to determine the mortality of critically ill patients with cancer admitted to the ICU in a general hospital in Chile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort trial in which we included all patients with cancer admitted to the ICU between July 2015 and September 2016. Demographic, physiologic, and treatment data were registered, and survival at 30 days and 6 months was evaluated. A prespecified subgroup analysis considering the admission policy was performed. These subgroups were (1) ICU admission for full code management and (2) ICU trial (IT). RESULTS: During the study period, 109 patients with cancer were included. Seventy-nine patients were considered in the full code management group and 30 in the IT. The mean age of patients was 60 years (standard deviation [SD], 15), and 56% were male. Lymphoma was the most frequent malignancy (17%), and 59% had not received cancer treatment because of a recent diagnosis. The mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation and Sequential-Related Organ Failure Assessment scores were 22.2 (SD, 7.3) and 7 (SD, 3), respectively. There were no differences in vasopressor, fluid, or transfusion requirements between subgroups. Lactate levels, Sequential-Related Organ Failure Assessment scores (day 1, 3, and 5), complications, and ICU length of stay were similar. In the entire cohort, 30-day and 6-month mortality was 47% and 66%, respectively. There was no difference in mortality between subgroups according to the admission policy. CONCLUSION: Patients admitted to the ICU in a developing country are at high risk for short-term mortality. However, there is a relevant subgroup that achieves 6-month survival, even among patients who undergo an IT.

Evidence of response to pembrolizumab in a patient with Lynch syndrome-related metastatic colon cancer.

Patients with Lynch Syndrome (LS) are at high risk of developing colorectal cancer at an early age. Germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes and microsatellite instability are clear signatures of this autosomal dominant disorder. Here, we report the clinical history of a 38-year-old patient with LS-related metastatic colon cancer treated in Chile with immunotherapy (pembrolizumab). The patient exhibited a pathogenic deletion in Epithelial cell Adhesion Molecule (EPCAM) and mutS homolog 2 (MSH2) genes, and after diagnosis received 12 cycles of FOLFOX. The tumor mass, however, continued to grow, and a new metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma of 13 mm appeared at the level of the 11th right dorsal vertebra. To treat these lesions, the patient received immunotherapy scheme with pembrolizumab (200 mg every 21 days). After only four cycles, the patient's symptoms improved and the lesions showed less metabolic activity. After 12 cycles with pembrolizumab, the patient started palliative radiation and systemic second-line treatment with FOLFIRI and Avastin. The immunotherapy scheme with pembrolizumab was capable of delaying the second-line treatment for at least 8 months, becoming a useful therapeutic option for this patient. Thus, our study highlights the importance of implementing immunotherapy treatment programs for LS-colorectal cancer patients in South American countries.

Características y evolución de los pacientes que ingresan a una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de un hospital público / Characteristics and evolution of patients admitted to a public hospital intensive care unit

Background: The epidemiology of critical patients in Chile could differ from that reported in international studies. Aim: To describe the causes of admission and evolution of patients who were admitted to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) of a general hospital in Chile in a two-year period (2012-2013). Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out using the ICU database. The following variables were registered: admission diagnosis, APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation), days of mechanical ventilation (MV), ICU length of stay and ICU and hospital survival. Results: We analyzed data from 1075 aged 54 ± 18 years (55% males), representing 75% of the admissions during the study period. The median ICU and MV lengths were 5 and 3 days respectively (92% of patients required MV). APACHE II was 20.5 ± 8.2. The ICU and hospital mortality rate were 19.4% and 31%, respectively. Critical neurological diseases were the most common diagnoses requiring ICU, representing 26.8% of the admissions. No differences were found between 2012 and 2013 in age, APACHE II, ICU or hospital survival. A longer post ICU length of stay was found during 2013, both for patients who survived and those who died at the hospital. Conclusions: This study highlights the high percentage of patients that required MV and the high percentage critical neurological conditions requiring ICU admission. The characteristics and evolution of patients admitted to the ICU did not differ during 2012 and 2013.

[Characteristics and evolution of patients admitted to a public hospital intensive care unit]. / Características y evolución de los pacientes que ingresan a una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de un hospital público.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of critical patients in Chile could differ from that reported in international studies. AIM: To describe the causes of admission and evolution of patients who were admitted to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) of a general hospital in Chile in a two-year period (2012-2013). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out using the ICU database. The following variables were registered: admission diagnosis, APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation), days of mechanical ventilation (MV), ICU length of stay and ICU and hospital survival. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 1075 aged 54 ± 18 years (55% males), representing 75% of the admissions during the study period. The median ICU and MV lengths were 5 and 3 days respectively (92% of patients required MV). APACHE II was 20.5 ± 8.2. The ICU and hospital mortality rate were 19.4% and 31%, respectively. Critical neurological diseases were the most common diagnoses requiring ICU, representing 26.8% of the admissions. No differences were found between 2012 and 2013 in age, APACHE II, ICU or hospital survival. A longer post ICU length of stay was found during 2013, both for patients who survived and those who died at the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the high percentage of patients that required MV and the high percentage critical neurological conditions requiring ICU admission. The characteristics and evolution of patients admitted to the ICU did not differ during 2012 and 2013.

[Predictive value of conventional immuno-histochemical biomarkers in breast cancer]. / Inmunohistoquímica convencional como predictor de respuesta y sobrevida en pacientes con cáncer de mama tratadas con quimioterapia preoperatoria: experiencia de un centro.

BACKGROUND: Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in breast cancer (BC) identifies patients with good prognosis. AIM: To assess if the clinico-pathological subtype, determined by classic immunohistochemical (IHC) markers, is able to predict pCR and prognosis in BC patients treated with NCT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred thirty three BC patients aged 24-80 years, were treated with NCT. Clinico-pathological subtype was defined based on classic IHC markers. pCR was defined as the absence of invasive neoplastic cells in the breast and lymph nodes, on final breast surgery. RESULTS: pCR was achieved in 8.2% of patients, 3.5 and 19.5% in luminal and hormonal receptor (HR) negative tumors respectively (p < 0.01). Median follow-up was 72.6 months (3.5-190). Patients who achieved pCR had higher overall survival (OS) (p = 0.04). A univariate analysis revealed that size of the tumor, ratio of metastatic to examined lymph nodes and absence of HR were significant predictors of pCR. These findings were not replicated in the multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Clinico-pathological subtypes were independent prognostic factors for pCR and OS in BC patients in our cohort. These findings support using classic and cheap biomarkers as a predictive tool for NCT in BC.

Inmunohistoquímica convencional como predictor de respuesta y sobrevida en pacientes con cáncer de mama tratadas con quimioterapia preoperatoria: Experiencia de un centro / Predictive value of conventional immuno-histochemical biomarkers in breast cancer

Background: Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in breast cancer (BC) identifies patients with good prognosis. Aim: To assess if the clinico-pathological subtype, determined by classic immunohistochemical (IHC) markers, is able to predict pCR and prognosis in BC patients treated with NCT. Material and Methods: One hundred thirty three BC patients aged 24-80 years, were treated with NCT. Clinico-pathological subtype was defined based on classic IHC markers. pCR was defined as the absence of invasive neoplastic cells in the breast and lymph nodes, on final breast surgery. Results: pCR was achieved in 8.2% of patients, 3.5 and 19.5% in luminal and hormonal receptor (HR) negative tumors respectively (p < 0.01). Median follow-up was 72.6 months (3.5-190). Patients who achieved pCR had higher overall survival (OS) (p = 0.04). A univariate analysis revealed that size of the tumor, ratio of metastatic to examined lymph nodes and absence of HR were significant predictors of pCR. These findings were not replicated in the multivariate analyses. Conclusions: Clinico-pathological subtypes were independent prognostic factors for pCR and OS in BC patients in our cohort. These findings support using classic and cheap biomarkers as a predictive tool for NCT in BC.