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    Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in the Management of Primary Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Debated Issue for Gynecologic Oncologists

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    Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been widely investigated in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, including those with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), with conflicting results. The hyperthermia enhances drug tissue penetration, synergizes with several cytotoxic drugs including cisplatin, degrades BRCA2, suppresses homologous recombination, and elicits an anticancer immune response. A meta-analysis of retrospective studies including both patients with primary advanced EOC and those with recurrent platinum-sensitive EOC failed to detect a benefit in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) from the addition of HIPEC after surgery. The aim of the present review was to analyze the recent randomized clinical trials designed to assess the value of HIPEC in the management of patients with primary advanced EOC. Although not free from criticism and bias, the available data from two phase III trials seem to suggest that the addition of HIPEC to interval debulking surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly improves PFS and OS. Conversely, HIPEC does not appear to offer any advantage after primary debulking surgery. Several phase III trials are currently ongoing on these issues and the use of HIPEC is still a matter of debate in the scientific community. Additional translational research is strongly warranted to detect biological variables able to identify a subset of patients who may have a major benefit from this therapeutic approach. In particular, the clinical outcome of patients who undergo HIPEC should be correlated with BRCA status and homologous recombination repair status

    Gastrointestinal stromal tumour of the duodenum in childhood: a rare case report

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    Abstract Background Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are uncommon primary mesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract mostly observed in the adults. Duodenal GISTs are relatively rare in adults and it should be regarded as exceptional in childhood. In young patients duodenal GISTs may be a source of potentially lethal haemorrhage and this adds diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas to the concern about the long-term outcome. Case presentation A 14-year-old boy was referred to our hospital with severe anaemia due to recurrent episodes of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Endoscopy, small bowel series, scintigraphy and video capsule endoscopy previously done elsewhere were negative. Shortly after the admission, the patient underwent emergency surgery for severe recurrence of the bleeding. At surgery, a 4 cm solid mass arising from the wall of the fourth portion of the duodenum was identified. The invasion and the erosion of the duodenal mucosa was confirmed by intra-operative pushed duodenoscopy. The mass was resected by a full-thickness duodenal wall excision with adequate grossly free margins. Immunohistochemical analysis of the specimen revealed to be positive for CD117 (c-KIT protein) consistent with a diagnosis of GIST. The number of mitoses was Conclusion Duodenal GISTs in children are very rare and may present with massive bleeding. Cure can be achieved by complete surgical resection, but even in the low-aggressive tumours the long-term outcome may be unpredictable.</p
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