Search

Transanal local excision has been suggested as an attractive approach for patients with rectal cancer who show a major clinical response after preoperative chemoradiotherapy.

The role of multivisceral resection, in the setting of locally advanced gastric cancer, is still debated. Previous studies have reported a higher risk for perioperative morbidity and mortality, with limited objective benefit in terms of survival. Conversely, recent studies have shown the feasibility of enlarged resections and the potential advantage of extended resection for clinical stage T4b gastric adenocarcinoma with good long-term results.

The mechanism by which tissue microecology influences invasion and metastasis is largely unknown. Recent studies have indicated differences in the molecular architecture of the metastatic lesion compared to the primary tumor, however, systemic analysis of the alterations within the activated protein signaling network has not been described. Using laser capture microdissection, protein microarray technology, and a unique specimen collection of 34 matched primary colorectal cancers (CRC) and synchronous hepatic metastasis, the quantitative measurement of the total and activated/phosphorylated levels of 86 key signaling proteins was performed. Activation of the EGFR–PDGFR-cKIT network, in addition to PI3K/AKT pathway, was found uniquely activated in the hepatic metastatic lesions compared to the matched primary tumors. If validated in larger study sets, these findings may have potential clinical relevance since many of these activated signaling proteins are current targets for molecularly targeted therapeutics. Thus, these findings could lead to liver metastasis specific molecular therapies for CRC.

This study was to assess the influence of perioperative blood transfusions on the prognosis of patients undergoing a potentially curative resection for gastric cancer and to investigate the interaction between transfusions and splenectomy.

In the framework of MORFEO project, financed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), a study is currently under way to estimate and validate monitoring technologies of deformations with SAR data, to the implementation of a pre-operational service supporting the Civil Protection Department in landslide risk monitoring. The study on ground deformations is performed in MORFEO by applying two different technologies: SBAS developed by CNR-IREA in Naples and SPINUA developed by Politecnico of Bari. These technologies work with SAR data in C band and the use of X band data acquired by COSMO/SKY-MED is under trial. In particular the present report describes the generation and validation activities of EO SAR products (Synthetic Aperture Radar) obtained in landslide areas in Lombardia and Umbria by using ascending and descending passages of ENVISAT satellite. The results obtained in Umbria highlight the presence of deformation phenomena in the area corresponding to the landslide region in Ivancich (Assisi). A general accordance between GPS and SAR sets results by the comparison. In Lombardia GPS deformation time sets have been estimated for SAR data validation. This has highlighted the potential and limits of SAR interferometric techniques for landslide monitoring in an alpine context. Moreover, a first multi-temporal interferometric analysis in X band has been carried out through the SPINUA algorithm. Preliminary results over the area of GARZENO (COMO) show that even with a limited number of COSMO/SkyMED images, there is a good agreement with linear displacement rate maps estimated in C-band. An accurate investigation shall be feasible as soon as a consistent number of COSMO/SkyMED acquisitions is available (not less than 25-30).

The presence of lymph node metastasis is one of the most important prognostic factors in patients with gastric carcinoma. Node-negative patients have a better outcome, nevertheless a subgroup of them experience disease recurrence.

In the present work we present first results of ground deformation measurements inferred through repeat-pass Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Interferometry (InSAR) in C- and X-band over an Italian Alpine area, in Lombardia region. The activity was carried out in the framework of the MORFEO (MOnitoraggio e Rischio da Frana mediante dati EO) project founded by the Italian Spatial Agency (ASI) and dedicated to landslide risk assessment. A number of areas affected by hydrogeological instabilities have been selected and studied in detail by processing both C- and X-band SAR data through SPINUA, a Persistent Scatterer like algorithm. In particular, two stacks of 30 Ascending ENVISAT SAR images (October 2004 - January 2009) and 32 Descending ENVISAT SAR images (December 2004 - January 2009) have been independently processed to ensures the detection of movements occurring along both west and east facing slopes. Moreover, further deformation measurements have been obtained by processing a set of 12 COSMO-SkyMED ascending HIMAGE interferometric acquisitions (Satellite CSKS1; Beam HI-03; POL: HH; Incidence Angle: 29°) provided by ASI. After a proper tuning of the interferometric algorithmic solutions, even with very high normal baselines, we are able to appreciate the potentials of X-band interferometry. Although the number of COSMO-SkyMED acquisitions is quite limited, spanning a period of only 10 months (August 2008 - June 2009), SPINUA was capable to retrieve preliminary ground displacement patterns that are in good agreement with those previously estimated in C-band. Quite impressive is to realize that, because of the tenfold improved resolution of X-band images, multi-temporal InSAR techniques may be successfully applied for the estimation of the displacement maps with a number of acquisitions much lower than in C-band. InSAR-derived displacements provided on areas of hydrogeological interest are going to be validated in the framework of MORFEO project by the geological pa