Event-free survival after 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in recurrent hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) patients eligible for salvage therapy

Background/aim

Prostate-specific-membrane-antigen/positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) detects with high accuracy disease-recurrence, leading to changes in the management of biochemically-recurrent (BCR) prostate cancer (PCa). However, data regarding the oncological outcomes of patients who performed PSMA-PET are needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of clinically relevant events during follow-up in patients who performed PSMA-PET for BCR after radical treatment.

Materials and methods

This analysis included consecutive, hormone-sensitive, hormone-free, recurrent PCa patients (HSPC) enrolled through a prospective study. All patients were eligible for salvage therapy, having at least 24 months of follow-up after PSMA-PET. The primary endpoint was the Event-Free Survival (EFS), defined as the time between the PSMA-PET and the date of event/last follow-up. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate the EFS curves. EFS was also investigated by Cox proportional hazards regression. Events were defined as death, radiological progression, or PSA recurrence after therapy.

Results

One-hundred and seventy-six (n = 176) patients were analyzed (median PSA 0.62 [IQR: 0.43–1.00] ng/mL; median follow-up of 35.4 [IQR: 26.5–40.3] months). The EFS was 78.8% at 1 year, 65.2% (2 years), and 52.2% (3 years). Patients experiencing events during study follow-up had a significantly higher median PSA (0.81 [IQR: 0.53–1.28] vs 0.51 [IQR: 0.36–0.80] ng/mL) and a lower PSA doubling time (PSAdt) (5.4 [IQR: 3.7–11.6] vs 12.7 [IQR: 6.6–24.3] months) (p < 0.001) compared to event-free patients. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that PSA > 0.5 ng/mL, PSAdt ≤ 6 months, and a positive PSMA-PET result were associated with a higher event rate (p < 0.01). No significant differences of event rates were observed in patients who received changes in therapy management after PSMA-PET vs. patients who did not receive therapy changes. Finally, PSA > 0.5 ng/mL and PSAdt ≤ 6 months were statistically significant event-predictors in multivariate model (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Low PSA and long PSAdt were significant predictors of longer EFS. A lower incidence of events was observed in patients having negative PSMA-PET, since longer EFS was significantly more probable in case of a negative scan.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00259-022-05741-9.

Former food products safety: microbiological quality and computer vision evaluation of packaging remnants contamination

The use of alternative feed ingredients in farm animal's diets can be an interesting choice from several standpoints, including safety. In this respect, this study investigated the safety features of selected former food products (FFPs) intended for animal nutrition produced in the framework of the IZS PLV 06/14 RC project by an FFP processing plant. Six FFP samples, both mash and pelleted, were analysed for the enumeration of total viable count (TVC) (ISO 4833), Enterobacteriaceae (ISO 21528-1), Escherichia coli (ISO 16649-1), coagulase-positive Staphylococci (CPS) (ISO 6888), presumptive Bacillus cereus and its spores (ISO 7932), sulphite-reducing Clostridia (ISO 7937), yeasts and moulds (ISO 21527-1), and the presence in 25 g of Salmonella spp. (ISO 6579). On the same samples, the presence of undesired ingredients, which can be identified as remnants of packaging materials, was evaluated by two different methods: stereomicroscopy according to published methods; and stereomicroscopy coupled with a computer vision system (IRIS Visual Analyzer VA400). All FFPs analysed were safe from a microbiological point of view. TVC was limited and Salmonella was always absent. When remnants of packaging materials were considered, the contamination level was below 0.08% (w/w). Of note, packaging remnants were found mainly from the 1-mm sieve mesh fractions. Finally, the innovative computer vision system demonstrated the possibility of rapid detection for the presence of packaging remnants in FFPs when combined with a stereomicroscope. In conclusion, the FFPs analysed in the present study can be considered safe, even though some improvements in FFP processing in the feeding plant can be useful in further reducing their microbial loads and impurity.

Activity of Catmint (Nepeta cataria) essential oil against Anisakis larvae

Nepeta cataria L.,commonly known as Catnip, is an aromatic plant belonging to the mint family, Limiaceae. Nematicidal activity of Catnip essential oil (CEO), was assayed in vitro against L3 larvae of Anisakis type 1. Anisakidosis is one of the most important fishborne zoonotic diseases related to the ingestion of nematode larvae belonging to the genus Anisakis, Contraceacum and more rarely Pseudoterranova and Hysterothylacium. In vitro tests revealed a complete inactivation of parasites after 6 and 12 h of treatment, at 10 and 5% respectively, in saline solution. In marinating solution a complete inactivation of parasites was observed after 12 and 18 hours at 10 and 5% concentrations respectively. The data obtained showing a significant activity against Anisakis larvae and suggest further investigations on CEO as a larvicidal agent.

Comparison of the performances of Nero Siciliano pigs reared indoors and outdoors: 2. Joints composition, meat and fat traits

A study on the effect of rearing system on tissue composition of principal joints and chemical-physical traits of meat and subcutaneous fat, was carried out on a local pig breed. A total of 78 Nero Siciliano pigs was used; 41 pigs were reared in woods, 37 pigs were reared in pens and fed a commercial diet. Weight at slaughter was 101.9 and 88.2 kg for indoor and outdoor pigs, respectively. Means were estimated at 77 kg of live weight. At ham dissection outdoor-pigs showed higher percentages of lean (58% vs. 55%) and lower subcutaneous fat (31% vs. 34%). In Longissimus lumborum outdoor-pigs showed a higher intramuscular fat percentage (4.3% vs. 3.3%), a lower protein content (22.2% vs. 23.4%), and higher free water (9.6 vs. 7.9 cm(2)). Outdoor pigs produced more light (L(*)=50 vs. 46.7) and more yellow (b(*)=5.84 vs. 4.88) meat. Subcutaneous fat of outdoor pigs showed higher percentages of MUFA (53.3% vs. 47.2%) and lower percentages of PUFA (10.85% vs. 14.45%), no differences were found for n-3 PUFA. Outdoor-pigs had lower atherogenicity (0.48 vs. 0.53) and thrombogenicity (1.03 vs. 1.21) indices.

Influence of the method of forage conservation on feeding behaviour, intake and characteristics of reticulo-rumen content, in sheep fed ad libitum

The influence of silage conservation methods on eating behaviour and the characteristics of reticulo-rumen contents was studied in sheep by comparing 3 forages, a silage without additive (WAS), one with additive (FAS) and hay (H), prepared from the same cut green forage. The sheep were rumen fistulated. WAS was very badly and FAS poorly preserved while the hay was dried under favourable conditions. The forages were fed ad libitum and the dry matter (DM) intake was 1,054, 1,241 and 1,469 g/day for WAS, FAS and H respectively. There was a single feeding in the morning. At the main meal, DM intake was 270, 317 and 388 g/day and ingestion rate 4.76, 4.56 and 4.16 g of DM/min for WAS, FAS and H respectively. There was slight recovery in ingestion around 16-19 h with hay and FAS but not with WAS. With hay, rumination lasted much longer than with the silages and began sooner after the end of the main meal. In contrast, overall rumination efficiency was the same for hay and FAS. There were fewer contractions of the reticulo-rumen with both WAS and hay. The amounts of reticulo-rumen contents were comparable for the 2 silages and higher for hay. The amounts of NH3 in the contents were the same with WAS and hay but greater with FAS. With WAS, contents were richer in butyric, valeric and caproic acids. The DM turnover rate of the contents was the same for FAS and hay and lower, but not significantly, for WAS. Accordingly, with silage, satiety seems to be rapidly reached but there was no evidence that organoleptic factors were involved. There were no problems with the digestion rate of silages. However, the factors limiting silage intake persisted throughout the diurnal cycle, and reticulo-rumen fill was affected. The more poorly preserved the silage the more these factors reduced the duration and volume of the meals, or both.