Clinical Research Directory

Clinicopathological Predictors of Recurrence in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

The goal of this observational study is to identify demographic and clinicopathological factors associated with disease recurrence in adults with histologically confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) who achieved an initial disease-free status after primary treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are: Which demographic and clinicopathological characteristics are associated with an increased risk of PTC recurrence? Researchers will compare patients who developed biochemical or structural recurrence with those who remained recurrence-free to assess the prognostic role of age, sex, tumor size, histological subtype, vascular invasion, capsular invasion, gross invasion of the prethyroid strap muscles, concomitant thyroiditis, multifocality, lymph-node status, and pathological stage. As this is a retrospective study, participants will not undergo any study-specific intervention or additional procedure. Researchers will review existing demographic, surgical, pathological, treatment, and follow-up data from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Follow-up data include serial serum thyroglobulin measurements, neck ultrasonography, recurrence, and disease-specific mortality.

CRUCIAL-R Study : Cruciferous Vegetables Dietary Regimen in NMIBC

Emerging evidence highlights the importance of nutrition in modulating cancer-related pathways, suggesting that specific dietary patterns and food choices may influence cancer risk. A protective role has been suggested for high consumption of vegetables, non-saturated fat oil (Mediterranean diet), fruits, and flavonoids \[10-13\]. In contrast, a diet rich in saturated fats and meat has been linked to an increased risk of BC \[14,15\]. Particularly, the consumption of vegetables of the Cruciferae family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, and others, has gathered attention for their potential protective effects due to their bioactive compounds: Isothiocyanates (ITCs). Dietary ITCs are a group of phytochemicals with multifaceted anticancer mechanisms primarily derived from cruciferous vegetables (CV) as glucosinolates and converted to ITCs by the action of the enzyme myrosinase \[16\]. Organic ITCs, particularly allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), and sulforaphane (SF), are among the most extensively studied cancer chemopreventive agents. Several mechanisms for ITCs in protection against carcinogenesis have been proposed, which include inhibition of carcinogen activation and promotion of detoxification, induction of cell cycle arrest and activation of apoptosis, inhibition of cancer cell invasion, modulation of the tumor microenvironment, inhibition of self-renewal of stem cells, rearrangement of energy metabolism and regulation of microbial homeostasis \[17-22\]. Aims Primary Objective • To evaluate the effect, in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS) at 1 year, of a dietary regimen characterized by high consumption of the Cruciferae family vegetables versus no dietary regimen in patients with Intermediate, High, or Very High-grade Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer treated with BCG (defined as the standard of care - SOC). Secondary Objectives * To evaluate the effect, in terms of time to recurrence, of a dietary regimen characterized by high consumption of the Cruciferae family vegetables versus no dietary regimen in patients with Intermediate, High, and Very High-grade Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. * To evaluate the effect, in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS), of a dietary regimen characterized by high consumption of the Cruciferae family vegetables versus no dietary regimen in patients with Intermediate, High, and Very High-grade Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer with prior recurrence ≤1/yr and \<4 tumors (according to 2016 EORTC risk stratification for patients treated with maintenance BCG). * To evaluate the impact of high Cruciferous vegetable consumption on urinary ITC levels. * To evaluate the impact of high Cruciferous vegetable consumption on quality of life (QoL).