Colorectal cancer is the third most prevalent malignancy in Western countries and a major cause of death despite recent improvements in screening programs and early detection methods. In the last decade, a growing effort has been put into better understanding how the immune system interacts with cancer cells. Even if treatments with immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD1, anti-PD-L1, anti-CTLA4) were proven effective for several cancer types, the benefit for colorectal cancer patients is still limited. However, a subset of patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR)/microsatellite-instability-high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer has been observed to have a prolonged benefit to immune checkpoint inhibitors. As a result, pembrolizumab and nivolumab +/− ipilimumab recently obtained the Food and Drug Administration approval. This review aims to highlight the body of knowledge on immunotherapy in the colorectal cancer setting, discussing the potential mechanisms of resistance and future strategies to extend its use.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents the third most prevalent cancer worldwide and a leading cause of mortality among the population of western countries. However, CRC is frequently a preventable malignancy due to various screening tests being available. While failing to obtain real-time data, current screening methods (either endoscopic or stool-based tests) also require disagreeable preparation protocols and tissue sampling through invasive procedures, rendering adherence to CRC screening programs suboptimal. In this context, the necessity for novel, less invasive biomarkers able to identify and assess cancer at an early stage is evident. Liquid biopsy comes as a promising minimally invasive diagnostic tool, able to provide comprehensive information on tumor heterogeneity and dynamics during carcinogenesis. This review focuses on the potential use of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating nucleic acids (CNAs) and extracellular vesicles as emerging liquid biopsy markers with clinical application in the setting of CRC screening. The review also examines the opportunity to implement liquid biopsy analysis during everyday practice and provides highlights on clinical trials researching blood tests designed for early cancer diagnosis. Additionally, the review explores potential applications of liquid biopsies in the era of immunotherapy.

Pain is a highly debilitating emotional and sensory experience that significantly affects quality of life (QoL). Numerous chronic conditions, including cancer, are associated with chronic pain. In the setting of malignancy, pain can be a consequence of the tumor itself or of life-saving interventions, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Despite significant pharmacological advances and awareness campaigns, pain remains undertreated in one-third of patients. To date, opioids have been the mainstay of cancer pain management. The problematic side effects and unsatisfactory pain relief of opioids have revived patients’ and physicians’ interest in finding new solutions, including cannabis and cannabinoids. The medical use of cannabis has been prohibited for decades, and it remains in Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations. Currently, the legal context for its usage has become more permissive. Various preclinical and observational studies have aimed to prove that cannabinoids could be effective in cancer pain management. However, their clinical utility must be further supported by high-quality clinical trials.

The treatment of metastatic melanoma changed dramatically with the discovery of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Patients face prolonged exposure to these agents, which can frequently generate a large spectrum of adverse reactions. It has been shown that a considerable number of patients treated with ICIs achieve a durable response to treatment that is maintained even after cessation. We present the case of a 75-year-old man with metastatic melanoma who underwent 95 cycles of nivolumab without significant treatment-related toxicities or progression. Future studies are needed to define more clearly the optimal duration of anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) agents in patients with good tolerance and no progression. Patients could avoid discomfort caused by frequent physician visits, high additional costs, and possible adverse reactions that may occur after such a long period of exposure to immunotherapy.

"Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported to produce atypical pneumonia in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. This outbreak escalated very quickly due to the high transmission rate, and therefore, on March 11, 2020, it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 caused a massive hospital overload worldwide and instigated urgent adjustments in resource allocation. Compared to the general population, cancer patients are considered to be at high risk of developing severe infection due to their immunocompromised status. The purpose of this review was to highlight the impact of the COVD-19 pandemic on cancer care, available guidelines, and recommendations."

Bladder cancer is the 10th most common cancer type worldwide, with a median age of diag-nostic of 75 years. Male sex, white race, personal history of pelvic radiation, and tobacco use are considered risk factors. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most frequent histology. Squamous dif-ferentiation (SD) is the most common histologic variant in bladder cancer (20% of cases) and is associated with a worse prognosis. We presented the case of a 75-years old male patient diag-nosed with high-grade (G3) UC of the bladder with SD who developed skin metastasis shortly after completing the adjuvant chemotherapy. He was further started on 1st line immunotherapy with Atezolizumab, with good response and stable disease until this report was written (for twelve months).