Umberto Tirelli
He is the winner of the "Premio Natale Friulano" award for his high scientific knowledge (Buja, Udine, 7 December 2019).
On November 19, 2016 in Udine, he was awarded by the A.D.O. FVG Onlus (Association of Organ Donors) the "Golden Hourglass 2016" award, for his commitment to the study of tumors in organ transplantation, with the establishment of the study group GIOTTO (Italian Oncological Cancer in Organ Transplantation Group) and a dedicated clinic, directed by Dr. Emanuela Vaccher, within the Department of Medical Oncology of the National Cancer Institute of Aviano.
He was awarded the Stralignano International Prize, on 5 August 2016 in Lignano Sabbiadoro, in recognition of the "very important activity he is carrying out in the international field".
He is the winner of the PierCamillo Beccaria Prize 2009, awarded by the Angela Serra Association for cancer research of Modena, for "the great contribution made to the development of therapies for cancer in the elderly and for the prestigious research in the field of virus-associated cancers ".
He was awarded the Friul Tomorrow 2018 Committee Prize, on 27 February 2014 in Povoletto - Udine - by the Friul Tomorrow 2018 Committee, AIDO, National Consumer Union, Euretica and Club of Udine: recognition as a highly favorable educational model, especially for young people, for the ethics and loyalty that characterize his activities, values that he carries with him and constantly disseminates.
He is the winner of the IV Prize of the Italian Television Festival for medical-scientific communication (29 May 2003).
Main areas of research:
1 - Study of the problems of tumors in the elderly - He was the first, at the end of the 70s, not just in Italy, to study and conduct research on this problem, especially from the therapeutic point of view, which involves about 50% of all cancers, and to publish the first work of international medical literature on the therapy of a group of tumors (malignant lymphomas) in the elderly (Cancer 54, 3:393-396, 1984) and the first European randomized trial of lymphomas in the elderly (EORTC - J Clin Oncol 6:1708-1713, 1988). Today, in addition to the Institute of Aviano - which has set up a clinic specifically for elderly cancer patients (coordinated by Dr. Lucia Fratino), he is active in research in this field also in the transplantation of marrow in the elderly (responsible Dr. Mariagrazia Michieli) - many other Italian and foreign research institutes, including the National Cancer Institute of Bethesda, have placed this issue at the center of attention of epidemiologists, basic researchers and clinicians. Moreover, within the Italian Lymphoma Foundation (FIL), Dr. Michele Spina is the head of Italian research on lymphomas in the elderly.
2 - Study of tumors in AIDS - Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, he has carried out research on tumors in the AIDS field in Italy and in Europe, leading to the establishment in 1986 of an Italian clinical group, GICAT, of which he is the scientific coordinator and which has the largest number of cases at international level on this subject, and of a European research group first within the EORTC (AIDS and Tumors Study Group) and then within the GECAT group (Group of European Cooperation on AIDS and Tumors) of which he is also scientific coordinator. Today, thanks to the considerable improvements in HIV therapy (coordinated by Dr. Emanuela Vaccher), tumors in subjects with HIV/AIDS infection are treated in the same way as in other patients, hospitalized in the Division of Medical Oncology A of the National Cancer Institute of Aviano together with other patients and included in treatments that include, for example, bone marrow transplantation (responsible Dr. Mariagrazia Michieli), which is not only feasible but has led to the recovery of patients who until recently and even today in other areas of the country and the world die because they are not treated properly.
He is President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia section of ANLAIDS Onlus (National Association against AIDS www.anlaids.it).
3 - Study of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - He participated, as the only Italian representative, in the definition of the CFS case at the CDC in Atlanta, which led to the publication in 1994 of the definition of the case which is still active today (Fukuda K, et al, Ann Intern Med 121:953-959, 1994). He described for the first time in Italy a series of patients affected by CFS (Tirelli U, et al, Arch Intern Med 153:116-120, 1993 and Tirelli U, et al, Scand J Immunol 40:601-608, 1994) and lately a series of cancer-related fatigue patients (Tavio M, et al, Int J Oncol 21:1093-1099, 2002). In Italy today there are 4 associations of patients affected by CFS. The diffusion of information on CFS in Italy is mainly thanks to Maurizio Costanzo who, through his mythical TV program "Maurizio Costanzo Show", has allowed me to speak many times about this pathology, also sharing the experience of patients.
The problem of cancer-related fatigue is largely underestimated in the oncological environment, particularly in cured patients who had lymphomas and breast cancer.
He was the promoter in 1991 of the CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) Italian Association - Onlus, the first association of patients with CFS (www.stanchezzacronica.it), now there are four in Italy.
He is a member of ESME - European Society for CFS/ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), for the study and research on CFS/ME, based in Belgium www.esme-eu.com.
4 - Study of the relations between the environment and cancer - As vice-president of the Associazione Galileo 2001 - Association for the freedom and dignity of Science, made up of the most important scientists, in particular Italian physicists - he studies the relations between health and the environment, in particular: pollution (external and internal to the environment), GMOs, nuclear pollution, climate change, electromagnetic waves, depleted uranium, incinerators, etc., actively participating in scientific conferences on the subject and in commissions set up within the Ministries.
He has been a member of the Scientific Committee of SOGIN SpA (Nuclear Plant Management Company).
5 - Study of long-term cancer patients - In 1994 he created the first national association of cancer long-term and healed patients (ANGOLO), on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the opening of the CRO (Oncologic Reference Center) in Aviano and was president in 2002 of AIMaC (Italian Association of Cancer Sick, relatives and friends) of Prof. Francesco De Lorenzo. He created at the CRO of Aviano the first "clinic of the cured" or O.RA (Rehabilitative Oncology) in Italy, funded by a research project of the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Dr. Maria Antonietta Annunziata, Director of the PsychoOncology Service of the CRO of Aviano. A research project funded by the Ministry of Health on the long-term oncohaematological diseases, for which Dr. Michele Spina is responsible, is currently underway.
6 - Study of the cost of drugs and their periodic lack (shortage) - First on the national level, he has raised the problem of the exaggerated cost of biological drugs (Tirelli U et al, Lancet Oncol 7:2-3, 2006), setting up a permanent commission at the CRO of Aviano to assess the appropriateness of use and the reasonableness and common sense for prescribers, coordinated by Dr. Michele Spina. On the other hand, he denounced the periodic shortage of cheap and unprofitable drugs for the companies that produce them, with serious harm to patients.
7 - Study of tumors in solid organ transplant patients - The new study group GIOTTO, Gruppo Italiano Oncologico Tumori nei Trapiantati di Organo (Cancer in Organ Transplant Italian Oncological Group), has recently been established to study tumors in patients receiving organ transplants (liver, kidney, heart) and who are immunodepressed because of anti-rejection therapy. He is the coordinator of the group together with Prof. Antonio Pinna, Director of the General Surgery and Transplantation Unit at Policlinico S. Orsola in Bologna. Scientific secretary of the group is Dr. Emanuela Vaccher, Head of the SOSI (Simple Intracomplex Operating Structure) of Infectious Diseases at the Cancer Institute of Aviano, who actively follows these patients.
8 - Study of predictive medicine - which is the most direct consequence of our knowledge of the human genome, through the collaboration with My Genomics, Republic of San Marino, with a genotest on saliva, to discover genetic alterations in DNA that could be useful to identify subjects at risk for cancer and other diseases (breast, ovary, rectal colon, prostate, chronic fatigue, heart disease, nutrigenomics) and thus implement a series of prevention and early diagnosis measures that can lead to a diagnosis of oncological and non-cancer disease at an early stage and therefore much better curable or even avoidable with a series of interventions such as increasing the frequency of checks, starting at an early age, adopting healthy lifestyles.
9 - Study of oxygen ozone therapy - as a treatment of various forms of chronic asthenia, in particular those of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, cancer-related fatigue, rheumatological diseases, arthrosis and lumbar and cervical hernias, in association with conventional treatments and according to the guidelines of the Italian Society of Oxygen Ozone Therapy (SIOOT) of which he is a member of the Scientific Committee. The results obtained in these pathologies are on the whole excellent. In fact, ozone leads to an improvement in brain microcirculation, increased attention, improved fatigue/tiredness, improved cognitive activities and memory, and decreased neuromuscular spasticity and pain.
The relationship between environment and health is one of his main interests: he was co-founder in 2001 of the Scientific Association Galileo 2001 - Association for the freedom and dignity of Science www.galileo2001.it .
He has been a professor, since 2017, in the Master's Degree on Oxygen Ozone Therapy at the University of Pavia.
He is a member of the Scientific Technical Committee (STC) of the Oncological Reference Centre (CRO) of Aviano, National Cancer Institute.
He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the CRO Aviano Onlus Foundation (www.fondazionecro.org).
He is a member of the Scientific Committee in support of electronic cigarettes of the Italian Anti-Smoking League (www.liaf-onlus.org).
He is a member of the Scientific Committee of SIOOT (Italian Society of Oxygen-Ozone Therapy - www.ossigenoozono.it).
He has been appointed to the Scientific Board of AIN (Italian Nuclear Association - www.assonucleare.it).
He has been appointed Professor of Medical Oncology at the Doctorate in Surgery, Department of Surgery Pietro Valdoni, University of Rome "La Sapienza".
He is a member of the Executive and Scientific Board of "Amici di Ale" - Onlus www.amicidiale.it, a voluntary association for the support of the families of patients in persistent vegetative state and for the construction of an Awakening House in Pordenone.
He was the promoter of FLAI, an association of patients with lymphoma, which was founded in 2008 and to which hundreds of healed patients with lymphoma belong, and which then joined the association La lampada di Aladino - Onlus (www.lampada-aladino.it).
In the past, it has been a member of the National Oncological Commission, appointed by the Minister of Health.
He has been a member of the National AIDS Commission in the past, for a number of times, by appointment of the Minister of Health.
He is a member of numerous national and international scientific societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), the International Immunocompromised Host Society, and is a member of the Scientific Committee and peer reviewer of numerous international scientific journals, including Hematological Oncology, Cancer and Aging, Journal of Cancer Survivorship. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the scientific journals Cancer Therapy, Chemotherapy Research and Practice, TheScientificWorldJOURNAL, Ozone Therapy.
He is member of the Scientific Committee of AIOTE (Italian Association for Oncology of the Third Age and School of Geriatric Oncology - Onlus).
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Human Rights Studies.
He is an honorary member of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC).
He is a member of the Task Force of the EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) - Cancer in the elderly.
He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine for Medical Oncology (AIOM).
He is a lecturer for the ESMO (European Society of Medical Oncology) of the Educational Committee for Cancer in the Elderly.
He is Scientific Director and President of P.R.I.S.M.A. Scientific Committee. (International Research Project Antalgic Medicine Studies) - Trieste.
He is Honorary President of the Italian Committee for the Control of Paranormal Claims (CICAP) - Emilia-Romagna Section.
He has been a consultant to the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry on depleted uranium (see text and hearing).
He has been an honorary commander of the 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron (31 AMDS) of the 31st Fighter Wing of the USAF Base of Aviano, Pordenone.
He is a registered journalist ("pubblicista" section of the registry) of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
He is an Aviano Collocated Club Honorary Member - United States Air Force Clubs
Main areas of research and clinical activities are:
lung cancers;
urologic tumors (in particular cancer of the prostate, bladder and kidney);
tumors of the head and neck (in particular of the oral cavity, larynx and oesophagus);
breast cancer and gastro-intestinal tract (including liver and pancreas);
blood tumors (in particular lymphomas, leukemias and myelomas);
new cancer drugs (in particular smart drugs and biological treatments);
tumors of the elderly (in particular lymphomas, breast, lung, stomach and colon-rectum, kidney, bladder and prostate, head and neck cancers);
virus-related tumors (in particular HIV, hepatitis viruses B and C, human papilloma viruses, Epstein Barr virus, etc.; therefore, treatment of liver cancer, uterus, head and neck cancer);
cancer survivors: treatments assessment and side-effect. Future prospects in cancer prevention;
chronic fatigue (in particular chronic fatigue syndrome and other forms of fatigue related to depression, stress, cancer, etc.);
HIV (in particular antiretroviral therapy and treatment of virus-related tumors).
60 important publications:
Genome wide DNA-profiling of HIV-related B-cell lymphomas.
Br J Haematol. 2009 Oct 12.
Quality of life after successful treatment of early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma: 10-year follow-up of the EORTC-GELA H8 randomised controlled trial.
Lancet Oncol. 2009 Oct 12.
Market and patient access to new oncology products in Europe: a current, multidisciplinary perspective.
Ann Oncol. 2009 Aug;20(8):1445.
Comment on: Ann Oncol. 2009 Mar;20(3):403-12.
Human immunodeficiency virus-associated precursor T-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoblastic lymphoma: report of a case and review of the literature.
Hum Pathol. 2009 May 6.
Plasma HHV-8 viral load in HHV-8-related lymphoproliferative disorders associated with HIV infection.
J Med Virol. 2009 May;81(5):888-96.
Pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin for HCV-positive indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas
Br J Haematol. 2009 Feb 12.
Cancer in the elderly: The caregivers' perception of senior patients' informational needs.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2008 Dec 11.
HIV-induced immunodeficiency and mortality from AIDS-defining and non-AIDS-defining malignancies.
AIDS. 2008 Oct 18;22(16):2143-53.
Clinical outcome and prognostic factors for patients treated within the context of a phase I study: the Royal Marsden Hospital experience.
Br J Cancer. 2008 Sep 9.
FOSFOX2 in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer: a comparison between elderly and middle aged patients.
J Chemother. 2008 Aug;20(4):503-8.
Cancer survivorship: a challenge for the European oncologists.
Ann Oncol. 2008 Jun 4
Clinical management of long-term cancer survivors.
J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jan 1;26(1):161-2
MUC-1 (CA 15-3 antigen) as a highly reliable predictor of response to EGFR inhibitors in patients with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma: an experience on 26 patients.
Int J Biol Markers. 2007 Oct-Dec;22(4):307-11.
Pemetrexed single agent in previously treated non-small cell lung cancer: A multi-institutional observational study.
Lung Cancer. 2007 Nov 16
The impact of tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking on survival of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Int J Cancer. 2007 Dec 4
Chemotherapy plus involved-field radiation in early-stage Hodgkin's disease.
N Engl J Med. 2007 Nov 8;357(19):1916-27
Recent thymic emigrants in lymphoma patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection candidates for autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation.
Clin Exp Immunol. 2007 Oct 11
Gefitinib in the treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Lung Cancer. 2006 Oct 23
Impact of involved field radiotherapy in partial response after doxorubicin-based chemotherapy for advanced aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006 Nov 15;66(4):1168-77
Combined-modality therapy for clinical stage I or II Hodgkin's lymphoma: long-term results of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer H7 randomized controlled trials.
J Clin Oncol. 2006 Jul 1;24(19):3128-35
Treatment of elderly cancer patients: a planet in evolution.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006 Feb;54(2):372-3
Adding gemcitabine to paclitaxel/carboplatin combination increases survival in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: results of a phase II-III study.
J Clin Oncol. 2006 Feb 1;24(4):681-7
AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma: final analysis of 485 patients treated with risk-adapted intensive chemotherapy.
Blood. 2006 May 15;107(10):3832-40
Keynote comment: reimbursement for molecularly targeted anticancer agents.
Lancet Oncol. 2006 Jan;7(1):2-3.
Vinorelbine and prednisone in frail elderly patients with intermediate-high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
Ann Oncol. 2006 Mar;17(3):533.
Late non-neoplastic events in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in four randomized European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer trials.
Clin Lymphoma Myeloma. 2005 Sep;6(2):122-30.
Pretreatment quality of life and functional status assessment significantly predict survival of elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer receiving chemotherapy: a prognostic analysis of the multicenter Italian lung cancer in the elderly study.
J Clin Oncol. 2005 Oct 1;23(28):6865-72.
Gefitinib in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: symptomatic improvement within a few days.
Lung Cancer. 2005 Sep;49(3):417-8.
Cancer and aging: are there any differences in the information needs of elderly and younger patients? Results from an Italian observational study.
Ann Oncol. 2005 Dec;16(12):1982-3.
Cancer Prevention and Early Diagnosis in HIV-Positive Individuals.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2005 Apr 15;38(5):628-9.
Treatment of head and neck cancer in elderly patients: state of the art and guidelines.
Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2005 Jan;53(1):71-80
Rituximab plus infusional cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and etoposide (R-CDE) in HIV-associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: pooled results from three phase II trials.
Blood. 2005 Mar 1;105(5):1891-7.
Fatigue in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: analysis of published studies.
Ann Oncol. 2004 Oct;15(10):1576
Rituximab-CHOP or 2 weekly CHOP + G-CSF in aggressive lymphoma of the elderly?
Ann Oncol. 2004 Aug;15(8):1298
Improving information to Italian cancer patients: results of a randomized study.
Ann Oncol. 2004 May;15(5):721-5.
Impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the presenting features and outcome of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi's sarcoma.
Cancer. 2003 Dec 1;98(11):2440-6.
High-dose therapy and autologous peripheral-blood stem-cell transplantation as salvage treatment for HIV-associated lymphoma in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.
J Clin Oncol. 2003 Dec 1;21(23):4423-7.
Clinical features and outcome of primary effusion lymphoma in HIV-infected patients: a single institution study.
J Clin Oncol. 2003 Nov 1;21(21):3948-54.
AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma: evaluation of potential new prognostic factors and assessment of the AIDS Clinical Trial Group Staging System in the HAART era - the Italian Cooperative Group on AIDS and Tumors and the Italian Cohort of Patients Naive from Antiretrovirals.
J Clin Oncol. 2003 Aug 1;21(15):2876-82.
Involved-field radiotherapy for advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma.
N Engl J Med. 2003 Jun 12;348(24):2396-406.
Comprehensive geriatric evaluation in elderly patients with lymphoma: feasibility of a patient-tailored treatment plan.
J Clin Oncol. 2003 Feb 15;21(4):754
Interferon-gamma secretion and perforin expression are impaired in CD8+ T lymphocytes from patients with undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type.
Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2003 Jan;52(1):28-32.
The chronic fatigue syndrome: a comprehensive approach to its definition and study. International Chronic Fatigue Sindrome Study Group.
Ann Intern Med. 1994 Dec 15;121(12):953-9.
A 20-year experience on malignant lymphomas in patients aged 70 and older at a single institute.
Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2001 Feb;37(2):153-8.
Concomitant cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone chemotherapy plus highly active antiretroviral therapy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Cancer. 2001 Jan 1;91(1):155-63.
Stanford V regimen and concomitant highly active antiretroviral therapy is feasible and active in patients with Hodgkin's disease and HIV infection.
AIDS. 2000 Jul 7;14(10):1457-8.
Epidemiological, biological and clinical features of HIV-related lymphomas in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy
AIDS. 2000 Aug 18;14(12):1675-88
Immunological abnormalities in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Scand J Immunol. 1994 Dec;40(6):601-8.
Brain positron emission tomography (PET) in chronic fatigue syndrome: preliminary data.
Am J Med. 1998 Sep 28;105(3A):54S-58S.
Hodgkin's disease and human immunodeficiency virus infection: clinicopathologic and virologic features of 114 patients from the Italian Cooperative Group on AIDS and Tumors.
J Clin Oncol. 1995 Jul;13(7):1758-67.
J Clin Oncol. 1996 Aug;14(8):2217-23.
Invasive cervical cancer after treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
Lancet. 1997 Jun 28;349(9069):1909-10.
Lung carcinoma in 36 patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Cancer. 2000 Feb 1;88(3):563-9.
Debate on Di Bella therapy.
Lancet. 1999 Jul 10;354(9173):159.
Lung cancer in the elderly.
Cancer Treat Rev. 1994 Oct;20(4):315-29.
Ondansetron versus granisetron in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Cancer. 1995 Aug 1;76(3):535-6.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in 137 patients aged 70 years or older: a retrospective.
J Clin Oncol. 1988 Nov;6(11):1708-13.
Non Hodgkin's lymphoma in the elderly.
Tumori. 2002 Jan-Feb;88(1 Suppl 1):S17-9.
A prospective study of a new combination chemotherapy regimen in patients older than 70 years with unfavorable non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
J Clin Oncol. 1992 Feb;10(2):228-36.
EORTC study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: phase III study comparing CHVmP-VB and ProMACE-MOPP in patients with stage II, III, and IV intermediate-and high-grade lymphoma.
Ann Oncol. 1994;5 Suppl 2:85-9.
CHOP is the standard regimen in patients > or = 70 years of age with intermediate-grade and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of a randomized study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group.
J Clin Oncol. 1998 Jan;16(1):27-34.
Cancer in the elderly: why so badly treated?
Lancet. 1990 Apr 28;335(8696):1020-2.
Immune recovery after autologous stem cell transplantation is not different for HIV-infected versus HIV-uninfected patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma.
Clin Infect Dis. 2010 Jun 15;50(12):1672-9.
.HIV-Infected Patients and Liver Transplantation: Who, When and Why.
Curr HIV Res. 2011 Feb 15.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma in HIV-Infected Patients: Check Early, Treat Hard.
Oncologist. 2011;16(9):1258-69.
Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in the treatment of elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2011 Sep 19.
Grouping of molecularly targeted anti-cancer agents based on cost-effectiveness analysis.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2011 Nov;15(11):1355-6.
240. Two types of fatigue in cancer patients.
BJ Cancer. 2012 Jan 17;106(2):424.
Oncologic drug shortages also in Italy.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2012 Jan;16(1):138-9.
Modulated Chemotherapy According to Modified Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in 100 Consecutive Elderly Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.
Oncologist. 2012 May 18.
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