Prof. Larocca identifies the following major scientific own accomplishments which had an impact in the field of cancers and personalized medicine:

Seminal papers dealing with the antiproliferative activity of bioflavonoids, mainly quercetin, in several cancers. (1990-2001) 

Seminal contributions to the characterization of HIV-related lymphomas, with particular attention to the role of EBV and to the minimally invasive diagnosis of HIV-related primary central nervous system lymphomas. (1995-2011)

Identification of a cluster of familial thrombocytosis living in  the Lazio region due to the germline heterozygous MPLSer505Asn  mutation. That is the first description of the clinical phenotype associated with this mutation, consisting in thrombocytosis, increased  thrombotic risk, splenomegaly and progression to bone marrow fibrosis. Affected patients are mainly children and the correct differential diagnosis with myeloproliferative neoplasms can prevent their unsafe overtreatment with  anti-proliferative drugs.  (2007-2012)  

The endothelial progenitor cell compartment in myeloproliferative neoplasms exhibits  the same clonal derivation as neoplastic hematopoietic cells. These studies support the innovative pathogenetic perspective that the altered endothelium might contribute to specific clinical features of the disease, such as thrombosis and exaggerated myeloproliferation. More recently Prof. Larocca identify a novel morphological biomarker of Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm able to identify patients with more aggressive disease (years 2011-2021) 

Purification, characterization and collection of glioblastoma and cordoma cancer stem-like cells. First evidence of chemoresistance of glioblastoma cancer stem-like cells and first evidence of the capacity of glioblastoma cancer stem-like cells to differentiate in endothelial cells contributing to tumor vascularization. Finally, first tailored therapy in a cordoma patient using cordoma cancer stem-like cells obtained from the patient to identify the right therapeutic approach and tailored therapy in glioblastoma on the basis of genetic and VEGF levels. (2006-2020)

Full Professor of Anatomic Pathology at UniCamillus.