Perioperative systemic IL-6 and immune-adipose- metabolism transcription in tumour and tumour adjacent breast cancer.

Surgical resection is the primary treatment approach for patients with breast cancer. Despite optimal multimodal treatment, metastatic recurrence remains a risk. Surgery-mediated systemic inflammation and local tissue inflammation generate an immunosuppressive and wound-healing environment that may accelerate cancer recurrence and metastasis post-operatively.

Association of preoperative and postoperative circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) with PIK3CA gene mutation with risk of recurrence in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer.

Background: Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), contains tumour-specific gene mutation in blood circulation and could aid in postoperative risk stratification of non-metastatic breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of detecting PIK3CA gene mutations in ctDNA in the preoperative (preop) and postoperative period (postop), and its prognostic significance in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: A cohort of patients with breast cancer undergoing curative surgery with available blood samples preoperatively and postoperatively (Post op) at either Post op time period; week 1-2, week 3-4 or weeks 5-12 were enrolled.

Prophylactic aspirin intake and breast cancer risk; A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohort studies.

Breast Cancer (BC) is the most common cancer amongst women. The chemo-preventative effects of aspirin on breast cancer have been demonstrated in several longitudinal studies however previous meta-analysis have shown inconsistent results. This study aimed to assess the relationship between aspirin use and BC risk, and to determine if there is a dose-response relationship between aspirin and BC risk.

Readability and Quality of Online Health Information Regarding Parathyroidectomy.

Objective: Assessment of the readability and quality of online health information regarding parathyroidectomy.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting: Websites providing patient-oriented health information regarding parathyroidectomy obtained via the Google search engine.

Assessment of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations in the perioperative period can predict risk of recurrence in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer.

Background: Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a potential non-invasive biomarker of disease status in patients with cancer, and provides important diagnostic and prognostic information in breast cancer. The goal of this study was to quantify cfDNA concentrations during the perioperative period and investigate its potential utility to detect recurrence outcomes in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: Sixty-two (n = 62) patients with non-metastatic breast cancer, undergoing curative-intent surgery were screened for inclusion.

Therapeutic Response Evaluation in Advanced Melanoma Patients Incorporating Plasma cfDNA, LDH, VEGF, PD-L1, and IFN-γ Measurements.

Background/aim: Current treatment strategies for advanced melanoma require serial assessment of disease status in affected patients. In this study, we sought to examine the relationship between radiographic tumour burden and blood borne biomarkers including plasma cfDNA, serum LDH, plasma VEGF, PD-L1 and IFN-γ in advanced melanoma patients receiving immunotherapy. We hypothesized that a combination of these explanatory variables in a suitable regression analysis model may predict changes in tumour burden during patient treatment.

Optimized Workflow for On-Line Derivatization for Targeted Metabolomics Approach by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Using manual derivatization in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry samples have varying equilibration times before analysis which increases technical variability and limits the number of potential samples analyzed. By contrast, automated derivatization methods can derivatize and inject each sample in an identical manner. We present a fully automated (on-line) derivatization method used for targeted analysis of different matrices.

The utility of plasma circulating cell-free messenger RNA as a biomarker of glioma: a pilot study.

Background: Research into the potential utility of plasma-derived circulating cell-free nucleic acids as non-invasive adjuncts to radiological imaging have been occasioned by the invasive nature of brain tumour biopsy. The objective of this study was to determine whether significant differences exist in the plasma transcriptomic profile of glioma patients relative to differences in their tumour characteristics, and also whether any observed differences were representative of synchronously obtained glioma samples and TCGA glioma-derived RNA.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from twenty glioma patients prior to tumour resection.

Body Composition, Inflammation, and 5-Year Outcomes in Colon Cancer.

Importance: Obesity, particularly visceral obesity and sarcopenia, are poor prognostic indicators in colon cancer.

Objectives: To explore the association between body composition profiles and 5-year colon cancer outcomes and delineate the associated underlying inflammatory processes.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter translational cohort study included patients with nonmetastatic colon cancer who did not have underlying chronic inflammatory disorders and were not receiving anti-inflammatory drugs referred to tertiary cancer centers from 2009 to 2015.

The relevance of liquid biopsy in surgical oncology: The application of perioperative circulating nucleic acid dynamics in improving patient outcomes.

Background: Liquid biopsy is gaining increasing clinical utility in the management of cancer patients. The main components of a liquid biopsy are circulating nucleic acids, circulating tumour cells and extracellular vesicles such as exosomes. Circulating nucleic acids including cell free DNA (cfDNA) and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in particular have been the focus of recent attention as they have demonstrated excellent potential in cancer screening, provision of prognostic information and in genomic profiling of a tumour without the need for repeated tissue biopsies.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer: outcomes of trimodal therapy.

Backround: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of trimodal therapy [surgery, chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT)] in patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) treated with curative intent.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of patients with ATC treated at a tertiary referral centre between January 2009 and June 2020. Data were collected regarding demographics, histology, staging, treatment and outcomes.

Plasma circulating cell free messenger RNA as a potential biomarker of melanoma.

Background: Blood borne cell free nucleic acids are increasingly emerging as significant non-invasive adjuncts to current methods of disease status evaluation in cancer patients. In this study, we sought to examine whether significant differences exist in the plasma transcriptomic profile of advanced melanoma patients with a high disease burden compared to patients with a low disease burden or therapeutic response.

Methods: Pathway focussed gene expression analysis was performed using cDNA derived from the plasma circulating cell free messenger ribonucleic acid (ccfmRNA) samples of twenty-two patients with advanced melanoma.

Association of Circulating Tumor DNA With Disease-Free Survival in Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Fragmented DNA is continuously released into the circulation following apoptosis and necrosis of both cancerous and noncancerous cells; when it is released by cancer cells, it is specifically known as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Previous studies have suggested that ctDNA can reflect tumor burden and guide potential therapeutic targets.

Objective: To determine the association of ctDNA with breast cancer disease-free survival (DFS) and progression-free survival in early, locally advanced, and metastatic breast cancer.

Assessing the accuracy of conventional gadolinium-enhanced breast MRI in measuring the nodal response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer.

Management of the axilla in the era of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer is evolving. The aim of this study is to determine if conventional gadolinium-enhanced breast MRI can aid in evaluation of the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the axilla. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer was performed.

The LOCalizer Radiofrequency Identification System: An Effective New Technology for Localizing Non-Palpable Breast Lesions for Surgery.

Breast screening has decreased morbidity and mortality due to detection of early, non-palpable breast cancers. One of the challenges of performing breast-conserving surgery on non-palpable breast tumours is accurate localization of the cancer. We aimed to perform a feasibility study to examine the outcomes associated with the introduction of a novel radiofrequency identification system (RFID) called LOCalizer as an alternative to traditional wire-guided localization.

Can the Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio Predict Complete Pathologic Response to Neoadjuvant Breast Cancer Treatment? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The systemic inflammatory response plays a role in tumor progression and development. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a biochemical marker of systemic inflammation and is increasingly gaining appreciation for its prognostic role in predicting breast cancer outcomes. Previous research has demonstrated that patients who achieve a complete pathologic response (pCR) to neoadjuvant breast cancer treatment have a more favorable disease-free survival.

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen: unusual case presentation in an intravenous drug user.

An unusual presentation of sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation in a 42-year-old man who was admitted with jaundice, deranged liver function tests and subsequently diagnosed with acute hepatitis C infection in the context of recent intravenous drug use. During his admission, he had an ultrasound of the abdomen followed by a CT thorax, abdomen and pelvis which showed splenomegaly and a large splenic lower pole mass that was hypoechoic and concerning for lymphoma. A bone marrow biopsy showed no evidence of lymphoma and an ultrasound-guided biopsy of the splenic mass suggested unusual features with vascular proliferation, either neoplastic or reactive, with no evidence of lymphoma or high-grade sarcoma.

Evolution of adrenal surgery in a tertiary referral centre.

Background: Laparoscopic transperitoneal and retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy have largely replaced open adrenal surgery, particularly in benign disease. Laparoscopic surgery results in less post-operative pain, fewer surgical site complications and reduced length of hospital stay. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the characteristics of patients and evolution of surgical technique in adrenal surgery at Cork University Hospital over a 12-year period.

The Efficacy of Prophylactic Negative Pressure Wound Therapy for Closed Incisions in Breast Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a promising advance in the management of closed surgical incisions. NPWT application induces several effects locally within the wound including reduced lateral tension and improving lymphatic drainage. As a result, NPWT may improve wound healing and reduce surgical site complications.

Association of Observed Perioperative Cell-Free DNA Dynamics With Early Recurrence in Patients With Colon Cancer.

This study examines the association of cell-free DNA with tumor recurrence in patients with colon cancer.

Gallstone Ileus With Cholecysto-Duodenal Fistula In An Elderly Male.

Gall stone ileus associated with cholecysto-duodenal fistula is a rare pathology. It most commonly presents in elderly females in 72-90% of cases. In such a case, a patient typically presents with recurrent attacks of sub-acute intestinal obstruction which usually resolves completely with conservative management only to recur again after some time.

Morphine as a treatment of cancer-induced pain-is it safe? A review of in vivo studies and mechanisms.

Morphine has been used in the treatment of pain for centuries. It is commonly used by oncology in terminal cancer cases and by surgery perioperatively for oncology surgery. Its extra-analgesic effects on cancer have been described extensively but conflicting results abound.

Information Needs of Patients With Breast Cancer at Years One, Three, and Five After Diagnosis.

Introduction: The information needs of breast cancer patients at diagnosis have been studied extensively. However, with cancer survival improving, the era of cancer care has entered a more chronic phase with an associated paucity of data related to longer term information requirements. The aim of the present study was to assess and compare the information needs of breast cancer patients during the first 5 years after the diagnosis.

Evaluation of the effect of the accordion suturing technique on wound lengths in breast cancer surgery: a randomised clinical trial.

Background: Cosmetic outcomes and scar lengths remain important considerations in breast cancer surgery. Suturing techniques should decrease scar tissue formation and provide good cosmetic results. The use of an accordion suturing technique may result in decreased surgical wound lengths and better cosmetic outcomes.