Celiac plexus radiosurgery - an introduction to the method and a practical manual.

Introduction: Celiac plexus radioablation (CPR) is an emerging non-invasive interventional treatment for severe pain associated with cancer-related damage to the celiac plexus. Due to its complex aetiology, such pain often responds poorly to conventional analgesics, and high doses of these medications can cause toxicity. Celiac plexus radiosurgery employs advanced radiotherapy techniques to administer a high single dose of 25 Gy to the anatomically defined celiac plexus, aiming to reduce pain intensity and enhance patients' quality of life.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Symptomatic Pancreatic Insulinoma: Two-Case Report and Literature Review.

Insulinoma is the most common functional neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas, with the main clinical symptom being hypoglycemia. The standard treatment is surgery, but some patients are not eligible for surgery, while in those operated on, the risk of perioperative complications is up to 30%. Diazoxide treatment to prevent hypoglycemia is effective only in 50% of patients.

Celiac plexus radiosurgery for pain management in advanced cancer: a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial.

Background: Refractory upper abdominal pain or lower back pain (retroperitoneal pain syndrome) related to celiac plexus involvement characterises pancreatic and other upper gastrointestinal malignancies and is an unmet need. We hypothesised that ablative radiation delivered to the celiac plexus would decrease pain.

Methods: This multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 study was done at eight hospitals in five countries (Israel, Poland, Canada, the USA, and Portugal).

Skin metastases in the clinical and dermoscopic aspects.

According to the literature, skin metastases affect 0.7%-10.4% of patients with malignant neoplasms of internal organs and may be 1 presentation of systemic spread of the cancer.

Noninvasive celiac plexus radiosurgery in palliative treatment for patients with symptomatic pancreatic cancer.

Advanced pancreatic cancer is commonly associated with significant visceral pain, radiating in a belt-like distribution to the upper abdomen, referring to the lower back, and significantly affecting patients' quality of life (QoL). The pain is often poorly controlled by pharmacotherapy, or the doses necessary to control the pain produce substantial adverse effects. Other available pain management options include invasive celiac plexus block or neurolysis, palliative radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy, all with limited efficacy.

The application of F-FDG-PET/CT in gastric cancerstaging and factors affecting its sensitivity.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy offluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT), to correctly determine initial tumor stage in treatment-naive gastric cancer patients and to analyze the factors influencing the risk of false negative results.

Subjects And Methods: The baseline F-FDG PET/CT scans of 111 previously untreated gastric cancer patients were retrospectively assessed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative prediction value (NPV) were evaluated.

The analysis of absorbed dose by pancreas during gastric cancer radiotherapy.

Introduction: The toxicity of radiotherapy is a very important issue in the everyday work of radiation oncologist. The tolerance to certain doses of radiotherapy in organs at risk determines the safety of radiotherapy. Despite the increasing number of publications concerning the injury of the pancreas after radiotherapy, this organ does not have common directives.

The role of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy in the local control in medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: The value of postoperative radiotherapy in the treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) has not been unequivocally demonstrated. Therefore our study aimed to answer the question of whether adjuvant radiotherapy showed any impact on the risk of local recurrence and whether there were any differences in response to radiotherapy between hereditary and sporadic MTC.

Methods: A retrospective analysis involved 254 MTC patients, among them 73 patients with a hereditary disease.

Lipid Status During Combined Treatment in Prostate Cancer Patients.

The aim of this study was to provide a specific review of current medical literature regarding the lipid profile during prostate carcinoma (PCa) treatment. The main aim was to analyze the results presented by different authors and to find a commonality in the changes occurring during the treatment-hormonotherapy. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were measured before and after the follow-up treatment.

The Effect of Radiotherapy on the Concentration of Plasma Lipids in Elderly Prostate Cancer Patients.

Lipids play an important role in processes such as the formation of membrane cells or in steroidogenesis, where androgens which stimulate the proliferation of prostate cancer (PCa) cells are produced. Previous studies presented links between cholesterol (CHOL) and PCa and concluded that cholesterol homeostasis changes in PCa patients during treatment and with age. This study further examines the correlation between the lipid profile, the treatment used, and the subjects' age.

The Correlation of Blood Parameters with Size in Cases of Neoplastic Tumor.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of tumor volume on platelet counts (PLT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) and involve these parameters on overall survival. Methods: It is a retrospective study of 99 patients with lung cancer (confirmed histologically or cytologically). Sixty-six patients underwent radical operating treatment and 33 patients had only biopsies – due to the inoperable status of tumor According to the histopathology profile: non-small cell carcinoma – 23%, adenocarcinoma - 23 %, squamous - 36%, small cell carcinoma -11%, carcinoid – 6%.

Appraisal of Basic-Hemostatic Markers in Lung Cancer Patients During Follow-Up Care After Radiotherapy Treatment.

BACKGROUND The aim of this paper was to investigate the association between clinicopathological factors and the coagulation test in lung cancer patients during follow-up care after treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninety-five medical patients with histologically proven advanced lung carcinoma (LC) who had undergone radiotherapy were prospectively reviewed between January 2014 and December 2016. The study investigated the relationship between the biochemical results, the disease stage, and the survival rate in lung cancer patients.

Behaviors of active sunbeds users and their knowledge on the potential health risks; results of cross-sectional study in Poland.

Background: Current literature review indicates that there is an increase in risk of skin melanoma due to the use of sunbeds.

Aims: To assess behaviors and opinions about health risk related to tanning.

Methods: From March 2012 to June of the same year, nonrepresentative cross-sectional study was conducted online concerning knowledge and behaviors during tanning.

Analysis of haemostasis biomarkers in patients with advanced stage lung cancer during hypofractionated radiotherapy treatment.

Objective To investigate the relationship between changes in inflammatory and coagulatory biomarkers before and after short palliative radiotherapy in patients with advanced stage lung cancer. Methods This prospective observational single-centre study enrolled patients with histologically- or cytologically-confirmed lung cancer who were eligible for palliative radiotherapy. Inflammatory and coagulatory biomarkers including complete blood count, D-dimer and fibrinogen levels were evaluated before and after short hypofractionated radiotherapy.

18-Fluorodeoxy-Glucose Positron Emission Tomography- Computed Tomography (18-FDG-PET/CT) for Gross Tumor Volume (GTV) Delineation in Gastric Cancer Radiotherapy.

Purpose: Evaluation of the 18-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18-FDGPET/ CT) for gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation in gastric cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Methods: In this study, 29 gastric cancer patients (17 unresectable and 7 inoperable) were initially enrolled for radical chemoradiotherapy (45Gy/25 fractions + chemotherapy based on 5 fluorouracil) or radiotherapy alone (45Gy/25 fractions) with planning based on the 18-FDG-PET/CT images. Five patients were excluded due to excess blood glucose levels (1), false-negative positron emission tomography (1) and distant metastases revealed by 18-FDG-PET/CT (3).

The Comparison and Estimation of the Prognostic Value of Lipid Profiles in Patients With Prostate Cancer Depends on Cancer Stage Advancement.

Lipid profiles and prostate cancer have a controversial relationship, and the predictive ability of lipids in determining cancer risk estimation is still questionable. This study demonstrates a significance assessment of the plasma lipid profiles of subjects with prostate cancer. Locoregional subjects irradiated with external beam therapy were compared to prostate cancer subjects with bone metastases.

Association between Stereotactic Radiotherapy and Death from Brain Metastases of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: a Gliwice Data Re-Analysis with Penalization.

Background: Clinical datasets for epithelial ovarian cancer brain metastatic patients are usually small in size. When adequate case numbers are lacking, resulting estimates of regression coefficients may demonstrate bias. One of the direct approaches to reduce such sparse-data bias is based on penalized estimation.

Melanoma as a surprising solution to the puzzle of intestinal obstruction.

We present a case of a 71-year-old man with an advanced melanoma of the right colon. The final diagnosis was determined based on histopathological examination of the material collected during urgent laparotomy performed due to ileus. Although we considered the tumor to be a disseminated primary melanoma of the colon, the possibility of unknown primary origin could not be excluded.

Delineation of Margins for the Planning Target Volume (PTV) for Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) of Gastric Cancer Based on Intrafraction Motion.

Background: Application of the image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) system for gastric cancer involving daily verification of patient positioning on the treatment machine allows minimisation of geometrical errors as a consequence of intra- and inter-fraction motion. The purpose of this study was to define the intrafraction motion in gastric cancer patients during a treatment session based on the IGRT system and designation of margins around the clinical target volume CTV (internal target volume ITV) necessary to delineate the planning target volume (PTV). Methods: Twenty gastric cancer patients were analysed.

Melanoma awareness and prevalence of dermoscopic examination among internet users: a cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: Melanoma presents the greater threat to health the later the disease is detected and treated, although treatment results can be improved by the widespread use of dermoscopy. However, scarce data are available concerning the awareness of dermoscopy and the frequency of its performance in the non-patient population.

Aim: To assess the awareness of melanoma detection by dermoscopic examination among the audience of a scientific website.

Thyroid Function after Postoperative Radiation Therapy in Patients with Breast Cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess thyroid function in breast cancer patients exposed to therapeutic external beam radiation. The focus was on possible progressive changes and any relationships between the incidence of primary hypothyroidism, the time required to become hypothyroid, and factors such as chemotherapy, hormonotherapy and immunotherapy. Materials and Methods: Seventy females undergoing 3D conformal and IMRT radiation therapy for breast cancers were enrolled in a non-randomized prospective study.

"Better do not touch" and other superstitions concerning melanoma: the cross-sectional web-based survey.

Introduction: To the authors' best knowledge, there are no data regarding the prevalence of superstitions concerning melanoma among internet users.

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and identify reasons for superstitions associated with excision of pigmented skin lesions as well as to assess the frequency of this procedure.

Material And Methods: Readers of the scientific portal were invited to complete a fully anonymous e-questionnaire.

Can we obtain planning goals for conformal techniques in neoadjuvant and adjuvant radiochemotherapy for gastric cancer patients?

Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare conformal radiotherapy techniques used in the treatment of gastric cancer patients. The study is dedicated to radiotherapy centres that have not introduced dynamic techniques in clinical practice.

Background: The implementation of multi-field technique can minimise the toxicity of treatment and improve dose distribution homogeneity in the target volume with simultaneous protection of organs at risk (OaRs).

Protection of organs at risk during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for gastric cancer based on a comparison between conformal and intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

The aim of the present study was to compare the techniques of dynamic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in patients with gastric cancer. Implementation of the IMRT technique does not significantly affect the minimum and maximum dose levels in the planning target volume (PTV), but more effectively protects the critical organs. The study group consisted of 25 patients.