The more the merrier? Evidence and efficacy of immune checkpoint- and tyrosine kinase inhibitor combinations in advanced solid cancers.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have gained therapeutical significance in cancer therapy over the last years. Due to the high efficacy of each substance group, additive or complementary effects are considered, and combinations are the subject of multiple prospective trials in different tumor entities. The majority of available data results from clinical phase I and II trials.

Alternative schedule of temozolomide/capecitabine in neuroendocrine neoplasms.

The chemotherapy regimen capecitabine/temozolomide (CAPTEM) is routinely used in neuroendocrine tumors (NET), with antitumor activity particularly demonstrated in pancreatic or high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN). However, different dosing regimens are used, and the optimal schedule remains to be defined. This single-center retrospective analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of CAPTEM in patients with NEN using a schedule starting both compounds simultaneously (temozolomide on days 1-5 and capecitabine on days 1-14 of a 28-day cycle) rather than sequentially.

Clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome of patients with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung and brain metastases - data from a tertiary care center.

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the lung is an aggressive malignancy, with brain metastases (BM) occurring in approximately 20% of cases. There are currently no therapy guidelines for this population as only few data on the management of LCNEC and BM have been published. For this retrospective single center study, patients with LCNEC and BM were identified from the Vienna Brain Metastasis Registry.

Clinical characteristics, treatment, and long-term outcome of patients with brain metastases from thyroid cancer.

Brain metastases (BM) in patients with thyroid cancer (TC) are rare with an incidence of 1% for papillary and follicular, 3% for medullary and up to 10% for anaplastic TC (PTC, FTC, MTC and ATC). Little is known about the characteristics and management of BM from TC. Thus, we retrospectively analyzed patients with histologically verified TC and radiologically verified BM identified from the Vienna Brain Metastasis Registry.

Challenges in Palliative Care Nursing at a University Hospital: A Qualitative Interview Study.

We examined the perception of palliative care nurses regarding challenges, coping strategies, resources, and needs when working in a university hospital in Austria. A qualitative descriptive design was applied, using semistructured interviews with 8 female and 2 male nurses. All interviews were recorded as digital audio and transcribed verbatim.

Kidney Function Worsening Is Linked to Parenteral-Nutrition-Dependent Survival in Palliative Care Patients.

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is frequently administered in palliative care patients suffering from cachexia. The evidence regarding the use of PN in terminally ill patients is scarce. Routine laboratory parameters might help to decide whether to start or forgo PN, which could decrease overtreatment at the end of life.

Surgical Treatment of Proximal Segmental Occlusion of the Internal Carotid Artery.

Purpose: To present the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of carotid endarterectomy in patients with type II internal carotid artery occlusions, including the long-term outcomes.

Methods: From March 2008 to August 2015, 74 consecutive patients (48 men with a mean age of 65.1 ± 8.

Scoring system to predict early carotid restenosis after eversion endarterectomy by analysis of inflammatory markers.

Background: Inflammation is one of the mechanisms that leads to carotid restenosis (CR). The aim of this study was to examine the influence of increased values of inflammation markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP], C3 complement, and fibrinogen) on CR development after eversion carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Methods: A consecutive 300 patients were included in the study, in which eversion CEA was performed between March 1 and August 1, 2010.

Treatment of stump complications after above-knee amputation using negative-pressure wound therapy.

Introduction: The stump wound complications after above-knee amputation lead to other problems, such as prolonged rehabilitation, delayed prosthetic restoration, the increase in total treatment cost and high mortality rates.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and outcomes of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) using Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC®) therapy in patients with stump complication after above-knee amputation (AKA).

Methods: From January 2011 to July 2014, AKA was performed in 137 patients at the University Cardiovascular Clinic.

Bilateral Eagle Syndrome with Associated Internal Carotid Artery Kinking and Significant Stenosis.

Background: Eagle syndrome represents elongated styloid process characterized by calcification and ossification of the stylohyoid ligament rarely associated with the pathology of carotid arteries. We are presenting a very rare case of bilateral Eagle syndrome with associated internal carotid artery (ICA) kinking on the right side and significant ICA stenosis on the left side.

Case Report: A 62-year-old female patient was admitted to our Institution for multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography.

Vocal Cord Paralysis as the First Sign of Spontaneous Carotid Dissection in a Patient With Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysm.

Introduction: Spontaneous dissection of supra-aortic arteries is an exceptionally rare cause of vocal cord dysfunction. We are reporting a case of spontaneous carotid dissection and internal carotid artery aneurysm presenting as vocal cord paralysis.

Case Report: A 44-year-old female was admitted with hoarseness and swallowing disorders.

Massive necrotizing fasciitis following bellow-knee arterial surgery - A therapeutic challenge.

Introduction: Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, progressive bacterial infection of superficial fascia followed by secondary subcutaneous tissue necrosis. We pressented a patient with massive fulminant lifethreatening necrotising fasciitis after bellow-knee femoro-popliteal vein bypass grafting successfully treated by antibiotics, surgical debridement and final skin reconstruction using the Tierch method.

Case Report: A 61-year-old patient was admitted to the Vascular Surgery Clinic for below-knee femoro-popliteal bypass grafting.

["Blue-toe" syndrome as a possible complication of the abdominal aortic aneurysm: a report of two cases].

Introduction: Severe extremity ischemia and the presence of the"blue-toe"syndrome are rarely the first complications of the present abdominal aortic aneurysm.We report two interesting cases of this rare entity.

Outline Of Cases: A 61-year-old man presented with the rest pain of his toes accompanied with digital ischemia of both feet.

Carotid angioplasty and stenting is safe and effective for treatment of recurrent stenosis after eversion endarterectomy.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the efficiency and long-term durability of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and carotid artery stenting in carotid restenosis (CR) treatment after eversion endarterectomy, with emphasis on variables that could influence the outcome.

Methods: We analyzed 319 patients (220 asymptomatic and 99 symptomatic) who underwent carotid angioplasty from 2002 until 2012 for CR that occurred after eversion endarterectomy. During this period, 7993 eversion endarterectomies were done for significant carotid artery stenosis.

[Persistent descending mesocolon: case report].

Introduction: Positional anomalies of the right half of the colon are quite common whereas positional anomalies of the left half of the colon are much less common because of embryological disorders during the period of the embryological development of that part of the bowel. The process of the fixation of the descending colon to the posterior abdominal wall can be absent. In that case, when the descending colon has a free descending mesocolon, it shows some degree of mobility.

[Surgical treatment of internal carotid artery restenosis following eversion endarterectomy].

Introduction: Carotid angioplasty and internal carotid artery stenting is the therapeutic method of choice in the treatment of carotid restenosis, but when it is not technically feasible (expressed tortuosity of supraaortic branches, calcifications, presence of pathological elongation of very long lesions) a redo surgery is indicated.

Objective: The aim of our study was to examine the benefits and risks of redo surgery in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic significant internal carotid artery restenosis and its impact on early and late morbidity and mortality.

Methods: The study included 45 patients who were surgically treated for a hemodynamically significant internal carotid artery restenosis from January 2000 to December 2009.

Technical strategy in a patient with symptomatic thoracic aneurysm near the origin of the left subclavian artery and left internal thoracic artery coronary graft.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is a safe and reliable technique utilized in the treatment for aortic aneurysms. However, in up to 40% of patients, devices are typically placed over the left subclavian artery (LSA) origin. In this report, we present a case of a successful TEVAR procedure following the transposition of the LSA with protective carotico-axillary/carotid bypass in a patient with a patent left internal thoracic artery (LITA)-left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery bypass graft and right internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion.

Distribution of risk factors in patients with premature coronary, supra-aortic branches and peripheral atherosclerotic disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of major risk factors among patients with atherosclerotic disease aged ≤50 years.

Subjects And Methods: The study population comprised 944 patients aged ≤50 years with clinically significant manifestations of atherosclerotic disease compared with 350 consecutive (control) older patients (age >50 years).

Results: The most significant risk factors for atherosclerotic disease of the supra-aortic branches were: smoking (87.

[Successful intestinal ischemia treatment by percutaneus transluminal angioplasty of visceral arteries in a patient with abdominal angina].

Introduction: Abdominal angina, also known as chronic mesenteric ischemia or intestinal angina, is a rare disease caused by intestinal flow reduction due to stenosis or occlusion of mesenteric arteries. A case of successful treatment of a patient with abdominal angina by percutaneous transuliminal angioplasty of high-grade superior mesenteric artery and coeliac trunk stenosis was presented.

Case Outline: A 77-year-old male patient was admitted at our Clinic for severe postprandial abdominal pains followed by frequent diarrhoeas.

[Wound infection after carotid artery endarterectomy caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: case report].

Introduction: Carotid endarterectomy is a safe and reliable surgical procedure to treat the narrowing of the internal carotid artery greater than 70%. One of the most serious complications of surgical wound after endarterectomy is an infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which is accompanied with high morbidity and mortality.

Case Outline: A 62-year-old woman developed a graft infection caused by MRSA after a carotid endarterectomy with synthetic graft placement.

Extracranial internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysms after kinking reconstruction.

The purpose of this report is to describe our experience of infected false aneurysm treatment following internal carotid artery (ICA) reconstruction. Five and 6 years before admission, bilateral reconstruction was done because of ICA kinking at a local health center. The patient was symptomless for 5 years but later became partially symptomatic (dizziness, vertigo, and visibly bilateral neck pulsatile masses).

[Resection of thrombosed femoral artery over-dimensional stent-graft placed due to multiple arteriovenous fistulas following gunshot wounds].

Introduction: Though surgical approach is common in arteriovenous (AV) fistula treatment, endovascular procedures such as stent-graft placement has become more popular in recent years. We aim to present a case of thrombosed femoral artery stent-graft which was placed one year earlier due to multiple AV fistulas following gunshot wounds.

Case Outline: A 43-year-old patient was admitted to the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases "Dedinje", Belgrade, Serbia, for arteriography.