Challenges in the Management of Stage IV Clear Cell Sarcoma of Soft Tissue in Young Adults: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Introduction: Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of soft tissue is a rare type of soft tissue sarcoma affecting usually lower extremities in young adults. The main challenges in the management of this disease include difficulties in diagnosis, aggressiveness of the cancer with rapid progression, and inadequate treatment, especially in small centers with few cases.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a young woman diagnosed with CCS of soft tissue, stage IV.

Impact of Sarcopenia on Treatment Outcomes and Toxicity in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

: Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by muscle mass loss, is prevalent in up to 68% of rectal cancer patients and has been described as a negative prognostic factor, impacting overall survival and tumor response. While there are extensive data on rectal cancer globally, only a handful of studies have evaluated the role of sarcopenia in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between sarcopenia, overall response rate, and toxicity in patients who underwent total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT) for LARC.

Treatment Classification by Intent in Oncology-The Need for Meaningful Definitions: Curative, Palliative and Potentially Life-Prolonging.

Background: Realistic cancer treatment goals should be used by health care professionals and communicated to patients, families, and the public. The current nomenclature on this subject is outdated and has not been changed since the advent of modern oncology in the middle of the 20th century.

Methods: Based on the literature we propose a three-tier system composed of curative, palliative, and potentially life-prolonging (PLP) therapies, instead of the current two-tier system of only curative and palliative treatment.

B7H3 Immune Checkpoint Overexpression Is Associated with Decreased Complete Response Rates to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

Background And Objectives: Rectal cancer accounts for approximately one-third of colorectal cancers, with over 340,000 deaths globally in 2022. Despite advancements in treatment, the five-year overall survival for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) remains at 74%, with significant morbidity. B7H3 (CD276), an immune checkpoint protein, plays a role in tumor progression and resistance to therapy, and correlates with poor prognosis in various cancers, including colorectal cancer.

The Role of Predictive and Prognostic MRI-Based Biomarkers in the Era of Total Neoadjuvant Treatment in Rectal Cancer.

The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in rectal cancer management has significantly increased over the last decade, in line with more personalized treatment approaches. Total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT) plays a pivotal role in the shift from traditional surgical approach to non-surgical approaches such as 'watch-and-wait'. MRI plays a central role in this evolving landscape, providing essential morphological and functional data that support clinical decision-making.

The value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in cervical cancer assessed in comparison with magnetic resonance imaging.

Introduction: Currently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most commonly used imaging method in the assessment of the loco-regional extension in cervical cancer. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (abbreviated CEUS) is being investigated as an alternative or complement to the MRI investigation.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of CEUS in identifying loco-regional invasion of cervical cancer compared to MRI, considered the accepted reference standard.

Serum Calcium Level at Diagnosis Can Predict Lethal Prostate Cancer Relapse.

: The most important prognostic factors in curatively treated prostate cancer are T and N stage, histology, grade group and initial PSA. A recent study found that men with blood calcium levels at the high end of the normal range are over two-and-a-half times more likely to develop fatal prostate cancer than those with lower calcium levels. However, there is limited evidence regarding the prognostic value of calcium levels at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis.

Dynamics and predictors of hematologic toxicity during cranio-spinal irradiation.

Background: Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is a complex radiotherapy (RT) technique required for treating specific brain tumors and some hematologic malignancies. With large volumes of hematogenous bone marrow (BM) being irradiated, CSI could cause acute hematologic toxicity, leading to treatment interruptions or severe complications. We report on the dynamics and dose/volume predictors of hematologic toxicity during CSI.

CT Angiography-Guided Needle Insertion for Interstitial Brachytherapy in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer.

CT angiography might be a suitable procedure to avoid arterial puncture in combined intracavitary and interstitial brachytherapy for cervical cancer curatively treated with combined chemoradiation and brachytherapy boost. Data in the literature about this technique are scarce. We introduced this method and collected brachytherapy data from patients treated in our department between May 2021 and April 2024.

Unselective Measurement of Tumor-to-Stroma Proportion in Colon Cancer at the Invasion Front-An Elusive Prognostic Factor: Original Patient Data and Review of the Literature.

The tumor-to-stroma ratio is a highly debated prognostic factor in the management of several solid tumors and there is no universal agreement on its practicality. In our study, we proposed confirming or dismissing the hypothesis that a simple measurement of stroma quantity is an easy-to-use and strong prognostic tool. We have included 74 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer who underwent primary curative abdominal surgery.

Usefulness of Saline Sealing in Preventing Pneumothorax after CT-Guided Biopsies of the Lung.

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline sealing in reducing the incidence of pneumothorax after a CT-guided lung biopsy. This was a retrospective case-control study of patients who underwent CT-guided biopsies for lung tumors using 18 G semiautomatic core needles in conjunction with 17 G coaxial needles. The patients were divided into two consecutive groups: a historical Group A (n = 111), who did not receive saline sealing, and Group B (n = 87), who received saline sealing.

Preoperative MRI accuracy after neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background And Aims: To evaluate the performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in restaging locally advanced rectal cancers (LARC) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), with pathologic correlation.

Methods: 80 patients with LARC treated with neoadjuvant therapy, with restaging MRI and surgery, were enrolled and prospectively reviewed. The diagnostic accuracy of the restaging MRI was assessed for tumor (ymrT), nodal status (ymrN), circumferential resection margin (ymrCRM), extramural vascular invasion (ymrEMVI) and tumoral deposits (ymrN1c) by calculating the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), negative predictive values (NPV) and positive predictive values (PPV).

Prevalence of MMTV-like sequences in breast cancer samples in Romanian patients-there is a geographic difference compared to the Western world.

Background: Breast cancer, although the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumor in humans, has a less clear etiology compared to other frequent cancer types. Mouse-mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is involved in breast cancer in mice and dogs and might play a role in the etiology of some breast cancers in humans, since an MMTV-like sequence was identified in 20-40% of breast cancer samples in Western Europe, USA, Australia and some other parts of the world. The purpose of our study was to identify MMTV-like DNA sequences in breast tissue samples from breast cancer patients who underwent curative surgery in our regional academic center in Romania, EU.

Toward better drug development: Three-dimensional bioprinting in toxicological research.

The importance of three-dimensional (3D) models in pharmacological tests and personalized therapies is significant. These models allow us to gain insight into the cell response during drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination in an organ-like system and are suitable for toxicological testing. In personalized and regenerative medicine, the precise characterization of artificial tissues or drug metabolism processes is more than crucial to gain the safest and the most effective treatment for the patients.

Implementation of advanced radiotherapy techniques: stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for oligometastatic patients with lung metastasis - a single institution experience.

Background And Aims: The treatment of oligometastatic disease has become common practice as advanced radiotherapy techniques became more available. Lung is one of the main metastatic sites for a majority of cancers and many of these patients present with a limited metastatic disease burden. For these patients, SBRT (Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy) represents a non-invasive treatment alternative.

Modulation of monepantel secretion into milk by soy isoflavones.

Monepantel (MNP), a novel anthelmintic drug from amino-acetonitrile derivatives, is a substrate for breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). BCRP-mediated milk secretion of drugs can be altered by isoflavones. In this study, we aimed to show how soy isoflavones and BCRP inhibitors genistein (GEN) and daidzein (DAI) can modulate the secretion of MNP into milk.

Assessment of Specific Tumoral Markers, Inflammatory Status, and Vitamin D Metabolism before and after the First Chemotherapy Cycle in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Background: We aimed to investigate the changes of inflammatory status reflected by serum levels of chitotriosidase (CHT) and neopterin, and how specific tumor markers such as neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), as well as vitamin D metabolism assessed by vitamin D receptor (VDR) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD), were modified after the first cycle of chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer.

Methods: We performed this first pilot study on twenty patients diagnosed with lung cancer by investigating the serum concentrations of CHT, neopterin, NSE, SCCA, VDR and 25OHD before and after the first cycle of chemotherapy.

Results: The post-treatment values of NSE were significantly lower compared to the pre-treatment levels (14.

Signet ring cell gastric carcinoma with breast and leptomeningeal metastases: a case report.

Gastric cancer is the 5 most common malignancy worldwide. Signet ring cell histology represents an aggressive subtype of gastric cancer, presenting at a younger age. Both breast and leptomeningeal metastases are rare locations of tumor dissemination, requiring correct and immediate diagnosis and treatment.

Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery: An Overview with Emphasis on Vitamin D and K Transportation.

Mounting evidence shows that supplementation with vitamin D and K or their analogs induces beneficial effects in various diseases, e.g., osteoarticular, cardiovascular, or carcinogenesis.

MRI Evaluation of Complete and Near-Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Therapy in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

To evaluate MRI performance in restaging locally advanced rectal cancers (LARC) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and interobserver agreement in identifying complete response (CR) and near-complete response (nCR). 40 patients with CR and nCR on restaging MRI, surgery and/or endoscopy were enrolled. Two radiologists independently scored the restaging MRI and reported the presence of split scar sign (SSS) and MRI tumor regression grade (mrTRG).

The First Evaluation of Serum Levels of MGP, Gas6 and EGFR after First Dose of Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer.

Background: Vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are involved in lung cancer progression. Therefore, we aimed to study the serum concentration of Matrix Gla protein (MGP), Growth Arrest-specific 6 (Gas6), and EGFR before and after the first cycle of chemotherapy and to investigate how MGP, Gas6, and EGFR are modified after one cycle of chemotherapy.

Methods: We performed an observational study on twenty patients diagnosed with lung cancer, by assessing the serum concentration of vitaminK (VitK), MGP, Gas6, and EGFR using the ELISA technique before and after three weeks of the first cycle of chemotherapy.

Survival and quality of life after whole brain radiotherapy with 3D conformal boost in the treatment of brain metastases.

Background: Brain metastases are the most frequent intracranial neoplasms in adults. Although overall survival (OS) is an important endpoint in patients receiving radiotherapy, given their poor life expectancy in general, quality of life is becoming an increasingly useful endpoint. Objectives: to evaluate whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) with 3D conformal boost in brain metastases patients with regard to OS and quality of life.

Correlation Analysis of Potential Breast Cancer Resistance Protein Probes in Different Monolayer Systems.

Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) is a point of interest in drug-drug interaction safety testing. Therefore, a consensus probe that can be applied as victim in multiple experimental settings is of great benefit. Identification of candidates has been driven by the amount and quality of available clinical data, and as a result, drugs such as sulfasalazine and rosuvastatin have been suggested.

Inhibitor selectivity of CNTs and ENTs.

The concentrative nucleoside transporters (CNT; solute carrier family 28 (SLC28)) and the equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENT; solute carrier family 29 (SLC29)) are important therapeutic targets but may also mediate toxicity or adverse events. To explore the relative role of the base and the monosaccharide moiety in inhibitor selectivity we selected compounds that either harbor an arabinose moiety or a cytosine moiety, as these groups had several commercially available drug members. The screening data showed that more compounds harboring a cytosine moiety displayed potent interactions with the CNTs than compounds harboring the arabinose moiety.