Pulmonary involvement in systemic sclerosis: can sex play a role?

Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare and complex autoimmune disease with significant complications. During the last few years, research interest focuses on the differences between female and male patients. However, there is a lack of data regarding the role of sex in the presence of small airway disease (SAD).

Unravelling the diagnostic pathology and molecular biomarkers in lung cancer.

The progress in lung cancer treatment is closely interlinked with the progress in diagnostic methods. There are four steps before commencing lung cancer treatment: estimation of the patient's performance status, assessment of disease stage (tumour, node, metastasis), recognition of histological subtype, and detection of biomarkers. The resection rate in lung cancer is <30% and >70% of patients need systemic therapy, which is individually adjusted.

Sentinel Lymph Node Staging in Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: A Comprehensive Review.

Cervical cancer (CC) continues to be a significant global public health concern, even with preventive measures in place. In women with early-stage CC, the status of lymph nodes is of paramount importance, not only for the final prognosis but also for determining the best therapeutic strategy. According to main international guidelines, pelvic full lymphadenectomy (PLND) is recommended for lymph node staging.

Nutritional Risk and Sarcopenia Features in Patients with Crohn's Disease: Relation to Body Composition, Physical Performance, Nutritional Questionnaires and Biomarkers.

Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) face malnutrition risk, which, combined with inflammation, can lead to sarcopenia, associated with a worse prognosis. The purpose of the present study was to assess malnutrition and sarcopenia in patients with CD. Fifty-three patients (26 women) participated (38.

Front-Line Bevacizumab plus Chemotherapy with or without Maintenance Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer: An Observational Study by the Hellenic Oncology Research Group.

Front-line bevacizumab (BEV) in combination with taxanes offers benefit in progression-free survival (PFS) in metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The medical records of mBC patients, treated with front-line BEV-based chemotherapy, were retrospectively reviewed in order to generate real life safety and efficacy data. Patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative mBC treated with front-line BEV in combination with chemotherapy were eligible.

The process of estimating the cost of surgery: Providing a practical framework for surgeons.

Over the last decades, health care costs have been increasing at an alarming, exponential rate which is considered unsustainable. Surgical care utilizes one-third of health care costs. Estimating, evaluating, and understanding the cost of surgery is a vital step towards cost management and reduction.

Safety and Efficacy of RAD001 (Everolimus) Administered Upon Relapse During or After Adjuvant Treatment in Post-menopausal Women With Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2/neu Negative Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer (CRAD001JGR08 "MELPOMENI" study).

Background/aim: This study aimed to provide real-world safety and effectiveness data of everolimus (EVE) plus exemestane (EXE) in estrogen receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (ER/HER2) advanced breast cancer (aBC).

Patients And Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted by 19 hospital-based oncologists in Greece. Eligible patients were treated with EVE+EXE in the first-line setting; EVE was initiated according to the approved label.

The burden and management of anemia in Greek patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a retrospective, multicenter, observational study.

Background: Anemia is a common extraintestinal manifestation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affecting negatively the patients' quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and real-life management of anemia in IBD patients in Greece.

Methods: This study was conducted in 17 Greek IBD referral centers.

Large irritation fibroma of hard palate: a case report of a rare clinical entity.

Fibromas are benign tumors of connective tissue common in the oral cavity but rare on hard palate. This paper reports on an asymptomatic, slowly growing mass on the hard palate of a 90-year-old lady, with a reported use of denture for two decades. The patient presented with a 2.

Molecular Profiling of Malignant Pleural Effusions with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS): Evidence that Supports Its Role in Cancer Management.

Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) often develop in advanced cancer patients and confer significant morbidity and mortality. In this review, we evaluated whether molecular profiling of MPEs with next generation sequencing (NGS) could have a role in cancer management, focusing on lung cancer. We reviewed and compared the diagnostic performance of pleural fluid liquid biopsy with other types of samples.

Comparison of liquid-based to tissue-based biopsy analysis by targeted next generation sequencing in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a comprehensive systematic review.

Purpose: To explore whether targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) of liquid biopsy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) could potentially overcome the innate problems that arise with standard tissue biopsy, like intratumoral heterogeneity and the inability to obtain adequate samples for analysis.

Methods: The Scopus, Cochrane Library, and MEDLINE (via PubMed) databases were searched for studies with matched tissue and liquid biopsies from advanced NSCLC patients, analyzed with targeted NGS. The number of mutations detected in tissue biopsy only, liquid biopsy only, or both was assessed and the positive percent agreement (PPA) of the two methods was calculated for every clinically relevant gene.

The STAT signaling profile at the single cell level reveals novel insights in the association of FOXP3+ T regulatory cells with recurrent spontaneous abortions before and after lymphocyte immunotherapy.

Foxp3+ T regulatory cell (Tregs) are central in the pathobiology of recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA). Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins instruct Treg differentiation and polarization, but the STAT signaling architecture of Tregs in RSA and its modifications by lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) are yet unknown. By using single-cell phospho-specific flow cytometry we show that the STAT signaling biosignature of Tregs in women with RSA was characterized by marked downregulation of the IFNα/pSTAT1&5, IL-6/pSTAT1&3 and IL-2/pSTAT5 signaling nodes compared to age-matched fertile females.

Second primary melanomas in a cohort of 977 melanoma patients within the first 5 years of monitoring.

Background: In retrospective studies, a second primary melanoma (SPM) develops in 2%-20% of melanoma patients. Scarce evidence exists on the usefulness of total-body photography (TBP) and digital dermatoscopic documentation (DDD) for detecting SPMs.

Objective: The primary aim was to quantify the risk and investigate the time of occurrence of SPMs.

Epidemiological Characteristics, Status and Management Patterns of Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: The Greek REASON Observational Registry Study.

Background/aim: Real-world evidence regarding the prevalence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive status (M+) and the clinicopathological characteristics associated with the presence of EGFR mutations in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is scarce, especially among Caucasian populations. The present study aimed to bridge this gap, as well as to record treatment patterns and outcomes in routine-care settings.

Patients And Methods: REASON (NCT01153399) was a prospective study of patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC and known EGFR mutation status.

Interferon-γ and Colorectal Cancer: an up-to date.

Colorectal cancer still remains the third cause of cancer death among cancer patients. Early diagnosis is crucial and they can be either endoscopic or with blood biomarkers. Endoscopic methods consist of gastroscopy and colonoscopy, however; in recent years, endoscopic ultrasound is being used.

Multiple guided technologies based on radial probe endobronchial ultrasound for the diagnosis of solitary peripheral pulmonary lesions: a single-center study.

To evaluate the value of multiple guided technologies based on radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) in the application of the diagnosis of solitary pulmonary peripheral lesions (PPLs). Analysis of diagnostic yield in 4 groups patients with different combined multiple guided technologies based on R-EBUS, 94 patients with 94 solitary PPLs from Mar, 2013 to Nov, 2014 in Changhai Hospital. The overall diagnostic yield was 75% (70/94), the diagnostic yield of Group A (R-EBUS) was 62%(16/26), Group B (R-EBUS with guided sheath, EBUS-GS) was 76% (34/45), Group C (EBUS-GS with fluoroscopy) was 82% (9/11), Group D (virtual bronchoscopic navigation guided EBUS-GS with fluoroscopy) was 92% (11/12).