Exploring hope and expectations amidst the shadows: Navigating through the hearts of cancer patients admitted to a palliative care unit.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to conduct an in-depth exploration of the psychological well-being, hope, and expectations of cancer patients receiving care in a palliative care unit, utilizing a qualitative research approach.

Methods: We employed the methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Our data collection involved conducting 1-hour semi-structured interviews with the patients.

Deep learning helps discriminate between autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis.

Background & Aims: Biliary abnormalities in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and interface hepatitis in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) occur frequently, and misinterpretation may lead to therapeutic mistakes with a negative impact on patients. This study investigates the use of a deep learning (DL)-based pipeline for the diagnosis of AIH and PBC to aid differential diagnosis.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter study across six European referral centers, and built a library of digitized liver biopsy slides dating from 1997 to 2023.

Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): Pathophysiology and management (contrasted and compared).

Transfusion of blood products is a common lifesaving medical procedure in clinical practice. However, it poses the risk of potential adverse reactions for the recipient. Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host-disease (TA-GVHD) is a rare adverse event, fatal in >90% of cases.

Landscape of B lymphocytes and plasma cells in digestive tract carcinomas.

Digestive tract carcinomas are the most commonly occurring cancers worldwide, but their prognosis with traditional treatments remains poor. T lymphocytes are well-recognized as crucial components of effective anti-tumor immunity, and current immunotherapeutic strategies concentrate mainly on T-cell-mediated immunity reinforcement, whereas the role of B lymphocytes and plasma cells (PCs) has been neglected in the past, and it is only recently that these cells have been considered as key players in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this review, we describe the complex dual role of B lymphocytes and PCs in promoting and inhibiting tumor progression in the TME of digestive tract carcinomas, and we demonstrate their prognostic value.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist protocols for pituitary suppression in assisted reproduction.

Background: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) are commonly used in assisted reproduction technology (ART) cycles to prevent a luteinising hormone (LH) surge during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) prior to planned oocyte retrieval, thus optimising the chances of live birth. We compared the benefits and risks of the different GnRHa protocols used.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different GnRHa protocols used as adjuncts to COH in women undergoing ART.

Hypercoagulable Rotational Thromboelastometry During Hospital Stay Is Associated with Post-Discharge DLco Impairment in Patients with COVID-19-Related Pneumonia.

Hypercoagulation is central to the pathogenesis of acute and post-acute COVID-19. This prospective observational study explored whether rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), a method that unveils coagulation status, predicts outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. We investigated 62 patients using ROTEM that was conducted at enrollment, clinical deterioration, discharge and follow-up visits 1 and 3 months post-discharge.

Lymphopenia is an adverse prognostic factor in rectal adenocarcinoma patients receiving long-course chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma. The recent emerging data on preoperative immunotherapy as an effective therapeutic modality for mismatch repair deficient rectal carcinomas suggests that the immune system plays a significant role in tumor eradication. Although RT has been shown to stimulate anti-tumor immunity, it also leads to substantial lymphopenia, hindering the effect of immune response.

Egg Cryopreservation for Social Reasons-A Literature Review.

This paper provides an overview of the social reasons that lead women to consider egg cryopreservation, as well as the attitudes and knowledge of women towards this procedure. Methods: For the creation of this article, a literature review was carried out both in the existing medical literature and in search engines. The key points are as follows: (1) The main reasons women choose to delay childbearing are the lack of a suitable male partner, education and career advancement, and financial instability.

Effect of pelvic floor muscle training on urinary incontinence symptoms in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Urinary incontinence (UI) is common in women of all age groups, but postmenopausal women (MW) have a higher incidence of these symptoms. The International Continence Society suggests that women with UI should first try a conservative treatment, such as pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), which aims to enhance the strength and rectify the activation patterns of the pelvic floor muscles. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of PFMT, either on its own, or in conjunction with other physical therapy, in reducing the severity of UI symptoms in MW.

Thrombosis in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH): From Pathogenesis to Treatment.

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) constitutes a rare bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by hemolytic anemia, thrombotic events (TEs), and bone marrow aplasia of variable degrees. Thrombosis is one of the major clinical manifestations of the disease, affecting up to 40% of individuals with PNH. Venous thrombosis is more prevalent, affecting mainly unusual sites, such as intrabdominal and hepatic veins.

Hellenic Association for the Study of the Liver (HASL): revised clinical practice guidelines for autoimmune hepatitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare liver disease, of unknown origin, characterized by considerable heterogeneity. AIH can affect both sexes, of all ages, ethnicities and races. The revised Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) of the Hellenic Association for the Study of the Liver aim to provide updated guidance to clinicians.

Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR), Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15), and Soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) Levels Are Significantly Associated with Endothelial Injury Indices in CAR-T Cell Recipients.

Endothelial injury indices, such as Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX), modified EASIX (m-EASIX), and simplified EASIX (s-EASIX) scores, have been previously associated with chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell immunotherapy complications. Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), and soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) have been described as markers of endothelial injury post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In the current study, we examined whether suPAR, GDF-15, and sC5b-9 levels were associated with endothelial injury indices in adult CAR-T cell recipients.

What Is the Prognostic Value of the Pathologic Response after Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy in Soft Tissue Sarcoma? An Institutional Study Using the EORTC-STBSG Response Score.

The relationship between pathologic findings in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) after neoadjuvant treatment and oncological outcomes remains uncertain due to varying evaluation methods and cut-off values. This study aims to assess pathologic findings after neoadjuvant radiotherapy in STS using the EORTC-STBSG response score and evaluate its prognostic value. Clinical and outcome data from 44 patients were reviewed.

Lymphopenia Induced by Different Neoadjuvant Chemo-Radiotherapy Schedules in Patients with Rectal Cancer: Bone Marrow as an Organ at Risk.

Radiotherapy (RT)-induced lymphopenia may hinder the anti-tumor immune response. Preoperative RT or chemo-RT (CRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer is a standard therapeutic approach, while immunotherapy has been approved for mismatch repair-deficient rectal tumors. We retrospectively analyzed 98 rectal adenocarcinoma patients undergoing neoadjuvant CRT with VMAT (groups A, B, C) or IMRT (group D) techniques, with four different RT schemes: group A (n = 24): 25 Gy/5 Gy/fraction plus a 0.

Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Female Infertility Treatment: Protocols and Preliminary Results.

Infertility is a global phenomenon that impacts people of both the male and the female sex; it is related to multiple factors affecting an individual's overall systemic health. Recently, investigators have been using mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for female-fertility-related disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure (POF), endometriosis, preeclampsia, and Asherman syndrome (AS). Studies have shown promising results, indicating that MSCs can enhance ovarian function and restore fertility for affected individuals.

Postoperative Intravenous Iron Infusion in Anemic Colorectal Cancer Patients: An Observational Study.

Anemia is the most common extraintestinal symptom of colorectal cancer, with a prevalence of 30-75%. While the preoperative anemia in this patient population has been well studied and its correction 4-6 weeks prior to surgery is recommended when feasible, there is a paucity of data regarding the management of postoperative anemia, which has a prevalence of up to 87% in these patients. To address this issue, we conducted an observational cohort study of surgically treated postoperative anemic patients with colorectal cancer.

Combined use of radiotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the management of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: A literature review.

The approval of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as first-line agents has revolutionised treatment of patients diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring targetable mutations, adding substantial overall survival (OS) benefit, compared to chemotherapy. However, the efficacy of these agents is inevitably diminished at a point in the disease course, either because of cellular resistance-mechanisms or due to affected pharmacokinetics, like low-central nervous system penetration. The aim of this article is to review existing evidence on the combined use of EGFR (epidermal growth factor)- or ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase)-specific TKIs and radiotherapy (RT) in advanced NSCLC setting, as an attempt to delay or overcome TKI-resistance and thus, to expand the time period during which patients derive benefit from a given line of targeted therapy.