Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Muscle Atrophy and Reduced Mitochondrial Function in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain.

Recent studies show that vitamin D deficiency may be responsible for muscle atrophy. The purpose of this study was to investigate markers of muscle atrophy, signalling proteins, and mitochondrial capacity in patients with chronic low back pain with a focus on gender and serum vitamin D level. The study involved patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) qualified for posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF).

Ibrutinib discontinuation in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated in a compassionate use program: A report from the Polish Adult Leukemia Study Group (PALG).

Background: Development of a novel class of drugs, the B-cell receptor-signaling inhibitors, including ibrutinib, has been a major achievement in the therapy of refractory or relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, the CLL patients who have discontinued the ibrutinib treatment in clinical trials have been reported to have poor prognosis.

Objectives: In this retrospective study by the Polish Adult Leukemia Group (PALG), we analyzed the reasons for ibrutinib cessation and outcomes after discontinuing ibrutinib in refractory or relapsed CLL patients treated in a compassionate use program in Poland.

The Preoperative Supplementation With Vitamin D Attenuated Pain Intensity and Reduced the Level of Pro-inflammatory Markers in Patients After Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

The aim of this experimental study was to assess whether 5 weeks of preoperative supplementation with vitamin D affects the intensity of pain and the level of inflammatory markers in patients undergoing posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) followed by rehabilitation. 42 patients were divided, by double-blind randomization, into two groups: supplemented (SUPL) vitamin D (3200 IU dose of vitamin D/day for 5 weeks) and placebo group (PL) treated with vegetable oil. The 10-week program of early rehabilitation (3 times a week) was initiated 4 weeks following PLIF.

Impact of Different Illness Perceptions and Emotions Associated with Chronic Back Pain on Anxiety and Depression in Patients Qualified for Surgery.

Background: Anxiety and depression are known comorbidities of chronic back pain. Their psychological predictors are not well established in patients with chronic back pain qualified for neurosurgery.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the psychological predictors of depression and anxiety in patients with chronic back pain qualified for surgery.

Assessment of cardiac function in donor and recipient fetuses during a 7-day follow-up after selective laser photocoagulation of communicating vessels due to TTTS.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze the changes in cardiac function and myocardial contractility of donor and recipient fetuses with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) subjected to selective laser photocoagulation of the communicating vessels (SLPCV), between and after the procedure. Finally, we verified if fetuses with Quintero's stage I TTTS presented with early impairment of myocardial contractility.

Material And Methods: We selected 77 consecutive women with twin pregnancies, whose both fetuses survived at least seven days post-SLPCV.

Serum miR-210-3p as a Potential Noninvasive Biomarker of Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Preliminary Study.

Development of noninvasive biomarkers could potentially contribute to extending the 5-year overall survival rate of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), due to their high stability, have the potential to become valuable cancer biomarkers. Using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and testing three methods for data normalization, the expression levels of six miRNAs were evaluated in serum samples obtained from 50 NSCLC patients.

Urinary bladder hypertrophy and overactive bladder determine urinary continence after radical prostatectomy.

Background: Several clinical and biological factors exacerbate urinary incontinence (UI) and reduce the patient's quality of life after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of urinary bladder hypertrophy and overactive bladder (OAB) on UI in patients after RP.

Material And Methods: Seventy patients were enrolled in the study and were divided into 2 groups: patients with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) but without OAB (group I; n = 20) and patients with BOO and OAB (group II; n = 50).

Pancreatic cancer - summary of the session of 6th International Pancreatic Days in Gdynia 27-30 October 2016.

The session participants were Prof. Caroline Verbeke (CV) from The Department of Pathology Oslo University and Prof. Marcus Wolfgang Büchler (WMB) from the Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery at the University Hospital Heidelberg.

Elastography in prostate gland imaging and prostate cancer detection.

Transrectal prostate biopsies under ultrasonography guidance remain the gold standard for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa). Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), however, has a limited sensitivity in PCa detection. Prostate elastography (TRES) increases the sensitivity of a TRUS examination.

Clinical outcomes of intravesical injections of botulinum toxin type A in patients with refractory idiopathic overactive bladder.

Background: The aim of the study was to estimated the clinical efficacy of intravesical injections of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) in refractory idiopathic overactive bladder (OAB) in the aspect of the quality of life. The potential mechanism of BTX-A actions were described.

Methods: The study was performed on 22 women with idiopathic OAB who underwent intravesical injection of BTX-A.

A hypothesis for the mechanism of urine incontinence in patients after radical prostatectomy due to urinary bladder hypertrophy.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common neoplasms in elderly males in Europe and is rapidly becoming a major health burden throughout the world. Radical prostatectomy is a first-line treatment in the case of organ-confined prostate cancer and in selected cases of locally advanced disease. Recent studies have suggested that the urinary bladder wall thickness (BWT) is an important predictor of an overactive bladder (OAB).

Five-year survival analysis and prognostic factors in patients operated on for non-small cell lung cancer with N2 disease.

Background: The aim of the study is to analyse 5-year survival and prognostic factors in patients operated due to lung cancer with postoperatively confirmed metastases to N2 group nodes.

Methods: In the years 2007-2015, 1,148 patients with lung cancer were treated surgically. A postoperative histopathological study confirmed N2 feature in 150 patients.

Solid Organ Cancer and Melanoma in Kidney Transplant Recipients: TumorTx Base Preliminary Results.

Background: Incidence of malignancy in transplant recipients is higher than in the general population. Malignancy is a major cause of mortality following solid organ transplantation and a major barrier to long-term survival for the kidney. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of solid organ malignancy (SOM) and melanoma in renal transplant recipients (RTR) transplanted at 2 representative transplant centers in Poland based on data from the Polish Tumor Registry.

Reactive astrocytic S1P3 signaling modulates the blood-tumor barrier in brain metastases.

Brain metastases are devastating complications of cancer. The blood-brain barrier (BBB), which protects the normal brain, morphs into an inadequately characterized blood-tumor barrier (BTB) when brain metastases form, and is surrounded by a neuroinflammatory response. These structures contribute to poor therapeutic efficacy by limiting drug uptake.

Association between environmental exposure and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.

Background: It is considered that farm areas protect young patients from allergy and asthma due to high exposure to endotoxins.

Aim: To compare CD4+/CD25+ T-regulatory cells and forkhead transcription factor Foxp3 expression in asthmatic children allergic to house dust mites (HDM) living in rural and farm areas.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective analysis of 35 children living in farm areas (n=19) and rural areas (n=16), aged 8-16, with allergic rhinitis (allergic to dust mites) and newly diagnosed asthma.

Secondary plasma cell leukemia: a multicenter retrospective study of 101 patients.

This multicenter retrospective study included 101 patients (median age 62 years) with secondary plasma cell leukemia (sPCL). The median time from initial multiple myeloma diagnosis to sPCL was 31 months. Fifty-five out of 72 patients (75%) who received any therapy were treated with immunomodulators (IMiDs) and/or proteasome inhibitors (PIs), and 14/72 (19%) underwent salvage autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

The efficacy and safety of pomalidomide in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in a "real-world" study: Polish Myeloma Group experience.

Background: Patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) have poor prognosis. Pomalidomide is an immunomodulatory compound that has demonstrated activity in MM patients with disease refractory to lenalidomide and bortezomib.

Objectives: Participants of clinical trials are highly selected populations; therefore, the aim of this study was to present observations from real practice that might provide important information for practitioners.

Malignant Gliomas as Second Neoplasms in Pediatric Cancer Survivors: Neuropathological Study.

This study presents a unique series of malignant supratentorial gliomas in children previously cured from non-CNS primary cancer. On neuroimaging these tumors were not specific, so the patients were suspected of cerebral recurrence of their primary neoplasm: leukemia in four children and sarcoma in one child. Histologically, the group contained four glioblastomas and one anaplastic astrocytoma.

Robot-assisted radical cystectomy - first Polish clinical outcomes.

Introduction: Urothelial cell carcinoma is the most common neoplasm of the genito-urinary tract, which, in advanced stages, is treated with radical cystectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. It can be performed by an open or minimally invasive approach (laparoscopic and robot-assisted radical cystectomy).Large meta-analyses showed a significantly lower complication rate in the RARC (robot-assisted radical cystectomy) group compared to ORC (open radical cystectomy) in thirty and ninety days after surgery, with similar oncological and functional outcomes.

Diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations for patients with nocturia.

Introduction: Nocturia is defined as the urge to urinate at night when the micturition was directly preceded and followed by sleep. Due to its negative impact on the quality of life of patients, an effective treatment for this disease has become a significant therapeutic challenge. The aim of this article was to explain the main risk factors for the occurrence of nocturia and to present diagnostic and therapeutic schemes in the case of nocturnal polyuria (idiopathic night time polyuria).

Clinical and immunological effects of vitamin D supplementation during the pollen season in children with allergic rhinitis.

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency has been proposed as a potential contributing factor in patients with allergic diseases. We compared the clinical and immunological effects of vitamin D supplementation to placebo during the pollen season in children with allergic rhinitis.

Material And Methods: Thirty-eight children aged 5-12, sensitive to grass pollen, participated in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.