Immunological Prognostic Factors in Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell neoplasm characterized by an abnormal proliferation of clonal, terminally differentiated B lymphocytes. Current approaches for the treatment of MM focus on developing new diagnostic techniques; however, the search for prognostic markers is also crucial. This enables the classification of patients into risk groups and, thus, the selection of the most optimal treatment method.

Chemokine expression in patients with ovarian cancer or benign ovarian tumors.

Introduction: Chemokines play a crucial role in tumor growth and progression according to proangiogenic and immunosuppressive action. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels of selected chemokines in patients with ovarian cancer or benign ovarian tumors to assess their role in tumorigenesis and their potential use in preoperative diagnosis of an adnexal mass.

Material And Methods: The study group consisted of 59 women with ovarian cancer: 17 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients and 42 women with benign ovarian tumors.

The assessment of the usability of selected instrumental techniques for the elemental analysis of biomedical samples.

The fundamental role of major, minor and trace elements in different physiological and pathological processes occurring in living organism makes that elemental analysis of biomedical samples becomes more and more popular issue. The most often used tools for analysis of the elemental composition of biological samples include Flame and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (F-AAS and GF-AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Each of these techniques has many advantages and limitations that should be considered in the first stage of planning the measurement procedure.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia-Induced Humoral Immunosuppression: A Systematic Review.

Secondary immunodeficiency is observed in all patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in varying degrees. The aim of the study was to review the available literature data on patients with CLL, with particular regard to the pathogenesis of the disease and the impact of humoral immunity deficiency on the clinical and therapeutic approach. A systematic literature review was carried out by two independent authors who searched PubMed databases for studies published up to January 2020.

Mutation profile of primary subungual melanomas in Caucasians.

Background: Specific genomic profile of cutaneous melanomas is related to UVR exposure, which exerts biological and therapeutic impact. Subungual melanoma (SUM) is an exceedingly rare disease; therefore, it is not well characterized. SUM pathogenesis is not related to UVR induced DNA damage and expected to differ from other melanoma subtypes.

CAR-T Cell Therapy-An Overview of Targets in Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and, unfortunately, still has a high mortality rate. Recent research points to CAR-T immunotherapy as a promising treatment for this disease. Using genetically engineered T cells designed to target a previously selected antigen, researchers are able to harness the natural anti-tumor activity of T cells.

Health care provider preferences for, and barriers to, cannabis use in cancer care.

Background: Limited research has been conducted about the perspectives of oncology health care providers (hcps) concerning the use of cannabis in cancer care and their potential role in advising patients. We sought to determine the barriers encountered by hcps with respect to medical cannabis and their preferred practices in this area.

Methods: An anonymous survey about cannabis was distributed to oncology hcps at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Alberta.

Paving the Way toward Successful Multiple Myeloma Treatment: Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy.

Despite the significant progress of modern anticancer therapies, multiple myeloma (MM) is still incurable for the majority of patients. Following almost three decades of development, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy now has the opportunity to revolutionize the treatment landscape and meet the unmet clinical need. However, there are still several major hurdles to overcome.

Cell-free DNA V600E measurements during BRAF inhibitor therapy of metastatic melanoma: long-term analysis.

Objective: We assessed the status of the V600E mutation in cell-free circulating tumor DNA (cfDNA) isolated from the plasma of patients with metastatic melanoma treated with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib, collected at different time points during therapy to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of quantitative polymerase chain reaction and droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and the correlation between the level of plasma cfDNA p.V600E and the long-term clinical outcome.

Methods: cfDNA in patients with -mutated melanoma ( = 62) was analyzed at baseline and at 4-8 weeks from the start of vemurafenib therapy.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors reinforce the phenotypical markers of breast epithelial or mesenchymal cancer cells but inhibit their migratory properties.

Introduction: Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) are a group of compounds that exhibit anticancer activity, but their significance and usefulness in breast cancer (BC) treatment are still controversial. The ability of cancer cells to invade and migrate is augmented by the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype - a process known as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Changes in the expression level of different cadherins, so-called cadherin switches, have been used to monitor the EMT process in development and tumor progression, in particular migration and invasion potential.

Double Posterior Descending Artery Arising from a Right Coronary Artery.

This paper presents two cases of human hearts (a 75-year-old woman and an 88-year-old man) with double posterior descending arteries (PDA) of various sizes originating from the right coronary artery, mainly supplying the interventricular septum as well as the posterior walls of both heart ventricles in a different scope. In the analysis of the arterial vasculature, a range of aspects were considered, such as the point of exit of the right coronary artery, the course of the vessel, the range of the blood supply of the interventricular septum and both ventricles, as well as selected morphometric parameters that were simultaneously compared with one another. These atypical changes presented based on the example of the analyzed cases will certainly constitute a valuable source of information for cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists in planning operations.

The Influence of Red Meat on Colorectal Cancer Occurrence Is Dependent on the Genetic Polymorphisms of S-Glutathione Transferase Genes.

Background: It is postulated that both individual genotype and environmental factors such as diet may modify the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The influences of gene polymorphism and red meat intake on CRC occurrence in the Polish population were analyzed in this study.

Methods: Genotyping was performed with the qPCR method.

Four left renal arteries - a rare variant of kidney arterial supply.

We describe the arterial supply of a human kidney harvested post-mortem from a 75-year-old female volunteer body donor. The kidney was analysed with con- trast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), and corrosion casting was used to reveal the kidney's angio-architecture. In the left kidney, we observed four renal arteries, each originating directly from the abdominal aorta.

, , and polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk in Polish nonsmokers.

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymes are responsible for cellular detoxification of many carcinogens and are important anticancer elements. This study assessed potential relationships between , , and polymorphisms and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in Polish nonsmokers. We also analyzed the influence of gene polymorphisms on CRC clinical and histopathological features.

A randomized phase II study of pelareorep and docetaxel or docetaxel alone in men with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer: CCTG study IND 209.

Background: Pelareorep is an oncolytic virus with activity in many cancers including prostate. It has synergism with microtubule-targeted agents. We undertook a clinical trial evaluating pelareorep in mCRPC patients receiving docetaxel.

Combination of Osthole and Cisplatin Against Rhabdomyosarcoma TE671 Cells Yielded Additive Pharmacologic Interaction by Means of Isobolographic Analysis.

Background/aim: Osthole is a simple coumarin that has been found to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anticoagulant, anticonvulsant and antiallergic activities. The aim of this study was to analyze the combined anti-proliferative effect of cisplatin (CDDP) and osthole on a rhabdomyosarcoma cell line, and assess the pharmacology of drug-drug interaction between these drugs using isobolographic analysis.

Materials And Methods: The anticancer actions of osthole in combination with CDDP were evaluated using the tetrazolium dye-based MTT cell proliferation assay.

CTRC gene polymorphism may increase pancreatic cancer risk - preliminary study.

Unlabelled: Pancreatic cancer is often fatal due to delayed diagnosis and treatment difficulties.

Objective: To analyze selected SPINK1, CTRC, CFTR, and PRSS1 gene mutations in cancer tissue and blood samples of patients with pancreatic tumors.

Materials And Method: We enrolled 16 consecutive patients diagnosed with pancreatic tumors.

CTRC gene polymorphism (p.G60=; c.180 C > T) in acute pancreatitis.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the presence of p.G60 = polymorphism (c.180C > T; rs497078) CTRC and the incidence together with the clinical course of acute pancreatitis (AP).

Genetic mutations in SPINK1, CFTR, CTRC genes in acute pancreatitis.

Background: Explanation of the ultimate causes of acute and chronic pancreatitis is challenging. Hence, it is necessary to seek various etiological factors, including genetic mutations that may be of importance in triggering recurrence and progression of acute to chronic pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of genetic mutations in patients with acute pancreatitis and to investigate their relationship with the etiology and clinical course.

A Randomized, Open-Label Phase II Trial of Volasertib as Monotherapy and in Combination With Standard-Dose Pemetrexed Compared With Pemetrexed Monotherapy in Second-Line Treatment for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Unlabelled: Second-line therapy options that improve survival for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are needed. This randomized, phase II trial (n [ 143) investigated volasertib monotherapy or in combination with pemetrexed compared with pemetrexed monotherapy in patients with NSCLC whose disease had progressed after previous platinum-based chemotherapy. The combination of volasertib with pemetrexed did not improve efficacy compared with pemetrexed monotherapy.

α-Fetoprotein-Producing Hepatoid Gastric Adenocarcinoma With Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells and Neuroendocrine Differentiation: A Case Study With Molecular Profiling.

Here we present the case of a 73-year-old woman with an ulcerated, advanced, hepatoid, and α-fetoprotein-producing poorly differentiated (G3) primary gastric adenocarcinoma pT3 N3a M1 with multinucleated cells and evident neuroendocrine component. This tumor was consistent with giant cell tumor type gastric carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (OGCs). The cancer was HER2 and E-cadherin negative, chromogranin A dispersedly and moderately positive, and strongly α-fetoprotein-positive with evident CK AE1/AE3 immunoreactivity, while OGCs expressed CD68.