High Expression of MRPL23 Is Associated with Poor Survival in Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the expression and prognostic significance of the MRPL23 protein and mRNA in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and adjacent non-tumorous tissues. The goal was to assess the impact of MRPL23 expression on tumor behavior, progression, and patient outcomes.

Methods: Using immunohistochemistry (IHC), MRPL23 protein expression was analyzed in 99 cases of ccRCC and 30 adjacent non-tumorous tissues.

Atypical Presentation of Bronchogenic Cyst in the Retroperitoneal Space.

Bronchogenic cysts, benign congenital malformations resulting from abnormal tracheobronchial tree budding, primarily manifest in the mediastinum, with retroperitoneal occurrence being exceedingly rare. Typically incidental findings on imaging, and their diagnosis pose challenges, particularly when malignancy is suspected. We present a case involving a 55-year-old woman diagnosed with chronic back pain.

Innovative strategies for effective paclitaxel delivery: Recent developments and prospects.

Purpose: Paclitaxel is an effective chemotherapeutic agent against a variety of cancer types. However, the clinical utility of paclitaxel is restricted by its poor solubility in water and high toxicity, resulting in low drug tolerance. These difficulties could be resolved by using suitable pharmacological carriers.

Summary of Research: Adjuvant Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Versus Placebo for Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma After Nephrectomy (CheckMate 914): A Double-Blind, Randomized, Phase 3 Trial.

This is a summary of a research article reporting Part A of the CheckMate 914 study (NCT03138512; EudraCT 2016-004502-34). Following surgery to remove renal cell carcinoma (RCC), people with a high risk of the cancer returning received nivolumab plus ipilimumab (adjuvant therapy) or placebo to see if this risk was reduced. The results of this study showed that the risk of RCC returning or death was not changed with adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab treatment compared with placebo.

Prognostic factors in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with Trifluridine/Tipiracil.

Purpose: The systemic treatment options for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are unsatisfactory, and the disease recurs despite the use of numerous medications and their combinations. Trifluridine/Tipiracil is a relatively new drug used in refractory mCRC. Little is known about its real-world effectiveness and prognostic and predictive factors.

Adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus placebo for localised renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy (CheckMate 914): a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Background: Effective adjuvant therapy for patients with resected localised renal cell carcinoma represents an unmet need, with surveillance being the standard of care. We report results from part A of a phase 3, randomised trial that aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus placebo.

Methods: The double-blind, randomised, phase 3 CheckMate 914 trial enrolled patients with localised clear cell renal cell carcinoma who were at high risk of relapse after radical or partial nephrectomy between 4-12 weeks before random assignment.

Protocols of Standard of Care for Adult Patients with Primary Antibody Deficiencies Will Improve Timing of Diagnosis, Survival, and Quality of Life.

The majority of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are antibody deficiencies (PADs), and not all of them are rare diseases; As an example, Caucasian individuals suffer from selective IgA deficiency at a frequency of 1:500. In addition to infections, symptomatic patients with PAD are more likely to develop neoplastic, autoimmune, and allergic diseases. In the event that PAD is neglected or delayed for more than ten years, complications develop, eventually resulting in death.

Current and promising treatment strategies in glioma.

Gliomas are the most common primary central nervous system tumors; despite recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, glioma patients generally have a poor prognosis. Hence there is a clear need for improved therapeutic options. In recent years, significant effort has been made to investigate immunotherapy and precision oncology approaches.

Is the level of diffusion restriction in celiac and cervico-thoracic sympathetic ganglia helpful in their proper recognition on PSMA ligand PET/MR?

Aim:  To check if diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) might be helpful in proper recognition of celiac (CG) and cervicothoracic (CTG) sympathetic ganglia on the whole-body multimodal PSMA-ligand PET/MR imaging, in the view of their common misleading avidity on PET potentially suggestive of malignant lesions, including metastatic lymph nodes.

Methods:  The thickness and the level of diffusion restriction was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively in 406 sympathetic ganglia (189 CTG in 101 males and 217 CG in 116 males) on DWI maps (b-value 0 and 800 s/mm) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps (mean ADC) of the whole-body PET/MR 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MR. To form a reference group of a matching ganglia size, the smallest lymph node was chosen from each patient with metastases and underwent the same procedure.

The "question-mark" MR anatomy of the cervico-thoracic ganglia complex: can it help to avoid mistaking it for a malignant lesion on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MR?

Background Detectable uptake of 68Ga-PSMA-ligands in sympathetic ganglia may potentially lead to mistaking them for malignant lesions. Our aim was to investigate the anatomy of cervico-thoracic-ganglia-complex (CTG-C) in the MR part of multimodal 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MR imaging, in view of PET factors hindering its proper identification. Patients and methods In 106 patients, 212 sites of the CTG-C were retrospectively reviewed to assess the radiotracer uptake (SUVmax), size, shape, position, symmetry of location and visual uptake intensity.

Are superior cervical sympathetic ganglia avid on whole body 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/magnetic resonance?: a comprehensive morphologic and molecular assessment in patients with prostate cancer.

Objectives: Recent reports warn against erroneous mistaking of celiac and stellate sympathetic ganglia for metastatic lymph nodes on multimodal prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-ligand PET imaging. The aim was to check the intensity of Ga-PSMA-11 uptake and magnetic resonance (MR) features of superior cervical ganglia (SCG) on PET/MR imaging.

Methods: In 89 patients 106 SCG were reliably identified on Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MR.

Detection of somatic mutations in ctDNA derived from adenocarcinoma patients - EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor monitoring preliminary study.

Aim Of The Study: The main purpose of this study was to assess detection of mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a tool for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) monitoring therapy.

Material And Methods: The study was conducted using 20 samples from 7 adenocarcinoma patients treated with TKIs. Blood samples for ctDNA analysis were collected in 2015-2016.

The potential influence of breast cancer estrogen receptors' distribution on active DNA demethylation.

Alterations in DNA methylation may cause disturbances in regulation of gene expression, including drug metabolism and distribution. Moreover, many cancers, including breast cancer, are characterized by DNA hypomethylation and a decreased 5-hydroxymethylcytosine level. The abnormal cell growth found in breast carcinoma might be the result of impaired up-regulation of breast cancer receptors.

Unusual Drainage of the Bifurcated Left Renal Vein Into a Dilated Lumbar Azygos Vein and Inferior Vena Cava.

We report a unique case of unusual drainage of the bifurcated retroaortic left renal vein, with the cranial wider branch draining into a dilated lumbar azygos vein and caudal thinner branch connecting with the inferior vena cava. The right renal vein was duplicated. The anomaly was discovered on multimodal F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography performed for oncological purposes.

F-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine (F-FET) PET/CT as a potential new diagnostic tool in multiple myeloma: a preliminary study.

Aim Of The Study: The aim of this study was to analyse the diagnostic accuracy of F-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine (F-FET) PET/CT tracer in multiple myeloma.

Material And Methods: The analysed group included: patients with newly diagnosed active myeloma (eight patients); in very good partial remission or complete remission (VGPR or CR) after treatment (nine patients); and with active disease after relapse (15 patients).

Results: In patients with newly diagnosed myeloma, 64 lesions were found using CT and 83 lesions using F-FET.

Analysis of the causes of false negative and false positive results of preoperative axillary ultrasound in patients with early breast cancer - a single-centre study.

Introduction: Properly planned and performed diagnostic tests allow the optimal treatment option to be chosen for the patient. They also allow qualification for the correct surgical procedure.

Aim Of The Study: In this study we evaluated the clinical value of preoperative ultrasound scan (USS) testing performed during primary disease staging in patients with early breast cancer qualified to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).

Celiac ganglia: can they be misinterpreted on multimodal 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MR?

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the morphologic features and Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-11 avidity of celiac ganglia (CG) on multimodal PET/MRI.

Materials And Methods: Ga-PSMA-11 whole-body PET/MR examinations in 120 patients, referred for staging or follow-up of prostate cancer, were retrospectively reviewed to investigate the radiotracer uptake [maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax)] and morphologic features (size, shape, location) of CG. Nodular, oval and longitudinal nodular, thick or with oval parts shapes of CG were regarded as mistakable with lymph nodes, whereas linear and longitudinal shapes were considered as not mistakable.

The analysis of the long-term outcomes in elderly women treated for locally advanced cervical cancer.

Purpose: Locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) should be treated with a combination of external irradiation and brachytherapy with concurrent chemotherapy. However, as cervical carcinoma cells can disperse by way of the lymphatic system to either pelvic or para-aortic nodes, planning the extent of radiation requires precise information about the spread of the disease to the lymph nodes, especially to the para-aortic area.

Material And Methods: All of the 75 women included in our study underwent chemoradiotherapy, which started with brachytherapy.

O-HO PET/CT as a tool for the quantitative assessment of early post-radiotherapy changes of heart perfusion in breast carcinoma patients.

Objective: Studies examining radiation-induced heart toxicity in breast cancer patients are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to prospectively and quantitatively asses myocardial blood flow (MBF) with, for the first time, O-HO PET/CT as a marker of heart damage in irradiated breast cancer patients.

Methods: 15 breast cancer patients receiving intact breast or chest wall irradiation were included in the analysis (six with right-sided and nine with left-sided breast cancer).

Relationship between Glioblastoma Dose Volume Parameters Measured by Dual Time Point Fluoroethylthyrosine-PET and Clinical Outcomes.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is highly invasive. Despite irradiation with wide margins, GBM usually recurs in-field. Recent data have suggested that progression might be promoted by sublethal irradiation.

Evaluation of Brain Edema Formation Defined By MRI After LINAC-based Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Background: Peri-lesional edema is a serious and well-known complication of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Here we evaluated edema risk after SRS and assessed its formation and resolution dynamics.

Patients And Methods: 107 patients underwent SRS for heterogeneous diagnoses: 34 (29%) with arteriovenous malformations, 38 (35%) with meningiomas, 16 (15%) with metastatic tumors, 16 (15%) with acoustic neuromas, 3 with (3%) cavernomas, and 2 (2%) each with anaplastic astrocytomas and anaplastic oligoastrocytomas.

Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma - metabolic and anatomical features in 18FDG-PET/CT and response to therapy.

Aim Of The Study: Determining the role of PET/CT imaging in the evaluation of treatment efficacy in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL).

Material And Methods: Retrospective analysis of seven PMBCL patients, treated at the University Hospital in Krakow, with interim PET/CT after the third course of chemo-immunotherapy.The analysis was based on the calculation of exact tumour volume and metabolic activity, compared with initial values (directly after diagnosis).