The impact of center experience on results of reduced intensity: allogeneic hematopoietic SCT for AML. An analysis from the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the EBMT.

Allogeneic hematopoietic SCT with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC-HSCT) is increasingly adopted for the treatment of older adults with AML. Our goal was to verify for the first time, if center experience influences outcome of RIC-HSCT. Results of 1413 transplantations from HLA-matched related or unrelated donors for adult patients with AML in first CR were analyzed according to the level of center activity.

Discriminant analysis involving serum cytokine levels and prediction of the response to therapy of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma.

Current standard diagnostic methods do not identify patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), who are at high risk of failure after the first-line treatment. In HL patients, serum cytokine levels are frequently elevated and correlate with clinical and pathological features of the disease as well as with disease-free survival and overall survival. The aim of this study was to investigate if pretreatment serum cytokine and cytokine receptor concentrations evaluated by discriminant analysis could be predictive of response to standard first-line treatment in HL.

Downstream and intermediate interactions of synovial sarcoma-associated fusion oncoproteins and their implication for targeted therapy.

Synovial sarcoma (SS), an aggressive type of soft tissue tumor, occurs mostly in adolescents and young adults. The origin and molecular mechanism of the development of SS remain only partially known. Over 90% of SS cases are characterized by the t(X;18)(p11.

Identification of suitable reference genes for gene expression measurement in uterine sarcoma and carcinosarcoma tumors.

Objective: To date no suitable reference genes have been identified in carcinosarcomas and non-epithelial malignant tumors of corpus uteri for normalizing real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. The purpose of this study was to select appropriate references for gene expression studies in these tumors.

Materials And Methods: We used RNA extracts from 75 tissue samples, representing 50 tumors and 25 fragments of normal uterine tissues obtained from 50 patients treated for mixed tumors, smooth muscle sarcoma and stromal sarcoma of the uterus.

Fibre integrity and diffusivity of the pyramidal tract and motor cortex within and adjacent to brain tumour in patients with or without neurological deficits.

Background: Assessment of the relationship between preoperative neurological deficits and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters in patients with brain tumour within/adjacent to pyramidal tract and motor cortex. Evaluation of the difference in fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in patients with low and high grade gliomas.

Material And Methods: 20 patients with supratentorial brain tumours were divided into two groups: I with preoperative neurological deficits and II without preoperative neurological deficits.

The synthesis of new potential photosensitizers. 1. Mono-carboxylic acid derivatives of tetraphenylporphyrin.

Abstract: A series of mono-alkylcarboxylic acid derivatives of tetraphenylporphyrin have been prepared. All the porphyrins were completely characterized by use of mass, H NMR, UV-visible, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Experimental log  were determined by use of reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography with use of log .

Crizotinib in the treatment of non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

Recent studies have demonstrated the benefit of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The role of activation of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) pathway and the presence of the fusion gene EML4-ALK are new molecular targets in studies into the pathogenesis and treatment of NSCLC. ALK gene rearrangement is observed in 3-5% of NSCLC patients.

Impact of educational differences as measure of socioeconomic status on survival for breast cancer patients.

Aim Of The Study: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy affecting women. Some reports suggest the influence of socioeconomic status, including education, on survival rates for cancer patients. This report analyzes the effect of patients' education level on their survival.

Radiotherapy-induced lumbosacral plexopathy in a patient with cervical cancer: a case report and literature review.

Radiotherapy-induced lumbosacral plexopathy in cervical cancer treatment is a very rare, but extremely serious complication. The clinical course is associated with severe bilateral lower leg pain, reduced sensation, different degrees of weakness, paresis or paralysis, and sometimes also urinary or fecal incontinence. Patient quality of life becomes significantly deteriorated.

Irradiation-induced bone sarcoma in a patient treated for cervix cancer 28 years earlier.

Aim Of The Study: To present a case of a patient with cervical carcinoma in stage IIA who was diagnosed with pelvic bone sarcoma 28 years after radiotherapy.

Case Presentation: A 37-year-old woman with IIA cervix cancer was treated with external beam irradiation and brachytherapy. The patient had undergone conventionally fractionated external beam irradiation using the "box" technique, with the total dose of 50 Gy and brachytherapy with radium applicators (intrauterine tube and fornix applicator) with the dose of 60 Gy calculated at point A.

The prophylactic use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor during remission induction is associated with increased leukaemia-free survival of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a joint analysis of five randomised trials on behalf of the EWALL.

Background: Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used to prevent febrile neutropenia and support intense chemotherapy. However, its impact on long-term outcome in oncological patients including adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) has not been determined so far.

Methods: In the current study follow-up data from individual patients recruited in five multicentre, prospective, randomised trials were pooled to perform a joint analysis.

Individual doses for women undergoing screening mammography examinations in Poland in 2007.

Exposure doses to women undergoing screening mammography examinations should be kept as low as reasonably achievable, but they should ensure high enough image quality for adequate diagnosis. The aim of this study was to estimate the radiation risk according to the 'European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening and diagnosis', fourth edition (European Commission 2006). Materials for this study were obtained from data from 250 screening mammography facilities in Poland.

Nuclear survivin expression is a positive prognostic factor in taxane-platinum-treated ovarian cancer patients.

Background: Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis and a regulator of mitotic progression. TP53 protein is a negative transcriptional regulator of survivin. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical significance of survivin expression in advanced stages ovarian cancer with respect to the TP53 status.

Validation of the Joensuu risk criteria for primary resectable gastrointestinal stromal tumour - the impact of tumour rupture on patient outcomes.

Background: Approval of imatinib for adjuvant treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) raised discussion about accuracy of prognostic factors in GIST and the clinical significance of the available risk stratification criteria.

Methods: We studied the influence of a new modification of the NIH Consensus Criteria (the Joensuu risk criteria), NCCN-AFIP criteria, and several clinicopathological factors, including tumour rupture, on relapse-free survival (RFS) in a prospectively collected tumour registry series consisting of 640 consecutive patients with primary, resectable, CD117-immunopositive GIST. The median follow-up time after tumour resection was 39 months.

Randomized comparison of three palliative regimens including brachytherapy, photodynamic therapy, and APC in patients with malignant dysphagia (CONSORT 1a) (Revised II).

Objectives: Because most esophageal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage, a majority of patients require palliative dysphagia treatment. Dysphagia severity and the need for repeated re-canalization procedures significantly affect patients' quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to establish whether combining argon plasma coagulation (APC) of the neoplastic esophageal tissue with another re-canalization method results in a longer dysphagia-free period compared with APC alone.

Factors influencing survival in patients with breast cancer and single or solitary brain metastasis.

Aim: To perform a comprehensive analysis of patients with breast cancer and solitary or single brain metastasis and to analyze factors influencing survival from brain metastasis.

Methods: One hundred consecutive patients with single or solitary brain metastasis were treated in one institution in the years 2003-2009. Brain lesions were diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Coagulation disorders in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer - should they really be disregarded?

The aim of the study was to analyse coagulation disorders in patients with locally advanced cancer of the head and neck (CHN)and with no other clinical cause for coagulation disorders treated with radiation therapy alone or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. We also assessed the duration of disorders in the course of therapy. The analysed group consisted of 33 patients with locally advanced CHN documented as stage T3 or T4 acc.

Attenuation correction in SPECT without attenuation map.

A method of attenuation correction in Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), based on emission data only is presented. The algorithm uses the well known Helgason-Ludwig consistency conditions. However, it does not attempt to find the attenuation map, but rather the correction factors for the projection data, which makes the problem simpler and does not need to assume any particular template of the attenuation map.

Treatment with sorafenib in advanced thyroid cancer - a case report.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) usually has a good prognosis. The treatment, including total thyroidectomy and complementary radioiodine (RAI) therapy, gives complete remission in 90% of patients. However, in 10% of subjects with metastatic disease, the prognosis is poor.

Has differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) staging changed with in the last ten years in the Silesia region of Poland?

Introduction: The aim of the study was to compare the advancement of thyroid cancer at diagnosis in Polish patients from the Silesian district in the years 1999 and 2008.

Material And Methods: The analyzed group consisted of Silesian district patients with thyroid cancer, who were registered by the Department of Tumour Epidemiology of the Institute of Oncology in Gliwice in the years 1999 and 2008. From a group of 186 patients who entered on record in 1999, 167 were qualified for this analysis.

Urinary iodine in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) during L-thyroxine treatment.

Introduction: Urinary iodine concentrations were analyzed in the morning urine samples of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Material And Methods: The analyzed group included 572 DTC patients who were treated with radioiodine or hospitalized for evaluation of radioiodine treatment effects in 2009 at the Institute of Oncology in Gliwice. Ioduria was analyzed by PAMM (Program Against Micronutrient Malnutrition) method before rhTSH administration.

Evaluation of EGFR gene copy number as a predictive biomarker for the efficacy of cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: EXTREME study.

Background: The phase III EXTREME study demonstrated that combining cetuximab with platinum/5-fluorouracil (5-FU) significantly improved overall survival in the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN) compared with platinum/5-FU alone. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate elevated tumor EGFR gene copy number as a predictive biomarker in EXTREME study patients.

Patients And Methods: Dual-color FISH was used to determine absolute and relative EGFR copy number.

Cardiopulmonary morbidity and quality of life in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with or without postoperative radiotherapy.

Aim: To prospectively assess the cardiopulmonary morbidity and quality of life in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in comparison to those not receiving PORT.

Materials And Methods: From 2003 to 2007, 291 patients entered the study; 171 pN2 patients received 3D-planned PORT (PORT group), 120 pN1 patients (non-PORT group) did not. One month after surgery, all patients completed EORTC QLQ C-30 questionnaire and had pulmonary function tests (PFT); cardiopulmonary symptoms were assessed by modified LENT-SOM scale.