The endogenous erythropoietin in correlation with other erythrocytic parameters in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with platinum-based induction chemotherapy.

Between January 2017 and July 2018 103 patients were included in a prospective study of erythropoietin (EPO) monitoring. The group consisted of 33% patients with oropharynx, 29% with oral cavity, 13% with nasopharynx, 6% with larynx, 6% with hypopharynx, 8% with unknown primary cancer, 4% with nasal cavity, and 1% with salivary gland cancer. Clinic stage: T4 - 50, T3 - 21, T2 - 14, T1 - 10, T0 - 8, and N3 - 19, N2 - 61, N1 - 10, N0 - 13.

An evaluation of the construction of the device along with the software for digital archiving, sending the data, and supporting the diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is still an important cause of mortality among women in a number of countries. There are effective methods of prevention and early diagnosis, but they require well-trained medical professionals including cytologists. Within this project, we built a prototype of a new device together with implemented software using U-NET and CNN architectures of neural networks (ANN), to convert the currently used optical microscopes into fully independent scanning and evaluating systems for cytological samples.

Multinational data on cumulative radiation exposure of patients from recurrent radiological procedures: call for action.

Objectives: To have a global picture of the recurrent use of CT imaging to a level where cumulative effective dose (CED) to individual patients may be exceeding 100 mSv at which organ doses typically are in a range at which radiation effects are of concern METHODS: The IAEA convened a meeting in 2019 with participants from 26 countries, representatives of various organizations, and experts in radiology, medical physics, radiation biology, and epidemiology. Participants were asked to collect data prior to the meeting on cumulative radiation doses to assess the magnitude of patients above a defined level of CED.

Results: It was observed that the number of patients with CED ≥ 100 mSv is much larger than previously known or anticipated.

Venous thromboprophylaxis in urological cancer surgery.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) represents a major complication of cancer and its treatment, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. The appropriate choice of thromboprophylaxis method and duration is, therefore, of utmost importance. We conducted an extensive review of the literature concerning VTE in patients undergoing surgery for urological cancers.

Role of Diffusion Tensor Imaging Parameters in the Characterization and Differentiation of Infiltrating and Non-Infiltrating Spinal Cord Tumors : Preliminary Study.

Background And Purpose: Recent attempts to utilize diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to identify the extent of microinfiltration of a tumor in the brain have been successful. It was therefore speculated that this technique could also be useful in the spinal cord. The aim of this study was to differentiate between infiltrating and noninfiltrating intramedullary spinal tumors using DTI-derived metrics.

Longitudinal changes in the frequency of mosaic chromosome Y loss in peripheral blood cells of aging men varies profoundly between individuals.

Mosaic loss of chromosome Y (LOY) is the most common somatic genetic aberration and is associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality, various forms of cancer and Alzheimer's disease, as well as other common human diseases. By tracking LOY frequencies in subjects from which blood samples have been serially collected up to five times during up to 22 years, we observed a pronounced intra-individual variation of changes in the frequency of LOY within individual men over time. We observed that in some individuals the frequency of LOY in blood clearly progressed over time and that in other men, the frequency was constant or showed other types of longitudinal development.

Breast cancer surgery decreases serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations in middle aged women: relationship to the serum C-reactive protein concentration.

The aim of this study was to establish the effect of breast cancer surgery in middle aged women on the serum and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations [BDNF] and [BDNF], respectively, in relation to the serum C-reactive protein [CRP] concentration measured before and at 24 hours after surgery. Eighteen patients with recently diagnosed breast cancer (mean ± SE): age 49.1 ± 1.

Interstitial and Granulomatous Lung Disease in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background: Interstitial lung [ILD] disease and granulomatous lung disease [GLD] are rare respiratory disorders that have been associated with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Clinical presentation is polymorphic and aetiology is unclear.

Methods: This was an ECCO-CONFER project.

Pregnant surgeon - assessment of potential harm to the woman and her unborn child.

Although most countries developed regulations concerning pregnant women at work, they are not strictly adjusted forevery profession. In the European countries directives prevent pregnant women from working during night shifts, but apartfrom a vague paragraph about avoiding hazardous agents, there are no guidelines specific for pregnant surgeons. The aimof the study was to analyse the risks and consequences of working in the operating theatre during pregnancy.

Testing the methodology for a dosimetric end-to-end audit of IMRT/VMAT: results of IAEA multicentre and national studies.

Within an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) co-ordinated research project (CRP), a remote end-to-end dosimetric quality audit for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)/ volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) was developed to verify the radiotherapy chain including imaging, treatment planning and dose delivery. The methodology as well as the results obtained in a multicentre pilot study and national trial runs conducted in close cooperation with dosimetry audit networks (DANs) of IAEA Member States are presented. A solid polystyrene phantom containing a dosimetry insert with an irregular solid water planning target volume (PTV) and organ at risk (OAR) was designed for this audit.

Mutations in and previously unimplicated genes of the BMP, Wnt, and Hedgehog pathways in syndromic craniosynostosis.

Craniosynostosis (CS) is a frequent congenital anomaly featuring the premature fusion of 1 or more sutures of the cranial vault. Syndromic cases, featuring additional congenital anomalies, make up 15% of CS. While many genes underlying syndromic CS have been identified, the cause of many syndromic cases remains unknown.

Breast-lesions characterization using Quantitative Ultrasound features of peritumoral tissue.

The presented studies evaluate for the first time the efficiency of tumour classification based on the quantitative analysis of ultrasound data originating from the tissue surrounding the tumour. 116 patients took part in the study after qualifying for biopsy due to suspicious breast changes. The RF signals collected from the tumour and tumour-surroundings were processed to determine quantitative measures consisting of Nakagami distribution shape parameter, entropy, and texture parameters.

Altered Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentrations of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Compounds in Early Stages of Multiple Sclerosis-Metabolic Profile Analyses.

The lack of a single predictive or diagnostic test in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains a major obstacle in the patient's care. The aim of this study was to investigate metabolic profiles, especially lipids in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using H-NMR spectroscopy and metabolomics analysis to discriminate MS patient group from the control ones. In this study, 19 MS patients and 19 controls, without neurological problems, patients were enrolled.

Second allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a study on behalf of the Acute Leukaemia Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Although second allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT2) is a therapeutic option for patients relapsing after first HCT (allo-HCT1), there is limited data on allo-HCT2 in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). We retrospectively studied 245 patients receiving allo-HCT2 as a salvage treatment for relapse following allo-HCT1 between the 2000 and 2017. The median age at allo-HCT2 was 34·6 years (range: 18-74).

Correlation between quantitative assessment of contrast enhancement in contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) and histopathology-preliminary results.

Objectives: Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is a novel method for breast cancer detection. The aim of this study is to check if there is a possibility of quantitative assessment of contrast enhancement in CESM and if there is any correlation between quantitative assessment of contrast enhancement in CESM and histopathology.

Methods: A total of 167 female patients underwent CESM.

Effectiveness of digital feedback on patient experience and 30-day complications after screening colonoscopy: a randomized health services study.

 European guidelines (ESGE) recommend measuring patient experience and 30-day complication rate after colonoscopy. We compared digital and paper-based feedback on patients' experience and 30-day complications after screening colonoscopy.  Screenees attending for primary screening colonoscopies in two centers from September 2015 to December 2016 were randomized (1:1) to an intervention arm (choice of feedback method) or control arm (routine paper-based feedback).

Blood Chromogranin A Is Not Effective as a Biomarker for Diagnosis or Management of Bronchopulmonary Neuroendocrine Tumors/Neoplasms.

Background: Identification of circulating tumor markers for clinical management in bronchopulmonary (BP) neuroendocrine tumors/neoplasms (NET/NEN) is of considerable clinical interest. Chromogranin A (CgA), a "universal" NET biomarker, is considered controversial as a circulating biomarker of BPNEN.

Aim: Assess utility of CgA in the diagnosis and management of BPNEN in a multicentric study.

Prognostic value of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Objectives: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a key enzyme for fibrin degradation and the proteolytic defense against formation of the thrombotic endothelial deposits. tPA is involved in carcinogenesis but its exact role in tumor biology is not very well understood and a prognostic value of tPA remains ambiguous in different cancers. The aim of the study was to assess the prognostic value of plasma tPA in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in the course of the first line chemotherapy.

Pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy for previously untreated, PD-L1-expressing, locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (KEYNOTE-042): a randomised, open-label, controlled, phase 3 trial.

Background: First-line pembrolizumab monotherapy improves overall and progression-free survival in patients with untreated metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with a programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumour proportion score (TPS) of 50% or greater. We investigated overall survival after treatment with pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with a PD-L1 TPS of 1% or greater.

Methods: This randomised, open-label, phase 3 study was done in 213 medical centres in 32 countries.

Spectroscopic identification of benign (follicular adenoma) and cancerous lesions (follicular thyroid carcinoma) in thyroid tissues.

Thyroid follicular nodules are quite common in the population, however only a small proportion is malignant. Thyroid cancer differs from adenoma by features of cellular atypia, angioinvasiveness and possibility of metastasis via blood vessels mainly in the lungs and bones. Pathomorphological examination of the postoperative material plays a significant role in the diagnosis of cystic thyroid lesions.