Complete remission in metastatic HER2-posistive breast cancer patient after lapatinib with capecitabine treatment - a case report

Lapatynib w skojarzeniu z kapecytabiną jest skuteczną metodą leczenia chorych z zaawansowanym lub rozsianym rakiem piersi z nadekspresją HER2, u których doszło do progresji choroby po uprzednim leczeniu zawierającym antracykliny, taksoidy oraz trastuzumab. Jednak przypadki uzyskania całkowitych remisji są sporadyczne. Prezentowany przypadek dotyczy chorej, u której uzyskano długotrwałą całkowitą remisję zmian przerzutowych po 7 miesiącach terapii lapatynibem z kapecytabiną.Lapatinib in combination with capecitabine is an effective treatment modality in metastatic HER2-posistive breast cancer patients progressing after the treatment with anthracyclines, taxanes and trastuzumab. However, the complete remissions are incidental. In this case report we present the patient who achieved durable complete remission after 7 months of lapatinib in combination with capecitabine treatment

CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cell numbers in peripheral blood are correlated with higher tumor burden in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the commonest histological type of malignant lymphoma, andremains incurable in many cases. Developing more efficient immunotherapy strategies will require betterunderstanding of the disorders of immune responses in cancer patients. NKT (natural killer-like T) cells wereoriginally described as a unique population of T cells with the co-expression of NK cell markers. Apart fromtheir role in protecting against microbial pathogens and controlling autoimmune diseases, NKT cells havebeen recently revealed as one of the key players in the immune responses against tumors. The objective of thisstudy was to evaluate the frequency of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in the peripheral blood of 28 diffuse largeB-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients in correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters. Median percentagesof CD3+/CD16+CD56+ were significantly lower in patients with DLBCL compared to healthy donors(7.37% vs. 9.01%, p = 0.01; 4.60% vs. 5.81%, p = 0.03), although there were no differences in absolute counts.The frequency and the absolute numbers of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells were lower in advanced clinical stagesthan in earlier ones. The median percentage of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in patients in Ann Arbor stages 1–2 was5.55% vs. 3.15% in stages 3–4 (p = 0.02), with median absolute counts respectively 0.26 G/L vs. 0.41 G/L (p == 0.02). The percentage and absolute numbers of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells were significantly higher in DL-BCL patients without B-symptoms compared to the patients with B-symptoms, (5.51% vs. 2.46%, p = 0.04;0.21 G/L vs. 0.44 G/L, p = 0.04). The percentage of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells correlated adversely with serumlactate dehydrogenase (R= –445; p < 0.05) which might influence NKT count. These figures suggest a relationshipbetween higher tumor burden and more aggressive disease and decreased NKT numbers. But it remains tobe explained whether low NKT cell counts in the peripheral blood of patients with DLBCL are the result of theirsuppression by the tumor cells, or their migration to affected lymph nodes or organs

Heat strain and mortality effects of prolonged Central European heat wave : an example of June 2019 in Poland

The occurrence of long-lasting severe heat stress, such as in July-August 2003, July 2010, or in April-May 2018 has been one of the biggest meteorological threats in Europe in recent years. The paper focuses on the biometeorological and mortality effects of the hot June that was observed in Central Europe in 2019. The basis of the study was hourly and daily Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) values at meteorological stations in Poland for June 2019. The average monthly air temperature and UTCI values from 1951 to 2018 were analysed as background. Grosswetterlagen calendar of atmospheric circulation was used to assess synoptic conditions of heat wave. Several heat strain measures were applied : net heat storage (S), modelled heart rate (HR), sultriness (HSI), and UTCI index. Actual total mortality (TM) and modelled strong heat-related mortality (SHRM) were taken as indicators of biometeorological consequences of the hot June in 2019. The results indicate that prolonged persistence of unusually warm weather in June 2019 was determined by the synoptic conditions occurring over the European region and causing advection of tropical air. They led to the emergence of heat waves causing 10% increase in TM and 5 times bigger SHRM then in preceding 10 years. Such increase in SHRM was an effect of overheating and overload of circulatory system of human organism

Control and documentation studies of the impact of blasting on buildings in the surroundings of open pit mines

Environmental Protection Law together with Geological and Mining Law impose on a mining plant a duty to protect its surroundings against the effects of mining operations. It also refers to the impact of vibrations on people and buildings induced by blasting works. Effective protection is possible only if the actual level of the impact is known, hence it has to be recorded. It was and still is the keynote idea of the research conducted at the AGH Laboratory of Blasting and Environmental Protection. The effect of many years of research is the development of an original and, in particular, an effective procedure to record the impact of blasting works with periodical measurements of vibration intensity or monitoring the vibrations' impact on buildings in the surrounding area. These assumptions form part of preventive actions taken by open pit mines, which are aimed at minimizing the impact of blast workings on the surroundings and are often recommended by experts. This article presents the course of action concerning control tests of vibration intensity in the surroundings of a mine. It also shows it is necessary to monitor vibrations in buildings as it is a source of knowledge for the mining plant management personnel and engineers who conduct blasting works, thus contributing to an increase in awareness of the responsible management of a mining plant. The Vibration Monitoring Station (KSMD) developed by a research group, after several upgrades, has become a fully automated system for monitoring and recording the impact of blast workings on the surroundings. Moreover, it should be emphasised that without the mine management personnel's cooperation, it would be impossible to work and achieve the common goal, i.e. conducting blasting works in a way that is safe for the surroundings

CD3&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;/CD16&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;CD56&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cell numbers in peripheral blood are correlated with higher tumor burden in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the commonest histological type of malignant lymphoma, and remains incurable in many cases. Developing more efficient immunotherapy strategies will require better understanding of the disorders of immune responses in cancer patients. NKT (natural killer-like T) cells were originally described as a unique population of T cells with the co-expression of NK cell markers. Apart from their role in protecting against microbial pathogens and controlling autoimmune diseases, NKT cells have been recently revealed as one of the key players in the immune responses against tumors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of CD3&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;/CD16&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;CD56&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cells in the peripheral blood of 28 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients in correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters. Median percentages of CD3&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;/CD16&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;CD56&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; were significantly lower in patients with DLBCL compared to healthy donors (7.37% vs. 9.01%, p = 0.01; 4.60% vs. 5.81%, p = 0.03), although there were no differences in absolute counts. The frequency and the absolute numbers of CD3&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;/CD16&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;CD56&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cells were lower in advanced clinical stages than in earlier ones. The median percentage of CD3&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;/CD16&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;CD56&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cells in patients in Ann Arbor stages 1&amp;#8211;2 was 5.55% vs. 3.15% in stages 3&amp;#8211;4 (p = 0.02), with median absolute counts respectively 0.26 G/L vs. 0.41 G/L (p = = 0.02). The percentage and absolute numbers of CD3&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;/CD16&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;CD56&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cells were significantly higher in DL -BCL patients without B-symptoms compared to the patients with B-symptoms, (5.51% vs. 2.46%, p = 0.04; 0.21 G/L vs. 0.44 G/L, p = 0.04). The percentage of CD3&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;/CD16&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;CD56&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cells correlated adversely with serum lactate dehydrogenase (R= &amp;#8211;445; p &lt; 0.05) which might influence NKT count. These figures suggest a relationship between higher tumor burden and more aggressive disease and decreased NKT numbers. But it remains to be explained whether low NKT cell counts in the peripheral blood of patients with DLBCL are the result of their suppression by the tumor cells, or their migration to affected lymph nodes or organs. &lt;i&gt;(Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 183&amp;#8211;187