Preoperative plasma level of IL-10 but not of proinflammatory cytokines is an independent prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer

There have been many discrepant observations on the serum levels of cytokines in cancer patients and their prognostic value. The purpose of this study was to determine the plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and their clinical significance in a large group of patients with gastric carcinoma. The levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF α), interleukin-12p40 (IL-12p40), IL-12p70, IL-18, IL-10 and soluble TNF receptors I and II sTNF-Rs were investigated in the plasma of 136 consecutive patients with biopsy proven gastric cancer using specific enzymelinked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISA). Survival curves were estimated using the method of Kaplan and Meier and the differences in the survival rates were tested by the logrank test. For multivariate analysis of prognostic factors, the Cox proportional hazard model was used. Proinflammatory cytokines and sTNF-Rs were higher in the whole group of patients in comparison to healthy volunteers. IL-10 was elevated mostly in advanced disease. The increased levels of IL-10 (>10 pg/ml) were associated with significantly poorer survival of patients, while the levels of the other cytokines and sTNF-Rs showed no correlation with prognosis. The increased level of IL-10 is an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer

Physical activity among Polish and English residents of nursing homes

Physical activity is one of the indicators of a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity after the age of 65 gives the ability to maintain physical capacity at a much higher level than people who live inactive lifestyle. The aim of this study was to assess the physical activity of older people living in Polish and English nursing homes. The study was conducted in February and March 2013. The research material consisted of 59 people. 29 respondents are residents in Chislehurst and 30 respondents are residents in Krakow. The research method was a diagnostic survey and the research tool was a questionnaire of own authorship.CDS and Barthel scale were used also. The vast majority of respondents assessed their lifestyle which led in the past as active. In both groups, the most common response to the current fitness was moderate fitness. 76.3% of the respondents received Low levels depending on the care by CDS scale and the vast majority of people - 61 % was placed in Group I in accordance with the Barthel scale. It can be concluded that in the group of English respondents, lifestyle, fitness assessment were significantly associated with the results of the CDS scale and Barthel scale. The more active lifestyle in the past and higher subjective evaluation of the efficiency of the English residents, the favorable results of the CDS scale and Bartel scale. In the group of Polish residents such a relationship is not found

Circulating tumour cells and survival of patients with gastric cancer

Background: The prognostic significance of the presence of tumour cells in the blood of gastric cancer patients remains unclear. Their occurrence and its association with the stage of disease and long-term survival was determined. Patients and Methods: Fifty-seven patients with stage I-IV gastric cancer were divided into two groups: these with and these without circulating tumour cells that were identified as cytokeratin positive (CK+) cells among CD45– cells (obtained by sorting of CD45+ leukocytes). Results: Tumour cells were detected prior surgery in the peripheral blood of 54.4% patients but no clear association with the stage of disease was observed. After gastrectomy detection rate was 21.1%. There was no significant difference in the 5-year survival of patients, with or without CK+ in the blood. Conclusion: The presence of circulating tumour cells is of no prognostic value in patients with resectable gastric cancer

The AB0 blood group system v. types of diseases diagnosed in patients admitted to surgical clinics

The distribution of human blood groups varies around the world. Many researchers have been trying to establish whether there are relationships between blood groups and diseases, personality, lifestyle, and nutrition. For some types of illnesses these relations were confirmed whereas for others no significant correlations were proven. There is also a group of studies where data are not yet complete. Describing relations between AB0 blood groups and diseases diagnosed in patients hospitalised in surgical clinics. The study group comprised 1144 adult patients hospitalised in surgical clinics in a hospital in Cracow. The authors used the methodology of diagnostic survey and analysed medical records from the hospital archives. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2007 software. A blood group was the most common blood type among patients included in this study. Cholelithiasis was the most frequent diagnosis recorded in surgical clinics i.e. 32% of all patients suffered from this disease. We found correlations between the AB0 blood groups and the following morbidities: cholelithiasis and blood type A (p = 0.046), colorectal cancer and B group (p = 0.013), and pancreatic cancer and blood type B (p = 0.039). Individuals with blood type B presented the greatest risk of developing cancer (p < 0.003) and the odds ratio was 1.47. The lowest risk was observed for blood type 0

Impact of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow on survival and disease progression in patients with left‑sided colorectal cancer

Introduction Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) are a subset of circulating tumor cells that migrate to the bone marrow. Colorectal cancer is a heterogeneous disease depending on the site of the primary tumor. Objectives We aimed to assess the association between the presence of DTCs in the bone marrow and tumor characteristics as well as long‑term treatment outcomes in patients with left‑sided colorectal cancer. Patients and methods This prospective study included 91 patients with left‑sided colorectal cancer (37 with colon cancer and 54 with rectal cancer) treated between 2007 and 2012 in a single tertiary center. Fifteen patients had stage I cancer; 26, stage II; 26, stage III; and 24, stage IV. Overall survival and cancer relapse rates were compared between patients with different cancer stages and DTC status. Results Bone marrow DTCs were identified in 42 patients (46.1%). The prevalence of DTCs was not related to tumor infiltration depth, nodal involvement, distant metastasis, tumor stage, or primary tumor site. The 5‑year overall survival rates were 59.5% and 53% in the DTC‑positive and DTC‑negative groups, respectively (P = 0.19). There was a notable trend favoring survival in patients with DTCs with stage II and III disease (both separately and when combined). The number of metachronous distant metastases was significantly lower in DTC‑positive patients. Conclusions The presence of DTCs in the bone marrow is not associated with primary tumor characteristics and seems to reduce metastasis formation in left‑sided colorectal cancer. There is also a trend for improved overall survival in DTC‑positive patients. These results are intriguing and warrant further confirmation

The development of a concept of nursing process : a review of articles published by Stefania Poznanska in "Nurse and Midwife"

With her life and work, Stefania Poznanska promoted the development of modern nursing in Poland. The concept of nursing process was formed in the course of many years. At first, nursing care was understood as an active process of cooperation between nurses and patients. This concept was followed by another one defining nursing as interpersonal interactions with behavioural and therapeutic significance. The next definition of nursing care assumed it delivered assistance to individuals requiring help and it met their basic health and biopsychosocial needs. From the beginning special attention was paid to the fact that patients' needs must be noticed and adequate actions should be taken referring to an individual plan of care. At first, the concept of "a plan" was often used as well as the idea of nursing process. Finally, they were defined as a plan and a process of nursing. With time the stages of nursing process evolved. Currently the following five concepts are used most frequently: data collection, nursing diagnosis, planning, nursing interventions, and evaluation

Properties of monocytes generated from haematopoietic CD34+ stem cells from bone marrow of colon cancer patients

Monocytes exhibit direct and indirect antitumour activities and may be potentially useful for various forms of adoptive cellular immunotherapy of cancer. However, blood is a limited source of them. This study explored whether monocytes can be obtained from bone marrow haematopoietic CD34(+) stem cells of colon cancer patients, using previously described protocol of expansion and differentiation to monocytes of cord blood-derived CD34(+) haematopoietic progenitors. Data show that in two-step cultures, the yield of cells was increased approximately 200-fold, and among these cells, up to 60 % of CD14(+) monocytes were found. They consisted of two subpopulations: CD14(++)CD16(+) and CD14(+)CD16(−), at approximately 1:1 ratio, that differed in HLA-DR expression, being higher on the former. No differences in expression of costimulatory molecules were observed, as CD80 was not detected, while CD86 expression was comparable. These CD14(+) monocytes showed the ability to present recall antigens (PPD, Candida albicans) and neoantigens expressed on tumour cells and tumour-derived microvesicles (TMV) to autologous CD3(+) T cells isolated from the peripheral blood. Monocytes also efficiently presented the immunodominant HER-2/neu(369–377) peptide (KIFGSLAFL), resulting in the generation of specific cytotoxic CD8(+) T lymphocytes (CTL). The CD14(++)CD16(+) subset exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity, though nonsignificant, towards tumour cells in vitro. These observations indicate that generation of monocytes from CD34(+) stem cells of cancer patients is feasible. To our knowledge, it is the first demonstration of such approach that may open a way to obtain autologous monocytes for alternative forms of adaptive and adoptive cellular immunotherapy of cancer