Cardiac metastasis from colorectal cancer: To be or not to be…

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Laser photobiomodulation (PBM)-A possible new frontier for the treatment of oral cancer: a review of In vitro and in vivo studies

The treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is particularly complex due to its aggressive behavior, location, the patient's age, and its spread at diagnosis. In recent years, photobiomodulation (PBM) has been introduced in different medical fields; however, its application, in patients suffering from OSCC for palliative support or to induce analgesia, has been hotly debated due to the possibility that the cell growth stimuli induced by PBM could lead to a worsening of the lesions. The aim of this study is to review the literature to observe the available data investigating the effect of PBM on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. A review was conducted on the PubMed and Scopus databases. A total of twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were therefore included for quality assessment and data extraction. The analysis showed that the clinical use of PBM is still only partially understood and is, therefore, controversial. Some authors stated that it could be contraindicated for clinical use in patients suffering from SCC, while others noted that it could have beneficial effects. According to the data that emerged from this review, it is possible to hypothesize that there are possibilities for PBM to play a beneficial role in treating cancer patients, but further evidence about its clinical efficacy and the identification of protocols and correct dosages is still needed

CO2 and diode lasers vs. conventional surgery in the disinclusion of palatally impacted canines: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract: Background: The aim of this RCT is to show the effectiveness of laser technology for the exposure of palatally impacted canines, using a CO2 or diode laser, and to evaluate the possible bio-stimulation effect of the laser on the spontaneous eruption of the canine. Methods: This study was carried out on a sample of 27 patients, divided randomly into three groups: treated with a CO2 laser (Group A), treated with a diode laser (Group B), and treated with a cold blade (Group C). Monitoring was performed at 1, 8, and 16 weeks after surgery, through photo and digital scans performed with a CS3500 intraoral scanner. Results: It was found that the average total eruptions are 4.55 mm for Group A, 5.36 mm for Group B, and 3.01 mm for Group C. The difference in eruption between groups A and B is not significant. Comparing the laser groups with the control group, it has emerged that the difference in eruption is statistically significant. Conclusion: A significant tooth movement was observed in both Groups A and B. The response of the canine to the bio-stimulation of the laser can be considered effective, resulting in a statistically significant difference between the study groups and the control group. Both lasers have the same bio-stimulatory action on the eruption of canines

Histological effects of an innovative 445 Nm Blue Laser during oral soft tissue biopsy.

Continuously evolving laser devices can be used in various fields; they are an alternative to the traditional cold blade surgery to perform biopsies of oral soft tissues. The aspect focused on in this paper is the possibility to use the 445 nm diode laser (Eltech K-Laser srl, Treviso, Italy) in complete safety, by evaluating its thermal effects during microscopy. A histological evaluation of the alteration of the peri-incisional edges on 10 samples was realized. All excisional biopsies were related to clinically unsuspected lesions and performed by the same expert operator. The surgical procedure was performed with the same laser parameters and the same pathologist evaluated the thermal effect on the samples. An average value of the detected tissue alteration was calculated; the average damage of the epithelium was 650.93 μm, while in the connective tissue it was 468.07 μm. In all the cases a clear diagnosis was possible, and no clinical complications were observed; so, the 445 nm diode laser proved to be a device that can be safely used for biopsies of clinically unsuspicious lesions. Due to the small number of cases, this in vivo preliminary experience needs to be extended

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement with Tendyne™Device: overview of three-dimensional echocardiography monitoring

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DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF BONE SCINTIGRAPHY IN THE EARLY PREDICTION OF MRONJ

Since Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ) is challenging to treat, prevention and early detection are fundamental to limit progression. While some imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) scans are helpful to estimate the extent of osteonecrosis in clinically evident MRONJ, methods for early detection and identification of patients at risk for MRONJ need further investigations. The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate the role of bone scintigraphy (BS) in the early prediction of MRONJ. BS of patients treated with antiangiogenic or antiresorptive therapy for bone metastases were evaluated for pathological tracer uptake of the jaws. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values of BS for the prediction of MRONJ were investigated. Moreover, the latency from the first presence of pathological tracer uptake in BS to clinically evident MRONJ was determined. The significance of pathologic BS for MRONJ detection was calculated by Fisher's exact test and the odds ratio was determined.A total of 19 patients with representative BS were recruited from our Department database. Whole body BS in anterior and posterior positions were reviewed by a specialist in nuclear medicine, blinded to MRONJ diagnosis, for pathological tracer uptake of the jaws. Results were compared to development of clinically evident MRONJ. Sensitivity and specificity of BS for MRONJ prediction were respectively 90% and 82%. Positive and negative predictive values were 64% and 96%, respectively. Median time from the first presence of pathological tracer uptake in BS to clinically evident MRONJ was 20.3 months (range 7–41). Pathologic findings on BS were significantly (p < 0.001) more often observed in patients who developed MRONJ compared to patients who did not. The risk to develop MRONJ was 41.4-fold increased when BS was pathologic. According to our results, BS is an accurate method for the prediction of MRONJ