The role of artificial nutrition in gynecological cancer therapy

Cancer patients are at risk of developing malnutrition from underlying disease as well as from cancer treatment. Moreover, weight loss is considered as a predictive factor for disease progression and shorter survival time. As many as 10–20% of patients with cancer die from the results of malnutrition, instead of from the cancer itself. In the case of cancer-related malnutrition, it is necessary to quickly implement individualized nutritional support depending on the type and stage of the disease, metabolic changes, the patient’s condition, expected survival and the function of the gastrointestinal tract. Artificial nutrition reduces the side effects of chemotherapy and improves immunity. Perioperatively it reduces the risk of infection, facilitates wound healing and shortens the length of hospitalization, thereby reducing the costs of the treat- ment. Initially, a malnourished patient, without gastrointestinal dysfunction, qualifies for nutritional counseling. When the energy needs cannot be met by normal feeding, nutritional supplements, taken orally, are recommended. The next step is to feed the patient by nasogastric tube or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. Parenteral nutrition, which results in more side effects, is only started when enteral nutrition is insufficient to ensure adequate nutritional status or in cases of gastrointestinal tract obstruction. The benefit of parenteral nutrition is that it especially provides for those patients with gynaecological cancer who have radiation-induced intestinal damage and post-surgical complications such as short bowel syndrome. Palliative nutrition must to relieve hunger and thirst. Nutritional interventions should be individualized and focused on the changing nutrient needs of the patient and should be supported by physical activity. Regular assessment of the nutritional status of the patient should be an inherent element of the oncological treatment.

Proteomic pattern of cervico-vaginal fluid (CVF) in an ovarian cancer diagnosis — pilot study

Objectives: High grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most common type of ovarian cancer and is responsible for about 90% of ovarian cancer deaths. The diagnostic tests currently used do not increase the detection rates for ovarian cancer. There is a great necessity to develop new and non-invasive diagnostic tests for ovarian cancer (OC). Cervico-vaginal fluid (CVF) seems to be a potential and valuable source of biomarkers for genital tract diseases including ovarian cancer. The aim of our pilot study was to undertake a preliminary proteomic analysis of CVF derived from ovarian cancer patients and to compare these with results from a control group.Material and methods: We analysed and compared samples from a group of ovarian cancer patients and a control group of healthy patients. The study used MALDI-TOF coupled with nanoLC and ClinProTools software for MS, MS/MS spectra collection and proteomic analysis.Results: We identified 404 different proteins in the OC group and 417 proteins in the control group. 239 of the proteins were found to be common to both study groups, 165 proteins were unique to the OC subjects, and 178 proteins were unique to the control subjects. We selected three proteins as the OC markers with the greatest potential: cysteine-rich secretory protein 3, fibronectin and Ly6/PLAUR domain-containing protein 3.Conclusions: The proteins we selected seem to possess great potential as markers for the screening and early detection of OC, especially in non-invasive and low-cost diagnostic tests. However, our findings require more advanced and validated proteomic analysis to confirm the suitability of the selected proteins in everyday medical diagnoses

Plon i zawartość włókna w roślinach kukurydzy uprawianych na zieloną masę w Polsce

Background. This work presents the findings of research conducted in 2009–2011 aimed at an assessment of the suitability for cultivation in Poland of selected maize cultivars included in the Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species (CCA). Production-related value of the examined cultivars and fibre content determining the quality of feed produced from maize stover harvested at various development stages were assessed. Material and methods. The following two factors were examined in the experiment: A − the harvest date of maize green matter (I − tasseling stage (75% of plants at this stage), II − milk maturity stage (after three weeks), III − wax maturity stage (after another three weeks); B − cultivars with different maturity (Pyroxenia – very early, FAO 130, Codimi – early, FAO 200, Moschus – early, FAO 220, Alombo – medium early, FAO 230, Celive – medium early, FAO 245). The results demonstrated that the highest fresh matter yields were obtained for cv. Alombo harvested at the stage of milk maturity and at the stage of wax maturity, and for cv. Celive harvested at the wax maturity stage. Conclusion. All of the maize cultivars had their lowest content of crude fibre and its fractions when they were harvested at the wax maturity stage.W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań z lat 2009–2011, mające na celu ocenę przydatności do uprawy w Polsce wybranych odmian kukurydzy z Katalogu Wspólnotowego CCA. Oceniono wartość produkcyjną badanych odmian oraz oznaczono zawartość frakcji włókna decydującego o jakości paszy z roślin kukurydzy zbieranych w różnych fazach rozwojowych. W doświadczeniu badano dwa czynniki. A – termin zbioru zielonki kukurydzy: I – faza wyrzucania wiech (75% roślin w tej fazie), II – faza dojrzałości mlecznej (po upływie trzech tygodni), III – faza dojrzałości woskowej (po upływie następnych trzech tygodni); B – odmiany o różnej długości okresu wegetacji: Pyroxenia – bardzo wczesna FAO 130, Codimi – wczesna FAO 200, Moschus – wczesna FAO 220, Alombo – średnio wczesna FAO 230, Celive – średnio wczesna FAO 245. Określono plon świeżej masy roślin kukurydzy. W pobranym materiale roślinnym oznaczono zawartość: włókna surowego, frakcji włókna NDF, ADF oraz włókna strukturalnego – ligniny ADL. Otrzymane wyniki badań pozwalają stwierdzić, że największy plon świeżej masy uzyskano z roślin kukurydzy odmiany Alombo zebranych zarówno w fazie dojrzałości mlecznej, jak i woskowej oraz z roślin kukurydzy odmiany Celive zebranych w fazie dojrzałości woskowej. Rośliny kukurydzy wszystkich badanych odmian charakteryzowały się najniższą zawartością włókna surowego i jego frakcji, jeśli były zebrane w fazie dojrzałości woskowe