Doustna winorelbina dawkowana metronomicznie w leczeniu miejscowo zaawansowanego raka piersi u chorej w podeszłym wieku

Z roku na rok coraz więcej kobiet w podeszłym wieku z istotnym obciążeniem internistycznym choruje na raka piersi. W przypadku zaawansowanych klinicznie raków piersi z ekspresją receptorów estrogenowych preferowanym postępowaniem jest hormonoterapia, leczenie o szczególnie korzystnym profilu bezpieczeństwa. W sytuacjach wykorzystania dostępnych opcji leczenia hormonalnego i/lub wytworzenia wtórnej oporności na takie leczenie postępowaniem z wyboru jest chemioterapia. Cytostatyki mogą być podawane w sposób klasyczny — w pełnych dawkach, w cyklach co 2–3 tygodnie lub metronomicznie — w niskich dawkach codziennie lub co kilka dni. Ten ostatni sposób dawkowania charakteryzuje się niską toksycznością. Przedstawiono przypadek kobiety w podeszłym wieku chorej na miejscowo zaawansowanego raka piersi, u której po 3 liniach hormonoterapii zastosowano winorelbinę doustną podawaną metronomicznie. Leczeniem tym uzyskano kontrolę choroby nowotworowej przez kilka miesięcy i nie obserwowano żadnej toksyczności leczenia

2,4-Diamino-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazine methanol solvate

The crystal structure of the title compound, C4H7N5·CH4O, is determined by an extensive network of hydrogen bonding. A sequence of centrosymmetric dimeric associations, formed by two different N—H(amino)⋯N(ring) hydrogen bonds, connects the triazine rings into a planar mol­ecular tape. The methanol solvent mol­ecules act as di-acceptors and mono-donors of hydrogen bonds and inter­link, almost perpendicularly, the hydrogen-bonded tapes into a three-dimensional structure

Drobnokomórkowy rak płuca — opis przypadku

Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is diagnosed in about one quarter of patients with lung cancer. Among all lung cancer SCLC is featured by the highest malignancy. Despite the chemo- and radiosensitivity, regardless of the stage, only a small percentage of patients achieved long-term survival. In this publication we present a case of the patient with extensive stage of SCLC who underwent three lines of chemotherapy. A long-term survival was achieved by these treatment.Drobnokomórkowy rak płuca (SCLC) rozpoznawany jest u około jednej czwartej chorych z nowotworem złośliwym płuca. Spośród wszystkich nowotworów złośliwych płuca wyróżnia się największą złośliwością. Pomimo dużej chemio- i radiowrażliwości, stosowania chemioterapii wielolekowej oraz radioterapii, niezależnie od stopnia zaawansowania tylko niewielki procent chorych uzyskuje długotrwałe przeżycie. W niniejszym opracowaniu przedstawiono przypadek chorej z rozpoznaniem SCLC w stadium rozległym, którą poddano trzem liniom chemioterapii. Dzięki leczeniu udało się uzyskać wieloletnie przeżycie.

Systemic treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer — is there still a place for gemcitabine in the first-line setting? Experience of Polish oncology centers

Introduction. Despite some progress in the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer, it is still a malignancy with a poor prognosis, which results from its rapid local growth with a tendency to infiltrate surrounding tissues and metastasize, and late diagnosis at the advanced stage. The use of multi-drug regimens and modern targeted therapies did not completely eliminate the use of gemcitabine in monotherapy, which is a therapeutic option mainly in patients with poor performance status, ineligible for more advanced therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the results of treatment with single-agent gemcitabine in everyday clinical practice in Poland and to attempt to identify the predictors of obtaining long-term responses resulting from this treatment.  Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of 167 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated with single-agent gemcitabine in five oncology centers in Poland in the years 2017–2022 was conducted. Gemcitabine was used as monotherapy at an initial dose of 1000 mg/m2 of body surface area (BSA) weekly, 7 times in an 8-week cycle, then 3 times in a 4-week cycle.  Results. Median overall survival (OS) in the entire group of patients was 6.1 months (range — 0.2–32.3 months), and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.2 months (range — 0.2–31.3 months). A group of 60 patients was identified as “long responders” (LR), with a response of at least 6 months and a group of 107 as “short responders” (SR). Median PFS in the LR group was 9.15 months (range — 6.0–31.3 months) and in the SR group, it was 3.2 months (range — 0.2–5.8 months). Median OS was 11.6 months (range — 5.9–30.8) and 3.8 months (range — 0.2–32.3 months), respectively. In multivariate analysis, the likelihood of achieving at least a 6-month response (LR) was assessed using a logistic regression model. The model takes into account four variables: the neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR) ratio, liver metastases, sex, and Hb level. Conclusions. The obtained results confirm that gemcitabine monotherapy is still useful in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. An appropriate selection of patients for this treatment may improve the results while maintaining lower toxicity compared to combined treatment.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index as clinical predictive and prognostic markers in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving gemcitabine monotherapy

Introduction. Pancreatic cancer is characterized by an increasing incidence and still poor prognosis despite the availability of various therapeutic options, currently including single- and multi-drug chemotherapy as well as molecularly targeted therapy. Therefore, appropriate qualification for particular therapies, based mainly on clinical and histological factors, is extremely important. Inflammatory status, associated with cancer development, justifies the search for prognostic markers related to the immune system, which could be additional factors facilitating selection of appropriate therapy. This study aimed at assessing the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), plateletto- lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer undergoing gemcitabine monotherapy.  Material andmethods. A retrospective analysis of blood morphological parameters was performed in 167 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine monotherapy in the first line in five oncology centers in Poland in the years 2017–2022. The NLR, PLR, and SII were calculated, and cut-off points between high and low values were defined. Clinical parameters and their distribution were assessed depending on the overall survival (OS) value equal to or greater than or less than median OS. The distribution of patients within OS intervals in relation to the categories of inflammatory markers was assessed.  Results. The median age of patients was 71 years, the majority were women (58%), with clinical stage IV (57%), and with dominant location of metastases in the liver (42.5%). The median NLR was 2.69 (range 0.5–36.65), PLR 146.54 (range 18.53–1118.57), and SII 784.75 (range 79.86–10622.67). The cut-off points were defined as 4.5625 for the NLR [125 patients (75.8%) with a value less than and 40 patients (24.3%) with a value equal to or greater], 150 for the PLR [87 (52.7%)/ 78 (47.3%)], and 897.619 for the SII [96 (58.2%)/69 (41.8%)]. Comparing the groups with OS longer than or equal to the median and OS shorter than the median, statistically significant differences were found in relation to body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.02), baseline stage (p < 0.001), and location of metastases (p < 0.001). There were statistically significantly more NLR and SII values below the cut-off points in patients with survival at least equal to median OS. Concerning the PLR, no statistically significant differences were found between groups determined by OS value.  Conclusions. We demonstrated the relationship between indicators calculated on the basis of blood count parameters and treatment results. It may indicate the predictive and prognostic importance of indices reflecting immune system status, which can be a valuable addition to the clinical criteria included in prognostic models.

Evaluation of the oral cavity state and Candida occurence in generally healthy Polish and foreign dental students

Aim of the study. This study aimed at comparing the oral cavity condition and Candida prevalence in generally healthy Polish and foreign dentistry students and evaluating the relationship between Candida occurrence and the oral cavity condition. Material and methods. 79 dentistry students with no systemic diseases, aged 20–25 (mean 23.5), were examined in the present study. Two groups of examined subjects were specified: 43 Polish students (group I) and 36 foreign students (group II). Group II has been divided into subgroups: IIa – students from Taiwan and IIb – students from Europe and USA. Occurence of oral mucosa lesions, periodontal treatment needs (CPITN), caries prevalence (DMFT) and oral hygiene (OHIs) were investigated. Evaluation of Candida occurrence on the oral mucosa was included in the study. Results. Comparison of the oral cavity condition in Polish and foreign students showed no significant difference, with the exception of the number of teeth with active caries, that was significantly higher in foreign students (D 1,2) than in Polish students (D 0.4). Mean indices rates in the group I were: CPITN 0.9; PUWz 8.7; OHI-s 0.4 in the group II 1.0; 7.0; 0,5, respectively. The most commonly observed oral mucosa lesions, in both groups, were white coated tongue and buccal white line. Candida was found in 38,0% of the subjects, its prevalence was similar in both groups (I – 34.9%, II – 41.7%). No correlation between Candida occurence and oral cavity state was detected. Higher frequency of active caries in Candida carriers was the exception

Designing of drug delivery systems to improve the antimicrobial efficacy in the periodontal pocket based on biodegradable polyesters

© 2023 The authors. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010503Delivery systems for biologically active substances such as proanthocyanidins (PCANs), produced in the form of electrospun nonwoven through the electrospinning method, were designed using a polymeric blend of poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)and poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate] ((R,S)-PHB). The studies involved the structural and thermal characteristics of the developed electrospun three-dimensional fibre matrices unloaded and loaded with PCANs. In the next step, the hydrolytic degradation tests of these systems were performed. The release profile of PCANs from the electrospun nonwoven was determined with the aid of UV–VIS spectroscopy. Approximately 30% of the PCANs were released from the tested electrospun nonwoven during the initial 15–20 days of incubation. The chemical structure of water-soluble oligomers that were formed after the hydrolytic degradation of the developed delivery system was identified through electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Oligomers of lactic acid and OLAGA oligocopolyester, as well as oligo-3-hydroxybutyrate terminated with hydroxyl and carboxyl end groups, were recognized as degradation products released into the water during the incubation time. It was also demonstrated that variations in the degradation rate of individual mat components influenced the degradation pattern and the number of formed oligomers. The obtained results suggest that the incorporation of proanthocyanidins into the system slowed down the hydrolytic degradation process of the poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate] three-dimensional fibre matrix. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial studies advocate the use of PCANs for biomedical applications with promising antimicrobial activity.This research was funded by UM0-2016/22/Z/ST5/00692 PELARGODONT Project financed under M-ERA.NET.Published onlin

Causative Pathogens of Endophthalmitis after Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Injection: An International Multicenter Study

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to investigate the microbiological spectrum of endophthalmitis after anti- VEGF injections and to compare streptococcal with nonstreptococcus- associated cases with regard to baseline characteristics and injection procedure. Methods: Retrospective,international multicenter study of patients with culture-positive endophthalmitis after intravitreal anti-VEGF injection at 17 different retina referral centers. Results: Eighty-three cases with 87 identified pathogens were included. Coagulasenegative staphylococci (59%) and viridans streptococci (15%) were the most frequent pathogens found. The use of postoperative antibiotics and performance of injections in an operating room setting significantly reduced the rate of streptococcus-induced endophthalmitis cases (p = 0.01 for both). Conclusion: We found a statistically significant lower rate of postinjectional local antibiotic therapy and operating room-based procedures among the streptococcus-induced cases compared to cases caused by other organisms

Gender determines the level of work motivation

Skuteczne motywowanie pracowników jest kluczowym elementem wpływającym na ich efektywność w miejscu pracy, co bezpośrednio przekłada się na wyniki firmy. Współczesne badania pokazują, że konieczne jest uwzględnienie indywidualnych potrzeb pracowników, zwłaszcza tych, które wynikają z posiadanej płci. Powodzenie procesu motywowania zależy więc od zakresu i rodzaju zastosowanych narzędzi wobec pracowników, które powinny być w miarę możliwości spersonalizowane. Celem pracy było ustalenie czy można wykazać istotne statystycznie różnice w ocenie skuteczności poszczególnych motywatorów przez kobiety i mężczyzn. W szczególności analizie zostały poddane motywatory pieniężne, pozapieniężne i niefinansowe. Analiza statystyczna zebranych danych została przeprowadzona z wykorzystaniem testów Chi Kwadrat oraz U Manna-Whitney’a. Wyniki badań wskazują na odmienne postrzeganie tych samych motywatorów przez kobiety i mężczyzn. Co więcej tylko właściwie skomponowane i współdziałające narzędzia finansowe i pozafinansowe pozwolą na skuteczny proces motywowania podwładnych.Successful employees motivating is a key element affecting their effectiveness in the workplace, which directly translates into the company results. Present research shows that it is essential to take into account the individual employees’ needs, especially those that arise from the gender. Therefore, the success of the motivating process depends on the scope and type of tools used, which should be as much as possible personalized. The aim of the study was to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in the assessment by men and women of the effectiveness of certain motivator types. In particular, monetary, non-monetary and non-financial motivators were compared. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using the Chi Square and Mann-Whitney U tests. The research results demonstrated different assessment of the same motivators by women and men. What is critical, only suitably composed and cooperated financial and non-financial tools will allow for an effective process of motivating employees at work