Nanomedicine and contrast enhanced imaging. Applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Nanotechnology and its applications in medicine made us live a new era of healthcare, particularly in oncology. The objective of this paper is to review the contribution of nanotechnology in clinical use of contrast agents for gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis and follow-up and to offer an overview of the impact of nanotechnology in the management of cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this regard, we reviewed the main areas of expertise where nanotechnology has contributed to the improvement of diagnostic methods (CE-US, CE-CT, MRI), along with the therapeutic applications that nanoparticles can have. Last but not least, the article highlights the potential that theragnostic molecules can have in the diagnosis and treatment of neoplasia, including those in an advanced stage. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Nanomedicine has the ability to improve the specificity and sensitivity of cancer diagnosis, together with the enhancing of the systemic cytostatic effect by developing nano bioconjugates that have a wider effect, higher tumor selectivity and thus, lower systemic toxicity. KEY WORDS: Ablative treatment, Cancer, Contrast enhanced imaging, Drug delivery, Nanomedicine.

Rectal cancer: factors predicting short outcomes after radical anterior resection.

AIM: This study analyzes risk factors implicated in postoperative complications and mortality after anterior resection in rectal cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total number of 378 patients with anterior rectal resection, diagnosed with rectal cancer and admitted at the IIIrd Surgery Clinic, "Octavian Fodor" Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Romania, between 2009 and 2016. The inclusion criteria were anterior rectal resections with curative visa for rectal cancer. The complications we assessed are the following: anastomotic fistula, intra-abdominal infections, postoperative bowel obstruction and wound infection. RESULTS: There was statistical significance regarding male gender, emergency hospitalization, hypoproteinemia and the resumption of intestinal transit. Anterior rectal resection of tumors located on the middle rectum was associated with high rate of anastomotic fistula. Patients with manual suture of anastomosis developed intraabdominal abscess more frequently. In the multivariate analysis, hypoproteinemia and a number of lymph nodes >1 remained independently associated with the occurrence of wound infection. The 30-day mortality rate was 4.8% with 18 deaths and morbidity rate 20.6% with 78 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Major complications after radical resection for rectal cancer are dependent on multiple variables such as male patients, those admitted in emergency and patients with hypoproteinemia. Location of tumor on middle rectum, manual suture of anastomosis, number of lymph nodes > 1 were associated with high rate of morbidity. Patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus didn't had statistical significance, but the rate of morbidity and mortality remains high in this groups. KEY WORDS: Complications, Radical anterior resection, Rectal cancer, Risk factors.