Assessing Nutritional Status in Gastric Cancer Patients after Total versus Subtotal Gastrectomy: Cross-Sectional Study.

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant global health concern, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Malnutrition is common in GC patients and can negatively impact prognosis and quality of life. Understanding nutritional issues and their management is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This cross-sectional study included 51 GC patients who underwent curative surgery, either total or subtotal gastrectomy. Various nutritional assessments were conducted, including anthropometric measurements, laboratory tests, and scoring systems such as Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group/World Health Organization Performance Status (ECOG/WHO PS), Observer-Reported Dysphagia (ORD), Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002), Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), and Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ). Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were significantly higher in the subtotal gastrectomy group. Nutritional assessments indicated a higher risk of malnutrition in patients who underwent total gastrectomy, as evidenced by higher scores on ORD, NRS-2002, and PG-SGA. While total gastrectomy was associated with a higher risk of malnutrition, no single nutritional parameter emerged as a strong predictor of surgical approach. PG-SGA predominantly identified malnutrition, with its occurrence linked to demographic factors such as female gender and age exceeding 65 years.

Histological findings for the absorption of small and large liposomes - the basis of future drug delivery and contrast media systems.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to obtain and characterize carrier systems in different sizes that can affect oral absorption, since the mechanisms of liposome absorption are not yet fully understood. From stomach to the small intestine, liposomes can be gradually destroyed. Understanding the factors that affect oral absorption leads to developing safe and effective nanosystems to improve the oral delivery of therapeutics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined the efficiency of the absorption of small and large liposomes at the level of gingival mucosa, heart, liver, testicles, kidneys, and lungs, using frozen-section fluorescence microscopy, on rat tissues after liposomes administration. A number of 36 male rats were divided in four groups: control groups, A and C, consisted of six rats each and did not receive liposomes; two other groups, B and D, were the experimental ones, and consisted of 12 male rats each. The animals received small liposomes (75-76 nm) and large liposomes (80-87 nm), respectively, administered either by endogastric tube or intraperitoneal injection. After 24 hours, the animals were sacrificed, and we harvested the organs. We performed frozen sections and analyzed them with fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: The frozen sections obtained from all organs revealed a higher absorption level of small liposomes in the testicles, liver, and gum, while the large liposomes had a greater affinity for the liver, with variations dependent on the route of administration. CONCLUSIONS: Frozen-section fluorescence microscopy is a reliable technique for visualization of liposome absorption. Based on the size of these nanosystems, we revealed significant absorption for small liposomes in testicles, liver, heart, and gum, and for large liposomes mainly in the liver, compared with the control groups. The study advocates for the usage of liposomes for medical purposes, based on their absorption proprieties.