Oral Mucosa in Cancer Patients-Putting the Pieces Together: A Narrative Review and New Perspectives.

The oral mucosa is a key player in cancer patients and during cancer treatment. The increasing prevalence of cancer and cancer-therapy-associated side effects are behind the major role that oral mucosa plays in oncological patients. Oral mucositis is a debilitating severe complication caused by the early toxicity of chemo and/or radiotherapy that can restrict treatment outcome possibilities, even challenging a patient's survival. It has been referred to as the most feared cancer treatment complication. Predictive variables as to who will be affected, and to what extent, are still unclear. Additionally, oral mucositis is one of the sources of the increasing economic burden of cancer, not only for patients and their families but also for institutions and governments. All efforts should be implemented in the search for new approaches to minimize the apparently ineluctable outburst of oral mucositis during cancer treatment. New perspectives derived from different approaches to explaining the interrelation between oral mucositis and the oral microbiome or the similarities with genitourinary mucosa may help elucidate the biomolecular pathways and mechanisms behind oral mucosa cancer-therapy-related toxicity, and what is more important is its management in order to minimize treatment side effects and provide enhanced cancer support.

Puerperal ileal perforation secondary to endometriosis: Case report and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Bowel endometriosis is an uncommon disease that can cause serious complications and may require immediate medical attention. We wish to remind about bowel perforation caused by endometriosis, its diagnostic difficulty, and the need or urgent management in late pregnancy and puerperium. CASE REPORT: We present a 38-year-old woman, which presented with bowel perforation requiring urgent surgery. A pathological exam disclosed deep ileal infiltrative endometriosis. CONCLUSION: Even though bowel endometriosis is a rare complication, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of severe abdominal pain in late pregnancy or puerperium. A multidisciplinary management of these patients is needed.

Endometritis tuberculosa sin foco primario y dolor pélvico crónico / Tuberculous endometritis with no primary focus and chronic pelvic pain

Antecedentes: La tuberculosis genital y la endometritis tuberculosa es una forma de tuberculosis que continúa siendo frecuente en los países en desarrollo y habitualmente es secundaria a un foco primario pulmonar. Puede cursar de forma asintomática, o bien, producir síntomas como infertilidad primaria o secundaria, alteraciones menstruales o dolor pélvico crónico, entre otros. Caso clínico: Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 47 años en estudio por ginecología y urología por dolor pélvico crónico y sintomatología urinaria inespecífica de aproximadamente 6 meses de evolución. La ecografía transvaginal muestra contenido intracavitario escaso sugerente de piometra e imágenes trabeculares compatibles con sinequias uterinas. Mediante aspirado endometrial se extrae pus y muestra endometrial que se remite para estudio anatomopatológico. Tras el informe anatomopatológico que diagnostica inflamación crónica granulomatosa necrotizante, se solicita estudio por PCR y cultivo para micobacteriumm tuberculosis, siendo ambos positivos para el microorganismo. De este modo, se diagnosticó como endometritis tuberculosa sin existir afectación de otros órganos tras el estudio completo. Se realizó tratamiento con etambutol hidrocloruro, isoniacida, pirazinamida y rifampicina durante 2 meses y pirazinamida e isonicida durante 7 meses adicionales. Al final del tratamiento, la paciente mostraba clara mejoría de los síntomas y a la ecografía desaparición de la colección intracavitaria uterina.

Background: Genital tuberculosis and endometritis tuberculosa is a form of tuberculosis which remains prevalent in developing countries and is usually secondary to a pulmonary primary focus. It may be asymptomatic, or may produce symptoms such as primary or secondary infertility, menstrual disorders or chronic pelvic pain, among others. Clinical case: We present the case of a patient of 47-year who was studied by ginecology and urology for chronic pelvic pain and unspecific urinary symptoms since about 6 months. In transvaginal ultrasound pyometra and trabecular images compatible with uterine synechiae were observed. Endometrial samples were obtaining and sent for histopathologic examination which was informed of chronic necrotizing granulomatous inflammation. We asked for PCR and culture for tuberculosis micobacteriumm, both being positive for the microorganism. Thus, she was diagnosed of endometritis tuberculosa without involvement of other organs after complete study. She performed a treatment with ethambutol hydrochloride, isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide for 2 months and pyrazinamide and isoniazid for 7 months. At the end of treatment, the patient showed clear improvement of symptoms and disappearance of uterine intracavitary collection in the ultrasonographic study.

Changes in plasma lipids and increased low-density lipoprotein susceptibility to oxidation in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes: consequences of obesity.

Dyslipidemia is associated with increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) susceptibility to oxidation, a phenomenon associated with endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, cell toxicity, and intrauterine growth retardation. The present study was designed to determine if women developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have both increased plasma lipids and LDL susceptibility to oxidation throughout pregnancy. We also wanted to study the effects of obesity upon these parameters. A nested case-control study was carried out in 45 women with uncomplicated pregnancies and 62 women diagnosed with GDM following the criteria of the American Diabetes Association. In all women, blood was drawn at 15, 24, and 32 weeks of gestation. Low-density lipoprotein oxidation was initiated by the addition of CuCl2, and formation of conjugated dienes was monitored. Glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, vitamin E, estradiol, and progesterone were determined. In GDM, elevated levels of glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides were observed when compared with the control group even in the first trimester, before the detection of diabetes. In the control group, the lag phase in the LDL oxidation was 85.3, 84.4, and 95.6 minutes at 15, 24, and 32 weeks of pregnancy, compared with 63.3, 63.4, and 74.5 minutes in the GDM group (P < .001 in the 3 periods). These differences remained when adjusted for the body mass index. In a multiple linear regression analysis, a negative correlation was observed between the lag phase and the body mass index (P < .001) and cholesterol (P < .001), whereas a positive one appeared with vitamin E (P < .05) and time of gestation (P < .001). In pregnancy, GDM increases LDL susceptibility to oxidation. Obesity and hypercholesterolemia further exacerbate this effect.