A review on Eph/ephrin, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in gastric, colorectal and pancreatic cancers.

Erythroprotein-producing human hepatocellular carcinoma receptors (Eph receptors) compose a subfamily of transmembrane protein-tyrosine kinases receptors that takes part in numerous physiological and pathological processes. Eph family receptor-interacting proteins (Ephrins) are ligands for those receptors. Eph/ephrin system is responsible for the cytoskeleton activity, cell adhesion, intercellular connection, cellular shape as well as cell motility. It affects neuron development and functioning, bone and glucose homeostasis, immune system and correct function of enterocytes. Moreover Eph/ephrin system is one of the crucial ones in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. With such a wide range of impact it is clear that disturbed function of this system leads to pathology. Eph/ephrin system is involved in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Although the idea of participation of ephrin in carcinogenesis is obvious, the exact way remains unclear because of complex bi-directional signaling and cross-talks with other pathways. Further studies are necessary to find a new target for treatment.

Lymphangiogenesis in early and advanced gastric cancer: is there any difference?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Gastric cancer (GC) in Poland is on the third place of men's mortality and on the fifth place of women's mortality in malignant neoplasms, and the percentage of diagnosed early GC is less than 20%. In this study, the relationship among lymphatic vessel density, marked with D2-40, expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C/D, VEGF receptor 3 VEGFR-3, and the stage of GC patient were investigated. METHODS: This study examined the relationships between the peritumoral lymphatic vessels (PTL) density and intratumoral lymphatic vessels (ITL) density stained immunohistochemically with D2-40/podoplanin, the expression of VEGF-C/D and VEGFR-3, and the stage of 58 GC patients. RESULTS: Lymphatic vessel density measured by D2-40 decreases outside the tumor (PTL) and increases within the tumor (ITL) as the staging grows from I to III, whereas in the case of patients belonging to stage IV group, lymphatic vessel density decreases outside the tumor as well as within the tumor in comparison with the stage III group (not statistically significant). We observed a difference between morphology of the vessels within the tumor (ITLs) and vessels that are located outside the tumor (PTLs). PTLs were enlarged and unsqueezed as opposed to ITLs, which were collapsed. CONCLUSIONS: (i) There is no significant correlation between the density of ITL nor PTL marked with D2-40 and the stage of GC. (ii) We did not observe relationship between expression of VEGF-C/D and VEGFR-3 and the stage of GC. (iii) Further studies are needed to fully determine the role of PTL and ITL.

The sense of coherence and sense of satisfaction with life in patients hospitalized in Polish and Irish surgical departments.

BACKGROUND: The concept of the sense of coherence (SOC) - the global orientation of life, created by Aaron Antonovsky - is increasingly popular. This study within the field of health psychology examines the situation of patients awaiting surgery in Poland and Ireland. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between the strength of the SOC and its components (comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness) and the level of satisfaction with life (SWL) of patients hospitalized in surgical departments in hospitals in Poland and Ireland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research was conducted in a group of 60 surgical patients, including 30 hospitalized in Poland and 30 in Ireland. The tools utilized were the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire for Adults SOC-29 and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Polish versions of both questionnaires were also used. RESULTS: We obtained the following results:- for comprehensibility: in patients undergoing surgery in hospitals in Poland, the mean (M) = 46.3, standard deviation (SD) = 9.8, minimum value (Min) = 28, and maximum value (Max) = 63; in Irish patients, M = 50.8, SD = 9.2,Min = 33, and Max = 71;- for manageability: in patients undergoing surgery in hospitals in Poland, the M = 49.7, SD = 5.07, Min = 37, and Max = 58; in Irish patients, M = 49.3 SD = 6.39, Min = 38, and Max = 63;- for meaningfulness: in patients undergoing surgery in hospitals in Poland, M = 45.5, SD = 4.24, Min = 37, and Max = 54; in Irish patients, M = 44.9 SD = 5.74, Min = 34, and Max = 56. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study confirmed the assumption that a general SOC correlates with SWL. However, they did not confirm the hypothesis that differences in the strength of patients' SOC, its components and their level of SWL depend on the country of hospitalization.

Assessment of changes in body composition measured with bioelectrical impedance in patients operated for pancreatic, gastric and colorectal cancer.

ntroduction: A proper level of nutrition is significant in the period of convalescence in patients subject to major surgical procedures, particularly due to neoplastic disease. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, or BIA is a widely used method in assessing body mass composition. BIA measurement is easy, quick, cheap and repetitive. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We assessed the body composition of 56 patients (25 women and 31 men) hospitalized and operated at the Department of General and Oncological Surgery of the Wroclaw Medical University in the years 2017-2018 using bioelectric impedance. RESULTS: The average body weight loss in the 4th postoperative day was 1.32% of body mass and on the day of release from hospital - 4.23% of body mass in relation to body mass upon admission. The percentage of body fat (FM - Fat Mass) in patients admitted to the department is above the normal range. The change in body composition in hospitalized patients mainly concerns the amount of adipose tissue and the amount of extracellular and intracellular water (ECW - Extracellular Water; ICW - Intracellular Water). CONCLUSIONS: Bioelectrical impedance can be an easy and effective method of assessing body composition and its change in patients undergoing major surgery. Amongst the analyzed groups, patients operated for pancreatic cancer lose the largest percentage of body weight until discharge from the department. Loss of body mass mainly occurs as loss of fat mass (FM).

Pilonidal sinus: finding the righttrack for treatment.

Pilonidal cyst is a troublesome condition affecting usually young people. It significantly influences quality of life and causes low self-esteem. Despite its known pathophysiology and numerous therapeutic methods available, pilonidal cysts still constitute a significant problem in general surgery. A large number of surgical techniques indicates the lack of a single method that ensures therapeutic success, and frequent complications cause both patient's dissatisfaction and frustration of the operator. In many cases, therapy is based on methods developed in a given healthcare center and their efficacy is usually not scientifically verified. Search for optimal strategy is also impeded by lack of an unambiguous clinical classification. In this article, we reviewed publications on various methods of managing pilonidal cyst, and we also presented surgical treatment used in our department. However, we did not manage to point out a surgical method with efficacy high enough to become standard treatment. It indicates the need for further search for new techniques that will give chances for successful treatment of pilonidal cyst.

Caspases and their role in gastric cancer.

Caspases (Cysteine Aspartate Specific Proteases) are a group of cysteine-containing proteolytic enzymes produced by the cells of living organisms. They participate in immunological functions, proliferation, cell migration and organization. Caspases also influence the secretion of various regulative factors. Moreover, they are responsible for cellular maturation and reconstruction, and for regulating the number and quality of cells initiating the apoptosis of old cells or those that cannot play their normal role due to abnormalities. Multiple pathological processes are associated with disorders in the activity of caspases. Changes in expression of individual caspases have been observed in gastric cancer. The expression of some caspases is also correlated with particular histological traits and the frequency of metastases, which suggests their possible use as a prognostic factor. It has also been discovered that some somatic mutations in caspase coding genes might lead to inhibition of apoptosis and the progression of the disease. Gene polymorphism may be a gastric cancer risk factor, but may also play a protective function. Considering the less than satisfactory effects of conventional therapeutic methods, the search for alternative ways to activate apoptosis - through gene therapy or selective activation of individual elements of the apoptotic pathways - constitutes a promising direction for studies of new therapeutic strategies. Caspases, enzymes playing a central role in the process of programmed cellular death, may possibly be a key to the development of a more effective anti-cancer therapy.