Venom Immunotherapy Does Not Affect Survival of Patients with Malignant Tumor in Poland.

Background: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a well-established and efficient method of causative treatment for allergic rhinitis, asthma and insect venom allergy. Traditionally, a recent history of malignant neoplasm is regarded as a contraindication to AIT due to concerns that AIT might stimulate tumor growth. However, there are no data confirming that the silencing of the Th2 response affects prognosis in cancer. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate frequency of malignant tumors in patients undergoing AIT and the association between AIT and cancer-related mortality. Patients and Methods: A group of 2577 patients with insect venom allergy undergoing AIT in 10 Polish allergology centers was screened in the Polish National Cancer Registry. Data on cancer type, diagnosis time and patients' survival were collected and compared with the general population. Results: In the study group, 86 cases of malignancies were found in 85 patients (3.3% of the group). The most common were breast (19 cases), lung (9 cases), skin (8 cases), colon and prostate cancers (5 cases each). There were 21 cases diagnosed before AIT, 38 during and 27 after completing AIT. Laplace's crude incidence rate was 159.5/100,000/year (general population rate: 260/100,000/year). During follow-up, 13 deaths related to cancer were revealed (15% of patients with cancer). Laplace's cancer mortality rate was 37.3/100,000/year (general population rate: 136.8/100,000/year). Conclusions: Malignancy was found in patients undergoing immunotherapy less often than in the general population. Patients with cancer diagnosed during or after AIT did not show a lower survival rate, which suggests that AIT does not affect the prognosis.

[Mydocalm causing anaphylaxis]. / Mydokalm przyczyna wstrzas anafilaktycznego.

The case of anaphylactic shock due to Mydocalm administration is presented. 49-year-old woman suffered from spinal osteoarthritis and she was treated with NSAIDs and Mydocalm for many years. 6 weeks before admission to hospital the first anaphylactic shock was developed with loss of consciousness after oral administration of Mydocalm. Then she was admitted to the hospital in order to diagnose and verify the suspicion whether Mydocalm caused this reaction. Percutaneous test with Mydocalm was performed and it caused anaphylactic shock. Only thirteen cases like this one have been documented in the world literature. It is the first case reported in Poland.

[Macrophages and the expression of endothelin in sulphur dioxide induced bronchitis in rats]]. / Makrofagi i endotelina w zapaleniu oskrzeli wywolanym inhalacjami SO2 u szczurów.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of SO2 on bronchial mucosa in rats. Our interest was focused on macrophages function and expression of endothelin. 20 animals were used in the study; 5 of them constituted the control group, 15 of them were submitted to long term SO2 irritation. In animals exposed to SO2 the BALF evaluation revealed the increase of inflammatory cells concentration: neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes. Electron microscope examination demonstrated that macrophages from study group were activated in comparison with healthy rats. Immunoreactive endothelin was found in bronchial specimens and mainly in alveolar macrophages (we used a computer-assisted system of image analysis). The expression of endothelin was significantly increased in study group in comparison with control group.

[Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in the age of spiral computed tomography ]. / Rozpoznawanie zatoru tetnicy plucnej w dobie spiralnej tomografii komputerowej.

Diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) we can use many investigations. We are presenting analysis of pulmonary artery investigations performed using spiral CT during 18 months in the J. Jonston hospital in Lubin. There were 38 PE cases diagnosed. They were complicating following states: surgical intervention, lower limbs profound thrombophlebitis, COPD, chronic circulatory insufficiency, neoplastic disease, oral contraceptive drugs and unknown. PE affected 0.1% surgical departments patients (that means 0.2% subjected to operation), and 0.4% internal diseases departments patients. 16 cases, i.e. 42% were connected with operative procedures. The largest group of internal medicine departments patients with PE were those suffering from severe chronic airway obstruction (9 cases per 27), chronic circulatory insufficiency (3 per 27), lower limbs profound thrombophlebitis (4 per 27). This data shows, as important problem is PE differential diagnostics of patients suffering from severe internal diseases especially and an important role of spiral computer tomography in it.