Improved understanding of gastrointestinal stromal tumors biology as a step for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic schemes.

A gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the human gastrointestinal tract, with an estimated incidence of 10-15 per 1 million per year. While preparing holistic care for patients with GIST diagnosis, scientists might face several difficulties - insufficient risk stratification, acquired or secondary resistance to imatinib, or the need for an exceptional therapy method associated with wild-type tumors. This review summarizes recent advances associated with GIST biology that might enhance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. New molecules might be incorporated into risk stratification schemes due to their proven association with outcomes; however, further research is required. Therapies based on the significant role of angiogenesis, immunology, and neural origin in the GIST biology could become a valuable enhancement of currently implemented treatment schemes. Generating miRNA networks that would predict miRNA regulatory functions is a promising approach that might help in better selection of potential biomarkers and therapeutical targets in cancer, including GISTs.

The complexity of tumour angiogenesis based on recently described molecules.

Tumour angiogenesis is a crucial factor associated with tumour growth, progression, and metastasis. The whole process is the result of an interaction between a wide range of different molecules, influencing each other. Herein we summarize novel discoveries related to the less known angiogenic molecules such as galectins, pentraxin-3, Ral-interacting protein of 76 kDa (RLIP76), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), B7-H3, and delta-like ligand-4 (DLL-4) and their role in the process of tumour angiogenesis. These molecules influence the most important molecular pathways involved in the formation of blood vessels in cancer, including the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor interaction (VEGFR), HIF1-a activation, or PI3K/Akt/mTOR and JAK-STAT signalling pathways. Increased expression of galectins, RLIP76, and B7H3 has been proven in several malignancies. Pentraxin-3, which appears to inhibit tumour angiogenesis, shows reduced expression in tumour tissues. Anti-angiogenic treatment based mainly on VEGF inhibition has proved to be of limited effectiveness, leading to the development of drug resistance. The newly discovered molecules are of great interest as a potential source of new anti-cancer therapies. Their role as targets for new drugs and as prognostic markers in neoplasms is discussed in this review.

Histopathological analysis of mucinous breast cancer subtypes and comparison with invasive carcinoma of no special type.

Mucinous breast cancer (MBC) is a rare histological type of breast cancer characterized primarily by mucin's production and extracellular presence. MBC is usually associated with a better prognosis than other invasive breast neoplasms. Because of the low prevalence, MBC biology is not well understood. The aim of the present study was to introduce the last 2-year experience regarding MBC pathological diagnostics in our clinical center and comparison of the obtained data with invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (NST) comprising the most common invasive breast cancer. We identified 24 MBC cases representing 3.09% of all 766 invasive breast cancers, including 15 cases of pure type and 9 mixed MBCs. The median MBC patients' age at presentation was 65.5 years. Compared to NST, MBC presented a higher T stage with a statistically larger tumor median size, although lower regional lymph node involvement, tumor histological grade and TNM stage. MBC is a rare type of breast cancer, accounting for about 4% of all diagnosed breast cancers. Our findings are consistent with those published in recent years and show significant differences between MBC and NST cancer patients and also highlight differences between pure and mixed MBC, emphasizing the essence of their differentiation. MBC is associated with a better long-term prognosis than NST and is characterized by the less aggressive biological behavior expressed through favorable clinicopathologic features in terms of tumor grade, regional lymph node involvement and hormone receptor status.

What is new about ovarian malignancies?

Ovarian cancer is one of the most prevalent pathologies in gynaecology. This malignancy can be divided into 2 large groups: epithelial and non-epithelial. Because epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC) are the most commonly diagnosed, this paper focuses on the latest therapies associated with this disease. Due to the difficult diagnosis, EOC is frequently detected in the advanced stage. The treatment is usually complex and requires specialist knowledge. Advances and new ideas, such as identification of various genes and molecules that can serve as prognostic factors, might increase patients' chances of survival; they may contribute to optimization of patients' treatment, deciding whether to use aggressive treatment strategies, and predicting chemoresistance. Moreover, new strategies might also improve the quality of life of patients. The study aimed to analyse and discuss the latest reports on new methods of managing EOC.