The Relationship between Depressiveness and Eating Behaviors among Women.

(1) The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between depressiveness and the occurrence of eating disorders, i.e., emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, cognitive restraint of eating, and the risk of orthorexia. (2) The study was conducted among 556 women from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland). The study employed the diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire technique: The Beck Depression Inventory, the ORTO-15 Questionnaire, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. (3) Higher depressiveness severity is associated with a higher score on the "Cognitive Restraint of Eating" scale. The authors' original study demonstrated a statistically significant relationship only between depressiveness and the "Uncontrolled Eating" subscale (p = 0.001). (4) The results of this study suggest that depressiveness is an important factor that contributes to a better understanding of eating behaviors. In addition, the results of this study suggest that eating behaviors and psychological factors should be taken into account in psychological interventions in the treatment of eating disorders. The clinical goal can be considered to be an improvement in non-normative eating behaviors, such as a reduction in overeating episodes or eating less frequently in the absence of a feeling of hunger.

Management of Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer-Comparison of Global Guidelines over the Last 5 Years.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage of its development, which results in lower overall survival (OS). Prognosis is also poor even with curative-intent surgery. Approximately 80% of patients with localized PDAC have micrometastases at the time of diagnosis, which leads to a worse prognosis than in other cancers. The objective of this study is to present the progress in the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer based on the recommendations of oncological scientific societies, such as ESMO, NCCN, ASCO, NICE and SEOM, over the last 5 years. Combined FOLFIRINOX therapy is mostly a recommended therapy among patients with good performance statuses, while gemcitabine is recommended for more fragile patients as a first-line treatment. The newest guidelines suggest that molecular profiling of the tumor should be the first step in determining the course of treatment. The use of modern molecular therapies in patients with specific gene mutations should extend the survival of patients with this disease.

Overview of Pancreatic Cancer Epidemiology in Europe and Recommendations for Screening in High-Risk Populations.

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh most common cause of death in the group of oncological diseases. Due to the asymptomatic course, early diagnosis is difficult. Currently, early detection methods are only used in high-risk groups. A literature review based on the available results of observational studies on patients with pancreatic cancer and people from high-risk groups was used to summarize the knowledge on risk factors. The GLOBOCAN 2020 data were used to assess the epidemiological situation in Europe. A summary of screening recommendations was prepared based on the available documents from medical organizations and associations. Pancreatic cancer risk factors are divided into two main groups: non-modifiable factors, e.g., hereditary factors and age, which increase the risk of developing this disease, and modifiable factors-BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Hereditary factors account for 10% of pancreatic cancer cases. The highly specialized methods of early detection, (MRI, CT, or EUS) are used for screening high-risk populations. Of all the imaging methods, EUS is considered the most sensitive for pancreatic cancer and allows an accurate assessment of the size of even small lesions (<30 mm) and the extent of tumour infiltration into blood vessels. The available studies vary on the level of sensitivity and specificity of these methods for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. EUS, MRI, and CT are also expensive procedures and in some patients can be invasive, which is one of the arguments against the introduction of population screening programs based on imaging methods. Therefore, it is important to look for viable solutions that would improve early detection. This is important from the point of view of healthcare systems in Europe, where almost 29% of all global pancreatic cancer cases are reported.

Selenium as a Factor Moderating Depression and Obesity in Middle-Aged Women.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of serum selenium on PPAR-γ and the selected proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α) in relation to depressive symptoms and obesity in middle-aged women. The research procedure was as follows: a survey was performed using the authors' questionnaire and the BDI, anthropometric measurements, and the analysis of blood for the levels of selenium, cytokines, and genetic analysis of the PPAR-γ polymorphism (n = 443). It was found that the BMI increased along with the concentration of IL-6. No moderating effect of selenium was observed, although the cut-off values for "p" were established for IL-ß*Se (p = 0.068) and IL-6*Se (p = 0.068), so there was a potential association with these two markers. At high selenium levels, the effect of higher IL-ß levels on a decrease in BMI was stronger, as was the effect of an increase in IL-6 levels on an increase in BMI. No effect of selenium on PPAR-γ was found in relation to depressive symptoms and obesity. Higher selenium levels may have a beneficial effect on BMI even at high IL-ß concentrations, however, at high IL-6 concentrations, this effect was not observed. Selenium levels had no impact on depressive symptoms.

Evaluation of the Influence of Biological Factors during the Course of Treatment in Patients with Ovarian Cancer.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of ß-endorphins and serotonin on the course of treatment, disease-free time, and overall survival of patients with ovarian cancer. This study may contribute to the identification of modifiable factors that may influence the treatment of ovarian cancer. The research was carried out in a group of 162 patients of which 139 respondents were included in the research; ovarian cancer was diagnosed in 78 of these patients. The study consisted of three stages. In the first stage of diagnostics, a survey among the patients was carried out. In the second stage-5 mL of blood was collected from each patient (n = 139) in the preoperative period to determine the concentration of ß-endorphin and serotonin. In the third stage-blood samples were collected from those patients who had completed chemotherapy treatment or had surgery. Concentrations of ß-endorphin and serotonin were measured by the Luminex method, using the commercial Luminex Human Discovery Assay kit. The average age of the patients was 62.99 years. The level of ß-endorphin significantly differs among patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer and among patients in the control group (202.86; SD-15.78 vs. 302.00; SD-24.49). A lower level of ß-endorphins was found in the patients with a recurrence of the neoplastic process compared to those without recurrence (178.84; SD-12.98 vs. 205.66; SD-13.37). On the other hand, the level of serotonin before chemotherapy was higher in the group of people with disease recurrence compared to those without recurrence (141.53; SD-15.33 vs. 134.99; SD-10.08). Statistically significantly positive correlations were found between the level of ß-endorphin and both disease-free time (ß-endorphin levels before chemotherapy: rho Spearman 0.379, p < 0.027; ß-endorphin levels after chemotherapy: rho Spearman 0.734 p < 0.001) and survival time (ß-endorphin levels before chemotherapy: rho Spearman 0.267, p < 0.018; ß-endorphin levels after chemotherapy: rho Spearman 0.654 p < 0.001). 1. The levels of serotonin and ß-endorphin levels are significantly related to ovarian cancer and change during treatment. 2. High mean preoperative concentrations of ß-endorphins were significantly related to overall survival and disease-free time.

The Impact of Socio-Demographic Factors on the Functioning of Liver Transplant Patients.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of socio-demographic factors and the time elapsed since liver transplantation on the functioning of patients after liver transplantation; (2) Methods: This is a survey-based prospective cohort study of 112 patients, performed using: The Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB), The Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and a questionnaire concerning sociodemographic data prepared using the Delphi method; (3) Results: Subjects under 40 years of age reported the highest social support. The longer the time since surgery, the lower the levels of adherence and support; (4) Conclusions: 1. In the study group, most support was received by women, people under 40 years of age, and those with secondary education. However, the level of social support decreased over time after the liver transplant operation. Patients who had undergone previous transplantation showed lower levels of adherence to therapeutic recommendations. 2. Patients who were in a relationship showed higher levels of illness acceptance than single ones. Women were more likely to experience depressive symptoms than men. 3. The time since liver transplantation is an important factor that affects patients' functioning. This is a time when patients need more care, social support, and assistance in maintaining adherence to therapeutic recommendations.

Serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines and selected bioelements in perimenopausal women with regard to body mass index.

During the menopause, decreased estrogen levels may be accompanied by increased levels of inflammatory mediators. Many studies also show significant relationships between the levels of bioelements and proinflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), and selected bioelements in perimenopausal women with regard to BMI. METHODS: The study of 217 perimenopausal women involved the completion of questionnaires concerning sociodemographic and medical data, anthropometric measurements, and blood collection. RESULTS: In all studied women, the levels of IL-1ß significantly positively correlated with Ca, Mg, and Sr; IFNγ significantly negatively correlated with Sr, and IL-6 with Mg. In women with a normal BMI, the levels of IL-1ß significantly positively correlated with Ca and Sr, and CRP positively correlated with Zn. In overweight women, the levels of IL-1ß positively correlated with Ca, IL-6 with Na, and IFNγ negatively correlated with Sr. In obese women, the levels of CRP positively correlated with Zn, TNFα with Mg, IFNγ with Cu and P. The levels of IL-6 negatively correlated with Ca and Mg. CONCLUSIONS: BMI may be one of the factors that affect the relationship between serum bioelement levels and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and CRP in women, especially during the menopausal period.