Challenges of Pharyngeal Cancer Screening in Lower-Income Countries during Economic and Social Transitions: A Population-Based Analysis.

Background and Objectives: The rate of head and neck cancer (HNC) is expected to increase by 30% by 2030. However, there are many similarities between the symptomatology of a benign and a malign diagnosis; thus, a protocol for conducting a full head and neck examination is of high importance since the absence of adenopathy does not exclude a malignant diagnosis and also a favorable prognosis. Material and methods: The current study presents a retrospective study on 515 adult patients who underwent a biopsy for possible head and neck tumor pathology. Results: The patients identified with cancer were older than the rest of the group, with a higher developing trend in men than in women. However, the top 10 symptomatology patterns were identical in the malign and benign groups, meaning that new HNC may be missed due to the common symptomatology between benign and malign outcomes. Conclusions: The importance of a full ear, nose, and throat (ENT) examination may be of significant relevance for a proper diagnosis that can improve the overall prognosis of a patient with cancer. The absence of routine screening tests and screening guidelines for oral and pharyngeal cancers represents a significant barrier to secondary HNC prevention.

In Vitro Assessment of the Synergistic Effect of Aspirin and 5-Fluorouracil in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cells.

Although remarkable progress has been made, colorectal cancer remains a significant global health issue. One of the most challenging aspects of cancer treatment is the resistance of tumor cells to classical chemotherapy. Conventional therapy for colorectal cancer often involves the use of 5-fluorouracil as a chemotherapeutic agent. Aspirin, a drug used primarily to prevent cardiovascular complications, became a focus of attention due to its potential use as an antitumor agent. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the potential synergistic cytotoxic effects of aspirin and 5-fluorouracil on colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. The viability of cells, the impact on the morphology and nuclei of cells, the potential antimigratory effect, and the impact on the expression of the major genes associated with cell apoptosis (Bcl-2, Bax, Bad), as well as caspases 3 and 8, were evaluated. The results indicated that the two compounds exerted a synergistic effect, causing a reduction in cell viability accompanied by changes characteristic of the apoptosis process-the condensation of nuclei and the reorganization of actin filaments in cells, the reduction in the expression of the Bcl-2 gene, and the increase in the expression of Bax and Bad genes, along with caspases 3 and 8. Considering all these findings, it appears that aspirin may be investigated in depth in order to be used in conjunction with 5-fluorouracil to increase antitumor activity.

Urinary Biomarkers in the Assessment of Early Diabetic Nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a frequent and severe complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Its diagnosis in incipient stages may allow prompt interventions and an improved prognosis. Towards this aim, biomarkers for detecting early DN can be used. Microalbuminuria has been proven a remarkably useful biomarker, being used for diagnosis of DN, for assessing its associated condition-mainly cardiovascular ones-and for monitoring its progression. New researches are pointing that some of these biomarkers (i.e., glomerular, tubular, inflammation markers, and biomarkers of oxidative stress) precede albuminuria in some patients. However, their usefulness is widely debated in the literature and has not yet led to the validation of a new "gold standard" biomarker for the early diagnosis of DN. Currently, microalbuminuria is an important biomarker for both glomerular and tubular injury. Other glomerular biomarkers (transferrin and ceruloplasmin) are under evaluation. Tubular biomarkers in DN seem to be of a paramount importance in the early diagnosis of DN since tubular lesions occur early. Additionally, biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, podocyte biomarkers, and vascular biomarkers have been employed for assessing early DN. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the current biomarkers used for the diagnosis of early DN.