Application of alternative medicine in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: [corrected] Alternative medicine is a set of therapeutic procedures which are no part of official practice. At present, the use of alternative medicine among cancer patients is significant and the purpose of this study was to get more information on the methods and products of alternative medicine. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the frequency of the use of alternative medicine among gastrointestinal cancer patients. METHODS: The research was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire in writing. We included 205 patients with the diagnosis of gastrointestinal malignancy in the study but the questionnaire was fulfilled by 193 patients and the presented data were based on their answers. The questions were about the sociodemographic characteristics of the patients, the reasons for their use of alternative medicine, and their information sources about alternative medicine. We divided existing alternative therapies into 6 categories: herbal therapy, special diets, psychotherapy, body-mind therapy, spiritual therapy, and other supplements. RESULTS: A total of 48 (24.9%) patients did not use any type of alternative therapy; 145 (75.1%) patients used at least one product and 124 (64.25%) patients used herbal preparations (beetroot juice was consumed by 110 [56.99%] patients); 136 (70.5%) patients were informed about alternative therapies by other patients; 145 (75.1%) used alternative medicine to increase the chances for cure; 88 (45.6%) of interviewed patients would like to participate in future research in this field. CONCLUSION: The use of alternative medicine is evidently significant among cancer patients. Further research should be conducted in order to find out interactions of these products with other drugs and potential advantages and disadvantages of this form of treatment.

[Stromal tumor of colon--case report].

INTRODUCTION: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor is relatively new term, it can be localized anywhere inside the gastrointestinal system. It has formerly been called leiomyoma, leiomyoblastoma, and/or leiomyosarcoma. CASE REPORT: Case report is about a female patient with indefinite difficulties described as "bother", mild anemia and anamnesis data of her mother who had been operated on for colon tumor. After blood examination, which had shown values within referential limits except for mild anemia, patient underwent radiological examination. Primarily, an abdominal cavity ultrasound had been performed, where a suspicious formation in the right hemiabdomen was found, but without distinctive anatomical localization in the abdominal cavity. Secondly, a checkup by Duplex Doppler ultrasound was made, as well as radiological examination with double contrast of colon and computed tomography, where tumor was visualized on ascendant colon with extraluminal localization. DISCUSSION: Radiological findings were confirmed by surgery. Histopathological findings were positive for gastrointestinal stromal colon tumor. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors represent extremely rare tumors of gastrointestinal system, especially when localized at the colon but they should be included in a differential diagnosis for their malignant potential.

[Current diagnostic trends in radiology].

Since the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Conrad Röentgen at the end of the 19th century, diagnostic imaging techniques have been continously improved by technological advances, bringing radiological diagnosis into the very center of modern medicine. Nowadays, it is hard to imagine therapy planning without previous radiological examination. Great advances in the field of computer technology have been accompanied by development of radiological techniques, and today they include not only morphological and anatomical, but also dynamic, functional and molecular imaging. This paper is an overview of new and improved radiological techniques and their implementation.