Mucin secretion activity of gastric cancer as a prognostic factor: a clinicopathological analysis.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Gastric cancer is characterized by varying secretion of mucus. Mucin producing gastric carcinoma (MUC) is thought to be a histological subtype with a worse prognosis. The aim of this study was to compare the clinicopathological differences between MUC and other types of gastric carcinoma without secretion of mucus (NMUC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: WE REVIEWED TWO GROUPS OF PATIENTS WITH PATHOLOGICALLY CONFIRMED GASTRIC CANCER: 34 patients with MUC and 36 cases with NMUC. Patients' sex, age, tumor location, stage of disease and type in the Lauren classification were examined. We analyzed the presence of lymph node metastasis, peritoneal dissemination and liver metastasis. Additionally, treatment response, toxicity and survival rates were evaluated. RESULTS: We observed a statistically significant relationship between MUC subtype and patients' sex: MUC was found mostly in women (p = 0.017). There were no significant differences between the two gastric cancer groups according to age, tumor location, size of tumor or stage of disease. In the NMUC group the rate of liver metastasis was significantly higher (p = 0.001). The overall survival rate and progression-free survival for MUC patients were lower than those for NMUC patients. There was no significant difference in survival rates between the two groups. In analysis of logistic regression we distinguished significantly advantageous (number of chemotherapy cycles) and disadvantageous parameters (advanced stage in TNM), which influenced the chemotherapy effect. CONCLUSIONS: The MUC type itself is not an unequivocally negative prognostic agent. Poor prognosis was correlated with more advanced stages at diagnosis, particularly with dissemination of cancer.

[Usefulness of osteopontin (OPN) determinations in ovarian cancer patients who underwent first-line chemotherapy]. / Przydatnosc oznaczen stzenia osteopontyny (OPN) u chorych na raka jajnika poddanych chemioterapii I rzutu.

INTRODUCTION: Currently CA 125 is a marker of choice for monitoring ovarian cancer Nonetheless, scientists are still searching for new markers, which could provide additional information for the evaluation of treatment, especially in patients with normal CA 125 levels, despite the progression of the disease. According to the latest reports, OPN can be a potential new marker: AIM: Estimation of usefulness of OPN determinations in the monitoring of ovarian cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 54 ovarian cancer patients, undergoing chemotherapy Markers were measured before, during and after treatment. The dynamics of the change of OPN levels was shown on line graphs, using Microsoft Excel programme. Statistical analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. RESULTS: 44% of patients from the study group were found to have low CA 125 levels. In these cases only the increase of OPN concentration indicated recurrence of the disease. In 43% of patients the high initial CA 125 and OPN levels decreased during chemotherapy and complete regression was stated in these patients. Nevertheless, in 13/17 patients a repeated increase of OPN concentration signalling the recurrence, earlier than CA 125 and clinical recurrence manifestation, was observed. In 13% of patients high initial levels of markers did not decrease during chemotherapy which correlated with the progression of the disease. Our study showed that only the CA 125 levels had a significant influence (p=0.00063) on the disease-free survival time. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest a potential usefulness of the OPN determinations in estimating ovarian cancer recurrence. Nonetheless, there was no correlation between the initial OPN concentration and the disease-free survival time.

[Chemotherapy in disseminated thymoma--case report, own experience]. / Chemioterapia w leczeniu grasiczaka w stadium rozsiewu--opis przypadku, doswiadczenie wlasne.

Thymomas are thymic epithelial neoplasms. Surgery plays a major role in thymoma treatment but chemotherapy can significantly improve prognoses for this group of patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (before surgery), adjuvant chemotherapy (after surgery), chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and palliative chemotherapy in dissemination stage could be required in effective therapy. The aim of this paper is description of the effective systemic second line treatment in the case of 66 years old patient with advanced thymoma.

["Hand-foot" syndrome--after liposomal pegylated doxorubicin in patients with the ovarian cancer recurrence (own experiences)]. / Zespól "reka-stopa" w nastepstwie stosowania liposomalnej pegylowanej doksorubicyny u chorych na raka jajnika w fazie nawrotu choroby (doswiadczenie wlasne).

AIM: To present our own experience with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin applied in ovarian cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The group of 32 patients with ovarian cancer was treated with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (LPD) in Klinika Onkologii Klinicznej Centrum Onkologii Branch Gliwice between the years 2004 and 2007. Median age was 47 years. The histoclinical variables potentially influencing the occurrence of the hand-foot syndrome were analyzed. RESULTS: Hand-foot syndrome has been observed in 11 patients (34.4%) treated with the LPD. The lesions have been present on the skin of hands, feet, elbow and knee joints and armpits. In the analyzed group of patients, the risk of the hand-foot syndrome occurrence increased, however non-significantly, with the increase of number of cycles including LPD (p=0.069) and the number of previous lines of chemotherapy (p=0.067). Other analyzed factors had no negative influence on the hand-foot syndrome occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to inform the patients about the risk of the hand-foot syndrome occurrence and its management. Early diagnosis allows to prevent the worsening of the hand-foot syndrome and makes it possible to continue the chemotherapy without the necessity of dose reduction and breaking from the therapy.