Diagnostics and Treatment of Thyroid Carcinoma.

Revised Guidelines of Polish National Societies Prepared on the initiative of the Polish Group for Endocrine Tumours approved in their final version between November 16th and 28th, 2015 by the Scientific Committee of the V Conference "Thyroid Cancer and other malignancies of endocrine glands" organised between November 14th and 17th, 2015 in Wisla, Poland; called by the following Societies: Polish Endocrine Society, Polish Society of Oncology, Polish Thyroid Association, Polish Society of Pathologists, Society of Polish Surgeons, Polish Society of Surgical Oncology, Polish Society of Clinical Oncology, Polish Society of Radiation Oncology, Polish Society of Nuclear Medicine, Polish Society of Paediatric Endocrinology, Polish Society of Paediatric Surgeons, Polish Society of Ultrasonography Gliwice-Wisla, 2015 DECLARATION: These recommendations are created by the group of delegates of the National Societies, which declare their willingness to participate in the preparation of the revised version of the Polish Guidelines. The members of the Working Group have been chosen from the specialists involved in medical care of patients with thyroid carcinoma. Directly before the preparation of the Polish national recommendations the American Thyroid Association (ATA) published its own guidelines together with a wide comment fulfilling evidence-based medicine (EBM) criteria. ATA Guidelines are consistent with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Recommendation. According to the members of the Working Group, it is necessary to adapt them to both the specific Polish epidemiological situation as well as to the rules referring to the Polish health system. Therefore, the Polish recommendations constitute a consensus of the experts' group, based on ATA information. The experts analysed previous Polish Guidelines, published in 2010, and other available data, and after discussion summed up the results in the form of these guidelines. It should be added that Part II, which constitutes a pathological part, has been available at the website of the Polish Society of Pathologists for acceptance of the members of the Society, and no essential comments have been proposed. The Members of the Group decided that a subgroup elected from among them would update the Guidelines, according to EBM rules, every year. The Revised Guidelines should help physicians to make reasonable choices in their daily practice; however, the final decision concerning an individual patient should be made by the caring physician responsible for treatment, or optimally by a therapeutic tumour board together with the patient, and should take into consideration the patient's health condition. It should be emphasised that the recommendations may not constitute a strict standard of clinical management imposed on medical staff. The data from clinical trials concerning numerous clinical situations are scarce. In such moments the opinion of the management may differ from the recommendations after considering possible benefits and disadvantages for the patient.

Microencapsulated sodium butyrate administered to patients with diverticulosis decreases incidence of diverticulitis--a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Microencapsulated sodium butyrate (MSB) has been previously associated with anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties regarding large bowel mucosa. We aimed to examine a role of MSB in patients with diverticulosis, hypothesizing its potential for reduction of diverticulitis episodes and diverticulitis prevention. METHODS: Seventy-three patients with diverticulosis (diagnosed in colonoscopy or/and barium enema or/and CT colography) were recruited for the study and randomized. The investigated group was administered MSB 300 mg daily; the control group was administered placebo. After 12 months, a total of 52 patients completed the study and were subject to analysis (30 subjects and 22 controls). During the study, the number of episodes of diverticulitis (symptomatic diagnosis with acute pain, fever, and leukocytosis), hospitalizations, and surgery performed for diverticulitis were recorded. Additionally, a question regarding subjective improvement of symptoms reflected changes in quality of life during the analysis. RESULTS: After 12 months, the study group noted a significantly decreased number of diverticulitis episodes in comparison to the control group. The subjective quality of life in the study group was higher than in the control group. There were no side effects of the MSB during the therapy. CONCLUSIONS: MSB reduces the frequency of diverticulitis episodes, is safe, and improves the quality of life. It can play a role in the prevention of diverticulitis.

[Clinical course and treatment of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma diagnosed during the year 1995]. / Obraz kliniczny i leczenie chorych na zróznicowane raki tarczycy rozpoznane w 1995 roku.

The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical course and therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) diagnosed in Poland within the year 1995. The group of 478 patients with thyroid cancer (57.7% of all thyroid cancer cases diagnosed this year in Poland) was analyzed. Patients were diagnosed or treated in Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch. Detailed analysis was performed in 352 patients with DTC who were treated by surgery. 292 patients (60%) received adjuvant radioiodine therapy. Hormonal (L-thyroxine) treatment was administered to all patients. In 37 patients (8.6%) local recurrence was observed. 10-year overall survival was 96.4% and disease-free survival was respectively 68%. The comparison of Polish data to analysis in German population published by Holtzer et al. (Cancer, 2000) was also performed in this study. We conclude that DTC therapy, currently recommended in our country, gives satisfactory results and that clinical outcome and therapeutic methods are similar both in Poland and Germany.