[A case report: patient with advanced ovarial tumour and supporting care]. / Kazuistika: Podpurná lécba u pacientky s rozsáhlým tumorem ovaria.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of palliative treatment is to improve the quality of life, followed by prolongation of overall survival. The effective regimens are usually complicated by increased side effects, particularly hematologic. Under these conditions, useful treatment is difficult and less effective. CASE: We present the case of a patient with cancer of the abdominal and pelvic cavity (the origin was likely an ovary). The patient was treated with intensive chemotherapy (15 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel) and supportive care (30 doses of epoetin alpha and 2 doses of 48MIU G-CSF for neutropenia G4). CONCLUSION: A good quality of life and long-term persistent complete remission (6 months) was achieved, no transfusion, no hospitalization. Overall survival was 61 months.

[Successful treatment of angiomatosis with thalidomide and interferon alpha. A description of five cases and overview of treatment of angiomatosis and proliferating hemangiomas]. / Uspesná lécba angiomatózy thalidomidem a interferonem alpha. Popis peti pripadu a prehled lécby angiomatózy a proliferujícich hemangiomu.

Our paper describes 5 patients with a vascular malformation - angiomatosis. In the first patient, a young man, angiomatosis affected the stomach, intestine, the area of mesenterium and retroperitoneum as well as mediastinum. Angiomatous mass had invaded pelvic bones and vertebrae. Treatment was initiated with interferon alpha in a maximum tolerated dose of 3 million units 3 times a week. Because of low efficacy of interferon alpha, thalidomide was added at a dose of 100 mg per day. Bone pain disappeared following a few applications of zoledronate administered in regular monthly intervals. After 3 years of concomitant administration of interferon alpha and thalidomide, we changed the regimen due to adverse effects and are administering thalidomide and interferon alternatively in 4-monthly intervals. Treatment has resulted in 50% reduction, according to imaging, of angiomatous mass, reduced intensity of disseminated intravascular coagulation and disappearance of clinical signs. The second was a case of multiple angiomatosis affecting the intestine only (multiple intestinal angiodysplasias) where we used thalidomide monotherapy. This treatment reduced blood losses and haemoglobin concentrations rose to normal levels. This male patient had consumed 120 transfusion units per year before the initiation of thalidomide. The third case was a slowly progressing vascular malformation of the face. This vascular malformation troubled its sufferer by spontaneous shortening that could not be resolved surgically because of its fragility. Two years of combined treatment with interferon a 6 million unites 3 times a week and thalidomide 100 mg daily led to a reduction and flattening of the malformation, paling of its colour and ceasing of spontaneous bleeding. This development enabled minor surgery--partial excision of this large vascular malformation. Histology examination confirmed that there was no evidence of new capillary formation. Histological examination thus confirmed efficacy of the treatment. The fourth case involved a patient with large vascular malformations affecting supraclavicular region of the neck and nape in whom radiotherapy was applied (54 Gy) leading to a reduction of the malformation mass by a at least 50%. The fifth is a case of an extensive periorbital lymphangioma that diminished following treatment with interferon alpha. These cases illustrate the benefits of combined treatment including thalidomide and interferon alpha in patients with multiple angiomatosis or large proliferating hemangioma (vascular malformation). If combined treatment with thalidomide and interferon a is not possible, it is beneficial to use thalidomide monotherapy. Radiotherapy is another alternative, although it is necessary to apply doses exceeding 50 Gy which may not be always possible.

[IKARUS Project--incidence of bone events in breast cancer: retrospective analysis of patients in oncological centres in the Czech Republic and Slovakia]. / Projekt IKARUS--zjistení incidence kostních príhod u karcinomu prsu: retrospektivní analýza nemocných dispenzarizovaných v onkologických centrech Ceské a Slovenské republiky.

BACKGROUND: Bone incidents today represent, in terms of frequency and the overall effect on the quality of life of patients with breast cancer, a serious health problem. In a number of clinical studies bisphosphonates have been shown to have a positive impact on reducing the risk of bone events and therefore to be effective in the prevention of bone events. The primary objective of this project was to identify the incidence of bone events in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated in the Czech and Slovak Republics. SUBJECTS: Retrospective, multi-centre, non-interventional, epidemiological and explorative studies to identify the incidence of bone events in the defined group of patients and a description of the practice of prevention and treatment of skeletal events in the years 2000-2005. Enrolled were patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer diagnosed in 2000. METHODS AND RESULTS: Analysis of overall survival and survival to disease progression, analysis of patterns of treatment of bone events and the practice of the use of bisphosphonates in the prevention of bone events in metastatic skeleton affection in the normal conditions of clinical practice, analysis of patient compliance in the treatment with bisphosphonates, analysis of the time interval between the occurrence of bone metastases and the occurrence of bone events and, last but not least, survival analysis of patients in relation to bone events. CONCLUSION: This work has shown that the practice of treatment with bisphosphonates since 2000 and assessed the survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

[Multiple lung metastasectomy for the poor differentiated metastatic synovial sarcoma]. / Metastazektomie více'etných plicních metastáz nízce diferencovaného synoviálního sarkomu.

OBJECTIVES: Synovial sarcoma is the rare indication for the pulmonary metastasectomy due to its aggressive biologic behavior and early dissemination. The radical surgical approach in therapy of the multiple pulmonary metastases could improve quality of life and median survival in carefully selected patients. METHODS: From the group of 7 patients with the lung metastases of the synovial sarcoma operated in our department during the last 5 years we are presenting the case of the 39 years old man with the previous history of the surgical removal of the synovial sarcoma near the cubital fossa one year before. Considering the lungs as the only organ involved, bilateral complete metastasectomy through muscle sparing vertical thoracotomies was done. There were 12 metastases from all lung lobes with the exception of the right middle lobe. Analysis of the pathologist showed biphasic metastatic synovial sarcoma with the high mitotic activity. The 6 cycles of the MAID regime succeeded. RESULTS: Median survival of the whole group is 25 months, there are 3 patients alive. In the above mentioned patient 1 year after the metastasectomy PET-CT showed focus of the 4th left rib suspected to be malignant. Wide resection of the rib was done, but no malignancy was disclosed, there were only reparative changes. The patient has been tolerated the oncological treatment very well and 45 months after the lung metastasectomy there are no sings of a malignant disease. CONCLUSION: Lung metastasectomy of the multiple lung metastases of the synovial sarcoma is of value despite of uncertain long-term prognosis. It is recommended to consider the metastasectomy even in low differentiated tumors. The prerequisite for the effective treatment is a complete resection.

In vitro antifungal activity of 3-phenyl-2H-benzoxazine-2,4(3H)-diones.

A series of 81 3-phenyl-2H-benzoxazine-2,4(3H)-diones with substitution at C(6) on the benzoxazine ring and on the phenyl moiety was synthesized; the compounds were evaluated for antifungal activity against five strains of potentially pathogenic fungi (Absidia corymbifera, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes). Structure-activity relationships against T. mentagrophytes and M. gypseum were determined using the Free-Wilson method, which was further combined with the approach of Hansch. In vitro antifungal activity becomes higher with increasing electron-accepting ability of the substituents on the phenyl ring, and with increasing lipophilicity.

[Primary prevention of malignant tumors]. / Primární prevence zhoubných nádoru.

Primary prevention represents an effective instrument in the battle against tumour diseases. Prevention is aimed to lower the mortality for this disease by means of reduction of the cancer incidence. Our article reviews the main fields of primary prevention, namely the principles of proper nutrition and regimen. Effects of balance in energy and related nutrients, essential components of the diet, types of meals together with problems of food processing and storage are discussed from the view of the cancer prevention. Each chapter brings applicable preventive recommendations. Smoking is considered as a risks factor not only for tumours, but also for other serious diseases. Other carcinogenic factors and possible preventive measures are referred in the last chapter. Though we know that the primary cancer prevention requires active approach of the whole society, we are certain that medical professionals in every day contact with patients can highly improve the public informedness. The article submits substrate for such discussions.

[Atmospheric pollutants and population mortality indices]. / Zagriazniteli atmosfernogo vozdukha i pokazateli smertnosti naseleniia.

The results are presented of study of noxious substances in atmospheric air of a small town and of their impact on mortality rates in the community. Air contaminants exceeding total maximum permissible concentration are considered to be a cause of a rise in death rates in the community.

[Combined effect of the chief chemical elements in the manufacture]. / Kharakter kombinirovannogo deistviia osnovnykh khimicheskikh élementov v proizvodstve metallokeramiki.

Character of the combined effect of main dust components in working zone air of cermet enterprise is determined. Graphic method for assessment, forecasting and hygienic correction of air quality is suggested.

[Echocardiographic orientation evaluation of the function of the left heart ventricle]. / Echokardiografické orientacní hodnocení funkce levé komory srdecní.

The authors discuss the possibility to make use of a simple echocardiographic indicator of left ventricular function--the angle formed by the anterior cusp of the mitral valve and the line of the interventricular septum, assessed from a four-chamber tracing (angle M). Based on echocardiographic examination of 87 subjects they established their own standards. They consider values above 30 degrees as pathological, suggesting impaired left ventricular function. The M angle correlates significantly with invasive (final diastolic pressure in the left ventricle, ejection fraction) and with non-invasive (top speed of shortening of the circumferential fibre) indicators of left ventricular function. The authors assume that this simple, quick screening of left ventricular function will prove helpful, in particular in subjects where visualization by one-dimensional echocardiography from a parasternal approach is difficult. In practice it can be also applied for evaluation of left ventricular function during loads, in particular in dynamic echocardiography.