How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Functioning of Tourist Short-Term Rental Platforms (Airbnb and Vrbo) in Polish Cities.

The article presents the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban tourism activity on short-term rental (STR) platforms in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It offers empirical evidence of how Airbnb and HomeAway (Vrbo) changed in Polish cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A case study of Polish cities was also used to investigate what pandemic-induced scenarios of that impact are presented in the literature. In particular, the study identifies "loser" cities, in which the pandemic consolidated and deepened the decline in active STR volume, and "winner" cities, in which the volume and dynamics of the active STRs increased during the pandemic.

Neoangiogenesis in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer has the second highest incidence among malignant tumors in men in Poland, and the first in the USA. Currently, medical reports state that incidentally non-diagnosed prostate cancer is present in about 30-46% of men over the age of fifty. Tumor angiogenesis has significant implications in the diagnosis and treatment of various solid tumors. With fast, multi-slice CT scanners and their ability of qualitative and quantitative analysis of tumor angiogenesis, CT perfusion has been the subject of extensive investigation in the past twenty years. Tumor angiogenesis is characterized morphologically by an increase in the number of blood vessels including new capillaries, capillary sprouts, non-endothelialized capillaries and arterio-venous shunts. It is stated in the literature that pathological vessel density within prostate cancer is one of the factors determining the extent of the tumor - whether the tumor is confined to the prostate gland or extends beyond the prostate capsule. It was proved that the density of pathological vessels is higher in patients with tumors beyond the prostate capsule. Initial publications show validity of functional imaging, such as perfusion CT in prostate cancer staging before a surgical procedure. This examination can also show excessive density of pathological vessels within the prostate gland according to increased blood volume (BV) and blood flow (BF) and pathologically increased permeability of the vessels (PS). Vessel abnormalities in the examined area are also indicated by shorter mean transit time (MTT).

The intraoperative assessment of the effectiveness of computed tomography in the detection of the residual mass of the retroperitoneal space in patients with nonseminoma testicular tumors after chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of testicular tumors in Poland accounts for 2.4 new cases per 100.000 men a year. When investigating the incidence with regard to age, we may notice three age ranges with the highest incidence rate: babyhood, 25-40 years of age, and age of about 60 years. A routine examination in patients with testicular cancer after the first course of chemotherapy is computed tomography of the retroperitoneal space which aims to exclude the presence of residual masses and to assess the effectiveness of the treatment. AIM OF THE STUDY: The assessment of the effectiveness of computed tomography in the intraoperative investigation of patients with nonseminoma testicular tumors after chemotherapy. MATERIAL/METHOD: This detailed retrospective analysis included 182 men with nonseminoma testicular tumor treated at the Center of Oncology in Cracow, between the yeas 1990-1999. Men with tumors in stage from IA to IIC made up 79.68% of the patients. Twenty patients after chemotherapy, with residual masses in the retroperitoneal cavity revealed in computed tomography, underwent retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy. The investigation was carried out with GE CT spiral scanner before and after intravenous contrast administration. CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography is a method of a satisfactory sensitivity in the assessment of residual masses in the retroperitoneal cavity in postchemotherapy patients, as concerns the location of the tumor, its size, number of foci, and the fact whether it can be operated on or not. Together with tumor markers, it allows for a precise qualification to retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy of residual masses in postchemotherapy patients.

Metastatic Breast Cancer to the Bladder case report and review of literature.

The main cause of mortality among patients with breast cancer is the metastatic spread of the primary tumour. The urinary bladder is considered as an unusual site for breast cancer metastasis. A patient has presented with right breast tumour and qualified for surgical treatment. After removal of the mass, an intra-operative and final pathology evaluation indicated breast invasive lobular carcinoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given. Years later, an increase of serum CA15-3 tumour marker level was noted and physical examination revealed a lump at the mastectomy scar. A follow-up abdominal ultrasound scan demonstrated thickening of the urinary bladder wall segment, confirmed later by CT scan. A transurethral resection of bladder was performed, reaffirming a neoplastic mass, with histological assessment revealing invasive breast carcinoma. Palliative chemotherapy was given and another follow-up ultrasound scans were unremarkable. The patient is alive today.