Systemic inflammation factors as survival prognosis markers in ovarian neoplasm and the relationship with cancer-associated inflammatory mediators-a review.

At the level of the genital system, ovarian neoplasm is the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. In the specialized literature, the coexistence of an inflammatory process is admitted from the early stages of the evolution of this pathology. Starting from the importance of this process, both in determinism and in the evolution of carcinogenesis and summarizing the field of knowledge, for this study we considered two objectives: the first was the presentation of the pathogenic mechanism, through which chronic +ovarian inflammation is involved in the process of carcinogenesis, and the second is the justification of the clinical utility of the three parameters, accepted as biomarkers of systemic inflammation: neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio in the assessment of prognosis. The study highlights the acceptance of these hematological parameters, with practical utility, as prognostic biomarkers in ovarian cancer, based on the intrinsic link with cancer-associated inflammatory mediators. Based on the data from the specialized literature, the conclusion is that in ovarian cancer, the inflammatory process induced by the presence of the tumor, induces changes in the types of circulating leukocytes, with immediate effects on the markers of systemic inflammation.

Adiponectin - stratification biomarker in diastolic cardiac dysfunction.

This study does not propose to elucidate how adiponectin secretion is regulated, but how its adiponectin concentration is an indicator of heart disease. About adiponectin, it is not known whether it is functionally an enzyme, or very likely a cytokine/chemokine/hormone, secreted by fat cells/adipocytes in the abdomen. Abdominal fat secretes 67 hormones, and all of which cause disease. For example, adiponectin generates diabetes and ischaemic heart disease via dyslipidemia. Based on clinical symptoms, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters, a group of 208 patients with diastolic cardiac dysfunction with or without preserved systolic function, developed on a background of painful chronic ischaemic heart disease, stable angina on exertion, was constituted. The serum levels of adiponectin, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. Using the identified values, it was appreciated whether adiponectin correlates with the type of any of the two conditions, so that it can be recognised as a diagnostic and risk stratification marker.

Abberant Immunohistochemical Expression of OCT3/4 and EMT Related Markers, Vimentin and E-cadherin, is Correlated with Adverse Histopathological Features in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Although clinical management for colorectal cancer has been markedly improved, it is faced with a growing incidence among the young and among those in developing nations. Furthermore, diagnosis occurs mostly in advanced stages, when the therapeutic resources are limited. Therefore we need new biomarkers for diagnostics and therapeutic targets. The key event that leads to invasion and metastasis is the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which can be studied with IHC markers. We aimed to corelate the expression of EMT related markers (Vimentin and E-cadherin) and a stem cell marker (OCT 3/4) with the clinicopathological parameters of the tumors. Material and Methods: Surgical resection specimens from 30 treatment-naive colon cancer patients, hospitalized from 2018 to 2021 were assessed. Immunohistochemical tests were performed to investigate the expression of EMT related markers and OCT 3/4 in tumor cells. Results: Vimentin, OCT3/4 positivity and loss of E-cadherin were significantly associated with tumor grade, tumor budding, invasive tumor front, and lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: Vimentin, E-cadherin and OCT 3/4 might serve as a panel of biomarkers that can aid in the prognostication of patients, with the added potential of being oncotargets.

Ivor Lewis Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy - What Do We Choose? Literature Review.

PURPOSE: The transition from open esophagectomy to Ivor Lewis to minimally invasive surgery has been gradual through hybrid approaches. The aim of this study was to present a comparison of the current variants of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to analyze the technical features of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy and their postoperative results. The research was performed in the PubMed and Medscape databases with the keywords Ivor Lewis minimally invasive esophagectomy, gastric tube, esogastric anastomosis, and the selection of articles was performed taking into account the technical variance used and the results obtained. Results: The research of the data in the literature shows that there is currently a consensus of the essential steps in the Ivor Lewis technique, but their performance allows the use of different options, each surgeon taking into account primarily their own experience and existing facilities in each hospital. Although, over time, there have been multiple transformations of some steps in the basic technique, currently there are still conflicting opinions on certain aspects of the surgical technique, all of which are motivated by research undertaken to improve postoperative results. Conclusions: Ivor Lewis Minimally invasive esophagectomy further raises debatable issues on the practical way to perform the essential steps of the technique; their clarification could lead to finding the optimal option.

PD-L1 Expression in Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Carcinoma, Correlation with the Immune Infiltrate - Preliminary Study.

Background: Although traditional management for esophageal and esogastric cancer has been improved, survival at 5 years is still low, and immunotherapy could be a way to improve it. In addition to the predictive value of the response to immunotherapy, PD-L1 also has a known prognostic value. We aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1, CD8+ T-cell, and CD4/CD25+ T-cell (Tregs) infiltration and their relationship in esophageal and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma. Material and Methods: Endoscopic biopsies were analyzed in 14 patients with esophageal cancer or esogastric junction, before starting the neoadjuvant treatment, hospitalized from the period 2019- to 2021 in the St. Mary's Clinical Hospital, Bucharest. Immunohistochemical tests were performed to investigate the expression of lymphocyte intratumoral infiltrate markers. Results: Of the 14 cases, 13 (93%) were male, and 1 (7%) were female. Histological, 4 cases were adenocarcinomas, and 10 cases were squamous cell carcinomas. 10 cases showed epithelial PD-L1 positivity (78%). Using a quantitative evaluation of PD-L1 we obtained a statistical correlation between the median values of this marker with the expression of CD8. There was obtained a statistical correlation between PD-L1 positivity and low expression of CD4 or CD4+/CD25 T cells. Conclusions: PD-L1 is expressed in tumors with higher CD8+ T cell densities and lower CD4/CD25 positive cells (Tregs), indicating that the good prognosis of PD-L1-positive tumors could be due to the inhibition of CD4 / CD25-positive cells (Tregs) rather than the stimulation of CD8-positive T cells, by an adaptive immune resistance mechanism.

Prognostic Factors in Advanced Ovarian Cancer - A Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Ovarian cancer is one of most fatal gynecological condition. The number of patients diagnosed in advanced stages is very high, hence the recurrence rate is high, and the chance of survival at 5 years is less than 45%. Purpose: To evaluate correspondance between overall survival with clinical, paraclinical, tumor or treatment characteristics and to identify prognostic factors in patients with advanced ovarian cancer - stage III and IV FIGO. Material and Method: We performed a retrospective study in 65 patients with advanced ovarian cancer - stages III and IV FIGO operated during 2010-2018, with a follow-up period of at least one year. There were correlations with clinical and paraclinical charateristics, tumor or treatment characteristics and with overall survival. Results: In the univariate statistical analysis of survival, a significant statistical association is obtained by the presence of pelvic pain at presentation (p_value = 0.033744), with the stage III (p_value = 0.007595, respectively p_value = 0.022090), with the type of citoreduction (p_value = 0.035) , with postoperative complications (p_value = 0.000685) within the pathological subtypes (p_value = 0.046266), with adjuvant treatment (p_value = 0.000083). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that adjuvant chemotherapy (HR = 0.046, 95% CI = (0.008, 0.261), (p_value = 0.000492), suboptimal cytoreduction (HR = 0.346, 95% CI = (0.140, 0.853), (p_value) = 0.021219) and postoperative complications (HR = 53,751, 95% CI = (4,672, 618,365), (p_value = 0.001389) are independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: Absence of pelvic pain at diagnosis, FIGO IIIC stage, suboptimal cytoreduction, presence of postoperative complications, inadequate adjuvant treatment and pathological type of clear cell cancer have been shown to be prognostic factors for overall survival. In patients with advanced ovarian cancer, the type of optimal citoreduction and adjuvant treatment are independent protective factors for overall survival, and the presence of postoperative complications has been shown to be an independent risk factor.

KRAS gene mutations - prognostic factor in colorectal cancer?

The colorectal cancer (CRC) modern therapy is using adjuvant and neoadjuvant companion therapeutic agents, part of them having an anti-angiogenic action. Their benefic effect can be annulated by some gene mutations, which are interfering in signal transduction pathways. One of the more frequent activating mutations is occurring in the KRAS gene. We assessed the KRAS mutations by two molecular methods, in a group of patients with a follow-up until 144 months, aiming to establish eventual correlations between the presence of mutations and the evolution of patients. We tried to appreciate the prognostic value of these mutations. A retrospective study was conducted on 74 patients treated by radical surgery; the surgical specimens were analyzed macroscopically and the histopathological type and degree were established. PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) and pyrosequencing were performed on paraffin-embedded tumor specimens. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in survival between patients with wild type gene and patients with mutation in codon 13; the same results were also obtained regarding TNM I, II stages or Dukes type A and B cases. However, for the patients in stage IV pTNM, the evolution was slightly better in association with a KRAS mutation than in wild type cases.