Precision medicine for respiratory diseases: A current viewpoint.

In the realm of respiratory illnesses, despite the immense costs and efforts invested in diagnosis and treatment, numerous patients with chronic respiratory conditions or malignancies do not respond well to existing therapies. Delayed diagnoses and inadequate treatments contribute to these challenges, along with adverse reactions or treatment limitations due to side-effects. However, recent advancements in understanding respiratory diseases have paved the way for personalized medical treatments, considering individual genetic, molecular and environmental factors. Precision medicine, which accommodates individual differences in disease susceptibility and response to treatments, aims to improve patient care by aligning medical research with tailored therapies. Innovative technologies, such as genomic sequencing and biomarker identification contribute to this approach, allowing for customized treatments and the identification of effective therapies. Additionally, the application of precision medicine in lung cancer treatment exemplifies the forefront of individualized care within respiratory medicine. Several studies have explored the role of precision medicine in managing respiratory infectious diseases, asthma and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, aiming to categorize diseases more accurately and design targeted therapies. The ultimate goal is to enhance treatment effectiveness, minimize adverse events, and shift towards a patient-centered approach to managing respiratory conditions. Despite limitations, precision medicine holds promise for improving patient outcomes and emphasizing personalized care in respiratory medicine.

Bone graft absorption complication following cranioplasty: A retrospective institutional study.

The aim of the present retrospective study was to confer the factors that are related to bone graft absorption and affect the outcomes of patients following cranioplasty (CPL). The present retrospective study includes cases of patients that underwent CPL between February, 2013 and December, 2022. All participants had a follow-up period of 1 to 10 years from the day of discharge from the hospital. In total, 116 (62.3%) of the 186 patients that underwent decompressive craniectomy (DC) were enrolled in the present study for CPL. A total of 109 (93.9%) patients were included in group A, and 7 (6.0%) patients were included in group B. On the whole, the results of the present study suggest that a CPL after 2.5-7.7 months of DC increases the possibility of bone absorption.

Management of intracranial cavernous malformations using conservative vs. surgical and/or radiosurgical treatment: A systematic review and meta­analysis.

Intracranial cavernous malformations (CMs) are vascular lesions with a high bleeding rate. At present, the debate regarding their treatment is still ongoing. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the safety of surgery or radiosurgery (SRS) for the management of CMs and to determine their potential outcomes compared with conservative treatment. The present systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the relative articles involving the management of intracranial CMs, namely their natural history (conservative treatment) vs. surgical/SRS treatment through electronic databases until June, 2023. The collected variables included the first author's name, the study period covered, the year of publication, the total number of patients examined and their age, and the number of males. In total, six articles met the eligibility criteria. The total number of patients was 399 (157 in the surgery/SRS group and 242 in the conservative treatment group). The results revealed that surgical or SRS management is a safe procedure for CMs compared with conservative treatment. Notably, the use of hemosiderin in the pre-MRI, the free of seizures parameter and the neurological deficit parameters were associated with improved outcomes in the surgical or SRS group of patients.

Role of microRNAs in cognitive decline related to COVID­19 (Review).

The likelihood and severity of cognitive decline related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been shown to be reflected by the severity of the infection and concomitant alterations in specific biomarkers. The present review discusses the role of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) as biomarkers in COVID-19 and the potential molecular mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction related to COVID-19. A systematic search of published articles was carried out from January 31, 2000 to December 31, 2022 using the PubMed, ProQuest, Science Direct and Google Scholar databases, combining the following terms: 'COVID-19' OR 'SARS-CoV-2' OR 'post-COVID-19 effects' OR 'cognitive decline' OR 'neurodegeneration' OR 'microRNAs'. The quality of the evidence was evaluated as high, moderate, low, or very low based on the GRADE rating. A total of 36 studies were identified which demonstrated reduced blood levels of miR-146a, miR-155, Let-7b, miR 31 and miR-21 in patients with COVID-19 in comparison with a healthy group. The overexpression of the Let-7b may result in the downregulation of BCL-2 during COVID-9 by adjusting the immune responses between chronic inflammatory disease, type 2 diabetes, COVID-19 and cognitive impairment. The reduced expression of miR-31 is associated with cognitive dysfunction and increased microcoagulability in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). miR-155 mediates synaptic dysfunction and the dysregulation of neurotransmitters due to acute inflammation, leading to brain atrophy and a subcortical cognitive profile. The downregulation of miR-21 in patients with COVID-19 aggravates systemic inflammation, mediating an uncontrollable immune response and the failure of T-cell function, provoking cognitive impairment in patients with SARS-CoV-2. On the whole, the present review indicates that dysregulated levels of miR-146a, miR-155, Let-7b, miR-31, and miR-21 in the blood of individuals with COVID-19 are associated with cognitive decline, the chronic activation of immune mechanisms, the cytokine storm, and the vicious cycle of damage and systemic inflammation.

Role of decompressive craniectomy in the management of acute ischemic stroke (Review).

The application of decompressive craniectomy (DC) is thoroughly documented in the management of brain edema, particularly following traumatic brain injury. However, an increasing amount of concern is developing among the universal medical community as regards the application of DC in the treatment of other causes of brain edema, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage, sinus thrombosis and encephalitis. Managing stroke continues to remain challenging, and demands the aggressive and intensive consulting of a number of medical specialties. Middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarcts, which consist of 1-10% of all supratentorial infarcts, are often associated with mass effects, and high mortality and morbidity rates. Over the past three decades, a number of neurosurgical medical centers have reported their experience with the application of DC in the treatment of malignant MCA infarction with varying results. In addition, over the past decade, major efforts have been dedicated to multicenter randomized clinical trials. The present study reviews the pertinent literature to outline the use of DC in the management of malignant MCA infarction. The PubMed database was systematically searched for the following terms: 'Malignant cerebral infarction', 'surgery for stroke', 'DC for cerebral infarction', and all their combinations. Case reports were excluded from the review. The articles were categorized into a number of groups; the majority of these were human clinical studies, with a few animal experimental clinical studies. The surgical technique involved was DC, or hemicraniectomy. Other aspects that were included in the selection of articles were methodological characteristics and the number of patients. The multicenter randomized trials were promising. The mortality rate has unanimously decreased. As for the functional outcome, different scales were employed; the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended was not sufficient; the Modified Rankin Scale and Bathel index, as well as other scales, were applied. Other aspects considered were demographics, statistics and the very interesting radiological ones. There is no doubt that DC decreases mortality rates, as shown in all clinical trials. Functional outcome appears to be the goal standard in modern-era neurosurgery, and quality of life should be further discussed among the medical community and with patient consent.

Surgical outcomes of patients with unruptured anterior vs. inferior circulation aneurysms: A meta­analysis.

The treatment option for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) depends on their natural history-related risk of rupture vs. the risk of surgical management. The present meta-analysis sought to assess the association between the surgical outcomes of anterior and posterior circulation UIAs. The present study investigated the comparative articles involving the surgical treatment of anterior vs. posterior circulation UIAs through electronic databases, including the Cochrane Library, PubMed (1980 to March, 2023), Medline (1980 to March, 2023) and EMBASE (1980 to March, 2023). Quoting all exclusion and inclusion criteria, nine articles finally remained for statistical analysis. The entire number of patients included in these nine articles was 3,253 (2,662 in the anterior and 591 in the posterior circulation UIAs group). The present meta-analysis proposes that the surgical treatment of anterior circulation UIAs is associated with better outcomes compared with the surgical management of posterior circulation UIAs.

Pathophysiology of cervical myelopathy (Review).

Cervical myelopathy is a well-described medulla spinalis syndrome characterized by sensory disorders, such as pain, numbness, or paresthesia in the limbs, and motor disorders, such as muscle weakness, gait difficulties, spasticity, or hyperreflexia. If left untreated, cervical myelopathy can significantly affect the quality of life of patients, while in severe cases, it can cause disability or even quadriplegia. Cervical myelopathy is the final stage of spinal cord insult and can result from transgene dysplasias of the spinal cord, and acute or chronic injuries. Spondylosis is a common, multifactor cause of cervical myelopathy and affects various elements of the spine. The development of spondylotic changes in the spine is gradual during the patient's life and the symptoms are presented at a late stage, when significant damage has already been inflicted on the spinal cord. Spondylosis is widely considered a condition affecting the middle aged and elderly. Given the fact that the population is gradually becoming older, in the near future, clinicians may have to face an increased number of patients with spondylotic myelopathy.

Factors related to morbidity and mortality of meningiomas resection­associated venous thromboembolism (Review).

Patients undergoing intracranial meningioma removal have been reported to have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The present study aimed to study meningioma operations and ascertain rates of postoperative VTE more closely and to find out the associated parameters with VTE-related morbidity and mortality in meningioma patients following resection. This meta-analysis included articles involving meningiomas surgery and postoperative VTE [thromboembolic complications: deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE)] published in full-text form between January 1980 and January 2021). Collected variables included: First author name, study period covered, publication year, total number of patients and age, number of males, surgical duration, body mass index (BMI), tumor location, proliferation marker for human tumor cells Ki-67 and VTE-related morbidity and mortality. After the initial search and applying all exclusion and inclusion criteria, five articles were left in the final article pool. The total number of patients was 6,505 who underwent surgery for meningiomas and 299 (4.5%) revealed postoperative VTE. The final results showed no potentially significant difference between the total sample and the postoperative VTE group in tumor location and proliferation marker Ki-67 for human cells. By contrast, the results of the analysis for surgical duration and BMI showed a statistically significant difference. Patients who had experienced open surgery for meningiomas were associated with postoperative VTE. Furthermore, surgical duration and BMI were statistically significant VTE-related parameters in patients who underwent meningioma surgery, showing an association with VTE-related morbidity and mortality.

Effect of circulating miR­126 levels on intracranial aneurysms and their predictive value for the rupture of aneurysms: A systematic review and meta­analysis.

Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a common cerebrovascular disease with a high risk of rupture. At present, the mechanisms underlying the formation and rupture of IAs is not clinically clear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are involved in the development of IAs. The present study aimed to determine the efficacy of circulating miRNA-126 (miR-126) levels as potential biomarkers for predicting aneurysmal ruptures. The present study searched comparative articles involving circulating miR-126 levels and intracranial aneurysms through electronic databases from 1980 to February, 2023. Collected variables included the first author's name, covered study period, publication year, total number of patients and age, and number of males. We collected information about the expression levels of circulating miR-126 in serum. Three articles met the eligibility criteria. The total number of patients was 379 [226 with IA rupture and 153 with non-rupture or/+ controls (healthy)]. The circulating miR-126 can be used as a biomarker for predicting aneurysmal rupture. Interestingly, an aneurysmal size >10 mm was associated with an IA rupture.

Comparison of the endoscopic endonasal to microscopic sublabial transsphenoidal approach in a case series of pituitary macroadenomas.

For a number of years, the microscopic sublabial transsphenoidal (MST) approach was considered the gold standard approach for the treatment of pituitary macroadenomas. Nonetheless, the trend is currently shifting away from the MST to the endonasal transsphenoidal (EET) approach. The aim of the present study was to examine the post-operative outcomes of the first cases operated by a team of two young surgeons using the EET approach, compared to the cases operated by a team of senior neurosurgeons with extensive experience with the MST approach. For this purpose, data from 20 patients with pituitary adenoma were retrospectively collected from a single center who were operated by the current and previous pituitary-surgery teams. All the patients who presented with visual impairment in the EET group recovered completely (5/5), whereas 4/5 patients in the MST group recovered completely. Primary hospitalization duration was similar in the two groups. Gross tumor removal was achieved in 90% of patients in the EET group compared to 70% of the patients operated with the MST technique. Intraoperative complications were comparable between the two groups. The first cases operated at the center with EET proved to have better visual outcomes and a larger tumor removal when compared to the MST group. A greater experience in using this technique could exponentiate the differences in the post-operative outcomes, such as a lower hospitalization duration and fewer intraoperative complications. On the whole, colleagues who have yet to familiarize themselves with the EET approach could perhaps be encouraged to learn to utilize this technique, provided that their center is staffed with an experienced team of skull base surgeons to intervene in an intraoperative complication.

Carotid artery stenting and endarterectomy surgery techniques: A 30­year time­lapse.

Carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting (CAS), are the most important axes in carotid artery interventional management. A bibliometric analysis permits an easier access to the current literature trends and information to design future studies. The aim of the present study was to identify the knowledge routes on CAS and examine the research front on the topic. The search was interpreted in Scopus, from 1994 to 2023, and included only original articles and reviews. The BibTex format was used to download all citation and bibliographic data. The present analysis was conducted in two parts, a descriptive one and a network extraction process. Between 1994 and 2023, 34,503 references and 7,758 authors were recorded. The annual growth rate was 21.64%. The CAVATAS trial was the most cited article. As regards word trends, since 2017, trans-carotid stenting, risk factors and plaque characteristics are highlighted. CAS remains an area of high interest with a publication growth rate of >20% per year. As numerous questions remain to be answered, the need to determine the role of CAS may drive further research.

Association between smoking cessation and alterations in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). A Follow-Up Study from a Greek Tobacco Cessation Clinic.

Background: Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of several diseases such as malignancies, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Smoking cessation is now supported by both behavioral counseling and medical pharmacotherapy and is the only effective approach for slowing down an accelerated decline in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). Our study aims to examine changes in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) after smoking cessation for smokers attending our smoking cessation clinic their correlation to smokers' demographic characteristics. Methods: 114 smokers (48 males and 66 females), with a mean age of 48.36±10.49 years, were enrolled. They were classified in 4 groups, according to their age; <40 years (Group Α), 41-50 years (Group Β), 51-60 years (Group C), >60 years (Group D) and underwent Spirometry on the 1st day of visit, one month (2nd visit) and, 3 months later (3rd visit). Findings: Statistically significant increase in FEV1 values at the 2nd and 3rd visit compared to the 1st visit was observed in smokers who quit smoking in Group Α, B and C (p<0.05). In addition, a statistically significant decrease in FEV1 values at the 2nd and 3rd visit compared to the 1st visit was noticed in smokers who continued smoking in Group B, C and D (p<0.05). Conclusion: Smoking cessation achieved through smoking cessation support led to the improvement of FEV1 values within 3 months. The greatest benefit was observed in smokers under the age of 60.

Onodera's prognostic nutritional index: Comparison of its role in the severity and outcomes of patients with COVID­19 during the periods of alpha, delta and omicron variant predominance.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a severe public health threat worldwide, affecting the function of multiple organs in affected individuals, in addition to respiratory function. Several strains of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been circulating worldwide since it first arose, with some of these having the ability to escape from natural or vaccine-mediated immunity. The Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI), which is derived from the peripheral lymphocyte count and serum albumin, has been reported to be significantly associated with a poor survival rate and post-operative complications in patients with various diseases and in some studies on patients with COVID-19. The aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of OPNI as a prognostic indicator in patients with COVID-19 during the periods of alpha, delta and omicron variant predominance. Adult patients who visited or were hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-2 infection were included, covering the second, third (alpha variant), fourth (delta variant) and fifth (omicron variant) pandemic waves. According to the results obtained, OPNI exhibited a statistically significant difference among patients with mild/moderate, severe and critical disease, with the lowest values observed in patients with critical disease in all the pandemic waves examined. Moreover, OPNI was found to be an independent prognostic biomarker of intubation and mortality in patients with COVID-19, according to multivariate logistic regression analysis, including as confounders an age >65 years, the male sex and the presence of comorbidities in all periods examined.

The Role and Effectiveness of Photodynamic Therapy on Patients With Actinic Keratosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Actinic keratoses (AKs) are the most common neoplastic lesions and are recognized as a precursor to squamous cell skin cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic option for multiple AKs in line with field cancerization. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of PDT on patients with AKs using a meta-analysis, in order to evaluate the possible superiority of one treatment over the others. For this purpose, the PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, OVID, Science Direct, British Journal of Dermatology, Research Gate, and Embase databases were searched in March 2022. The search terms used were 'photodynamic therapy' and 'actinic keratosis'. We utilized the random-effects meta-analysis model to compare methyl aminolevulinate PDT (MAL-PDT) and the combination of a nanoscale-lipid vesicle formulation with the prodrug 5-aminolevulinic acid (BF-200 ALA) on a complete response (CR) of the lesions. Our meta-analysis indicated that the comparison of BF-200 ALA versus MAL-PDT showed marginally higher CRs than MAL-PDT.

Simultaneous pathological findings in biopsy specimens of patients with surgically resected lung carcinoids and their role in survival.

Pulmonary carcinoid tumors are rare, low-grade malignant tumors that constitute 1-2% of all lung tumors. The present study aimed to describe the simultaneous pathological findings in biopsy specimens of patients with surgically resected lung carcinoids and determine their association with survival rates. For this purpose, 108 patients with resected carcinoid lung tumors were followed-up for 96 months and analyzed for simultaneous pathological findings in biopsy specimens. Among these, simultaneous pathological findings were found in 82 patients. The association between these findings and patient survival rates was evaluated. Atelectasis was a simultaneous finding in 52.4% of the patients, desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP) in 13.4%, emphysema in 24.4% and bronchiectasis in 9.8%. The survival rate was 100% for the patients with atelectasis, 81.8% for the patients with DIP, 90% for the patients with emphysema and 75% for the patients with bronchiectasis (P<0.05). According to the univariate analysis, the type of carcinoid was associated with patient survival with better survival rates for patients with typical carcinoids, while age, sex, stage and simultaneous pathological findings were not associated with patient survival. On the whole, there was a statistically significant difference in the survival rates of patients with resected lung carcinoids with different simultaneous pathological findings. However, further studies are warranted to assess the role of these findings in the survival of these patients.

COVID-19 and Acute Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review of Case Reports and Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents mainly with mild symptoms and involvement of the respiratory system. Acute pancreatitis has also been reported during the course of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to review and analyze all reported cases of COVID-19 associated acute pancreatitis, reporting the demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory and imaging findings, comorbidities and outcomes. DATA SOURCES: We conducted a systematic search of Pubmed/MEDLINE, SciELO and Google Scholar to identify case reports and case series, reporting COVID-19 associated acute pancreatitis in adults. STUDY SELECTION: There were no ethnicity, gender or language restrictions. The following terms were searched in combination:"COVID-19" OR "SARS-CoV-2" OR "Coronavirus 19" AND "Pancreatic Inflammation" OR "Pancreatitis" OR "Pancreatic Injury" OR "Pancreatic Disease" OR "Pancreatic Damage". Case reports and case series describing COVID-19 associated acute pancreatitis in adults were included. COVID-19 infection was established with testing of nasal and throat swabs using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was confirmed in accordance to the revised criteria of Atlanta classification of the Acute Pancreatitis Classification Working Group. Exclusion of other causes of acute pancreatitis was also required for the selection of the cases. DATA EXTRACTION: The following data were extracted from each report: the first author, year of publication, age of the patient, gender, gastrointestinal symptoms due to acute pancreatitis, respiratory-general symptoms, COVID-19 severity, underlying diseases, laboratory findings, imaging features and outcome. DATA SYNTHESIS: Finally, we identified and analyzed 31 articles (30 case reports and 1 case series of 2 cases), which included 32 cases of COVID-19 induced acute pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 associated acute pancreatitis affected mostly females. The median age of the patients was 53.5 years. Concerning laboratory findings, lipase and amylase were greater than three times the ULN while WBC counts and CRP were elevated in the most of the cases. The most frequent gastrointestinal, respiratory and general symptom was abdominal pain, dyspnea and fever, respectively. The most common imaging feature was acute interstitial edematous pancreatitis and the most frequent comorbidity was arterial hypertension while several patients had no medical history. The outcome was favorable despite the fact that most of the patients experienced severe and critical illness. LIMITATIONS: Our results are limited by the quality and extent of the data in the reports. More specifically, case series and case reports are unchecked, and while they can recommend hypotheses they are not able to confirm robust associations. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Pleural involvement in cryptococcal infection.

Pleural involvement of cryptococcal infection is uncommon and is more commonly observed in immunocompromised hosts than in immunocompetent ones. Pleural involvement in cryptococcal infections can manifest with or without pleural effusion. The presence of Cryptococcus spp. in the effusion or pleura is required for the diagnosis of cryptococcal pleural infection, which is commonly determined by pleural biopsy, fluid culture, and/or detection of cryptococcal antigen in the pleura or pleural fluid.

COVID-19-associated acute appendicitis in adults. A report of five cases and a review of the literature.

The novel coronavirus has negatively affected patients and healthcare systems globally. Individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience a wide range of respiratory symptoms, from mild flu-like symptoms to severe and potentially fatal pneumonia. Some patients report gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in addition to the respiratory symptoms or as a separate presentation. Even though abdominal pain syndrome indicates acute appendicitis, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection should be considered as a possible diagnosis during this pandemic. However, there have been reports of a few cases of acute abdominal pain revealing acute appendicitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Appendectomy is challenging in COVID-19-infected patients with acute appendicitis as it includes high surgical risks for the patients, as well as hazards for healthcare professionals who are exposed to SARS-CoV-2. The present study reports five cases of adult patients with COVID-19 with simultaneous acute appendicitis. In addition, the present study aims to provide the framework for the diagnosis and management of adult patients with COVID-19 with acute appendicitis.

Radiologically suspected COVID-19-associated organizing pneumonia responding well to corticosteroids: A report of two cases and a review of the literature.

Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a type of diffuse interstitial lung disease, which may be induced in the context of several clinical conditions, such as drug reactions, infections, autoimmune diseases and cancer. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated OP has been reported as a late-stage consequence of the infection or a histological form of COVID-19-associated pneumonia. Autopsies and postmortem lung biopsies have demonstrated that the majority of patients with COVID-19-associated pneumonia develop secondary OP, and COVID-19-associated pneumonia and OP have common radiological features. The diagnosis of COVID-19-associated OP should be suspected in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection who exhibit clinical deterioration despite optimal care, or who have aggravating symptoms following an initial recovery. The use of corticosteroids is a typical treatment for OP. However, to date, at least to the best of our knowledge, there are a few reports regarding the role of corticosteroids in COVID-19-associated pneumonia; thus, the optimal time for administration, the dose and treatment duration have not yet been determined. The present study presents two cases of patients with COVID-19, who exhibited clinical deterioration following the initial phase of infection and with radiological characteristics of OP who received corticosteroids and had a favorable outcome. The early diagnosis of COVID-19-associated OP may lead to targeted treatment, decreased requirements for ventilatory support and an improved survival rate.

Characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients who develop pulmonary embolism: A cross-sectional study.

Pulmonary embolism (PE), along with deep vein thrombosis, are collectively known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). Predisposing factors for PE include post-operative conditions, pregnancy, cancer and an advanced age; of note, a number of genetic mutations have been found to be associated with an increased risk of PE. The association between cancer and VTE is well-established, and cancer patients present a higher risk of a thrombotic event compared to the general population. In addition, PE is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to illustrate the clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, radiology features and outcomes of cancer patients who developed PE, collected from an anticancer hospital. For this purpose, adult cancer patients diagnosed with PE by imaging with computed tomography pulmonary angiography were enrolled. The following data were recorded: Demographics, comorbidities, type of cancer, time interval between cancer diagnosis and PE occurrence, the type of therapy received and the presence of metastases, clinical signs and symptoms, predisposing factors for PE development, laboratory data, radiological findings, electrocardiography findings, and the type of therapy received for PE and outcomes in a follow-up period of 6 months. In total, 60 cancer patients were enrolled. The majority of the cancer patients were males. The most common type of cancer observed was lung cancer. The majority of cases of PE occurred within the first year from the time of cancer diagnosis, while the majority of patients had already developed metastases. In addition, the majority of cancer patients had received chemotherapy over the past month, while they were not receiving anticoagulants and had central obstruction. A large proportion of patients had asymptomatic PE. The in-hospital mortality rate was 13.3% and no relapse or mortality were observed during the follow-up period. The present study demonstrates that elevated levels of lactic acid and an increased platelet count, as well as low serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, albumin and D-dimer, may be potential biomarkers for asymptomatic PE among cancer patients.