The Effect of 3'-Hydroxy-3,4,5,4'-Tetramethoxy -stilbene, the Metabolite of the Resveratrol Analogue DMU-212, on the Motility and Proliferation of Ovarian Cancer Cells.

Targeting tumor cell motility and proliferation is an extremely important challenge in the prevention of metastasis and improving the effectiveness of cancer treatment. We recently published data revealing that DMU-214, the metabolite of firmly cytotoxic resveratrol analogue DMU-212, exerted significantly higher biological activity than the parent compound in ovarian cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to assess the molecular mechanism of the potential anti-migration and anti-proliferative effect of DMU-214 in ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3. We showed that DMU-214 reduced the migratory capacity of SKOV-3 cells. The microarray analysis indicated ontology groups of genes involved in processes of negative regulation of cell motility and proliferation. Furthermore, we found DMU-214 triggered changes in expression of several migration- and proliferation-related genes (SMAD7, THBS1, IGFBP3, KLF4, Il6, ILA, SOX4, IL15, SRF, RGCC, GPR56) and proteins (GPR56, RGCC, SRF, SMAD7, THBS1), which have been shown to interact to each other to reduce cell proliferation and motility. Our study showed for the first time that DMU-214 displayed anti-migratory and anti-proliferative activity in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells. On the basis of whole transcriptome analysis of these cells, we provide new insight into the role of DMU-214 in inhibition of processes related to metastasis.

Sense of coherence and acceptance of the disease in patients with lung cancer during palliative chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: An important part of the therapeutic process of patients with lung cancer undergoing palliative chemotherapy is to assess their mental well-being. Evaluation of the sense of coherence and acceptance of the disease, which reflects the degree of adaptation of the patient to live with the disease, provides information on this topic. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to assess the level of sense of coherence and acceptance of the disease in patients with lung cancer during palliative chemotherapy as well as coherence and acceptance together with socio-demographic factors. The secondary objective was to assess the economic impact of lung cancer on these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 100 patients with lung cancer during palliative chemotherapy. The study was conducted using the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (SOC-29), the Acceptance of Illness Scale, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. RESULTS: The study group consisted mainly of men (66%), people with primary/vocational education (63%) and patients living in cities (59%). The average age of respondents was 62.8 years. 45% of patients had a high level of sense of coherence, and 44% had an average level. The average overall score of SOC was 143.9 points inside the upper range of average results. Levels of a sense of comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness remained in close relation to the average level: 48.91, 51.33, and 43.66 points, respectively. The average acceptance of the disease was 45% with the average total of 27.21 points. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients during palliative chemotherapy because of lung cancer had average or high level of coherence and acceptance of the disease. The level of sense of coherence and acceptance of the disease was not affected by gender, age, education, or place of residence. Almost all patients incur costs associated with treatment, and in some of them the disease affected the source of income.

[Acceptance of the disease and tendency to pay higher health insurance fee by patients with lung cancer].

INTRODUCTION: Thanks to knowledge on the relationship between acceptance of disease and the willingness to co-pay for treatment in patients with lung cancer we can try to assess whether their introduction would be justified and acceptable. THE AIM: The purpose of the study was to examine the propensity of patients with lung cancer to pay higher rate of health insurance depending on their acceptance of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 2016 at the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz and the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Pulmonology Center in Bydgoszcz. The study involved the same group of 87 patients before and after surgery because of lung cancer. The original questionnaire and the Acceptance of Illness Scale were used in the study. RESULTS: Men accounted for 75% of the respondents, 65% of them were 50-69 years old. Before the surgery 34 (39.1%) patients stated that they are willing to pay a higher rate for health insurance, and 65 (74.7%) patients after the surgery (p <0.001). Among the 34 (39%) patients who were willing to pay a higher premium, before the surgery the most of them 21 (61.8%) by 10% higher, while least 2 (5.9%) by 100% higher. In contrast, after the surgery among the 65 (74.7%) patients 30 (46.2%) expressed a willingness to pay premiums by 10%, while the lowest 9 (13.8%) by 25% higher. Before the surgery 34 patients were willing to pay health insurance by 26% higheron average while 65 patients had an average increase of 36.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with lower acceptance of the disease, living in the city, with secondary education and undergone surgeryare more likely to pay higher health insurance. More than half of the patients with lower acceptance of the disease are willing to pay higher premiums on health insurance by an average of 36%.

Understanding the purpose of treatment and expectations in patients with inoperable lung cancer treated with palliative chemotherapy.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Informing cancer patients about various types of treatment and their adverse effects and communicating negative information is an important element of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Understanding the purpose of treatment and expectations, and socio-demographic factors in patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy because of lung cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 100 patients with lung cancer at the age of 40-80 years (mean 63.1) in the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz in 2013-2014. The diagnostic survey method with the author's questionnaire was used. RESULTS: Forty-one percent of patients were convinced that the purpose of chemotherapy is to cure the disease. Both inhabitants of small towns (population below 50 thousand) and large villages (p = 0.09) were similarly convinced about the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Seventy-three percent of inhabitants of small towns and 79% of country dwellers (p = 0.005) thought that chemotherapy is aimed at improving the quality of life. Patients with very good economic conditions responded that chemotherapy is designed to improve the quality of life more often than those with good and bad economic conditions, 90%, 88% and 60%, respectively (p = 0.001). With the increase in population the number of people who claimed that palliative chemotherapy prolongs their life increased, 71%, 77% and 90%, respectively (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of patients with lung cancer about palliative chemotherapy is insufficient. Almost half of them do not understand the purpose of treatment and hope that chemotherapy will cure them of the disease. Most patients know that the aim of chemotherapy is to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life and prolong their life. Half of the patients want to obtain information on treatment and half of them about life expectancy. Almost half of the patients feel stress and anxiety towards chemotherapy. Most patients do not use the help of a psychologist and do not feel such a need.

Dejection and self-assessment of quality of life in patients with lung cancer subjected to palliative care.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the intensity of dejection and self-assessment of quality of life in patients with lung cancer from the start of palliative care until death. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 63 patients with lung cancer from the start of care until death in palliative medicine centers in Bydgoszcz in 2012-2013. The visual-analogue scale constituting part of the ESAS scale was used to assess dejection, while question number 30 of the EORTC QLQ-C30 was used for self-assessment of quality of life. RESULTS: "Moderate" and "very" intense dejection initially occurred in 19 (30%) and 24 (38%), and in the 2(nd) assessment in as many as 23 (36%) and 30 (48%) patients. Average quality of life deteriorated in this respect by 0.09 in the two-step scale (p = 0.005). Increase in the intensity of "moderate" dejection occurred between the 1(st) and 3(rd) assessment. Initially it occurred in 2 (9%) patients and in 14 (66%) during the 3(rd) assessment. In contrast, the levels of "very" severe dejection did not change significantly between the 1(st) and the 3(rd) assessment. The average quality of life deteriorated by 0.23 points (p = 0.004). A significant relationship was found only between analgesic treatment and quality of life (p < 0.0005). Other factors such as age, time from diagnosis to start of treatment, place of residence, sex, or financial condition did not affect the quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Self-assessment of the quality of life worsens with time. The intensity of dejection does not change in the last 3 weeks of life. In multivariate analysis, among the selected variables such as age, sex, place of residence, time from diagnosis to start of palliative care, financial condition, and type of painkillers used, only the latter has an impact on self-assessed quality of life.

Curated benchmark dataset for ultrasound based breast lesion analysis.

A new detailed dataset of breast ultrasound scans (BrEaST) containing images of benign and malignant lesions as well as normal tissue examples, is presented. The dataset consists of 256 breast scans collected from 256 patients. Each scan was manually annotated and labeled by a radiologist experienced in breast ultrasound examination. In particular, each tumor was identified in the image using a freehand annotation and labeled according to BIRADS features and lexicon. The histopathological classification of the tumor was also provided for patients who underwent a biopsy. The BrEaST dataset is the first breast ultrasound dataset containing patient-level labels, image-level annotations, and tumor-level labels with all cases confirmed by follow-up care or core needle biopsy result. To enable research into breast disease detection, tumor segmentation and classification, the BrEaST dataset is made publicly available with the CC-BY 4.0 license.

Palliative care in patients with lung cancer.

Lung cancer accounts for 12% of all cancers and has the highest annual rate of mortality in men and women. The overall aim is cure or prolongation of life without evidence of disease. Almost 60% of patients at the moment of diagnosis are not eligible for radical treatment. Therefore soothing and supportive treatment is the only treatment of choice. Patients with lung cancer who have symptoms of dyspnea, chronic cough, severe pain, exhaustion and cachexia syndrome, fear and depression and significantly reduced physical and intellectual activities are qualified for inpatient or home palliative care. Knowledge about various methods used in palliative treatment allows one to alleviate symptoms that occur in an advanced stage of disease with an expected short survival period. Methods of oncological treatment that are often used in patients with advanced lung cancer include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Drawing attention to the earlier implementation of palliative care is an objective of research carried out during recent years. Advances in surgical and conservative treatment of these patients have contributed to better outcomes and longer survival time.

Selected aspects of palliative care and quality of life at the terminal stage of neoplastic disease.

Neoplastic diseases are among the most common causes of death. The quality of life in neoplastic disease depends on the type of neoplasm, level of progression, location, treatment possibilities and prognosis. Cancer reduces the quality of life at the advanced stage of disease. At this time patients feel pain and suffering. Palliative care is used in the terminal phase of neoplastic disease. It includes overall care of an incurable patient and her/his family. The main objective of palliative care is meeting somatic and psycho-social requirements. Recently, more and more physicians dealing with oncological patients are moving away from treatment of the patient like an object. They pay attention to a subjective approach to treatment outcomes that are felt by the patient. The model of medicine is becoming a holistic one and during examination physicians pay attention to the patient's physical and mental state, economic condition, social situation, feelings or lack of complaints more often. Research on quality of life is becoming a vital part of medical examination.

Joint segmentation and classification of breast masses based on ultrasound radio-frequency data and convolutional neural networks.

In this paper, we propose a novel deep learning method for joint classification and segmentation of breast masses based on radio-frequency (RF) ultrasound (US) data. In comparison to commonly used classification and segmentation techniques, utilizing B-mode US images, we train the network with RF data (data before envelope detection and dynamic compression), which are considered to include more information on tissue's physical properties than standard B-mode US images. Our multi-task network, based on the Y-Net architecture, can effectively process large matrices of RF data by mixing 1D and 2D convolutional filters. We use data collected from 273 breast masses to compare the performance of networks trained with RF data and US images. The multi-task model developed based on the RF data achieved good classification performance, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.90. The network based on the US images achieved AUC of 0.87. In the case of the segmentation, we obtained mean Dice scores of 0.64 and 0.60 for the approaches utilizing US images and RF data, respectively. Moreover, the interpretability of the networks was studied using class activation mapping technique and by filter weights visualizations.

Comparison of the radial and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in patients with hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Blood flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a noninvasive assessment of vascular endothelial function in humans. The study of the FMD in hypertensive (HT) patients is an important factor supporting the recognition of the early mechanisms of cardiovascular pathologies, and also of the pathogenesis related to hypertension. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether FMD measured on the radial artery (FMD-RA) using high-frequency ultrasounds can be used as an alternative to FMD assessed with the lower frequency system on the brachial artery in patients with HT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The simultaneous measurements of FMD-RA and FMD measurements in the brachial artery (FMD-BA) were performed on 76 HT patients using 20 MHz and 7-12 MHz linear array probes, and were compared to the FMD measured in healthy groups. All quantitative data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD); the p-values of the normality and tests for variables comparisons are listed. The agreement of the FMD-RA and FMD-BA in HT patients was assessed with the Bland-Altman method, and using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). In some statistical calculations, the FMD-RA values were rescaled by dividing them by a factor of 2. RESULTS: The mean FMD-RA and FMD-BA in HT patients were 5.16 ±2.18% (95% confidence interval (95% CI): [4.50%, 5.82%]) and 2.13 ±1.12% (95% CI: [1.76%, 2.49%]), respectively. The FMD-RA and FMD-BA values of HT patients were significantly different than those in respective control groups. The p-values of Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests were less than 0.05. The Bland-Altman coefficient for both measurement methods, FMD-RA and FMD-BA, was 3%, and the ICC was 0.69. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that FMD-RA, supplementary to FMD-BA measurements, can be used to assess endothelial dysfunction in the group of HT patients. In addition, the FMD-RA measurements met the criteria of high concordance with the FMD-BA measurements.

Enhanced biological activity of liposomal methylated resveratrol analog 3'-hydroxy-3,4,5,4'-tetramethoxystilbene (DMU-214) in 3D patient-derived ovarian cancer model.

3'-hydroxy-3,4,5,4'-tetramethoxystilbene (DMU-214) belongs to methoxystilbenes family and is an active metabolite of 3,4,5,4'-tetramethoxystilbene (DMU-212). In several of our previous studies, the anti-apoptotic activity of DMU-214 was significantly higher than that of the parent compound, especially in ovarian cancer cells. Due to increased lipophilicity and limited solubility, methoxystilbenes require a solubilization strategy enabling DMU-214 administration to the aqueous environment. In this study, DMU-214-loaded liposomes were developed for the first time, and its antitumor activity was tested in the ovarian cancer model.First, several liposomal formulations of DMU-214 were obtained by the thin lipid film hydration method followed by extrusion and then characterized. The diameter of the resulting vesicles was in the range of 118.0-155.5 nm, and samples presented monodisperse size distribution. The release of DMU-214 from the studied liposomes was governed by the contribution of two mechanisms, Fickian diffusion and liposome relaxation.Subsequently, in vitro activity of DMU-214 in the form of a free compound or liposome-bound was studied, including commercial cell line SK-OV-3 and patient-derived ovarian cancer cells in monolayer and spheroid cell culture models. DMU-214 liposomal formulations were found to be more potent (had lower IC50 values) than the free DMU-214 both in the monolayer and, more significantly, in both examined spheroid models. The above results, with particular emphasis on the patient-derived ovarian cancer model, indicate the importance of further development of liposomal DMU-214 as a potential anticancer formulation for ovarian cancer treatment.

Imaging of the skin and subcutaneous tissue using classical and high-frequency ultrasonographies in anti-cellulite therapy.

BACKGROUND: The development of ultrasonography allowed for skin imaging used in dermatology and esthetic medicine. By means of classic and high-frequency ultrasonographies, changes within the dermis and subcutaneous tissue can be presented. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to show the possibilities of applying classic and high-frequency ultrasonographies in esthetic dermatology based on monitoring various types of anti-cellulite therapies. METHODS: Sixty-one women with cellulite were assigned to two smaller groups. One group was using anti-cellulite cream and the second group was a placebo group. The ultrasound examination was carried out before the initiation and after the completion of the treatment and evaluated epidermal echoes, the thickness of the subcutaneous tissue and the dermis, dermis echogenicity, the length and surface area of the subcutaneous tissue fascicles growing into the dermis, and the presence or absence of edemas. RESULTS: After the completion of the treatment, a statistically significant difference was observed. The most useful parameters were as follows: the thickness of the subcutaneous tissue, echogenicity, the surface area and length of the subcutaneous tissue, as well as the presence of edemas. The discussed changes were not observed in the placebo group. CONCLUSION: Classic and high-frequency ultrasonographies are useful methods for monitoring anti-cellulite therapies.

Statistics of the envelope of ultrasonic backscatter from human trabecular bone.

The paper describes the investigations intended to compare the results of experimental measurements of backscattering properties of the trabecular bone with the results of computer simulations. Ultrasonic RF echoes were collected using two bone scanners operating at 0.58 and 1.3 MHz. The simulations of the backscattered RF echoes were performed using the scattering model of the trabecular bone that consisted of cylindrical and spherical elements uniformly distributed in water-like medium. For each measured or simulated RF backscatter the statistical properties of the signal envelope were determined. Experimental results suggest deviations of the backscattering properties from the Rayleigh distribution. The results of simulation suggest that deviation from Rayleigh distribution depends on the variation of trabeculae diameters and the number of thin trabeculae. Experimentally determined deviations corresponded well to the deviations calculated from simulated echoes assuming trabeculae thickness variation equaled to the earlier published histomorphometric study results.

[The usefulness of high frequency ultrasonography in dermatological practice--ultrasound features of selected cutaneous lesions]. / Zastosowanie ultrasonografii wysokiej czestotliwosci w diagnostyce dermatologicznej--obraz ultrasonograficzny wybranych zmian skórnych.

UNLABELLED: Typical diagnostic process in dermatology includes clinical assessment, dermoscopic and histopathologic examination. Microsonography was initiated in seventies and much progress in the development of high-frequency scanners occurred since that time. The aim of the study was the assessment of high frequency ultrasonography in dermatologic diagnostics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Examination was performed with 30 MHz ultrasound transducer with 0,1 mm resolution and 7 mm penetration. We examined patients with benign and malignant neoplasms, cicatrical alopecia and morphea. RESULTS: Sonographically, the normal skin is composed of three layers: an epidermal entry echo, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. In healthy skin we can image small hypoechoic areas which correspond to hair folicules, vessels and sebaceous glands. Most of small skin neoplasmatic lesions were hypoechogenic and homogeneous on examination. Extensive lesions were multicomponent with normo-, hypo- and anechogenic structures. The assessment of lesion's boarders allows sometimes to conclude the invasiveness of the lesion. Areas of skin with clinically visible atrophy showed diffuse increasing of echogenicity. In early lesions, without accomplished fibrosis, diffuse decreasing of echogenicity can be observed, that is probably caused by inflammatory infiltration. In comparison to the healthy skin, the ultrasound scan of sclerotic skin shows a wide entry echo and highly reflective, thicker dermis as a result of the collagen fibers accumulation. CONCLUSIONS: Above data suggest that ultrasonographic examination may be a valuable dermatologic diagnostic tool that completes classical dermatologic diagnostics and helps to plan the treatment.

Ovarian Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells-Cellular and Molecular Characteristics, Signaling Pathways, and Usefulness as a Diagnostic Tool in Medicine and Oncology.

Despite the increasing development of medicine, ovarian cancer is still a high-risk, metastatic disease that is often diagnosed at a late stage. In addition, difficulties in its treatment are associated with high resistance to chemotherapy and frequent relapse. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), recently attracting significant scientific interest, are considered to be responsible for the malignant features of tumors. CSCs, as the driving force behind tumor development, generate new cells by modifying different signaling pathways. Moreover, investigations on different types of tumors have shown that signaling pathways are key to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulation, metastasis, and self-renewal of CSCs. Based on these established issues, new therapies are being investigated based on the use of inhibitors to block CSC growth and proliferation signals. Many reports indicate that CSC markers play a key role in cancer metastasis, with hopes placed in their targeting to block this process and eliminate relapses. Current histological classification of ovarian tumors, their epidemiology, and the most recent knowledge of ovarian CSCs, with particular emphasis on their molecular background, are important aspects for consideration. Furthermore, the importance of signaling pathways involved in tumor growth, development, and metastasis, is also presented.

Safety of ultrasonic examinations; thermal and mechanical indices.

This review article combines the reports on the biophysical effects in ultrasonography and provides the rationale behind the mechanical index (MI) and thermal index (TI) complying with the Output Display Standard (ODS). Safe ultrasonic doses are determined according to specific rules, and the screen displays the associated quantities MI and TI. The introduced indices MI and TI take into account the physical mechanism of interaction between ultrasounds and biological tissue, which depends on the temporal and spatial parameters of the acoustic field generated by ultrasound transducers. The predicted temperature increase is determined using three different tissue models: homogeneous, layered and bone/tissue interface.

DOES FLOW-MEDIATED DILATION NORMALIZATION FOR BASE-SCALED SHEAR RATE IMPROVE ITS VALUE IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE DIAGNOSTICS?

The article presents a new normalization of flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the radial artery, taking into account the parameter BSSR being equal to the ratio of the basal shear rate (BS) measured before the cuff inflation and post occlusive shear rate (SR). The in vivo usefulness of the new normalization algorithm was evaluated in two groups of patients. In group I, comprising 15 healthy volunteers, the normalized FMD/SR was (3.19 ± 1.4)•10-4, while in group II, comprising 13 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), it was (1.02 ± 0.76)•10-4. We calculated almost 50% larger difference between the average values after normalizing FMD/BSSR. Specifically, the FMD/BSSR was equal to 28 ± 9.40 in group I and 6.01 ± 3.74 in group II. The prediction of CAD patients based on FMD/SR values had a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 84.6%, whereas the prediction of CAD patients based on the FMD/BSSR values revealed 100% sensitivity and specificity. These results confirm the usefulness of the novel normalization algorithm of the FMD in differentiation of normal patients from those with stable CAD.

The Effect of 4'-hydroxy-3,4,5-trimetoxystilbene, the Metabolite of Resveratrol Analogue DMU-212, on Growth, Cell Cycle and Apoptosis in DLD-1 and LOVO Colon Cancer Cell Lines.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin that naturally occurs in grapes, blueberries, cranberries, peanuts and many other plants. Although resveratrol inhibits carcinogenesis in all three stages, its clinical application is restricted due to poor pharmacokinetics. The methylated analogues of resveratrol have been found to have higher bioavailability and cytotoxic activity than that of the prototupe compound. Among the various methoxy derivatives of resveratrol, 3,4,5,4'-tetrametoxystilbene (DMU-212) is suggested to be one of the strongest activators of cytotoxicity and apoptosis. DMU-212 has been shown to exert anti-tumor activity in DLD-1 and LOVO colon cancer cells. Since colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, the development of new anticancer agents is nowadays of high significance. The aim of the present study was to assess the anticancer activity of 4'-hydroxy-3,4,5-trimetoxystilbene (DMU-281), the metabolite of DMU-212, in DLD-1 and LOVO cell lines. We showed for the first time the cytotoxic activity of DMU-281 triggered via cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and apoptosis induction accompanied by the activation of caspases-9, -8, -3/7. Furthermore, DMU-281 has been found to change the expression pattern of genes and proteins related to intrinsic as well as extrinsic apoptosis. Since the activation of these pathways of apoptosis is still the most desired strategy in anticancer research, DMU-281 seems to provide a promising approach to the treatment of colon cancer.

Clinical value of colonoscopy and positron emission tomography with computed tomography for colorectal cancer diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Colonoscopy and PET / CT are among the major diagnostic tests for colorectal cancer. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of these studies are still being assessed differently. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of colonoscopy and PET / CT in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The medical records of 125 patients with colonoscopy and PET / CT in the years 2014-2015 were analyzed retrospectively. The research was done at the Professor Franciszek Lukaszczyk Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz. Based on the macroscopic description of colonoscopy, the results were divided into two groups: with and without probability of cancer. The average SUV value in PET / CT for colorectal cancer was calculated and without this diagnosis. The average value of SUV 14 and higher was considered probable, while 11 or less had no probability of cancer. Standardized mathematical formulas were used to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. RESULTS: More than half of the patients - 78 (62.4%) were males. The majority of patients -42 (36.6%) were aged 65-74. The majority (106) (68.8%) were diagnosed as polyps and 24 (15.6%) as tumor-like lesions. Polyps were placed in the rectum -32 (30.2%), in the sigmoid colon - 26 (24.5%) and 15 (13.2%) in the ascending colon. Tumors were located in the rectum - 11 (45.8%) and 4 (16.7%) in the recto-sigmoid junction. 38 (24.6%) adenocarcinomas and 67 (43.5%) adenomas were diagnosed. The detection rate of RJG was 32% in colonoscopy and PET / CT. The sensitivity of the colonoscopy was 80%, the specificity - 68.4% and the accuracy - 71.4%. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PET / CT were 65%, 75%, 4% and 72.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Colonoscopy has a higher sensitivity in colorectal cancer diagnosis, but specificity and accuracy are higher in PET / CT.

[Women health behaviours regarding prevention and early detection of precancerous lesions and cervical carcinoma]. / Zachowania zdrowotne kobiet w zakresie zapobiegania, wczesnego wykrywania stanów przedrakowych i raka szyjki macicy.

INTRODUCTION: In Poland, nearly 4000 women are diagnosed with it each year, with every second one of them dying. The primary prophylaxis includes: proper behaviour, avoidance of risk factors and vaccination against infections with of HPV. Secondary prophylaxis includes: screening and early detection and treatment of precancerous lesions. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of the following work was to assess women's health behaviours regarding prevention and early detection of precancerous lesions and cervical carcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 207 women at the age ranging from 21 to 81 (38,62 on average), were randomly chosen from women in the Przasnysz district. The women have been divided into two groups: those who were employed on various positions in hospital in Przasnysz (group A) and those who were in no way professionally involved in health service profession (group B). Research was performed using poll method and authorized questionnaire. RESULTS: Both groups did not differ from each other in socio-demographic sense. Women professionally connected with health service did not display a significantly better health behaviour. The connections between age, place of residence economic status, martial status, education level and healthy behavior have not been shown in this research. Few individual cases took part in screening and above 50% of women participated in educational programmes on prevention of cervical carcinoma development. CONCLUSION: To improve the situation in Poland, we should intensify educational activities and initiatives, especially with indication to health service employees as proponents of health behaviours.