The aim of this study was to explore the red blood cell changes that occur during neoadjuvant dose-dense chemotherapy (NAC) of breast cancer. Also, we investigated the role of macrocytosis as a ...predictive biomarker for pathological complete response and disease-free survival (DFS) in these patients. A retrospective analysis of 82 breast cancer patients' data treated with anthracycline-cyclophosphamide-paclitaxel (AC-T) NAC in three oncology institutions in south Croatia from 2013 to 2020 was carried out. During chemotherapy mean corpuscular volume increased with time, with a median increase of 7.25 fl. Macrocytosis was induced in 38% of patients overall. Development of macrocytosis did not correlate with DFS hazard ratio = 0.525; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.074-3.768; P = 0.525. Higher percentage of patients in macrocytosis group achieved PCR, 39% vs. 29% in no macrocytosis group, but this difference was not statistically significant. The relevance of macrocytosis induction during dose-dense neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer should be further explored.
Onkologija predstavlja važan segment sveukupnoga hrvatskoga zdravstvenog sustava. Sama onkologija
jedna je od trenutačno najpropulzivnijih medicinskih struka te smo svakodnevno svjedoci ekspanzivnog ...rasta
novih modaliteta onkološkog liječenja. Ove činjenice nameću imperativ stvaranja onkološke mreže koja bi kao
zadatak imala standardiziranje onkološkog liječenja i osiguravanje dostupnosti novih modaliteta liječenja za sve
oboljele od zloćudnih bolesti, neovisno o njihovom mjestu boravka.¹ Hrvatska već ima prepoznate i definirane
regionalne onkološke centre u sklopu kliničkih bolničkih centara u Zagrebu, Rijeci, Osijeku i Splitu. Nasreću, u
Hrvatskoj postoji tradicija, stara nekoliko desetljeća, razvoja onkoloških centara u općim i županijskim bolnicama.
Poimence, to su neklinički onkološki centri u Županijskoj bolnici Čakovec, Općoj bolnici Dubrovnik, Općoj bolnici
Karlovac, Općoj bolnici Koprivnica, Općoj bolnici Pula, Općoj bolnici Slavonski Brod, Općoj bolnici Šibenik, Općoj
bolnici Varaždin i Općoj bolnici Zadar. Svrha ovoga istraživanja, provedenog u svim nekliničkim onkološkim
centrima
Hrvatske te korištenjem podataka Državnog zavoda za statistiku i Hrvatskog zavoda za zdravstveno osiguranje,
bila je uvidjeti kako je trenutno organizirana onkološka skrb u Republici Hrvatskoj i koja je uloga nekliničkih
onkoloških centara u liječenju bolesnika sa zloćudnim bolestima u Republici Hrvatskoj.
Svjetlostanični karcinom bubrežnih stanica najčešći je oblik raka bubrega. Klinički je uglavnom asimptomatski, a samo se kod manjeg postotka bolesnika očituje hematurijom, tupom boli i palpabilnom ...masom u trbuhu. Najčešće se otkrije slučajno tijekom radioloških pregleda zbog nekoga drugog razloga. Dijagnoza raka bubrega potvrđuje se patohistološkim nalazom nakon provedene dijagnostičke obrade. Odluka o liječenju donosi se temeljem kliničke procjene stadija bolesti i drugih čimbenika rizika. Ovisno o tome, mogućnosti liječenja uključuju kirurški zahvat, sustavnu terapiju malim molekulama, imunoterapiju, kemoterapiju u odabranih bolesnika te palijativnu radioterapiju. U tekstu koji slijedi predstavljene su kliničke upute radi standardizacije postupaka i kriterija postavljanja dijagnoze, liječenja i praćenja bolesnika s rakom bubrega u Republici Hrvatskoj.
Adenokarcinom prostate najčešća je zloćudna neoplazma u muškaraca u Republici Hrvatskoj. Klinički je često asimptomatski, a najčešće se otkriva na osnovi povišenih vrijednosti PSA u serumu. Odluka o ...liječenju
donosi se na temelju TNM-klasifikacije, gradusne skupine i vrijednosti PSA. Klinički lokalizirana bolest vrlo se uspješno liječi radikalnom prostatektomijom ili radikalnom radioterapijom s hormonskom terapijom ili bez nje. Klinički lokalno uznapredovala bolest najčešće se liječi združenom primjenom radikalne radioterapije i hormonske
terapije. Metastatska bolest godinama se može kontrolirati androgenom deprivacijom, a nakon razvoja kastracijski rezistentne bolesti opravdani su kemoterapija ili dodatni oblici hormonske terapije. U radu su prikazane kliničke upute radi ujednačenja postupaka i kriterija postavljanja dijagnoze, liječenja i praćenja bolesnika s rakom prostate u Republici Hrvatskoj.
The optimal duration of ixabepilone and capecitabine chemotherapy combination is currently not known and will most likely be patient-specific based on efficacy, toxicity, quality of life, and patient ...preference.
We report an extremely long duration of chemotherapy with ixabepilone and capecitabine (42 cycles) in a patient with triple-negative metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes. Partial remission was achieved, and acceptable toxicity was observed.
This report adds to the pool of knowledge regarding the use of this important new metastatic breast cancer regimen, especially with respect to the optimal duration of its use.
The maintenance of satisfactory quality of life is major concern in majority of patients who elect treatment for localized prostate cancer. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine sexual ...function after radical prostatectomy (RP) and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Study population consisted of series of 57 patients with early-stage adenocarcinoma of the prostate, treated in our institution in the period from January 2003 till December 2003. Thirty three patients underwent radical retropubical prostatectomy and 24 patients were treated by primary radical radiotherapy. Patients have been given the full international index of erectile function (IIEF) questionnaire two to four and six months after the treatment. Post treatment sexual function in patients treated by EBRT is significantly better than in patients treated by RP (48.5% vs. 21.57%, p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis reveals that satisfaction with erectile function, maintaining of sexual intercourse and possibility of ejaculation is better in patients treated by EBRT than in patients treated by RP (44.67% vs. 11.57%, p < 0.0001) as well as general satisfaction with quality of sexual life (48.5% in EBRT group vs. 21.57% in RP group, p < 0.0001). On the other hand, sexual desire remains the same in both groups of patients (63.75% in EBRT group vs. 60.61% in RP group, p = 0.71). Six months after surgical or radiotherapy treatment erectile function is almost as twice as worse in patients treated by surgery than in patients treated by radiotherapy.
Treatment of cancer-related anemia Badzek, Sasa; Curić, Zvonimir; Krajina, Zdenko ...
Collegium antropologicum,
06/2008, Volume:
32, Issue:
2
Journal Article, Book Review
Peer reviewed
Open access
Anemia with consequent tissue hypoxia is common problem in cancer patients. Developed via various patophysiological mechanisms, it has deleterious effect on quality of life and survival of patients ...with cancer. Recognition of symptoms and timely initiation of treatment improve patients' quality of life, as well as efficacy of oncological treatment. Red blood cells transfusions are well known and efficient way of anemia correction. They are "golden standard" in treatment of cancer-related anemia today, and are unavoidable in almost all patients with hemoglobin concentration below 80 g/L. Newest therapy guidelines in developed countries, supported by recent literature, encourage use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO), although detailed meta-analyses and prospective randomized clinical trials have shown that rHu-EPO decreases the need for transfusions in only 9-45% patients with cancer, only if they have mild anemia, rHu-EPO increases incidence of thromboembolic events, and suspicion arises that it supports tumor cells growth and multiplication. Therefore, it is necessary to define subgroups of patients which are best candidates for rHu-EPO therapy, to accomplish lower intensity of transfusion therapy.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly affected the oncology community worldwide. Lockdowns, an epidemiological measure, have made it difficult for oncologists to provide care. In ...this study, we analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Croatian cancer care.
This was a multicentre cross-sectional observational study of 422 patients who received systemic oncology therapy during the pandemic. The patients completed a survey to capture their views on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their cancer care. Univariate descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed to analyse the relationship between the patients' perspective on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care and the quality of Croatian cancer care and their clinical and sociodemographic data.
Discontinuation or change in cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic was observed in 10.2% of cases. Most did not change their place of treatment owing to the lockdown (97.6%). 14.7% of the patients felt that the quality of cancer care received had changed during the pandemic.
In the first few months of the pandemic, Croatia had a favourable epidemiological situation. However, 25% of patients with cancer reported that the pandemic affected cancer treatment and the quality of cancer care.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The maintenance of satisfactory quality of life is major concern in majority of patients who elect treatment for localized prostate cancer. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine sexual ...function after radical prostatectomy (RP) and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Study population consisted of series of 57 patients with early-stage adenocarcinoma of the prostate, treated in our institution in the period from January 2003 till December 2003. Thirty three patients underwent radical retropubical prostatectomy and 24 patients were treated by primary radical radiotherapy. Patients have been given the full international index of erectile function (IIEF) questionnaire two to four and six months after the treatment. Post treatment sexual function in patients treated by EBRT is significantly better than in patients treated by RP (48,5% vs. 21.57%, p<0,0001). Subgroup analysis reveals that satisfaction with erectile function, maintaining of sexual intercourse and possibility of ejaculation is better in patients treated by EBRT than in patients treated by RP (44.67% vs. 11.57%, p <0,0001) as well as general satisfaction with quality of sexual life (48.5% in EBRT group vs. 21.57% in RP group, p <0,0001). On the other hand, sexual desire remains the same in both groups of patients (63.75% in EBRT group vs. 60.61% in RP group, p = 0.71). Six months after surgical or radiotherapy treatment erectile function is almost as twice as worse in patients treated by surgery than in patients treated by radiotherapy.
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