Although breast cancer (BC) occurs more often in older women, it is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in women of childbearing age. Owing to the overall advancement of modern medicine and the ...growing global trend of delaying childbirth until later age, we find ever more younger women diagnosed and treated for BC who have not yet completed their family. Therefore, fertility preservation has emerged as a very important quality of life issue for young BC survivors. This paper reviews currently available options for fertility preservation in young women with early-stage BC and highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to fertility preservation as a very important quality of life issue for young BC survivors. Pregnancy after BC treatment is considered not to be associated with an increased risk of BC recurrence; therefore, it should not be discouraged for those women who want to achieve pregnancy after oncologic treatment. Currently, it is recommended to delay pregnancy for at least 2 years after BC diagnosis, when the risk of recurrence is highest. However, BC patients of reproductive age should be informed about the potential negative effects of oncologic therapy on fertility, as well as on the fertility preservation options available, and if interested in fertility preservation, they should be promptly referred to a reproductive specialist. Early referral to a reproductive specialist is an important factor that increases the likelihood of successful fertility preservation. Embryo and mature oocyte cryopreservation are currently the only established fertility preservation methods but they require ovarian stimulation (OS), which delays initiation of chemotherapy for at least 2 weeks. Controlled OS does not seem to increase the risk of BC recurrence. Other fertility preservation methods (ovarian tissue cryopreservation, cryopreservation of immature oocytes and ovarian suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists) do not require OS but are still considered to be experimental techniques for fertility preservation.
Various oncological and non-oncological diseases, as well as their treatments, can cause premature ovarian insufficiency and reduce a woman's reproductive potential. Fertility preservation is, ...therefore, becoming an emerging field of reproductive medicine allowing these patients to have their own biological children. The aim of this review is to analyze the importance of ovarian tissue cryopreservation as a fertility preservation method as well as its new role as a hormone replacement treatment. Although ovarian tissue cryopreservation is currently regarded as an experimental procedure, it is rapidly advancing and may become an established fertility preservation method in the near future. This method does not require ovarian stimulation or a subsequent delay in the initiation of cancer treatment. Furthermore, orthotopic ovarian tissue transplantation offers the unique opportunity of spontaneous conception. Due to the restoration of endocrine function following the procedure, ovarian tissue cryopreservation may also be used as tissue hormone replacement therapy in cases of premature ovarian insufficiency, to postpone menopause and prevent its troublesome symptoms and diseases. Even though the role of ovarian tissue cryopreservation as a new anti-aging treatment modality is quite promising, the safety and efficacy of this approach should be investigated in clinical settings.
Liječenje mladih žena s rakom dojke je složeno i ima nekoliko posebnosti, jedna od kojih je očuvanje plodnosti, vrlo bitan čimbenik kvalitete života mladih žena koje su preboljele rak dojke. ...Kemoterapija može štetno utjecati na jajnike i značajno smanjiti reprodukcijski potencijal žene i uzrokovati prijevremenu ovarijsku insuficijenciju, dok endokrina terapija zahtijeva odgodu trudnoće i tako posredno utječe na plodnost. Stoga bi svaka žena, kojoj je rak dojke dijagnosticiran u reprodukcijskoj dobi, trebala biti informirana o mogućem gonadotoksičnom učinku antineoplastičke terapije, riziku prijevremene
ovarijske insuficijencije i povezanim simptomima, dostupnim metodama očuvanja plodnosti, odgodi sustavne antineoplastičke terapije, kao i o mogućnostima ostvarenja trudnoće nakon provedenog liječenja. Ukoliko je bolesnica s rakom dojke zainteresirana za očuvanje plodnosti, treba je što ranije uputiti subspecijalistu humane reprodukcije, koji će joj dodatno objasniti rizike za neplodnost i dostupne metode očuvanja plodnosti. Krioprezervacija embrija i oocita su trenutno jedine etablirane metode očuvanja plodnosti, dok se krioprezervacija tkiva jajnika, krioprezervacija nezrelih oocita i ovarijska supresija još uvijek smatraju eksperimentalnima.
Cilj ovoga preglednog rada je istaknuti važnost očuvanja plodnosti kao bitnog čimbenika kvalitete života mladih žena koje su preboljele rak dojke.
Premda se karcinom dojke češće javlja u starijoj životnoj dobi, to je i najučestaliji malignitet u žena reproduktivne dobi. Zbog sveukupnog napretka moderne medicine i rastućeg globalnog trenda ...odgađanja rađanja djece za kasniju dob suočavamo se sa sve više mladih žena s dijagnosticiranim i liječenim karcinomom dojke koje još nisu kompletirale obitelj. Stoga je područje očuvanja plodnosti postalo jako bitno u očuvanju kvalitete života mladih žena koje su preboljele karcinom dojke. Ovaj rad iznosi trenutno dostupne metode za očuvanje plodnosti u mladih žena s ranim karcinomom dojke i ističe važnost
multidisciplinarnog pristupa u očuvanju plodnosti kao bitnog čimbenika kvalitete života tih žena. Smatra se da trudnoća nakon karcinoma dojke nije povezana s povišenim rizikom od recidiva pa stoga ne treba obeshrabriti žene koje žele ostvariti trudnoću nakon provedenog onkološkog liječenja. Danas se preporuča pričekati s trudnoćom barem 2 godine nakon postavljene dijagnoze za vrijeme kada je rizik od povrata bolesti najveći. No, isto tako bi bolesnice reproduktivne dobi trebalo obavijestiti o mogućem negativnom učinku onkološke terapije na plodnost te o dostupnim metodama očuvanja plodnosti i u slučaju zainteresiranosti za očuvanje plodnosti bolesnice treba žurno uputiti reproduktivnom specijalistu. Rano upućivanje reproduktivnom specijalistu je bitan čimbenik koji povećava izglede za uspješno očuvanje plodnosti. Krioprezervacija embrija i zrelih oocita su trenutno jedine standardne metode očuvanja plodnosti koje zahtijevaju stimulaciju ovarija kojom se odgađa početak kemoterapijskog liječenja barem 2 tjedna. Smatra se da kontrolirana stimulacija ovarija ne povećava rizik od povrata karcinoma dojke. Druge metode očuvanja plodnosti (krioprezervacija tkiva jajnika, krioprezervacija nezrelih oocita,
ovarijska supresija GnRH agonistima) ne zahtijevaju primjenu ovarijske stimulacije, ali se i dalje smatraju eksperimentalnim metodama za očuvanje plodnosti.
Introduction. Recent molecular research regards Lp(a) as the “third cholesterol” which should be treated in the same way like the total and LDL-cholesterol in reduction of total cardiovascular risk. ...Although early data on the relationship between elevated blood homocysteine concentrations and CAD and stroke have been somewhat inconsistent, hyperhomocystinemia has been suggested as an indicator of an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In light of this, our study objective was to provide answers to the following questions: 1. Is serum Lp(a) concentration a risk factor for coronary artery disease in Croatian population; 2. What are the frequencies of various apo(a) isoforms in elevated serum Lp(a) concentrations; 3. Is there a relation between elevated serum homocysteine and Lp(a) concentration; 4. Investigate the relation of Lp(a) to other lipid disorders and other cardiovascular risk factors.
Methods. This study was performed in Dubrava University Hospital in Zagreb, Croatia. 87 patients participated with no known preliminary coronary or peripheral vascular disease. The patient groups were stratified according to increased and normal Lp(a) levels measured from serum. Extensive medical history was obtained, blood biochemistry was evaluated and all patients underwent exercise stress testing.
Results. In the group with increased concentration of Lp(a) in serum (> 0.30 g/L) there were 53 patients (average age 55 years, 32 males and 21 females), and normal concentration of Lp(a) in serum (< 0.30 g/L) was found in 34 patients (average age 52 years, 20 males and 14 females). The patients with increased Lp(a) levels were significantly older than the patients with normal Lp(a) levels (p = 0.020). The average concentration of Lp(a) in patients with negative exercise stress testing results was 0.38g/L, and in those with positive exercise stress testing results it was 0.51 g/L, with this difference among groups being significant (p = 0.049). The correlation of homocysteine and Lp(a) levels was statistically significant (r = 0.57, p < 0.01). Frequencies of phenotype Lp(a) were determined with the predominance of S4 phenotype (in 34 patients, 39.10%).
Conclusions. Lp(a) concentration is a statistically significant risk factor for coronary artery disease. Homocysteine and Lp(a) seem to interact to increase the risk of CAD. No significant association was observed between Lp(a) levels and conventional risk factors for CAD.
Background
Intracranial arachnoid cysts are collections of cerebrospinal fluid within the arachnoid membrane and subarachnoid space of the cisterns and major cerebral fissures that account for about ...1% of all intracranial lesions. Expansion of the cyst and compression on surrounding structures may became symptomatic, which reflects its size and anatomic distribution.
Case presentation
Here, we present a very rare case of patient with supratentorial intraparenchymal arachnoid cyst placed in the left frontal lobe without any communication with the subarachnoid space and ventricle and presented with clinical symptoms. The patient underwent fenestration of the lesion and was clinically improved.
Conclusions
Although the etiology and the enlargement mechanism of arachnoid cysts remain unclear, both conservative and surgical treatments are optional. According to size, anatomical location, neuroimaging, and clinical symptoms, an arachnoid cyst should be included in the differential diagnosis of primary intracerebral cysts.
Peptic ulcer is a chronic disease affecting up to 10% of the world's population. The formation of peptic ulcers depends on the presence of gastric juice pH and the decrease in mucosal defenses. ...Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and
infection are the two major factors disrupting the mucosal resistance to injury. Conventional treatments of peptic ulcers, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonists, have demonstrated adverse effects, relapses, and various drug interactions. On the other hand, medicinal plants and their chemical compounds are useful in the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases. Hence, this review presents common medicinal plants that may be used for the treatment or prevention of peptic ulcers.
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