1891. New marker of angiogenesis CD105 (endoglin): diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic roleMateja Legan, 2005, review article Abstract: Background. The well established notion that malignant tumours depend on angiogenesis to grow and metastasize focused the investigators interest on tumour vasculature into visualization and validation. Panendothelial markers (CD31, CD34, F8) and CD105 are differentially expressed in angiogenic and normal vessel endothelial cells. Since the former are excellent markers for the normal vasculature, CD105 (endoglin) is more suitable for identifying tumour angiogenesis. Endoglin is a transforming growth factor (TGF)- beta binding receptor, preferentially expressed on endothelial cells of angiogenic tissues, essential for angiogenesis and vascular development. Conclusions. Tumor microvessel density expressed by CD105 immunohistochemical staining in paraffin-embedded tissue section correlates significantly with tumour aggressiveness and prognosis in many solid tumours. Also, targeting of tumour neovasculature specific antigens offers the possibility of future therapeutic approaches. Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 310; Downloads: 72
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1892. Small-bowel carcinoid presenting with acute bleeding detected upon wireless capsule endoscopyŽiva Mrevlje, Marko Sever, Borut Kocijančič, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: Background. Intestine carcinoid usually presents with clinical symptoms and signs deriving from its endocrinological influences and rarely bleeds profusely. Case report. We present a patient with intestinal bleeding of unknown origin. After conventional diagnostic procedures only wireless capsuleendosopy was able to discover a tumour of small bowel, which was the reason of bleeding. On patohistological examination after the surgical resection it proved to be a small bowel carcinoid. Conclusions. There are indications that WCE, besides being the first small bowel imaging technique, is a very important diagnostic tool, deserving consideration in the early phases of diagnosing small-bowel disease, especially in less intensive or occult bleeding. Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 320; Downloads: 71
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1893. Quantitative analysis of fine needle aspiration biopsy samplesMirjana Rajer, Marko Kmet, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: The fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is one of the methods used in tumour evaluation. Since a certain number of tumour cells are needed for a complete diagnostic algorithem, we wanted to test how many cells remain in the needle and syringe after routine stains have been made and which factors influence this number. The remaining cells are used in ancillary diagnostic procedures. Material and methods. One hundred fifty two FNAB samples of tumours of the breast, thyroid and lymph nodes were included in our study. We counted the cells which were left in the needle and the syringe after the standard smears had been made. Buerker-Tuerks chamber was used for this purpose. Results. The number of cells depended on the organ from which the cells had been aspirated,on the type of tumour and, in the case of breast cancer, also on thelevel of experience of the FNAB performer. The percentage of samples with too few cells for all modern diagnostic methods (<5x105) is lowest in FNAB of lymph nodes (4.9%), followed by breast (16.7%) and thyroid (18%). Conclusions.We concluded that FNAB in the majority of cases grants a sufficient number of cells for the standard microscopic evaluation and also ancillary diagnostic procedures. Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 319; Downloads: 60
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1894. Imaging of small amounts of pleural fluid. Part one - small pleural effusionsIgor Kocijančič, 2005, review article Abstract: Background. Small pleural effusions are not readily identified on conventionalradiographic views of the chest, but may be an important finding, sometimes leading, via thoracocentesis, to a definitive diagnosis of pleural carcinomatosis, infection or transudate. A small meniscus sign and a medial displacement of the costophrenic angle are the only subtle signs of small accumulations of fluid on posteroanterior chest X-rays. On lateral views the finding of a small meniscus sign in the posterior costophrenic angle is the sign of small pleural effusion. Conclusions. Lateral decubitus chest radiographs were used for many years for the diagnosis of small pleural effusions. In last decades ultrasonography of pleural space becomes a leading real-time method for demonstrating small pleural effusions. Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 337; Downloads: 83
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1895. Missing tissue compensation with wax filter compensators in radiotherapy of the head and neck regionDaša Grabec, Primož Strojan, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: Background. In the conventional radiotherapy of the head and neck region, the inhomogeneity of the absorbed dose in certain clinical situations can exceed ?5% of the nominal dose. Depending on the pattern of dose inhomogeneity, treatment related toxicity is more pronounced and disease control reduced. Theaim of our report is to present the wax filter compensation technique used in our department. Case report. A 46-year-old male with inoperable carcinoma of the oropharynx of clinical stage T3N2c was irradiated with 5 MV linear accelerator photon beams and conventional 3 field technique. In order to obtain more homogenous dose distribution in treated volume, the opposed lateral fields were modified using 2Dwax filter compensators. Results. Using conventional wedge filter compensation, the planed absorbed dose deviations inthe treated volume were in the range of 94% to 113% of the prescribed dose. By modification of the opposed lateral fields with 2D wax filter compensators,the variations of the absorbed dose were reduced to the range from 93% to 105% of the prescribed dose. In the article, the planning and manufacturing as well as dosimetric checking of wax filter compensators are described. Conclusions. With the use of 2D wax filter compensators, the inhomogeneity of absorbed dose distribution was significantly reduced, and thequality of treatment considerably improved. Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 354; Downloads: 106
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1896. Setup and its effect on safety margin in conformal radiotherapy of the prostateBorut Kragelj, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: Background. In radiotherapy, setup errors in positioning the patients influence the size of safety margin and thereby also the size of irradiation field and toxicity of radiotherapy. Methods. The setup errors were calculated by evaluating the deviations from the measured distance between the irradiation field margin and the bony pelvis. Results. The research was performed on 23 patients. With respect to lateral, craniocaudal and anteroposterior axis, the observed systemic error ranged from -5 to + 9 mm, -4to +5 mm, and from -4 to +4 mm, respectively, whereas the observed random error ranged from 0 to 7.5 mm, 0 to 3.6 mm, and from 0 to 4.2 mm, respectively. The safety margin, with the 90% probability to cover clinical target volume (CTV) and allowing for the prostate position variability, measured 9 mm, 9.5 mm, 7 mm, and 10 mm in the respective lateral, craniocaudal, anterior and dorsal direction. Conclusions. Irradiation of the prostate with a 7 mm dorsal safety margin, allowing for 90% coverage probability of CTV, was feasible in 22/23 patients on condition that the grosssystemic error (>3mm) was eliminated. Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 345; Downloads: 86
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1897. Rapid detection of most frequent Slovenian germ-line mutations in BRCA1 gene using real-time PCR and melting curve analysisSrdjan Novaković, Vida Stegel, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: Background. Detection of inherited mutations in cancer susceptibility genes isof great importance in some types of cancers including the colorectal cancer(mutations of APC gene in familial adenomatous polyposis -FAP, mutationsin mismatch repair genes in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer- HNPCC), malignant melanoma (mutations in CDKN2A and CDK4 genes) and breast cancer (mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes). Methods. This article presents the technical data for the detection of five mutations in BRCA1 gene in breast cancer patients and their relatives. The mutations - 1806C>T, 300T>G, 300T>A, 310G>A, 5382insC -were determined by the real-time PCR and themelting curve analysis. Results and conclusion. In comparison to direct sequencing, this method proved to be sensitive and rapid enough for the routine daily determination of mutations in DNA isolated from the peripheral blood. Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 351; Downloads: 82
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1898. Managing anemia with epoetin alfa in patients with rectal cancerVaneja Velenik, Irena Oblak, Veronika Kodre, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: Background. Anemia is one of the most challenging problems in clinical oncology due to its high prevalence among the patients with malignant diseases. The purposes of our study were: (1) to assess the potential of epoetin alfa therapy to prevent the decline in Hb concentrations that typically accompanies chemotherapy/radiotherapy (ChT/RT) of the patients with rectal cancer; (2) to test the hypothesis that the use of epoetin alfa significantly reduces the transfusion requirements in the patients with rectalcancer treated with ChT/RTafter surgery, and (3) to evaluate the safety profile of the administration of epoetin alfa in the clinical setting. Methods. Sixty patients who underwent surgery for rectal cancer were prospectively enrolled. Group A consisted of 39 patients with Hb concentrations <13 g/dl at the start of ChT/RT following surgery, and group B of 17 patients with Hb concentrations >13 g/dl at the start of ChT/RT following surgery, but whose Hb concentrations fell below 13 g/dl during the ChT/RT protocol. The starting dose of epoetin alfa in both proups was 10,000 IU subcutaneously (se) three times a week (tiw). The following major parameters were evaluated: (1) change in Hb concentrations relative to the baseline as measured at 4-week intervals, (2) allogenic blood transfusion requirements in relation to Hb concentrations, and (3) incidence and severity of adverse events and their potential relationship to epoetin alfa administration. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters) Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 287; Downloads: 83
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1899. Surgical treatment of malignant pleural mesotheliomaJanez Eržen, Stanko Vidmar, Mihael Sok, Andrej Debeljak, Peter Kecelj, Viljem Kovač, Marjeta Stanovnik, Tomaž Rott, Izidor Kern, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: Background. The aim of the study was to identify perioperative morbidity and mortality, the category and mode of adjuvant treatment, local recurrence and survival in patients treated by extrapleural pneumonectony (EPP) for malignantpleural mesothelioma (NLPM). Methods. From 2000 to 2003, 18 patients with MPM were referred to the Department of Thoracic Surgery in Ljubljana, and17 of them were operated on. Two patients underwent explorative thoracotomy, and 15 patients were evaluated. Five female and nine male patients (aged 52-68 years) were treated by EPP and one male patient by pleurectomy. Eight patients received both adjuvant chemotherapy (ChT) and radiotherapy (RT), with cisplatin 100 mg/m2 + mitomycin C 6-10 mg/m2 gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 and external beam radiation with 24 Gy - 58 Gy respectively, three patients received no adjuvant therapy, three patients weretreated by adjuvant ChT, two of them were given cisplatin 100 mg/m2 + mitomycin C 6-10 mg/m2, and one patient cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on the first day and gemcitabine 250 mg/rn2 in prolonged 6 hours infusion on the first and on the eighth day. One patient was treated only by adjuvant RT. Results. There were no perioperative deaths and the postoperative morbidity was 42%. Of the 15 evaluable patients, and in the median follow up of 40 months (28-64), we noticed nine (60.0%) recurrences, seven local and two abdominal. Eight (53.3%)patients died, all because of the local progress of disease. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters) Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 359; Downloads: 81
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1900. Characterization of lung cancer patients, their actual treatment and survival : experience of SloveniaLučka Debevec, Andrej Debeljak, Janez Eržen, Viljem Kovač, Izidor Kern, 2005, original scientific article Abstract: Background. The aim of the study was to establish characteristics of lung cancer patients diagnosed at the University Clinic of Respiratory and AllergicDiseases Golnik in 1996, their selected and realized therapy, and survival. Methods. The retrospective study comprises 345 patients aged from 37to 90 years (mean 65), 285 males and 60 females. Performance status (Karnofsky): > 80 in 171 patients, 60-80 in 130 and < 60 in 44 patients. Mirroscopically confirmed tumour in 97%: by bronchoscopy 281, transthoracic needle biopsy 23, peripheral lymph nodes biopsy 12, sputum cytology 7, pleural(effusion) cytology 4, distant metastases biopsy 2, mediastinoscopy 1, autopsy 4 patients. Histology and/or cytology: squamous 131, adenocarcinoma 86, large cell 63, small cell 51, non-small cell 1, unclassified 2. Clinical staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): stage I 63, stage ll 32, stage IIIA 48, stage IIIB 59, stage IV 77, undeterminable 2 patients. Staging in small cell lung cancer (SCLC): limited disease 24, extended disease 27 patients. Results. The selected primary oncological therapy was changed in 11%. Realized primary therapy: radiotherapy 102 (30%), surgery 77 (23%), chemotherapy 47 (14%), supportive treatment 111 (33%). In resected patients staging was correct in 46%, underestimated in 44%, overestimated in 10%. The overall five-year survival was 7.8% (median 6.2 months) and the five year survival of resected patients was 41.9% (median 33 months). The median survival of irradiated patients was 5.7 months, of supportively treated patients 2.5 months. The survival was significantly different according to theperformance status and stage. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters) Published in DiRROS: 14.02.2024; Views: 328; Downloads: 79
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