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Purpose Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a pleiotropic peptide, which is involved in many biological mechanisms important in regulation of cell growth and survival. The aim of this study was a comprehensive analysis of the NPY system in prostate pathology. Methods The study was based on immunohistochemical analysis of NPY and its receptors, Y1R, Y2R and Y5R, in tissue samples from benign prostate (BP), primary prostate cancer (PCa) and PCa bone metastases. Tissue microarray (TMA) technique was employed, with analysis of multiple cores from each specimen. Intensity of the immunoreactivity and expression index (EI), as well as distribution of the immunostaining in neoplastic cells and stromal elements were evaluated. Perineural invasion (PNI) and extraprostatic extension (EPE) were areas of special interests. Moreover, a transwell migration assay on the LNCaP PCa cell line was used to assess the chemotactic properties of NPY. Results Morphological analysis revealed homogeneous membrane and cytoplasmic pattern of NPY staining in cancer cells and its membrane localization with apical accentuation in BP glands. All elements of the NPY system were upregulated in pre-invasive prostate intraepithelial neoplasia, PCa and metastases. EI and staining intensity of NPY receptors were significantly higher in PCa then in BP with correlation between Y2R and Y5R. The strength of expression of the NPY system was further increased in the PNI and EPE areas. In bone metastases, Y1R and Y5R presented high expression scores. Conclusion The results of our study suggest that the NPY system is involved in PCa, starting from early stages of its development to disseminated states of the disease, and participates in the invasion of PCa into the auto and paracrine matter.

Purpose: Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are one of the earliest putative preneoplastic and, in some cases, neoplastic lesions in human colons. Many studies have confirmed the reduction of ACFs and colorectal adenomas after treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). The objective was to compare the incidence of rectal ACFs and colorectal adenomas in a group of patients taking ASA. Methods: Colonoscopy, combined with rectal mucosa staining with 0.25% methylene blue, was performed on 131 patients. The number of rectal ACF in the colon was divided into three groups: ACF < 5; 5 < ACF < 10; and ACF > 10. Patients were divided into two groups: the "ASA" group - subjects taking ASA 75mg daily for ten years; and "No ASA" group - subjects not taking ASA chronically. The incidence of different types of rectal ACF and colorectal polyps in both groups of subjects was determined. Results: Normal ACF was found in 12.3 in the study group vs 87.7% control group, hyperplastic 22.4 vs 77.6%, dysplastic 25 vs 75%, mixed 0 vs 100%. Treatment with ASA affects the occurrence of colorectal adenomas. The amount of dysplastic ACFs was higher in the control group than in the study group. The increase in dysplastic ACFs decreases with age in both groups, with the increase greater in those not taking ASA. Conclusions: Patients who take persistent, chronic (>10 years) low doses of ASA have a lower total number of all types of rectal ACFs and adenomas compared to the control group.

Genomic instability is one of the hallmarks of cancer. The incidence of genetic alterations in homologous recombination repair genes increases during cancer progression, and 20% of prostate cancers (PCas) have defects in DNA repair genes. Several somatic and germline gene alterations drive prostate cancer tumorigenesis, and the most important of these are BRCA2, BRCA1, ATM and CHEK2. There is a group of BRCAness tumours that share phenotypic and genotypic properties with classical BRCA-mutated tumours. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) show synthetic lethality in cancer cells with impaired homologous recombination genes, and patients with these alterations are candidates for PARPi therapy. Androgen deprivation therapy is the mainstay of PCa therapy. PARPis decrease androgen signalling by interaction with molecular mechanisms of the androgen nuclear complex. The PROFOUND phase III trial, comparing olaparib with enzalutamide/abiraterone therapy, revealed increased radiological progression-free survival (rPFS) and overall survival (OS) among patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with BRCA1, BRCA2 or ATM mutations. The clinical efficacy of PARPis has been confirmed in ovarian, breast, pancreatic and recently also in a subset of PCa. There is growing evidence that molecular tumour boards are the future of the oncological therapeutic approach in prostate cancer. In this review, we summarise the data concerning the molecular mechanisms and preclinical and clinical data of PARPis in PCa.

Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for metastatic testicular cancers. The autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a salvage option for relapsed patients. The paper presents a case of a 20-year-old patient with stage IIIC non-seminoma treated with BEP chemotherapy and autologous transplantation of stem cells, which allowed to achieve durable remission.

Tissue is considered as a highly informative matrix in omics studies. Most commonly used tissues in metabolomics are fresh-frozen specimens. However, an alternative metabolomics matrix, up to now most often applies in immunohistochemistry or histopathology, is formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE). The main advantages of FFPE tissues over fresh-frozen ones are the possibility to be stored at ambient temperature which is a cost-effective method and, consequently, their higher availability in biobanks. The main aim of the study was to develop and optimize the preparation protocol for FFPE samples in metabolomics, using cancer tissue and corresponding control tissue sections. Several conditions were evaluated: type and volume of deparaffinization solvent, number of purification cycles, solvent used in purification step, extraction solvent, and thickness of FFPE samples. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). As a result, a sample preparation protocol of FFPE tissues for metabolomics was developed. Moreover, applicability of the proposed method was tested with the use of FFPE tissues obtained from prostate cancer patient and non-cancer controls.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary malignant liver cancer. The five-year overall survival (OS) in men diagnosed with HCC does not exceed 9%. Patients (pts) with advanced disease are treated with sorafenib (multikinase inhibitor). In randomised trials the OS advantage was within the range of three months for sorafenib. Stabilisation of disease was achieved in 71% of patients, and no case of CR was reported. We present a case of 60-year-old patient with locally advanced cT3aN0M0 (stage IIIA according to seventh TNM) bifocal HCC (12 × 10 cm and 10 × 8 cm). The diagnosis was confirmed by pathologic examination. Due to the clinical stage, palliative treatment with sorafenib was administered from January 2016 to February 2017. A clinical partial response (cPR) enabled surgery. In May 2017, left-sided liver bisegmentomy and resection of residual lesion in segment 6 were performed. The pathological report revealed ypCR. Subsequently, pathology verification changed the primary diagnosis to PR. In September 2017 thermoablation of lesion in segment 5 of the liver was performed. The increased AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) level at baseline was normalised during treatment. The sorafenib therapy was completed after one year. The patient remains in follow-up with no evidence of relapse. Treatment with sorafenib in the presented case enabled radical therapy, so the palliative treatment turned out to be an induction treatment. Clinical CR (especially pCR) in advanced non-operable solid tumours after systemic treatment is quite rare (3–15%), and even less common in HCC. So far, only a few cases of achievement of CR during sorafenib therapy in HCC have been described.

Recently developed COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce the risk of severe coronavirus disease, which is essential in the particularly vulnerable cancer patient population. There is a growing anti-vaccine concern that may affect the success of the fight against the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. To evaluate opinions and attitudes toward vaccination, we conducted an anonymous online survey among Polish patients diagnosed with cancer. We analyzed how socio-demographic factors, type of cancer, comorbidities, previous influenza vaccinations, and information sources affect the general willingness and opinions about vaccinations, emphasizing vaccination against COVID-19. Six hundred thirty-five patients (80.2% female) participated in the study. A positive attitude towards vaccination was presented by 73.7%, neutral by 17.8%, while negative by 8.5%. Willingness to get vaccinated was declared by 60.3%, 23.5% were unwilling, and 16.2% were undecided. Significant predictors of willingness were education, marital status, active anti-cancer treatment, previous influenza vaccination, and positive attitude towards vaccinations. Patients with cancer have concerns regarding safety, effectiveness, and the process of development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, patients with cancer present positive attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination but required sufficient information on its efficacy and side effects.

Background Life-threatening diseases have a negative impact on emotional well-being and psychosocial functioning. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the level of anxiety caused by a neoplasm and the threat of coronavirus infection among patients with cancer actively treated with systemic therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, we searched for clinical factors associated with a higher level of anxiety.Methods In this multicentre, prospective, non-interventional study conducted in Poland, we enrolled 306 actively treated patients with cancer and collected their clinical data, including age, gender, cancer type and treatment intention. The fear/anxiety of SARS-CoV-2 were rated in Fear of COVID-19 Scale (SRA-FCV-19S) and Numerical Anxiety Scale (SRA-NAS). The fear and anxiety associated with cancer (CRA) were rated with the NAS (CRA-NAS).Results The mean level of SRA-FCV-19S was 18.5±7.44, which was correlated with the SRA-NAS (r=0.741, p65 years (6.73±2.96 vs 5.66±3.24; p=0.007).Conclusions For an actively treated patient with cancer, cancer remains the main life-threatening disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for more attentive psychological care should be provided especially to female patients, patients with breast cancer, those under 65 years of age and treated with curative intention, as these factors are associated with a higher level of anxiety.

Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare neoplastic disease of the lymphatic system derived from mature B lymphocytes. It very commonly affects extranodal sites including the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract and Waldeyer’s ring, but skin involvement is seen extremely rarely. The disease often has a recurrent and aggressive course. The diagnosis is usually established late, at an advanced stage of the disease. We present the case of a patient with skin lesions developing as the first manifestation of a haematological disease. After the appearance of symptoms the patient had several medical consultations before the final diagnosis was made at a dermatology outpatient clinic. Only few cases of cutaneous manifestations of mantle cell lymphoma have been described.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm among women in Poland and in the European Union. According to most recent data of the Polish National Cancer Registry, in 2014 breast cancer was diagnosed in over 17,000 women. Based on the National Health Fund records, it is estimated that there are about 55,000–60,000 women in Poland who have a history of breast cancer diagnosis and are potentially at a risk of relapse. The most common sign of breast cancer is the presence of a nodule, however women also seek medical attention because of skin lesions. The aim of the study is to present diverse clinical manifestations of direct infiltrates and/or skin metastases of breast cancer. Attention is drawn to the importance of including breast cancer in the differential diagnosis of skin lesions.

Introduction Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a glycoprotein which can be elevated in some non-oncological conditions, and in few types of cancers being a diagnostic and monitoring biomarker. Kidney cancer can produce several substances, which have biological activity and even cause paraneoplastic syndromes. AFP elevation in course of renal cancer is extremely rarely encountered. Aim To present diagnostic difficulties in a case of a 43-year-old man with a kidney tumor. Case study Clinical and pathological case description. Results and discussion The patient initially presented with features of urogenital infection and lumbar pain. Performed diagnostics revealed at first epididymitis, then serum elevation of AFP, and finally renal tumor. Based on wide immunophenotyping, the tumor was histopathologically recognized as high grade clear cell renal cell carcinoma with AFP expression. Clinically the patient presented unexpected rapid cancer progression with parallel increase of above biomarker level, causing repeated exclusion assessment of germ cell tumor. Conclusions The diagnostics of kidney mass in our patient was interfered and complicated by concomitant genital infection and AFP serum elevation. Clinically found increased level of AFP requires extensive evaluation, including diagnostics of different tumors.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an essential role in the development and progression of neoplasms. TME consists of the extracellular matrix and numerous specialized cells interacting with cancer cells by paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. Tumor axonogenesis and neoneurogenesis constitute a developing area of investigation. Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common malignancies in men worldwide. During the past years, more and more studies have shown that mechanisms leading to the development of PC are not confined only to the epithelial cancer cell, but also involve the tumor stroma. Different nerve types and neurotransmitters present within the TME are thought to be important factors in PC biology. Moreover, perineural invasion, which is a common way of PC spreading, in parallel creates the neural niche for malignant cells. Cancer neurobiology seems to have become a new discipline to explore the contribution of neoplastic cell interactions with the nervous system and the neural TME component, also to search for potential therapeutic targets in malignant tumors such as PC.

Caspase-14 is a unique member of the caspase family—a family of molecules participating in apoptosis. However, it does not affect this process but regulates another form of programmed cell death—cornification, which is characteristic of the epidermis. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in the formation of the skin barrier. The cell death cycle has been a subject of interest for researchers for decades, so a lot of research has been done to expand the understanding of caspase-14, its role in cell homeostasis and processes affecting its expression and activation. Conversely, it is also an interesting target for clinical researchers searching for its role in the physiology of healthy individuals and its pathophysiology in particular diseases. A summary was done in 2008 by Denecker et al., concentrating mostly on the biotechnological aspects of the molecule and its physiological role. However, a lot of new data have been reported, and some more practical and clinical research has been conducted since then. The majority of studies tackled the issue of clinical data presenting the role of caspase in the etiopathology of many diseases such as retinal dysfunctions, multiple malignancies, and skin conditions. This review summarizes the available knowledge on the molecular and, more interestingly, the clinical aspects of caspase-14. It also presents how theoretical science may pave the way for medical research. Methods: The authors analyzed publications available on PubMed until 21 March 2021, using the search term “caspase 14”.

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer are associated with anxiety of death and cancer recurrence The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused fear and anxiety among cancer patients Incidence of severe and even fatal complications during SARS-CoV-2 infection is greater in the cancer patients, therefore recommendations of oncological therapy have changed The aim of the study was the anxiety level analysis among oncology patients during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in correlation with mental adjustment to cancer Methods: 306 patients, ≥18-years of age with histologically confirmed cancer and concurrently receiving systemic treatment were enrolled in 4 Oncological Centeres in Poland The most common types of cancer were breast cancer (n=84), colorectal cancer (n=55) and melanoma (n=25) The level of cancer- related anxiety (CRA) and SARS-CoV-2-related anxiety (SRA) was measured in numerical (0-10 points) scale and validated Fear of COVID-19 Scale The degree of adaptation to cancer was evaluated with the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale (Mini-MAC) The study was performed on May 11-15th, 2020 Non-parametric tests and Spearman correlations were used for statistical analyses Descriptive statistics are presented as median and interquartile range The study was approved by the ethics committee Results: The median of CRA (6;5-10) was higher than SRA anxiety (5;3-8;p=0 025) The level of CRA significantly correlated with coronavirus anxiety (r=0,531;p=0,01) The numerical and Fear of the COVID-19 scales were highly comparable (r=0 741;p

This study presents a unique series of malignant supratentorial gliomas in children previously cured from non-CNS primary cancer. On neuroimaging these tumors were not specific, so the patients were suspected of cerebral recurrence of their primary neoplasm: leukemia in four children and sarcoma in one child. Histologically, the group contained four glioblastomas and one anaplastic astrocytoma. Three patients underwent neurosurgical resection, while the other two underwent stereotactic diagnostic biopsy only. Despite combined oncological treatment, four children died during 20 months, and only one glioblastoma patient continued to live for another twelve years. Microscopically, the neoplasms consisted of small cells with some morphologic features of astrocytic lineage, having scanty or prominent processes. Microvascular proliferation and focal or diffuse necrosis were encountered in four cases. The GFAP reactivity in neoplastic cells was low or nil, together with the expression of Olig2, vimentin, and nestin. In two cases a subpopulation of synaptophysin-positive cells was present. Molecular immunohistochemical profiling revealed the expression of phosphorylated forms of PI3Kp110 and AKT, in parallel to a strong PTEN and p53 positivity. The tumors were of IDH1R132H-wild type and immunoreactive for ATRX, HER3, and EGFR. Secondary malignant gliomas in pediatric cancer survivors pose a diagnostic challenge. The present study shows that these tumors are of IDH wild type, PI3K/AKT-activated, having no PTEN and EGFR mutations. Therefore, the biopsy of brain tumors in such patients is crucial both for accurate diagnosis and material preservation for molecular typing.