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Introduction: Rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms (rNENs) are potentially metastatic lesions. False endoscopic diagnosis and subsequent treatment may lead to nonradical resection and metastases., Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of rNENs, investigate whether the lesion origin was suspected by endoscopists during examination and if those lesions were subsequently removed using the appropriate method, and assess the outcomes of patients after curative and noncurative resections., Patients and Methods: We analyzed the records of patients hospitalized in our department (2006-2019) with a diagnosis of rNENs. We included 40 patients with rNENs, evaluated their clinical characteristics, and investigated whether the neuroendocrine origin of the lesions was suspected on endoscopy. We compared the outcomes of patients treated with the proper method (endoscopic submucosal dissection / endoscopic mucosal resection [ESD / EMR]) and those treated with polypectomy., Results: Abnormalities appeared as typical, yellowish subepithelial lesions (n = 24), lesions resembling hyperplastic polyps (n = 12), or tumors with central depression (n = 4). The median size was 5.5 mm and most of them were G1 lesions (n = 36). Only 14 of them were suspected to be of neuroendocrine origin at the first endoscopic examination, and 12 were removed by ESD / EMR. The remaining tumors (n = 26) were removed using polypectomy. Most of the patients were disease‑free at follow‑up, but 2 patients after polypectomy and a single patient after nonradical ESD developed metastases., Conclusion: In most cases, the origin of the lesion was not suspected on colonoscopy and subsequently the tumor was removed using an inappropriate method. Endoscopists do not follow the guidelines when dealing with patients with rNENs and more emphasis should be placed on education on the management of rNENs.

Introduction: Gastric cancer (GC) belongs to a group of cancers linked to BRCA2 gene mutations and observed in patients with a family history of breast and ovarian cancers. A common variant allele (C5972T) observed in the BRCA2 gene in the Polish population is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer., Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess a relationship between the BRCA2 C5972T variant and GC., Patients and Methods: A total of 380 patients with GC (234 men and 146 women; mean age, 59.0 ±12.8 years) and 380 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals (234 men and 146 women; mean age, 59.0 ±12.9 years) were included in this retrospective study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragments length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to detect the BRCA2 C5972T variant. We compared the frequency of BRCA2 allele carriers among patients and controls. We also compared selected clinical and pathological features between allele carriers and noncarriers among patients with GC., Results: The BRCA2 C5972T variant was observed in 28 patients with GC (7.4%) and in 18 controls (4.7%) (P = 0.17). The odds ratio [OR] for GC in allele carriers was 1.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87-2.94). A comparison of selected clinical and pathological features between carriers and noncarriers did not show any significant differences. The analysis of a family history showed a trend for an increased risk of breast or ovarian cancer in the families of patients with GC carrying the C5972T allele (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 0.80-7.88, P = 0.11)., Conclusions: Our study showed that the C5972T allele is a low-penetrant variant of the BRCA2 gene, which tended to increase the risk of GC. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the role of BRCA2 polymorphisms in GC.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer belongs to carcinomas associated with poor prognosis and low survival rate. It has been highlighted that the cancer risk is linked to both environmental and genetic factors. Available studies allow to estimate that genetic factors play a role in 5-10% of patients with pancreatic cancer. Beside other carcinomas, pancreatic cancer occurs in hereditary neoplastic syndromes associated with gene mutations, including CDKN2A, CHEK2, BRCA2. It has also been suggested that BRCA1 mutation is involved given the fact that BRCA1 mutation carriers are at increased risk for pancreatic cancer. However, a role of this mutation is not fully understood., Objectives: The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between BRCA1 gene mutation and pancreatic cancer in Polish population., Patients and Methods: 88 pancreatic cancer patients (56 males and 35 females) and 3784 carriers of BRCA1 mutation from 1637 families were enrolled in the study. Almost 65% of pancreatic cancer patients were cigarette smokers. Genotyping for constitutive BRCA1 gene mutation was performed in all patients with pancreatic cancer. ASA-PCR and PCR-RFLP methods were used to detect BRCA1 (5382insC, C61G, 4153delA) mutations. The frequency of pancreatic cancer in families of BRCA1 mutation carriers was evaluated., Results: No carriers of BRCA1 mutation were identified in patients with pancreatic cancer. Only in 11 families (0.7%) with BRCA1 mutation carriers, pancreatic cancer was diagnosed., Conclusions: Our results suggest that there is no relationship between BRCA1 mutation and pancreatic cancer development in Polish population.