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Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women. The results of breast cancer treatment to a large extent depend on the time of the primary diagnosis of the disease.The aim of this study was to determine the most common causes of the delay and the delay time in the diagnosis of breast cancer in Polish women.The study was performed using a diagnostic survey and analysis of medical documentation from the Subcarpathian Regional Oncology Center, Poland. A total of 231 patients with diagnosed breast cancer were recruited to the study.Delays in diagnosing of breast cancer were found in 83.1% of all the patients. The average time from the first symptom observation by a woman to the first medical consultation was on average 61.7 days. The most common cause of the delay in medical consultation in the examined group was a fear of diagnosing cancer (31.2%).The examined women require permanent health education in the field of breast cancer and the importance of early diagnosis of the disease for the effectiveness of treatment and prognosis.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Due to the large number of women living with breast cancer and the increasing incidence of this cancer, it is very important to understand the factors determining the quality of life (QOL) of patients. The aim of the study. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of time to initiation of treatment on the quality of life of women with breast cancer. Materials and methods. The study involved 324 women with breast cancer, treated at the Podkarpackie Oncology Centre in Brzoz&oacute, w, Poland. The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey, using a standardised questionnaire to measure the quality of life of women treated for breast cancer, i.e., the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-BR23 module, as well as a proprietary survey questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 10.0 software (StatSoft Inc., 2011). A p value of &lt, 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The examined women had a reduced overall quality of life and health (M = 53.88). The quality of life was higher in women who consulted a doctor the earliest after noticing initial symptoms of the disease, i.e., up to one week (M = 57.58), compared to patients who delayed the decision (over four weeks, M = 47.8) (p = 0.002). The quality of life was also considered higher by women who received treatment within two weeks of diagnosis (M = 56.79) and was lower for patients who waited for treatment for more than two months (M = 43.68). Statistically significant relationships were demonstrated for functional scales and disease intensity. Conclusions: Women diagnosed with breast cancer had a considerably lower overall quality of life. A relatively higher quality of life was experienced by patients who consulted a doctor the earliest after discovering symptoms of the disease and those whose waiting time for treatment was shorter. In a systematic manner, the individual stages of diagnosis should be maximally reduced and breast cancer treatment initiated without delay.

Introduction: In the light of the increased ageing of the world population, social policy needs to be focused on actions aimed at improving the quality of life of older people. Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the quality of life in a population of seniors hospitalized due to cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods: The study included 408 elderly patients hospitalized for cardiovascular diseases in the Poddębickie Centrum Zdrowia Hospital in Poddębice, Ł&oacute, dzkie voivodship, Poland. The study used two survey questionnaires: the author&rsquo, s survey questionnaire and the standardized SF36v2 Questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the obtained test results was carried out in the R program, version 3.5.1. Results: Having analyzed the health status of the study group, it was found that the largest group of subjects (84.07%) were treated due to hypertension. Among the ailments that hindered daily functioning, the respondents indicated primarily poor eyesight (53.68%). Patients assessed their own health as &lsquo, mediocre&rsquo, (average) (58.58%). The analysis of the study results from the SF36v2 Questionnaire showed that the highest quality of life was in the limited activity due to emotional problems (RE) dimension, social functioning (SF), and physical functioning (PF), the weakest scores were observed in vitality (VT), general health perception (GH), and health transition (HT) dimensions. Conclusions: The significant demographic, social and socio-medical factors that determined respondents&rsquo, quality of life were: age, gender, marital status, education and health situation. The analysis of quality of life according to the SF36v2 Questionnaire showed that the study group functioned better in the mental dimension (MCS&mdash, mental component summary, overall mental health) than in the physical one (PCS&mdash, physical component summary, total physical health).

Introduction In women diagnosed with breast cancer one of the methods most commonly applied in therapy is surgical treatment, which consists in a breast conserving surgery or total removal of the breast. The applied type of surgical treatment may exert an effect on the satisfaction with life of the women. Objective The aim of the study was evaluation of the satisfaction with life among women surgically treated for breast cancer, according to the type of surgery on the breast, and the time elapsed since its performance. Material and methods The study included 121 patients of the Sub-Carpathian Oncology Centre in Brzozów, south-east Poland, who had undergone surgical treatment due to breast cancer. The women expressed their informed consent to participate in the study. The method of a diagnostic survey was applied. Results The women obtained a mediocre result in satisfaction with life – 5.64 sten scores. Patients who had undergone mastectomy had a considerably lower level of satisfaction with life, compared to those after breast-conserving surgery (4.73 sten scores vs. 6.30 sten scores). Evaluations of the satisfaction with life in the examined group significantly differed according to the time elapsed since performance of surgery. Conclusions There is a need for undertaking actions directed to women who have undergone surgical treatment for breast cancer within the period from 2–5 years, aimed at improving the satisfaction with life in this group of patients. In addition, special support should be provided for women who have undergone mastectomy, especially during the period of more than 1 and up to 2 years.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was evaluation of satisfaction with life among women ill with breast cancer, with consideration of selected demographic and social factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS In the study participated 121 patients from the Sub-Carpathian Oncology Centre in Brzozow, Poland, who had undergone surgical treatment due to breast cancer. The method of a diagnostic survey was used. The research instruments were an author-constructed questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS Women who received surgical treatment due to breast cancer evaluated their satisfaction with life on a mediocre level. Younger patients had a lower satisfaction with life than those who were older. Women living in urban areas evaluated their satisfaction with life in more positive terms than rural women. In turn, education level, marital status and material standard had no effect on the level of satisfaction with life among the women in the study. CONCLUSIONS According to the SWLS, women with the diagnosis of breast cancer obtained a mean result of 5.64 sten scores Younger women evaluated their satisfaction with life in more positive terms than those who were older. Women who lived in urban areas obtained a considerably higher result according to the SWLS, compared to rural inhabitants. Marital status, education level, material standard and occupational activity of the women were insignificant in the respondents' evaluation of satisfaction with life.

Chromium is an essential microelement in the human body. It exerts an effect on bones by modulating their biochemical parameters: alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). With considerable accumulation of chromium in the skeleton, the activity of alkaline phosphatase was found to decrease, which affected bone formation rate. The study objective was to analyze chromium content in the knee tissues. Tissues for analysis were obtained during endoprosthesoplasty of the knee joint and included tibia, femur, and meniscus tissues. Samples were collected from 50 patients, including 36 women and 14 men. The analysis was performed using the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) method, by means of a Varian 710-ES apparatus. The results revealed no significant differences in the content of chromium in the knee joint tissues between women and men. The highest level of chromium was found in the femoral bone of the knee joint, then in the meniscus, and was lowest in the tibia, although the differences were statistically insignificant. Chromium content increased with age.

Introduction Since little has been known about the effect of the central noradrenergic system on the reactivity of serotonin 5-HT 3 receptors, the aim of the current study was to find out whether this reactivity could be altered by chemical damage to the system in adult rats in early developmental stage. Materials and methods Adult male Wistar rats with central noradrenergic lesion induced by DSP-4 on day 1 and 3 of life were injected with analgesic model substance – morphine, serotoninergic 5-HT 3 receptor agonist (1-phenylbiguanide, PBG), 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist (ondansetron) or both compounds jointly followed by decarboxylase inhibitor of aromatic amino acids (NSD-1050). After 30 min following NSD-1050 injection, the animals were decapitated using a guillotine. Chosen cerebral structures were dissected, and the contents of 5-hydroxytryptofan (5-HTP) and l -dihydroxyphenylalanine ( l -DOPA) were determined using high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC/ED). Results Neither PBG nor morphine affected l -DOPA contents in the hippocampus in control rats; however, DSP-4 lesion caused a significant decrease in the synthesis rate of DA in this structure. Hippocampal contents of 5-HTP increased after morphine or PBG administration, and central noradrenergic lesion attenuated this effect. Morphine or PBG decreased cerebellar DA synthesis rate in control rats and DSP-4 lesion did not modify it. Cerebellar levels of 5-HTP increased after morphine or PBG challenge in control rats. DSP-4 lesion intensified the effect of morphine and attenuated that of PBG. Ondansetron abolished the effects mediated by PBG. We did not observe any impact of PBG or ondansetron on DA and 5-HT synthesis in the striatum. Conclusion Damage to the central noradrenergic system in rat newborns, through altered reactivity of central 5-HT 3 receptors, results in permanent disorders in serotoninergic transmission in hippocampus and cerebellum as well as dopaminergic transmission in hippocampus, which may attenuate the activity of the descending pathways that derive from these structures.

Many elements are responsible for the balance in bone tissue, including those which constitute a substantial proportion of bone mass, i.e., calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, as well as minor elements such as strontium. In addition, toxic elements acquired via occupational and environmental exposure, e.g., Pb, are included in the basic bone tissue composition. The study objective was to determine the content of strontium, lead, calcium, phosphorus, sodium and magnesium in chosen components of the knee joint, i.e., tibia, femur and meniscus. The levels of Sr, Pb, Ca, P, Na and Mg were the highest in the tibia in both men and women, whereas the lowest in the meniscus. It should be noted that the levels of these elements were by far higher in the tibia and femur as compared to the meniscus. In the components of the knee joint, the level of strontium showed the greatest variation. Significant statistical differences were found between men and women only in the content of lead.

Background: Some aspects of the pathophysiology of complications in multiple-trauma patients still remain unclear. Mediators of inflammation have been postulated as playing a key role in being responsible for life threatening complications of multiple trauma patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of procalcitonin (PCT) level in multiple trauma patients. Methods: A prospective study took place including patients with multiple trauma hospitalised in several hospital units. PCT level was measured in blood from 45 patients, aged 18–70 years using enzyme-linked immunoassay. The patients were divided into three groups: group I — individuals with multiple trauma with central nervous system injury; group II — those with multiple trauma without CNS injury; and group III — patients with isolated central nervous system injury. Results: Initial PCT levels were below 0.5 ng mL -1 regardless of the cause of trauma. In the 24 th hour of observation, a statistically significant increase of PCT concentration vs. initial levels was recorded in all groups of patients. Then PCT levels decreased significantly at the 3 rd measurement point in all groups, and they remained unchanged until the last measurement. The highest levels of PCT were observed in multiple trauma patients without CNS injury (group II). In this group of patients, a significantly longer duration of surgery in the post-trauma period affected PCT levels. PCT concentrations in patients who died were significantly greater than in survivors. Conclusions: A long lasting elevated concentration of procalcitonin in the post-traumatic period, or its repeated increase, is a good marker of developing complications observed earlier than clinical manifestations.

Osteoarthritis causes the degradation of the articular cartilage and periarticular bones. Trace elements influence the growth, development and condition of the bone tissue. Changes to the mineral composition of the bone tissue can cause degenerative changes and fractures. The aim of the research was to determine the content of cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in the tibia, the femur and the meniscus in men and women who underwent a knee replacement surgery. Samples were collected from 50 patients, including 36 women and 14 men. The determination of trace elements content were performed by ICP-AES method, using Varian 710-ES. Average concentration in the tissues of the knee joint teeth amounted for cadmium 0.015, nickel 0.60, copper 0.89 and zinc 80.81 mg/kg wet weight. There were statistically significant differences in the content of cadmium, copper and zinc in different parts of the knee joint. There were no statistically significant differences in the content of cadmium, nickel, copper and zinc in women and men in the examined parts of the knee joint. Among the elements tested, copper and nickel showed a high content in the connective tissue (the meniscus) compared to the bone tissue (the tibia and the femur).