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Endometriosis is a benign disease but with malignant behavior, sharing numerous features with cancers. Endometriosis is the development of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, with the presence of both glands and stroma. Approximately 10% of women of reproductive age suffer from endometriosis; it involves high social costs and affects the patient's quality of life. In this review, we attempt to capture the pathogenesis mechanisms that are common to endometriosis and cancer based on molecular biology, focusing more on the principle of immunological changes and stemness. Clinical applicability will consist of targeted treatments that represent future directions in these diseases, which impose a burden on the healthcare system. Unlike endometriosis, cancer is a disease with fatal evolution, with conventional treatment based on chemo/radiotherapy. Here, we focus on the niche of personalized treatments that target molecular pathways. Our findings show that, in both pathologies, the resistance to treatments is due to the stemness of the stem cells, which might play a role in the appearance and evolution of both diseases. More research is needed before we can draw firm conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nocardia is an emerging bacterial disease that often affects patients with compromised immune systems. As the number of patients undergoing solid organ transplants continues to rise, and as more cancer survivors are treated with long-term immune-modifying agents, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive medications, organisms that typically pose no harm are becoming a public health concern. Carbapenems are usually a second-line therapy in the setting of Nocardia infections. We present the case of a patient who had an immunocompromised status and was diagnosed with Nocardia farcinica, which showed in vitro resistance to carbapenems. The symptoms were non-specific and had a common presentation with headache, fatigue, and a nonresponsive cough to usual cough drugs, although the infection was disseminated and had severe CNS and ocular involvement. The clinical course worsened when the carbapenem was withdrawn and markedly improved when it was re-administered, although the initial antibiogram showed resistance to carbapenems. Despite the observed in vitro resistance in the laboratory, the re-administration of carbapenems was beneficial, as both inflammatory markers and clinical status showed improvement. This was based on clinical judgment, which carefully evaluated the associated risks and benefits. Also, this raises the question of potential risks to develop real resistance to carbapenems of some Nocardia species, which could pose a significant challenge to healthcare. It could become a serious healthcare problem in the future and should prompt active environmental testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, is characterized by its aggressive nature and poor prognosis. As traditional chemotherapy has the disadvantage of non-specificity, nanomedicine offers innovative approaches for targeted therapy, particularly through the development of nanoparticles that can deliver therapeutic agents directly to cancer cells, minimizing systemic toxicity and enhancing treatment efficacy. VEGF and VEGFR are shown to be responsible for activating different signaling cascades, which will ultimately enhance tumor development, angiogenesis, and metastasis. By inhibiting VEGF and VEGFR signaling pathways, these nanotherapeutics can effectively disrupt tumor angiogenesis and proliferation. This review highlights recent advancements in nanoparticle design, including lipid-based, polymeric, and inorganic nanoparticles, and their clinical implications in improving lung cancer outcomes, exploring the role of nanomedicine in lung cancer diagnoses and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bone density is affected by age- and sex-related changes in the os coxae, often known as the pelvic bone. Recent developments in computed tomography (CT) imaging have created new opportunities for quantitative analysis, notably regarding Hounsfield Units (HU). Objectives: The study aims to investigate the possibility of using HU obtained from os coxae CT scans to estimate age in the Romanian population. Methods: A statistical analysis was conducted on a sample of 80 pelvic CT scans in order to find any significant correlation between age, sex, and variation in density among the different pelvic bone locations of interest. According to the research, pelvic radiodensity measurements varied significantly between male and female participants, with men having greater levels. This technique may be valuable for determining an individual's sex precisely, as evidenced by the substantial association found between HU levels and changes in bone density associated with sex. Results: The analysis of variance underscores that HU values exhibit a significant negative relationship with radiodensity, with a general trend of decreasing HU with increasing age. The equation derived from the ordinary least squares OLS regression analysis can be used to estimate the age of individuals in the Romanian population based on their HU values at specific pelvic sites. Conclusions: In conclusion, the application of HU analysis in CT imaging of the coxae represents a non-invasive and potentially reliable method for age and sex estimation, and a promising avenue in the field of human identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first step in anthropological study is the positive identification of human remains, which can be a challenging undertaking when bones are broken. When bone pieces from different species are mixed together, it can be crucial to distinguish between them in forensic and archaeological contexts. For years, anthropology and archaeology have employed the histomorphological analysis of bones to evaluate species-specific variations. Based on variations in the dimensions and configuration of Haversian systems between the two groups, these techniques have been devised to distinguish between non-human and human bones. All of those techniques concentrate on a very particular kind of bone, zone, and segment. Histomorphometric techniques make the assumption that there are size, form, and quantity variations between non-humans and humans. The structural components of Haversian bones are significant enough to use discriminant function analysis to separate one from the other. This review proposes a comprehensive literature analysis of the various strategies or techniques available for distinguishing human from non-human bones to demonstrate that histomorphological analysis is the most effective method to be used in the case of inadequate or compromised samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with various morphologies and molecular features, and it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women in developed countries. According to the literature, we currently lack both prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The most important prognostic factors are disease stage and Nottingham grade. We conducted a retrospective analysis involving 273 patients with BC who underwent neoadjuvant therapy before proceeding to curative surgical treatment between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2023. Pathological procedures were conducted at the Department of Pathology, Emergency County Hospital of Targu Mureș, Romania. A statistical analysis was performed. Regarding the relationship between Nottingham grade and Ki67, grade I was associated with a Ki67 of less than 14. The relationship between tumor grade and luminal was similar (p = 0.0001): Grade I was associated with luminal A. Regarding TNM stage, it was statistically significantly correlated with TILs (p = 0.01) and RCB (p = 0.0001). Stages III and IV were associated with a high RCB and poor prognosis. Regarding the prognostic value, Nottingham grade 3 and TNM stages III and IV were correlated with low overall survival and disease-free survival, with poor prognosis, and, among the molecular variables, RCB played the most important prognostic role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer has an unfavorable prognosis with a rate of low overall survival, caused by the difficulty of diagnosis in the early stages and resistance to therapy. In recent years, there have been new therapies that use specific molecular targets and are effective in increasing the survival chances of advanced cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to find more specific biomarkers that can identify early changes in carcinogenesis and allow the earliest possible treatment. Vitamin D (VD) plays an important role in immunity and carcinogenesis. Furthermore, the vitamin D receptor (VDR) regulates the expression of various genes involved in the physiological functions of the human organism. The genes encoding the VDR are extremely polymorphic and vary greatly between human populations. To date, there are significant associations between VDR polymorphism and several types of cancer, but the data on the involvement of VDR polymorphism in lung cancer are still conflicting. Therefore, in this review, our aim was to investigate the relationship between VDR single-nucleotide polymorphisms in humans and the degree of risk for developing lung cancer. The studies showcased different gene polymorphisms to be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer: TaqI, ApaI, BsmI, FokI, and Cdx2. In addition, there is a strong positive correlation between VD deficiency and lung cancer development. Still, due to a lack of awareness, the assessment of VD status and VDR polymorphism is rarely considered for the prediction of lung cancer evolution and their clinical applicability, despite the fact that studies have shown the highest risk for lung cancer given by TaqI gene polymorphisms and that VDR polymorphisms are associated with more aggressive cancer evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although ovarian cystic teratoma is the most common ovarian tumor, complications are quite rare. However, it is important to be recognized by the radiologist in order to avoid inaccurately diagnosing them as malignant lesions. This case report describes a 61-year-old postmenopausal woman, who presented to the emergency room with abdominal pain following a minor blunt abdominal trauma. In this context, a CT scan was performed, which showed the presence of round, hypodense masses randomly distributed in the peritoneum, with coexisting ascites in moderate amount; ovarian carcinoma with peritoneal carcinomatosis was suspected. The patient was hospitalized and an MRI of the abdomen and pelvis was recommended for a more detailed lesion characterization. Following this examination, the patient was diagnosed with mature cystic ovarian teratoma complicated by rupture. Surgery was performed, and the outcome was favorable. The cases of ruptured cystic teratomas are rare, and to our knowledge, this is the first occurrence described in literature. Special attention must be paid when confronting with such a case in medical practice, since it can easily misdiagnosed as peritoneal carcinomatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]