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Background: Non-melanoma skin carcinoma (NMSC) is the most common malignant tumor in the population, with a steadily increasing incidence due to an aging population and sun exposure. The two main subtypes of NMSC are basal cell carcinoma(BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC). Therapeutic management of NMSC includes a variety of options, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and topical or systemic treatments. High-dose fractionated contact brachytherapy (c-HDR-BRT) is a viable therapeutic option for treating NMSCs. Methods: At our center, we treated 39 patients with BCC or SCC, with a total of 46 lesions, treated with c-HDR-BRT. The patients underwent two different radiotherapy schedules: 40 Gy in four fractions and 30 Gy in three fractions. Results: Two-year results showed 100% local control (LC) and 100% disease-specific survival (DSS), indicating high efficacy of c-HDR-BRT in terms of tumor control. Furthermore, the observed toxicity profile was favorable with no significant late toxicity. Conclusions: These results suggest that c-HDR-BRT represents a viable therapeutic alternative for NMSC, combining high oncological efficacy with an acceptable safety profile, while minimizing the aesthetic and functional impact of therapy. Finally, the study emphasizes the importance of personalization of treatment and careful evaluation of individual cases to optimize the treatment approach in NMSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We examined interactions, to our knowledge not yet explored, between long-term exposures to particulate matter (PM10) with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectivity and severity. Methods: We followed 709,864 adult residents of Varese Province from 1 February 2020 until the first positive test, COVID-19 hospitalization, or death, up to 31 December 2020. We estimated residential annual means of PM10, NO2, and O3 in 2019 from chemical transport and random-forest models. We estimated the interactive effects of pollutants with urbanicity on SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, hospitalization, and mortality endpoints using Cox regression models adjusted for socio-demographic factors and comorbidities, and additional cases due to interactions using Poisson models. Results: In total 41,065 individuals were infected, 5203 were hospitalized and 1543 died from COVID-19 during follow-up. Mean PM10 was 1.6 times higher and NO2 2.6 times higher than WHO limits, with wide gradients between urban and nonurban areas. PM10 and NO2 were positively associated with SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and mortality, and PM10 with hospitalizations in urban areas. Interaction analyses estimated that the effect of PM10 (per 3.5 µg/m3) on infectivity was strongest in urban areas [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.12; 95% CI =1.09, 1.16], corresponding to 854 additional cases per 100,000 person-years, and in areas at high NO2 co-exposure (HR = 1.15; 1.08, 1.22). At higher levels of PM10 co-exposure, the protective association of O3 reversed (HR =1.32, 1.17, 1.49), yielding 278 additional cases per µg/m3 increase in O3. We estimated similar interactive effects for severity endpoints. Conclusions: We estimate that interactive effects between pollutants exacerbated the burden of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in urban areas. Video Abstract EDE.0000000000001792video1.mp4 Kaltura [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution poses a great environmental risk to health. Outdoor fine particulate matter (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 μm) exposure is the fifth leading risk factor for death in the world, accounting for 4.2 million deaths and > 103 million disability-adjusted life years lost according to the Global Burden of Disease Report. The World Health Organization attributes 3.8 million additional deaths to indoor air pollution. Air pollution can harm acutely, usually manifested by respiratory or cardiac symptoms, as well as chronically, potentially affecting every organ in the body. It can cause, complicate, or exacerbate many adverse health conditions. Tissue damage may result directly from pollutant toxicity because fine and ultrafine particles can gain access to organs, or indirectly through systemic inflammatory processes. Susceptibility is partly under genetic and epigenetic regulation. Although air pollution affects people of all regions, ages, and social groups, it is likely to cause greater illness in those with heavy exposure and greater susceptibility. Persons are more vulnerable to air pollution if they have other illnesses or less social support. Harmful effects occur on a continuum of dosage and even at levels below air quality standards previously considered to be safe.

Although air pollution is well known to be harmful to the lung and airways, it can also damage most other organ systems of the body. It is estimated that about 500,000 lung cancer deaths and 1.6 million COPD deaths can be attributed to air pollution, but air pollution may also account for 19% of all cardiovascular deaths and 21% of all stroke deaths. Air pollution has been linked to other malignancies, such as bladder cancer and childhood leukemia. Lung development in childhood is stymied with exposure to air pollutants, and poor lung development in children predicts lung impairment in adults. Air pollution is associated with reduced cognitive function and increased risk of dementia. Particulate matter in the air (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 μm) is associated with delayed psychomotor development and lower child intelligence. Studies link air pollution with diabetes mellitus prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. Pollution affects the immune system and is associated with allergic rhinitis, allergic sensitization, and autoimmunity. It is also associated with osteoporosis and bone fractures, conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, blepharitis, inflammatory bowel disease, increased intravascular coagulation, and decreased glomerular filtration rate. Atopic and urticarial skin disease, acne, and skin aging are linked to air pollution. Air pollution is controllable and, therefore, many of these adverse health effects can be prevented.

ObjectiveTo explore the link between COVID-19 incidence, socio-economic covariates, and NHL incidence.DesignEcological study design.SettingSardinia, Italy.ParticipantsWe used official reports on the total cases of COVID-19 in 2020, published data on NHL incidence, and socio-economic indicators by administrative unit, covering the whole regional population.Main outcomes and measuresWe used multivariable regression analysis to explore the association between the natural logarithm (ln) of the 2020 cumulative incidence of COVID-19 and the ln-transformed NHL incidence in 1974-2003, weighing by population size and adjusting by socioeconomic deprivation and other covariates.ResultsThe cumulative incidence of COVID-19 increased in relation to past incidence of NHL (p < 0.001), socioeconomic deprivation (p = 0.006), and proportion of elderly residents (p < 0.001) and decreased with urban residency (p = 0.001). Several sensitivity analyses confirmed the finding of an association between COVID-19 and NHL.ConclusionThis ecological study found an ecological association between NHL and COVID-19. If further investigation would confirm our findings, shared susceptibility factors should be investigated among the plausible underlying mechanisms.

The American Thoracic Society has previously published statements on what constitutes an adverse effect on health of air pollution in 1985 and 2000. We set out to update and broaden these past statements that focused primarily on effects on the respiratory system. Since then, many studies have documented effects of air pollution on other organ systems, such as on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. In addition, many new biomarkers of effects have been developed and applied in air pollution studies.This current report seeks to integrate the latest science into a general framework for interpreting the adversity of the human health effects of air pollution. Rather than trying to provide a catalogue of what is and what is not an adverse effect of air pollution, we propose a set of considerations that can be applied in forming judgments of the adversity of not only currently documented, but also emerging and future effects of air pollution on human health. These considerations are illustrated by the inclusion of examples for different types of health effects of air pollution.

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in the United States. Among the different available treatment options, radiation therapy is recommended for localized or even advanced disease. Erectile dysfunction (ED) often occurs after radiation therapy due to neurological, vascular, and endocrine mechanisms resulting in arterial tone alteration, pudendal-nerve neuropraxia, and lastly fibrosis. Considering the influence of quality of life on patients' treatment choice, radiation-therapy-induced ED prevention and treatment are major issues. In this narrative review, we briefly summarize and discuss the current state of the art on radiation-therapy-induced ED in PCa patients in terms of pathophysiology and available treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]