Arch Med Sci
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The frequency of postoperative complications after thoracic surgery remains high. Rehabilitation may become a procedure characterized by a high cost-effectiveness ratio. The aim of the study was to determine the independent importance of intensive rehabilitation in patients with lung tumors treated by thoracic surgery. ⋯ The study showed the strong independent positive effect of intensive rehabilitation in patients with lung tumors treated by thoracic surgery.
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Metastatic cancer, especially in the growing population of geriatric patients, presents a big challenge to these patients, as well as to treatment teams and the entire health care system. This article describes some common medical problems faced by patients with metastases to liver and bone, and presents a diagnostic approach, and therapeutic management of various symptoms, relevant to advanced stages of the malignant disease. The article highlights the importance of patient education on various aspects of metastatic cancer, and underscores the unique position of pharmacists practicing pharmaceutical care, which is particularly beneficial in this group of patients with advanced malignancy. Also, this paper emphasizes that achieving a proper balance between managing the malignant disease and maintaining the patients' quality of life, especially in the elderly population, should involve coordinated efforts of the oncology treatment team, primary care physicians, pharmacists, therapists and nurses, as well as patients, their families and caregivers.
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Overexpression of the mdr-1 gene is the earliest discovered mechanism of multidrug resistance, which is associated with P-glycoprotein (P-gp) - a cell membrane protein responsible for the efflux of drugs of various structures out of cancer cells. Although the expression of P-glycoprotein has been demonstrated in many cancer types, its relation to markers of hypoxia such as HIF-1α, EPO-R or EPO in invasive breast cancer is not well established. The aim of this research was to analyze the co-expression of P-glycoprotein and the markers of tissue hypoxia HIF-1α, EPO, and EPO-R by immunohistochemistry in invasive breast cancer classified according to the presence of steroid receptors and the HER2 receptors. ⋯ We found that HIF-1α and EPO expression is significantly associated with P-gp expression in invasive breast cancer with lymph node metastases. An important result of our study is the demonstration of a correlation between P-gp expression and patients with HER2-positive breast tumors that do not express steroid receptors.