The goal of research was to determine the frequency, intensity, time of occurrence, duration and causes of breakthrough pain (BTP) in patients whose carcinoma pain was treated by transdermal fentanyl. (TDF). A prospective study was conducted in a hospice for recumbent patients of the Centre for Palliative Care (hospice) University Clinical Centre Tuzla from October 2009 to December 2010. 33 patients in terminal stage of carcinoma, who had been treated by transdermal fentanyl due to their excruciating pain (7-10 mark on numerical scale) with initial dosage of 25 microg as a strong opiate analgesic, were monitored within the time period of 10 days. In the statistics we used the even T - test, the Wilcox test and Mann-Whitney test. The difference was seen to be significant at p < 0.05. Treatment by transdermal fentanyl significantly reduces the intensity of strong carcinoma pain (p < 0.0001), with a frequent requirement for dose increase with bone metastasis. The intensity of BTP is higher compared to the pain experienced upon reception. The frequency and intensity of BTP are significantly reduced already in the second day of treatment by transdermal fentanyl (p = 0.0024). The BTP is most intense in patients with neck and head tumours (9.26 +/- 0.66), and most frequent with abdomen and pelvic tumour. The biggest number of BTP (68.3 %) occurs within first three days of treatment. BTP most frequently occurs in the evening or at night (between 18:00 and 06:00 h in 62.2 % of the cases), with the duration of usually less than 15 minutes (65.2 % of the cases). In 61.6 % cases the occurrence of BTP is related to physical activities or psychosocial incidents, while the cause is undetermined in 38.4 % of examinees. BTP is most frequent within first three days of treatment by TDF. Using the optimal dosage a good control of carcinoma pain is enabled, regardless of the occurrence of bone metastasis, while it also helps reduce the frequency and intensity of BTP.

Quality of life in patients with cervical cancer FIGO IIb stage after concomitant chemoradiotherapy Background. The literature reports are unclear regarding the quality of life in patients after the concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Our aim was to define and compare the quality of life of patients with cervical cancer FIGO IIb stage before and after the concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Methods. Nineteen patients were irradiated to 45 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks to the pelvis and additional 20-24 Gy in 4-6 fractions were given by intracavitary high dosage rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Patients received 40 mg/m2 of cisplatin once a week, starting from the first day of the intracavitary brachytherapy treatment, which is a total of 4-6 cycles of cisplatin. Patients were surveyed with two questionnaires for the assessment of the quality of life. They were developed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC): one was cancer specific (EORTC QLQ-C30) and one was site specific (EORTC QLQ-Cx24). Patients answered the questions for the period immediately before diagnosed cervical cancer (thus being a control group) and for the period starting 12 months after the completion of the concomitant chemoradiotherapy (thus being an experimental group). Results. A statistically significant difference between the median scores of these two groups has been found in the quality of life, role function, emotional function, social function, pain, fatigue and vaginal problems. Conclusions. The quality of life of patients with cervical cancer FIGO IIb stage was better after concomitant chemoradiotherapy than before it.

Cervical dysplasia, a premalignant lesion that can progress to cervical cancer, is caused primarily by a sexually transmitted infection with an oncogenic strain of the human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV infections are treated through destroying the clinical lesions: laser, cryotherapy, podophyllin... The hope is that by causing local tissue inflammation that the body will be stimulated to mount an antibody response and thereby prevent recurrence. In contrast to other prevention approaches, vaccines can reduce susceptibility in uninfected partners by stimulating the immune system. Aloe vera has also been reported to retard tumour growth and stimulate the immune response to viruses. A list of possible actions of propolis includes: antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antithrombotic and immunomodulatory. Research on the possible role of some B vitamins in preventing cancer began in the last few decades, but however this complex have an influence on immune status. The aim of our study is to try to treat the HPV infection as confirmed cause of neoplastic transformation with some herbal therapy and interferon and to try define the guidelines in the management of the HPV positive patients. Goal of this paper is to search for evidence of efficacy of any treatment for HPV infection of the cervix mostly in woman with no concomitant CIN. Fifty five woman affected by HPV genital infection were enrolled in the study from September 2005 to April 2006. Patients were classified according to the results of the HPV testing prior and after the therapy. Patients were randomized into two groups: the first group was HPV positive woman treated with other than recommended therapy (n=20), (control group); the second group was pharmacologically treated with intravaginal administration of an interferon and aloe vera-propolis in recommended scheme (n=35) with treatment of the possible fungal or bacterial genital infection prior to the specific therapy. The almost same therapy was recommended to the male partner. Patients from the second group used B complex during the therapy. Patients were retested for the HPV presence after three or six month from therapy depend of the presence bacterial or fungal genital coinfection. Three months after applied therapy HPV infection was still present in more than 90% of the patients in the first group. In the second group treated according to the recommended therapy scheme HPV infection disappeared in 71.42% of the patients after three months and in 100% of patients after six months. Samples of the cervical smear for the HPV analysis were being taken during routine gynecological examinations, by using sticks with cotton, taken from the Digene Specimen Collection Kit, from the whole surface of a portion, and by mild rotating moves from the outer cervical entrance. Our results suggest that the combination of interferon and herbal therapy with B complex is effective, atraumatic and simple non-surgical treatment of HPV infection. Since prospective efficacy trials will take several years to complete, considering alternative approaches is also worthwhile.

In about 70% of cases, ovarian carcinoma has been diagnosed at an advanced stage. Invasion and metastasis of solid tumors request protease activity resulting in basal membrane destruction and surrounding matrix. In that process, urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) play a key role, that via plasmin activation lead to basal membrane and matrix degradation in surrounding of the tumor, enable to its invasion and metastasis. Determination of serum concentration of those tumor markers can be useful in preoperative as well as in postoperative period. Their serum concentrations in ovarian cancer patients may help in good monitoring of remission or progression during chemotherapy treatment. In late 1950s and ear1y 1960s, when it was found out that malignant ovarian tumors were chemosensitive, their chemotherapy treatment has begun. In the beginning it was used only mono-therapy, and by discovering new cytostatics it was replaced by poly-chemotherapy. Now days, in the therapy of advanced stages of ovarian carcinoma combination of cisplatine or carboplatine with paclitaxel is considering as standard treatment. Aim of this study was to determine serum uPA, suPAR and CEA in FIGO II and III patients with different histological type (serous, mucinous, clear cell tumor) before and after PT chemotherapy protocol during following three cycles. In this prospective study we have analyzed 17 patients with ovarian carcinoma, those have been after surgery treated by chemotherapy. Serum levels of uPA and suPAR have been determined by ELISA-test (Imubind uPA, Imubind uPAR, American Diagnostica), and CEA by OPUS Imunoassay method. Results of this study have shown that uPA, suPAR and CEA met criteria for prognostic markers for monitoring of successfulness of platina/taxol chemotherapy protocol for serous, mucinous and clear cell tumor FIGO II and III stage of ovarian carcinoma. In case of PT chemotherapy protocol suPAR was better prognostic marker for monitoring of chemotherapy successfulness (Pearson coefficient 0,9 do 1,0; p<0,00l) than uPA (Pearson coefficient between 0,86 and 0,92; p<0,02) and CEA (Pearson coefficient 0,5 do 0,89; p<0,04).