Ovarian cancer and its association with endometriosis: a narrative review.

Background: Ovarian cancer is a prevalent and highly lethal gynaecological cancer. Among its various subtypes, epithelial ovarian cancer predominates, comprising of ten distinct subtypes and contributing significantly to the overall burden of ovarian malignancies. Concurrently, endometriosis, characterised by the ectopic growth of endometrial tissue within the pelvis, affects a substantial number of women of reproductive age.

Navigating the Colorectal Cancer Maze: Unveiling Pathways To Diagnosis, Management, Pathophysiology and Prevention.

Purpose Of Review: Colorectal cancer is the third most prevalent cancer globally and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. It typically develops over years through the progression of benign polyps to malignancy, driven by genetic alterations-either spontaneous or inherited. This review summarizes current knowledge on colorectal cancer, including its epidemiology, risk factors, diagnostic methods, treatment strategies, preventative measures, and research developments, while identifying knowledge gaps to guide future studies.

The role of the gut microbiota and metabolites in heart failure and possible implications for treatment.

The prevalence of heart failure has increased significantly in recent years, prompting investigations into novel contributory factors. Among these, alterations in the gut microbiota composition have garnered attention due to their potential association with heart failure. Disruption in the bacterial environment associated with heart failure is characterized by heightened levels of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and decreased levels of Bifidobacteria and Bacteroides.

Predictive Molecular Biomarkers of Bladder Cancer Identified by Next-Generation Sequencing-Preliminary Data.

The majority of patients with bladder cancer suffer from tumour recurrence. Identifying prognostic factors for tumour recurrence is crucial for treatment and follow-up in affected patients. The study aimed to assess the impact of somatic mutations in bladder cancer on patient outcomes and tumour recurrence.

Case report: Rethinking NGS analysis in diagnosing Diamond-Blackfan anemia syndrome.

Diamond-Blackfan anemia syndrome (DBAS) is a rare inherited bone marrow failure (BMF) syndrome characterized by erythroid aplasia, congenital malformations, and cancer predisposition. With its genetic heterogeneity, variable penetrance and expressivity, DBAS poses significant diagnostic challenges, necessitating advancements in genetic testing for improved accuracy. Here, we present the case of an 18-year-old male with a long-standing macrocytic anemia that remained undiagnosed despite standard whole exome sequencing (WES).

Breast cancer Treatment and Fertility Preservation: A Narrative Review of Impacts, Strategies and Ethical Considerations.

Purpose Of Review: At present, breast cancer represents the most common malignancy diagnosed in women worldwide. Due to the trend toward delayed childbearing, many women of reproductive age are being diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with chemotherapy or hormone therapy which can adversely affect their fertility. This literature review discusses the effects of breast cancer treatment on fertility and options for fertility preservation.

Context base editing for splice correction of IVSI-110 β-thalassemia.

β-Thalassemia is brought about by defective β-globin (HBB [hemoglobin subunit β]) formation and, in severe cases, requires regular blood transfusion and iron chelation for survival. Genome editing of hematopoietic stem cells allows correction of underlying mutations as curative therapy. As potentially safer alternatives to double-strand-break-based editors, base editors (BEs) catalyze base transitions for precision editing of DNA target sites, prompting us to reclone and evaluate two recently published adenine BEs (ABEs; SpRY and SpG) with relaxed protospacer adjacent motif requirements for their ability to correct the common splice mutation.

The Overlooked Association Between Nutrition and the Development of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia: A Scoping Review.

Purpose Of Review: Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) constitutes a mere 1% of global cancer cases. This scoping review aims to investigate the association between nutrition and the development of AML, providing a foundation for future research in this field.

Recent Findings: A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, EBSCO, Taylor and Francis, Science Direct and Cochrane Library using specific keywords.

Focusing on colorectal cancer in young adults (Review).

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Recent years have witnessed an increase in the incidence of CRC among adults <50 years old on a global scale. The increased incidence is associated with several modifiable risk factors, including obesity, type II diabetes, physical inactivity and frequent antibiotic use.

Inflammation, Nutrition, and Clinical Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of death among women aged 44-55 years globally. Pro-inflammatory food can cause tissue-level inflammation, thereby creating a carcinogenic microenvironment and promoting breast cancer. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the association between inflammation and nutrition and clinical outcomes in breast cancer survivors.

Barriers and facilitators for adopting healthy lifestyles in breast cancer survivors: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: This scoping review will identify barriers and facilitators for the adoption of 7 healthy lifestyle components by female breast cancer survivors. This will be achieved by mapping the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations and the Lifestyle Medicine pillars.

Introduction: Adherence to healthy lifestyle components (including weight management, physical activity, healthy diet, restorative sleep, avoidance of risky substances, forming and maintaining healthy relationships, and stress management) may improve the quality of life of breast cancer survivors and reduce the risk of adverse patient outcomes.

Recent Developments in Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Background: Colorectal cancer was reported as the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide, in the year 2020. This disease is an important public health problem considering its high incidence and mortality rates.

Summary: The molecular events that lead to colorectal cancer include genetic and epigenetic abnormalities.

The "not so good" thyroid cancer: a scoping review on risk factors associated with anxiety, depression and quality of life.

The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased in recent years, leading to a growing number of survivors facing lifelong consequences. This scoping review investigated anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL) in thyroid cancer survivors compared to the general population, those with benign pathology, and survivors of other types of cancers. Moreover, we aimed to identify the risk factors associated with anxiety, depression, and QoL in thyroid cancer patients.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: a Narrative Review on Current Knowledge and Future Prospects.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and its associated mortality rate is expected to rise within the next decade. The incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma varies significantly across countries and the latter can be attributed to the differences in risk factors that are prevalent across different countries. Some of the risk factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma include hepatitis B and C infections, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and alcoholic liver disease.

The Association Between Nutrition, Obesity, Inflammation, and Endometrial Cancer: A Scoping Review.

Purpose Of Review: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy and represents a notorious threat to women's health worldwide. Endometrial cancer predominantly affects post-menopausal women; yet the prevalence of this disease has been rising also among pre-menopausal women. Poor nutritional habits, inflammation, and obesity may be associated with endometrial cancer (EC) among both pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women and should be further assessed among a wide spectrum of age groups.

Lessons Learned From Blue Zones, Lifestyle Medicine Pillars and Beyond: An Update on the Contributions of Behavior and Genetics to Wellbeing and Longevity.

Blue Zones are regions of the world that have a higher number of individuals who live longer than the expected average. The current paper revisits principles previously identified to be common in Blue Zones and to be contributing to longevity ( and ), compares these to the 6 pillars of Lifestyle Medicine (, , , , and reviews new studies investigating the association between behavioral factors and longevity. In addition to the role of behavior, the review also discusses the important role of genetics and emphasizes the importance of conducting further research to understand how behavioral and genetic factors may affect molecular pathways with consequent effects on wellbeing and longevity.

Optimized Droplet Digital PCR Assay on Cell-Free DNA Samples for Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis: Application to Beta-Thalassemia.

Background: Thalassemias are inherited blood disorders and by far one of the most common monogenic diseases globally. Beta-thalassemia has a particularly high prevalence in Cyprus, with the IVSI-110 G>A (HBB:c.93-21G>A) pathogenic variation representing almost 79% of the total carriers.

Nutritional Management With a Casein-Based Extensively Hydrolysed Formula in Infants With Clinical Manifestations of Non-IgE-Mediated CMPA Enteropathies and Constipation.

The majority of mixed-fed infants with non-IgE-mediated cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) enteropathies are managed with an extensively hydrolysed cow's milk based infant formula (eHF). Given the high variability in peptide distribution of available eHFs, it is important to understand the suitability of a specific product in the management of distinct phenotypes. To assess the symptom resolution of various phenotypes of clinical manifestations of CMPA enteropathies and constipation managed by a casein-based eHF.

Cervical cancer, geographical inequalities, prevention and barriers in resource depleted countries.

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a current global issue, with >90% of cervical cancer cases being attributed to human papilloma virus (HPV). The highest burden of cervical cancer is reported in resource-depleted geographical areas with a high incidence of HPV infection. Recent developments in primary prevention include vaccinations against specific strains of HPV and the psychoeducation of the public.

Student evaluations of teaching and the development of a comprehensive measure of teaching effectiveness for medical schools.

The evaluation of courses and faculty is of vital importance in all higher education institutions including medical schools. Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs) commonly take the form of completion of anonymous questionnaires and even though they were originally developed to evaluate courses and programmes, throughout the years they have also been used to measure teaching effectiveness and subsequently to guide important decisions related to the faculty's career progression. Nevertheless, certain factors and biases may influence SET rates and may not measure teaching effectiveness objectively.

The Association Between the Gut Microbiome, Nutritional Habits, Antibiotics, and Gastric Cancer: a Scoping Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Gastric cancer (GC) represents one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The prevalence of GC among the younger population has been increasing in recent years, and the latter is associated with late detection and advanced disease status. The factors involved in the development of GC have been the focus of investigation in the past few years; yet no consistent conclusions or preventative solutions have been suggested.