Epidemiology and diagnosis of cervical cancer

The data of populational and hospital cancer registers, cytological and immunological laboratories of Saint-Petersburg are examined. More than 350 new invasive cervical cancer cases are registered annually. Since 1970 up to 1991 oncological morbidity decreased from 14,7 to 8,1 per 100000 women, but then we witness steady rise of standardized indeces up to 9,9 in 1999. Increasingrate of so called neglectedforms of cervical cancer (III-IV stages), especially amongyoung women, is a disturbing fact. The issues of prophylaxis and early diagnostics of cervical cancer are discussed in the article. The results of cytological and virological examination of women of different contingents are drawn.

New Trends in the Detection of Gynecological Precancerous Lesions and Early-Stage Cancers

The prevention and early diagnostics of precancerous stages are key aspects of contemporary oncology. In cervical cancer, well-organized screening and vaccination programs, especially in developed countries, are responsible for the dramatic decline of invasive cancer incidence and mortality. Cytological screening has a long and successful history, and the ongoing implementation of HPV triage with increased sensitivity can further decrease mortality. On the other hand, endometrial and ovarian cancers are characterized by a poor accessibility to specimen collection, which represents a major complication for early diagnostics. Therefore, despite relatively promising data from evaluating the combined effects of genetic variants, population screening does not exist, and the implementation of new biomarkers is, thus, necessary. The introduction of various circulating biomarkers is of potential interest due to the considerable heterogeneity of cancer, as highlighted in this review, which focuses exclusively on the most common tumors of the genital tract, namely, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. However, it is clearly shown that these malignancies represent different entities that evolve in different ways, and it is therefore necessary to use different methods for their diagnosis and treatment.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Patients with a First Psychotic Episode

ABSTRACT The search for the most effective methods of therapy for mental disorders is a priority for modern psychiatry. An approach to the early diagnostics and rehabilitation of patients experiencing a psychotic episode for the first time is proposed in the present article. The proposed approach is based on the combination of drug therapy and, acceptance and commitmenttherapy (ACT) characterized by the development of the patient's psychological flexibility, rather than controlling the disease symptoms. The article describes the main processes of the ACT model: acceptance, cognitive defusion, contact with the present moment, understanding of the inner world, awareness of significant values and the regulation of purposeful behaviour for the implementation of these values. Recommendations for different stages of treatment were also developed by specialists of the First Psychotic Episode Clinic at the Mental-health clinic No.1 named after N.A. Alexeev. The psychological rehabilitation of patients with the use of ACT in the case of psychotic disorders with both negative and productive symptoms was elaborated. The application of acceptance and commitment therapy in the early diagnostics and treatment of patients with a first psychotic episode results in fewer readmissions and improved psychosocial functioning in both inpatient and outpatient care.

The salivary metatranscriptome as an accurate diagnostic indicator of oral cancer

Despite advances in cancer treatment, the 5-year mortality rate for oral cancers (OC) is 40%, mainly due to the lack of early diagnostics. To advance early diagnostics for high-risk and average-risk populations, we developed and evaluated machine-learning (ML) classifiers using metatranscriptomic data from saliva samples (n = 433) collected from oral premalignant disorders (OPMD), OC patients (n = 71) and normal controls (n = 171). Our diagnostic classifiers yielded a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) up to 0.9, sensitivity up to 83% (92.3% for stage 1 cancer) and specificity up to 97.9%. Our metatranscriptomic signature incorporates both taxonomic and functional microbiome features, and reveals a number of taxa and functional pathways associated with OC. We demonstrate the potential clinical utility of an AI/ML model for diagnosing OC early, opening a new era of non-invasive diagnostics, enabling early intervention and improved patient outcomes.

Potential Role of Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystalline for Early Diagnostics of Ovarian Cancer

Calcification is one of the clinical and morphological manifestations of ovarian tumors and it begins at the initial stages of carcinogenesis. Thus, this process can be used for the early diagnostics of some malignant ovarian tumors. We compared the results of ultrasound and histology and found that calcifications of a size less than 200 μm are not detected by ultrasound. These calcified structures are round fragile particles of different sizes. In the EDX (Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) spectra, the main lines were from Ca and P, and the ratio of these elements corresponds to hydroxyapatite. Thus, we established that hydroxyapatite is the main mineral component of ovarian psammoma bodies and could be used for early diagnostics of ovarian malignant neoplasia.

Cancer patrol: make sure you are healthy

Within the framework of the national project "Healthcare", the LG Electronics plant carries out early diagnostics of tumor markers.

Small Extracellular Vesicles in the Development, Diagnosis, and Possible Therapeutic Application of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) persists among the most lethal and broad-spreading malignancies in China. The exosome is a kind of extracellular vesicle (EV) from about 30 to 200 nm in diameter, contributing to the transfer of specific functional molecules, such as metabolites, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. The paramount role of exosomes in the formation and development of ESCC, which relies on promoting intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment (TME), is manifested with immense amounts. Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) participate in most hallmarks of ESCC, including tumorigenesis, invasion, angiogenesis, immunologic escape, metastasis, radioresistance, and chemoresistance. Published reports have delineated that exosome-encapsulated cargos like miRNAs may have utility in the diagnosis, as prognostic biomarkers, and in the treatment of ESCC. This review summarizes the function of exosomes in the neoplasia, progression, and metastasis of ESCC, which improves our understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of ESCC, and presents a promising target for early diagnostics in ESCC. However, recent studies of exosomes in the treatment of ESCC are sparse. Thus, we introduce the advances in exosome-based methods and indicate the possible applications for ESCC therapy in the future.

Motiro: a unified automatic framework for statistical analysis of probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy videos of colorectal mucosa

Probe-based Confocal Laser Endomicrocopy (pCLE) enables imaging the colorectal mucosa for screening and surveillance of cancer. Analyzing acquired videos relies on subjectivity of the endomicroscopists. Quantitative criteria are needed to enhance the diagnostics obtained using pCLE. We present Motiro, an automatic framework to extract features of the colorectal mucosa imaged by pCLE. Morphometric features of the crypts of the healthy colorectal mucosa are analysed and their variability quantified using the Shannon entropy. Hellinger distance compares the statistics of a morphometric parameter in multiple mucosas (or mucosas' regions). Quantification of variability of the healthy mucosa is a prerequisite for pCLE-based early diagnostics of colorectal cancer.

Targeted Delivery of Drugs and Genes Using Polymer Nanocarriers for Cancer Therapy

Cancer is one of the primary causes of worldwide human deaths. Most cancer patients receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but these treatments are usually only partially efficacious and lead to a variety of serious side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new therapeutic strategies. The emergence of nanotechnology has had a profound impact on general clinical treatment. The application of nanotechnology has facilitated the development of nano-drug delivery systems (NDDSs) that are highly tumor selective and allow for the slow release of active anticancer drugs. In recent years, vehicles such as liposomes, dendrimers and polymer nanomaterials have been considered promising carriers for tumor-specific drug delivery, reducing toxicity and improving biocompatibility. Among them, polymer nanoparticles (NPs) are one of the most innovative methods of non-invasive drug delivery. Here, we review the application of polymer NPs in drug delivery, gene therapy, and early diagnostics for cancer therapy.

Chip-Based Chiral 3D Metamaterial with Functional Core-Shell Architecture for Femtomolar Biodetection

Advanced sensing tools capable to detect extremely low concentrations of circulating biomarkers can open unexplored routes towards early diagnostics of diseases and their progression monitoring. Plasmonic sensors are an emerging technology enabling different optical effects that can be used as molecular tracking solutions. Here we demonstrate the sensing capabilities of a chip-based metamaterial, combining the 3D chiral geometry with an optically functional core-shell architecture. The sensor can be easily handled and exhibits reliability and stability during the whole functionalization and analytical procedure thanks to the on-chip format. The system shows a linear shift of circular dichroism spectrum upon interaction with different concentrations of TAR DNA-binding protein TDP-43, a clinically relevant biomarker for neurodegenerative disease screening. The measurements were performed in spiked solution as well as in human serum, with concentrations from 1pM down to 10fM, a range not accessible with commonly used immunological assays and that can thus open new perspectives for disease knowledge and early diagnostics.