Patriciu Achimas-Cadariu - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Patriciu Achimas-Cadariu

Research paper thumbnail of Issue Information‐ToC

Journal of Cellular Physiology, 2019

A loop involving NRF2, miR-29b-1-5p and AKT, regulates cell fate of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative br... more A loop involving NRF2, miR-29b-1-5p and AKT, regulates cell fate of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells MINI REVIEWS 638

Research paper thumbnail of mprovement of recovery parameters using patient-controlled epidural analgesia after oncological surgery. A prospective, randomized single center study

Romanian Journal of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) versus... more Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) versus conventional opioid intravenous (IV) infusion after gastrointestinal cancer surgery regarding several postsurgery parameters of recovery. Methods: One hundred and one patients were prospectively randomized to receive either thoracic/ lumbar PCEA (PCEA group) or the standard analgesia technique used in our hospital, conventional IV infusion of morphine (IVMO group) after gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Pain intensity, time of mobilization and bowel function recovery were analyzed post-surgery. We also evaluated postoperative complications and length of Postoperative-Intermediate Intensive Care Unit (PI-ICU) stay and hospital stay. Results: Pain intensity was significantly less in the PCEA group in comparison with the IVMO Group at awakening 2, 8, 24, 30 and 48 hours after surgery (p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, p = 0.043, p = 0.036, and p = 0.029, respectively). The latency to bedside mobilization, walking, first postoperative flatus and apparition of first stool were significantly faster (1.74 versus 2.26 days, 3.06 versus 3.78 days, 2.1 versus 3.14 days and 3.73 versus 5.28 days, respectively) in the PCEA group than in the IVMO group (p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, and p <0.001, respectively). The incidence of nausea/vomiting was significantly lower in the PCEA group in comparison with the IVMO group (p = 0.001). Surgical-associated complications were significantly lower in the IVMO Group than in the PCEA group (p = 0.023). Length of PI-ICU stay was similar in the two groups but length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in PCEA group (4 versus 5 days p = 0.2849, 9 versus 12 days; p <0.001). Conclusions: PCEA provides better postoperative pain control, improves postoperative recovery after gastrointestinal cancer surgery compared with conventional intravenous morphine infusion. Therefore, it is more acceptable than conventional pain management.

Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of limph node metastasis in endometrial cancer

Clujul medical (1957), 2013

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. The adequate... more Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. The adequate surgical staging proposed by FIGO (International Federation for Gynaecology and Obstetrics) advocates lymphadenectomy; however, it does not establish the indications, the type and the extent of lymphadenectomy, thus generating multiple controversies. Retrospective, analytical study of patients treated surgically for endometrial adenocarcinoma in the Oncological Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă" Cluj-Napoca (IOCN) between January 2008 and December 2012 - 709 cases eligible for the study. 206 pelvic and/or paraaortic lymphadenectomies were performed, the average number of excised lymph nodes being 15.6. Overall in 4.4% of patients the lymph nodes were affected by metastases. The presence of each risk factor analysed was statistically significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). Age above 55 years was statistically significantly associated (p<0.05) with t...

Research paper thumbnail of The role of CDCP1 (CUB domain-containing protein 1) and ADAM12 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 12) in ovarian cancer

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common gynecological cancer and the deadliest in industria... more Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common gynecological cancer and the deadliest in industrialized countries, with poor outcomes that indicate an urgent need to provide a greater insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying OC. Insights into the complex tumor microenviroment show that besides tumor islets, OC biomarkers can derive from newly formed blood vessels that have endothelial cells with a different molecular signature in comparison with their normal counterparts. In this view, recent research has been able to highlight promising candidates such as CDCP1 and ADAM12. Our present review summarises their implications in cancer progression with a focus on OC.

Research paper thumbnail of Current insights into the association of Nestin with tumor angiogenesis

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Tumor angiogenesis is regarded as a hallmark of cancer and provides an important target for thera... more Tumor angiogenesis is regarded as a hallmark of cancer and provides an important target for therapy. Nestin is an intermediate filament protein (IF) originally recognized as a neural stem cell marker. Development and progression of cancer requires sustained angiogenesis, dependent on the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells which seem to be better portrayed by nestin expression in various malignancies such as central nervous system, gastro-intestinal cancers, malignant melanoma, lung, prostate or breast cancer. The purpose of the present review was to emphasize the insights into nestin expression in relation to tumor angiogenesis in different types of cancer. Current evidence suggests that nestin positivity in tumor cells reflects stem-like properties of those cells. Whether or not expressed in both tumor and endothelial cells, nestin overexpression might reflect the extent of angiogenesis and function as a molecular anti-angiogenic target for cancer.

Research paper thumbnail of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Romania: a single-centre experience

Hematological oncology, Jan 20, 2015

Epidemiologic studies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in Eastern Europe are scarce in the literatur... more Epidemiologic studies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in Eastern Europe are scarce in the literature. We report the experience of the "Ion Chiricuta" Institute of Oncology in Cluj-Napoca (IOCN), Romania, in the diagnosis and outcome of patients with NHL. We studied 184 consecutive NHL patients diagnosed in the Pathology Department of IOCN during the years 2004-2006. We also obtained epidemiological data from the Northwestern (NW) Cancer Registry. In the IOCN series, the most common lymphoma subtype was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (43.5%), followed by the chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (21.2%). T-cell lymphomas represented a small proportion (8.2%). The median age of the patients was 57 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 0.94. Patients with indolent B-cell lymphomas had the best overall survival, whereas those with mantle cell lymphoma had the worst survival. The NW Cancer Registry data showed that the occurrence of NHL in the NW region of Roman...

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Ketamine in Treatment of Chronic Cancer Pain

Clujul Medical, 2015

Ketamine is a drug used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, for the treatmen... more Ketamine is a drug used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, for the treatment of postoperative and posttraumatic acute pain, and more recently, for the reduction of postoperative opioid requirements. The main mechanism of action of ketamine is the antagonization of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors that are associated with central sensitization. In the pathogenesis of chronic pain and particularly in neuropathic pain, an important role is played by the activation of NMDA receptors. Although ketamine is indicated and used for the treatment of chronic cancer pain as an adjuvant to opioids, there are few clinical studies that clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of ketamine in this type of pain. The aim of this study is to analyze evidence-based clinical data on the effectiveness and safety of ketamine administration in the treatment of chronic neoplastic pain, and to summarize the evidence-based recommendations for the use of ketamine in the treatment of chronic cancer pain. We reviewed the literature from the electronic databases of MEDLINE, COCHRANE, PUBMED, MEDSCAPE (1998-2014), as well as chapters of specialized books (palliative care, pain management, anesthesia). A number of studies support the effectiveness of ketamine in the treatment of chronic cancer pain, one study does not evidence clear clinical benefits for the use of ketamine, and some studies included too few patients to be conclusive. Ketamine represents an option for neoplasic pain that no longer responds to conventional opioid treatment, but this drug should be used with caution, and the development of potential side effects should be carefully monitored.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Inhibitor of DNA-binding 1 (ID-1) Protein and Angiogenesis in Serous Ovarian Cancer

Anticancer research

Overexpression of Inhibitor of DNA-binding 1 protein (ID-1) is correlated with poor prognosis in ... more Overexpression of Inhibitor of DNA-binding 1 protein (ID-1) is correlated with poor prognosis in some malignancies and few studies have assessed its role in ovarian cancer. This led us to investigate its association with the microvessel density (MVD) in patients with ovarian cancer. Fifty-six patients with epithelial serous ovarian cancer were selected. The early-stage group consisted of 14 patients and the advanced-stage group comprised 42 patients. ID-1 expression and MVD were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results and CONCLUSION: The histoscore for ID-1 and MVD were significantly higher in advanced-stage cancer (p<0.05). The MVD was significantly higher in the high ID-1 expression group compared to the low ID-1 expression group (p<0.001). The mean follow-up time was 52 months. The survival period in patients with high ID-1 expression was not significantly shorter than for those with low ID-1 expression (p=0.62). The role of ID-1 protein requires further investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of Multimedia and Medical Education

Applied Medical Informatics

Research paper thumbnail of Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Quality of Life in Patients Premalignant and Malignant Cervix Pathology

Applied Medical Informatics

Research paper thumbnail of MicroRNAs in liver malignancies. Basic science applied in surgery

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Liver malignancies represent one of the major public health problems worldwide because of late di... more Liver malignancies represent one of the major public health problems worldwide because of late diagnosis and failure of current treatments to offer a curative option for many of the patients. MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that are known to regulate the gene expression at a post-transcriptional level through complementary base pairing with thousands of messenger (m)RNAs. Recent data has shown the involvement of miRs in the pathogenesis of many human cancers, including those of the liver, with huge possible impact in the clinic, mainly due to the identification of non-coding RNAs as biomarkers that can often be detected in the systemic circulation. In the current review, we present the importance of miRs in liver cancers by discussing their role in the pathobiology of these diseases, apart from their role as diagnostic and prognostic markers for liver malignancies.

Research paper thumbnail of p53 siRNA - a therapeutic tool with significant implication in modulation of apoptosis and angiogenic pathways

Clujul Medical, 2015

siRNAs represent an encouraging novel alternative in cancer therapy as a result of targeting the ... more siRNAs represent an encouraging novel alternative in cancer therapy as a result of targeting the mutated tumour suppressor genes or activated oncogenes. Targeting oncogenic signals, as the mutated p53 gene that gains oncogenic role, we observed inhibition of migration, a downregulation of specific genes involved in apoptosis but also in angiogenesis, connected with a reduction in invasion rate in the case of p53siRNA therapy. The study was designed to assess the role of p53 by using RNAi (RNA interference) in Hela in vitro cell culture model. Therefore cell migration rate was assessed by using xCELLigence Systems, gene expression for a panel of genes involved in apoptosis and angiogenesis, and validation of gene expression data at protein level. On the selected in vitro model p53 siRNA therapy was correlated with the reduction of cell migration. The downregulation of p53, PTEN, TNFα, NFkB, BCL-2, ICAM-2, VEGF, and FGFb was evidenced as response to p53 inhibition. RNAi may be a valuable technology in order to restore the normal cellular phenotype. The results in the current research may also have an important significance outside the context of cervical cancer, by using specific inhibitors for p53 for increasing the therapeutic response in a wide range of tumoral pathology.

Research paper thumbnail of Unusual Skin Metastasis in a Patient with Recurrent Micropapillary Serous Ovarian Carcinoma – A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Clujul Medical, 2015

The presence of skin metastasis in ovarian cancer patients is uncommon and related with poor prog... more The presence of skin metastasis in ovarian cancer patients is uncommon and related with poor prognosis. We report a 49-year-old patient with recurrent ovarian cancer presented with extensive skin metastasis on the anterior chest (including bilateral breast skin), lower abdomen, vulva and the upper part of the lower limbs at 21 months after initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The skin biopsy revealed metastasis of adenocarcinoma in the dermis. The patient underwent palliative chemotherapy and she died after 2 months of the diagnosis of the skin metastasis. It is the first case of skin metastasis from a micropapillary serous ovarian carcinoma published in Romania.

Research paper thumbnail of Dual Targeted Therapy with p53 siRNA and Epigallocatechingallate in a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Model

PloS one, 2015

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive phenotype that is resistant to standa... more Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive phenotype that is resistant to standard therapy. Thus, the development of alternative therapeutic strategies for TNBC is essential. The purpose of our in vitro study was to evaluate the impact of p53 gene silencing in conjunction with the administration of a natural compound, epigallocatechingallate (EGCG). RT2Profiler PCR Array technology was used to evaluate the impact of dual treatment on the main genes involved in apoptosis in the Hs578T cell culture model of TNBC. Gene expression analysis revealed 28 genes were significantly altered (16 upregulated and 12 downregulated) in response to combined p53 siRNA and EGCG treatment. Further analysis revealed that p53 siRNA and EGCG dual therapy leads to the activation of pro-apoptotic genes and the inhibition of pro-survival genes, autophagy, and cell network formation. These results indicate that this dual therapy targets both the apoptotic and angiogenic pathways, which may im...

Research paper thumbnail of The prognostic value of FOXP3+ T regulatory cells in colorectal cancer

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

The evaluation of CD3(+) T-cell density is believed to have a higher prognostic value than the co... more The evaluation of CD3(+) T-cell density is believed to have a higher prognostic value than the conventionally used TMN stage in colorectal cancer (CRC), but the role of regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) is still debated. Our study determined the prognostic value of forkhead box P3 nuclear transcription factor (FOXP3) positive Treg and CD3(+) T-cells in the invasive margin of CRC compared with other known prognostic factors. The prognostic factors analysed in 42 patients with CRC stage II (N=13) and III (N=29), were age, tumor location, TNM stage, histological grade, vascular, lymphatic and perineural invasion. CD3(+) T-cells and FOXP3(+) Treg density was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The median CD3(+) T-cells and FOXP3(+) Treg density was 438.93/mm(2) and 162.25/mm(2), respectively. Patients with high FOXP3(+) Treg density showed improved 5-year survival rate of 89.41%, compared with 64.6% of those with low density (p=0.024). Increased CD3(+) T-cells and FOXP3(+) Treg density is ...

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of clinical, morphopathological and therapeutic prognostic factors in rectal cancer. Experience of a tertiary oncology center

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Morphopathological factors continue to be the most important prognostic factors in colorectal can... more Morphopathological factors continue to be the most important prognostic factors in colorectal cancer, but there is evidence regarding the prognostic value of some factors that are not yet used in current clinical practice. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the most important clinical, morphopathological and therapeutic prognostic factors in rectal cancer. This study retrospectively analyzed 317 patients diagnosed and treated at the Ion Chiricuta Institute of Oncology between 2000-2008. The prognostic value of 13 variables was analyzed and correlations between them were established. Nine variables were included in a multivariate analysis model. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 55.6%, significantly higher for patients with TNM stage I disease 7l.7%), compared to stage II (71.4%), stage III (45.4%) and stage IV (12.5%; p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, the independent prognostic factors were tumor stage, age, lymph node invasion, venous, lymphatic and perineural...

Research paper thumbnail of The prognostic value of the Na⁺/ H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) protein in cancer

Cancer biomarkers : section A of Disease markers, 2014

NHERF1 (Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor) is a scaffolding protein, consists of two tandem PDZ ... more NHERF1 (Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor) is a scaffolding protein, consists of two tandem PDZ domains linked to a carboxyl-terminal ezrin-binding region. NHERF1 recruits macromolecular complexes at the apical membrane of epithelial cells in many epithelial tissues. It is involved in trafficking and regulation of transmembrane ion transporters and G protein-coupled receptors. Further, NHERF1 also linked other molecules involved in cell growth and cancer progression, such as PDGFR, PTEN, β-catenin, EGFR and HER2/neu. In this review, we focus on the role of NHERF1 during cancer development. Evidences of its involvement in cancer development are present in hepatocellular carcinoma, schwannoma, glioblastoma, colorectal cancer and particularly in breast cancer. Recent findings obtained from our laboratory show that cytoplasmic NHERF1 expression increases gradually in breast cancer during carcinogenesis, and its overexpression is associated with aggressive clinical parameters, unfavoura...

Research paper thumbnail of Quality control of ion torrent sequencing library

Cancer biomarkers : section A of Disease markers, 2014

Next-generation sequencing (NSG) is an important method for gathering large amounts of sequencing... more Next-generation sequencing (NSG) is an important method for gathering large amounts of sequencing data for different types of applications regarding the diagnosis and response to treatment of different diseases. An important step in the NGS process is the quality control of sequencing libraries, which can influence the yield and efficiency of the sequencing run. This study evaluated two different methods for library quality control, Agilent Bioanalyzer and qPCR, and showed that both methods can be used. However, as is the case with any analytical method, they have their limitations. The Agilent Bioanalyzer quantifies only the high quality libraries, but it underestimates their concentration, while qPCR also quantifies lower quality libraries, but it overestimates their concentration.

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple primary malignancies--epidemiological analysis at a single tertiary institution

Journal of gastrointestinal and liver diseases : JGLD, 2010

A literature review on 1,104 269 cancer patients concluded that the prevalence of multiple primar... more A literature review on 1,104 269 cancer patients concluded that the prevalence of multiple primary malignancies (MPM) is between 0.73% and 11.7%. MPMs seem to have higher incidence than that influenced by hazard only. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinically useful information for effective screening for synchronous and metachronous second primary cancers and to identify a potential surveillance protocol. Using statistical and epidemiological indicators we evaluated the patients with MPMs (double locations) admitted to the Institute of Oncology "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă", Cluj-Napoca between 2001 and 2004. Out of the 63 cases, 22 cases (34.9%) were synchronous tumors while 41 cases (65.1%) were metachronous tumors, the occurrence interval ranging from 6.2 to 254 months, with an average of 34.6 months for the entire group. Almost half of the metachronous tumors (20 cases) occurred between 6.2 and 24 months while 14 cases (20%) were detected after a 5-year inte...

Research paper thumbnail of The importance of ubiquitin E3 ligases, SCF and APC/C, in human cancers

Clujul Medical, 2015

Also, we discuss the importance of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway blockade in cancer treatment.... more Also, we discuss the importance of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway blockade in cancer treatment. We know that a better understanding of the regulatory biology of the cell cycle can lead to the development of new target therapies for cancer.

Research paper thumbnail of Issue Information‐ToC

Journal of Cellular Physiology, 2019

A loop involving NRF2, miR-29b-1-5p and AKT, regulates cell fate of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative br... more A loop involving NRF2, miR-29b-1-5p and AKT, regulates cell fate of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells MINI REVIEWS 638

Research paper thumbnail of mprovement of recovery parameters using patient-controlled epidural analgesia after oncological surgery. A prospective, randomized single center study

Romanian Journal of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) versus... more Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) versus conventional opioid intravenous (IV) infusion after gastrointestinal cancer surgery regarding several postsurgery parameters of recovery. Methods: One hundred and one patients were prospectively randomized to receive either thoracic/ lumbar PCEA (PCEA group) or the standard analgesia technique used in our hospital, conventional IV infusion of morphine (IVMO group) after gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Pain intensity, time of mobilization and bowel function recovery were analyzed post-surgery. We also evaluated postoperative complications and length of Postoperative-Intermediate Intensive Care Unit (PI-ICU) stay and hospital stay. Results: Pain intensity was significantly less in the PCEA group in comparison with the IVMO Group at awakening 2, 8, 24, 30 and 48 hours after surgery (p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, p = 0.043, p = 0.036, and p = 0.029, respectively). The latency to bedside mobilization, walking, first postoperative flatus and apparition of first stool were significantly faster (1.74 versus 2.26 days, 3.06 versus 3.78 days, 2.1 versus 3.14 days and 3.73 versus 5.28 days, respectively) in the PCEA group than in the IVMO group (p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, and p <0.001, respectively). The incidence of nausea/vomiting was significantly lower in the PCEA group in comparison with the IVMO group (p = 0.001). Surgical-associated complications were significantly lower in the IVMO Group than in the PCEA group (p = 0.023). Length of PI-ICU stay was similar in the two groups but length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in PCEA group (4 versus 5 days p = 0.2849, 9 versus 12 days; p <0.001). Conclusions: PCEA provides better postoperative pain control, improves postoperative recovery after gastrointestinal cancer surgery compared with conventional intravenous morphine infusion. Therefore, it is more acceptable than conventional pain management.

Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of limph node metastasis in endometrial cancer

Clujul medical (1957), 2013

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. The adequate... more Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. The adequate surgical staging proposed by FIGO (International Federation for Gynaecology and Obstetrics) advocates lymphadenectomy; however, it does not establish the indications, the type and the extent of lymphadenectomy, thus generating multiple controversies. Retrospective, analytical study of patients treated surgically for endometrial adenocarcinoma in the Oncological Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă" Cluj-Napoca (IOCN) between January 2008 and December 2012 - 709 cases eligible for the study. 206 pelvic and/or paraaortic lymphadenectomies were performed, the average number of excised lymph nodes being 15.6. Overall in 4.4% of patients the lymph nodes were affected by metastases. The presence of each risk factor analysed was statistically significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). Age above 55 years was statistically significantly associated (p<0.05) with t...

Research paper thumbnail of The role of CDCP1 (CUB domain-containing protein 1) and ADAM12 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 12) in ovarian cancer

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common gynecological cancer and the deadliest in industria... more Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common gynecological cancer and the deadliest in industrialized countries, with poor outcomes that indicate an urgent need to provide a greater insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying OC. Insights into the complex tumor microenviroment show that besides tumor islets, OC biomarkers can derive from newly formed blood vessels that have endothelial cells with a different molecular signature in comparison with their normal counterparts. In this view, recent research has been able to highlight promising candidates such as CDCP1 and ADAM12. Our present review summarises their implications in cancer progression with a focus on OC.

Research paper thumbnail of Current insights into the association of Nestin with tumor angiogenesis

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Tumor angiogenesis is regarded as a hallmark of cancer and provides an important target for thera... more Tumor angiogenesis is regarded as a hallmark of cancer and provides an important target for therapy. Nestin is an intermediate filament protein (IF) originally recognized as a neural stem cell marker. Development and progression of cancer requires sustained angiogenesis, dependent on the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells which seem to be better portrayed by nestin expression in various malignancies such as central nervous system, gastro-intestinal cancers, malignant melanoma, lung, prostate or breast cancer. The purpose of the present review was to emphasize the insights into nestin expression in relation to tumor angiogenesis in different types of cancer. Current evidence suggests that nestin positivity in tumor cells reflects stem-like properties of those cells. Whether or not expressed in both tumor and endothelial cells, nestin overexpression might reflect the extent of angiogenesis and function as a molecular anti-angiogenic target for cancer.

Research paper thumbnail of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Romania: a single-centre experience

Hematological oncology, Jan 20, 2015

Epidemiologic studies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in Eastern Europe are scarce in the literatur... more Epidemiologic studies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in Eastern Europe are scarce in the literature. We report the experience of the "Ion Chiricuta" Institute of Oncology in Cluj-Napoca (IOCN), Romania, in the diagnosis and outcome of patients with NHL. We studied 184 consecutive NHL patients diagnosed in the Pathology Department of IOCN during the years 2004-2006. We also obtained epidemiological data from the Northwestern (NW) Cancer Registry. In the IOCN series, the most common lymphoma subtype was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (43.5%), followed by the chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (21.2%). T-cell lymphomas represented a small proportion (8.2%). The median age of the patients was 57 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 0.94. Patients with indolent B-cell lymphomas had the best overall survival, whereas those with mantle cell lymphoma had the worst survival. The NW Cancer Registry data showed that the occurrence of NHL in the NW region of Roman...

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Ketamine in Treatment of Chronic Cancer Pain

Clujul Medical, 2015

Ketamine is a drug used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, for the treatmen... more Ketamine is a drug used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, for the treatment of postoperative and posttraumatic acute pain, and more recently, for the reduction of postoperative opioid requirements. The main mechanism of action of ketamine is the antagonization of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors that are associated with central sensitization. In the pathogenesis of chronic pain and particularly in neuropathic pain, an important role is played by the activation of NMDA receptors. Although ketamine is indicated and used for the treatment of chronic cancer pain as an adjuvant to opioids, there are few clinical studies that clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of ketamine in this type of pain. The aim of this study is to analyze evidence-based clinical data on the effectiveness and safety of ketamine administration in the treatment of chronic neoplastic pain, and to summarize the evidence-based recommendations for the use of ketamine in the treatment of chronic cancer pain. We reviewed the literature from the electronic databases of MEDLINE, COCHRANE, PUBMED, MEDSCAPE (1998-2014), as well as chapters of specialized books (palliative care, pain management, anesthesia). A number of studies support the effectiveness of ketamine in the treatment of chronic cancer pain, one study does not evidence clear clinical benefits for the use of ketamine, and some studies included too few patients to be conclusive. Ketamine represents an option for neoplasic pain that no longer responds to conventional opioid treatment, but this drug should be used with caution, and the development of potential side effects should be carefully monitored.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Inhibitor of DNA-binding 1 (ID-1) Protein and Angiogenesis in Serous Ovarian Cancer

Anticancer research

Overexpression of Inhibitor of DNA-binding 1 protein (ID-1) is correlated with poor prognosis in ... more Overexpression of Inhibitor of DNA-binding 1 protein (ID-1) is correlated with poor prognosis in some malignancies and few studies have assessed its role in ovarian cancer. This led us to investigate its association with the microvessel density (MVD) in patients with ovarian cancer. Fifty-six patients with epithelial serous ovarian cancer were selected. The early-stage group consisted of 14 patients and the advanced-stage group comprised 42 patients. ID-1 expression and MVD were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results and CONCLUSION: The histoscore for ID-1 and MVD were significantly higher in advanced-stage cancer (p<0.05). The MVD was significantly higher in the high ID-1 expression group compared to the low ID-1 expression group (p<0.001). The mean follow-up time was 52 months. The survival period in patients with high ID-1 expression was not significantly shorter than for those with low ID-1 expression (p=0.62). The role of ID-1 protein requires further investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of Multimedia and Medical Education

Applied Medical Informatics

Research paper thumbnail of Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Quality of Life in Patients Premalignant and Malignant Cervix Pathology

Applied Medical Informatics

Research paper thumbnail of MicroRNAs in liver malignancies. Basic science applied in surgery

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Liver malignancies represent one of the major public health problems worldwide because of late di... more Liver malignancies represent one of the major public health problems worldwide because of late diagnosis and failure of current treatments to offer a curative option for many of the patients. MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that are known to regulate the gene expression at a post-transcriptional level through complementary base pairing with thousands of messenger (m)RNAs. Recent data has shown the involvement of miRs in the pathogenesis of many human cancers, including those of the liver, with huge possible impact in the clinic, mainly due to the identification of non-coding RNAs as biomarkers that can often be detected in the systemic circulation. In the current review, we present the importance of miRs in liver cancers by discussing their role in the pathobiology of these diseases, apart from their role as diagnostic and prognostic markers for liver malignancies.

Research paper thumbnail of p53 siRNA - a therapeutic tool with significant implication in modulation of apoptosis and angiogenic pathways

Clujul Medical, 2015

siRNAs represent an encouraging novel alternative in cancer therapy as a result of targeting the ... more siRNAs represent an encouraging novel alternative in cancer therapy as a result of targeting the mutated tumour suppressor genes or activated oncogenes. Targeting oncogenic signals, as the mutated p53 gene that gains oncogenic role, we observed inhibition of migration, a downregulation of specific genes involved in apoptosis but also in angiogenesis, connected with a reduction in invasion rate in the case of p53siRNA therapy. The study was designed to assess the role of p53 by using RNAi (RNA interference) in Hela in vitro cell culture model. Therefore cell migration rate was assessed by using xCELLigence Systems, gene expression for a panel of genes involved in apoptosis and angiogenesis, and validation of gene expression data at protein level. On the selected in vitro model p53 siRNA therapy was correlated with the reduction of cell migration. The downregulation of p53, PTEN, TNFα, NFkB, BCL-2, ICAM-2, VEGF, and FGFb was evidenced as response to p53 inhibition. RNAi may be a valuable technology in order to restore the normal cellular phenotype. The results in the current research may also have an important significance outside the context of cervical cancer, by using specific inhibitors for p53 for increasing the therapeutic response in a wide range of tumoral pathology.

Research paper thumbnail of Unusual Skin Metastasis in a Patient with Recurrent Micropapillary Serous Ovarian Carcinoma – A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Clujul Medical, 2015

The presence of skin metastasis in ovarian cancer patients is uncommon and related with poor prog... more The presence of skin metastasis in ovarian cancer patients is uncommon and related with poor prognosis. We report a 49-year-old patient with recurrent ovarian cancer presented with extensive skin metastasis on the anterior chest (including bilateral breast skin), lower abdomen, vulva and the upper part of the lower limbs at 21 months after initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The skin biopsy revealed metastasis of adenocarcinoma in the dermis. The patient underwent palliative chemotherapy and she died after 2 months of the diagnosis of the skin metastasis. It is the first case of skin metastasis from a micropapillary serous ovarian carcinoma published in Romania.

Research paper thumbnail of Dual Targeted Therapy with p53 siRNA and Epigallocatechingallate in a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Model

PloS one, 2015

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive phenotype that is resistant to standa... more Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive phenotype that is resistant to standard therapy. Thus, the development of alternative therapeutic strategies for TNBC is essential. The purpose of our in vitro study was to evaluate the impact of p53 gene silencing in conjunction with the administration of a natural compound, epigallocatechingallate (EGCG). RT2Profiler PCR Array technology was used to evaluate the impact of dual treatment on the main genes involved in apoptosis in the Hs578T cell culture model of TNBC. Gene expression analysis revealed 28 genes were significantly altered (16 upregulated and 12 downregulated) in response to combined p53 siRNA and EGCG treatment. Further analysis revealed that p53 siRNA and EGCG dual therapy leads to the activation of pro-apoptotic genes and the inhibition of pro-survival genes, autophagy, and cell network formation. These results indicate that this dual therapy targets both the apoptotic and angiogenic pathways, which may im...

Research paper thumbnail of The prognostic value of FOXP3+ T regulatory cells in colorectal cancer

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

The evaluation of CD3(+) T-cell density is believed to have a higher prognostic value than the co... more The evaluation of CD3(+) T-cell density is believed to have a higher prognostic value than the conventionally used TMN stage in colorectal cancer (CRC), but the role of regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) is still debated. Our study determined the prognostic value of forkhead box P3 nuclear transcription factor (FOXP3) positive Treg and CD3(+) T-cells in the invasive margin of CRC compared with other known prognostic factors. The prognostic factors analysed in 42 patients with CRC stage II (N=13) and III (N=29), were age, tumor location, TNM stage, histological grade, vascular, lymphatic and perineural invasion. CD3(+) T-cells and FOXP3(+) Treg density was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The median CD3(+) T-cells and FOXP3(+) Treg density was 438.93/mm(2) and 162.25/mm(2), respectively. Patients with high FOXP3(+) Treg density showed improved 5-year survival rate of 89.41%, compared with 64.6% of those with low density (p=0.024). Increased CD3(+) T-cells and FOXP3(+) Treg density is ...

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of clinical, morphopathological and therapeutic prognostic factors in rectal cancer. Experience of a tertiary oncology center

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Morphopathological factors continue to be the most important prognostic factors in colorectal can... more Morphopathological factors continue to be the most important prognostic factors in colorectal cancer, but there is evidence regarding the prognostic value of some factors that are not yet used in current clinical practice. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the most important clinical, morphopathological and therapeutic prognostic factors in rectal cancer. This study retrospectively analyzed 317 patients diagnosed and treated at the Ion Chiricuta Institute of Oncology between 2000-2008. The prognostic value of 13 variables was analyzed and correlations between them were established. Nine variables were included in a multivariate analysis model. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 55.6%, significantly higher for patients with TNM stage I disease 7l.7%), compared to stage II (71.4%), stage III (45.4%) and stage IV (12.5%; p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, the independent prognostic factors were tumor stage, age, lymph node invasion, venous, lymphatic and perineural...

Research paper thumbnail of The prognostic value of the Na⁺/ H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) protein in cancer

Cancer biomarkers : section A of Disease markers, 2014

NHERF1 (Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor) is a scaffolding protein, consists of two tandem PDZ ... more NHERF1 (Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor) is a scaffolding protein, consists of two tandem PDZ domains linked to a carboxyl-terminal ezrin-binding region. NHERF1 recruits macromolecular complexes at the apical membrane of epithelial cells in many epithelial tissues. It is involved in trafficking and regulation of transmembrane ion transporters and G protein-coupled receptors. Further, NHERF1 also linked other molecules involved in cell growth and cancer progression, such as PDGFR, PTEN, β-catenin, EGFR and HER2/neu. In this review, we focus on the role of NHERF1 during cancer development. Evidences of its involvement in cancer development are present in hepatocellular carcinoma, schwannoma, glioblastoma, colorectal cancer and particularly in breast cancer. Recent findings obtained from our laboratory show that cytoplasmic NHERF1 expression increases gradually in breast cancer during carcinogenesis, and its overexpression is associated with aggressive clinical parameters, unfavoura...

Research paper thumbnail of Quality control of ion torrent sequencing library

Cancer biomarkers : section A of Disease markers, 2014

Next-generation sequencing (NSG) is an important method for gathering large amounts of sequencing... more Next-generation sequencing (NSG) is an important method for gathering large amounts of sequencing data for different types of applications regarding the diagnosis and response to treatment of different diseases. An important step in the NGS process is the quality control of sequencing libraries, which can influence the yield and efficiency of the sequencing run. This study evaluated two different methods for library quality control, Agilent Bioanalyzer and qPCR, and showed that both methods can be used. However, as is the case with any analytical method, they have their limitations. The Agilent Bioanalyzer quantifies only the high quality libraries, but it underestimates their concentration, while qPCR also quantifies lower quality libraries, but it overestimates their concentration.

Research paper thumbnail of Multiple primary malignancies--epidemiological analysis at a single tertiary institution

Journal of gastrointestinal and liver diseases : JGLD, 2010

A literature review on 1,104 269 cancer patients concluded that the prevalence of multiple primar... more A literature review on 1,104 269 cancer patients concluded that the prevalence of multiple primary malignancies (MPM) is between 0.73% and 11.7%. MPMs seem to have higher incidence than that influenced by hazard only. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinically useful information for effective screening for synchronous and metachronous second primary cancers and to identify a potential surveillance protocol. Using statistical and epidemiological indicators we evaluated the patients with MPMs (double locations) admitted to the Institute of Oncology "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă", Cluj-Napoca between 2001 and 2004. Out of the 63 cases, 22 cases (34.9%) were synchronous tumors while 41 cases (65.1%) were metachronous tumors, the occurrence interval ranging from 6.2 to 254 months, with an average of 34.6 months for the entire group. Almost half of the metachronous tumors (20 cases) occurred between 6.2 and 24 months while 14 cases (20%) were detected after a 5-year inte...

Research paper thumbnail of The importance of ubiquitin E3 ligases, SCF and APC/C, in human cancers

Clujul Medical, 2015

Also, we discuss the importance of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway blockade in cancer treatment.... more Also, we discuss the importance of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway blockade in cancer treatment. We know that a better understanding of the regulatory biology of the cell cycle can lead to the development of new target therapies for cancer.