Author: Monica M. Cirstoiu

Vulvovaginal atrophy – the impact on the quality of life and self-regard. Review of literature

Vulvovaginal atrophy is a condition frequently encoutered among menopausal women that often is ignored, remains undiscussed with the physician and the patient adapts the life style is such matter that offers a run from the specific symptomathology. According to the specialized published data, only 25% of the patients with vulvovaginal atrophy receive adequate therapy. The therapeutic perspective is quite extensive but the patient should receive recommendations and try different products until they find one that meets their needs and the one they like best. Proper estrogen therapy leads to a restoration of the acidic, normal vaginal pH, of the vaginal microflora, thickens the epithelium, increases vaginal lubrication and decreases vaginal dryness, also, adverse effects of vaginal estrogen therapy are uncommon. Early active detection of this pathological condition and the provision of an appropriately selected therapy can prevent the progression of the symptomatology and can significantly improve the sexuality of women.

Negative-pressure wound therapy – advantages and disadvantages

The applications of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) have achieved remarkable diversification. Initially used in the therapy of soft tissue wounds related to open fractures, this technique led to the understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying it. This paper aims to analyze the evolutionary scenarios of a group of patients with heterogeneous lesions under negative pressure aspiration treatment. We aimed to identify and analyze various associated pathologies that have the potential to negatively influence the healing process under negative pressure treatment and implicitly analyze the particularities of representative cases for the group whose evolution under treatment proved to be unfavorable. Retrospective, observational study, type series of cases focused on a group of 17 hospitalized patients, who received treatment by negative aspiration, between 2015-2019 in the Surgery Department of the University Emergency Hospital Bucharest. Regarding the obtained results, diabetes mellitus, obliterating arteriopathy, and anemia had a prevalent distribution in the group with unfavorable evolution. The glycemic value can predict 17% of the evolutionary scenario of a patient (favorable/unfavorable) being necessary an integrative therapeutic conduct. Concluding, although an extremely promising therapeutic option, NPWT can prove to be disappointing given its impact in the background of suboptimally managed comorbidities.

Emerging concepts regarding the molecular profile of breast carcinoma: one-year experience in a University Center

Breast carcinoma represents the leading cause of oncologic mortality for women. Due to therapeutic and diagnostic advances, the mortality and morbidity in the last decade declined, but breast cancer still has a great impact on quality of life and also on medical service cost. In the light of these facts, an integrated approach, considering histopathology features, molecular profiles and corroboration with clinical and imagistic data is necessary. A descriptive retrospective one-year study analyzed the breast cancer heterogeneity in 121 cases registered in the Pathology Department of the University Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, Romania. Our purpose was to evaluate histopathological, immunohistochemically, clinical and imagistic aspects of breast cancer considering the current molecular classification (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2 enriched and triple negative/basal like). Our assay revealed that most prevalent histotype was NST (no special type) followed by invasive lobular carcinoma. Considering the molecular pattern, the most common was luminal B. Triple negative basal like and HER 2-enriched were correlated with an aggressive morphologic pattern and lymph-nodes positivity. Considering the imagistic acquisitions, mammography proved to be the most accurate technique for measuring the dimension of NST. In conclusion, breast carcinoma is a heterogeneous disease that needs an integrated approach and personalized treatment based on the histopathologic and molecular features. Considering the great number of advanced stages as diagnosis, a national screening program for breast cancer is imperiously needed.