Abstract: BACKGROUND: Many patients with solid tumours suffer from anaemia, as a consequence of the disease itself or its treatment. Anaemia affects the quality of life and can have a negative impact on overall survival. The aim of the current study was to analyse the impact of haemoglobin levels on the prognosis of patients with primary breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective data from 249 women treated for operable breast tumours were included in our study. Haemoglobin (Hb) levels independently of anticancer therapy were compared for the prognostic influence on disease-free and overall survival. RESULTS: A significant correlation between higher minimum Hb level during chemotherapy and the disease-free and overall survival was found. Pre-treatment haemoglobin levels had no prognostic influence on the disease-free and overall survival. CONCLUSION: The present data showed that anaemia during adjuvant chemotherapy to be a negative prognostic indicator for survival of patients with breast cancer.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy or radical oncological surgery in young women with cancer has greatly enhanced these patients' life expectancy, but these treatments often cause infertility or premature ovarian failure due to a massive destruction of the ovarian reserve. The objective of this review is to discuss the effect of the various cancer treatments on fertility and present the various fertility sparing operations and fertility preservation strategies. METHOD: An extensive survey of the most up-to-date literature was performed. RESULTS: This review discusses the impact of current cancer treatment on fertility potential and the various surgical and assisted-reproduction innovations available today for the most common cancers in young women. Although the ability to retain reproductive potential is becoming a major quality-of-life factor in an increasing number of young female cancer survivors, they are still being poorly counseled with regard to the negative impact of the treatment on their fertility and on their options for fertility preservation. CONCLUSION: As the emerging discipline of fertility preservation is steadily attracting increasing interest, developments in the near future promise to be very exciting. However, in everyday routine work, better interdisciplinary cooperation between gynecological and pediatric oncologists, surgeons, immunologists, and endocrinologists is necessary so that individualized options for fertility preservation can be offered in advance of surgical procedures or cancer treatments.
Abstract: Severe postmenopausal virilization is a rare event in clinical practice. To evaluate ovarian or adrenal hyperandrogenism endocrine tests and imaging are useful diagnostic tools. We report a case of a postmenopausal woman with hirsutism and androgenetic alopecia. A malignant cause for the present disorder could be excluded by imaging. Selective venous sampling was administered with increased testosterone level of the right adrenal vein. Right adrenalectomy and right oophorctomy was recommended.
