Laparoscopically assisted colorectal surgery provides better short-term clinical and inflammatory outcomes compared to open colorectal surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Changes in immune function after surgery may influence overall outcome, length of hospital stay, susceptibility to infection and perioperative tumour dissemination in cancer patients. Our aim was to elaborate on postoperative differences in the immune status and the intensity of the systemic inflammatory response between two groups of prospectively enrolled patients with colorectal cancer, namely patients undergoing laparoscopically assisted or open colorectal surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood samples from 77 patients were taken before surgery and then 3 h, 24 h and 4 days after surgery. The inflammatory response was determined by leukocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin levels (PCT). Immune status was determined by phenotypic analysis of lymphocyte populations and the activation of mononuclear cells. CD64 expression and cytokine expression were also determined. RESULTS: Patients undergoing laparoscopically assisted surgery had less intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.002), earlier resumption of diet (p = 0.002) and shorter hospital stay (p = 0.02). Numbers of total leukocytes (p = 0.12), CRP (p = 0.002) and PCT (p = 0.23) were remarkably higher 4 days after surgery in patients who underwent an open colorectal procedure. There was an important decrease in monocyte HLA-DR expression 3 h after surgery in patients undergoing laparoscopically assisted surgery (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that minimally invasive surgery provides better short-term clinical outcomes for patients with resectable colorectal cancer. The acute inflammatory response is less pronounced. Post-surgical immunological disturbance in both groups is similar, but we observed a divergent effect of different surgical approaches on the expression of HLA-DR on monocytes. However, our results corroborate the results of previous studies.

Current status of human papillomavirus vaccination implementation in central and eastern Europe.

We present a review of the current implementation status of vaccination against human papillomaviruses (HPV) and available data concerning the burden of HPV infection and HPV type-specific distribution in 16 central and eastern European countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. At least one current HPV prophylactic vaccine is registered in all central and eastern European countries except Montenegro. Six counties-Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Romania, Slovenia, and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia-have integrated the HPV vaccination into their national immunization program and currently provide routine vaccination free of charge to the primary target population. Ten countries have not integrated HPV vaccination into the national immunization program. The key reasons for lack of implementation of HPV vaccination into the national immunization program are the high vaccine cost and negative public perception. Vaccination of males is not recommended in any country in the region.

Cervical cancer screening practices in central and eastern Europe in 2012.

The burden of cervical cancer in central and eastern Europe is generally higher compared to western or northern Europe due to a history of mostly opportunistic cervical cancer screening practices and due to the strong influence of political and economic changes in post-communist transition. This article describes the current cervical cancer screening practices, organizational plans for the future, and main obstacles that need to be overcome in 16 countries in central and eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Unfortunately, only a few countries have managed to establish an organized and well-functioning cervical cancer screening program in recent years, whereas most countries in the region are still struggling with implementation-related issues of organized cervical cancer screening. Encouragingly, even in the countries where only opportunistic screening is performed, well-prepared plans and strategies have been established for switching to organized screening in the near future.