Cancer remains one of the most pressing issues of contemporary science and medicine. Incidence of malignant diseases is rising worldwide and they represent a major problem for the society due to both economic and ethical issues they cause. Although the progress in cancer biology, therapy and immunology has led to the introduction of many novel therapeutic protocols, approaches and drugs with specificity defined on a molecular level into clinical practice, many malignancies retain their poor prognosis. Therefore, intense research into new ways to increase our therapeutic options is warranted. Unfortunately, bringing a completely novel drug into clinical use takes extremely high amounts of time and money and entails a high risk of failure. Therefore, a promising approach has been recently adopted which lies in repurposing compounds already used in human medicine for cancer treatment. This form of research can advance through clinical trials for a new indication much easier, faster and cheaper than researching completely new drugs. The aim of this study was to examine the anticancer potential of one such drug, mebendazole. An anthelminthic from the family of benzimidazoles, mebendazole has been in common clinical use from the 1970s and is marked by its low toxicity as well as its very low solubility....

Magister Artium - MA / The purpose of this investigation is to determine how a group of selected institutionalized alcoholics react to a broad-spectrum model in regard to their perception of treatment, re-integration into community life and general rehabilitation. The method that was employed to achieve this goal is fivefold. Firstly alcoholics were placed within a theoretical perspective by focusing on the etiology, nature, extent and consequences thereof. Secondly the existing methods of treatment and the existing facilities available in South Africa were investigated. These two objectives were realized by means of a comprehensive literature study. Thirdly an empirical investigation was carried out of the policy and philosophical approach as well as the application of the multi-disciplinary methods of treatment at the Avalon Treatment Centre. Information in this regard was gained during visits to the Centre by means of personal interviews with the team applying the treatment as well as the respondents reacted to the treatment model by means of case studies. Data was obtained by conducting unstructured in-depth interviews with the respondents. By this means respondents were identified in terms of their personality configuration, marital, scholastic, professional, religious and socio-economic status. The respondents' drinking behaviour is focused on in order to determine patterns and tendencies in the development of the respondents' drinking problem. The researcher also followed up the respondents' behaviour over a period of two years to determine their re-integration within the community as well as their total rehabilitation. Valuable information about the respondents was gained during group therapy sessions and also meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous by means of participant observation. As member of Alcoholics Anonymous the researcher was part of the group and on an equal footing with the respondents. The advantage this held was that the researcher was accepted by the group and information was passed on without inhibitions. Fifthly the findings, conclusions and recommendations resulting from the whole investigation are set out. From the investigation it would appear that the problem of alcoholism, especially in South Africa is serious and escalating. In the light of this, there is a growing need for effective treatment. In spite of intensive treatment with complete abstinence general, degenerate as the aim of the treatment, the respondents, in because of denial, resistance to treatment, personality and social configuration and also poor re-integration, reacted poorly to treatment. The present specifically be sharpened establishment study shows that institutional treatment and as applied by the Avalon Treatment Centre can in order to be more effective. The of a more realistic perception of alcoholism among alcoholics per se is foremost. A more "enlightened" view of alcoholism is pleaded in terms of which alcoholism would be viewed as a non-stigmatised illness responding to treatment. The possibility that there will be a greater willingness on the part of alcoholics to submit to treatment is visualised. A more positive image of treatment centres should be created while the problem of alcoholism must be approached with a greater measure of sensitivity. Treatment should be of such a nature that it should emphasize and reinforce a positive self-image, pride in oneself and dignity. A more extensive programme of treatment that would include an exploratory project and longitudinal research is pleaded. The desirability of involving other key figures, important persons in the alcoholics life, and institutions as well as community organizations proposed with The traditional emphasis should helping fall services is re-orientation and education in order on sensitising, to achieve a more positive perception and understanding of alcoholism within the community. This study will hopefully stimulate further research in this direction. / South Africa

Key words: adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, PET/CT, histopathological response, technique of esophagogastric anastomosis, anastomotic leak, anastomotic stricture Previous studies have shown that preoperative chemotherapy of locally advanced AEG is beneficial only for patients with a good histopathological response, the so-called responders. The aim of the first part of the thesis was to prospectively verify whether positron emission tomography (PET/CT) could be used for early identification of histopathological non- responders, who could be spared ineffective neoadjuvant treatment. Our study did not prove that the early metabolic response, expressed as the percentage change of the consumption of glucosis on PET/CT performed before (PET1) and 12 to 22 days after the start of the first cycle of preoperative chemotherapy (PET2) correlated with the histopathological response in the resection specimen in the entire population of 90 patients. In a post hoc explorative analysis we found the correlation between metabolic and histopathological response in a subgroup of patients with PET2 performed ≤16 days after the start of the therapy, but this hypothesis needs to be prospectively validated. Our study suggests that PET/CT performed after the first...

The diploma thesis deals with the protection of personnel in cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, focusing on non-medical healthcare workers - anesthetist nurses. The aim of the work was to analyze the knowledge of anesthesia nurses in the use of personal protective equipment, the specifics of selection for the given performance, the use of an electrocautery with integrated suction, the availability of decontamination aids In case of an accident of cytotoxic substances and if the staff is afraid of their own health. The data was obtained through a questionnaire. For the research were selected anesthesia nurses working in operating theaters in selected health care facilities in the Czech Republic. The total number of respondents who participated in the research was 35. The results of the survey revealed that the staff did not find out what PPEs are recommended for this type of operation. It's either because the staff is less linguistically equipped or does not know EBN / EBP or EBM. The staff only uses those PPEs that are available to them. As a good result, 49% of respondents use an integrated electric exhaust system. With regard to the availability of decontamination aids, I have found that most of the staff does not know whether these utilities are available at...

Tumor malignancies are the second leading cause of death worldwide. One of the reasons for the failure of oncological treatment are the uniformly set clinical guidelines, which neglect the effect of high intertumoral heterogeneity. The in vitro chemosensitivity and resistance (CSRA) assays allow for the stratification of patients prior to therapy. Therefore, the CSRA are a long-considered method for personalization of components of chemotherapy regime. Nevertheless, none of them is being routinely used in clinical practice. Certain chemotherapeutics used for their cytotoxic and cytostatic effect are also able to induce so-called immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumor cells and activate an anti-tumor immune response. Monitoring of changes in the expression of molecules associated with the regulation of the innate immune system on the surface of dying tumor cells would enable to predict the patient's ability to respond to treatment involving modern immunotherapeutics. The feasibility of CSRA using flow cytometry and microscopy is critically evaluated in this thesis on a model of bladder cancer. Simultaneously, the correlation of the immunogenic phenotype of tumor cells and their sensitivity to selected chemotherapeutics is discussed.

Hematooncological diseases are often accompanied by dietary restriction, especially in cytotoxic therapy. The main purpose of the work was to assess the effect of high-dose chemotherapy on the change of nutritional status in two groups of hematooncological patients. A total of 16 patients were enrolled. Changes of the body composition were evaluated using bioelectrical impedance analysis supplemented by monitoring of biochemical nutritional indicators. Observations showed that in both groups the majority lost weight. In the first group of eight patients with acute myeloid leukemia observed during three consecutive hospitalizations, the median of change of body weight was -3.7 kg (-4.3%). Loss of lean body mass with a median value of -4.8 kg (-7.2%) was detected at all patients. Body fat was reduced at half of the patients. In some cases, with length of observation, there was an increase in fat mass along with visceral fat. In the second group, which included eight patients (after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation) at whom one hospitalization was evaluated, body weight was reduced at six patients. The medianof change of body weight was -2.1 kg (-2.3%). At five patients, the treatment representeda loss of active metabolic mass. The change of the weight of the lean body mass was shown...