Lung cancer is the leading disease of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Since the beginning of the 20th century, various infectious agents associated with lung cancer have been identified. The mechanisms that include systemic inflammatory pathways as effect of microbial persistence in the lung can secondarily promote the development of lung carcinogenesis. Chronic inflammation associated with lung-cancer infections is known to precede tumor development, and it has a strong effect on the response(s) to therapy. In fact, both viral and bacterial infections can activate inflammatory cells and inflammatory signaling pathways. In this review, an overview of critical findings of recent studies investigating associations between each of viral and bacterial pathogens and lung carcinoma is provided, with particular emphasis on how infectious organisms can interfere with oncogenic processes and all the way through immunity. Moreover, a discussion of the direct crosstalk between lung tumor development and inflammatory processes is also presented.

By considering the recently proposed definitions and metrics, oral healthcare quality management (OHQM) emerges as a distinct field in the wider healthcare area. The goal of this paper is to systematically review quality management initiatives (QMIs) implementation by dental clinics. The research methodology approach is a review of 72 sources that have been analyzed using the Context–Intervention–Mechanism–Outcome Framework (CIMO). The analysis identifies five mechanisms that explain how quality management initiatives are implemented by dental clinics. The simplest QMIs implementations are related to (1) overall quality. The next ones, in terms of complexity, are related to (2) patient satisfaction, (3) service quality, (4) internal processes improvement, and (5) business outcomes. This paper is the first attempt to provide a critical review of this topic and represents an important advancement by providing a theoretical framework that explains how quality management is implemented by practitioners in this field. The results can be used by scholars for advancing their studies related to this emerging research area and by healthcare managers in order to better implement their quality management initiatives.

Background/Objectives: Cervical cancer causes high mortality rates globally despite the existence of cervical cancer screening. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors limiting Romanian women’s participation in cervical cancer screening, focusing on socio-demographic characteristics, health practices, sexual history, and personal health views. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 1605 women aged 25 to 64 from all regions of Romania. Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing was performed in February and March 2020. Logistic regression models assessed the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, psychosocial factors, sexual health history, and personal beliefs on non-participation, which were quantified using the odds ratio. Results: A percentage of 25.1% of women had never been screened for cervical cancer. Higher education and income levels were linked to higher screening rates. The adjusted odds for a lack of HPV awareness were significantly high (aOR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.85–3.25), highlighting a gap in health knowledge affecting screening behavior. Not receiving a referral to a specialist from the primary care physician (aOR: 2.96, 95% CI: 2.09–4.19) was strongly associated with increased odds of non-participation. Personal beliefs about cancer prevention, health misconceptions, perceived costs, and stigma emerged as significant contributors to cervical cancer screening participation. Conclusions: Analyzing predictors influencing participation in cervical screening is crucial for public health in Romania, which has high cervical cancer mortality and low participation rates in cervical cancer screening. To improve participation, we recommend enhanced physician referrals, HPV awareness campaigns, addressing social stigma, and widespread communication about screening availability.

Background and Objectives: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has posed an array of new challenges for medical students worldwide. Amidst academic rigors, students are confronted with unique stressors, potentially affecting their mental health and substance use. This study aimed to investigate the multifaceted effects of depression, alcohol use, and stress on medical students and discern how these factors have been amplified by the pandemic’s circumstances, and to identify predictors of mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Materials and Methods: Two online anonymous and cross-sectional surveys were conducted at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu” in Romania among medical students in 2018 and in 2022. Data were gathered via online questionnaires distributed through closed student groups on social media platforms, with a total of 1061 participants, to investigate stress, depression, alcohol and drug use, and the impact of the pandemic and online education on mental health, maintaining anonymity and ethical approval. The Medical Student Stress Questionnaire (MSSQ) was employed to measure different aspects of stress, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) provided insights into the participants’ depressive symptoms, and for the assessment of alcohol consumption habits, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was utilized. Results: Our findings showed a significant decrease in mean depression scores (13.81 vs. 11.56, with p < 0.001) from 2018 to 2022. In 2018, students scored significantly higher in the overall stress-related domains. Additionally, being female, facing financial constraints, and being in pre-clinical years emerged as predictors of heightened academic-related stress and depressive symptoms. Students who had experienced the loss of a family member due to COVID-19 exhibited a statistically significant rise in their average BDI score and current anxiety levels. Conclusions: The pandemic, despite introducing new stressors, may have indirectly fostered an increased focus on students’ mental health, leading to more refined support mechanisms. Specialized interventions, taking into account gender and financial problems, are needed to address the multifaceted challenges faced by medical students. Our study highlights the ongoing need to nurture both the academic and emotional strength of future medical practitioners.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a disease of real interest for researchers due to its heterogenicity and complex pathophysiological mechanisms. Identification of the factors that ensure success after treatment represents one of the main challenges in CRSwNP research. No consensus in this direction has been reached so far. Biomarkers for poor outcomes have been noted, but nonetheless, their prognostic value has not been extensively investigated, and needs to be sought. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between potential prognostic predictors for recalcitrant disease in patients with CRSwNP. Methods: The study group consisted of CRSwNP patients who underwent surgical treatment and nasal polyp (NP) tissue sampling. The preoperative workup included Lund–Mackay assessment, nasal endoscopy, eosinophil blood count, asthma, and environmental allergy questionnaire. Postoperatively, in subjects with poor outcomes, imagistic osteitis severity was evaluated, and IL-33 expression was measured. Results: IL-33 expression in NP was positively and significantly correlated with postoperative osteitis on CT scans (p = 0.01). Furthermore, high osteitis CT scores were related to high blood eosinophilia (p = 0.01). A positive strong correlation was found between postoperative osteitis and the Lund–Mackay preoperative score (p = 0.01), as well as the nasal endoscopy score (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Our research analyzed the levels of polyp IL-33, relative to blood eosinophilia, overall disease severity score, and osteitis severity, in patients with CRSwNP. These variables are prognostic predictors for poor outcomes and recalcitrant disease. Considering the importance of bone involvement in CRSwNP, this research aims to provide a better insight into the correlations of osteitis with clinical and biological factors.

Paranasal sinus osteomas are the most common benign fibro-osseous lesions that occur in the paranasal sinuses, having potential serious complications. With a prevalence ratio of 2:1 towards males, in 95% of the cases, the osteomas are situated most commonly in the frontoethmoidal region. However, osteomas of the maxillary sinus account for less than 5% of cases. The management of symptomatic paranasal sinus osteomas is surgical and is decided based on tumor size and location, patient symptoms, and experience of the surgeon. The Caldwell–Luc procedure, lateral rhinotomy, or craniotomy as external standard procedures remain mandatory if endonasal endoscopic surgery fails. In most reported cases, large tumors are excised by an external approach or in conjunction with an endoscopic technique. Endoscopic treatment of such tumors is a huge challenge for the operator. We report on a 42-year-old male patient presenting with a giant calcified mass in the right maxillary sinus. In this case, an endonasal approach was the most appropriate management even with the large size of the tumor. No recurrence at 24 months follow-up was reported.