Paul Filip Curcă

Dr. Paul Filip Curcă

Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest - Faculty of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania
+1
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

8Years (2019-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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2 May 2024 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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MPMihai Adrian Păsărică
Mihai Adrian Păsărică
Paul Filip CurcăPaul Filip Curcă
Paul Filip Curcă
DMDragosloveanu Christiana Diana Maria
Dragosloveanu Christiana Diana Maria
AGAlexandru Grigorescu
Alexandru Grigorescu
CNCosmin Ionuț Nisipașu
Cosmin Ionuț Nisipașu
(1) Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a common malignant intraocular tumor that presents with significant genetic differences to cutaneous melanoma and has a high genetic burden in terms of prognosis. (2) Methods: A systematic literature search of several repositories on uveal melanoma diagnosis, prognosis, molecular analysis, and treatment was conducted. (3) Results: Recent genetic understanding of oncogene-initiation mutations in GNAQ, GNA11, PLCB4, and CYSLTR2 and secondary progression drivers of BAP1 inactivation and SF3B1 and EIF1AX mutations offers an appealing explanation to the high prognostic impact of adding genetic profiling to clinical UM classification. Genetic information could help better explain peculiarities in uveal melanoma, such as the low long-term survival despite effective primary tumor treatment, the overwhelming propensity to metastasize to the liver, and possibly therapeutic behaviors. (4) Conclusions: Understanding of uveal melanoma has improved step-by-step from histopathology to clinical classification to more recent genetic understanding of oncogenic initiation and progression.

29 May 2023 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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MPMihai Adrian Păsărică
Mihai Adrian Păsărică
Paul Filip CurcăPaul Filip Curcă
Paul Filip Curcă
MBMarian Burcea
Marian Burcea
SSSperanta Schmitzer
Speranta Schmitzer
DMDragosloveanu Christiana Diana Maria
Dragosloveanu Christiana Diana Maria
AGAlexandru Grigorescu
Alexandru Grigorescu
(1) Background: Uveal malignant melanoma is the most common adult eye cancer and presents metabolic reprogramming that affects the tumoral microenvironment by altering the redox balance and producing oncometabolites. (2) Methods: The study prospectively evaluated patients undergoing enucleation surgery or stereotactic radiotherapy for uveal melanoma by following systemic oxidative-stress redox markers serum lipid peroxides, total albumin groups and total antioxidant levels (3) Results: Serum antioxidants and lipid peroxides were elevated from pre-treatment to longer-term follow-up. Antioxidants inversely correlated to lipid peroxides: higher in stereotactic radiosurgery patients pre/6/12/18 months post-treatment (p = 0.001–0.049) versus higher lipid peroxides in enucleation surgery patients pre/after/6 months post-treatment (p = 0.004–0.010). An increased variance in serum antioxidants was observed for enucleation surgery patients (p < 0.001), however enucleation did not increase mean serum antioxidants or albumin thiols; only lipid peroxides were increased post-enucleation (p < 0.001) and at 6-month follow-up (p = 0.029). Mean albumin thiols were increased for 18- and 24-month follow-ups (p = 0.017–0.022). Males who had enucleation surgery presented higher variance in serum determinations and overall higher lipid peroxides values pre/post-treatment and at the 18-month follow-up. (4) Conclusions: Initial oxidative stress-inducing events of surgical enucleation or stereotactic radiotherapy for uveal melanoma are followed by a longer-term inflammatory cascade gradually subsiding at later follow-ups.

25 May 2022 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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MPMihai Adrian Păsărică
Mihai Adrian Păsărică
Paul Filip CurcăPaul Filip Curcă
Paul Filip Curcă
DMDragosloveanu Christiana Diana Maria
Dragosloveanu Christiana Diana Maria
CTCatalina-Ioana Tataru
Catalina-Ioana Tataru
IMIoana Roxana Manole
Ioana Roxana Manole
AGAlexandru Grigorescu
Alexandru Grigorescu
(1) Background: Ciliary body uveal melanoma is a rare subtype of uveal melanoma which comprises 3–5% of melanomas, an immunogenic cancer, and can present multifaceted initial clinical manifestations, masquerading as various ocular pathologies. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) presents immunodeficiency and risk for the development of a secondary malignancy, with Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment having a mutagenic effect and a secondary anti-platelet aggregation effect. We present the case of a 65-year-old patient undergoing treatment for CLL with ibrutinib who presented with recurrent hyphema that masked an underlying, inferiorly situated, ciliary body uveal melanoma; (2) Methods: Retrospective case review; (3) Results: An ophthalmological examination together with imaging via mode B ultrasound and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging resulted in the clinical and imagistic diagnosis of a ciliary body uveal melanoma. A pathological examination of the enucleated eye confirmed the diagnosis. Postoperative tumoral reoccurrence was not detected for 1½ years, however, CLL immunosuppression worsened with admission for severe COVID-19 disease. (4) Conclusions: CLL patient screening for melanoma should also include detailed ophthalmological examinations, which could also include ultrasound ophthalmological imaging. The avoidance of uveal melanoma metastatic disease is paramount for patient survival. CLL manifests additional profound immunosuppression.

23 February 2024 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Paul Filip CurcăPaul Filip Curcă
Paul Filip Curcă
CTCatalina-Ioana Tataru
Catalina-Ioana Tataru
GSGeorge Sima
George Sima
MBMarian Burcea
Marian Burcea
CTCalin Petru Tataru
Calin Petru Tataru
(1) Background: Laser-assisted refractive surgery is a safe and effective surgical correction of refractive error. For most patients, both the newer Trans-PRK and the established LASIK technique can produce the required surgical correction, sparking the question of which technique should be opted for. (2) Methods: The study prospectively evaluated 121 patients (230 eyes) for at least one month postoperatively; 66 patients (126 eyes) and 45 patients (85 eyes) returned for 6 months and 1 year follow-up. (3) Results: No statistical difference was recorded at 1 week or 1 month post-operation. At 6 months, a difference was found for spherical diopters (Trans-PRK −0.0476 ± 0.7012 versus FS-LASIK +0.425 ± 0.874, p = 0.004) and spherical equivalent (Trans-PRK −0.1994 ± 0.0294 versus FS-LASIK +0.225 ± 0.646, p = 0.025) but not for CYL D (Trans-PRK −0.3036 ± 0.5251 versus FS-LASIK −0.4 ± 0.820, p = 0.499). Uncorrected visual acuity was better for Trans-PRK 6 months post-operation (UCVA logMAR 0.02523 versus 0.0768 logMAR; p = 0.015 logMAR). At 1-year, Trans-PRK was favored for spherical diopters (Trans-PRK −0.0294 ± 0.6493 versus FS-LASIK +0.646 ± 0.909, p < 0.001) and spherical equivalent (Trans-PRK −0.218 ± 0.784 versus FS-LASIK 0.372 ± 1.08, p = 0.007). Overall speed in visual recovery, variance of results and surgically induced astigmatism were in favor of Trans-PRK. (4) Conclusions: The study reported improvements for Trans-PRK patients, with both techniques found to be safe and effective.

17 March 2026 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
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Paul Filip CurcăPaul Filip Curcă
Paul Filip Curcă
LMLaura Macovei
Laura Macovei
OMOvidiu Mușat Mușat
Ovidiu Mușat Mușat
MZMihail Zemba
Mihail Zemba
VDValentin Dinu
Valentin Dinu
CTCalin Petru Tataru
Calin Petru Tataru
Background and Clinical Significance: To our knowledge, there is a lack of electron microscopy studies in hematocornea since 1985, and more so for graft hematocornea after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). This study provides an ultrastructural characterization of hematocornea occurring in a DALK graft. Our study presents several limitations: single-case design and lack of control tissue. Case Presentation: The DALK graft with hematocornea was excised and introduced inside of the operating room in glutaraldehyde solution recipient. The graft was quickly cold-transported to light and transmission electron microscopy. Hematocornea in the DALK transplant graft resulted in features of stromal alteration and dysfunctional cellular clean-up response. The collagen lamellae ultrastructure was affected near electron-dense hem deposits. Two cellular aspects were observed: adaptation and degeneration. Electron-dense granules were found in keratocytes, which may exhibit cellular adaptations, such as vacuoles and phagosomes. Macropinocytosis may mechanistically explain ingestion of electron-dense granules, and dysfunctions in the macropinocytosis process may have led to cell degeneration. Cellular degeneration was marked by loss of organelle contour and loss of cellular membrane integrity (burst-cell aspect). Microscopic corneal alteration corresponded to macroscopic total loss of corneal transparency and elasticity. Conclusions: This study described lamellar ultrastructure alterations and dysfunctional cellular response in hematocornea of a DALK corneal transplant graft.

18 August 2021 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
CTCalin Petru Tataru
Calin Petru Tataru
CTCatalina-Ioana Tataru
Catalina-Ioana Tataru
DMDudau Maria
Dudau Maria
AMAlexandra Moșu
Alexandra Moșu
LLLăcrămioara Luca
Lăcrămioara Luca
Paul Filip CurcăPaul Filip Curcă
Paul Filip Curcă
(1) Background: Intralenticular tumors are an entity akin to Schrodinger’s cat since, although the human crystalline cells themselves are not known to malignly proliferate, various entities can take the appearance and clinical presentation of a tumor originating in the lens. We present the peculiar case of an 11-year-old male patient of African descent, HLA B27+, with a previous history of minor ocular trauma and unilateral anterior uveitis a year before which was admitted to our department with total opacification of the crystalline lens in the right eye and lens neovascularization. During surgery, a vascular, white fibrotic mass measuring 0.1–0.2 cm was discovered inside the lens bag and was excised. (2) Methods: Retrospective case review. (3) Results: The histopathological exam of the excised mass revealed an abundant infiltrate consisting of CD68+ foamy macrophages and lymphoplasmacytic elements. CD68 is a pan-macrophage marker associated with an active inflammatory mechanism soliciting macrophages, and tissue activated macrophages are correlated to increased stromal and serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, providing an explanation for lens angiogenesis. (4) Conclusions: The diagnosis is of a “masquerade tumor” resulted from an abnormal inflammatory process in connection with previous ocular trauma and possibly the patient’s HLA B27+ status.