Herbal therapy is a potential alternative applied to pharmacological alleviation of depression symptoms and treatment of this disorder, which is predicted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be the most serious health problem worldwide over the next several years. It has been well documented that many herbs with psychotropic effects have far fewer side effects than a variety of pharmaceutical agents used by psychiatrists for the treatment of depression. This systematic review presents literature data on the antidepressant activity of representatives of the genera Hemerocallis (H. fulva and H. citrina Baroni, family Xanthorrhoeaceae) and Gladiolus (G. dalenii, family Iridaceae) and on biologically active compounds and their mechanisms of action to consider the application of herbal preparations supporting the treatment of depression.

Arthospira platensis and Spirulina platensis microalgae are a rich source of pro-health metabolites (% d.m.): proteins (50.0–71.3/46.0–63.0), carbohydrates (16.0–20.0/12.0–17.0), fats (0.9–14.2/6.4–14.3), polyphenolic compounds and phenols (7.3–33.2/7.8–44.5 and 4.2/0.3 mg GAE/g), and flavonoids (1.9/0.2 QUE/g) used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations. This review summarises the research on the chemical profile, therapeutic effects in dermatological problems, application of Arthrospira and Spirulina microalgae, and contraindications to their use. The pro-health properties of these microalgae were analysed based on the relevant literature from 2019 to 2024. The antiviral mechanism of microalgal activity involves the inhibition of viral replication and enhancement of immunity. The anti-acne activity is attributed to alkaloids, alkanes, phenols, alkenes, phycocyanins, phthalates, tannins, carboxylic and phthalic acids, saponins, and steroids. The antibacterial activity generally depends on the components and structure of the bacterial cell wall. Their healing effect results from the inhibition of inflammatory and apoptotic processes, reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, stimulation of angiogenesis, and proliferation of fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The photoprotective action is regulated by amino acids, phlorotannins, carotenoids, mycosporins, and polyphenols inhibiting the production of tyrosinase, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and free oxygen radicals in fibroblasts and the stimulation of collagen production. Microalgae are promising molecular ingredients in innovative formulations of parapharmaceuticals and cosmetics used in the prophylaxis and therapy of dermatological problems. This review shows the application of spirulina-based commercial skin-care products as well as the safety and contraindications of spirulina use. Furthermore, the main directions for future studies of the pro-health suitability of microalgae exerting multidirectional effects on human skin are presented.

Several molecular abnormalities in the MET gene have been identified, including overexpression, amplification, point mutations, and “skipping mutation” in exon 14. Even though deregulated MET signaling occurs rarely in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it possesses tumorigenic activity. Since the discovery of the significant role played by MET dysregulations in resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKI), many clinical trials have been focused on mechanisms underlying this acquired resistance. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are being considered in the personalized therapy of NSCLC patients carrying MET abnormalities. First, MET kinase inhibitors (tepotinib and capmatinib) have been shown to be effective in the first and subsequent lines of treatment in NSCLC patients with “skipping mutations” in exon 14 of MET gene. In this article, the authors show the role of MET signaling pathway alterations and describe the results of clinical trials with MET inhibitors in NSCLC patients.

In patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), comprehensive genetic diagnostics is currently carried out in order to qualify for molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapy. The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of the reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR) method in the diagnosis of gene rearrangements, the effectiveness of EGFR, ALK, ROS1, and PD-L1 inhibitors in first-line treatment in NSCLC patients. We enrolled 95 non-squamous NSCLC patients with known status of EGFR, ALK, ROS1, MET and RET genes and PD-L1 protein expression. We used the real time PCR, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-PCR techniques for determination of predictive factors. In patients with ALK and ROS1 genes alteration, the median overall survival was 34 months in crizotinib treated patients and 6 months in patients who received chemotherapy (HR = 0.266, p = 0.0056). The risk of death was lower in patients treated with molecularly targeted therapies or immunotherapy compared to patients with predictive factors without personalized treatment (HR = 0.265, 95% CI 0.116–0.606) and to patient without predictive factors who received chemotherapy (HR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.162–1.09). Diagnosis of predictive factors and implementation of personalized treatment are key to prolonging the survival in advanced NSCLC patients.

Lung cancer is one of the major oncological problems in Poland. Pembrolizumab monotherapy can be applied as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in ≥ 50% of tumor cells. The article presents a case report of a female patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma and high PD-L1 expression and an additional MET exon 14 skipping mutation. Despite the advanced stage of the disease, the patient benefited spectacularly from pembrolizumab administered following stereotactic radiotherapy for central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Partial remission followed by long-term stabilization of the disease was achieved. Unfortunately, the therapy was discontinued due to grade-3 pulmonary toxicity observed after 3 years of treatment. Despite the discontinuation of the pembrolizumab therapy, the disease has currently been stabilized and inflammatory changes have slowly resolved upon administration of corticosteroid. Lung cancer is one of the major oncological problems in Poland. Pembrolizumab monotherapy can be applied as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in ≥ 50% of tumor cells. The article presents a case report of a female patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma and high PD-L1 expression and an additional MET exon 14 skipping mutation. Despite the advanced stage of the disease, the patient benefited spectacularly from pembrolizumab administered following stereotactic radiotherapy for central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Partial remission followed by long-term stabilization of the disease was achieved. Unfortunately, the therapy was discontinued due to grade-3 pulmonary toxicity observed after 3 years of treatment. Despite the discontinuation of the pembrolizumab therapy, the disease has currently been stabilized and inflammatory changes have slowly resolved upon administration of corticosteroid.

Introduction. In this study, we attempted to detect selected abnormalities in the MET gene using various molecular techniques. Material and methods. Twenty-six lung adenocarcinoma patients had a diagnosis of abnormalities in the genes: EGFR, ALK, ROS1 , MET, and RET. They were diagnosed using various techniques and assessment of PD-L1 expression using immunohistochemistry. Copy number variation of MET gene was assessed by qPCR and FISH techniques, MET exon 14 mutation by RT-PCR method, and MET mRNA expression by the RT-qPCR technique. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistica v. 13.1 and MedCalc 15.8. Results. Most patients (57.7%) had a high MET gene copy number in the qPCR method, which was not confirmed by the FISH method. A significant positive correlation (R = +0.573, p = 0.0022) between the MET gene copy number assessed with the qPCR method and the relative MET mRNA expression was found. Conclusions. The positive correlation between the MET mRNA expression and the MET gene copy number in the qPCR test indicates that these methods could complement each other. The performance of these two tests simultaneously increases the reliability of the MET gene assessment.