Cisplatin is still a widely used anticancer drug characterized by significant nephrotoxicity. Acute kidney injury (AKI), diagnosed based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria, has limitations, including a delayed increase in creatinine. We determined the usefulness of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in diagnosing AKI according to the KDIGO criteria in patients treated with cisplatin. We recruited 21 subjects starting cisplatin-based chemotherapy (Cisplatin-based group) and 11 treated with carboplatin-based chemotherapy or 5-fluorouracil regimens (non-cisplatin-based group). Blood and urine samples were collected during four subsequent cycles of chemotherapy (68 and 38 cycles, respectively). AKI occurred in four patients in the cisplatin-based group (5.9% of 68 cisplatin-based chemotherapy cycles). Among them, three urinary markers were increased by over 100% in two cases, two in one case and one in another. A doubling of at least one investigated parameter was observed more frequently during cisplatin-based chemotherapy (80.3% vs. 52.8%; OR = 3.65, 95% CI: 1.49–8.90; p < 0.01). The doubling of at least one new urinary AKI marker was more common in patients receiving cisplatin and frequently was not associated with overt AKI. Thus, a subclinical kidney injury detected by these markers occurs more frequently than deterioration in kidney function stated with creatinine changes.

Background: In recent years, the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care is progressively transforming medical fields, with the use of clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) as a notable application. Laboratory tests are vital for accurate diagnoses, but their increasing reliance presents challenges. The need for effective strategies for managing laboratory test interpretation is evident from the millions of monthly searches on test results’ significance. As the potential role of CDSSs in laboratory diagnostics gains significance, however, more research is needed to explore this area. Objective: The primary objective of our study was to assess the accuracy and safety of LabTest Checker (LTC), a CDSS designed to support medical diagnoses by analyzing both laboratory test results and patients’ medical histories. Methods: This cohort study embraced a prospective data collection approach. A total of 101 patients aged ≥18 years, in stable condition, and requiring comprehensive diagnosis were enrolled. A panel of blood laboratory tests was conducted for each participant. Participants used LTC for test result interpretation. The accuracy and safety of the tool were assessed by comparing AI-generated suggestions to experienced doctor (consultant) recommendations, which are considered the gold standard. Results: The system achieved a 74.3% accuracy and 100% sensitivity for emergency safety and 92.3% sensitivity for urgent cases. It potentially reduced unnecessary medical visits by 41.6% (42/101) and achieved an 82.9% accuracy in identifying underlying pathologies. Conclusions: This study underscores the transformative potential of AI-based CDSSs in laboratory diagnostics, contributing to enhanced patient care, efficient health care systems, and improved medical outcomes. LTC’s performance evaluation highlights the advancements in AI’s role in laboratory medicine.

Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of solid tumours. Its main side effect, limiting the use of higher doses, is nephrotoxicity manifested by acute kidney injury (AKI). Monitoring of kidney function and AKI detection during the treatment with cisplatin requires a serial measurements of serum creatinine, with estimation of glomerular filtration rate. This method allows the detection of AKI with a 24–48 hour delay, when glomerular filtration rate is significantly decreased. Research conducted in recent years has indicated a group of potential so-called morphological markers of kidney damage that allow earlier detection of AKI, also with subclinical manifestation (without a significant increase in serum creatinine). This is following cardiac surgery and after administration of contrast agents. The best characterised of these markers is neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). It is a protein physiologically existing in the granules of neutrophils, bone marrow, lung, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas and kidney. Its expression increases in the course of renal epithelial damage. Studies have demonstrated the utility of NGAL assessed in both serum and urine in the diagnosis of ischemic AKI. So far, studies of cancer patients treated with cisplatin did not confirm the usefulness of NGAL determination in serum, but demonstrated that its urine measurements enable earlier diagnosis of AKI than the routine serum creatinine assessment. This paper is a systematic review of these studies. Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of solid tumours. Its main side effect, limiting the use of higher doses, is nephrotoxicity manifested by acute kidney injury (AKI). Monitoring of kidney function and AKI detection during the treatment with cisplatin requires a serial measurements of serum creatinine, with estimation of glomerular filtration rate. This method allows the detection of AKI with a 24–48 hour delay, when glomerular filtration rate is significantly decreased. Research conducted in recent years has indicated a group of potential so-called morphological markers of kidney damage that allow earlier detection of AKI, also with subclinical manifestation (without a significant increase in serum creatinine). This is following cardiac surgery and after administration of contrast agents. The best characterised of these markers is neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). It is a protein physiologically existing in the granules of neutrophils, bone marrow, lung, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas and kidney. Its expression increases in the course of renal epithelial damage. Studies have demonstrated the utility of NGAL assessed in both serum and urine in the diagnosis of ischemic AKI. So far, studies of cancer patients treated with cisplatin did not confirm the usefulness of NGAL determination in serum, but demonstrated that its urine measurements enable earlier diagnosis of AKI than the routine serum creatinine assessment. This paper is a systematic review of these studies.

Background and Clinical Significance: Femoral neck fracture frequently occurs in the elderly population but may also present in patients diagnosed with primary cancer or bone metastases. A pathological, oligosymptomatic fracture associated with epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EHE), a rare endothelial cell-derived sarcoma, is uncommon. Case Presentation: A 44-year-old patient underwent biopsy procedures three times (2010, 2012, 2013) for a focal lesion of the left ischium, none confirming its malignant nature. The last biopsy revealed a neoplastic tissue with features of discrete dysplasia. The lesion did not undergo medical follow-up for seven consecutive years. In August 2020, the patient presented with right lower limb pain. A CT scan, PET/CT scan, and biopsy confirmed EHE with spindle/sarcomatous features. In November 2020, chemotherapy (5xADIC) started (PET/CT confirmed a partial response). After its completion in July 2021, bone progression occurred and sirolimus-based therapy was started. After 3 months, a small liver metastasis was visualized on PET/CT, which did not result in the termination of treatment. In December 2021, pamidronate-based antiresorptive therapy was started. Liver metastasis remained stable in follow-up CT scans. Due to pelvic and spinal lesions, the patient was assisted by elbow crutches and underwent radiotherapy, remaining professionally active. The patient did not report any trauma, but in August 2023, a subsequent CT scan revealed a subcapital fracture of the left femoral neck in the fusion phase. Due to pelvic changes and the stable nature of the fracture, surgical treatment was abandoned. Conclusions: An oligosymptomatic femoral neck fracture, not requiring medical intervention is considered a rare complication of bone cancer.