Diana-Cristina Pop

Mrs. Diana-Cristina Pop

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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27 August 2025 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
KAKirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
Kirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
AȚAlexandru Țîpcu
Alexandru Țîpcu
VGVlad Alexandru Gâta
Vlad Alexandru Gâta
DPDiana-Cristina Pop
Diana-Cristina Pop
ZFZsolt Fekete
Zsolt Fekete
PKPaul Milan Kubelac
Paul Milan Kubelac
Background: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, recurrence and mortality remain significant concerns. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a marker of systemic inflammation, has shown prognostic value in several malignancies, but its utility in EC remains underexplored. Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of the preoperative NLR in patients with endometrial cancer undergoing primary surgical treatment. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 398 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial adenocarcinoma surgically treated at a tertiary cancer center. Preoperative complete blood counts were used to calculate NLR, and a cutoff value of 2.27 was determined through Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results: Patients with NLR ≥ 2.27 had significantly reduced median overall survival (OS) compared to those with NLR < 2.27 (72.3 vs. 92.8 months, p = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, elevated NLR remained an independent predictor of poorer OS (HR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.156–3.017; p = 0.011), alongside age ≥ 64 years, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), lymph node involvement, and distant metastases. ROC analysis yielded an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.646 for NLR. Notably, vaginal brachytherapy was associated with improved survival (HR = 0.53; p = 0.026), while other adjuvant therapies were not independently significant. Conclusions: Preoperative NLR is an accessible, independent prognostic biomarker in endometrial cancer and may serve as a surrogate indicator of tumor-promoting inflammation and immune dysregulation. Its integration into preoperative assessment could enhance risk stratification and guide personalized treatment strategies. However, findings should be interpreted in light of the study’s retrospective design, single-center setting, and lack of molecular classification data. Prospective validation is warranted to confirm its clinical utility.

15 June 2024 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
KAKirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
Kirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
DPDiana-Cristina Pop
Diana-Cristina Pop
AȚAlexandru Țîpcu
Alexandru Țîpcu
AAAlexandra Ioana Andries
Alexandra Ioana Andries
GPGina Iulia Pasca
Gina Iulia Pasca
COClaudia Ordeanu
Claudia Ordeanu
CT angiography might be a suitable procedure to avoid arterial puncture in combined intracavitary and interstitial brachytherapy for cervical cancer curatively treated with combined chemoradiation and brachytherapy boost. Data in the literature about this technique are scarce. We introduced this method and collected brachytherapy data from patients treated in our department between May 2021 and April 2024. We analyzed the applicator subtype, needle insertion (planned versus implanted), implanted depth and the role of CT angiography in selecting needle trajectories and insertion depths. None of the patients managed through this protocol experienced atrial puncture and consequent hemorrhage. Needle positions were accurately selected with the aid of CT angiography with proper coverage of brachytherapy targets and avoidance of organs at risk. CT angiography is a promising method for guiding needle insertion during interstitial brachytherapy.

21 March 2025 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
KAKirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
Kirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
DPDiana-Cristina Pop
Diana-Cristina Pop
AȚAlexandru Țîpcu
Alexandru Țîpcu
AAAndrei-Rareș Avasi
Andrei-Rareș Avasi
COClaudia Ordeanu
Claudia Ordeanu
AIAlexandru Irimie
Alexandru Irimie
Background: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries, with obesity recognized as a major risk factor contributing to its incidence. The rising prevalence of obesity has significant implications for treatment planning, particularly in radiation therapy approaches such as high-dose-rate (HDR) vaginal cuff brachytherapy, which is commonly used as adjuvant therapy in early-stage endometrial carcinoma. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a key factor in brachytherapy, as increased adiposity may alter dosimetric parameters, affecting radiation distribution and doses received by organs at risk (OARs). Understanding the correlation between BMI and radiation dose to OARs is essential for optimizing treatment planning and minimizing adverse effects. Identifying dose variations across different BMI categories may help refine patient-specific brachytherapy approaches to ensure both efficacy and safety. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the influence of Body Mass Index (BMI) on the doses received by organs at risk (OAR) during high-dose-rate (HDR) vaginal cuff brachytherapy in patients diagnosed with early-stage endometrial carcinoma. Understanding the relationship between BMI and OAR doses could enhance treatment planning and minimize complications. Methods: We collected brachytherapy data for 242 endometrial cancer patients treated with adjuvant HDR vaginal cuff brachytherapy. The patients were categorized based on their BMI into normal weight, overweight, and obese groups. Dosimetric data were collected for OARs, including the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon, and also for dose fractionation, D90%, and the active length of the brachytherapy cylinder. The analysis included comparing the doses received by each organ across different BMI categories using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Preliminary findings indicated a significant variation in the doses to OARs correlating with BMI classifications. Obese patients exhibited slightly higher mean doses to the rectum and sigmoid compared to those with a normal BMI. The statistical analysis demonstrated that as BMI increased, the dose to these organs at risk also tended to increase, suggesting a need for adjusted treatment planning strategies in this population. Conclusions: Obesity is a key concern in endometrial cancer patients, with higher BMI linked to slightly increased doses to the rectum and sigmoid, though treatment remained homogeneously delivered. Future prospective clinical studies are essential to explore the relationship between these dosimetric findings, specifically the correlation between higher BMI, increased doses to organs at risk (OARs), and late treatment-related toxicities. This research is needed to better understand the long-term implications and to optimize therapeutic outcomes.

8 October 2024 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
KAKirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
Kirsch-Mangu Alexandra-Timea
DPDiana-Cristina Pop
Diana-Cristina Pop
AȚAlexandru Țîpcu
Alexandru Țîpcu
AAAndrei Rares Avasi
Andrei Rares Avasi
COClaudia Ordeanu
Claudia Ordeanu
AIAlexandru Irimie
Alexandru Irimie
Background: This study aims to investigate the influence of Body Mass Index (BMI) on the doses received by organs at risk (OAR) during high-dose-rate (HDR) vaginal cuff brachytherapy in pa-tients diagnosed with early-stage endometrial carcinoma. Understanding the relationship be-tween BMI and OAR doses could enhance treatment planning and minimize complications. Methods: We collected brachytherapy data for 242 endometrial cancer patients treated with ad-juvant HDR vaginal cuff brachytherapy. The patients were categorized based on their BMI into normal weight, overweight, and obese groups. Dosimetric data were collected for OARs, includ-ing the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon and also for dose fractionation, D90 and the active length of the brachytherapy cylinder. The analysis included comparing the doses received by each organ across different BMI categories using appropriate statistical methods Results: Preliminary findings indicated a significant variation in the doses to OARs correlating with BMI classifications. Obese patients exhibited slightly higher mean doses to the rectum and bladder compared to those with a normal BMI. The statistical analysis demonstrated that as BMI increased, the dose to these organs at risk also tended to increase, suggesting a need for ad-justed treatment planning strategies in this population. Conclusions: Obesity is a key concern in endometrial cancer patients, with higher BMI linked to slightly increased doses to the rectum and sigmoid, though treatment remained homogeneously delivered.Future work should focus on refining dosimetric techniques and exploring strategies to mitigate OAR exposure in patients with higher BMI.