Aurica Elisabeta Moatar

Aurica Elisabeta Moatar


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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27 August 2024 in Diagnostics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
VVVlad Bogdan Varzaru
Vlad Bogdan Varzaru
TVTania Vlad
Tania Vlad
Roxana PopescuRoxana Popescu
Roxana Popescu
CVCristian Sebastian Vlad
Cristian Sebastian Vlad
AMAurica Elisabeta Moatar
Aurica Elisabeta Moatar
ICIonut Marcel Cobec
Ionut Marcel Cobec
Worldwide, breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers in women and is responsible for the highest number of cancer-related deaths among women, with a special clinical behavior and therapy response. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is seen as a highly invasive BC, characterized by a short survival, higher mortality, recurrence, and metastasis when it is compared to the other BC subtypes. The molecular subtyping of TNBC based on mRNA expression levels does not accurately reflect protein expression levels, which impacts targeted therapy effectiveness and prognostic predictions. Most TNBC cases exhibit a high frequency of homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair deficiency (HRD) signatures and are associated with a complex genomic profile. Biomarker research in TNBC includes investigating genetic mutations, gene expression patterns, immune system-related markers, and other factors that can provide valuable information for diagnosis, treatment selection, and patient outcomes. Additionally, these biomarkers are often crucial in the development of personalized and precision medicine approaches, where treatments are customized to each patient’s unique characteristics. This ongoing research is essential for improving the management and outcomes of TNBC, which is a challenging and heterogeneous form of breast cancer. The findings of this research have practical implications for refining treatment strategies, particularly in selecting appropriate systemic therapies and integrating traditional treatment modalities like surgery and radiotherapy into comprehensive care plans for TNBC patients.

10 November 2022 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ICIonut Marcel Cobec
Ionut Marcel Cobec
VVVlad Bogdan Varzaru
Vlad Bogdan Varzaru
TKTamas Kövendy
Tamas Kövendy
LKLorant Kuban
Lorant Kuban
AEAnca-Elena Eftenoiu
Anca-Elena Eftenoiu
ARAndreas Rempen
Andreas Rempen
Background and Objectives: In recent years, the rate of caesarean section (CS) has increased constantly. Although vaginal breech delivery has a long history, breech presentation has become the third most common indication for CS. This study aims to identify factors associated with the success of external cephalic version (ECV), underline the success rate of ECV for breech presentation and highlight the high rate of vaginal delivery after successful ECV. Material and Methods: This retrospective observational study included 113 patients with singleton fetuses in breech presentation, who underwent ECV from January 2016 to March 2021 in the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Diakonieklinikum Schwäbisch Hall, Germany. Maternal and fetal parameters and data related to procedure and delivery were collected. Possible predictors of successful ECV were evaluated. Results: The success rate of ECV was 54.9%. The overall rate of vaginal birth was 44.2%, regardless of ECV outcome. The vaginal birth rate after successful ECV was 80.6%. Overall, 79.0% of women with successful ECV delivered spontaneously without complications, 19.4% delivered through CS performed during labor by medical necessity, and 1.6% delivered through vacuum extraction. ECV was performed successfully in three of the four women with history of CS. Gravidity, parity, maternal age, gestational age, fetal weight, and amniotic fluid index (AFI) were significantly correlated with the outcome of ECV. Conclusions: ECV for breech presentation is a safe procedure with a good success rate, thus increasing the proportion of vaginal births. Maternal and fetal parameters can be used to estimate the chances of successful ECV.

8 March 2025 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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VVVlad Bogdan Varzaru
Vlad Bogdan Varzaru
Roxana PopescuRoxana Popescu
Roxana Popescu
DVDaliborca Cristina Vlad
Daliborca Cristina Vlad
CVCristian Sebastian Vlad
Cristian Sebastian Vlad
AMAurica Elisabeta Moatar
Aurica Elisabeta Moatar
ICIonut Marcel Cobec
Ionut Marcel Cobec
Background/Objectives: This study evaluates the impact of clinical, pathological, and treatment-related factors on breast cancer recurrence and overall survival following neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. Patients and Method: A total of 298 patients treated at Diakoneo Diak Klinikum, Schwäbisch Hall, Germany (2010–2021) were analyzed. Key variables included hormone receptor status, molecular subtypes, tumor grade, treatment protocols, and metastatic disease at diagnosis. Results: Recurrence was strongly associated with metastatic disease (p < 0.001) but not with hormone receptor status or molecular subtypes. Platinum/taxane-based chemotherapy was linked to a lower recurrence risk (p = 0.05) compared to anthracycline-based regimens. Patients with recurrence had significantly lower overall survival (27.91% vs. 8.24%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression suggested a trend toward increased recurrence in ER-positive and PR-negative patients, though not statistically significant. These findings emphasize the importance of personalized treatment strategies and highlight the need for future studies incorporating genomic data and residual disease analysis to refine recurrence risk prediction and therapy selection.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
CMCristina Marina
Cristina Marina
DPDaniela Puscasiu
Daniela Puscasiu
CFCorina Flangea
Corina Flangea
TVTania Vlad
Tania Vlad
ACAdinela Maria Cimporescu
Adinela Maria Cimporescu
DVDaliborca Cristina Vlad
Daliborca Cristina Vlad
Obesity is not only an aesthetic problem but also an important comorbidity in metabolic syndrome and other types of pathologies. Currently discussed adjuvants are turmeric and curcumin, used as food supplements. Starting from synthesis in turmeric plant up to the use of turmeric as a spice, a significant amount of turmeric and its derivatives are lost during the processing procedure. In oral administration, the reduced bioavailability of these compounds must be taken into account, an aspect that can be improved by using different combinations and dosages. As for their pharmacodynamic effects, through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin improves mitochondrial function and promotes the browning of white adipose tissue. Another mechanism of action of curcumin in weight loss is enzymatic modulation, leading to a decrease in the activity of key enzymes involved in lipogenesis and an increase in the activity of lipolytic enzymes. These properties are enhanced by the synergistic action of the other polyphenols present in turmeric, especially calebin A, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid. Summarizing these effects, curcumin is a promising food supplement, opening new directions for further research to discover possibilities to improve or even eliminate the calamity of obesity that is currently wreaking havoc.

16 October 2025 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ICIonut Marcel Cobec
Ionut Marcel Cobec
IJIngolf Juhasz-Böss
Ingolf Juhasz-Böss
PSPeter Seropian
Peter Seropian
SHSarah Isabelle Huwer
Sarah Isabelle Huwer
VVVlad Bogdan Varzaru
Vlad Bogdan Varzaru
AMAurica Elisabeta Moatar
Aurica Elisabeta Moatar
Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women and the most common cause of cancer death. Hormone receptors, specifically the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), as well as human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (Her2), are tumor-specific markers used to guide breast cancer therapy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of tumor biology, including ER, PR, and Her2 expression, on survival in female breast cancer. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study represents an analysis of 2016 female breast cancer cases using anonymized data. We reviewed cases of female breast cancer diagnosed from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2021, in the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Diakoneo Diak Klinikum Schwäbisch Hall, Germany. Data on clinical, pathology, immunohistochemistry, and follow-up characteristics were retrieved from the clinic’s database. To interpret the data, we used the software IBM SPSS Statistics 20, and, to account for multiple comparisons, we used a Bonferroni-adjusted significance level of 0.004. In the survival analysis, the Kaplan–Meier method and the log-rank test of equality of survival distributions were applied. Results: Among 2016 female breast cancer cases, 84.5% (1703/2016) were hormone receptor (HR)-positive. The 5-year overall survival was 0.873 (95% CI (0.851, 0.895); 99.6% CI (0.841, 0.905)) for HR-positive patients and 0.760 (95% CI (0.713, 0.807); 99.6% CI (0.691, 0.829)) for HR-negative patients (p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed among HR+/HER2+, HR+/HER2−, HR−/HER2+, and triple-negative subtypes (p = 0.003). When comparing survival distributions based solely on HER2 expression (positive vs. negative), no statistically significant difference was observed (p = 0.29). Conclusions: Statistically significant differences in unadjusted overall survival distributions were observed among breast cancer molecular subtypes. HR-positive breast cancers demonstrated better overall survival than HR-negative cancers, while no statistically significant difference in unadjusted survival was observed between HER2-positive and HER2-negative groups.

11 May 2025 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
VVVlad Bogdan Varzaru
Vlad Bogdan Varzaru
AMAurica Elisabeta Moatar
Aurica Elisabeta Moatar
Roxana PopescuRoxana Popescu
Roxana Popescu
DPDaniela Puscasiu
Daniela Puscasiu
DVDaliborca Cristina Vlad
Daliborca Cristina Vlad
ICIonut Marcel Cobec
Ionut Marcel Cobec
Background/Objectives: Accurate assessment of tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer is critical for optimizing treatment strategies. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mammography are commonly used for response evaluation, they have inherent limitations. Ultrasound (US) has emerged as a promising, cost-effective, and real-time alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of US in tracking tumor regression during NAC and its correlation with pathologic tumor regression grade (TRG). Methods: This study included 282 breast cancer patients undergoing NAC. Tumor size was measured using ultrasound at three key time points: pre-chemotherapy, after four cycles, and post-chemotherapy. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the relationship between US-measured tumor changes and TRG. Multinomial logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to determine the predictive accuracy of the measurements from our US in identifying pathologic complete response (pCR). Conclusions: Ultrasound is a reliable, real-time imaging tool for monitoring NAC response in breast cancer patients. Its ability to predict pCR and track tumor shrinkage highlights its potential for treatment adaptation. Standardization of US protocols and integration with AI-based analysis may further improve its clinical utility, making it a valuable adjunct in breast cancer treatment monitoring.