Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Due to the large number of women living with breast cancer and the increasing incidence of this cancer, it is very important to understand the factors determining the quality of life (QOL) of patients. The aim of the study. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of time to initiation of treatment on the quality of life of women with breast cancer. Materials and methods. The study involved 324 women with breast cancer, treated at the Podkarpackie Oncology Centre in Brzozów, Poland. The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey, using a standardised questionnaire to measure the quality of life of women treated for breast cancer, i.e., the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-BR23 module, as well as a proprietary survey questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 10.0 software (StatSoft Inc., 2011). A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The examined women had a reduced overall quality of life and health (M = 53.88). The quality of life was higher in women who consulted a doctor the earliest after noticing initial symptoms of the disease, i.e., up to one week (M = 57.58), compared to patients who delayed the decision (over four weeks; M = 47.8) (p = 0.002). The quality of life was also considered higher by women who received treatment within two weeks of diagnosis (M = 56.79) and was lower for patients who waited for treatment for more than two months (M = 43.68). Statistically significant relationships were demonstrated for functional scales and disease intensity. Conclusions: Women diagnosed with breast cancer had a considerably lower overall quality of life. A relatively higher quality of life was experienced by patients who consulted a doctor the earliest after discovering symptoms of the disease and those whose waiting time for treatment was shorter. In a systematic manner, the individual stages of diagnosis should be maximally reduced and breast cancer treatment initiated without delay.

Chromium is an essential microelement in the human body. It exerts an effect on bones by modulating their biochemical parameters: alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). With considerable accumulation of chromium in the skeleton, the activity of alkaline phosphatase was found to decrease, which affected bone formation rate. The study objective was to analyze chromium content in the knee tissues. Tissues for analysis were obtained during endoprosthesoplasty of the knee joint and included tibia, femur, and meniscus tissues. Samples were collected from 50 patients, including 36 women and 14 men. The analysis was performed using the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) method, by means of a Varian 710-ES apparatus. The results revealed no significant differences in the content of chromium in the knee joint tissues between women and men. The highest level of chromium was found in the femoral bone of the knee joint, then in the meniscus, and was lowest in the tibia, although the differences were statistically insignificant. Chromium content increased with age.

Introduction: Anaphylactic shock is an acute allergic body reaction to allergens. This condition threatens the patient's life and health. Anaphylaxis can be caused by intolerance to many nutrients, medications or hymenoptera stings. Aim of the manuscript: The aim of the manuscript was to determine the pattern of proceedings of emergency medical teams with patients in anaphylactic shock. Material and methods: The individual case method of a patient stung by a Hymenoptera insect, for whom a medical rescue team was dispatched, was used. The research material was obtained thanks to the analysis of medical rescue operations and dispatch orders. Results: The analysis of medical records of the injured person depicted an appropriate algorithm of proceedings with a patient in anaphylactic shock. In anaphylaxis, it is important to gather information as soon as possible, make an accurate and prompt diagnosis, and provide immediate pharmacotherapy. In this case, the first-line drug is Adrenaline, which prevents the release of histamine and reverses the effects of shock. Further treatment requires oxygen, fluids and second-line pharmacotherapy. Conclusions: The emergency medical team followed the applicable algorithms and current knowledge. It implemented appropriate medical rescue operations, thanks to which the condition of the injured was stabilized. The first step is to stop the exposure to the allergen.

With the expansion of the knowledge about the physiology of pregnancy is changing the recommendation for safe management during its duration. More and more often talk about the need for physical activity due to maintaining or even increasing cardiopulmonary capacity, muscle strength, range of joint mobility, especially the hip and spine. And the right conduct and selection of exercises not only guarantees the development of the child, but also prepares the future mother for active participation in childbirth. Regular gymnastics and properly selected exercises, as part of pregnancy care with a physiological, uncomplicated course, are widely recognized. It is important that such awareness also have women expecting a child, while gaining additional motivation to exercise. In this article, we have tried to present and justify the valuable effect of the mentioned gymnastic exercises, which a pregnant woman can do without medical contraindications.