Individualized gastric cancer (GC) treatment aims at providing targeted therapies that translate the latest research into improved management strategies. Extracellular vesicle microRNAs have been proposed as biomarkers for GC prognosis. Helicobacter pylori infection influences the therapeutic response to and the drivers of malignant changes in chronic gastritis. The successful use of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for gastric ulcer healing has raised interest in studying their effects on tumor neovascularization and in potential antiangiogenic therapies that could use mesenchymal stem cell secretion into extracellular vesicles—such as exosomes—in GC cells. The use of MSCs isolated from bone marrow in order to achieve angiogenic modulation in the tumor microenvironment could exploit the inherent migration of MSCs into GC tissues. Bone marrow-derived MSCs naturally present in the stomach have been reported to carry a malignancy risk, but their effect in GC is still being researched. The pro- and antiangiogenic effects of MSCs derived from various sources complement their role in immune regulation and tissue regeneration and provide further understanding into the heterogeneous biology of GC, the aberrant morphology of tumor vasculature and the mechanisms of resistance to antiangiogenic drugs.

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant global health concern, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Malnutrition is common in GC patients and can negatively impact prognosis and quality of life. Understanding nutritional issues and their management is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This cross-sectional study included 51 GC patients who underwent curative surgery, either total or subtotal gastrectomy. Various nutritional assessments were conducted, including anthropometric measurements, laboratory tests, and scoring systems such as Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group/World Health Organization Performance Status (ECOG/WHO PS), Observer-Reported Dysphagia (ORD), Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002), Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), and Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ). Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were significantly higher in the subtotal gastrectomy group. Nutritional assessments indicated a higher risk of malnutrition in patients who underwent total gastrectomy, as evidenced by higher scores on ORD, NRS-2002, and PG-SGA. While total gastrectomy was associated with a higher risk of malnutrition, no single nutritional parameter emerged as a strong predictor of surgical approach. PG-SGA predominantly identified malnutrition, with its occurrence linked to demographic factors such as female gender and age exceeding 65 years.

Gastric cancer remains a significant global health burden, with curative treatment relying on surgical resection, typically total or subtotal gastrectomy. However, the procedure frequently triggers acute metabolic and nutritional disturbances that may impact recovery. Objective: This prospective study aimed to investigate whether the type of gastrectomy (total vs. subtotal) influences early postoperative biochemical and hematological alterations, with particular attention to nutritional impact. Methods: A cohort of 295 patients (123 female, 172 male) who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer at the Institute of Oncology Iași (2023–2024) was evaluated. Laboratory parameters, including hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocyte and platelet counts, serum albumin, total protein, sodium, potassium, creatinine, and urea, were analyzed preoperatively and on postoperative day 14 using standard clinical methods. Results: Anemia was observed in over 90% of patients, irrespective of sex or procedure type. Electrolyte imbalances (notably hyponatremia and hypokalemia) and indicators of nutritional deficit (hypoalbuminemia, low creatinine) were highly prevalent, with a greater frequency among female patients. Total gastrectomy was associated with more severe biochemical and nutritional alterations compared to subtotal procedures. Conclusions: Total gastrectomy significantly exacerbates early postoperative metabolic and nutritional derangements. These findings reinforce the need for proactive, personalized postoperative nutritional and electrolyte management strategies to support recovery and reduce complication risks.

In obesity, recent research revealed that increased expression of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) in macrophages plays a pivotal role in the development of meta-inflammation, promoting macrophage infiltration and pro-inflammatory polarization. This study aimed to examine the association between GHSR-1a expression in atherosclerotic plaques and adjacent perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) from 11 patients with obesity and peripheral artery disease (PAD) who underwent revascularization procedures. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of CD68, CD80, and CD14, while tissue homogenate levels of adiponectin, leptin, IL-6, and CRP were quantified via ELISA. Serum markers of inflammation were also measured. Among patients with GHSR-1a-positive (+) macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques, we observed significantly higher white blood cell counts and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios in serum, a lower adiponectin-to-leptin ratio, and elevated IL-6 levels in both arterial and PVAT homogenates. Our findings suggest a link between GHSR-1a and macrophage/monocyte infiltration, macrophage polarization, and adipocytokine secretion in atherosclerotic plaques associated with obesity-induced PVAT dysfunction.

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the expression patterns and interrelationship of key fibrosis-related markers—TGF-β1, SMAD2, SMAD3, and fibronectin—in human endometrial tissue, and to explore their potential diagnostic relevance in differentiating intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) from cesarean scar defects (isthmocele), with a particular focus on underlying fibrotic remodeling processes. Methods: Endometrial samples were obtained from women diagnosed with IUAs, isthmocele, or without uterine pathology. Total RNA was extracted from all specimens, and gene expression levels were quantified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analyses included intergroup comparisons, parametric and non-parametric correlation analysis, multivariable linear and logistic regression models, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to explore the discriminatory potential of the evaluated markers. Results: Significant positive correlations were observed across the study population between SMAD2 and SMAD3 (r = 0.892; p = 0.001), SMAD2 and TGF-β1 (r = 0.697; p = 0.001), and SMAD3 and TGF-β1 (r = 0.910; p = 0.001), indicating coordinated activation of profibrotic signaling pathways. ROC curve analysis showed high discriminatory performance for isthmocele across all evaluated markers, with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.976 for SMAD3, 0.961 for TGF-β1, 0.913 for fibronectin, and 0.928 for SMAD2 (all p = 0.001). In contrast, although elevated expression levels of fibrotic markers were observed across different American Fertility Society (AFS) stages in IUAs, these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: This study provides molecular evidence distinguishing isthmocele from IUAs with respect to fibrosis-related signaling in human endometrial tissue. The markedly elevated and coordinated expression of TGF-β1, SMAD2, SMAD3, and fibronectin in isthmocele reflects activation of post-cesarean fibrotic remodeling pathways. However, given the limited sample size and the exploratory nature of the analyses, larger cohorts and future studies are required to validate these findings and to allow extrapolation of the results to the general population. At this stage, these biomarkers should therefore be regarded as indicators of underlying pathophysiological processes.