Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a globally recognized cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The aim of our cross-sectional study, conducted in a Serbian tertiary care hospital, was to investigate clinical characteristics of HAIs caused by the PA, the prevalence of various drug-resistant phenotypes of this pathogen, and risk factors for their occurrence. Prolonged ICU stay and previous carbapenem administration were independent risk factors for HAIs caused by carbapenem-resistant PA, while HAIs caused by multidrug-resistant PA were more frequent in patients with prolonged stay in an ICU, who were previously hospitalized at another department and previously treated with aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones or glycopeptides. The prolonged ICU stay was the only significant risk factor for HAIs caused by extensively drug-resistant PA. To decrease the incidence of HAIs caused by drug-resistant PA, a multifaceted approach is necessary, including staff education, antibiotic stewardship, improving hygiene, shortening hospitalization, and minimizing exposure to invasive medical procedures/devices.

During radiotherapy treatment for cervical cancer, up to 84% of patients exhibit some form of acute radiation toxicity (ART). The primary aim of this clinical study is to determine the impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, β-blockers and other risk factors such as the patient’s anatomical characteristics on ART emergence in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated by chemoradiotherapy. This is a combination of two nested case–control studies within the cohort of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer based on the analysis of potential risk factors for the onset of ART in patients treated with 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and 2D conventional radiotherapy (2D-RT), prospectively followed up from January 2017 to September 2018 in a tertiary care hospital. The ACE inhibitors and bladder volume were identified as factors that significantly affect the occurrence of ART in patients treated with 3D-CRT. In patients treated with 2D-RT, the factors that significantly affect the occurrence of ART were ACE inhibitors, body mass index (BMI), brachytherapy rectal and bladder dose. This study has shown that BMI, radiation dose received by the bladder and rectum are of exceptional importance for the occurrence of the ART and also that therapy with ACE inhibitors was associated with the decreased chances of the ART.

Purpose: Exposure to ionizing radiation can be accidental or for medical purposes. Analyzes of the frequency of radiation damage in the general population, it has been determined that by far the most common are those that occur as a result of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Damage caused by radiation, either accidentally or for therapeutic purposes, can be reduced by the use of radioprotectors, mitigators or other therapeutic agents. A detailed research of the available literature shows that there is little systematized data of potentially radioprotective and/or mitigating effects of drugs from the personal therapy of patients during the application of therapeutic ionizing radiation. The aim of this paper is to present review of compounds, especially personal therapy drugs, that exhibit radioprotective and/or mitigating effects after the application of diagnostic or therapeutic ionizing radiation. Conclusions: Given the widespread use of ionizing radiation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, there is a clear need to create a strategy and recommendations of relevant institutions for the use of radioprotectors and mitigators in everyday clinical practice, with individual evaluation of the patient's condition and selection of the compounds that will show the greatest benefit in terms of radioprotection.

INTRODUCTION: To define indications for adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with endometrial cancer, the risk groups have been established according to clinical and pathological prognostic factors. The purpose was to determine precise criteria for adjuvant radiotherapy and identify patients with increased risk for disease relapse who may benefit from postoperative radiotherapy, with an acceptable level of toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Oncology and Radiology, Kragujevac, during a 5-year period. A group of 80 patients with endometrial cancer treated with adjuvant radiotherapy were included in the study. Patients were divided into four risk groups according to ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO Consensus Conference classification. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for overall and progression-free survival. A statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate was 80%, and 66.3% patients were progression-free during this period. Fatal outcome occurred in 20% of patients. The results showed survival was shortest in patients from the high-risk group. Factors that had impact on the 5-year survival were comorbidities, FIGO stage, postoperative radiotherapy, organ site of late toxicity, and localization of metastases. The analysis of postoperative radiotherapy effects showed that 72.5% of patients had no complications. The most common symptoms of late irradiation toxicity arose from the gastrointestinal tract. Toxicity was usually moderate. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant radiotherapy can potentially prolong survival and prevent recurrence, with acceptable level of toxicity, to preserve patient's quality of life. Patient classification into appropriate risk groups allows for adjuvant treatment individualization.

Radiotherapy is a frequently prescribed and highly effective form of treatment of oncology patients. However, many patients feel rational or irrational fear of the application of radiotherapy, which may provoke mental and physical stress, anxiety, growing anger and hostility, thus reducing quality of life. The aim of this study was to develop, reliability test and validate a questionnaire for assessing the level of fear of radiotherapy in oncology patients. We performed a prospective qualitative study based on the development, validation and reliability testing of the questionnaire developed for assessing radiotherapy-caused fear in oncology patients treated in the Centre for Oncology and Radiology, Department of Radiotherapy, Clinical Centre Kragujevac. The study included 154 patients and the final version of the questionnaire integrated 15 questions. After the elimination of inappropriate questions the Cronbach coefficient α was 0.946. The questionnaire consists of two factors which represent 57.423% and 6.925%, making a total of 64.348% of the variance of the questionnaire. The results of our study show that the questionnaire used is a unique, reliable and valid instrument for assessing the level of fear of radiotherapy in oncology patients the application of which will allow us to identify patients with elevated levels of fear of radiotherapy.

Background/Objectives: Ultra-low-dose radiotherapy (ULD-RT), an ultra-low-dose regimen delivering 4 Gy in two fractions, has emerged as a promising treatment for indolent ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL), offering disease control with minimal toxicity. However, the clinical outcomes and safety profile of ULD-RT remain inconsistently reported across studies. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies evaluating ULD-RT in patients with OAL, including prospective, retrospective, and comparative cohorts published between 2000 and 2025. A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. Eligible studies reported clinical outcomes (e.g., response rates, local control, progression-free survival) and safety data (acute and late toxicities). Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Results: Ten studies comprising 591 patients met the inclusion criteria. The overall response rate to ULD-RT ranged from 88% to 100%, with complete response rates of 50% to 95%. Local control rates ranged from 63% to 100%, and 2-year progression-free survival exceeded 85% in most studies. Importantly, no grade ≥ 3 toxicities were observed following the regimen of 4 Gy in two fractions. Acute toxicities occurred in up to 42% of patients, typically grade 1 dry eye or conjunctivitis. Late toxicities were uncommon (16–33%), with cataracts rarely requiring surgery. All included studies were rated as good quality (NOS score ≥ 7), indicating low risk of bias. Conclusions: ULD-RT is a highly effective and safe treatment modality for OAL, providing excellent local control with a favorable toxicity profile. These findings support the adoption of ULD-RT as a first-line radiotherapy strategy for indolent OAL. Future prospective trials with longer follow-up and standardized toxicity reporting are warranted to confirm and refine its clinical role.