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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive malignancies, with a median overall survival of approximately 15 months. In this review, we analyze the pathogenesis of GBM, as well as epidemiological data, by age, gender, and tumor location. The data indicate that GBM is the higher-grade primary brain tumor and is significantly more common in men. The risk of being diagnosed with glioma increases with age, and median survival remains low, despite medical advances. In addition, it is difficult to determine clearly how GBM is influenced by stimulants, certain medications (e.g., NSAIDs), cell phone use, and exposure to heavy metals.

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh most common cause of death in the group of oncological diseases. Due to the asymptomatic course, early diagnosis is difficult. Currently, early detection methods are only used in high-risk groups. A literature review based on the available results of observational studies on patients with pancreatic cancer and people from high-risk groups was used to summarize the knowledge on risk factors. The GLOBOCAN 2020 data were used to assess the epidemiological situation in Europe. A summary of screening recommendations was prepared based on the available documents from medical organizations and associations. Pancreatic cancer risk factors are divided into two main groups: non-modifiable factors, e.g., hereditary factors and age, which increase the risk of developing this disease, and modifiable factors-BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Hereditary factors account for 10% of pancreatic cancer cases. The highly specialized methods of early detection, (MRI, CT, or EUS) are used for screening high-risk populations. Of all the imaging methods, EUS is considered the most sensitive for pancreatic cancer and allows an accurate assessment of the size of even small lesions (<30 mm) and the extent of tumour infiltration into blood vessels. The available studies vary on the level of sensitivity and specificity of these methods for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. EUS, MRI, and CT are also expensive procedures and in some patients can be invasive, which is one of the arguments against the introduction of population screening programs based on imaging methods. Therefore, it is important to look for viable solutions that would improve early detection. This is important from the point of view of healthcare systems in Europe, where almost 29% of all global pancreatic cancer cases are reported.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common and recurrent disease occurring at all geographical latitudes. The prevalence in the northern hemisphere is estimated at 11%, with more women affected than men (2:1). The symptoms usually develop in the third or fourth decade of life. The aetiology of the disease is complex and not fully explained. Genetic factors, gastrointestinal motor dysfunction, visceral hypersensitivity, psychological stress and intestinal infections are believed to contribute to the etiopathogenesis. Irritable bowel syndrome reduces life quality and work productivity as well as is a considerable financial burden for both health care system and patients themselves. Despite its arduous course, it does not lead to the development of a serious disease with excessive mortality. Irritable bowel syndrome is characterised by recurrent abdominal pain related to defecation, change in bowel habits and/or stool consistency. The diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is currently based on the Rome IV diagnostic criteria published in 2016. These criteria are the latest update of the diagnostic criteria for gastrointestinal functional disorders now defined as disorders of gut–brain interaction. Irritable bowel syndrome is currently defined as abdominal pain that has occurred on average at least 1 day per week during the previous 3 months, which meets at least 2 of 3 criteria: 1) is related to bowel movement, 2) is related to a change in stool frequency, 3) is related to a change in stool consistency. The paper presents the main changes introduced in the Rome IV criteria, their rationale and implications for clinical practice.

Uniformed personnel forms a unique occupational group involving specific tensions in the working environment. The current study evaluates the levels of perceived stress, coping strategies, satisfaction with life and hierarchy of values in the group of 183 uniformed personnel members treated in a mental health clinic and diagnosed with bodily distress disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. The proportion of participants with elevated level of perceived stress was high. Emotion-oriented coping was the most used approach. Successful family life and good health were particularly valuable for participants. Satisfaction with life was not significantly lower than in the general population. The profile of stress, coping and the values can form a preliminary basis for approaching this specific group of patients when in treatment.

Menopause significantly impacts a woman's life, marked by changes in sex hormone levels. Many perimenopausal women experience weight gain and other physical changes affecting their mental state and body image. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between postmenopausal women's body image and the severity of menopausal symptoms. This survey-based study involved 271 postmenopausal female residents of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. It was performed using the author questionnaire and Menopause Rating Scale, the Body Image Questionnaire by Alicja Głębocka, the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The participants had moderate menopause severity and were generally neutral about their appearance. No depressive symptoms were found in 31.37% of the women. Factors such as place of residence, education, onset of menopausal symptoms, and hormone replacement therapy influenced body image criticism scores. Education and employment status significantly affected depressive symptoms severity. The severity of menopausal symptoms was closely related to depressive symptoms and body image dissatisfaction. The severity of menopausal symptoms had a significant effect on body image and the level of depressive symptoms among the postmenopausal women.

Achievement motivation is a particular category of an employee’s motives towards professional development, associated with positive emotions in challenging task-oriented situations. Our objective was to determine the effect of selected sociodemographic and work-related variables on achievement motivation according to the Achievement Motivation Inventory (LMI) for professionally active nurses. The study included 830 Polish nurses. We have applied the diagnostic survey method, the questionnaire technique, using the LMI and the authors’ survey questionnaire. A statistically significant ( p  < 0.05) positive correlation was demonstrated between the respondents’ age and the LMI scales: Independence ( r  = 0.15), Confidence in success ( r  = 0.11), Dominance ( r  = 0.10), Eagerness to learn ( r  = 0.12), Compensatory effort ( r  = 0.08), Flow ( r  = 0.10), Self-control ( r  = 0.14). With respect to the effect to educational background on achievement motivation according to the LMI, it was concluded that for all statistically significant relationships, a higher mean level of the characteristic under study was noted in the group of respondents with higher education compared to the individuals with secondary education ( p  < 0.05). Data analysis showed statistically significant differences ( p  < 0.05) in the achievement motivation according to the LMI of the nurses under study, depending on the completion of the nursing specialisation programme. For all statistically significant differences, a higher mean level of the characteristic under study was noted in the group of nurses who use EBNP at work compared to those who do not use EBNP. The strongest effect of the impact of this variable on the characteristics under study was noted for the variables Eagerness to learn (d = 0.41; 95% CI [0.27; 0.55]), Preference for difficult tasks (d = 0.39; 95% CI [0.25; 0.54]), Self-confidence (d = 0.39; 95% Cl [0.24; 0.53]), and Flexibility (d = 0.34; 95% Cl [0.19; 0.48]).

Menopause is an important event in a woman’s life associated with hormonal changes that play a substantial role in the functioning of her body. A decline in the level of estrogens contributes to depressive symptoms and mood disorders during this period. The severity of depressive symptoms experienced by middle-aged women depends on many factors, including sociodemographic data (e.g., menopause, employment status, and marital status) and genetic variables (MAO-A and 5-HTT gene polymorphisms). In order to assess their influence on the development of depression in females, we analyzed 1453 healthy Polish women in different stages of menopause. Based on the results, we found that the l/l + l/s inheritance model for the 5-HTT gene polymorphism was more common in women without and with moderate depressive symptoms according to the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), while the l/s model was more often observed in women with mild depression. Moreover, the overdominant 3/3 + 4/4 genotype of the MAO-A gene polymorphism was more often found in respondents without depressive symptoms, while women with depressive symptoms had more often the overdominant 3/4 genotype.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage of its development, which results in lower overall survival (OS). Prognosis is also poor even with curative-intent surgery. Approximately 80% of patients with localized PDAC have micrometastases at the time of diagnosis, which leads to a worse prognosis than in other cancers. The objective of this study is to present the progress in the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer based on the recommendations of oncological scientific societies, such as ESMO, NCCN, ASCO, NICE and SEOM, over the last 5 years. Combined FOLFIRINOX therapy is mostly a recommended therapy among patients with good performance statuses, while gemcitabine is recommended for more fragile patients as a first-line treatment. The newest guidelines suggest that molecular profiling of the tumor should be the first step in determining the course of treatment. The use of modern molecular therapies in patients with specific gene mutations should extend the survival of patients with this disease.

Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common malignant cancer among men, and according to the predictions, the estimated number of new cases will substantially grow in the coming years. Therefore, the costs of the disease will increase as well. Methods: We conducted a literature review of the state of knowledge about the costs of treatment and the economic burden of prostate cancer. The vast majority of studies were focused on direct costs only, which clearly shows the literature gap. Results: We focused on the estimates of direct costs, i.e., treatment of prostate cancer, adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment, and supportive and palliative care, and indirect costs. Cost-effectiveness analyses indicated that docetaxel combined with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was the most cost-effective strategy for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER): USD 13,647). In contrast, novel therapies such as PARP inhibitors and whole-genome-sequencing-guided treatments were not cost-effective unless drug prices were reduced by 47–70%. In the United States, 5-year cumulative treatment costs ranged from USD 48,000 for conservative management to over USD 91,000 for radiotherapy, while out-of-pocket expenses averaged AUD 1172 in Australia. Indirect costs were also considerable, with Slovakia reporting an increase in sick leave costs from EUR 1.2 million in 2014 to EUR 2.1 million in 2022. Conclusions: Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer were the most frequent categories for various treatment cost evaluations. A few specific combinations of drugs were cost-effective only under the condition of dropping the unit prices of a medication. Further summarizing, reviewing, and developing a methodology for standardized comparisons are needed.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among all the oncological diseases worldwide. This applies to both women and men; however, the incidence and mortality among women is on the rise. In 2020, lung cancer was responsible for 1.8 million deaths (18%). More than 90% of lung cancer cases and 77.1% of lung cancer deaths occur in countries with high and very high HDI (human development index) values. The aim of our study is to the present trends and most recent studies aimed at lung cancer screening. In the face of the persistently high mortality rate, conducting research aimed at extending already-implemented diagnostic algorithms and behavioural interventions focused on smoking cessation is recommended.