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Introduction:CEA and CA 19-9 are the most common tumor associated antigens used in the staging of patients with rectal cancer and other parts of the colon.Goal:of this study was to evaluate the value of CEA and CA 19-9 in serum of patients with colon cancer and prove its place in the diagnostic staging.Material and Methods:The study was retrospective-prospective performed at the Gastroenterohepatology Clinic, Clinical Center of Sarajevo University. The study included 91 hospitalized patients who had histologically confirmed diagnosis of colon adenocarcinoma in 98% of cases. All patients underwent colonoscopy, targeted biopsy and measurement of CEA and CA 19-9 levels in serum. All of them underwent abdominal CT and MRI of the pelvis in case of rectal cancer.Results:The study analyzed 58 men and 33 women, mean age 66.6 years, with the youngest patient at age of 35 and the oldest at age of 89 years. The largest number of patients was aged 56-75 years. According to localization 77 patients had carcinoma located in the area of the rectum and sigma 37.4 and 37.4 in the rectostigmoid area and sigma. Metastases were observed in 37 patients, with predominance in the liver (22 cases) and both liver and lungs (5 cases). CEA and CA 19-9 were determined in all cases but patients with metastases had high values, especially in the two cases of cecoascendent colon cancer where detected values were extremely high (1789ng/ml and 10780U/ml). Values of CA19 -9 were significantly higher (p<0.05). CEA mean values were highest in patients aged over 75 years. In case of CA 19-9 high mean values have been recorded in patients aged over 75 years with statistically significant differences between the age groups (p<0.05).Conclusion:CEA and CA19-9 are cancer antigens that are late markers of carcinogenesis, with significantly elevated serum concentrations in case of colon cancer with already developed metastases. Older age group of patient has significantly elevated levels of both antigens. Cancer was twice more common in men than in women.

Background/Aims: Sedation rates may vary among countries, depending on patients’ and endoscopists’ preferences. The aim of this survey was to investigate the rate of using premedication for routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy in endoscopy societies, members of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE). Methods: We evaluated a multiple-choice questionnaire which was e-mailed to representatives of national endoscopy societies, which are members of the ESGE. The questionnaire had 14 items referring to endoscopy practices in each country and the representatives’ endoscopy units. Results: The response rate was 76% (34/45). In 47% of the countries, less than 25% of patients undergo routine diagnostic UGI endoscopy with conscious sedation. In 62% of the responders’ endoscopy units, patients are not asked their preference for sedation and do not sign a consent form (59%). Common sedatives in use are midazolam (82%), diazepam (38%) or propofol (47%). Monitoring equipment is not available ‘in most of the endoscopy units’ in 46% (13/28) of the countries. Though they were available in 91% of the national representatives’ endoscopy units, they are rarely (21%) used to monitor unsedated routine diagnostic UGI endoscopy. Conclusions: In about 50% of ESGE-related countries, less than 25% of patients are sedated for routine diagnostic UGI endoscopy. Major issues to improve include availability of monitoring equipment and the use of a consent form.

Goal:The aim of the study is to define the MRI appearance of disorder in the Junctional zone (JZ) in women with adenomyosis compared to those without it, given the importance of the JZ in the regulation of various reproductive events.Materials and methods:This was a prospective, comparative and open study. Patients with adenomyosis have been sorted in target group, n = 82, while the control group consisted of patients without adenomyosis, n = 82. All patients, from both groups have undergone a magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis. Using a software tool for measurement, the thickness of the JZ was measured in T2w sag sequences in all patients from both groups (target and control) n = 164. Patients in the target group type adenomyosis were assessed and categorized either as: diffuse, focal, or Adenomyoma and the results were compared. The presence of endometriosis and myomas in both groups was evaluated and its coexistence with adenomyosis was analyzed as well.Results:Of the 82 patients in the target group, 81.7% of the patients had diffuse adenomyosis, while 18.3% had focal type with statistically significant difference (p <0.05). The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed that p <0.05, implying that there is a statistically significant difference in the thickness of the JZ between the control and target group, therefore patients from the target group with adenomyosis had a statistically significantly thicker junctional zone than the patients in the control group. The JZ in the target group was on average M = 14,3mm, SD = 1.3mm, while the thickness of JZ in the control group without adenomyosis was M = 5,6mm, SD = 1,3. Chi-square shows that p <0.05, implying that there is a statistically significant difference in the number of patients with myomas between the two groups, where the myomas significantly over-represented in the target group with 32,9 % vs.6 %).Conclusion:MRI is the method of choice for imaging and evaluation of JZ as an important diagnostic marker in the diagnosis of adenomyosis. It is important to recognize this condition as early as possible and distinguish it from other pathologies in order for timely and appropriate treatment.