The list of defined complications (soon to be validated in an international multicenter study) and the ongoing development of an electronic datasheet app to record them provide the basic infrastructure to reach the ultimate goals of standardized international data collection, establishment of benchmark results, and fostering of quality-improvement projects.

There is evidence that insertion of viral DNA into a mammalian genome can lead to alterations of methylation patterns. The aim of the present study was to examine the presence of DNA sequences of five human DNA viruses (assessed by PCR): JC polyoma virus (JCV), human adenovirus (AdV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV8) and human papillomavirus (HPV) in a cohort of 186 sporadic colorectal cancers (CRCs) and related these data with the methylation status of six CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP)-specific genes (MLH1, CACNA1G, NEUROG1, IGF2, SOCS1, RUNX3) and seven cancer-related genes markers (p16, MINT1, MINT2, MINT31, EN1, SCTR and INHBB) assessed by methylation-specific PCR in 186 and 134 CRC cases, respectively. The AdV, KSHV and HPV were detected in four (2%), two (1%) and zero CRC cases, respectively, and thus were excluded from further analyses. Although 19% and 9% of the CRCs were positive for EBV and JCV, respectively, no associations between virus presence and CpG island methylation were found after correction for multiple testing. Our results demonstrate that the presence of DNA sequences of JCV and EBV in CRC is unrelated to the methylation of the 13 cancer-related CpG islands and CIMP.

Utilizing a standardized dataset based on 27 univocally defined complications, we analyzed clinical, oncological, surgical, and outcome data obtained from European referral centers for gastric cancer belonging to the Gastrectomy Complications Consensus Group in order to provide a benchmark for complications and outcomes associated with gastrectomy for cancer.

The role of HER-2 expression as a prognostic factor in gastric cancer (GC) is still controversial. The aim of the study was to asses HER-2 status, its correlations with clinicopathological parameters, and prognostic impact in GC patients. Tumor samples were collected from 78 patients who had undergone curative surgery. In order to evaluate the intensity of immunohistochemical (IHC) reactions two scales were applied: the immunoreactive score according to Remmele modified by the authors and standardised Hercep test score modified for GC by Hofmann et al. The HER-2 overexpression was detected by IHC in 23 (29.5%) tumors in Hercep test (score 2+/3+) and in 24 (30.7%) in IRS scale (IRS 4–12). The overexpression of HER-2 was associated with poorly differentiated tumors, but this correlation was not significant (P = 0.064). No relationship was found between HER-2 expression and primary tumor size and degree of spread to regional lymph nodes. Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that TNM stage and patient's age were the crucial negative prognostic factors. No correlation was observed between patient survival and expression of HER-2 estimated using both scales. This research did not confirm HER-2 expression (evaluated with immunohistochemistry) value as a prognostic tool in GC.

Erythroprotein-producing human hepatocellular carcinoma receptors (Eph receptors) compose a subfamily of transmembrane protein-tyrosine kinases receptors that takes part in numerous physiological and pathological processes. Eph family receptor-interacting proteins (Ephrins) are ligands for those receptors. Eph/ephrin system is responsible for the cytoskeleton activity, cell adhesion, intercellular connection, cellular shape as well as cell motility. It affects neuron development and functioning, bone and glucose homeostasis, immune system and correct function of enterocytes. Moreover Eph/ephrin system is one of the crucial ones in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. With such a wide range of impact it is clear that disturbed function of this system leads to pathology. Eph/ephrin system is involved in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Although the idea of participation of ephrin in carcinogenesis is obvious, the exact way remains unclear because of complex bi-directional signaling and cross-talks with other pathways. Further studies are necessary to find a new target for treatment.

This paper presents the life and achievements of Professor Jan Mikulicz-Radecki and his contribution to European and world surgery. He was born in 1850. Four periods can be distinguished in his surgical career: (1) Vienna period, 1875-82, when he worked by the side of the great Theodor Billroth: he introduced a number of new diagnostic and operative techniques, aseptic and antiseptic procedures, published research papers. He made the first endoscope for examining the esophagus and stomach. (2) Cracow period, 1882-87, when he was head of the Department of Surgery: he inaugurated his work with a lecture in Polish, which started: Gentlemen, I have been accused that I do not know the Polish language--which is my mother tongue to me as well as to any of you. He published papers on the use of iodophorm for healing wounds, was the first surgeon who sutured a perforated gastric ulcer (1885) and invented pyloroplasty (1887), nowadays called Heinecke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty. (3) Konigsberg period, 1887-90: he improved the technique of gastric resection, worked on surgery for peptic ulcer and advocated aseptic and antiseptic procedures. (4) Wroclaw (Breslau) period, 1890- 1905: Mikulicz was appointed head of a newly founded Surgical Department. He rebuilt it and designed one of the largest and most modern operating theaters in Europe that time. He introduced silk gloves for operations for the first time in the world. In 1892 he described bilateral swelling of salivary and lacrimal glands, called Mikulicz's syndrome; in 1902 he published his experience with two-stage colon resection; and in 1904 he described ostitis fibrosa cystica juvenilis. Called "a king in the kingdom of surgeons", he was one of the fathers of the world's modern surgery; having a brilliant surgical mind, he was a pioneer of many new operations and an inventor of surgical tools, permanently assimilated in the world's surgery.

Our experiment demonstrated that the cysteine peptidases cathepsins B and L may be useful for the early detection of gastric cancer. The results suggest that addition of egg white cystatin reduces the activities of cathepsins B and L to that of non-cancerous values.

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