The aim of this study was to assess the impact of homologous packed red blood cell transfusion on patients' survival after radical surgical treatment of colorectal cancer. We analyzed a group of 257 colorectal cancer patients who had undergone radical operations (R0 resection) and who had been followed-up for at least 30 months. Overall survival (OS), disease specific survival (DSS), disease free survival (DFS), free of local recurrence survival (FLR) and free of metastases survival (FM) were recorded. 122 (47.5%) patients received packed red blood cells in the peri-operative period (group T), whereas 135 patients did not receive any blood (group NT). Neither group (T and NT) differed in clinical outcome, non-haemorrhagic complications, cause of death during the follow-up period, or results of surgical treatment. The fact of packed red blood cell transfusion was not significantly prognostic of outcome in Cox's multivariate analysis. Also the survival curves of 63 pairs of patients selected from groups T and NT, according to classical prognostic features, had similar courses.

Postoperative albuminaemia is positively correlated with pre-operative albuminaemia and male gender and negatively correlated with the duration of surgery, pre-operative proteinaemia and postoperative Ig administration.

Introduction: Within stage III melanoma prognosis and outcomes significantly vary. Advances in systemic therapy improved prognosis in metastatic melanoma. Adjuvant therapy in stage III significantly lowered relapses, although the effect on survival is less evident. Analysis of treatment results in stage IIIC and IIID before introduction of the modern adjuvant therapy, but after introduction of the effective systemic therapy in metastatic relapse, is needed. Aim: To analyse the clinical outcomes in patients with stage IIIC and IIID melanoma before the introduction of the novel adjuvant therapy. Material and methods: Consecutive stage IIIC and IIID melanoma patients treated in 2015-2018 in 4 reference centres in Poland were enrolled in the analysis of RFS and OS (in-transit metastases excluded). Median follow-up was 26.6 months (1.7-67. 2).Results: There were 224 stage IIIC and 49 stage IIID patients. Recurrence was observed in 170 (62.2%); 102 (45.5%) deaths in stage IIIC and 28 (57.1%) in stage IIID were reported. RFS and OS were better in stage IIIC compared to stage IIID. RFS and OS in the IIIC group were 19.7 and 36.2 months, respectively, and in IIID -8.9 and 27.8 months, respectively. Conclusions: The survival of patients with high-risk melanomas has improved in recent years, however, it is still unsatisfactory. The major changes in melanoma management related to the introduction of the adjuvant therapy require further careful observation.

Introduction: Skin melanoma is estimated for 2% of malignant neoplasms occurring in humans. It is characterized by a high level of malignancy and low sensitivity to cytostatic drugs. The incidence of skin melanoma increases in Poland. Lymphatic system is the most common route of dissemination of this neoplasm. The appearance of a sentinel node biopsy technique has made it possible to identify patients with a regionally advanced disease. It is a minimally invasive method with a small percentage of complications. Aim: Analysis of disease free survival (DFS) in cutaneous melanoma patients with sentinel lymph node biopsy. Material and methods: The analysis included 222 patients with cutaneous melanoma treated in the Department of Oncological Surgery in 2010–2015, who underwent a sentinel node biopsy. The study group consisted of 136 women and 86 men, the average age of patients was 59 years. Patients were qualified for sentinel node biopsy based on clinical evaluation and ultrasound of regional lymph nodes. The average follow-up was 25.1 months. About 2 hours before surgery, patients received the radioisotope, then lymphoscintigraphy SPECT was performed. Additionally, they got the Patent Blue dye in the operating room. Results: The sentinel node was identified in 217 patients (98%), and the average sentinel sentinel nodes were 2.25. 27 patients (12%) had the metastasis in sentinel nodes. In this group, the duration of asymptomatic survival was significantly shorter. Sentinel node status and age of the patient were independent factors affecting the prognosis of disease free survival. Conclusions: Sentinel node biopsy is a precise method to identify patients with skin melanoma who have metastasis to regional lymph nodes and the most important prognostic factor.

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