Distinguishing HER2 receptor expression status on the surface of breast cancer tumor cells as simply positive or negative is now proving insufficient. Ultimately, it can lead to the non-administration of effective targeted therapy. What do we actually know about the “gray zone” between HER2 positivity and negativity?

A planned interim analysis of the COMMANDS study showed a greater benefit of the innovative treatment with luspatercept compared to the established treatment with epoetin alfa in patients with anemia due to low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and untreated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA). The results were published in June 2023 in the journal Lancet.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global issue. Does it create the same burden everywhere? How does it contribute to premature deaths? How do women cope with COPD, and what significant problem does it pose for them? What factors contribute to it not being considered solely a smoker's disease? Why is it appropriate to add mucoactive agents when trying to eliminate COPD exacerbations? What emerged from early COPD screening conducted in the Czech Republic, and what do Czech real-world data show regarding the effectiveness of erdosteine in exacerbations? And what should be included in the proper diagnosis and treatment of this disease? All these topics were covered in a lecture by the head of the Pulmonary Clinic of the Medical Faculty of Charles University and University Hospital Hradec Králové, Associate Professor Vladimír Koblížek, M.D., Ph.D., during the XXVIII Hradec Pneumology Days held from April 24-26, 2024.

Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly affect disease progression, quality of life, survival, and cardiovascular events. What to do about them and how to address them most effectively? Why should future treatment also focus more on mucus plugs? And why is it important to consider COPD even in healthy smokers? These topics were discussed by Professor Jadwiga Wedzicha from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London during a symposium supported by Angelini at this year's XXVIII Hradec Pulmonary Days.

Time is crucial for every disease, but it is doubly true for diseases of the nervous system! Why is it important to diagnose and treat multiple sclerosis (MS) early? How to do it? And how are we doing with speed here in the Czech Republic?

Metamizole is a non-opioid analgesic with antipyretic and spasmolytic effects that has been used for over 100 years. It is approved for the treatment of children and adults in various dosage forms. German authors conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of clinical studies to evaluate its safety compared to placebo and other analgesics in adult patients.

Metamizole is a non-addictive pyrazolone analgesic with antipyretic effects, which differs from other non-opioid analgesics by its spasmolytic action. It is indicated in monotherapy and in combinations for the treatment of severe acute and chronic pain. Its high analgesic efficacy is evidenced by a low number of patients needed to treat to achieve at least 50% pain relief in 4-6 hours. The favorable safety profile of metamizole is supported by more than 100 years of clinical experience.

A recently published case study from the Czech Republic describes a patient with progression of pancreatic cancer following surgical treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy, who achieved a one-year survival with good quality of life on a combination of nal-IRI + 5-FU/LV after the failure of gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel in the 1st line of palliative treatment.

We present a case study of an elderly patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with the selective KRASG12C inhibitor sotorasib in the 5th line of oncological treatment, but with a very exceptional effect.

A significant part of the population is exposed to human papillomaviruses (HPV) throughout their lives. In recent years, there has been a global effort to increase vaccination coverage not only among children and adolescents who have not yet been vaccinated but also among adult women and men who could benefit from it, including those who have likely already encountered HPV.

X-ray is an integral and important part of dental diagnostics. However, since it is also a source of ionizing radiation, its use is subject to legislative regulations that govern it.

The National Cardiology Information System (NKIS), developed by the Czech Society of Cardiology in collaboration with the Institute of Health Information and Statistics (ÚZIS), has provided the first data on the prevalence of hypertension in the Czech population. It revealed that even the treatment of a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases –⁠ hypertension –⁠ is not well managed in the Czech Republic. About 40% of patients with hypertension do not have regular preventive check-ups with their general practitioner, while 40% of hypertensive patients are simultaneously of working age.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has an indispensable place in the treatment of hemato-oncological diseases. We discuss current trends in this area, the significance and benefits of carmustine, the choice between BEAM and TEAM regimens, and the future of bone marrow transplantation in the context of new technologies with the head of the 4th Department of Hematology of the Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Hradec Králové, Prof. MUDr. Pavel Žák, Ph.D.

Over the past decades, hemophilia treatment has made significant progress—from factor therapy to prophylactic regimens and non-factor products, and even to gene therapy. Its development has greatly improved the quality of life for hemophiliacs and reduced the incidence of bleeding episodes. However, they cannot be completely eliminated, which is why further options for monitoring bleeding and joint status are still being explored. In addition to classical methods, biomarkers are attracting attention, but their practical use is still the subject of studies. A recently published work by a team of European and American experts, who assessed collagen turnover as a biomarker of treatment efficacy with rurioctocog alfa pegol, came with interesting results.

With the development of new treatment options for hemophilia, there has also been progress in methods for monitoring hemophilic arthropathy and identifying it in its early stages. In addition to classical X-rays, clinical scoring systems, and the gold standard of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the so-called POCUS –⁠ point-of-care ultrasound –⁠ has emerged as a quick and reliable method for assessing joint health. Potential biomarkers for osteochondral damage and synovial proliferation specific to hemophilia or for detecting joint bleeding are also being investigated, though their routine use is not anticipated in the near future.