Sorina Tăban

By Daniela Lazar and Sorina Taban

Part of the book: Gastric Carcinoma

By Daniela Lazar, Sorina Taban, Marioara Cornianu, Alexandra Faur, Ioan Romosan and Adrian Goldis

Gastric cancer represents a major health problem worldwide. Literature data have demonstrated that gastric tumors present a high molecular heterogeneity, responsible for the process of carcinogenesis and dissemination. By revealing the molecular subtype of the tumor, it is possible to assess its behavior, the outcome of the patient, and the treatment approach, according to its genetic and epigenetic profile. This chapter aims to highlight some of the many different genetic mutations, epigenetic alterations, as well as aberrant signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of stomach cancers, each of these molecular abnormalities acting in a specific stage of the disease. Moreover, the manuscript describes the novel therapeutic agents that target some of these aberrant molecular signaling pathways. Unfortunately, only a few agents are currently part of the standard treatment of gastric cancer, while most of the others remain to prove their therapeutic efficacy in the setting of clinical trials. By discovering the different molecular subtypes of gastric cancer, as well as numerous classes of targeted molecular agents, in the future, we would be able to perform an individualized treatment, associated with maximum efficiency and less costs.

Part of the book: Gastric Cancer

By Daniela Cornelia Lazar, Elena-Alina Moacă, Mărioara Cornianu, Sorina Tăban, Alexandra Faur and Adrian Goldiș

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) represent a category of diseases characterized by intestinal inflammation and include two main entities, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, one of the representative clinical characteristics of which being chronic diarrhea. The etiology of these diseases is multifactorial, combining genetic, immunological, and also environmental factors, along with gut dysbiosis. In recent years, we encountered a higher incidence of IBD cases and of severe forms of disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new and efficient treatments, including strategies to improve the microbiome. In this chapter, we will discuss the current knowledge about the impact of different therapies influencing gut microbiota, such as prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, and other agents in IBD prevention, and also in the induction/maintenance of IBD remission. The manuscript will focus also on potential areas for research in the future using agents that modify intestinal microbiota and combined strategies.

Part of the book: Benign Anorectal Disorders