Cutaneous melanoma, which accounts for 72-80% of all diagnosed tumors developing from melanin-producing tissue, is an example of a malignancy whose initiation and development, with rare exceptions, are associated with the realization of endogenous pigmentations in the morphological substrate of the tumor. However, the existing diagnostic paradigm for superficial cutaneous melanomas does not take into account the significance of endogenous pigmentations in assessing the tumor's invasive capacity. This article examines the relationship between changes in the biochemical composition of superficial cutaneous melanomas and their invasive capacity, as well as the possibility of using this relationship in melanoma diagnostics. A comparative pathomorphological, ultrastructural, and spectroscopic study of 128 samples of superficial spreading melanoma removed during radical surgical excision was conducted. A higher frequency and diversity of endogenous pigment analytes were detected during the horizontal phase of tumor growth compared to the vertical phase. Diagnostically significant analytes included carotenoid pigments (p=0.02257), porphyrin (p=0.09080), and melanin precursors tyrosine (p=0.01554) and phenylalanine (p=0.01753). The use of a comprehensive pathomorphological and spectroscopic study and multiplex analysis of the obtained results made it possible to simultaneously identify a significant number of statistically confirmed endogenous pigment analytes in superficial melanoma skin samples. These analytes have diagnostic value in assessing the invasive capacity of superficial melanomas.

The study evaluated various types of low-intensity photobiomodulatory therapy (PBMT) in reducing acute pain after complex tooth extraction. Complex extraction of maxillary molars and premolars (no more than two teeth, on one side) was performed in 119 patients (aged 18-44 years). In Group 1 (n = 28), PBMT was not performed. In Group 2 (n = 32), pulsed infrared laser radiation in combination with a magnetic mirror tip was used. In Group 3 (n = 30), dental tips with a pulsed infrared laser emitting head were used in the area of the socket formed after tooth extraction. In Group 4 (n = 29), a laser head with a continuous red spectrum was used. The exposure time of the tips and heads in all groups was 3 minutes in the projection of the extracted tooth. All patients underwent PBMT at 1, 24, and 48 hours after surgery. At these same times, acute pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) and a numerical rating scale (NRS) in millimeters. Acute pain was lowest already on the first postoperative day in the pulsed infrared laser group with a mirror magnetic head. Among the PBMT groups, the continuous red laser demonstrated the worst pain results. In the group without PBMT, pain requiring medical management persisted for up to 48-72 hours after tooth extraction.

Studying the interaction of optical wavelength radiation with biological tissues can be used in various biomedical applications, including estimating the absorbed dose of laser radiation during laser-induced therapy. The fraction of absorbed radiation can be estimated using Monte Carlo and adding-doubling simulations. In this paper, we compare the simulation results obtained using the two methods for multilayered models of biological tissues of the trachea and colon. Both methods are used to calculate the absorbed dose based on the specified optical properties of tissues under several types of illumination. Similar incident beam geometries demonstrated repeatability of 94Ѓ}3% for a collimated beam and 95Ѓ}3% for an isotropic/diffuse source. The advantage of the adding-doubling method is its higher computational speed compared to the Monte Carlo method, while Monte Carlo simulation allows for varying a larger number of parameters when specifying the illumination conditions of the sample. The data obtained can be used to optimize dosimetry in photodynamic therapy.

Secondary upper limb lymphedema remains one of the most significant complications of surgical and radiation treatment of breast cancer and is characterized by progressive impairment of lymphatic drainage, chronic inflammation, and soft tissue fibrosis. In cases of pronounced anatomical and functional damage to lymphatic collectors, the effectiveness of conservative therapy and lymphovenous anastomoses is limited, necessitating the use of physiological microsurgical reconstruction techniques. Vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) is considered a pathogenetically substantiated approach to restoring lymphatic drainage, combining the mechanical ≪lymphatic pump≫ effect with stimulation of lymphangiogenesis through growth factor secretion. Imaging modalities of the lymphatic system, including indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography and lymphoscintigraphy, play a crucial role in patient selection and in the assessment of surgical outcomes by enabling visualization of dermal backflow, collector obliteration, and the formation of new lymphatic pathways. The paper presents a clinical case of a patient with stage IIA lymphedema following comprehensive breast cancer treatment, in whom the absence of clinical improvement after lymphovenous bypass served as an indication for delayed breast reconstruction with a free DIEP flap combined with inguinal vascularized lymph node transfer. Postoperative follow-up demonstrated a reduction in limb volume, decreased dermal backflow, and the appearance of linear lymphatic flow patterns in the transplant area. These findings confirm the potential of vascularized lymph node transfer as a component of a comprehensive surgical strategy for the treatment of secondary lymphedema in patients after combined breast cancer therapy.