Background Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is recognized as one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, no systemic investigation of the genetic diversity of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato circulating among animals and humans in the country has been performed to date. Methods In this preliminary study, we analysed one cyst each from 36 sheep, 27 cattle, 27 pigs, 11 wild boars and 16 human patients for amplification and partial sequencing of the adenosine triphosphate 6 ( atp 6) and cytochrome c oxidase 1 ( cox 1) genes. The host species, fertility rate and organ cyst location were recorded for each subject involved in the study. Results Overall, the atp 6 gene was successfully amplified and sequenced from 110 samples, while 96 of the PCRs for cox 1 were positive. Three zoonotic genotypes of E. granulosus sensu stricto (G1 and G3) and Echinococcus canadensis (G7) were identified in our isolates based on analyses of the atp 6 gene. These genotypes were represented by 11 different genetic variants (haplotypes), six of which were identified for the first time in the present study. Conclusions This study demonstrates, for the first time, that CE in Bosnia and Herzegovina is predominantly caused by E. granulosus sensu stricto and E. canadensis clusters, which exhibited a lower genetic diversity compared to isolates from other European countries. Further molecular studies employing other mitochondrial and nuclear genes are required to better understand the transmission cycles of E. granulosus sensu stricto among intermediate and definitive hosts in the country. Graphical Abstract

Introduction: Tumor microenvironment plays a significant role in tumor progression. Tumor stroma is one of the strongest modifiers of tumor cell response, cancer behavior, and cancer progression. This study aimed to investigate the correlation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression and tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) with standard clinicopathological parameters in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer.Methods: Ninety biopsy samples of primary breast cancer diagnosed at the Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Sarajevo, were selected for this study. The molecular subtype was determined based on the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and Ki-67. Stromal and tumoral MMP-9 immunohistochemical expression and the TSR were determined for each tumor.Results: Tumoral MMP-9 expression correlated positively with the presence of lymphovascular invasion (p= 0.016). TSR showed significant association and correlation with tumor grade (G) (p= 0.031; p= 0.049) and tumor size (pT) (p = 0.049;p= 0.021, respectively). Stromal MMP-9 expression correlated with histologic type, histologic grade of tumor, and lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate (p= 0.021;p= 0.047, p= 0.038, respectively). A higher percentage of stromal MMP-9 expression correlated with the strongest lymphocytic response (p = 0.007). Significant correlation was observed between molecular subtypes and histologic grade of the tumor (p= 0.032).Conclusion: Our results, to some extent, confirm the significance of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer, especially when it is about stromal MMP-9 expression. Although we observed significant association, without linear correlation, we found no significant correlation between molecular subtypes of breast cancer and MMP-9 expression.

Background: To prove the frequency of thrombocytosis in patients with cancer, and the importance of anticoagulant therapy. Thrombocytosis represents an elevated platelet count of more than 350,000/mm 3 which is one of the risk factors for venous thromboembolism. Methods: This study has analyzed 146 patients who were hospitalized at the Oncology Clinic of the University Clinical Centre, Banja Luka and the Day Oncology Hospital “S.tetik”, Banja Luka in the period between 2009 and 2014. These were patients with breast tumor, gastrointestinal or gynecological malignancies. Thrombocytosis was detected in 38 patients in the moment of diagnosing. All examinees were analyzed by sex, age, primary site of tumor, presence of comorbidity, relevant laboratory analyses, clinical stage of the disease (metastatic or localized disease). Results: In the observed sample of 146 patients, thrombocytosis was detected in 38 patients in the moment of diagnosing the disease (26%). Through the follow-up, DVT (deep venous thrombosis) was found in 13 patients (34.2%) and anticoagulant therapy was administered. Out of patients who were not on anticoagulant therapy because they had no thrombotic manifestations (25 patients, 65.8%), 2 ended up experiencing the development of a clinical presentation of massive pulmonary embolism with fatal outcome. Conclusions: The occurrence of thromboembolism significantly increases morbidity and mortality, as well as the total cost of treating cancer patients. Regardless of the fact that cancer patients are at a high risk of thromboembolic events, thromboembolic prophylaxis has not been adopted as a standard therapeutic modality because of potential bleeding.

Background: Gastric cancer, by the definition of World Health Organization (WHO), is a malignant epithelial tumor of mucosa of the stomach with glandular differentiation. Objective of this Scientific paper was to maintain the relation of expression of HER2 protein and hystological type of cancer according to Lauren in gastric cancer. Methods: In this research, archival samples of tissues of gastric cancer are used from 60 patients that have been obtained after subttotal or total Gastrectomy with a regional lymphadenectomy of lymph nodes. The most representative tissue samples of gastric cancer tissues are selected by the standard hematoxylin-eosin staining method which are cut again by using a microtome and treated by immunohistochemistrical technique with antibody on the HER2 according to the protocol of the producer and then evaluated by light-microscopic and again evaluated by a modified system of scoring the HER2 positivity of surgical resections. In the data processing, descriptive statistics and nonparametric test of significance respectively. Chi square test and one sample T-test, and also correlation tests respectively Pearson test of correlation. Results: Statistical analysis of expression of HER2 protein according to hystological type of gastric cancer done by chi-square test, does not show significant relation between these two variables (x 2 =4,900). Analysis by using one sample T-test does not show statistical significance (t=1.1880), and analysis by using Pearson test of correlation shows negative correlation that is not statistically significant (r= -0.029) between these two tested parameters. Conclusions: Expression of HER2 protein by using an univariate statistical method according to Pearson has shown a negligible negative correlation without statistical significance according to histological type by Lauren.