Serum Level of Vitamin D in Patients with Salivary Gland Tumors.

Introduction: The active vitamin D metabolites have anticancer effects on many human neoplasms. The vitamin D receptors have been detected in salivary glands tissue. This study aimed to evaluate the serum level of vitamin D in patients with malignant and benign salivary gland tumors. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective and cross-sectional study, 151 participants, including 42 patients with benign, 42 malignant salivary gland tumors, and 67 healthy subjects, participated. The serum level of vitamin D was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The mean serum level of vitamin D was 42.7 ng/mL in patients with benign tumors, 40 ng/mL in malignant tumors, and 36.7 ng/mL in the control group. There was no significant difference between the mean vitamin D level and vitamin D status in patients with salivary gland tumors and normal controls (P=0.2). There was a significant positive correlation between vitamin D level and age in the control group (P=0.04). Conclusions: The results showed a high prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in salivary gland tumors and normal subjects, with no significant difference. Therefore, the serum level of vitamin D might not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of these tumors, similar to many human cancers. However, further prospective studies are recommended focusing on specific tumors and considering other interventional factors.

Profile of Serum Heat Shock Protein-27 Level in Patients with Salivary Gland Tumor.

Statement of the Problem: Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) plays important roles in many cellular processes and has been implicated in different types of diseases such as cancers. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the serum level of HSP27 in patients with salivary gland tumors and to determine its possible correlation with the prognosis of the disease. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was performed on 60 patients with sali-vary gland tumor including 16 pleomorphic adenoma, 33 adenoid cystic carcinoma, 6 mu-coepidermoid carcinoma, 5 acinic cell carcinoma, and 28 healthy control subjects. The con-trol cases were healthy blood donors who matched the study group in age and sex. Serum samples were obtained from the clotted blood and HSP27concentrations were measured with sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis was performed by using one-way ANOVA, post Hoc test, independent sample t-test, and ROC analysis. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The mean serum level of HSP27 was 3956.1±3830.1 (pg/ml) in patients with malig-nant salivary gland tumor, which was significantly higher than that in benign salivary gland tumor (752.2±485.6) and healthy controls (602.3±575.8) (p <0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the HSP27 serum levels between the patients with benign salivary gland tumors and healthy controls (p= 0.2). No association was detected between the mean serum levels of HSP27 and clinicopathologic factors such as age, sex, stage and nodal metas-tasis (p > 0.05), except for the tumor size (p= 0.04). Conclusion: The HSP27 concentration increased in patients with malignant salivary gland tumors. Moreover, the HSP27 level was correlated with tumor growth, invasiveness, and diagnosability. Yet, larger clinical studies are required to explore its prognostic value.

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Role of BIRC6 Serum Level.

Background: Different factors are involved in the incidence, etiology, metastasis, diagnosis, and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma, including apoptosis inhibitor proteins. Baculoviral IAP repeat containing protein 6 (BIRC6) is one of the apoptosis inhibitor proteins contributing to cancer cells' survival in many cancer types with diagnostic and treatment importance. This study is aimed at assessing the serum level of BIRC6 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 60 serum samples were collected from 45 male and 15 female patients with a mean age of 61 years as the case group and 28 serum samples of healthy people as a control group. The serum samples were analyzed using a commercial sandwich ELISA kit. Results: There were no significant differences between BIRC6 serum levels in patients and healthy subjects. Moreover, we did not observe any significant relationships between BIRC6 serum levels and the patients' demographic or clinical characteristics. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in serum BIRC6 levels in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and healthy individuals. Its use in determining the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma or considering it a determinant marker in this type of cancer may not have a place. More in-depth studies for evaluating BIRC6 serum levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients are recommended for better insight into this protein's role in diagnosing, progression, and prognosis of the disease.

Elevated IL-37 Serum Levels in Patients with Transitional Cell Carcinoma of Bladder.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a recently described cytokine that emerges as a natural inhibitor of inflammatory and immune responses. However, IL-37 has not yet been investigated in bladder cancer, and its biological role is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate IL-37 serum levels in patients with bladder cancer and determine whether they were linked to the patients' pathological characteristics. METHODS: IL-37 serum levels were measured using a commercial ELISA kit in 60 patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder (mean age: 64.55±12.93) and 50 healthy controls (mean age: 62.94±12.69). Non-parametric tests were used for statistical comparisons, and the Cohen's d effect size was calculated to evaluate the practical and clinical significance of the results. RESULTS: Our findings indicated an increasing trend in IL-37 serum levels in patients with TCC (42.77±3.36 pg/ml) in comparison with controls (40.51±7.32 pg/ml, p=0.09). However, IL-37 serum levels were found to be significantly higher in male patients (44.72±3.81 pg/ml) and patients aged ≥70 (46.92±6.77 pg/ml) in comparison with male controls (29.96±3.30 pg/ml, p=0.026) and controls aged ≥70 (23.62±4.43 pg/ml, p=0.009). In comparison to similar controls, Cohen's d effect size for patients aged ≥70 years was found to be 0.90. CONCLUSION: The findings reveal a higher serum level of IL-37 in patients with TCC, which might be clinically associated with immunosuppression and tumor growth. However, this is a preliminary study, and more research on the biological role of IL-37 and its potential therapeutic effects in bladder cancer is required.

Investigation of IL-17A Serum Levels in Patients with Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Role of interleukin 17A (IL-17A) in carcinogenesis and cancer growth is controversial. Although some researches support its antitumor activity, some others suggest that it promotes the growth and development of different types of cancer including skin cancer by activation of STAT3. Although the function of the cytokines such as IL-17A has been extensively studied in various types of cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) has not received much attention. Therefore, the present study was aimed to investigate the serum levels of IL-17A in NMSC patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 60 patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) as well as 57 age-sex matched healthy individuals as control group. Measurement of IL-17A serum levels in both case and control groups was performed by a commercially reliable sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. RESULTS: In this study, we observed that IL-17A serum levels in NMSC patients were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.001). Also, both BCC and SCC patients had higher levels of IL-17A in their sera in comparison to the controls (P=0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, there was no significant difference between SCC and BCC patients regarding serum levels of IL-17A. CONCLUSION: According to our results, it can be concluded that IL-17A may play a role in inducing the growth and progression of NMSC and it can be used as a therapeutic target in these patients in future.

The Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Markers among Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

BACKGROUND: Protection against hepatitis B virus (HBV) is based on the presence of antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Vaccination of newborns is the most effective means of prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of anti-HBs antibody (anti-HBsAb), anti-HB core Ab (anti-HBcAb), HBsAg, and HBV DNA among university students in Fars province, Southern Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 272 students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, were enrolled. Venous blood (5 mL) was collected from each participant and centrifuged; the sera were stored at -20°C until use. Anti-HBsAb, Anti-HBcAb, and HBsAg were measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. HBV DNA load was also measured by a real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 19 ± 1 years. There were 171 (62.9%) females and 101 (37.1%) males. Anti-HBsAb at a protective level (>10 mIU/mL) were detected in the sera of 104 (38.5%) of the cases. Of the anti-HBsAb seropositive participants, 82 were female and 22 were male; the difference between the gender and seropositivity to anti-HBsAb was statistically significant (P = 0.001, odds ratio: 3.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.89-5.79). Anti-HBcAb was detected in only one participant that was negative for both HBsAg and HBV DNA. CONCLUSION: Findings of the current study show that more than half of the students do not have a protective level of anti-HBsAb and might be susceptible to HBV infection, indicating the necessity of checking the level of anti-HBsAb as well as a booster dose in high-risk groups.

The Effect of Melatonin on the Serum Level of Interleukin 6 and Interleukin 9 in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiopulmonary bypass has been recognized as one of the main causes of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, leading to post-operative complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin on the serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-9 in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. METHODS: Forty-four patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery were randomly allocated into two study groups of melatonin (n = 23) and placebo (n = 21). Patients in the melatonin group received two melatonin tablet, 5 mg daily for 3 days before surgery, 10 mg tablet (two doses of 5 mg) 1 h before induction of anesthesia and finally, 10 mg melatonin tablet in the intensive care unit, placebo group patients received placebo at the same time periods. Serum levels of IL-9 and IL-6 were measured as baseline (T1), before induction of anesthesia (T2), 6 and 24 h after off pump (T3, T4). Data were analyzed using SPSS 23 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: The mean serum level of IL-6 was significantly lower in the melatonin group at T3 and T4 (p ＜ 0.05). Also, in both groups, serum levels of IL-6 in T3 showed a significant increase compared to T1. Serum levels of IL-9 had no significant difference between the two groups at T1, T2, T3, and T4. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that pre-operative melatonin administration could modify inflammatory cytokines secretion such as IL-6 while it has no significant effect on the serum levels of IL- 9. Neither of the changes was clinically significant.

Evaluation of serum interferons in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND: Environmental, genetic, and immunological factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In an attempt to better understand the pathogenesis of AMD, in this study, we evaluated the serum interferon (IFN) levels in patients with AMD and compared it with persons without AMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case-control study, 42 patients with AMD and 42 healthy individuals (without AMD) were enrolled as the case and control groups, respectively. The two groups were matched regarding their age and sex. We classified the case group as dry-type and wet-type AMD. Blood samples were obtained and the serum was collected and frozen at -20°C. Alpha-, beta-, and gamma-IFN levels were measured using the sandwich ELISA method and compared between and within the groups. RESULTS: The mean beta IFN levels in both case and control groups were 46.88 ± 27.25 pg/ml and 34.90 ± 18.81 pg/ml (P = 0.021), respectively. Regarding gamma and alpha IFN, the serum levels were not detectable in most of the patients and no significant difference was detected between the case and control groups. CONCLUSION: We found that serum beta IFN levels are higher in patients with AMD. This finding may have diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic value in AMD patients and can be a beginning for further evaluation.

Serum Levels of Zinc, Copper and Ferritin in Patients with Salivary Gland Tumors

Background: Variation in serum levels of trace elements including zinc, copper and ferritin has been reported in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate these trace elements in the patients' sera with benign and malignant salivary gland tumors (SGTs) and compare them with normal individuals. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 60 patients with SGTs including 16 pleomorphic adenoma and 44 malignant SGTs, as well as 28 healthy controls, were enrolled. Serum levels of zinc, copper and ferritin were determined by atomic absorption and ELISA methods. Data were analyzed using one way ANOVA, Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann- Whitney tests. Results: The mean concentration of zinc, copper, ferritin was1.5± 2 ppm, 1.2± 0.5 ppm, and 96.7± 65.7 ng/ml in PA, 1.5± 1.4,1.3± 0.4, and 111.2± 112 in malignant SGTs, and1.1±0.3, 1.2± 0.23 and 124±135.8 in normal control groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the patients and control groups, and between benign and malignant SGTs (P>0.05). Conclusion: The serum levels of trace elements in SGTs were not different from normal individuals. The results might have been affected by some interventional factors. Therefore, designing cohort complementary studies might result in obtaining more accurate data.

Investigating the Levels of Soluble Extracellular Domain of HER2 Protein in the Sera of Meningioma Patients.

AIM: Bearing in mind the association of breast cancer and meningioma, the present study aimed to investigate the levels of the soluble extracellular domain of HER2 protein in meningioma cases and control group. Besides, in the present research, its associations with pathological features and prognostic indicators of meningioma were examined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 68 meningioma patients along with 20 healthy age-sex matched individuals, as controls, were selected. Levels of HER2 in the sera were measured by a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The observations showed that Serum HER2 levels in meningioma patients were significantly lower than normal controls. However, outlier quantities were mostly observed in the cases. Furthermore, in meningiomas with higher histological grade (grade II, III), statistically significant elevated serum levels of HER2 were observed compared to patients with low-grade meningiomas (grade I). CONCLUSION: Serum HER2 levels were a poor biomarker for determination of pathological and prognostic characteristics of meningiomas and coupling serum HER2 levels with immunohistochemistry examination of HER2 in meningioma tissue samples would be helpful in future studies.

Evaluation of the serum levels of galectin-3 in patients with oral lichen planus disease.

OBJECTIVES: Galectin-3, a member of beta-galactoside-binding proteins, can be found in cytoplasm and nucleus as well as extracellularly in various tissues and involved in many physiological and pathological processes. We aimed to measure the serum levels of galectin-3 in oral lichen planus (OLP) disease and compare the result with that observed in healthy ones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the serum levels of galectin-3 were measured in 56 healthy individuals and 53 pathologically proven OLP patients including those with atrophic/erosive (33 cases) or reticular (20 cases) lesions, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with healthy individuals (1.1 ± 0.4 ng/ml), galectin-3 serum levels in patients with OLP (3.1 ± 1.1 ng/ml) were significantly elevated (p < 0.0001). Serum galectin-3 levels were elevated significantly in patients with atrophic/erosive lesions compared to those of reticular (3.9 ± 2.1 ng/ml vs. 1.9 ± 1.4 ng/ml, p = 0.001), but it has not associated with age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: The elevation of galectin-3 in OLP is a future tool to increase the knowledge about the possible etiology of the disease and may be helpful to differentiate atrophic/erosive lesions from reticular ones. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluated the serum galectin-3 levels in OLP.

HLA-G Expression in Tumor Tissues and Soluble HLA-G Plasma Levels in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer

Background: Overexpression of human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) and increased plasma levels of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) have been reported in different human malignancies, and are believed to be involved in tumor immune evasion. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the expression of HLA-G in tumor tissues and the plasma levels of sHLA-G in patients with gastrointestinal cancer, and to determine their associations with clinicopathological factors. The link between Helicobacter pylori infection and increased HLA-G expression or sHLA-G levels was also investigated in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: HLA-G expression was investigated in tumor tissues from 100 patients with gastric and colorectal adenocarcinoma using immunohistochemistry test, and plasma levels of sHLA-G were measured in 82 patients with ELISA method. The presence of H. pylori genome was investigated in tumor tissues from 25 patients with gastric cancer by PCR method. Results: HLA-G expression was observed in 43% of colorectal cancers and 34.6% of gastric cancers, and was not related with any of the clinicopathological factors. There was a significant correlation between increased sHLA-G level and stage I tumors. Eight of 25 (32%) gastric cancer specimens were positive for H. pylori, of which 3 samples were positive for HLA-G. Soluble HLA-G levels were above the cut-off value in all H. pylori-positive patients. Conclusion: Plasma levels of sHLA-G were significantly increased in our patients with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 62%. Soluble HLA-G level can be considered a useful indicator for the early diagnosis of gastric and colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Association between CTLA-4 + 49A > G and - 318C > T single-nucleotide polymorphisms and susceptibility to thyroid neoplasm.

PURPOSE: Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA-4 or CD152) is among the immune checkpoint molecules and its abnormal expression in cancer predisposed individuals might make the person more susceptible to tumor initiation and progression. Considering the implication of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CTLA-4 gene expression and probably protein function, one can assume the involvement of these SNPs in neoplastic diseases. rs5742909 ( - 318C > T) and rs231775 ( + 49 A > G) are among the most commonly studied SNPs and have been considered as genetic factors related to thyroid diseases. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to elucidate the association between these SNPs and susceptibility to various types of thyroid cancers. METHODS: We investigated the genetic polymorphisms of - 318C > T and + 49 A > G in the CTLA-4 gene by means of ARMS-PCR and RFLP-PCR, respectively, in 167 patients with thyroid carcinomas (papillary, follicular, and anaplastic). The results were then compared with a group of 100 age-sex matched healthy individuals. RESULTS: A statistically significant association was observed between the presence of G allele in + 49 A > G locus and thyroid carcinoma, when comparing cases and controls (OR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.35-3.28; P = 0.001) and the frequency of heterozygotes (AG) was higher than homozygotes for allele A (AA), in patients with and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Regarding Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the frequencies of A allele and AA genotype in PTC patients were higher than Hashimoto patients with no history of cancer (OR = 4.67, 95% CI = 2.70-8.08, P < 0.0001; and, OR = 4.68, 95% CI = 1.84-11.91, P = 0.0012; respectively). However; we observed no difference among allele/genotype frequencies in regards to locus - 318C > T. CONCLUSION: In this study, we observed that G allele in + 49 A > G and possibly lower expression of mutated CTLA-4 molecule, is associated with higher susceptibility to thyroid carcinoma. Although the G allele frequency was higher in thyroid cancer patients, when justified for the presence of lymphocytic thyroiditis, the presence of A allele seemed to increase the odds for PTC in patients with Hashimoto's disease.

Investigation of IL-33 serum levels in patients with benign and malignant salivary gland tumors.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-33 (IL-33) has been recently discovered as an influential factor in the process of tumor immunity, and is presented in cancer pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the serum levels of IL-33 in patients with benign and malignant Salivary gland tumors (SGTs). METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 47 samples of malignant SGTs including 18 mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), 8 adenoid cystic carcinoma (ADCC), 21 malignant mixed tumor (MMT), and 14 benign pleomorphic adenoma (PA). A control group was considered consisting of 28 healthy subjects. The serum level of IL-33 was measured by using sandwich ELISA method. The data were statistically analyzed through Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: The median concentration of IL-33 was 6.91 in malignant, 5.14 in benign, and 5.01 in healthy cases, with a statistically significant difference (P= 0.001). The median serum levels of IL-33 increased significantly in ADCC (7.15), MEC (7.03), and MMT (6.91) compared with the control group (5.01) (P< 0.05). The mean rank of MEC was significantly higher than PA (P= 0.01). IL-33 concentration was positively and significantly correlated with the tumor stage (P= 0.02) and tumor size (P= 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: IL-33 could be suggested as a novel biomarker to distinguish different types of SGTs.

Serum CXCL12, but not CXCR4, Is Associated with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most frequent malignancy of the head and neck (HN) region. We here evaluated associations of stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1or CXCL12) and its receptor, CXCR4, with HNSCCs. Materials and Methods: Sixty newly diagnosed HNSCC patients were enrolled in the patient group, and 28 healthy individuals in the control group. Plasma levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 were measured using ELISA kits. Results: There was a significant difference in mean CXCL12, but not CXCR4, plasma levels between the patient and control groups (P=0.0001). No significant associations were found between mean plasma levels of either CXCL12 or CXCR4 with age, gender, tumor site, tumor size, lymph-node involvement or tumor stage. Conclusion: For the first time, our findings demonstrate a significant association between serum CXCL12 but not CXCR4 levels and HNSCCs.

Galectin-3 Serum Levels Could Help Clinicians Screen for Salivary Gland Tumor Patients

Objective: To identify serum levels of galectin-3 in salivary gland cancer and healthy populations; a prospective analysis was performed on serum specimens from 105 patients with salivary gland cancer and 56 healthy persons. Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure levels of galectin-3 (GAL-3). Serum levels were compared between patients with salivary gland tumors and healthy control. A total of 105 patients were enrolled in the study (55 men, 50 women). Result: Mean age was 45.5 years. Thirty-nine patients with malignant and 66 cases with benign tumors were compared with 56 healthy participants with a mean age of 51.7. No statistically significant differences were observed when comparing GAL-3 serum levels between malignant and benign salivary gland tumor patients, but a statistically significant difference was found between case and control patients with p-values of 0.02. Serum levels of galectin-3 protein were elevated in patients with salivary gland cancer compared with the healthy population. Conclusion: The difference between benign and malignant tumor patients was significant, but revealed no clinic pathological characteristics in malignant tumors. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time a study suggests that GAL-3 serum levels could help clinicians screen for salivary gland cancer.

Measurement of Lung Cancer Tumor Markers in a Glass Wool Company Workers Exposed to Respirable Synthetic Vitreous Fiber and Dust.

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposures to respirable synthetic vitreous fiber (SVF) and dust are associated with many lung diseases including lung cancer. Low-dose computed tomography is used for screening patients who are highly suspicious of having lung carcinoma. However, it seems not to be cost-effective. Serum biomarkers could be a useful tool for the surveillance of occupational exposure, by providing the possibility of diagnosing lung cancer in its early stages. OBJECTIVE: To determine if serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin fragment (CYFRA) 21-1 levels in workers exposed more than normal population to respirable SVF and dust may be used as indicators of progression towards lung cancer. METHODS: An analytic cross-sectional study, including 145 personnel of a glass wool company, along with 25 age-matched healthy individuals, was conducted to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to respirable SVFs and dust and serum levels of two lung/pleura serum tumor markers, CEA and CYFRA 21-1, measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Individuals exposed to higher than the recommended levels of respirable SVF had higher serum concentrations of CEA and CYFRA 21-1, compared to controls (p=0.008 and 0.040, respectively), as well as in comparison to those exposed to lower than recommended OSHA levels (p=0.046 and 0.033, respectively). Workers with >9 years work experience, had significantly (p=0.045) higher levels of serum CYFRA 21-1 than those with ≤9 years of experience. CONCLUSION: It seems that working for >9 years in sites with detectable levels of respirable SVF and dust would increase the levels of known lung cancer serum tumor markers. Transferring these workers to sites with respirable SVF concentrations lower than the limit of detection in the air is recommended.

Serum Levels of Cyfra 21 in Patients with Benign and Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors.

INTRODUCTION: Cyfra 21 is a serum-soluble fragment of cytokeratin19. Increased Cyfra 21 serum levels and their benefit as a tumor marker have been shown in some malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of Cyfra 21 in patients with benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the serum level of Cyfra 21 in 44 patients with malignant salivary gland tumors and 16 cases of pleomorphic adenoma were compared with 28 healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analyzed statistically using the Kruskal Wallis test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Spearman's correlation tests. RESULTS: Mean serum levels of Cyfra 21 were 0.135 ± 0.285 ng/ ml in the control group, 0.167 ± 0.142 ng/ ml in patients with pleomorphic adenoma and 1.059 ± 3.251 ng/ml in patients with malignant salivary gland tumors. There was no significant difference among groups. Cyfra 21 levels did not correlate with location of tumor, clinical stage or cigarette smoking. CONCLUSION: Results of the present study showed no significant difference in Cyfra 21 serum level in salivary gland tumors compared with normal individuals. In addition, Cyfra 21 serum level was not sufficiently sensitive to function as a tumor marker in salivary gland tumors.

The association between preoperative serum CEA concentrations and synchronous liver metastasis in colorectal cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Liver is the primary site for the metastasis from colorectal cancer (CRC). It has been proposed that carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) might have an instrumental role in the development of hepatic metastasis from human CRC. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the association between preoperative serum CEA concentrations and the incidence of synchronous CRC-liver metastasis. METHODS: A total of 199 patients with CRC who underwent radical surgery at the Shiraz University hospitals were enrolled in this study. The preoperative serum CEA levels of patients without distant metastasis were compared with those with hepatic metastasis and those with other organs metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis. RESULTS: Preoperative serum CEA concentrations were found to be significantly higher in patients with distant metastases compared to patients with local CRC (P < 0.001). Moreover, the mean serum CEA level in patients with liver metastasis was higher than non-metastasis group (42.89 ng/ml vs 9.62 ng/ml) (p < 0.001). We did not find significant differences in serum CEA concentrations between non-metastasis and the other organ metastasis groups (p> 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that patients with high preoperative serum CEA levels should have more intensive follow-up for detection of synchronous liver metastasis.