Plasma levels of M-CSF and VEGF in laboratory diagnostics and differentiation of selected histological types of cervical cancers.

BACKGROUND: The search of useful serum biomarkers for the early detection of cervical cancers has been of a high priority. The activation of Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor (M-CSF) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is likely involved in the pathogenesis and spread of cancer. We compared the plasma levels of M-CSF and VEGF to the ones of commonly accepted tumor markers CA 125and SCC-Ag in three groups of patients: 1. the cervical cancer group (patients with either squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma); 2. the cervical dysplasia group; 3. the control group. METHODS: This cohort study included 100 patients with cervical cancer and 55 patients with cervical dysplasia. The control group consisted of 50 healthy volunteers. The plasma levels of VEGF and M-CSF were determined using ELISA, while CA 125 and SCC-Ag concentrations were obtained by the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). RESULTS: The median levels of M-CSF and VEGF as well as CA 125 and SCC-Ag in the entire group of cervical cancer patients, were significantly different compared to the healthy women group. In case of both the squamous cell carcinoma and the adenocarcinoma groups, plasma levels of M-CSF and VEGF were higher compared to the control group. No significant differences in the studied parameters between the squamous cell carcinoma and the adenocarcinoma group were observed. The highest sensitivity and specificity were obtained for VEGF (81.18 and 76.00%, respectively) and SCC-Ag (81.18%; 74.00%) in the squamous cell carcinoma group and for VEGF (86.67%; 76.00%) in the adenocarcinoma group. The area under the ROC curve for VEGF was the largest in the adenocarcinoma group followed by the squamous cell carcinoma group (0.9082 and 0.8566 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Obtained results indicate a possible clinical applicability and a high diagnostic power for the combination of MSC-F, VEGF, CA 125 and SCC-Ag in the diagnosis of both studied types of cervical cancer.

Plasma levels and diagnostic utility of macrophage-colony stimulating factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 as tumor markers in cervical cancer patients.

Macrophage-colony stimulating factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 may play an important role in malignant processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic power of those parameters (serological biomarkers) in comparison to cancer antigen 125 and squamous cell carcinoma antigen in cervical cancer patients and in relation to the control groups. The study included 100 cervical cancer patients, 50 patients with cervical ectropion and 50 healthy women. Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cancer antigen 125, and squamous cell carcinoma antigen by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Plasma levels of all parameters in the total cancer group showed statistical significance (in all cases p < 0.05). In stage I of cancer only medial supraclavicular fossa and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, in stage II all the tested parameters and cancer antigen 125, and in stage III + IV macrophage-colony stimulating factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and cancer antigen 125 showed statistical significance when compared to the healthy volunteers group. Macrophage-colony stimulating factor showed the highest value of sensitivity from all tested parameters (I: 56.25%, II: 72.73%, III + IV: 77.14% and 69% in total cervical cancer group). The highest specificity was obtained by matrix metalloproteinase-9 (94%). Positive predictive values were highest also for matrix metalloproteinase-9 (I: 82.35%, II: 84.21%, III + IV: 88% and 94.55% in total cervical cancer group), negative predictive values for macrophage-colony stimulating factor (I: 75.44%, II: 82.69%, III + IV: 87.5% and 58.11% in total cervical cancer group) and tumor markers. In the total cervical cancer group, all tested parameters showed statistically significant areas under receiver operating characteristic curve, but maximum range was obtained for the combination macrophage-colony stimulating factor + squamous cell carcinoma antigen (0.8723). The combined analysis of tested parameters and tumor markers resulted in an increase in sensitivity and areas under receiver operating characteristic curve values, which provides hope for developing new panel of biomarkers that may be used in the diagnosis of cervical cancer in the future.

The Activity of Class I-IV Alcohol Dehydrogenase Isoenzymes and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase in Bladder Cancer Cells.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the activity of Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH) isoenzymes and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) in normal and cancerous bladder cells. METHODS: Class III, IV of ADH and total ADH activity were measured by the photometric method and class I, II ADH and ALDH activity by the fluorometric method. RESULTS: Significantly higher total activity of ADH was found in both, low-grade and high-grade bladder cancer, in comparison to healthy tissues. CONCLUSION: The increased activity of total ADH in bladder cancer cells may be the cause of metabolic disorders in cancer cells, which may intensify carcinogenesis.

Human Plasma Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Matrix Metalloproteinase 9, and Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 and Their Applicability as Tumor Markers in Diagnoses of Cervical Cancer Based on ROC Analysis.

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a major diagnostic problem. The introduction of human papillomavirus vaccination significantly reduced the number of new cases; however, the search for new methods that would earlier indicate the development of cancerous changes is vital. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic power of those parameters in comparison to Cancer Antigen 125 (CA 125) and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen (SCC-Ag) in patients with CC and in relation to the control group. The study included 100 patients with CC and 50 healthy women. Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, CA 125, and SCC-Ag by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Plasma levels of all parameters in the total cancer group showed statistical significance (in all cases P < .05). In stage I cancer, only vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1; in stage II, all the tested parameters and CA 125; and in stage III + IV, VEGF, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and CA 125 showed statistical significance when compared to the healthy volunteers group. Vascular endothelial growth factor showed the highest value of sensitivity from all tested parameters (I: 75%, II: 76%, III + IV: 94%, and 82% in total CC group). The highest specificity was obtained by MMP-9 (94%). In the total CC, stage I, and stage II groups, all tested parameters showed statistically significant area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), but maximum range was obtained for the combination VEGF + SCC-Ag (I: 0.9146, II: 0.8941, III + IV: 0.9139, total CC group: 0.9347). The combined analysis of tested parameters and tumor markers resulted in an increase in sensitivity and AUC values, which provides hope for developing new panel of biomarkers that may be used in the diagnosis of CC in the future.

The Activity of Alcohol Dehydrogenase Isoenzymes and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase in the Sera of Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a progressive inflammatory hepatopathy and an important cause of end-stage liver. The liver cells' destruction is reflected by increased activity of different enzymes in the serum. These enzymes include alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which play a significant role in the metabolism of many biological substances and exist mainly in the liver. In this study we investigated the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and its isoenzymes and the total activity of ALDH in the sera of patients with autoimmune hepatitis. METHODS: Serum samples were taken for routine biochemical investigation from 32 patients with autoimmune hepatitis and from 40 healthy subjects. Class I and II of ADH and ALDH activity was measured by the spectrofluorometric method. For measurement of class III ADH and total ADH activity we employed the photometric methods. RESULTS: The activity of the class I ADH isoenzyme was significantly higher in the sera of patients with autoimmune hepatitis. The median activity of this isoenzyme in the patients group was approximately 63% (3.94 mU/L) higher than the control level (1.46 mU/L). For this reason, the total ADH activity was also significantly increased. The activities of other ADH isoenzymes and ALDH tested were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: The activity of total ADH and class I isoenzymes in the sera of patients with autoimmune hepatitis is increased, and it seems to be caused by the release of alcohol dehydrogenase from damaged liver cells.

ROC analysis of selected matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in psoriatic patients.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease characterised by typical scaly skin lesions. The role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in the pathogenesis and development of this condition have been repeatedly emphasised in available literature. AIM: ROC analysis of selected MMPs (MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, MMP-12, TIMP-2) and TIMPs (TIMP-2, TIMP-3) in psoriasis patients. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) indicates the clinical usefulness of a biomarker and its diagnostic power. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Plasma samples of 49 patients suffering from plaque psoriasis and 40 healthy volunteers were evaluated. Concentrations of MMPs and TIMPs were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) while Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was used to define disease advancement. RESULTS: In the total psoriasis patients group, the largest area under the ROC curve was obtained for TIMP-3. After the division of the total group based on disease severity, the highest AUC of all tested parameters was observed for patients with mild disease severity and subgroup Ia for TIMP-3, for subgroup Ib for MMP-12, and for individuals with moderate disease severity for MMP-2. The combined analysis of all tested parameters showed an increase in AUC values in the total group examined as well as in all groups of disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the usefulness and high diagnostic power of TIMP-3 in early detection of psoriasis. Additionally, the combination of all tested parameters appeared to be a valuable biomarker panel for the analysed disease.

Plasma levels and diagnostic utility of VEGF, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in the diagnostics of breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated plasma levels and diagnostic utility of vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in comparison to cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3). METHODS: Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) while CA 15-3 with chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). RESULTS: The plasma levels of VEGF, TIMP-2 showed significantly higher than CA 15-3 values of the diagnostic sensitivity, the predictive values of positive and negative test results (PPV, NPV) and the area under the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) in early stages of breast cancer (BC). The combined use of the tested parameters with CA 15-3 resulted in the increase in sensitivity, NPV and AUC, especially in the combination with VEGF (83%; 72%; 0.888) and TIMP-2 (83%; 72%; 0.894). The highest values were obtained for combination of all three parameters (93%; 85%; 0.923). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the usefulness of the tested parameters in the diagnosis of BC, especially VEGF and TIMP-2 with CA 15-3 in early stages of BC, which could be a new diagnostic panel.

Changed Profile of Serum Transferrin Isoforms in Liver Diseases.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of liver diseases on the serum profile of transferrin isoforms. METHODS: Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) - 63 subjects, non-alcoholic cirrhosis (NAC) - 28, and toxic hepatitis (HT) - 32 were studied. The cirrhotic patients were classified according to the Child-Pugh scale. Samples were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis with the MINICAP system. RESULTS: Significant differences were noted in the relative concentrations of disialotransferrin in HT patients (mean ± SD; 1.216 ± 0.900%) and in the levels of trisialotransferrin in AC (6.433 ± 3.131%) and NAC patients (5.311 ± 2.401%), as compared to the control group (0.984 ± 1.161%; 3.615 ± 1.156%, respectively). The levels of di-, tri- and tetrasialotransferrin appeared to differ between liver diseases. The mean relative concentration of disialotransferrin was significantly higher in patients with HT than in the NAC group, whereas trisialotransferrin level was lower in HT (4.074 ± 1.597%) than in AC and NAC. Tetrasialotransferrin was higher in HT (78.474 ± 4.393%) and NAC (77.932 ± 4.161%) in comparison with AC (75.290 ± 4.720%). Eleven percent of cirrhotic samples showed di-tri bridging and two samples displayed genetic variants of transferrin isoforms. There were significant differences in tri-, tetra-, and pentasialotransferrin according to the Child-Pugh score. The level of trisialotransferrin was significantly higher in class C of liver cirrhosis (7.219 ± 3.107%) than in class A (4.590 ± 1.851%), and tetrasialotransferrin relative concentration was lower in class C (69.048 ± 14.251%) as compared to class B (76.929 ± 3.931%) and A (78.990 ± 2.995%). The level of pentasialotransferrin was higher in class C (23.078 ± 15.898%) than in B (16.455 ± 4.491%) and A (15.680 ± 2.333%). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the serum profile of transferrin isoforms shows alterations in liver diseases, varies according to the disease, and changes depending on the cirrhosis stage.

Influence of narrowband ultraviolet-B phototherapy on plasma concentration of matrix metalloproteinase-12 in psoriatic patients.

INTRODUCTION: Matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12) may play an important role in the pathogenesis and spread of psoriatic disease. AIM: To investigate plasma levels of the selected enzyme in plaque psoriasis patients before and after the course of narrowband UVB (NBUVB) therapy with respect to disease advancement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cohort included 49 patients suffering from plaque psoriasis, divided into groups according to severity of the disease. The control group consisted of 40 healthy volunteers. Plasma levels of MMP-12 were determined using immunoenzyme assay (ELISA), while the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was used to define disease advancement. RESULTS: The results have shown a significantly decreased plasma level of MMP-12 in the total psoriasis patient group compared to healthy individuals, declining with the increase in disease advancement. The NBUVB therapy caused a decrease in the concentration of the analyzed enzyme, but this change was not statistically significant in the total group of psoriatic patients, while a significant change was detected in patients with a mild advancement of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased synthesis of MMP-12 may lead to the stimulation of the epidermal angiogenesis process, which results in the appearance and spread of psoriatic scales. Based on the obtained results, macrophage metalloelastase seems to be a negatively reacting plasma biomarker of the studied disease.

Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Tissue Inhibitors in Comparison to Other Inflammatory Proteins in Gastric Cancer (GC).

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The lack of management strategies for the diagnosis of GC in patients gives rise to the challenging questions about the new tumor markers for GC. Developing malignant process may induce local and systemic inflammatory responses. Cancer-associated inflammation is characterized by the infiltration of immune cells. Thus, the inflammation-related proteins, such as cytokines, chemokines, and selected matrix metalloproteinases, may facilitate the growth, proliferation, and migration of tumor cells, including GC. Based on our previous findings, we assessed the significance of various inflammatory mediators as candidates for tumor markers of GC.

The diagnostic significance of serum alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in renal cell cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: In previous experiments, we have found an increased level of class I ADH and total ADH activity in RCC tissues. Changes in cancer cells may be reflected by ADH activity in the serum and could thus be helpful for diagnostics of renal cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate a potential role of ADH and ALDH as tumor markers for RCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Serum samples were taken from 59 patients with RCC and 52 healthy subjects. Class III and IV of ADH and total ADH activity was measured by the photometric method. For measurement of class I and II ADH and ALDH activity, we employed the fluorometric method. RESULTS: The total activity of ADH and ADH I was significantly higher in the serum of patients with every stage of RCC compared to healthy subjects. The diagnostics criteria was higher for ADH I than for total ADH activity. The diagnostic sensitivity for ADH I was 73.36%, specificity 85.61%, predictive values of positive and negative results were 79.12 and 75.03% respectively. Area under ROC curve for ADH I was 0.748 and for total ADH 0.689. CONCLUSION: The results suggest a potential role of ADH I as a marker for RCC.

Plasma Levels and Diagnostic Utility of M-CSF, MMP-2 and its Inhibitor TIMP-2 in the Diagnostics of Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: M-CSF, MMP-2 and its inhibitor TIMP-2 may play a role in the pathogenesis and proliferation of breast cancer (BC). In this paper, plasma levels and the diagnostic utility of these parameters were investigated in comparison to CA 15-3 in patients with BC and in relation to the control groups: patients with benign breast tumor and healthy subjects. METHODS: Plasma levels of the tested parameters were determined using immunoenzyme assay (ELISA) and CA 15-3 with a chemiluminescence method (CMIA). RESULTS: Our results demonstrated significant differences in the concentration of the tested parameters and CA 15-3 between BC patients and healthy subjects or benign breast tumor patients. Only the plasma levels of TIMP-2 were significantly higher at all tumor stages (I - IV) when compared to healthy controls. M-CSF and TIMP-2 values were comparable to CA 15-3 values for the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, the predictive values of positive and negative test results (PPV, NPV) and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) in the total BC group. The combined use of the tested parameters with CA 15-3 resulted in the increase in sensitivity, NPV, and AUC, especially in the combination of M-CSF with comparative tumor marker (78%;65%;0.866, respectively) and TIMP-2 with comparative tumor marker (84%;71%;0.895, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the usefulness of the tested parameters in the diagnosis of BC. However, the highest usefulness in the diagnostics of early BC (stage I and II) was found in case of TIMP-2 (particularly for differential diagnosis between BC and benign breast tumor) and M-CSF, especially with CA 15-3, which could be a new diagnostic panel.

Serum Alcohol Dehydrogenase and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Activity in the Course of Hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Hepatistis C virus (HCV) affects approximately 170 million people, and it is the leading cause of the chronic liver disease. The destruction of liver cells is reflected by an increase of different enzyme activities in the serum. These enzymes include alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which play a significant role in the metabolism of many biological substances and exist mainly in the liver. In this study we investigated the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and its isoenzymes and the total activity of ALDH in the sera of patients with hepatitis C. METHODS: Serum samples were taken for routine biochemical investigations from 50 patients with hepatitis C and from 50 healthy subjects. The activity of class I and II ADH isoenzymes and ALDH activity were measured by spectrofluorometric methods. For the measurement of total ADH activity and activity of class III and IV isoenzymes, the photometric methods were used. RESULTS: The analysis of our results shows a statistically significant increase in the activity of ADH I and ADH II (2.5-fold and 2-fold, respectively). Activities of both classes of alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes have good correlation with alanine and aspartate aminotransferase. The observed increase in total alcohol dehydrogenase activity was not very high but confirmed the elevation of class I and II isoenzyme activity. CONCLUSIONS: We can state that the activity of class I and II alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes in the sera of patients with hepatitis C is increased and it seems to be caused by the release of these isoenzymes from damaged liver cells.

Serum Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin in Pancreatic Diseases of Different Etiologies.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to find out whether pancreatic diseases invalidate the use of CDT for the detection of high alcohol intake and if CDT can distinguish between alcoholic and non-alcoholic pancreatitis. METHODS: The study was carried out on 110 patients with pancreatic diseases. Serum CDT was determined using the N Latex CDT test. RESULTS: The mean relative (%) and absolute (mg/L) CDT levels in acute and chronic pancreatitis were significantly higher than in controls and patients with primary pancreatic cancer. No significant difference was found in CDT concentrations between acute and chronic pancreatitis. The relative and absolute CDT concentrations in alcohol-induced pancreatitis were significantly higher compared to the controls and biliary-induced pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Acute and chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, but not biliary pancreatitis, may affect CDT levels. Pancreatitis does not invalidate the use of CDT as a marker of alcohol abuse. CDT can be a useful test for distinguishing alcoholic from non-alcoholic pancreatitis. Changes in CDT level indicate disturbances in transferrin glycosylation in the course of alcoholic pancreatic diseases.

Serum Sialic Acid Concentration and Content in ApoB-Containing Lipoproteins in Liver Diseases.

BACKGROUND: The great significance for the metabolism of lipoproteins is the composition of carbohydrate chain of apolipoproteins, where sialic acid (SA) is located. In VILDL and LDL sialic acid is attached to apolipoprotein B. The sialylation of serum proteins including apolipoprotein B can be affected in the course of liver diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of liver diseases on the concentration and content of SA in ApoB-containing lipoproteins. METHODS: The tested group consisted of 165 patients (118 males, 47 females) with liver diseases: alcoholic cirrhosis, non-alcoholic cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, toxic hepatitis, chronic viral hepatitis, and liver cancer. ApoB-containing lipoproteins were isolated by a turbidimetric procedure and SA concentration was measured according to an enzymatic method. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the serum concentration of SA in ApoB-containing lipoproteins in viral hepatitis. Although the serum concentration of ApoB was not significantly different between specific liver diseases, the serum levels of SA in ApoB-containing lipoproteins appeared to be different. There is an association between SA concentration and triglycerides in alcoholic cirrhosis and viral hepatitis. Also, in viral hepatitis SA concentration correlated negatively with HDL-cholesterol. The content of SA in ApoB-containing lipoproteins in alcoholic cirrhosis and viral hepatitis was significantly higher than that in the control group, but did not differ between diseases. CONCLUSIONS: This study may explain the variations in serum lipids and lipoproteins in liver diseases. It seems that the reason for these abnormalities is the changes in the concentration of sialic acid in ApoB-containing lipoproteins.

Diagnostic Power of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor in Breast Cancer Patients Based on ROC Analysis.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been described as an important regulator of angiogenesis which plays a vital role in the progression of tumor. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) is a cytokine whose functions include regulation of hematopoietic lineages cells growth, proliferation, and differentiation. We investigated the diagnostic significance of these parameters in comparison to CA15-3 in BC patients and in relation to the control group (benign breast tumor and healthy women). Plasma levels of the tested parameters were determined by ELISA and CA15-3 was determined by CMIA. VEGF was shown to be comparable to CA15-3 values of sensitivity in BC group and, what is more important, higher values in early stages of BC. VEGF was also the only parameter which has statistically significant AUC in all stages of cancer. M-CSF has been shown to be comparable to CA15-3 and VEGF, specificity, and AUC values only in stages III and IV of BC. These results indicate the usefulness and high diagnostic power of VEGF in the detection of BC. Also, it occurred to be the best candidate for cancer diagnostics in stages I and II of BC and in the differentiation between BC and benign cases.

Predictors of Long-Term Mortality in Patients Hospitalized in an Intensive Cardiac Care Unit.

Patients admitted to an intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) are a heterogeneous population with a high mortality rate. The aim of our study was to investigate which clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic parameters routinely assessed may affect long-term mortality in a non-selected ICCU population.A total of 392 patients hospitalized between 2008-2011 (mean age, 70 ± 13.8 years, 43% women) were consecutively and prospectively assessed with the following admission diagnoses: 168 with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), 122 with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), and 102 with other acute cardiac disorders. Patients were treated according to the current European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines.During a mean 29.3 (± 18.9) months of observation, 152 (38.8%) patients died and 7.9% of the patients needed a red blood cell transfusion (RBC Tx). Patients who died were significantly older and had lower baseline levels of hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron concentration (SIC), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), cholesterol, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), as well as lower eGFR values, and higher white blood cell (WBC) counts and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (P < 0.05). Predictors of death in multivariate regression analysis were age, Hb, LVEF, WBC, and CRP. The most powerful factor was hospitalization for non-ACS. The risk of long-term mortality increased with decreasing levels of Hb (P < 0.001), SIC (P = 0.001), TIBC (P = 0.009), and the need for RBC Tx (P < 0.001), as well as the diagnosis of ADHF (P < 0.001) and the absence of ACS (P = 0.007).In ICCU patients, age, Hb, parameters of iron status, and LVEF are strong predictors of long-term mortality. Among the ICCU population, patients with ACS diagnosis have better survival.

[The utility of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) in diagnostics of gynecological malignancies]. / Przydatnosc oznaczania metaloproteinaz (MMPs) i ich inhibitorów (TIMPs) w diagnostyce nowotworów narzadu rodnego.

Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of proteolytic enzymes, involved in the degradation of collagen and other extracellular matrix components. They play a very important role in many physiological processes, i.e. angiogenesis, hemostasis, cyclic changes in the endometrium, wounds healing, as well as in tumor growth and spreading. Already performed studies have shown significant increase in the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the most common gynecological cancer (cervix, endometrium, ovary) compared to normal tissue and benign lesions. In addition, the MMP-9 concentration correlated with the clinical stage and the presence of distant metastases. Moreover the level of MMP-2 was significantly associated with the degree of malignancy. MMP-7 may be helpful in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and useful in estimating of lymph node metastasis presence in endometrial cancer. In the detection of cervical cancer it may be useful to evaluate the expression of MMP-11 and MMP-12 (absent in normal cells) and their increase according to the degree of tissue damage. The usefulness of metalloproteinases in the diagnosis of gynecological cancer still requires confirmation test. However, it appears that they will be valuable factors in diagnostic complement, especially in combination with conventional markers, i.e. CA 125, SCCAg or HE-4.

Chemokines and their receptors in esophageal cancer--the systematic review and future perspectives.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is an aggressive malignant solid tumor with rapid progression and unfavorable prognosis. The 5-year survival rate for EC patients was estimated to be less than 10 %. Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve diagnostic tool and effective treatment therapies for EC patients. In our paper, the general structure and function of chemokines and their receptors as well as their role in cancer progression were shortly presented. Moreover, the aim of our paper was to summarize and refer the current findings concerning the role of selected chemokines and their receptors as candidates for tumor markers of EC. Some clinical investigations have proved the involvement of these proteins in proliferation, migration, invasiveness and metastasis of tumor cells. Increasing evidence from previous studies suggested that C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12), also known as stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) and its receptor CXCR4 may provide novel diagnostic and prognostic strategies to reduce the burden of EC. Moreover, therapy targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis may open a new direction for treatment of EC patients. However, given their nonspecific nature, the diagnostic value of chemokines and their receptors may be limited. Therefore, future larger investigations, especially in the blood of EC patients, still need to be continued to further clarify the significance of these proteins as potential candidates for tumor markers in diagnosis and prognosis of EC patients.

The activity of class I, II, III and IV alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes and aldehyde dehydrogenase in renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Ethanol has been considered as a lifestyle risk factor for cancer in humans. While some studies have indicated that alcohol intake has a preventive effect for renal cell cancer, others have not. The metabolism of alcohol in cancer cells may be in many ways different than in healthy tissue and its disturbances could be associated with carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to compare the metabolism of renal cell cancer cells and normal renal cells by measurement of ADH isoenzymes and ALDH activities in these tissues. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study material consisted of 43 cancerous renal tissues (14 patients in stage II, 19 in stage III and 10 in stage IV). Class III and IV ADH and total ADH activities were measured by the photometric method and class I and II ADH and ALDH activities by the fluorometric method with class-specific fluorogenic substrates. RESULTS: The activity of the class I ADH isoenzyme and the total ADH was significantly higher in every stage of renal cell cancer as compared to healthy tissues. Analysis of ALDH activity did not show statistically significant differences between cancer and healthy cells. CONCLUSION: The increased activity of total ADH in renal cell cancer, especially the class I isoenzyme and normal activity of ALDH, may be the factor intensifying carcinogenesis because of increasing the ability to highly carcinogenic acetaldehyde formation and causing disorders in metabolism of many biologically important substances.