Clinically Deployable Bioelectronic Sensing Platform for Ultrasensitive Detection of Transferrin in Serum Sample.

Varying levels of transferrin (Tf) have been associated with different disease conditions and are known to play a crucial role in various malignancies. Regular monitoring of the variations in Tf levels can be useful for managing related diseases, especially for the prognosis of certain cancers. We fabricated an immunosensor based on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to indirectly detect Tf levels in cancer patients. The GO nanosheets were deposited onto an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate and annealed at 120 °C to obtain reduced GO (rGO) films, followed by the immobilization of an antibody, anti-Tf. The materials and sensor probe used were systematically characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were also used for the stepwise sensor probe characterizations and Tf detection in serum samples, respectively. The anti-Tf/rGO/ITO immunosensor DPV output demonstrated an excellent Tf detection capability in the linear range of 0.1 mg mL-1 to 12 mg mL-1 compared to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection range, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.010 ± 0.007 mg mL-1. Furthermore, the results of the fabricated immunosensor were compared with those of the ELISA and autobioanalyzer techniques, showing an outstanding match with < 5% error and demonstrating the immunosensor's clinical potential.

Oxidative stress in breast cancer after chemotherapy.

It is of interest to evaluate the influence of breast cancer on oxidative stress, liver function tests, renal biomarkers, action of doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel (AC-T) in the treatment and mechanism over altering the measured markers in breast cancer. Sixty histopathological confirmed cases of female patients suffering with breast carcinoma from the Department of Oncology at Omega Cancer Hospital, Visakhapatnam were included in the study. The investigation was performed in 3 groups: a control group containing 30 healthy females of similar age, 30 breast cancer patients without treatment and 30 patients receiving treatment with anticancer combination drugs AC-T. The venous blood samples from both controls and patients were measured for total antioxidant status (TAS), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and blood urea, serum creatinine. One-way ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons post-test were applied as statistical analysis tools through SPPS software version 20.0. P<0.05 was regarded as significant. According to the findings, higher stages of breast cancer were linked to considerable increase in oxidative stress markers during AC-T treatment. The findings of the study revealed that oxidative stress is linked to breast cancer, and that chemotherapy exacerbates this oxidative stress, causing damage to a variety of cellular targets. Monitoring serum oxidative stress markers may aid in the evaluation of chemotherapy effects in breast cancer patients. According to our findings, AC-T chemotherapy will elevate malondialdehyde, a lipid peroxidation marker, and lowers the total antioxidant status.

Analyzing the drivers of cancer relapse: hypocalcemia and iron absorption in hormone-dependent female cancers.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the levels of nutrients like calcium, ferritin, and electrolytes play a pivotal role in human physiology and might serve as biomarkers. Ferritin, an iron storage protein is important in various metabolic reactions of both cancer and cancer stem cells (CSCs) and is found to regulate 'stemness' leading to cancer relapse. Interestingly, ferritin levels are found to be regulated by calcium uptake. Several studies have shown that high levels of calcium inhibit absorption of iron, thereby reducing ferritin levels. In the present study, we evaluated and correlated the serum ferritin and calcium levels in pre- and post-treated hormone-dependent female cancers and deciphered their role in tumor recurrence and relapse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Ethical Committees (IEC) of GIMSR (No. GIMSR/Admn./Ethics/approval/IEC-3/2021), and Omega cancer hospitals (Reg No: ECR/1486/Inst/AP/2020). Serum from 197 clinical samples diagnosed with breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers (99 pre-and 98 post-treatment) and 10 blood samples were analyzed for ferritin and calcium using auto bioanalyzer and sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Ferritin levels were elevated in both pre- and post-treatment hormone-dependent female cancer patients while calcium levels showed gradual decrease. The mean ferritin value for pre-treatment was 0.0409 mg/dL while it was 0.0428 mg/dL for post-treatment hormone-dependent female cancer. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that hypocalcaemia in post-treatment cancer patients leads to ferritin accumulation which might make these patients more prone to tumor recurrence and relapse.

Efficacy, Safety and Immunogenicity of MB02 (Bevacizumab Biosimilar) versus Reference Bevacizumab in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III Study (STELLA).

BACKGROUND: MB02 (bevacizumab biosimilar) showed similar structural, functional, and pharmacokinetic properties to reference bevacizumab (Avastin®; EU-bevacizumab). OBJECTIVES: To confirm clinical similarity between MB02 and EU-bevacizumab, a comparability study was undertaken in the first-line treatment of stage IIIB/IV non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multinational, double-blind, randomized, phase III study (STELLA) compared MB02 or EU-bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) administered with chemotherapy (paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC6) on Day 1 of every 3-week cycle for 6 cycles (Week 18), followed by MB02/EU-bevacizumab in blinded monotherapy until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, death, withdrawal of consent or end of study (Week 52). The primary efficacy endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) evaluated by an independent radiological review committee (IRC) at Week 18 (intent-to-treat population). Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), safety and immunogenicity. RESULTS: A total of 627 subjects were randomized 1:1 to MB02 (n = 315) or EU-bevacizumab (n = 312). ORR, assessed by the IRC at Week 18, was comparable in MB02 (40.3%) and EU-bevacizumab (44.6%) groups. ORR risk ratio of 0.910 (90% CI 0.780 to 1.060; 95% CI 0.758 to 1.092) and ORR risk difference of -4.02 (90% CI -10.51 to 2.47; 95% CI -11.76 to 3.71) were within the similarity predefined margins. There were no significant differences between MB02 and EU-bevacizumab groups in median PFS (36.0 vs 37.3 weeks, respectively; HR 1.187; 95% CI 0.98 to 1.44) and median OS (not achieved; HR 1.108; 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.49) at the end of study. The safety profile of MB02 and EU-bevacizumab regarding nature, frequency and severity of the adverse events (AE) was comparable. The most frequent grade ≥3 investigational-product-related AEs were hypertension and anemia, with a difference between treatment groups of <5%. Anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and neutralizing ADA (NAb) incidence were similar in both treatment groups. CONCLUSION: MB02 demonstrated similar efficacy to EU-bevacizumab, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, in subjects with advanced non-squamous NSCLC, with comparable safety and immunogenicity profiles. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT No. 2017-001769-26; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03296163.