Usefulness of HE4 protein in differentiation of pelvic masses in woman.

INTRODUCTION: HE4 protein (human epididymis protein-4), which is the fourth subfraction of human epithelial protein, is a glycoprotein widely used as a tumor marker in ovarian cancer. If was first discovered in the epididymal epithelium and recognized as a protease inhibitor contributing to sperm maturation. The plasma HE4 concentration may also be increased in gynecological pathologies other than ovarian cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted between 2016 and 2017 among patients hospitalized in the Academic Department of Gynaecology. A total of 191 women were examined. Depending on the type of pathology which was the reason for hospitalization, 4 groups of patients were identified in the study. The first of these included 30 patients with ovarian cancer, the second 33 patients with benign ovarian lesion, the third 50 patients with endometrial cancer, and the fourth 28 patients with leiomyomas. RESULTS: The highest concentration of HE4 protein was found in women with ovarian cancer, and it was statistically significantly higher compared to all other groups. Lower HE4 protein concentration than in women with ovarian cancer was reported in women with endometrial cancer, but it was statistically significantly higher compared to patients with uterine fibroids. CONCLUSIONS: This marker may have significant clinical value in the differentiation of benign ovarian pathology from ovarian cancer. The study confirms the validity of using HE4 results in the assessment of potential malignancy of ovarian and endometrial lesions.

Current views on fetal surgical treatment of myelomeningocele - the Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) trial and Polish clinical experience.

Myelomeningocele (MMC) is the most frequent congenital defect of the central nervous system for which there is no satisfactory alternative to postnatal treatment. On the contrary prenatal MMC surgery is conducting before birth and is aimed at protecting from Chiari II malformation. The main goal of fetal MMC repair is to improve development and life quality of children with Chiari II malformation. Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) which was published in 2011 clearly confirmed effectiveness of prenatal surgery. In this paper we compare MOMS results with our own clinical experience. Thanks to high effectiveness and significant improvement in safety of maternal-fetal surgery prenatal MMC surgery become a new standard of treatment.

[Correlation between serum levels of bile acids in pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and condition of their newborns]. / Zaleznosc pomiedzy wartosciami stezen kwasów zólciowych w surowicy krwi ciezarnych kobiet z cholestaza wewnatrzwatrobowa a stanem noworodka po urodzeniu.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine a relation between the level of total serum bile acids in pregnant women and the condition of their newborns on the basis of select parameters of acid-base balance in the cord blood. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 64 pregnant women with Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy and 78 healthy pregnant women constituted the control group. Colorimetric enzymatic measurements of serum total bile acids were performed in both groups. RESULTS: In the mild cholestasis group, mean concentration of bile acids amounted to 20.6 +/- 1.0 micromol/l and was statistically significantly lower as compared to women with severe cholestasis (58.9 +/- 9.5 micromol/l). In the control group, mean concentration of bile acids was 4.1 +/- 0.3 micromol/l and was statistically significantly lower as compared to groups with cholestasis. Caesarean section was performed in 60.9% of women with cholestasis as compared to 19.2% of controls. Also, neonatal condition in the first minute of life was worse in the group with cholestasis as compared to the infants in the control group. The body weight of newborns of mothers with cholestasis was statistically significantly lower than in infants born to controls. Lowered neonatal pH (below 7.20) was noted in 2.6% of the newborns from the control group and was statistically significantly less frequent as compared to infants from the group with cholestasis. CONCLUSIONS: Periodic measurements of total bile acid concentrations in serum of pregnant women with cholestasis is of high value in establishing the diagnosis and determining severity of the disease in the mother as well as potential hazard for the fetus. Simultaneous monitoring of the changes total bile acids concentrations in the blood serum and the well-being allows to reduce the rates of neonatal distresses after birth and cesarean sections.

Three pregnancies in a Marfan syndrome patient after a mitral and tricuspid valve surgery.

Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder of connective tissue with up to 25% of cases related to a spontaneous mutation. It has been associated with perinatal loss, preterm labor and, potentially a rupture of the maternal aortic arch. We present a case of a woman diagnosed with Marfan syndrome after a miscarriage of her first pregnancy. At the time of diagnosis she had mild aortic bulb dilation and insufficiency of the mitral and tricuspid valves. She underwent cardiosurgical correction, after which she had two uneventful pregnancies. This case suggests that preconceptional correction of valve defects in women with Marfan syndrome may decrease the risk of cardiac decompensation during future pregnancies. Additionally close clinical follow up and the appropriate use of beta-adrenergic blockade may decrease the risk of aortic rupture, a significant risk factor for mortality in pregnant women.

Cyclopia--literature review and a case report.

Cyclopia is a deformation of the facial skeleton with one eye orbit formed in the place where both eyes should be present. As a result of hypoplasia there is absence (hypothesized loss) of central nervous system structures. Teratogenic factors leading to the occurrence of this anomaly may include irregular cholesterol biosynthesis, viruses, alcohol intake and maternal diabetes. Many authors suggest genetic etiology of this illness. The following work presents a case of a female patient whose fetus was diagnosed with multiple defects, among others with cyclopia. After pharmacological induction of labor, a male fetus with vital signs was born but died after two hours. As far as cyclopia is concerned, special attention should be paid to proper diagnosis of this pathology at an earliest possible stage of fetal life. Early ultrasound diagnostics of this anomaly must be emphasized most strongly leading to the conclusion that patients suspected of fetal facial skeleton defects should be referred to medical centers which are qualified in prenatal examinations.

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) in patients with ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Ovarian cancer remains a very common cause of death among women worldwide. The cause is to be found in too late of a diagnostic process and therapeutic difficulties The presence of heat shock proteins in the serum of ovarian cancer patients is still a new area of study. It is necessary to continue studies on the possibilities for using these markers to predict a patient's response to a specific therapy and to monitor treatment progress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 52 women with ovarian cancer, hospitalised at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Oncological Gynaecology, Medical University of Silesia. The control group consisted of 25 healthy women. The levels of HSP27 in the studied sera were determined by an immunoenzymatic method (ELISA). RESULTS: The mean concentration of HSP27 in the group of patients with ovarian cancer was significantly higher than in the control group of healthy women. We have shown that mean HSP27 levels in ovarian cancer patients increase with tumour progression and further depend on the clinical stage of the disease (FIGO). Positivity values analysis revealed in all clinical stages of ovarian cancer, excluding stage 1, it was significantly higher than in the control group, and at the 4th stage, it is significantly higher than at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd stages. However, both for the untreated patients and those patients after chemotherapy, the mean HSP27 levels were significantly higher than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies indicate a significant contribution of HSP27 to the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. It seems that serum HSP27 can be a marker for this cancer's development, and a marker for the clinical stage.

Analysis of microRNA regulating cell cycle-related tumor suppressor genes in endometrial cancer patients.

Endometrial cancer remains the most common malignancy of the female genital system in developed countries. Tumor suppressor genes are responsible for controlling the cells fate in the cell cycle and preventing cancerogenesis. Gene expression affects cancer progression and is modulated by microRNAs defined as both tumor suppressors and oncogenes. These molecules indirectly regulate multiple processes like cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. The aim of this study was to analyze miRNAs expression that can regulate the activity of tumor suppressor genes related to the cell cycle in patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer. The study group consisted of 12 samples that met the inclusion criteria from a total of 48 obtained. The 12 samples were used to analyze microRNA expression. Complementary miRNAs were identified using TargetScan Database and statistical analysis. MicroRNAs were determined for the tumor suppressor genes: CYR61, WT1, TSPYL5, HNRNPA0, BCL2L1 and BAK1. All the miRNAs were complementary to the described target genes based on TargetScan Database. There were five miRNAs differentially expressed that can regulate tumor suppressor genes related to the cell cycle. The distinguished miRNAs: mir-340-3p, mir-1236-5p, mir-874-3p, mir-873-5p.2 and mir-548-5p were differentially expressed in endometrial cancer in comparison to the control. Among the distinguished miRNAs, the most promising is mir-874-3p, which may have an important role in endometrial adenocarcinoma proliferation.

Are IgG antibodies to heat shock proteins HSP27 and HSP60 useful markers in endometrial cancer and cervical cancer?

OBJECTIVES: Heat shock proteins are overexpressed in many human malignancies. The role of heat shock proteins as a therapeutic target in cancer as well as their association with drug resistance were widely documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of IgG class HSP27 and HSP60 antibodies in serum of patients with endometrial and cervical cancer, as well as to analyse the variability of concentrations of the examined antibodies depending on the cancer stage. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 59 women with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium and 36 women with cervical cancer, the control group consisted of 54 healthy women. The concentrations of IgG class antibodies against the tested heat shock proteins were determined by an immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA) using commercial assays. RESULTS: In both endometrial and cervical cancer, the serum concentration of IgG anti-HSP27 antibody was significantly higher than in the healthy control group. The concentration of IgG anti-HSP60 antibody in endometrial cancer, cervical cancer and healthy control was similar. The median IgG anti-HSP27 antibody serum concentration of endometrial cancer patients was not correlated with FIGO-stage. In cervical cancer inverse correlation between concentration of this antibody and FIGO stage was observed. The median IgG anti-HSP60 antibody concentration in serum of endometrial cancer patients was lower in FIGO stage I and II compared to FIGO stage IV and in FIGO stage IA compared to FIGO stage IB. Concentrations of examined antibodies correlated positively with each other, both in the group of women with cancer and in the group of healthy women. The strongest correlations were found in the group of patients with endometrial cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Concentration of anti-HSP27 antibody could help in detection of cervical and endometrial cancer. We need to look for the cut-off point in large cohort studies. Anti-HSP27 and anti-HSP60 antibodies should be further evaluated for their potential usage as biomarkers in cervical and endometrial cancer as they shown some correlation with stage of disease.

Concentrations of antibodies against heat shock protein 27 in the sera of women with ovarian carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Heat shock proteins (Hsp) are highly expressed in many malignant human tumors, including tumors of the genital tract. One of the Hsps strongly associated with the process of cancerogenesis is Hsp27. The presence of Hsp27 and anti-Hsp27 in the sera of patients with ovarian carcinoma is still a new research field, and papers contain contradictory results. The aim of this work was to study the concentrations of anti-Hsp27 immunoglobulin G antibodies in the sera of women with ovarian cancer at different clinical stages and with different histopathological types of this cancer. METHODS: Serum samples from 158 patients with ovarian carcinoma and 80 healthy women were investigated. The concentrations of anti-Hsp27 antibodies were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. RESULTS: The mean concentration of anti-Hsp27 antibodies in the patients with ovarian carcinoma was significantly higher than that in the control group. Analysis in relation to the stage of clinical progression showed that the less advanced the cancerogenesis process, the higher the concentration of the anti-Hsp27 antibodies is. The mean concentrations of the anti-Hsp27 antibodies in the patients with ovarian carcinoma were not significantly different in relation to the histological type of the cancer. The use of chemotherapy as a primary anticancer treatment in ovarian carcinoma did not cause a significant decrease in the concentration of anti-Hsp27 antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: An immunological response to Hsp27 is increased in women with ovarian carcinoma. Although the diagnostic concentrations of anti-Hsp27 antibodies have not been precisely defined yet, we believe that this may be a helpful diagnostic parameter particularly to detect early stages of clinical advancement of the disease.

[Fetal ventriculomegaly secondary to germinal matrix hemorrhage--case report]. / Wentrikulomegalia w nastepstwie przebytego krwawienia do istoty zarodkowej mózgu plodu--opis przypadku.

A germinal matrix is an area of the fetal brain where neuroblasts proliferate till the 20th week of gestation after which their migration takes place. Germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH) is a frequent cause of fetal ventriculomegaly or hydrocephalus, yet the pathophysiological conditions of GMH remain unclear. A case of fetal ventriculomegaly resulting from GMH has been reported in the article. A prenatal ultrasonographic examination (US) carried out in the 30th week of gestation revealed enlarged ventricles. Utero magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed in the 34th week of gestation demonstrated asymetric ventriculomegaly and the changes suggesting the occurance of GMH and ependymal intraventricular hemorrhage. Fetal ventriculomegaly and hydrocephalus are commonly detected by ultrasonographic examination, but it is often difficult to determine the causes of the diseases by US. In these cases MRI allows to establish the final diagnosis.

[Peritoneal tuberculosis mimicking ovarian cancer--diagnostic difficulties. Two cases reports]. / Gruzlica otrzewnej czy rak jajnika--trudnosci diagnostyczne. Opisy dwóch przypadków.

Tuberculosis, and specially its extrapulmonary location still causes diagnostic difficulties. In 2007, in Poland 7.3% of newly registered cases of tuberculosis in Poland were located extrapulmonary. Peritoneal tuberculosis is often wrongly diagnosed as an ovarian cancer, it is due to similar symptoms like abdominal pain, abdominopelvic masses, ascites and elevated serum CA-125. Two patients who were admitted to our department with suspicion of ovarian cancer are presented. Subjective symptoms suggested the ovarian cancer, elevated levels of CA-125, chest x-rays without abnormal findings or with minimal fibrotic changes and uncharacteristic results of additional investigations were disclosed. A diagnostic laparoscopy was made to establish the diagnosis. Because of clinical and operative picture suggesting ovarian cancer in both cases resections were performed. The procedure consisted of total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Biopsy specimens were taken up and verified histopathologically. The peritoneal tuberculosis was recognized in both cases.

[Perinatal results of intrauterine open fetal surgery of fetuses diagnosed with myelomeningocoele--the clinical report of ten cases]. / Wyniki perinatalne wewnatrzmacicznej operacji zamkniecia przepukliny oponowo-rdzeniowej plodu. Raport kliniczny 10 przypadków.

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate our approach to qualification for open fetal surgery (OFS) and surgery techniques. We also tried to determinate the outcome of fetal surgical treatment. OFS was performed in 10 out of 15 cases with prenataly diagnosed myelomeningocele. Patients were qualified for the surgery on the basis of precisely determined inclusion criteria and after assessment by multidisciplinary team of specialists. Surgery was performed between 22nd and 29th week of pregnancy. Fist and second surgery were performed in 29th and 27th week of pregnancy, some patients have undergone the surgery before 26th week of pregnancy. Babies were delivered by cesarean section. Gestational age by the time of the delivery ranged from 25th and 37th and a half week of pregnancy. In two cases the delivery was at term. Main complications included: PROM, placental ablation and vaginal bleeding. In half of all the cases we did not observe hydrocephalus increase after the surgery. OFS can be beneficial but it can also carry certain amount of risk both for the fetus and the mother. Therefore, further randomized research deems necessary to better comprehend and determine the safety and effectiveness of such procedures.

Iodine excretion with urine and thyrotrophic hormone concentration in normal and complicated pregnancies in the industrial region of iodine deficiency.

A sufficient amount of iodine in food is necessary for the thyroid gland to produce hormones during pregnancy. The aim of our work was to evaluate iodine and thyrotrophic hormone (TSH) concentration in urine, free triiodothyronine (fT3) and thyroxine (fT4) in complicated pregnancies in Upper Silesia (region of iodine deficiency in Poland) in comparison with normal pregnancies. In both groups the iodine content in urine was evaluated by a quick test and serous concentrations of TSH, fT3 and fT4 were determined by a radioimmunological method. We found the iodine excretion with urine below 100 microg/L in 29.15% of all women under study, i.e. an insufficient supply of this element. The reduced iodine concentration in urine was found to be more often in women with imminent premature delivery. Moreover, it was found that in II trimester the concentration of iodine excreted with urine had been significantly lower comparing to the patients examined in III trimester. We found significantly higher concentration of thyrotrophic hormone in pregnant women with iodine excretion below 100 microg/L of urine. Evaluation of the iodine concentration in urine may be a simple screening test to determine the supply of this element in a diet. Moreover, our studies demonstrate the necessity for the iodine supplementation in pregnant women in the Silesian region--an area of iodine deficiency in Central Europe.

Expression of tumor suppressor genes related to the cell cycle in endometrial cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in developed countries. The role of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEC) has an important impact on patient survival prognosis. Thus, it is important to identify TSG transcripts that differentiate endometrial adenocarcinoma into various pathomorphological grades. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression profile of tumor suppressor genes related to the cell cycle in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma across histological differentiation and to identify transcripts which differentiate endometrium into various pathomorphological grades. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gene expression analysis was completed for 19 endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinomas and 5 normal specimens (obtained from women with diagnosed uterine fibroids, benign ovarian tumors and a prolapsed uterus with histopathologically confirmed endometrium in the proliferative phase) using Affymetrix HG-U133A oligonucleotide microarrays. The statistical analysis was performed using the GeneSpring13.0 software and PANTHER classification system. RESULTS: Significant changes in gene expression were observed across histological differentiation. The WT-1, CYR 61, TSPYL5 genes were statistically and biologically significant in all cancer grades, and were considered to be primary for the G1 grade in endometrial cancer. The G2 cancer specific genes were BCL2L2 and HNRNPA0, whereas in G3 there was only BAK. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the WT-1, CYR61 and TSPYL5 gene expressions are potentially correlated with patient survival in all endometrial cancer grades. The TSGs identified are considered to be important in EEC pathogenesis and further research is needed to confirm this.

Cervical Cancer Histology, Staging and Survival before and after Implementation of Organised Cervical Screening Programme in Poland.

A population-based organised cervical cancer screening programme (OCCSP) was introduced in Poland in 2006. In this study we have aimed to analyse whether selected parameters related to invasive cervical cancer (ICC) of patients diagnosed in two distant gynaecological oncology centres changed after the first screening round of the programme run between 2006-2008. We have run a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 189 women diagnosed with ICC between 2002-2005 (directly before introduction of the programme) and 165 patients diagnosed between 2009-2012 (just after the first screening round of the programme) and compared their age at diagnosis, histology, stage of tumours and overall survival (OS). Mean age of patients diagnosed in years 2002-2005 and 2009-2012 was 52.1 and 52.6 years respectively. Squamous cell carcinomas constituted 90.5% and 86.1% of tumours diagnosed in years 2002-2005 and 2009-2012 respectively and the rest of tumours had glandular and other histologies. 74.5% and 61.0% of women diagnosed in years 2002-2005 and 2009-2012 respectively had early ICC (FIGO-International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics stages I-IIA) and the rest had advanced disease (FIGO IIB-IV). We have noticed no significant differences in mean age of patients, histology of tumours and OS of patients with ICC diagnosed before and after the first screening round of OCSSP in Poland. Advanced stages of ICC were more commonly diagnosed after the introduction of OCSSP. Changes only in some clinical parameters of patients with ICC were noticed before and after the first screening round of OCSSP in Poland but OS of patients remained the same.

[The influence of metabolic changes on intrauterine fetal growth in normal gestation and gestation complicated by diabetes]. / Wplyw zmian metabolicznych w ciazy prawidlowej i powiklanej cukrzyca na wewnatrzmaciczne wzrastanie plodu.

Based on published clinical studies, this paper reviews the influence of metabolic changes during pregnancy on intrauterine fetal growth. Data are collected concerning the metabolic aspects of both normal pregnancies and those complicated by diabetes as well as hormonal changes having significant impact on metabolism during pregnancy. The issues of gestational insulin resistance and the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and amino acids are discussed. Factors influencing birth weight and intrauterine fetal growth, including metabolic and hormonal mechanisms and the function of the placental barrier, are also considered.

[Evaluation of vitamin C and E concentration--some nonenzymatic indicators of antioxidant protective barrier in pregnant women]. / Ocena stezen witamin C oraz E--wybranych nieenzymatycznych wskazników przeciwutleniajacej bariery ochronnej u ciezarnych.

Many peroxidation processes taking place in organisms both in normal and pathological conditions are initiated among others by free radicals. Organisms developed many protective mechanisms to fight with detrimental effects of free radical activity. The aim of the study was to evaluate antioxidant protective barrier by determination of concentrations of some non-enzymatic parameters such as L-ascorbic acid and tocopherol in blood plasma, and to correlate assessed values with basic lipoprotein parameters. The study was carried out in 144 pregnant women in the second and third trimester. The subject were divided into four groups: diabetic pregnancy, pregnancy induced hypertension, diabetic pregnancy with hypertension, and healthy pregnant women. The study results show that pregnancy induced hypertension, diabetic pregnancy and diabetic pregnancy with hypertension are the factors which disturb lipoprotein metabolism and may cause atherosclerotic changes. Higher concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and L-ascorbic acid in plasma in diabetic pregnancy with hypertension may be an important factor which adopts woman's organism to oxidation stress in complicated pregnancy.

[Concentration of the oxygenated derivates of cholesterol in pregnant women suffering from diabetes type I]. / Stezenie utlenowanych pochodnych cholesterolu u kobiet ciezarnych z cukrzyca typu 1.

Free-radical peroxidation of cholesterol results in, among others, another products of its oxidation, called oxysterols. Scientists are still more and more interested in oxysterols, because, like the products of polyunsaturated fatty acids, show a strong biological activity, which effects physiology, pathology and pharmacology. The aim of the work was to investigate whether pre-pregnancy diabetes effects cholesterol oxidation process studied on the basis of the concentration of the chosen oxysterols. The chosen oxysterols were determined in 45 patients suffering from diabetes for various time period before pregnancy (diabetes type according to White from B to R) and in a control group (n = 27). Oxysterols (7-ketocholesterol, 7 alpha and 7 alpha-hydroxycholesterols and the sum of 5 alpha, 6 alpha and 5 beta, 6 beta-epoxycholesterols) were determined by thin-layer chromatography with densitometric detection according to the methodology which had been developed in the Chemical Department, the Silesian Medical Academy. The analysis scheme included plasma sample hydrolysis and lipid extraction, oxysterol fraction isolation by solid phase extraction (SPE), separation and identification of individual sterols by TLC technique, and densitometric quantitative analysis of the cholesterol oxidized derivatives mentioned above. We found statistically considerable differences between the concentrations of epoxycholesterol sum and 7-ketocholesterol in both groups, and the concentration was higher in the control group. While analysing the concentrations of the investigated parameters in diabetic pregnant women in II and III trimester we found a statistically considerable increase in oxysterol concentration in III trimester, compared to II trimester. The authors suggest that during complicated diabetic pregnancy the cholesterol oxidation process becomes more intensive, particularly in III trimester, compared to II trimester, both in normal pregnant women and in type I diabetic pregnant women as well.

[Evaluation of the health care of diabetic pregnant women and their newborns in 1992-2001 in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department in Bytom]. / Ocena systemu opieki nad kobieta ciezarna chora na cukrzyce i jej noworodkiem wlatach 1992-2001 w Katedrze i Oddziale Klinicznym Poloznictwa i Ginekologii w Bytomiu.

The aim of the work was to analyse the basic parameters of perinatal care of diabetic pregnant women, hospitalized in the Clinical Hospital in Bytom in years 1992-2001. The retrospective analysis of 405 diabetic pregnant patients who delivered their babies there was carried out. Diabetes types were following: GDM--44.9%, DM without vascular lesion--43%, DM with vascular lesion--12.1%. Mean age of pregnant women was 28.8 +/- 16 years. 42% patients were primipara, 58% patients were secundipara and multipara. The most often complications during pregnancy were following: threatening premature labour (36.5%), PIH (11.7%), urinary tract infection (9.65%) obesity (8.27%). Mean time of pregnancy was 38 +/- 2 Hbd. Prematurity was 25.9%. 199 patients had caesarean section (49.1%). 24 unsuccessful cases included fetal congenital defects, abortions, missed labour, perinatal fetal death. The authors suggest that such complications in diabetic pregnant patients can be prevented by early diabetes detection, intensive biophysical and biochemical control over fetus, achievement of normoglycaemic condition and a proper choice of delivery time. During last 10 years in our clinical hospital there was observed a decrease in infantile and perinatal mortality, better condition of infants and decrease in number of complications.

Antibodies against Hsp60 and Hsp65 in the sera of women with ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of IgG antibodies against Hsp60 and Hsp65 in sera of patients with ovarian cancer at various stages of clinical progress and for different histopathological types of disease. METHODS: Serum samples from 149 patients with ovarian carcinoma and 80 healthy women were investigated. The concentrations of anti-Hsp60 and anti-Hsp65 antibodies were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. RESULTS: The mean concentrations of anti-Hsp60 and anti-Hsp65 antibodies in the patients with ovarian cancer did not differ significantly from the mean levels in healthy women. Analysis in relation to the clinical progression stage showed that the concentrations of these antibodies were higher when the neoplastic process was less advanced and at early stages significantly higher than in control group. Mean concentrations of both antibodies were not significantly different in relation to the histological type of the ovarian cancer. The use of chemotherapy as a primary anticancer treatment did not cause a significant change in the concentration of anti-Hsp60 antibodies, but the mean level of anti-Hsp65 after this treatment was significantly higher than in control group. CONCLUSIONS: The immunological response to Hsp60/65 is increased in early clinical stages of ovarian cancer and the level of anti-hsp60/65 antibodies may be then a helpful diagnostic marker. Even antibodies against highly homologous Hsps may be cross-reactive only partially and differ by some functional properties.