Parameters of blood count and tumor markers: a retrospective analysis and relation to prognostic factors in ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: The aims of study were to evaluate potential prognostic laboratory factors in ovarian cancer (blood count parameters and tumor markers) and to relate these parameters with prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors evaluated patients that underwent surgical treatment and with confirmed histopathologic diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Age, FIGO stage, type of surgery, serum levels of tumor markers, parameters of blood count, disease-free and overall survival were recorded. Mann-Whitney test was performed. The significance level was less than 0.05. RESULTS: Higher levels of CA 125, CA 15.3, and platelets were found in the group with Stage hII/I, since hemoglobin levels were higher in stage I/II (p < 0.05). CEA levels were higher in the group of non-serous neoplasms (p < 0.05). Higher levels of CA125, CAIl5.3 and platelets were seen in the group histological grade 2/3 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: CA 125, CA 15.3, hemoglobin, and platelets can be related prognostic factors in ovarian cancer.

Interleukin-12 enhances in vivo parasiticidal effect of benznidazole during acute experimental infection with a naturally drug-resistant strain of Trypanosoma cruzi.

The roles of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) in mediating and/or enhancing the in vivo trypanosomicidal activity of the nitroheterocyclic derivative benznidazole (Bz) were evaluated during early stages of experimental Chagas' disease. Our results show that treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice with anti-cytokine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) had no apparent effect when the optimal dose of Bz (100 mg/kg of body weight) was used. In contrast, treatment with anti-IL-12 or anti-IFN-gamma MAbs enhanced the parasitemia and accelerated the mortality of mice treated with a suboptimal dose of Bz (25 mg/kg). Simultaneous treatment with a suboptimal dose of Bz and recombinant IL-12 (rIL-12) enhanced the efficacy of drug treatment in terms of parasitemia and mouse survival. Interestingly, we found that drug-resistant T. cruzi strains were found to be poor inducers of IL-12 both in vitro and in vivo compared to strains of T. cruzi which are susceptible or partially resistant to Bz treatment. These results suggest that early activation of the cellular compartment of the immune system by IL-12 may favor in vivo Bz activity against T. cruzi. In order to test this hypothesis mice infected with the drug-resistant Colombiana strain of T. cruzi were treated with 100 mg of Bz per kg plus different concentrations of rIL-12. By using the results of PCR and serological and parasitological methods as the criteria of a cure, our results indicate that a higher percentage of mice treated with Bz combined with rIL-12 than mice treated with Bz alone are cured.