Experimental Oncology, 2013, № 2

Serum selenium concentration and antioxidant activity in cervical cancer patients before and after treatment

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

Serum selenium concentration and antioxidant activity in cervical cancer patients before and after treatment Subramanyam D.; Subbaiah, K.C.V.; Rajendra W.; Lokanatha V. Aim - in the present study, the effect of chemo and radio therapies on serum trace elements content and antioxidant activity in blood serum of cervical cancer patients was evaluated. Among 104 cervical cancer patients selected for the present study, 54 and 50 patients were treated with chemo- and radiotherapy respectively. Plasma Se, Zn, Cu and some enzymatic antioxidants activities were estimated in serum before and after the treatment. The decreased levels of serum trace elements, glutathione peroxidase activity and total antioxidant capacity, and increased malondialdehyde, glutathion reductase was observed in cervical cancer patients when compared to healthy controls. The increased concentration of serum Se, Zn was observed in patients treated with chemotherapy. Simultaneously there was a significant (P << 0,001) increase in glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity, and significant decrease (P << 0,05) in malondialdehyde and glutathion reductase levels in the serum of patients treated with chemotherapy compared to the patients treated with radiotherapy.

TNFα receptor1 drives hypoxia-promoted invasiveness of human melanoma cells

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

TNFα receptor1 drives hypoxia-promoted invasiveness of human melanoma cells Marconi C.; Peppicelli S.; Bianchini F.; Calorini L. Aim: Oxygen deprivation leading to hypoxia represents a common feature of advanced solid tumors, able to control several aspects of tumor progression. Indeed, ability to respond to changes in oxygen partial pressure represents a hallmark of malignant cells. Aim of this study is to disclose new pathway of hypoxia-induced tumor cell invasion. Materials and Methods: Hs294T human melanoma cells were grown in a gas mixture containing 0.3 % , and used to evaluate invasion on Matrigel-coated polycarbonate filters mounted in Boyden's chambers, MMP release and expression of inflammatory receptors and their ligands. Results: We demonstrate that hypoxia promotes the expression of TNFa receptor 1 (TNFαR1) able to drive a higher ability to penetrate Matrigel-coated filters of Hs294T human melanoma cells, an effect does not mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. Conclusion: Expression inflammatory cytokine receptors in hypoxic human melanoma cells might provide a new target for improving strategies against local and distant tumor cell diffusion. Key Words: TNFa receptor 1, Hs294T human melanoma cells, hypoxia, cell invasiveness, metalloproteinase 2 and 9.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound monitoring of perfusion changes in hepatic neuroendocrine metastases after systemic versus selective arterial ¹⁷⁷Lu/⁹⁰Y-DOTATOC and ²¹³Bi-DOTATOC radiopeptide therapy

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound monitoring of perfusion changes in hepatic neuroendocrine metastases after systemic versus selective arterial ¹⁷⁷Lu/⁹⁰Y-DOTATOC and ²¹³Bi-DOTATOC radiopeptide therapy Giesel, F.L.; Flechsig P.; Kuder T.; Schwartz L.; Wulfert S.; Zechmann C.; Bruchertseifer F.; Haberkorn U.; Kratochwil C. Aim - radiopeptide therapy with beta emitter labeled ¹⁷⁷Lu/⁹⁰Y- DOTA(0)-Phe(1)-Tyr(3)-octreotide (DOTATOC) and more recently also alpha emitting ²¹³Bi-DOTATOC are promising new treatments for neuroendocrine tumors. No early predictors for treatment response have been recognized and tumor-shrinkage after radiation therapy appears slowly. In some solid tumors a decline in tumor perfusion was found predictive of final treatment response but the gold standard multiphase computed tomography (CT) has a high radiation burden. Therefore we evaluated the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to evaluate tumor perfusion as a response criteria. 14 patients with hepatic neuroendocrine tumor (NET) metastases were enrolled in the retrospective study. Eleven patients were treated with beta-emitting ¹⁷⁷Lu/⁹⁰Y-DOTATOC, either intravenous (i.v.) (n = 5) or intra-arterial (i.a.) (n = 6) and three patients received alpha-emitting ²¹³Bi-DOTATOC (i.a.). CEUS and contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) were performed before and 3 months after treatment. CE-CT and CEUS presented comparable results in the baseline study and in the assessment of perfusion changes due to the different treatment regimes. A therapy related decrease in tumor perfusion is an early predictor of longterm morphologic response. Conclusion: CEUS is available and radiation free technique which showed comparable results for perfusion and diameter of liver metastases compared to CE-CT. Intensity reduction in an arterial phase CEUS can be seen as a positive sign indicating long term tumor response to treatment. Therefore CEUS may be considered as an imaging modality for monitoring early treatment after focal alpha and beta targeted therapy. Key Words: contrast-enhanced ultrasound, radionuclide therapy, treatment response, DOTATOC PET/CT.

Chronic periodontitis and the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: facts and figures

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

Chronic periodontitis and the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: facts and figures Gondivkar, S.M.; Gondivkar, R.S.; Gadbail, A.R.; Chole R.; Mankar M.; Yuwanati M. Substantial evidence supports an association between periodontal disease and several systemic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, respiratory diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes, osteoporosis etc. Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory condition, is highly prevalent in adult populations around the world, and may be preventable. Estimates of prevalence vary between races and geographic regions, with a marked increase in the occurrence of periodontal disease with advancing age. Worldwide estimates for the prevalence of severe periodontal disease generally range from 10 to 15 %. The relationship between periodontal disease and cancer has been examined for a number of specific cancer sites. The grim statistics of head and neck cancer incidence and survival have remained essentially unchanged over the past 3 decades despite the prevention efforts against known risk factors of head and neck cancer, and advances in the diagnosis and treatment, arguing forcibly for new insights regarding the etiology as well as the strategies for prevention. Recent reports have linked periodontal disease with increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck. This review provides current literature for a role of periodontal disease in carcinogenesis of head and neck region and discusses possible biological mechanisms involved. Key Words: periodontal disease, head and neck cancer, risk factors