A Radiologic Study by CT Scan of Pineal Size in Cancer Patients: Correlation to Melatonin Blood Levels

1989 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Tagliabue ◽  
Paolo Lissoni ◽  
Sandro Barni ◽  
Isabella Macchi ◽  
Gabriele Tancini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ct Scan ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Pineal Body ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Radiologic Study ◽  
Oncologic Patients ◽  
Brain Ct Scan

Alterations in size of the pineal body and melatonin secretion have been observed in cancer patients. The present study was carried out to evaluate pineal dimensions in a group of cancer patients and their relation to melatonin blood levels. The study included 70 oncologic patients. As controls, 41 patients with acute or chronic disease other than cancer entered the study. Melatonin serum levels were measured by radioimmunoassay on venous blood samples collected at 9:00 a.m. Pineal size was determined by brain CT scan, by considering the product of the two longest perpendicular diameters, multiplied by the thickness of the stratum. The volume of the pineal body was found to be enlarged in 12/70 (17%) cancer patients, and its mean value was significantly higher than that observed in controls. Melatonin levels were also significantly higher in oncologic patients than In controls. However, there was no correlation between melatonin levels and pineal size in cancer patients. Finally, cancer patients did not show a higher degree of pineal calcifications than controls. The clinical significance of pineal enlargement in cancer patients remains to be understood.

Serum Levels of Melatonin in Cancer Patients and their Relation to Body Sizes

1988 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Barni ◽  
P. Lissoni ◽  
S. Crispino ◽  
F. Rovelli ◽  
G. Esposti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Melatonin Secretion ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Blood Concentrations ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Body Sizes

Melatonin secretion is often enhanced in patients with cancer. In the light of a reported correlation between melatonin levels and body size, we investigated blood levels of this pineal hormone in a group of 72 patients affected by cancer, 30 of whom had body weight within the normal range, 30 were obese and the last 12 cases had body weight below the normal range, in order to establish whether in fact melatonin blood concentrations were related to body size. Melatonin levels were high in 19/72 patients (26%). The mean levels of the pineal hormone were similar in patients with normal, low and high body weight. Finally, there was no significant correlation between melatonin values and body weight, height or surface. Melatonin secretion thus does not appear to be influenced by body size in cancer patients.

Neuroimmunomodulation in Cancer Patients: Correlations between Melatonin and ß-Endorphin Blood Levels and T Helper/Suppressor Ratio

1988 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Barni ◽  
P. Lissoni ◽  
S. Crispino ◽  
G. Cattaneo ◽  
F. Rovelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pineal Gland ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Neoplastic Disease ◽  
Immune Functions ◽  
T Helper ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Neuroendocrine Control ◽  
Immune Dysfunctions

The pineal gland and opioid peptides play roles in the neuroendocrine control of immunity. Both neuroendocrine and immune dysfunctions have been observed in cancer but the importance of the altered secretion of neurohormones in the immunoincompetence of cancer patients has never been investigated. This study concomitantly evaluated neuroendocrine and immune functions in 40 patients with early or advanced neoplastic disease. In each patient, melatonin and β-endorphin blood levels and lymphocyte subtypes were determined on venous blood samples collected during the morning. Metastatic patients had lower melatonin levels and a lower T4/T8 ratio than patients without metastases but no significant correlation was found between melatonin and the T4/T8 ratio. β-endorphin levels appeared to be normal in all patients. These results suggest that melatonin and β-endorphin secretion have no role in determining immune dysfunctions in cancer.

Melatonin Increase as Predictor for Tumor Objective Response to Chemotherapy in Advanced Cancer Patients

1988 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Lissoni ◽  
Gabriele Tancini ◽  
Sandro Barni ◽  
Sergio Crispino ◽  
Franco Paolorossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pineal Gland ◽  
Clinical Response ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Objective Response ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Regimen ◽  
Response To Chemotherapy

Clinical studies have demonstrated an altered pineal function in cancer patients. Owing to the documented antineoplastic activity of the pineal gland, these anomalies could have a prognostic significance. This study was carried out to monitor changes in blood levels of melatonin, the most important pineal hormone, in relation to the clinical response to chemotherapy in human neoplasms. The study included 42 cancer patients of both sexes (breast cancer, 10; lung cancer, 13; colon cancer, 11; soft tissue sarcoma, 4; testicular cancer, 1; Hodgkin's disease, 1; peritoneal mesothelioma, 2). Melatonin serum levels were measured by radioimmunoassay before and 28 days after each cycle of chemotherapy. The results showed that, irrespectively of the type of tumor and chemotherapeutic regimen, 12/16 patients (75%) whose melatonin markedly enhanced after chemotherapy had an objective regression. In contrast, 2/26 patients only (8%) whose melatonin did not enhance after chemotherapy had a clinical response. The percentage of objective responses was statistically significantly higher in patients with a chemotherapy-induced melatonin increase than in those with no melatonin increase (p < 0.001). This study seems to demonstrate that melatonin determination can be used as a predictor of the objective response to chemotherapy in cancer patients. Moreover, it suggests that the antineoplastic effect of cytotoxic drugs may require participation of the pineal gland.

A Study of Thyroid Function in Cancer Cachexia

1989 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Tancini ◽  
Sandro Barni ◽  
Sergio Crispino ◽  
Franco Paolorossi ◽  
Paolo Lissoni
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cancer Cachexia ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Oncologic Patients ◽  
Pituitary Thyroid Axis ◽  
Thyroid Axis ◽  
Low Levels

The mechanisms responsible for cancer cachexia have not yet been clarified. To further investigate the role played by the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis in cancer cachexia, we evaluated serum levels of T3, FT3, T4, FT4, TSH and TBG in a group of 26 cancer patients, 14 of whom showed cachexia, whereas the other 12 had a body weight within the normal range despite their advanced diseases. As controls, 58 healthy subjects and 11 patients with benign weight loss were included in the study. Low levels of both T3 and FT3 were observed in all patients with benign weight loss and in 9/12 advanced cancer patients who had no cancer cachexia. On the contrary, only 4/14 cachectic cancer patients presented decreased values of T3 and FT3. Moreover, the mean serum levels of T3 and FT3 in cachectic oncologic patients were significantly higher than those seen both in non-cachectic cancer patients and in patients with benign weight loss. Since T3 is the biologically active thyroid hormone, the lack of a decrease in its production might play a role in the pathogenesis of cancer cachexia.

Arterio-Venous Differences in the Components of the Fibrinolytic Enzyme System

1966 ◽  
Vol 16 (01/02) ◽  
pp. 032-037 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Ogston ◽  
C. M Ogston ◽  
N. B Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Enzyme System ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Fibrinolytic Enzyme ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Activator Concentration ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Male Subjects

Summary1. The concentration of the major components of the fibrinolytic enzyme system was compared in venous and arterial blood samples from male subjects.2. The plasminogen activator concentration was higher in venous blood and the arterio-venous difference increased as its concentration rose, but the ratio of the arterial to venous level remained constant.3. No arterio-venous difference was found for anti-urokinase activity, antiplasmin, plasminogen and fibrinogen.4. It is concluded that venous blood determinations of the components of the fibrinolytic enzyme system reflect satisfactorily arterial blood levels.

Study Upon the Serum Level of Uric Acid and the Metabolic Syndrome Components

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 1062-1066
Author(s):  
Maria Rada ◽  
Delia Berceanu-Vaduva ◽  
Milan Velimirovici ◽  
Simona Dragan ◽  
Daniel Duda-Seiman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Uric Acid ◽  
Serum Level ◽  
Abdominal Obesity ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Direct Association ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome Components

The serum level of uric acid (UA) appears to be associated with a variety of cardiometabolic risk factors; however, direct association with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between serum levels of UA and the components that define MetS, differentiated by gender. 262 patients were enrolled (132 women and 130 men); mean value of the age: 58.7�16 year. Hyperuricemia was considered when the level of serum UA �7mg/dL in men, and � 6mg/dL in women; MetS was defined according to the IDF criteria. The prevalence of MetS in the studied group was 35.11% and the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 16.79%. Men with hyperuricemia had the highest prevalence of abdominal obesity (87.5% vs. 66.32%, p [0.001) and hypertriglyceridemia (65.62% vs. 45.91%, p [ 0.001) versus men with normal level of serum UA. Women with hyperuricemia also had a significantly higher incidence of abdominal obesity (75% vs. 57.51%, p [0.001), hypertriglyceridemia (58.33% vs. 38.33%, p [0.001), decreased HDL (50% vs. 33.33%, p [0.001) and hyperglycemia (66.66% versus 50%, p [0.001) compared to those with normal levels of serum UA. The majority of men with hyperuricemia have more than 4 of the MetS components. Hyperuricemia had a higher prevalence in patients with MetS, it may be considered as a causal factor of MetS. Elevated levels of serum uric acid were significantly more associated with the increasing number of MetS components. Early detection and treatment of hyperuricemia is essential for preventing the metabolic syndrome and its complications.

Changes in growth rate and thyroid- and sex-hormones blood levels in rats under sub-chronic lithium treatment

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
M S Allagui ◽  
N Hfaiedh ◽  
C Vincent ◽  
F Guermazi ◽  
J-C Murat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Lithium Treatment ◽  
Lithium Carbonate ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Antagonistic Effect ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Vaginal Mucosa ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Dose Dependent

Lithium therapy, mainly used in curing some psychiatric diseases, is responsible for numerous undesirable side effects. The present study is a contribution to the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying lithium toxicity. Male and female mature rats were divided into three batches and fed commercial pellets: one batch was the control and the second and third batches were given 2 g (Li1) and 4 g (Li2) of lithium carbonate/kg of food/day, respectively. After 7, 14, 21 and 28 days, serum levels of free tri-iodothyronine (FT3), thyroxine (FT4), testosterone and estradiol were measured. Attention was also paid to growth rate and a histological examination of testes or vaginal mucosa was carried out. In treated rats, a dose-dependent loss of appetite and a decrease in growth rate were observed, together with symptoms of polydypsia, polyuria and diarrhea. Lithium serum concentrations increased from 0.44 mM (day 7) to 1.34 mM (day 28) in Li1 rats and from 0.66 to 1.45 mM (day 14) in Li2 rats. Li2 treatment induced a high mortality after 14 days, reaching 50-60% in female and male animals. From these data, the LD50 (14 days Li2 chronic treatment) was calculated to be about 0.3 g/day per kilogram of animal, leading to Li serum concentrations of about 1.4 mM. A significant decrease of FT3 and FT4 was observed in treated rats. This effect appeared immediately for the highest dose and was more pronounced for FT3, resulting in an increase of the FT4/FT3 ratio. In males, testosterone decreased and spermatogenesis was stopped. Conversely, in females, estradiol increased in a dose-dependent manner as the animals were blocked in the diestrus phase at day 28. This finding supports a possible antagonistic effect of lithium on the estradiol receptors.

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