Progression of tumors with development of cerebral metastases is accompanied by suppression of thyroid and glucocorticoid functions.

e14005 Background: Cutaneous melanoma (CM), breast cancer (BC) and lung cancer (LC) metastasize to the brain most frequently. Early diagnosis of cerebral metastases is challenging and requires new prognostic criteria. Imbalance of thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones changes the growth and development of malignant tumors. The purpose of the study was to identify readily available prognostic criteria for cerebral metastases in cancer patients at various stages of treatment and follow-up. Methods: Blood levels of cortisol and total triiodothyronine (tT3) were determined by RIA (Immunotech, Czech Republic) in patients with BC (n = 50), LC (n = 50) and CM (n = 50) without brain metastases and in patients with BC (n = 25), LC (n = 25) and CM (n = 25) with cerebral metastases. Results: Blood levels of cortisol in BC, LC and CM patients were normal in 63-84% and elevated on average by 1.7 times in 16-37%. Levels of tT3 in LC were normal, and in BC and CM – within the normal limits, but 1.3 times lower than the mean values. In patients with cerebral metastases, cortisol was lower than the norm by 4.9, 2.5 and 3.6 times in 36% BC, 75% LC and 45% CM cases, respectively. Levels of tT3 in all patients with cerebral metastases were lower than the norm or values in patients without metastases by 2 times and lower. Conclusions: Decreased levels of both cortisol and tT3 in patients with BC, LC and CM may serve as one of prognostic markers of possible development of cerebral metastases. The dynamic determination of levels of thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones is required in cancer patients at various stages of treatment and follow-up.

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Interleukin-4 Blood Concentrations in Early and Metastatic Human Solid Neoplasms

The International Journal of Biological Markers ◽

10.1177/172460089701200206 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 75-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

P. Lissoni ◽

D. Merlini ◽

D. Pirato ◽

S. Meregalli

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patients ◽

Interleukin 4 ◽

Th2 Cells ◽

Control Group ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Neoplastic Disease ◽

Blood Concentrations ◽

Mean Values ◽

Cell Functions ◽

Th2 Cell

Blood levels of the immunosuppressive cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 are often abnormally high in patients with advanced cancer. However, since IL-6 and IL-10 may be produced by macrophages and TH2 cells, the evidence of abnormally high values of IL-6 and/or IL-10 may reflect hyperactivation either of the macrophage system or of TH2 cell functions. In contrast, IL-4 is almost completely produced by the TH2 lymphocytes. Therefore, evaluation of IL-4 levels could help to differentiate macrophage from TH2 cell hyperactivation. This study was performed to investigate IL-4 serum levels in a group of cancer patients in relation to the stage of disease and to the secretion of other cytokines. The study included 50 patients, 28 of whom showed distant organ metastases. Lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancers were the most frequent neoplasms in our patients. The control group consisted of 60 healthy subjects. IL-4 was measured by the Elisa method. No patient showed high levels of IL-4. No significant differences were seen between controls and cancer patients, nor between metastatic and non-metastatic patients. In addition, no significant differences in IL-4 mean values were found between patients with normal or high levels of IL-6 and IL-10, or between patients with normal or low IL-2 concentrations. This preliminary study seems to exclude cancer-related abnormally high secretion of IL-4. Therefore, the high levels of IL-6 and/or IL-10 often occurring in advanced neoplastic disease would mainly depend on macrophage production.

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Effects of Vitamin D Use on Health-Related Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients in Early Survivorship

Integrative Cancer Therapies ◽

10.1177/1534735418822056 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 ◽

pp. 153473541882205 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Robyn Andersen ◽

Erin Sweet ◽

Shelly Hager ◽

Marcia Gaul ◽

Fred Dowd ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Vitamin D Supplementation ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Supplement Use ◽

Related Quality ◽

Vitamin D Supplements

Background: Vitamin D supplements may prevent recurrence, prolong survival, and improve mood for women with breast cancer, although evidence for these effects is preliminary. Methods: This report describes vitamin D supplement use by 553 breast cancer patient/survivors (193 who used a naturopathic oncology [NO] provider and 360 who did not) participating in a matched cohort study of breast cancer outcomes. Results: We found that more than half of breast cancer patients reported using vitamin D supplements. Women who received care from NO providers in early survivorship may be more likely to use vitamin D supplements ( P < .05). Approximately 30% of breast cancer patients with blood levels recorded in their medical chart were potentially vitamin D deficient (<30 ng/mL). Vitamin D supplement use at study enrollment was associated with higher levels of self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at enrollment ( P < .05) and predicted better HRQOL at 6-month follow-up ( P < .05). Sufficient blood levels of vitamin D recorded between enrollment and follow-up were also associated with better HRQOL at follow-up ( P < .05). Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation by breast cancer patients is common both during and after treatment for breast cancer, but deficiency may also be common. NO and conventional providers may be able to promote vitamin D sufficiency through vitamin D supplementation and by encouraging healthy solar exposure. Further studies should be undertaken examining whether vitamin D supplementation and higher blood levels might improve HRQOL among women with breast cancer in early survivorship.

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A Long-Term Study of a Lipid-Buprenorphine Implant in Rats

Journal of Veterinary Medicine ◽

10.1155/2018/2616152 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Michael Guarnieri ◽

Cory Brayton ◽

Betty M. Tyler

Keyword(s):

Female Rats ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Normal Limits ◽

Long Term Study ◽

Long Term Follow Up ◽

Clinically Significant

Animal models to study opiates are of growing interest. We have examined the short-term safety of buprenorphine implants in Fischer F344/NTac rats treated with excess doses of a cholesterol-triglyceride suspension of buprenorphine. A single injection of 0.65 mg/kg afforded clinically significant blood levels of analgesia for 3 days. Chemistry, hematology, coagulation, and urinalysis values with 2- to 10-fold excess doses of the drug-lipid suspension were within normal limits. Histopathology findings were unremarkable. The skin and underlying tissue surrounding the drug injection were unremarkable. Here we report the results of a long-term follow-up study of female rats injected with 0.65 and 1.3 mg/kg. The 14-month evaluation showed no abnormal findings that could be attributed to the drug or lipid suspension. These results confirm the safety of cholesterol-triglyceride carrier systems for subcutaneous drug delivery in laboratory animals and suggest that this model may be used to study long-term effects of opiate therapy.

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A Pilot Clinical Study on the Prognostic Relevance of Plasmatic Exosomes Levels in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers11030429 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 429 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Samuel Rodríguez Zorrilla ◽

Mario Pérez-Sayans ◽

Stefano Fais ◽

Mariantonia Logozzi ◽

Mercedes Gallas Torreira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Overall Survival ◽

Surgical Treatment ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Distant Metastases ◽

Tumour Mass ◽

Double Blind ◽

Mean Values ◽

Local Bone ◽

Before And After

Background: To evaluate the relationship between the plasmatic CD63 and CAV1 positive exosome levels, in patients with OSCC before and after surgical treatment and to correlate it with their overall survival. Methods: A double-blind pilot study over 10 patients OSCC and T4 stage without distant metastases or local bone invasion has been performed. The average follow-up period was 37.64 months (34.3–40.84). We obtained 2 plasma tubes of 1 mL each before surgery and 7 days after surgery. Before performing the immunocapture-based analysis, EVs (Extracellular Vesicles) were isolated from the plasma and characterized with western blot analysis. Results: Mean values of CD63 positive plasmatic exosomes (EXO-CD63) after surgery decreased from 750.88 ± 286.67 to 541.71 ± 244.93 (p = 0.091). On the other hand, CAV-1 positive plasmatic exosomes (EXO-CAV-1) increased after surgery from 507 ± 483.39 to 1120.25 ± 1151.17 (p = 0.237). Patients with EXO-CD63 levels lower than the mean global value before the surgery had a survival of 36.04 months compared with the group with EXO-CD63 higher than the average who only survived 12.49 ± 1.67 months from the diagnosis, p = 0.225. When EXO-CAV-1 levels before surgery was lower than the average (813.94 ± 801.21) overall survival was 24.69 ± 22.23 months in contrast when it was higher that was only 11.64 months, p = 0.157. Patients with lower EXO-CD63 levels after surgery lived an average of 23.84 ± 23.9 months, while those with higher plasmatic levels of EXO-CD63 live 13.35 months, p = 0.808. When EXO-CAV-1 levels after surgery were lower, the average overall survival was 20.344 ± 15.40 months, in contrast when the EXO-CAV-1 levels were higher showing rather an estimate survival expectation of 1.64 months. Conclusions: Surgical treatment induced a dramatic reduction of the plasmatic levels of exosomes expressing CD63 as early as 1 week after resection. This first result suggests that the tumour mass is responsible of the high levels of circulating exosomes detected in cancer patients. At the same time point exosome expressing CAV-1 increased, possibly due to the inflammatory reaction immediately after surgery. Lastly, statistical analysis showed that lower levels of plasmatic exosomes both before and after surgery correlated with a better life expectancy of OSCC patients. Hopefully, this approach will prove useful in the clinical follow-up of cancer patients.

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Elevated secretion of androstenedione in a patient with a Leydig cell tumour

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.1070104 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 107 (1) ◽

pp. 104-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

P. Boulanger ◽

M. Somma ◽

S. Chevalier ◽

G. Bleau ◽

K. D. Roberts ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leydig Cell ◽

Cell Tumour ◽

Spermatic Vein ◽

Plasma Testosterone ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Contralateral Testis ◽

Normal Limits ◽

Leydig Cell Tumour ◽

Partial Deficiency

Abstract. In this study, we report the case of a 48-year old man with a well-encapsulated Leydig cell tumour, azoospermia, decreased libido and impotence. The basal peripheral blood levels of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol and oestradiol were normal and oestrone was moderately increased. In contrast, androstenedione was extremely elevated at 521 ng/dl (normal: 88 ± 60 ng/dl). Upon hCG stimulation, plasma testosterone increased 2.1-fold while androstenedione increased 1,4-fold. Plasma LH and FSH were also elevated and their response to LRH was exaggerated. At the time of surgery the levels of androstenedione in the spermatic vein plasma, as well as in the testicular tumour were elevated. In contrast, testosterone levels in the spermatic vein blood were decreased indicating a partial deficiency of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the tumoural tissue. A follow-up study revealed that the contralateral testis did not respond to hCG although the sex steroid concentrations in the peripheral plasma were within normal limits. Plasma gonadotrophins remained elevated. These results demonstrate that this Leydig cell tumour secreted high amounts of androstenedione into the blood and that the contralateral testis exhibited an impaired androgenic function.

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