Efficacy and tolerability of paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced cervical carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a neoadjuvant paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma.

Methods: Patients with histologically confirmed locally advanced cervical carcinoma, aged ≥18 years, were treated with intravenous ifosfamide 5,000 mg/m² and mesna 5,000 mg/m², on day 1; intravenous paclitaxel 175 mg/m² and cisplatin 75 mg/m², on day 2; every 3 weeks for three cycles. Following chemotherapy, operable patients underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, and, if necessary, adjuvant radiotherapy.

Expression and localisation of osteopontin and prominin-1 (CD133) in patients with endometriosis.

In this study, we investigated the expression and localisation of the proteins, osteopontin (OPN) and prominin-1 (CD133), as well as the plasma OPN levels in the endometrium of patients with endometriosis. Samples of ectopic endometriotic lesions and normal endometrium were obtained from 31 women with endometriosis and 28 healthy control subjects. The mRNA and protein expression of OPN and CD133 was analysed by real‑time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.