DNA integrity in plasma and serum of patients with malignant and benign diseases.

This study aimed to test the diagnostic utility of the DNA integrity index for detection of cancer. Matched serum and plasma samples of 42 patients with various forms of cancer and 17 patients with corresponding benign diseases were analyzed. DNA was isolated from 1 mL serum and plasma using the MagNA Pure LC system.

Alternative antibody for the detection of CA15-3 antigen: a European multicenter study for the evaluation of the analytical and clinical performance of the Access BR Monitor assay on the UniCel Dxl 800 Immunoassay System.

Background: Cancer antigen CA15-3 antigen is known as a valuable marker for the management of breast cancer.

Methods: The analytical and clinical performance of the Access BR Monitor Immunoassay System (Beckman Coulter) was evaluated at five different European sites and compared with a reference system, defined as CA15-3 on the Elecsys System (Roche Diagnostics).

Results: Total imprecision (% CV) of the BR Monitor ranged between 5.

Alternative antibody for the detection of CA125 antigen: a European multicenter study for the evaluation of the analytical and clinical performance of the Access OV Monitor assay on the UniCel Dxl 800 Immunoassay System.

Background: Cancer antigen CA125 is known as a valuable marker for the management of ovarian cancer.

Methods: The analytical and clinical performance of the Access OV Monitor Immunoassay System (Beckman Coulter) was evaluated at five different European sites and compared with a reference system, defined as CA125 on the Elecsys System (Roche Diagnostics).

Results: Total imprecision (% CV) of the OV Monitor ranged between 3.

Nucleosomes and CYFRA 21-1 indicate tumor response after one cycle of chemotherapy in recurrent non-small cell lung cancer.

The increasing panel of systemic therapies enables the individual management of cancer patients, even in advanced stages. However, diagnostic tools indicating early the efficacy of therapy are still needed. In prospectively collected sera of 161 patients with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving second-line chemotherapy, the courses of nucleosomes, cytokeratin-19 fragments (CYFRA 21-1), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and progastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) were investigated and correlated with therapy response.

Soluble NKG2D ligands: prevalence, release, and functional impact.

Natural Killer (NK) cells are capable to recognize and eliminate malignant cells. Anti-tumor responses of NK cells are promoted by the tumor-associated expression of cell stress-inducible ligands of the activating NK receptor NKG2D. Current evidence suggests that established tumors subvert NKG2D-mediated tumor immunosurveillance by releasing NKG2D ligands (NKG2DL).

Soluble NKG2D ligands in hepatic autoimmune diseases and in benign diseases involved in marker metabolism.

Background: Proteolytic shedding of the immunostimulatory NKG2D ligands MICA and MICB from cancer cells constitutes a novel immune escape strategy that diminishes antitumor reactivity by NKG2D-bearing cytotoxic lymphocytes. In consequence, serum levels of soluble MICA and MICB are frequently found to be elevated in cancer disease.

Patients And Methods: As the diagnostic potential depends strongly on the organ-specific benign diseases and is affected by diseases involved in marker metabolism, both markers were analyzed by ELISA in sera of 141 patients with hepatic autoimmune diseases (34 autoimmune hepatitis, 35 primary sclerosing cholangitis, 72 primary biliary cirrhosis), 18 patients with acute bacterial infections, 21 patients with renal insufficiency, 13 patients with cholestasis and 62 healthy individuals.

Nucleosomes as a new prognostic marker in early cerebral stroke.

Background: The prognostic relevance of blood markers in cerebral stroke is still a matter of controversial debate.

Patients And Methods: In sera of 63 patients, nucleosomes, neuronspecific enolase (NSE), S100 protein, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined daily during the first week after cerebral stroke. Infarction volume was quantified by CT or MRI and the clinical status by Barthel Index (BI) at admission, discharge, and after 12 months (prognosis).

Assessing prognosis in metastatic pancreatic cancer by the serum tumor marker CA 19-9: pretreatment levels or kinetics during chemotherapy?

Background: The carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is currently the most widely used serum tumor marker in pancreatic cancer (PC). CA 19-9 pretreatment levels as well as CA 19-9 kinetics during systemic chemotherapy can provide prognostic information regarding survival of patients with metastatic PC.

Case Reports: We report the clinical course of 2 patients with metastatic PC who underwent palliative chemotherapy with gemcitabine.

Nucleosomal DNA fragments in autoimmune diseases.

The inadequate response of immune cells to circulating apoptotic products, such as nucleosomal DNA fragments, is assumed to be a potent stimulus for the production of autoantibodies during the pathogenesis and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here, we analyzed the levels of circulating nucleosomes, caspases, and C-reactive protein in sera of 244 individuals with various autoimmune diseases (155 with autoimmune hepatic disorders, 25 with ANCA-associated vasculitis, and 64 with various connective tissue diseases), and 32 healthy controls. Nucleosomes and caspase activities were significantly elevated in sera of patients with hepatic autoimmune diseases, connective tissue diseases, and particularly in ANCA-associated vasculitis when compared with healthy individuals.

Early and specific prediction of the therapeutic efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer patients by nucleosomal DNA and cytokeratin-19 fragments.

Facing an era of promising new antitumor therapies, predictors of therapy response are needed for the individual management of treatment. In sera collected prospectively from 311 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy, changes in nucleosomal DNA fragments, cytokeratin-19 fragments (CYFRA 21-1), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and progastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) were investigated and correlated with therapy response. In univariate analysis, high levels, slower and incomplete decline in nucleosomal DNA, CYFRA 21-1, and CEA predicted poor outcome.

Prognostic and therapeutic significance of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 as tumor marker in patients with pancreatic cancer.

In pancreatic cancer (PC) accurate determination of treatment response by imaging often remains difficult. Various efforts have been undertaken to investigate new factors which may serve as more appropriate surrogate parameters of treatment efficacy. This review focuses on the role of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) as a prognostic tumor marker in PC and summarizes its contribution to monitoring treatment efficacy.

Nucleosomes in colorectal cancer patients during radiochemotherapy.

Apoptotic markers and tumor-associated antigens might be suitable to indicate the response to radiochemotherapy early. We analyzed the courses of nucleosomes, CEA, CA 19-9 and CYFRA 21-1 in 25 colorectal cancer patients during radiochemotherapy (4 postoperative, 13 preoperative, 8 local relapse therapy). Blood was taken before therapy, daily during the first week, once weekly during the following weeks, and at the end of the radiochemotherapy.

Early prediction of therapy response in patients with acute myeloid leukemia by nucleosomal DNA fragments.

Background: Elevated levels of nucleosomal DNA fragments can be detected in plasma and sera of patients with malignant diseases.

Methods: We investigated the course of nucleosomal DNA, thymidine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and leukocytes in sera of 25 patients with acute myeloid leukemia during the first cycle of induction chemotherapy and tested their power to distinguish between patients with complete remission and those with no remission.

Results: Almost all patients showed strongly decreasing levels of nucleosomal DNA during the first week, in some cases after initial peaks.

Soluble MICB in malignant diseases: analysis of diagnostic significance and correlation with soluble MICA.

Expression of ligands of the immunoreceptor NKG2D such as MICA and MICB has been proposed to play an important role in the immunosurveillance of tumors. Proteolytic shedding of NKG2D ligands from cancer cells therefore constitutes an immune escape mechanism impairing anti-tumor reactivity by NKG2D-bearing cytotoxic lymphocytes. Serum levels of sMICA have been shown to be of diagnostic significance in malignant diseases of various origins.

Nucleosomes in serum of patients with early cerebral stroke.

Background: Nucleosomes are cell death products that are elevated in serum of patients with diseases that are associated with massive cell destruction. We investigated the kinetics of circulating nucleosomes after cerebral stroke and their correlation with the clinical status.

Methods: In total, we analyzed nucleosomes by ELISA in sera of 63 patients with early stroke daily during the first week after onset.

Soluble MICA in malignant diseases.

The immunoreceptor NKG2D activates natural killer cells and costimulates CD8 T cells. The MHC class I-related MICA molecules are ligands of NKG2D and are expressed on malignant, but not on normal, cells. As NKG2D plays an important role in the immunosurveillance of tumors, studies suggest that release of MICA from cancer cells constitutes an immune escape mechanism that systemically impairs antitumor immunity.

Clinical relevance of tumor markers for the control of chemotherapy.

This presentation is based on our experience with tumor marker monitoring of surgery therapy and chemotherapy effects. The control of chemotherapy is one of the most important problems in oncological practice. The correlation between the clinical status of the patient and tumor size changes, based on the results of different imaging methods, has been the most important and most frequently used method.

Changes of thymidine kinase (TK) during adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy.

Unlabelled: Thymidine kinase is involved in nucleic acid synthesis and is, therefore, considered to be an important proliferation tumor marker. For this reason, we monitored this marker in the course of colorectal cancer chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: We examined thymidine kinase (TK) levels in 30 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent adjuvant or palliative chemotherapy (CHT schemes).

Circulating nucleosomes and cytokeratin 19-fragments in patients with colorectal cancer during chemotherapy.

Background: Intracellular components, such as nucleosomal DNA and cytokeratins, are released from cells during apoptosis, which occurs spontaneously in elevated amounts in patients with various tumors, as well as during treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs.

Patients And Methods: Sera of 30 patients with colorectal cancer, stage Dukes' B to D, who received adjuvant (N=15) or palliative (N=15) chemotherapy, were investigated. The response to therapy was objectified by imaging techniques after 3 cycles of therapy.

Markers of cellular adhesion in diagnosis and therapy control of colorectal carcinoma.

Aim: Early diagnosis of the progressive tumor disease and control of the effect of therapy in colorectal carcinoma are most frequently performed by monitoring CEA or CA 19-9 tumor markers. Their clinical application is, however, limited. The aim of our study was to demonstrate the contribution of adhesive molecule assessment to the early diagnosis of progression.

Nucleosomes in pancreatic cancer patients during radiochemotherapy.

Nucleosomes appear spontaneously in elevated concentrations in the serum of patients with malignant diseases as well as during chemo- and radiotherapy. We analyzed whether their kinetics show typical characteristics during radiochemotherapy and enable an early estimation of therapy efficacy. We used the Cell Death Detection Elisa plus (Roche Diagnostics) and investigated the course of nucleosomes in the serum of 32 patients with a local stage of pancreatic cancer who were treated with radiochemotherapy for several weeks.