A serum mesothelin level is a prognostic indicator for patients with malignant mesothelioma in routine clinical practice.

Background: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) carries a poor prognosis and response rates to palliative chemotherapy remain low. Identifying patients with MM that are unlikely to respond to chemotherapy could prevent futile treatments and improve patient quality of life. Studies have suggested that soluble mesothelin is a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis of MM.

Clinical implications of introducing a new PSA assay.

Background: A number of different prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assays are in common use. There has been little consideration of the possible clinical implications of interassay variation. The availability of two assays in the same laboratory provided an opportunity to audit the clinical implications of the interassay variation in PSA levels.

Effect of delays in processing blood samples on measured endogenous plasma sex hormone levels in women.

Time spent in transit may affect the concentration of various constituents of collected blood samples and, consequently, results of sex hormone assays. Whole blood was collected from 46 women, and one third was processed immediately, one third was stored at ambient conditions (22 degrees C) for 1 day, and one third was stored for 2 days. Estradiol concentration increased by 7.

Effects of the aromatase inhibitor letrozole on normal breast epithelial cell proliferation and metabolic indices in postmenopausal women: a pilot study for breast cancer prevention.

The aromatase enzyme converts androgens to estrogens and is the therapeutic target for aromatase inhibitors in postmenopausal patients with estrogen receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. Third-generation inhibitors such as letrozole are being considered as potential prophylactic agents for breast cancer. The rationale for their preventive application would be aided by knowledge of their effects on the normal breast and on other estrogen-dependent processes such as bone and lipid metabolism.

Comparison of the systemic and intratumoral effects of tamoxifen and the aromatase inhibitor vorozole in postmenopausal patients with primary breast cancer.

Purpose: To determine biologic differences, if any, between presurgical endocrine treatment with an aromatase inhibitor (vorozole) and tamoxifen in patients with postmenopausal primary breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Randomization was to 12 weeks of 2.5 mg of vorozole per day or 20 mg of tamoxifen per day, both orally.