Serum concentrations of TNF α and its soluble receptors in patients with adrenal tumors treated by surgery.

The peripheral blood levels of TNF alpha and its soluble receptors were studied in 39 patients with malignant and benign adrenal tumors treated by adrenalectomy. The concentrations of TNF alpha were significantly elevated in patients with malignant tumors of the adrenal cortex and in patients with Conn's syndrome compared to control. In patients with non-functioning adenomas and pheochromocytomas, TNF alpha levels were similar to those detected in the control.

Peripheral blood concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor and its soluble receptors (R1 and R2) in patients with adrenal cortex tumours treated by surgery.

Introduction: Neoangiogenesis appears to be an important event in tumour invasion and in the formation of metastases in many endocrine-related human cancers. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a glycoprotein with potent angiogenic, mitogenic and vascular permeability-enhancing activities specific for endothelial cells and acts through VEGF receptors. The aim of the study was to evaluate the plasma blood concentrations of VEGF, sVEGFR1, and sVEGFR2 in patients with benign and malignant adrenal tumours treated by surgery.

Angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors in adrenal tumours.

It appears that neoangiogenesis is an important factor in tumour invasion and the formation of metastases in several human cancers, and studies on pro-angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors are therefore of considerable interest to researchers. In this review we present pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors and other growth factors and their role in the formation of new blood vessels in adrenal tumours. Assessment of the angiogenic status of adrenal tumours and their vascular pattern may be useful for discriminating benign from malignant lesions and knowledge of their angiogenesis may be essential to the drawing up of promising treatment strategies for patients with malignant tumours.

[Disorders of calcium metabolism during pregnancy and breast feeding].

Hypoparathyroidism following thyroidectomy or due to autoimmune process is the most common cause of hypocalcaemia. If untreated, maternal hypocalcaemia may stimulate fetal parathyroids which results in bone demineralization. Calcium supplementation may also reduce the risk of hypertension.

[Calcium homeostasis in pregnancy and lactation].

The daily required dose of calcium is greatly increased during pregnancy. It is caused by the transition of about 30 g to the fetus and by enhanced urinary excretion. The normal calcium homeostasis is maintained by parathormone (PTH), calcitriol and PTH-related peptide (PTHrP).

[Clinical implications of occurrence of antithyroid antibodies in pregnant women and in the postpartum period].

Antithyroid antibodies are classified to immunoglobulin G. It is a varied group of antibodies as there are antibodies against TSH-receptor, against thyroid peroxidase and also against thyroglobulin. Pregnancy is a period in which the titres of antibodies decrease to protect fetus from abortion; but just after delivery they increase again.