[Differential dignosis: „primary“ or secondary diabetes - should Cushing´s syndrome be routinely screened in the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus?].

Cushing´s syndrome is a rare disease with the population prevalence about 40 patients per 1 million inhabitants, the number among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is probably higher. The screening of CS among the DM patients showed the prevalence between 0-2.9% in the groups of outpatients and 2-2.

Serum homocysteine, cholesterol, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, glycosylated hemoglobin and inflammatory response during therapy with bevacizumab, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin.

Background: Targeted agents present with a new spectrum of side-effects, including toxicities that negatively impact the risk of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the combination of targeted therapy and chemotherapy on serum homocysteine and other laboratory parameters of cardiovascular risk in patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-one patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma treated with the combination of bevacizumab, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin were studied before and during the therapy.

Effect of aromatase inhibitors on lipid metabolism, inflammatory response and antioxidant balance in patients with breast carcinoma.

Background: Aromatase inhibitors may affect lipid metabolism, inflammatory response and antioxidant balance.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and eighty-six post-menopausal patients with breast carcinoma underwent evaluation of parameters of lipid metabolism, inflammatory response and antioxidant balance immediately before as well as 2 and 4 months after the start of therapy with aromatase inhibitors.

Results: A significant increase in total, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), retinol, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen was observed.

Urinary neopterin, hemoglobin and peripheral blood cell counts in breast carcinoma patients treated with dose-dense chemotherapy.

Background: Among other actions, chemotherapy may induce an activation of systemic inflammatory and immune response.

Patients And Methods: Urinary neopterin was evaluated, using high-performance liquid chromatography, before and during dose-dense combination chemotherapy with doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and sequential paclitaxel (neoadjuvant or adjuvant) in 194 patients with breast carcinoma. Hemoglobin, peripheral blood cell count and, in a subgroup of patients, iron metabolism were also evaluated.

Expression of CD40 and growth-inhibitory activity of CD40 ligand in ovarian cancer cell lines.

Objective: Soluble recombinant human CD40 ligand trimer (rhuCD40Lt) has shown antitumor activity in preclinical and clinical studies. We evaluated the effect of rhuCD40Lt on epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) cell lines.

Methods: Expression of the receptor, CD40, was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry, and antiproliferative effects of rhuCD40Lt, either alone or in combination with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma), were examined in 8 EOC lines.

Urinary neopterin in patients with liver tumors.

Aims And Background: Primary and secondary liver tumors are associated with poor prognosis. Neopterin is an indicator of systemic immune activation, and increased neopterin concentrations have been associated with poor prognosis in a wide range of malignant tumors.

Methods: Urinary neopterin was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography in 154 patients with primary and secondary liver tumors.

Survival of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases treated by regional chemotherapy.

Background/aims: Liver is the most common site of metastatic disease in colorectal cancer. Superior response rate was demonstrated in trials comparing hepatic arterial administration of cytotoxic agents with systemic chemotherapy.

Methodology: Records of 109 consecutive patients with colorectal carcinoma metastatic to the liver treated by regional chemotherapy, who underwent implantation of a port system into hepatic artery or portal vein tributaries between 1991 and 1999, were reviewed and survival was evaluated using the log-rank test and multivariate analysis (Cox's proportional hazard regression).

Regional chemotherapy in patients with breast carcinoma liver metastases.

Background/aims: Although liver is a common site of metastases in breast cancer, isolated liver metastases in patients with disseminated breast cancer are rare. The role of liver-directed therapies in these patients is based on data derived from retrospective analysis of case series.

Methodology: We have reviewed the records of 8 patients with liver metastases and a history of breast cancer treated at our institution over a period of 11 years with regional chemotherapy administered through surgically implanted port systems.

Neopterin in renal cell carcinoma: inhalational administration of interleukin-2 is not accompanied by a rise of urinary neopterin.

Inhalational administration of interleukin-2 (IL-2) is effective in controlling renal cell carcinoma (RCC) lung metastases with minimal toxicity. Neopterin is an indicator of systemic immune activation in metastatic cancer and is increased after systemic IL-2 administration. Urinary neopterin was investigated in 13 patients with metastatic RCC and 18 controls.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in sarcoma liver metastases: a report of 6 cases.

Aims And Background: Liver metastases in patients with sarcoma are rare and associated with a poor prognosis. The experience with liver-directed therapies, eg hepatic arterial infusion, in these patients is limited.

Methods: Six patients with sarcoma metastatic to the liver (4 patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors and 2 patients with leiomyosarcoma) were treated by hepatic arterial infusion in our center over a 12-year period.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in gastric cancer: a report of four cases and analysis of the literature.

Aims And Background: Gastric cancer is associated with high mortality. Although the liver is a common site of metastases in this tumor, the experience with liver-directed therapies is limited.

Methods: We report a single-center experience involving four patients with liver metastases from gastric cancer treated by hepatic arterial infusion (HAI).

Growth-inhibitory effect of a novel synthetic triterpenoid, 2-cyano-3,12-dioxoolean-1,9-dien-28-oic acid, on ovarian carcinoma cell lines not dependent on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma expression.

Objectives: Despite the advent of new chemotherapeutic drugs in recent decades, epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) remains the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers, and new therapeutic targets and agents are urgently needed. 2-Cyano-3,12-dioxoolean-1,9-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) is a novel synthetic triterpenoid with anti-tumor activity against a wide range of tumors in vitro and in vivo. CDDO is a ligand for the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma).

rIFN-gamma-mediated growth suppression of platinum-sensitive and -resistant ovarian tumor cell lines not dependent upon arginase inhibition.

BACKGROUND: Arginine metabolism in tumor cell lines can be influenced by various cytokines, including recombinant human interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma), a cytokine that shows promising clinical activity in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: We examined EOC cell lines for the expression of arginase in an enzymatic assay and for transcripts of arginase I and II, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The effects of rIFN-gamma on arginase activity and on tumor cell growth inhibition were determined by measuring [3H]thymidine uptake.

Intraperitoneal fluid neopterin, nitrate, and tryptophan after regional administration of interleukin-12.

Activated monocytes-macrophages may be associated with antitumor activity, and activation of these cells by certain cytokines, primarily interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), can be indicated by alterations in the concentrations of neopterin, nitrate, or tryptophan. Specimens of peritoneal fluid were obtained from patients with intra-abdominal neoplasia who were undergoing treatment in a phase I trial of weekly intraperitoneal recombinant interleukin-12 (rhIL-12), an inducer of IFN-gamma. Concentrations of neopterin, nitrate, tryptophan, IFN-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were determined at various times during the first 48 hours in 11 patients who received intraperitoneal rhIL-12 in doses ranging from 100 to 1,500 ng/kg.

Regional chemotherapy in biliary tract cancers--a single institution experience.

Background/aims: The prognosis of biliary tract cancers is poor. The aim of the present report was to analyze retrospectively the effectiveness of regional chemotherapy in patients with biliary tract cancers treated at a single institution.

Methodology: Thirty-two patients with biliary tract cancers, 17 patients with cholangiocarcinoma and 15 patients with gallbladder carcinoma, were treated by regional administration of the chemotherapy, usually the combination of 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin and folinic acid.