ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a substantial burden on global healthcare, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advances in screening methodologies, its incidence remains high, necessitating continued efforts in early detection and treatment. Neoplastic invasion and metastasis are primary determinants of CRC lethality, emphasizing the urgency of understanding underlying mechanisms to develop effective therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to explore the potential of serum biomarkers in predicting survival outcomes in CRC patients, with a focus on cathepsin B (CB), leukocytic elastase (LE), total sialic acid (TSA), lipid-associated sialic acid (LASA), antitrypsin activity (ATA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and cystatin C (CC). We recruited 185 CRC patients and 35 healthy controls, assessing demographic variables, tumor characteristics, and 7 serum biomarker levels, including (1) CB, (2) LE, (3) TSA, (4) LASA, (5) ATA, (6) CRP, and (7) CC. Statistical analyses included ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc tests and MANOVA for continuous variables. Student's t-test was used for dependent samples, while non-parametric tests like Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were applied for variables deviating from the normal distribution. Categorical variables were assessed using chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was utilized to examine variable correlations. Survival analysis employed the Kaplan-Meier method with a log-rank test for comparing survival times between groups. Significant associations were observed between CB (p = 0.04), LE (p = 0.01), and TSA (p = 0.008) levels and survival outcomes in CRC patients. Dukes' classification stages also showed a significant correlation with survival (p = 0.001). However, no significant associations were found for LASA, ATA, CRP, and CC. Multivariate analysis of LE, TSA, and ATA demonstrated a notable correlation with survival (p = 0.041), notwithstanding ATA's lack of significance in univariate analysis (p = 0.13). CB, LE, and TSA emerged as promising diagnostic markers with prognostic value in CRC, potentially aiding in early diagnosis and treatment planning. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore additional prognostic indicators.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To evaluate the tolerability and toxicity of PCI in patients with NSCLC. BACKGROUND: Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) is a standard treatment for patients with small cell lung cancer. There are data showing a decreasing ratio of brain metastases after PCI for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC-non small cell lung cancer) patients but, so far, there is no evidence for increasing overall survival. The main concern in this setting is the tolerance and toxicity of the treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1999 to 2007, 50 patients with NSCLC treated with radical intent underwent PCI (30 Gy in 15 fractions). Mean follow-up was 2.8 years. The tolerability and hematological toxicity were evaluated in all patients, a part of participants had done neuropsychological tests, magnetic resonance imaging with (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and estimation of pituitary function. RESULTS: During follow-up, 20 patients developed distant metastases, 4-brain metastases. Fourteen (30%) patients had acute side effects: (headache, nausea, erythema of the skin). The symptoms did not require treatment breaks. Six patients complained of late side effects (vertigo, nausea, anxiety, lower extremity weakness, deterioration of hearing and olfactory hyperesthesia). Hematological complications were not observed. Testosterone levels tended to decrease (p = 0.062). Visual-motor function deteriorated after treatment (p < 0.059). Performance IQ decreased (p < 0.025) and the difference between performance IQ and verbal IQ increased (p < 0.011). Degenerative periventricular vascular changes were observed in two patients. Analysis of the spectroscopic data showed metabolic but reversible alterations after PCI. CONCLUSION: PCI in the current series was well tolerated and associated with a relatively low toxicity.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To study biochemical response of living model of glioma to X-rays irradiation using high resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rat glioma C6 cells were irradiated with 3.8 Gy (D0, the 37% clonogenic survival dose) of X-rays from a teletherapy unit at the dose rate 8.8 Gy/min. After irradiation the cells were incubated at 37°C/5%CO2/95%O2 for various period of incubation (24, 48, 72 and 96 hours) in the fresh medium. The high resolution 1H NMR spectra of the agarose-cell mixtures (2 x 10(7) cells/ml) were acquired using a Varian Inova-300 multinuclear pulsed NMR spectrometer operating at the 1H resonance frequency of 300 MHz. The mean spectra were obtained as the averages of six independent measurements. RESULTS: The statistically significant increase in the CH2/CH3 lipid signals ratio in the C6 cells after irradiation with 3.8 Gy dose and incubation for 24-96 h was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our method of the sample preparation enables the metabolic effects of irradiation to be observed in viable cells, which can effectively support the identification of the spectroscopic changes in vivo. Application of the gel suspensions in the NMR studies has advantages over the usual liquid suspensions in terms of improved reproducibility of the data and cell viability, with no net loss of the spectral quality.
