[The significance of cathepsins B and D and their inhibitors in cancer disease]. / Znaczenie katepsyny B i D i ich inhibitorów w procesach nowotworowych. Cz. II.

Cathepsins play an important role in the pathogenesis of the great number of cancer diseases i.e. in breast, head and neck, liver, pancreas, colon and skin cancer. Estimation of cathepsins activity referring to different kinds of cancer diseases has a significance both in diagnostics and in monitoring of their running. An essential role in cancer disease development is also reported for cathepsins B and D inhibitors. Using drugs that are able to inhibit the harmful activity of cathepsins, would give a chance to supplement an anti-cancer therapy with the new agents. In future, it could increase the efficiency of cancer treatment in a significant way.

[Significance of cathepsin B and D in physiologic and pathologic processes]. / Znaczenie katepsyn B i D w procesach fizjologicznych i patologicznych.

The lysosomal proteases play an important role in the cells nourishment, immunogenesis, development of the arteriosclerosis perturbations in blood vessel cells and in the pathogenesis of degeneration diseases, cancer diseases and in the great number of others. For the many cancer disease durations, an increased activity of the lysosomal enzymes both in blood serum and in tumor tissues was revealed. Over the past few years a particular attention have been paid to the fact that the high activity of some lysosomal enzymes i.e. cathepsin B and D is connected with the increased cancer invasiveness. The results of preliminary clinical research point to great diagnostic value of cathepsin B and D in breast cancer detection.