The value of tumor marker and cytokine analysis for the assessment of regional lymph node status in cervical cancer patients.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of the measurements of the circulating tumor markers, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), CA125, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin fragment 19 (CYFRA 21.1), and the cytokines, interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), to estimate regional lymph node involvement in patients with cervical cancer. The study comprised 182 untreated patients with cervical cancer. The regional lymph node status was assessed either by the postsurgical histopathologic examination or by the computed tomography (CT). Concentrations of SCCA, CEA, and CA125 were determined using the Abbott Instruments system, of CYFRA 21.1 by the Roche kits, and of IL-6 and VEGF by the ELISA of R&D Systems (Minneapolis, MN). For the statistical analyses, Mann-Whitney U test and chi(2) test were applied. Serum levels of SCCA, CEA, CA125, CYFRA 21.1, IL-6, and VEGF were measured in patients with specified pelvic and para-aortic lymph node status. SCCA, CA125, and IL-6 levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastases than in those with no lymph node involvement. Also, the percentage of patients with simultaneously elevated concentrations of SCCA and CA125 or SCCA and IL-6 differed depending on the lymph node status and was significantly higher in the series of patients with lymph node metastases. Simultaneous assessment of serum levels of SCCA and CA125 or SCCA and IL-6 in patients with cervical cancer may be useful for the regional lymph node evaluation, especially in patients with advanced stages, when the lymph nodes are examined only by CT, with no histologic confirmation.

Clinical significance of serum cytokine measurements in untreated colorectal cancer patients: soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type I--an independent prognostic factor.

The aim of this study was to exploit the potential clinical use of circulating cytokine measurements in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The levels of cytokines and cytokine receptors were assessed by ELISA in the sera of 50 healthy volunteers and 157 patients with previously untreated CRC and then related to clinicopathological features and prognosis. All tumors were verified histologically as colorectal adenocarcinomas and staged according to TNM classification. The levels of circulating interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) significantly increased with the clinical stage of CRC, and the levels of IL-6, soluble tumor necrosis factor (sTNF) receptor type I (RI), soluble interleukin 2 receptor alpha and TNFalpha with tumor grade, while IL-6, IL-8, M-CSF, IL-1ra and sTNF RI levels significantly rose with bowel wall invasion. None of the cytokine or soluble cytokine receptor levels were influenced by age, gender and colon versus rectum localization. sTNF RI, IL-8, IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor measurements demonstrated the highest diagnostic sensitivity. sTNF RI was found elevated in the greatest percentage of all CRC patients, in the greatest proportion of stage I patients and presented the best diagnostic sensitivity. In addition, the sTNF RI level strongly correlated with tumor grade and invasion and proved to be an independent prognostic factor.

CRP, TNF-alpha, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 in blood serum of colorectal cancer patients.

Blood serum cytokines: TNFalpha, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 as well as CRP were investigated in patients with colorectal cancer, prior treatment and 1, 10 and 42 days after surgery. There was an increase of the levels of CRP, IL-6 and IL-10 in most patients 24 hours after surgery. The levels of IL-1ra were elevated in patients in stage C and in several patients in stage B of the disease and there was a decrease of circulating TNFalpha in stage B patients. On day 10 and 42 after surgery, the levels of cytokines followed various patterns.

[Comparison of platelet and leukocyte content in platelet concentrates obtained from CS-3000 and third generation (CS-3000 plus and Cobe-Spectra) cell separators]. / Porównanie zawartosci plytek krwi i leukocytów w koncentratach krwinek plytkowych, otrzymanych przy uzyciu separatora CS-3000 oraz separatorów III generacji (CS-3000 plus i Cobe-Spectra).

Platelet concentrates (PCs) obtained using old generation of cell separators contain high number of leukocytes. White cell (WBC) contamination and platelet (Plts) number in PCs obtained from separator II-nd generation CS-3000 and separators III-rd generations CS-3000 plus and Cobe-Spectra have been determined. PCs from new separators contain the same Plts number as PCs from CS-3000. The average leukocyte count in PCs obtained from CS-3000 was 171.26 x 10(6), whereas WBC number in PCs from CS-3000 plus and Cobe-Spectra were 2.87 and 2.54 x 10(6) respectively. In about 85% of PCs obtained from III-rd generation cell separators the leukocyte count did not exceed 5 x 10(6). This count is considered sufficient to prevent alloimmunization of HLA antigens. The determination of WBC count in every PCs allows to select PCs with fewer than 5 x 10(6) leukocytes and to transfuse them without the necessity of using expensive filters for leukocyte removing.