ABSTRACT
Background: Correlative interactions between electrical charges and cancer cells involve important unknown factors in cancer diagnosis and treatment. We previously reported the intrinsic suppressive effects of pure positive electrostatic charges (PEC) on the proliferation and metabolism of invasive cancer cells without any effect on normal cells in cell lines and animal models. The proposed mechanism was the suppression of pro-caspases 3 and 9 with an increase in Bax/Bcl2 ratio in exposed malignant cells and perturbation induced in the KRAS pathway of malignant cells by electrostatic charges due to the phosphate molecule electrostatic charge as the trigger of the pathway. This study aimed to examine PECs as a complementary treatment for patients with different types of solid metastatic tumors, who showed resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Methods: In this study, solid metastatic tumors of the end-stage patients (n = 41) with various types of cancers were locally exposed to PEC for at least one course of 12 days. The patient's signs and symptoms, the changes in their tumor size, and serum markers were followed up from 30 days before positive electrostatic charge treating (PECT) until 6 months after the study. Results: Entirely, 36 patients completed the related follow-ups. Significant reduction in tumor sizes and cancer-associated enzymes as well as improvement in cancer-related signs and symptoms and patients' lifestyles, without any side effects on other tissues or metabolisms of the body, were observed in more than 80% of the candidates. Conclusion: PECT induced significant cancer remission in combination with other therapies. Therefore, this non-ionizing radiation would be a beneficial complementary therapy, with no observable side effects of ionizing radiotherapy, such as post-radiation inflammation.
ABSTRACT
Background and Aims: One of the most common hemoglobinopathies globally related to blood transfusion and iron overload in the body is thalassemia syndrome. Increasing ferritin levels can cause severe damage to the patient's body organs. This study aims to evaluate the complications of iron overload on vital body organs in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in Iran University of Medical Sciences Hospitals on patients with a beta-thalassemia major with frequent blood transfusions. To evaluate the effect of iron overload on vital body organs, hematologic and blood analysis, echocardiography with measurement of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and ejection fraction (EF) tests, bone densitometry, and audiometric tests were performed for all patients. Results: Of the 1010 patients participating in this study, 497 (49%) were males, 513 were (51%) females aged 5-74 years, and the majority of participants (85%) were over 20 years old. This study demonstrated that increasing ferritin levels had no notable correlation with sex, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, parathyroid hormone, T4, and aspartate aminotransferase. However, elevating ferritin levels had significant correlations with increasing triglyceride, phosphorus, thyroid stimulating hormone, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and PAP levels, age, hearing disorders, splenectomy, osteoporosis, and decreasing high-density lipoprotein, body mass index, calcium, and EF levels. Conclusion: Improvement in beta-thalassemia patients' survival and quality of life can be due to multidisciplinary care in a comprehensive unit through regular follow-up and early complication detection.
ABSTRACT
Background and aims: Thalassemia syndromes are the most common hemoglobinopathy globally related to blood transfusion and iron overload in the body. Splenectomy, excessive iron overload, and repeated exposure to antigens in blood transfusions can cause severe damage to the patient's immune system making the patient prone to frequent infection. This study evaluates the immune system status and infection rate in beta-thalassemia major patients receiving iron chelators. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital on patients with a beta-thalassemia major who had iron overload due to frequent blood transfusions. The percentage of lymphocyte markers was determined by flow cytometry. Serum levels of immunoglobin were measured by nephelometric assay. Also, Nitro blue tetrazolium and dihydrorhodamine assays were used to evaluate the phagocytic function. Results: Of the 106 patients participating in this study, 59 (55.7%) and 47 (44.3%) are male and female, respectively. The mean age ± SD of participants was 24.7 ± 12.1 years with 4 to 55 years. There was no significant correlation between sex, the C3 and C4 complements, the lymphocyte markers, and the immunoglobulin levels. Furthermore, all of these variables increased significantly over 30 (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was a strong positive correlation between splenectomy and IgG immunoglobulin (p < 0.001) and CD16 (p = 0.005) lymphocyte marker. Conclusion: Iron chelator agents effectively improve patients' immune system with thalassemia major. The increase in IgG and IgM immunoglobulins levels is due to frequent blood transfusions, which stimulate the immune system.
ABSTRACT
A new biosensor for detecting cancer involved sentinel lymph nodes has been developed via the electrochemical tracing of fatty acid oxidation as a distinct metabolism of malignant cells invading lymph nodes (LNs). The system included integrated platinum needle electrodes that were decorated by carbon nanotubes (as hydrophobic agents) through laser-assisted nanowelding. It was applied to record the dielectric spectroscopy data from LN contents via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The system was applied for dielectric spectroscopy of LN contents via electrochemical impedance approach. The reduced lipid content of involved LNs, due to fat metabolism by invasive cancer cells, would decrease the charge transfer resistance (RCT) of the LNs with respect to their normal counterparts. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with superhydrophobic properties were used to enhance the interaction of Pt needle electrodes with the lipidic contents of lymph nodes. This is the first time that a fatty acid metabolism-based sensing approach has been introduced to detect involved LNs. Moreover, a novel electrode decorating method was applied to enhance the interfacial contact of this lipid detection probe (LDP). In order to avoid doubt about the biocompatibility of ferrocyanide, [Fe(CN)6]4- and ferricyanide, [Fe(CN)6]3-, a biocompatible injectable metal ion-based material, ferric carboxymaltose, was selected and applied as the electrolyte for the first time. Rabbit LNs were tested using the LDP in the animal model phase. The system was then used in vitro on 122 dissected human LNs in the operating room. Calibration of the results showed an excellent match between the dielectric response of the LDP (known as charge transfer resistance (RCT)) and the final pathological diagnoses. The LDP may have a promising future after further clinical investigations for intra-operative distinction between normal and cancerous LNs.
