[Usefulness of selected circulating biochemical markers in diagnosis and monitoring of endometriosis]. / Przydatnosc wybranych, krazacych markerów biochemicznych w diagnostyce i monitorowaniu endometriozy.

A review of the literature for searching of biochemical marker of endometriosis is presented. The investigations with CA 125, antiendometrial antibodies, placental protein 14 and others have not established a sensitive screening test for predicting endometriosis, especially in early stages of the disease. Most authors confirm usefulness of those markers in monitoring therapy and predicting recurrences. This may allow to avoid commonly performed "second look" laparoscopy.

[The value of evaluating tumor markers: CA 15-3 and ferritin in blood serum of patients grouped as "high risk" for breast cancer]. / Wartosc kliniczna oznaczen markerów nowotworowych: CA 15-3 oraz ferrytyny w surowicy krwi chorych grupy "wysokiego ryzyka" zachorowania na raka sutka.

We studied 127 patients. 35 patients (group I) with mastopathy disease (average 44.3 years old) included 9 patients with a breast cancer family history (subgroup I A), 26 patients without a breast cancer family history (subgroup I B) and 92 patients (group II) with a breast cancer of I-IV grade (average 49.25 years old). The results of the study revealed statistically significant higher level of CA 15-3 in serum of patients with mastopathy compared to patients with a breast cancer of I grade (p < 0.05). CA 15-3 level in patients with a breast cancer of III, IV grade in serum, was considerably higher and there was significant difference comparing to the patients with a breast cancer of I, II grade (p < 0.001) and patients with mastopathy disease. There were also higher average levels of CA 15-3 in patients with mastopathy disease with a breast cancer family history (subgroup I A) compared to patients without an oncological risk (subgroup I B), however there were not significant differences. There were also higher average levels of ferritin revealed in patients with a breast cancer of III, IV grade and which shows significant difference between patients with breast cancer of I, II grade and with mastopathy patients (p < 0.001). It seems that determination of CA 15-3 and ferritin in patients of a high risk group of a breast cancer could be a useful diagnostic tool for early determination of a breast cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels in patients with different stages of laryngeal cancer.

An attempt was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag) in different stages of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Antigen levels were determined in blood serum before treatment in 25 patients with laryngeal cancer treated at the II ENT Department, Silesian Medical School in Zabrze. Ages were 39-65 years (mean, 56.6 years). Fifteen healthy volunteers of similar ages served as controls. SCC Ag was estimated by an enzyme-immunological method using the Abbot set. Increasing levels of SCC Ag were found in 14 patients (65%). The mean SCC Ag level before treatment in the tumor group was 2.93 +/- 0.23 ng/ml and 0.79 +/- 0.19 ng/ml in the control group (standard, 1.5 ng/ml). Mean SCC Ag levels depending on the clinical stage of disease were: stage I, 1.52 ng/ml; stage II, 2.16 ng/ml; stage III, 3.03 ng/ml; stage IV, 4.57 ng/ml. Differences in all groups were statistically significant when compared to the healthy controls (P < 0.05).

The usefulness of serum levels of CEA, CA 50, and ferritin in the management of renal cell cancer.

The aim of this study is to show the usefulness of serum CEA, CA 50, and ferritin levels in the treatment of patients with kidney cancer. Serum CEA and ferritin were determined by EIA assay using Hoffman-la Roche (Austria) kits and serum CA 50 by fluorometric assay using Delfia Pharmacia LKB (Sweden) kits. Cut-off values were 3 ng/mL for CEA, 17 U/mL for CA 50, and 180 ng/mL for ferritin. Increases in the serum levels of CA 50 and ferritin were found to herald the postoperative recurrence of kidney cancer.

A comparison of the clinical usefulness of CA 19-9 and CA 50 in the diagnosis and monitoring of gastrointestinal cancers.

We compared serum levels of CA 19-9 and CA 50 in 108 patients with malignant neoplasms of the stomach, pancreas, liver, and colon with the serum levels in 60 patients with benign gastrointestinal diseases, and 10 healthy subjects. Increased serum levels of CA 19-9 and CA 50 were found in 51.8 and 62% of the cancer patients, respectively. The results of CA 19-9 and CA 50 assays in the nonneoplastic group showed less specificity. False positive results were noted in 11.7% of CA 19-9 tests and in 31.6% of CA 50 tests. We concluded that in gastrointestinal cancer, the CA 19-9 test should be performed initially. CA 50 determination can be useful, but the lower specificity of the test should be taken into consideration. CA 50 should be recommended only for postoperative monitoring, especially in patients with normal CA 19-9 serum levels.

[Usefulness of determining tumor markers CEA, CA125 and CA72-4 in blood serum of patients with ovarian carcinoma]. / Przydatnosc oznaczen markerów nowotworowych CEA, CA125 i CA72-4 w surowicy krwi chorych na raka jajnika.

Serum levels of 3 markers: CEA, CA125 and CA72-4 have been determined in 58 patients aged from 15-60 years with histologically diagnosed ovarian cancer. Serum CEA was determined by radioimmunoassay using kits POLATOM (Poland), CA72-4 was determined using kits CIS BIOINTERNATIONAL (France) and CA125 was determined by enzyme immunoassay using kits Hoffmann-la-Roche (Wien-Austria). We have observed the growth of sensitivity and specificity of serum levels: CA125 and CA72-4 if we have referred to the simultaneous elevation of CA125 and CA72-4 markers. We have observed that CA125 and CA72-4 elevated levels were proceeded clinical recurrent of the disease from 2 to 6 months.

Influence of neurotransmitters on sexual differentiation of brain structure and function.

Newborn rats received daily subcutaneous treatment with compounds which influence serotoninergic, cholinergic, alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic activity. In adulthood luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion pattern, female sexual behavior, and the volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic are (SDN-POA) were determined. Postnatal administration of l-tryptophan increased the volume of the SDN-POA significantly when given alone or when given simultaneously with testosterone propionate (TP). Para-chlorophenyl-alanine (pCPA) also increased SDN-POA volume, but did not potentiate the stimulating influence of TP. Clonidine had no effect per se on SDN-POA development, but it significantly potentiated the effect of TP in females. Salbutamol increased SDN-POA volume in females and in males. Postnatal treatment of female rats with the alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists prazosine and yohimbine or with the nicotin receptor antagonist mecamylamine had permanent potentiating effects on the pattern of LH secretion, whereas postnatal treatment with beta-adrenergic compounds reduced the LH-release response to gonadal steroids in adulthood. Postnatal treatment with clonidin or l-tryptophane inhibited differentiation of the capacity for lordosis behavior. Beta-receptor agonists postnatally had a potentiating effect on the capacity for lordosis behavior in female and male rats. Cholinergic stimulation postnatally inhibited differentiation of the capacity for lordosis behavior in female rats, but prevented the inhibitory effect of postnatal androgenization. There was no correlation between SDN-POA volume and any of the two functional parameters.