Clinical significance of changes in tumor markers, extracellular matrix, MMP-9 and VEGF in patients with gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of some serum tumor marker level, extracellular matrix (ECM), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: The serum tumor markers included CEA, CA50 and CA19-9, ECM included laminin (LN), hyaluronic acid (HA), and collagen type III and IV were measured in 40 patients with gastric carcinoma and 20 matched healthy controls by radioimmunoassay. MMP-9, VEGF and MVD were measured with immunohistochemical methods and the computer image analyzer. Microvascular density (MVD) in tissues of patients with gastric carcinoma was detected. RESULTS: The levels of CEA, CA50, CA19-9, HA, LN and collagen type IV in the patients with metastasis were significantly higher than those in the patients without metastasis (p < 0.05). The expression of MMP-9 and collage type IV in the patients with metastasis and poorly differentiated carcinomas were significantly higher than those in the patients without metastasis whose tumors were well/moderately differentiated (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CEA, CA50, CA19-9, HA, LN and collagen type IV levels can be used as a signal of metastasis and disease progression in patients with gastric carcinoma. When a gastric carcinoma expresses a high level of MMP-9 and VEGF with high MVD, the power of infiltration and metastasis of the gastric carcinoma is enhanced.

Effect of sea buckthorn on liver fibrosis: a clinical study.

AIM: To appraise the effect of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) on cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Fifty cirrhotic patients of Child-Pugh grade A and B were randomly divided into two groups: Group A as the treated group (n=30), taking orally the sea buckthorn extract, 15 g 3 times a day for 6 months. Group B as the control group (n=18), taking vitamin B complex one tablet, 3 times a day for 6 months. The following tests were performed before and after the treatment in both groups to determine LN, HA, collagens types III and IV, cytokines IL-6 and TNFalpha, liver serum albumin, total bile acid, ALT, AST and prothrombin time. RESULTS: The serum levels of TNFalpha, IL-6, laminin and type IV collagen in group A were significantly higher than those in the control group. After a course of sea buckthorn treatment, the serum levels of LN, HA, collagen types III and IV, total bile acid (TBA) decreased significantly as compared with those before and after treatment in the control group. The sea buckthorn notably shortened the duration for normalization of aminotransferases. CONCLUSION: Sea buckthorn may be a hopeful drug for prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis.