Serum levels of sFas and sFasL during chemotherapy of lung cancer

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of determination of soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas Ligand (sFasL) during chemotherapy of lung cancer. Methods: The study included 80 patients (69 males; 11 females; mean age 64 years; 48 with non-small cell lung cancer-NSCLC, 32 with small cell lung cancer-SCLC). The control group consisted of 15 healthy volunteers. The peripheral blood samples were taken before and after 4 cycles of chemotherapy. sFas and sFasL levels were assessed by Elisa method. Results: The serum sFas and sFasL levels observed at the end of the chemotherapy were higher in all patients with lung cancer compared to healthy volunteers. The levels of sFas and sFasL were higher after chemotherapy than before therapy. The levels of sFasL were significantly higher in SCLC patients than in NSCLC ones. There were no significant differences in serum sFasL levels in relation to clinical stage of lung cancer. After chemotherapy the levels of sFas were higher in patients with metastases. There were no significant differences in serum sFasL levels in relation to response to therapy. At the end of the therapy the serum levels of sFas were higher in Partial Response group than in Progressed patients. Before chemotherapy the levels of sFas were higher in Progressive Disease group than in No Change one. The levels of sFas observed after chemotherapy were higher in Partial Response group than in No Change one. Conclusion: Determination of serum sFas and sFasL levels can be useful in clinical practice, but their practical significance needs further studies.Цель работы —оценить клиническую целесообразность определения уровня растворимого Fas (sFas) и растворимого лиганда Fas (sFasL) в сыворотке кровибольных раком легкого при химиотерапии. Методы: обследовали 80 пациентов (69 мужчин и 11 женщин; средний возраст — 64 года; из них у 48 диагностирован немелкоклеточный рак легкого (НМКРЛ), у 32 — мелко­клеточный рак легкого (МКРЛ)). Контрольная группа состояла из 15 здоровых доноров. Образцы периферической крови брали до и после 4 курсов химиотерапии. Содержание sFas и sFasL ана лизировали иммунофер ментным методом. Результаты: уровни sFas и sFasLв сыворотке крови всех больных раком легк ого по окончании хими отерапии выше, чем таковые в контрольной группе и чем таковые до терапии. Уровень sFasL был значительно выше у больных МКРЛ, чем таковой у пациентов с НМКРЛ. Значительных различий в уровне sFasLв сыворотке крови в за висимости от клинической стадии заболевания не выявлено. По окончании химиотерапии уровень sFas выше у пациен тов с метастазами, а также в группе с частичным ответом на терапию, чем у больных с прогрессирующим заболеванием. До начала терапии уровень sFas был выше у больных с прогр ессирующим забо лева нием, чем у па циентов со стабильным состоянием , а по окончании терапии – у больных с частичным ответом по сравнению с группой больных со стабильным состоянием. Выводы: определение уровня sFas и sFasLв сыворотке крови может быть пр именено в клинической практике, но зна чимость та ких показателей необходимо определить в дальнейших исследованиях

Novel cytokines: IL-27, IL-29, IL-31 and IL-33. Can they be useful in clinical practice at the time diagnosis of lung cancer?

There are several antiproliferative and angiogenic factors, recently have been discovered (IL-27, IL-29, IL-31 and IL-33), but they have not been tested yet in lung cancer patients. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the clinical usefulness of determination of IL-27, IL-29, IL-31 and IL-33 in advanced stages of lung cancer. Patients and Methods: The study included 45 patients (38 males; mean age 62 years; 45 with advanced NSCLC). Serum and BALF cytokine concentrations were evaluated by ELISA method before chemotherapy. The comparative groups consisted of patients with sarcoidosis (BBS, n = 15), hypersensivity pneumonitis (HP, n = 8) and healthy subjects (n = 15). Results: The serum IL-29 levels were higher in NSCLC patients than in the sarcoidosis group. However, serum IL-27, IL-31 and IL-33 did not differ markedly between: NSCLC, BBS, HP and the control group. Concentrations of IL-29 and IL-31 in BALF did not differ significantly between investigated groups. In all groups levels of IL-27 and IL-29 are significantly higher in serum than in BALF. Concentrations of IL-31 in BBS, HP and control groups tended to higher in BALF than in serum. These differences were significantly in NSCLC patients. Patients in stage IIIB of NSCLC had higher serum levels of IL-29 than these in stage IV. Lung cancer patients with partial remission (PR) after chemotherapy had significantly higher concentration of IL-27 in BALF than patients with SD. However, patients with SD had higher levels of IL-29 in BALF than patients with PD. A negative correlation was found between serum IL-31 levels before therapy and time to progression of NSCLC. Conclusion: Determination of IL-27, IL-29 and IL-31 in serum and BALF can be useful in clinical practice, but their practical significance needs further studies

36. A prospective, randomized study to compare the value of two fractionation schemes of palliative radiotherapy for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer

A prospective, randomized study was conducted in eight Polish institutions to compare the value of two fractionation schemes of palliative radiotherapy for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer. Assessed was the impact of either treatment on the degree and duration of relief of tumor-related symptoms and on patient's performance status. Secondary endpoints included treatment side-effects, objective response and overall survival. One hundred patients were randomly assigned to the dose of 20 Gy/5×/5 days (Arm A) or 16 Gy/2×/8 days (Arm B). There were 90 men and 10 women aged between 47 and 79 (mean 66). Eighty four patients had locally advanced tumor and 16 patients had metastatic disease. Squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 65 patients, adenocarcinoma – in 9 patients, large cell carcinoma – in 1 patient and unspecified non-small cell carcinoma – in 25 patients. Fifty five patients were assigned to Arm A and 45 – to Arm B. Ninety eight patients received assigned treatment whereas two patients died before the end of treatment. The final results of the study will be presented at the conference

Dermatomyositis masquerading as pulmonary embolism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>A 61-year-old Caucasian was admitted to Department of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland for progressive muscle weakness and weight loss. Eighteen months prior to admission, the patient had been diagnosed with pulmonary embolism. At that point he was started on Enoxaparin QD. Past medical history was unremarkable. In the interim, the patient developed fever, myalgia and progressive dyspnea. Physical examination on admission revealed a rash on his upper torso and back, and the extensor surfaces of all four extremities. Laboratory values included CPK 8229, MB fraction 219, LDH 981. Chest X-ray and CT scan revealed bilateral patchy consolidations and ground-glass opacities. EMG was consistent with myositis. The patient was started on solumedrol 40 mg i.v., b.i.d., and then switched to prednisone 40 mg b.i.d. His symptoms and muscle strength improved remarkably. The patient was discharged with prednisone with an outpatient follow up.</p

Increased levels of Treg cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and induced sputum of patients with active pulmonary sarcoidosis

Abstract Objective It has recently been described that circulatory and BAL regulatory T-cells (Tregs), defined as CD4+CD25highCD127low are increased in patients with active sarcoidosis compared with other interstitial lung diseases. Materials and methods We studied prospectively 17 patients (10 women, 7 men) of median age 39 years (range 27-65) with active granulomatous lung diseases (GLD) (10 patients with sarcoidosis (BBS), and 7 with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), and 9 healthy controls. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) and induced sputum Treg counts, CD4+, CD8+, CD25+ cells were quantified by flow cytometry. Disease activity was measured by ACE serum level. Pulmonary function tests were performed using an Elite DL Medgraphics body box. Results We found Treg cells count significantly elevated in induced sputum from active GLD (38.3% vs. 7.1% and 5.3% in BBS, HP, and control, respectively). A significantly higher percentage of Treg cells characterized BAL cells from HP patients (2.27%; 9.5%; 2.1%, in BBS, HP and control, respectively). There was a strong correlation with ACE serum level and Treg cell count in BAL fluid of BBS patients, with no such correlation within HP patient group, nor Treg cell count and pulmonary function tests. Conclusions Our data suggest a potential role of CD4+CD25 high CD127 low induced sputum and BAL lymphocytes from patients with active granulomatous lung diseases and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. An increased number of Treg cells in active GLD may be involved in immune regulation in active granulomatous lung diseases. The results indicate that analysis of these cells could be useful as markers of disease activity in granulomatous lung diseases.</p

Increased FKBP51 in induced sputum cells of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients after therapy

Abstract Objective Immunophilin FKBP51 assists polypeptide folding, participates in glucocorticoid actions and may play a role in glucocorticoid resistance. FKBP51 is altered in patients with asthma, but its role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) characterized by dysregulation of several pro/antiinflammatory genes is less clear. Methods We assessed changes in nuclear/cytosolic FKBP51 protein using SDS-PAGE/WB and FKBP51 mRNA by qRT-PCR in cells isolated from induced sputum of stable COPD patients treated with formoterol/budesonide or formoterol/budesonide/theophylline for 4 wk. Results Expression of FKBP51 was higher in formoterol/budesonide/theophylline-treated patients, compared with formoterol/budesonide group in both cytosolic and nuclear fractions by about 57% and 31%, respectively (P Conclusions Increased FKBP51 in COPD patients treated with formoterol/budesonide/theophylline may be important in altering signaling from corticosteroid receptors.</p