Evaluation of Expression of the PTEN Gene, Oestrogen and Progesterone Receptors as Diagnostic and Predictive Factors in Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer belongs to the commonest malignancy in females after breast cancer, malignant neoplasm of female genitals in Europe and North America but there is still not significant improvement as far as the curability of this neoplasm is concerned, especially its advanced forms. That is why there is need to define new factors that could be not only diagnostic but also predictve factors. In present study we analyzed the mRNA PTEN expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) in 123 women of endometrial carcinoma and 14 women of control group. Moreover we assessed oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) in all cases. We defined the correlation between expression of PTEN gene and receptors and between PTEN expression and maturity grade of cancer. Neoplasm advancement grade G1 was diagnosed in 82.11 % of patients (n = 101), G2 in 9.76 % of patients (n = 12) and G3 in 8.13 % of patients (n = 10). Presence of ER and PgR and decreased expression of PTEN gene was found in majority of patients with endometrial cancer (79.12 % and 59.34 % respectively) and the most numerous group was with weak expression of ER and strong expression of PgR. There was no statistically significant difference in gene expression depending on receptors expression nor maturity grade of cancer (p > 0.05). Evaluation of expression of PTEN gene may turn out to be a very useful tool aimed at qualifying patients for different therapies of endometrial cancer and at searching of new diagnostic and therapeutic methods of this cancer independently on its receptor status nor maturity grade of cancer

Expression of galectin-3 in nephrotic syndrome glomerulopaties in children.

BACKGROUNDGalectins are a family of ancient animal carbohydrate binding proteins; the name is from their description as beta-galactoside-specific lectins. They have been strongly implicated in inflammation and cancer. Studies of the association of galectins with various aspects of kidney disease in humans are still at an early stage. In line with the above, the aim of the present report was to analyse the immunohistochemical expression of galectin-3 (the only chimera galectin currently identified) in renal biopsy specimens of children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS).PATIENTS AND METHODSEighteen children with minimal change disease (MCD), 30 with diffuse mesangial proliferation (DMP) and 11 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) treated between 2003 and 2006 in the Department of Paediatric Cardiology and Nephrology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences. An indirect immunohistochemical protocol using a polyclonal rabbit antibody against human galectin-3 was employed.RESULTSIn the control, MCD and DMP children who responded to steroid therapy anti-galectin-3 reactivity was present both in renal cortex and medulla. It was the strongest within cortical collecting ducts and subjectively less expressed in distal tubules. The total number of galectin-3 positive cortical and medullary segments of collecting ducts was significantly higher in the subjects who did not respond to steroid therapy These patients revealed also immunohistochemical reactivity of galectin-3 within nuclei of individual glomerular mesangial cells (

An Association between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of Lys751Gln ERCC2 Gene and Ovarian Cancer in Polish Women

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the Lys751Gln (rs13181) ERCC2 gene polymorphism in clinical parameters and the risk for development of ovarian cancer. Material and Methods. The study consisted of 430 patients with ovarian cancer (mean age: 53.2 ± 10.11) and 430 healthy subjects (mean age: 50.31 ± 18.21). Analysis of the gene polymorphisms was performed using the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each genotype and allele were calculated. Results. The results obtained indicate that the genotype Gln/Gln is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer (OR 5.01; 95% CI 3.37-7.43; < 0.0001). Association of Lys751Gln polymorphism with histological grading showed increased ERCC2 Gln/Gln (OR = 6.96; 95% CI 3.41-14.21; < 0.0001) genotype in grading 1 as well as Gln allele overrepresentation (OR = 4.98; 95% CI 3.37-7.40; < 0.0001) in G1 ovarian patients. Finally, with clinical FIGO staging under evaluation, an increase in ERCC2 Gln/Gln homozygote frequencies in staging I and Gln allele frequencies in SI were observed. Conclusion. On the basis of these results, we conclude that ERCC2 gene polymorphism Lys751Gln may be associated with an increased risk of ovarian carcinoma

Cervical cancer – does it always require surgery?

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common genital malignancy in the females. Estimated number of women affected therewith reaches 1.4 million. In Poland, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer, preceded by breast cancer, lung cancer and endometrial cancer, and the fifth most common cause of cancer-related mortality. Cervical cancer usually affects women aged 45-59. Current standards of treatment of cervical cancer include surgery (still the basic modality at stages 0, IA, IB and IIA), radiotherapy, chemotherapy and radiochemotherapy, which are implemented at stages IB-IVB. Surgical treatment of cervical cancer patients is classified as follows: primary treatment, treatment of coexisting genital conditions prior to planned radiochemotherapy, treatment of recurrent cervical cancer and palliative treatment. Low efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy as the sole treatment modalities in cervical cancer resulted in increased interest in radiochemotherapy, i.e. a technique combining radiation with cytotoxic drugs. Randomized trials revealed an improvement of 3-years’ survival by 10-18% and the drug used most often was cisplatin administered alone or combined with a 96-hours’ infusion of fluorouracil. Cervical cancer is currently considered one of the tumors, where multimodal treatment is a therapeutic standard.W skali świata rak szyjki macicy jest drugim co do częstości występowania nowotworem narządów płciowych u kobiet. Szacuje się, że liczba kobiet chorych na raka szyjki macicy na świecie sięga 1,4 miliona. W Polsce rak szyjki macicy zajmuje czwarte miejsce – po raku sutka, płuc i endometrium – oraz piąte miejsce jako przyczyna zgonów wśród kobiet z powodu nowotworów złośliwych. Rak szyjki macicy najczęściej rozwija się u kobiet pomiędzy 45. a 59. rokiem życia. Współczesne standardy leczenia raka szyjki macicy obejmują: leczenie chirurgiczne, które wciąż jest podstawą w stopniu 0, IA, IB, IIA, radioterapię, chemioterapię oraz radiochemioterapię, które stosuje się w stopniach od IB do IVB. Leczenie chirurgiczne u chorych z rakiem szyjki macicy dzieli się na następujące typy: leczenie pierwotne, leczenie współistniejących patologii narządów płciowych przed planowaną radiochemioterapią, leczenie nawrotów raka szyjki macicy i leczenie paliatywne. Niska skuteczność radioterapii i chemioterapii stosowanych samodzielnie w raku szyjki macicy spowodowała wzrost zainteresowania radiochemioterapią, czyli metodą łączącą leczenie promieniami i lekami cytotoksycznymi. W badaniach randomizowanych stwierdzono poprawę 3-letniego przeżycia o 10-18%, a lekiem najczęściej stosowanym jest cisplatyna podawana oddzielnie lub w skojarzeniu z 96-godzinnym wlewem fluorouracylu. Rak szyjki macicy należy obecnie do nowotworów, w których leczenie skojarzone stanowi standard terapeutyczny

Uwarunkowania zaburzeń snu u kobiet stosujących hormonalną terapię zastępczą i niestosujących hormonalnej terapii zastępczej

Symptoms accompanying the changes occurring in a female organism in the climacteric period constitutemore frequently a major health-related problem and via its influence on the quality of life, they also becomesocial-related problems concerning many millions of women worldwide.The aim of the study was to estimate the conditioning of sleeping disorders in women using and not usinghormonal replacement therapy (HRT).90 patients between 15 and 80 years of age participated in the study (M = 49.81; SD = 11.69). Psychologicaltests and sleeping disorders tests that were used: Courtauld Emotional Control, Beck Depression Inventory, Satisfaction With Life Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI, Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Epworth SleepinessScale, Athens Insomnia Scale. The analysis of the results included first of all measuring of r-Pearson’s correlationbetween sleeping disorders such as difficulties in falling asleep, maintaining sleep or awakening too early andgroups of variables such as the level of psychic life (satisfaction with life as a positive indicator and depressionas an indicator of disorders), control of emotions (anger, depression and anxiety as well as general control indicator)and self-esteem (general self-esteem, competences, being loved, popularity, leadership features, self-control,moral self-acceptance, physical attractiveness, vitality, integration of identity, defensive self-enhancement)