Angiogenesis Markers Quantification in Breast Cancer and Their Correlation with Clinicopathological Prognostic Variables

Tumoural angiogenesis is essential for the growth and spread of breast cancer cells. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of angiogenesis markers in tumours and there reflecting levels in serum of breast cancer patients. Angiogenin, Ang2, fibroblast growth factor basic, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and VEGF-A were measured using a FASTQuant angiogenic growth factor multiplex protein assay. We observed that breast cancer tumours exhibited high levels of PDGF-BB, bFGF and VEGF, and extremely high levels of TIMP-1 and Ang-2, whereas in serum we found significantly higher levels of Ang-2, PDGF-BB, bFGF, ICAM-1 and VEGF in patients with breast cancer compared to the benign breast diseases patients. Moreover, some of these angiogenesis markers evaluated in tumour and serum of breast cancer patients exhibited association with standard clinical parameters, ER status as well as MVD of tumours. Angiogenesis markers play important roles in tumour growth, invasion and metastasis. Our results suggest that analysis of angiogenesis markers in tumour and serum of breast cancer patients using multiplex protein assay can improve diagnosis and prognosis in this diseases

Increasing the efficiency of the regeneration process conveyor belts opencast mining

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań zrealizowanych w jednym z krajowych przedsiębiorstw zajmujących się regeneracją taśm przenośnikowych wykorzystywanych w górnictwie odkrywkowym. Dokonano charakterystyki stosowanych taśm przenośnikowych pod względem budowy i ich przeznaczenia. Na podstawie wyników otrzymanych podczas badań przedstawiono zalecenia, które mogą być wykorzystane w doskonaleniu istniejącego procesu regeneracji taśm przenośnikowych oraz zwiększenia jego wydajności.The paper presents the results of research carried out in one of the national companies involved in regeneration of conveyor belts used in opencast mining. It have been made characteristics of conveyor belts used in construction and its use. Based on the results obtained during the study are presented recommendations that can be used to improve the existing process of conveyor belts regeneration and to increase its efficiency

Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in a Boy with Familial Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Attributable to a TSC2 Deletion—A Case Report

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a phacomatosis, is a rare genetic disease (autosomal dominant; incidence: 1 in 6,800–17,300) associated with mutations in the TSC1 and TSC2 genes, 70% of which are sporadic. The disease causes benign tumours in the brain, kidneys, heart, lungs, skin, and eyes; thyroid lesions are extremely rare. A 13-year-old euthyroid boy with a hereditary form of TSC (del 4730G in TSC2, also seen in 2 sisters and the father) was admitted to hospital with a thyroid nodule. Physical examination revealed a nodular left lobe with increased consistency. Thyroid ultrasonography revealed a heterogeneous left lobe, predominantly hypoechoic with multiple microcalcifications and the presence of suspicious cervical lymph nodes on the left side. A macrocalcification was observed on the right lobe. Fine-needle biopsy results showed a few groups of cells with discrete atypical characteristics, including abundant cytoplasm, nuclei with conspicuous nucleoli, intra-nuclear inclusions, and nuclear grooves. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy with lymphadenectomy. Histopathology examination confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma. The coincidence of endocrine neoplasia including thyroid cancer and TSC is rare, and TSC with papillary thyroid carcinoma has never been described in a child. Studies of mutations in the tumour suppressor genes TSC1, TSC2, and STK11, activating the mtor (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway, might support their role in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer

Recurrence after surgical excision and radiotherapy in cervical cancer stage IB/IIA

Aim of paper: Analysis of clinical course of tumour recurrence in patients undergoing surgical excision and radiotherapy for FIGO stage IB/IIA cervical cancer and retrospective evaluation of selected clinical-pathological tumour features in the group of patients, who developed a recurrence, with particular emphasis on recurrence-associated risk factors based on the GOG (Gynaecologic Oncology Group) scale. Material and method: Retrospective analysis encompassed 107 women treated at the OEwiêtokrzyskie Centrum Onkologii (Holycross Cancer Centre) since 2000 thru 2004. Results: Three-year symptom-free survival was obtained in 92 out of 107 women (85%). Recurrence occurred in 16 out of 107 patients (15%), thereof 9 out of 84 women (10%) originally had no lymph-node metastases and 7 out of 23 women (21%) had confirmed lymph node involvement. Recurrences were associated with lateral metastases (5 cases), distant metastases (7 cases) and lateral and distant metastases (4 cases). Recurrence-associated mortality rate was 81% (13 out of 16 patients). Currently, 3 women are alive, 2 thereof having signs of recurrence. Mean recurrence-free survival was 19.6 months and mean symptom-free survival was 8.5 months. Retrospective analysis based on the GOG scale predicted high risk of recurrence (over GOG score 120) in 14 out of 16 women (88%), who did recur and a moderate risk (GOG score 70-120) in the remaining 2 patients (12%). Conclusions: High risk of recurrence predicted by the GOG score has been confirmed in the group of women with cervical cancer FIGO stage IB/IIA undergoing combined treatment (surgery and radiotherapy) independent of invasion of regional lymph nodes. An essential risk factor for tumour recurrence is presence of tumour cells in pericervical and perivaginal tissues.Cel pracy: Omówienie przebiegu klinicznego wznów po leczeniu chirurgicznym i uzupełniającym raka szyjki macicy w stopniu IB/IIA według FIGO oraz retrospektywna ocena wybranych cech kliniczno-patologicznych guza w grupie kobiet z nawrotem, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem czynników ryzyka nawrotu według punktacji GOG (Gynaecologic Oncology Group Study). Materiał i metoda: Retrospektywnej analizie poddano 107 kobiet leczonych w Świętokrzyskim Centrum Onkologii (ŚCO) w latach 2000-2004. Wyniki: Trzyletnie przeżycie bez objawów nawrotu stwierdzono u 92/107 (85%) pacjentek. Wznowa pojawiła się u 16/107 (15%) chorych, w tym u 9/84 (10%) kobiet, u których nie stwierdzono przerzutów w węzłach regionalnych oraz u 7/23 (21%) kobiet z potwierdzonymi przerzutami do węzłów. Odnotowano 5 wznów bocznych, 7 odległych i 4 wznowy boczne z przerzutami odległymi. Zmarło z powodu wznowy 13/16 (81%) pacjentek. Żyją 3 kobiety, w tym dwie z objawami wznowy. Średni czas wolny od wznowy wynosił 19,6 miesiąca, a średni czas przeżycia od wykrycia wznowy - 8,5 miesiąca. U 14/16 (88%) chorych ze wznową stwierdzono retrospektywnie wysokie ryzyko wznowy (>120 punktów według GOG), a u 2/16 (12%) średnie ryzyko wznowy (70-120 punktów według GOG). Wnioski: Wysokie ryzyko wznowy według punktacji GOG potwierdziło się w grupie kobiet z nawrotem raka szyjki macicy w stopniu IB/IIA według FIGO po leczeniu chirurgicznym i skojarzonym, bez względu na zajęcie regionalnych węzłów chłonnych. Istotnym czynnikiem ryzyka wznowy jest obecność komórek nowotworowych w tkankach otaczających szyjkę macicy i pochwę