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Journal Article 2008; 29(4): 482-484 PubMed PMID: 18766166 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Breast Neoplasms:blood, Female, Humans, Lung Neoplasms:blood, Male, Prostatic Neoplasms:blood, alpha 1-Antitrypsin:blood,.   

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Alpha-1 antitrypsin (alpha1-AT) is one of the most important extra-cellular serine protease inhibitors. Elevation of alpha1-AT serum levels have been observed in the course of a large number of malignant diseases. In this study, using Radial Immunodiffusion Method, we studied the serum levels of alpha1-AT in lung, prostate and breast cancer patients.

RESULTS: Lung and prostate cancer patients have shown a significant elevation in alpha1-AT serum levels compared with those of healthy controls (P-value = 0,0001, 0,003 respectively). On the other hand, breast cancer patients did not show a significant change in these levels. Serum levels of alpha1-AT were 261.7 +/- 107.26, 222.7 +/- 87.30 and 183.8 +/- 45.05 mg/dl of lung, prostate and breast cancer patients, respectively, while those of healthy controls were 163.9 +/- 23.2 mg/dl in males and 186.13 +/- 39.81 mg/dl in females.

CONCLUSION: These data demonstrated that alpha1-AT plasma levels might be an alarming factor to be considered in the diagnosis as well as in the follow up of cancer cases....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(4): 443-446 PubMed PMID: 18766141 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Antigens, CD34:analysis, Breast Neoplasms:blood supply, Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast:blood supply, Female, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Lymph Nodes:metabolism, Lymphatic Metastasis:pathology, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Invasiveness, Neovascularizati.   

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is a basic process that enables neoplasms to thrive. Microvessel density (MVD) evaluation is an accepted parameter for assessing the angiogenesis process within a tumor. The aim of the present study has been to assess the number of microcapillaries in both invasive ductal breast cancer with the presence of metastases in regional lymph nodes and in invasive ductal breast cancer without such metastases.

METHODS: The CD34 antigen immunoreactivity level was assessed by immunohistochemistry in both types of invasive ductal breast cancer. Tissue samples were obtained from 40 patients and were divided into two groups according to whether or not there were lymph node metastases.

RESULTS: The patients with lymph node metastases exhibited statistically significantly higher numbers of stained microcapillaries than the patients who did not have lymph node metastases.

CONCLUSION: Thus the number of stained microcapillaries as evaluated by using the CD34 immunoreactivity level seems to be a useful predictor for the development of local lymph node metastases in female invasive ductal breast cancer....

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Clinical Trial 2001; 22(1): 27-29 PubMed PMID: 11335876 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic:administration & dosage, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols:administration & dosage, Biomarkers, Tumor:blood, Bone Neoplasms:secondary, Breast Neoplasms:blood, Disease Progression, Female, Humans,.   

OBJECTIVES: Recent data have suggested that the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy does not depend only on tumor-related characteristics, but also on patient biological status, namely immune and endocrine functions. In particular, it has been shown that prolactin (PRL) is a growth factor for breast cancer, and abnormally high blood levels of PRL have been described in metastatic breast cancer patients. The present study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy with taxanes in relation to PRL blood levels in metastatic breast cancer.

MATERIAL & METHODS: The study included 20 metastatic breast cancer patients, who were treated with taxotere (100 mg/mq I.V. every 21 days) for at least 3 consecutive cycles. Serum levels of PRL were measured by RIA before the onset of treatment and at 21-days intervals.

RESULTS: The clinical response consisted of partial response (PR) in 6, stable disease (SD) in 7 and progressive disease (PD) in the remaining 7 patients. Abnormally high pre-treatment levels of PRL were seen in 7/20 patients. The percent of patients who had PD in response to chemotherapy was significantly high in patients with pre-treatment hyperprolactinemia than in those with normal blood levels of PRL before therapy.

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the evidence of abnormally high serum levels of PRL correlates with resistance to chemotherapy with taxanes in metastatic breast cancer. Therefore, a concomitant administration of anti-prolactinemic agents, such as bromocriptine, could enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy itself....

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