Beta-interferon and interleukin-2 prolong more than three times the survival of 26 consecutive endocrine dependent breast cancer patients with distant metastases: an exploratory trial

Distant metastases from breast cancer are incurable. In endocrine-responsive patients antiestrogens are commonly administered as first and second line therapy. Regrettably, tumor growth becomes resistant to this relatively innocuous therapy. Beta-interferon was unsuccessfully added to tamoxifen to induce estrogen receptor enhancement. In mice, interleukin-2 added to tamoxifen increased their mutual anti-tumor activities. Nevertheless, no effective clinical application has been developed. We started an exploratory clinical trial based on the association of these immunostimulating cytokines with antiestrogens for first line salvage therapy of hormone dependent breast cancer with distant metastases. Twenty-six consecutive breast cancer patients with distant metastases, 23 of which had metastases at multiple sites, were studied for responsiveness to treatment with first line salvage antiestrogen therapy, combined with beta-interferon and interleukin-2 immuno-therapy. Clinical response and survival were compared with that of 30 consecutive historical control patients treated with antiestrogen therapy alone. Controls showed, as expected, a median duration of response, a median survival time after treatment, and after diagnosis of distant metastases, of 16, 31 and 34 months, respectively. After a mean follow-up of 62+/-36 months (range 17-155), the interval times in the non-control patients were 61 (P<0.001), 101 (P<0.000001) and 106 (P<0.000001) months. Two long-term survivors appeared to be cured after 155 and 94 months from the time of diagnosis with multiple bone metastases. Nineteen of the patients treated with beta-interferon and interleukin-2 have survived. Hormone immuno-therapy was given in an outpatient setting and was very well tolerated. These data suggest that immuno-therapy plays an important role in endocrine-dependent metastatic breast cancer.

An Immunotherapy Schedule in Endocrine-Dependent Metastatic Breast Cancer

The authors reported important benefits and survival with an immunotherapy schedule in patients with endocrine-dependent breast cancer with distant metastases. Here they update clinical outcome and correlate it with immunologic data. Twenty-nine consecutive patients with metastatic disease stable or responsive to first-line antiestrogens were recruited and treated with cyclic administration of beta-interferon and interleukin-2 combined with continuous conventional anti-estrogen therapy. Eosinophils and the total number of lymphocytes and CD4+, CD8+, and CD16+56+ cells were determined in the peripheral blood during first-line hormone immunotherapy before and 24 to 72 hours after the administration of interleukin-2. At the last observation (June 30, 2004), 10 patients had died. After a mean follow-up of 59 +/- 37 months (range 9-163), definite median time had not yet been reached either for clinical benefit or for overall survivals; estimated values were 38, 103, and 106 months for clinical benefit and overall survival from first-line anti-estrogen treatment and from diagnosis of distant metastases, respectively. Two patients maintained complete remission 108 and 163 months after the beginning of first-line anti-estrogen therapy. In patients with clinical benefit, eosinophils, total lymphocytes, and CD4+, CD8+, and CD16+56+ cells significantly increased after interleukin-2 administration (from P < 0.012 to P < 0.000). In the patients with progressive disease, only a slight increase in eosinophils occurred (P = 0.038). No further adverse events other than the minimal ones described occurred. The estimated median benefit and survivals are more than three times longer than previously shown in similar populations. The differing response to interleukin-2 can be explained by the hypothesis that resting cancer cells during clinical benefit do not inhibit the immune system, while at the onset of resistance they recover the constitutive ability to inhibit it.

Skin vasoreactivity to insulin iontophoresis is reduced in elderly subjects and is absent in treated non-insulin-dependent diabetes patients

We investigated the skin vasoreactivity to insulin in normal subjects and in treated non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients. We measured cutaneous perfusion by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) at rest and during skin cathodal iontophoresis (six pulses of 0.1 mA each for 20 s, with 40 s interval between stimulations) of insulin (0.1 ml Humulin R 100 IU/ml diluted 1/10 with of 0.9% saline solution) in 45 healthy subjects (HS), (25 males, 20 females, aged 45 +/- 18 years), and in 15 treated NIDDM patients (13 males), aged 66 +/- 8 years. Fifteen of the HS were used as controls. In these 15 sex- and age-matched HS and in the patients, we assessed also the skin postischemic hyperemia by LDF. In HS cutaneous blood flux response (CBF) to iontophoresis of insulin in saline (expressed as percent changes from baseline) was significantly higher than CBF response to iontophoresis of pure saline (maximum response: 360 +/- 51% versus 172 +/- 42%, respectively; P < 0.001, ANOVA for repeated measures). The maximum "net" CBF response to insulin (response to insulin minus response to saline) showed a negative correlation (r = -0.361; P < 0.01) with age in HS, and resulted significantly lower in the oldest than in the youngest HS (105 +/- 40% versus 307 +/- 45%, respectively; P < 0.01). No significant correlation was observed between the maximum CBF response to saline and the age of subjects. In NIDDM patients the "net" CBF response to insulin iontophoresis resulted significantly lower than in 15 sex- and age-matched control subjects (maximum response: -50 +/- 89% versus 201 +/- 81%, respectively; P < 0.001, ANOVA for repeated measures). No significant difference was observed between diabetics and controls, nor in basal perfusion (6.5 +/- 1.3 IU versus 6.8 +/- 1.7 IU, respectively) neither in the skin postischemic hyperemia (250 +/-14% versus 258 +/- 27%, respectively). These results confirm that insulin iontophoresis induces a skin vasodilatatory effect in normal subjects and show that this effect is reduced by aging and is absent in treated NIDDM patients. The local skin vasodilatatory effect induced by insulin seems to involve mechanisms different from those underlying the skin postischemic hyperemia.

Fine-needle and large-needle percutaneous aspiration biopsy of testicles in men with nonobstructive azoospermia: Safety and diagnostic performance

OBJECTIVE

To assess by ultrasonography the safety of the association fine-needle aspiration (FNA) plus a new percutaneous large-needle aspiration biopsy technique (LNAB), and to compare the results obtained with the two techniques in the same testicle and with FNA in the two testicles of the same patient.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of clinical, ultrasonographic, and pathologic data.

SETTING

Clinical and academic research environment.

PATIENT(S)

Three hundred and eighty-seven testicles of 233 patients (ages 19 to 57 years) with nonobstructive azoospermia were consecutively examined with FNA (154) or FNA + LNAB (233); 54 patients (89 testicles) examined with FNA + LNAB underwent a second ultrasonography up to 63 days after.

INTERVENTION(S)

Ultrasonography, FNA, LNAB.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Hypoechoic area at ultrasonography; cytologic picture at FNA or LNAB of only Sertoli cells (category 1), spermatogenetic cells different from elongated spermatids or spermatozoa (category 2), and elongated spermatids and/or spermatozoa (category 3).

RESULT(S)

Among the 54 patients monitored by ultrasonography 48 (88.9%) showed no difference and 6 (11.1%) showed an hypoechoic area < or =1 cm in the second image. Category 1 occurred at FNA or LNAB in a very similar number of testicles (36% vs. 36.9%). Categories 2 and 3 were more frequent at LNAB (29.9% vs. 9.8%) and at FNA (54.2% vs. 33.2%), respectively. One hundred and sixty-six patients had both testicles examined by FNA; 147 pair of testicles were concordant for the presence or the absence of spermatozoa or elongated spermatids. In the remaining 19 patients (11.4%), these spermatogenetic cells were shown only in the specimen from one of the two testicles. These 19 patients accounted for 20.0% of 93 patients with spermatogenetic cells in at least one of the two testicles.

CONCLUSION(S)

The combination of FNA and LNAB did not produce clinically or subclinically relevant complications. No important differences in the identification of category 1 with FNA or LNAB were found. Fine-needle aspiration was more adequate in identifying category 3, which was particularly relevant in 20% of the men who had these cells in at least one of the two testicles.

Osteoporosis and biomaterial osteointegration

Biomaterial osteointegration depends not only on the properties of the implanted material but also on the characteristics and regenerative capability of the host bone. For this reason, researchers involved in biomaterial evaluation now place great importance on the various pathologies often present in orthopaedic patients which can negatively affect the success of surgical implants. Osteoporosis is undoubtedly one of the most frequently encountered of such diseases. Models reproducing the osteoporotic condition can be useful to understand the influence of the pathology on cell behaviour, bone regeneration and osteointegration processes, thus increasing our basic knowledge and allowing the development of surgical techniques and implant biomaterials more suitable for use in the surgical treatment of fractures in osteoporotic patients. The present paper is a literature review and, after a short description of how the presence of osteoporosis could influence bone regenerative processes, the results of the main studies on biomaterial biocompatibility and osteointegration both in vitro and in vivo in the presence of osteoporotic condition are reported. Both cell cultures and animal models are able to demonstrate the different response of bone to biomaterials by comparing healthy and pathological conditions. The use of pathological bone-derived cells and pathological animals is therefore recommended to test candidate orthopaedic materials.

An in vitro study of the peroxyl and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity of the calcium antagonist amlodipine

Amlodipine has been reported to improve endothelial function in patients with arterial hypertension and to significantly limit the progression of carotid atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess the total antioxidant activity of amlodipine. We measured the in vitro antioxidant activity of amlodipine as its ability to antagonize the oxidation of alpha-keto-gamma-methiolbutyric acid by both hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals. The results are expressed as Total Oxyradical Scavenging Capacity (TOSC) units. Reduced glutathione, uric acid and trolox were used as the reference antioxidants. Amlodipine showed an efficiency as scavenger of peroxyl radicals (TOSC: 5945 +/- 544 units/mg) significantly higher (>50%, P <0.001) than that of GSH (2733 +/- 636 units/mg), and 70% lower (P < 0.0001) than the value obtained with uric acid (18144 +/- 696 units/mg) and trolox (17522 +/- 734 units/mg). Of interest, the scavenging capacity of amlodipine towards hydroxyl radicals (1455 +/- 154 units/mg) was 320% higher (P < 0.00001) than that of GSH (358 +/- 112 units/mg), 20% higher than that of uric acid (1198 +/- 121 units/mg), and 100% higher than that of trolox (759 +/- 143 units/mg). Amlodipine has intrinsic antioxidant activity with both anti-hydroxyl and anti-peroxyl radicals activity.

Skin microcirculation in peripheral arterial obliterative disease

The important role of microcirculation in the pathophysiology and symptoms of peripheral arterial obliterative disease (PAOD) has been progressively emphasized during the past twenty years, thanks to the use of different non-invasive methods, such as capillaroscopy, laser Doppler (LD) fluxmetry and transcutaneous measurement of oxygen tension (tcPO2). Basally, in the diseased leg of stage II PAOD patients, leg skin perfusion recorded by means of LD fluxmetry is quantitatively normal. However, spectral analysis of skin LD tracing shows an abnormal flowmotion, with increased amplitude of the flowmotion waves related to endothelial, neurogenic and myogenic activities, suggesting a relatively early skin microcirculatory adaptation in this PAOD stage. Following ischemia, an impaired total skin LD hyperemia and a reduced skin capillary nutritional blood flow at capillaroscopy, concomitantly with a reduced increase of flowmotion waves related to endothelial, myogenic and sympathetic activities, have been observed in the diseased leg of stage II PAOD patients. In critical limb ischemia (CLI), a more advanced cutaneous microcirculatory deterioration has been clarified, with a more severely impaired post-ischemic hyperemia, a reduced tcPO2 and a severely perturbed skin flowmotion in the diseased leg. This integrated skin microcirculatory diagnostic approach can be used for a better management of PAOD patients.

Antihypertensive effect of oral potassium aspartate supplementation in mild to moderate arterial hypertension

BACKGROUND

Previous studies showed that potassium chloride (48-120 mmol/day) supplementation reduced arterial blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to evaluate the effect of a lower dose of potassium aspartate salt on BP in individuals with essential arterial hypertension.

METHODS

One hundred and four patients (65 males, age 53 +/- 12 years) with mild to moderate essential hypertension (systolic/diastolic BP 154.2/96.2 +/- 10.8/5.4 mmHg) were allocated in two comparable groups of 52 to receive or not 30 mmol/day per os of potassium aspartate supplementation for four weeks. Office and 24-h BP, as well as serum and urinary electrolytes, were measured at baseline and at the follow-up visit after four weeks.

RESULTS

Office and 24-h BP did not change in the control group, while these values were significantly reduced in the potassium supplementation group. Changes in office (systolic BP: 154.4 +/- 8.2 vs. 142.2 +/- 7.6 mmHg; diastolic BP: 95.0 +/- 5.6 vs. 87.2 +/- 4.3 mmHg, P < 0.001 for both) and 24-h BP (systolic BP: 142.7 +/- 8.2 vs. 134.8 +/- 6.3 mmHg; diastolic BP: 90.8 +/- 4.4 vs. 84.6 +/- 3.8 mmHg, P < 0.001 for both) following potassium supplementation were highly significant. The changes in day time and night time BP were similar. The treated group showed significantly increased potassium serum level and 24-h urinary excretion of potassium (P < 0.01 in both cases) after four weeks, while the untreated group showed no significant changes of the same parameters. Urinary Na/K ratio decreased significantly with potassium supplementation (P < 0.001). In the treated group changes in office (r = 0.58, P < 0.001) and 24-h SBP (r = 0.51, P < 0.001), but not in DBP (r = 0.29 and r = 0.25, n.s.), correlated positively with the urinary Na/K ratio at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

A relatively low supplementation of 30 mmol/day of potassium as aspartate lowered office and 24-h ambulatory BP in subjects with mild to moderate essential hypertension. The antihypertensive effect was sustained throughout the day, and was greater in the patients with high basal urinary Na/K ratio.

From the bench to the bedside. Galectin-3 immunodetection for improving the preoperative diagnosis of the follicular thyroid nodules

The authors discuss the principal aspects concerning the preoperative characterization of thyroid nodules, in particular those with follicular histology, and illustrate the potential clinical impact of a new diagnostic test-method, named "galectin-3 thyrotest", which is based on the immunodetection of galectin-3 molecule in cytological specimens derived from thyroid nodular lesions. This diagnostic test method, which consistently improves the accuracy of conventional cytology, has been recently validated in a large international multicenter study and is going to impact hardly the clinical management of patients bearing thyroid nodular diseases. The rationale of this new diagnostic approach, the possibility to improve its performance in selected cases by using large needle aspiration biopsy (LNAB) together with technical and operative details are presented and discussed.

Effect of nebivolol on QT dispersion in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy

Hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) have increased QT dispersion, which is considered an early indicator of end-organ damage and a non-invasive marker of risk for clinically important ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of nebivolol antihypertensive therapy on QT dispersion in hypertensive subjects. Twenty-five subjects (15 men and 10 women, mean age 53.6 +/- 4.5 years) with essential arterial hypertension and mild-to-moderate LVH (blood pressure: 147.2 +/- 6.2/90.6 +/- 3.8 mmHg; left ventricular mass indexed: 149.1 +/- 10.7 g/m(2)) were compared with 25 age-matched healthy control subjects. All the participants underwent a complete clinical examination, including electrocardiogram for QT interval measurements. The QT dispersion was defined as the difference between the longest and the shortest QT interval occurring in the 12-lead electrocardiogram. The QT dispersion was corrected (QTc) with Bazett's formula. Hypertensive subjects were treated with 5 mg daily of nebivolol. The ECG and echocardiogram were repeated after four weeks of treatment. At baseline, hypertensive patients showed QT dispersion (56.9 +/- 6.4 vs. 31.7 +/- 8.4 ms, P < 0.001) and QTc dispersion (58.3 +/- 6.2 vs. 33.2 +/- 7.8 ms, P < 0.001) significantly higher than control subjects. Four-week nebivolol treatment reduced blood pressure from 147.2 +/- 6.2/90.6 +/- 3.6 mmHg to 136.3 +/- 3.1/83.3 +/- 2.5 mmHg (P < 0.0001), and resting heart rate from 75.3 +/- 4.7 to 64.2 +/- 3.0 bpm (P < 0.001), without significant change in left ventricular mass (LVMi: 149.1 +/- 10.7 vs. 151.4 +/- 9.8 g/m(2), ns). Nebivolol-based treatment improved QT dispersion (56.9 +/- 6.4 vs. 40.5 +/- 5.8 ms, P < 0.001) and QTc dispersion (58.3 +/- 6.2 vs. 42.2 +/- 5.6 ms, P < 0.001), which remained higher than in control subjects (P < 0.001 in both cases). The reduction of QT dispersion did not correlate with arterial BP reduction. In conclusion, nebivolol reduced increased QT dispersion in hypertensive subjects after four weeks. This effect, occurred without any change in LVM, did not seem to be related to the blood pressure lowering and could contribute to reduce arrhythmias as well as sudden cardiac death in at-risk hypertensive patients.

Different diagnostic techniques for the assessment of cortical bone on osteoporotic animals

The aim of this study was to assess the capability of ultrasonography and densitometry to predict the mechanical competence of cortical bone in healthy and osteopenic rats, respectively. Thirty 10-month-old Sprague-Dawley retired breeder female rats were used and randomized into three groups of 10 animals each. A group underwent bilateral ovariectomy by dorsal approach (Ovx), another group underwent a simulated ovariectomy (Sham-Ovx), and the last group served as a sham-aged control group (Control). Sixteen weeks after surgery, the animals were euthanized and the femurs of each rat excised for ultrasonographic and densitometric measurements, and mechanical analyses. The Ovx Group had a significantly decreased amplitude dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS-about 7-8%) when compared to the other groups (p<0.0005). For Ovx animals compared with Sham-Ovx and Control rats, significant decreases in densitometric data were observed (6-13%), as well as significant decreases in femoral Max. Load (about 18%) and flexural rigidity (about 30%). The best correlation (R2=0.55, p<0.0005) found was between SoS and femoral shaft bone mineral density (SBMD). The regression coefficient R2 increased when power-law fits were used, particularly from 0.34 (p<0.001) to 0.36 (p<0.0005) in the correlation between SoS and Max. Load and from 0.21 (p<0.05) to 0.25 (p<0.01) in the correlation between SBMD and Max. Load. The ability of QUS or DXA to accurately predict the actual mechanical characteristics of bone, and in particular bone elasticity, remained relatively poor and the improvement of the power-law model did not describe exhaustively the relationships between the variables tested. The DXA and QUS capability to discriminate between ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized rats did not improve when tested together.

Responses to Tilt test in young and elderly patients with syncope of unknown origin

The aim of the present study was to assess the cardiovascular autonomic function and responses to tilt test in young and elderly patients with syncope of unknown origin. We evaluated two groups of patients with previous unexplained syncope: 192 older subjects (112 males, 80 females, mean age 67.2 +/- 6.8 years) and 188 young subjects (102 males, 86 females, mean age 25 +/- 9 years). All patients underwent ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, to evaluate time domain indices of heart rate variability (HRV), and head-up tilt test in the morning after an overnight fast. The responses of positive tilt test were classified using the VAsovagal Syncope International Study (VASIS) criteria: mixed (VASIS-1), cardioinhibition (VASIS-2A), severe cardioinhibition/asystole (VASIS-2B), pure vasodepression (VASIS-3). All the time-domain HRV indexes were lower in the older than in young subjects. The rate of positive responses was not different in the two groups. In elderly group the positive head-up tilt test responses showed: a pure vasodepressive response (VASIS 3) in 126 patients (65%), a mixed (VASIS-1) response in 25 patients (13%), a cardioinhibitory (VASIS-2A) response in 13 patients (7%). Only 28 (14.6%) of elderly group patients had negative head-up tilt test response. In contrast, in young group the positive head-up tilt test responses showed: 114 patients (61.2%) a mixed (VASIS-1) vasovagal response, 40 patients (22.3%) a cardioinhibitory (VASIS-2A) response, four (2.1%) patients a severe cardioinhibitory (VASIS-2B) and four (2.1%) patients a pure vasodepression (VASIS-3) response, respectively. The tilt test was negative in response in 26 young patients (12.2%). Our results confirm that the head-up tilt test may be useful in assessing unexplained syncope, since it is seen to be positive in 85% of elderly patients and 86% in young patients. In our subjects, vasodepressive response was the most frequent cause of syncope in older subjects, while vasovagal response is the commonest cause of syncope of young patients. This different behaviour in the elderly may be is explained with physiological aging, which is associated with a reduction of sympathetic-parasympathetic control on the cardiac rhythm, demonstrated by reduction in all the time domain HRV indices.

New polymers for drug delivery systems in orthopaedics: in vivo biocompatibility evaluation

The use of biodegradable polymers for drug delivery systems excluded the need for a second operation to remove the carrier. However, the development of an avascular fibrous capsule, reducing drug release, has raised concern about these polymers in terms of tissue-implant reaction. Five novel polymers were evaluated in vivo after implantation in the rat dorsal subcutis and compared to the reference polycaprolactone (PCL). Poly(cyclohexyl-sebacate) (PCS), poly(L-lactide-b-1,5-dioxepan-2-one-b-L-lactide) (PLLA-PDXO-PLLA), two 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate copolymers (D400G and D600G), and a poly(organo)phosphazene (POS-PheOEt:Imidazole) specimens were histologically evaluated in terms of the inflammatory tissue thickness and vascular density at 4 and 12 weeks from surgery. The highest values of inflammatory tissue thickness were observed in D600G (P < 0.01), PCS (P < 0.001) and PLLA-PDXO-PLLA (P < 0.001) at 4 weeks, while POP-PheOEt:Imidazole showed the lowest value of inflammatory tissue thickness (P < 0.05) at 12 weeks. D400G, D600G, PLLA-PDXO-PPLA and POP-PheOEt:Imidazole showed higher (P < 0.001) values of vascular density near the implants in comparison to PCL at 4 weeks. Finally, D400G and D600G increased their vessel densities while POP-PheOEt:Imidazole and the synthetic polyester PLLA-PDXO-PLLA presented similar vessel density values during experimental times. These different behaviours to improve neoangiogenesis without severe inflammatory tissue-responses could be further investigated with drugs in order to obtain time-programmable drug delivery systems for musculoskeletal therapy.

Adsorption of cationic antibacterial on collagen-coated titanium implant devices

Two different cationic antimicrobial molecules, chlorhexidine (CH) and poly(hexamethylenebiguanide) (PH), were adsorbed from aqueous solution to titanium implant devices surface-modified by the covalent coupling of collagen on a polyanionic acrylic acid overlayer. Results show that more antimicrobial was adsorbed on surface modified implants as compared to control titanium devices. Moreover, the kinetic of release was affected by the interaction between the polyanionic overlayer and the cationic antimicrobial, leading to slower kinetic of release in the case of CH and stable adsorption in the case of polycationic PH . These data indicate that biochemically modified collagen coated surfaces could be endowed also by antimicrobial properties, in the spirit of present researches on multifunctional implant surfaces.

Plasma antioxidant activity and cutaneous microvascular endothelial function in athletes and sedentary controls

Aging is associated with endothelial dysfunction in both conduit arteries and peripheral microcirculation. Furthermore, aging is associated with an increased susceptibility to free radical mediated tissue damage. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between age, regular aerobic-endurance training, plasma antioxidant activity and microcirculatory skin blood flow in healthy individuals. Thirty-six male athletes (range: 22-74 years; VO2max 54.3 +/- 5.2 ml/kg/min) and 36 age-sex-matched sedentary controls (range: 20-75 years; VO2max 34.2 +/- 3.4 ml/kg/min) were studied. Each group was divided into a younger (<30 years) and an older (>60 years) subgroup. Hand and foot baseline and stimulated skin blood flow (SBF) was measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry. Plasma free radicals antioxidant capacity against both peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals was also evaluated as Total Oxyradical Scavenging Capacity (TOSC) units. Baseline SBFs were not significantly different between athletes and sedentary groups, while plasma TOSC values against peroxyl radicals (18.4 +/- 3.1 vs. 13.8.0 +/- 3.4 units/ml, P < 0.001) and hydroxyl radicals (8.7 +/- 2.5 vs 4.9 +/- 2.3 units/ml, P <0.001) was higher in athletes. Hand SBF after heating and ischemia and foot SBF after heating were higher in athletes (P <0.0001) than in the sedentary group. In the sedentary groups, the lowest tertile of age had higher plasma TOSC values than the highest tertile of age (ROO- 18.2 +/- 2.2 vs 8.8 +/- 1.4 units/ml; HO- 9.2 +/- 1.3 vs 3.7 +/- 0.5 units/ml, P < 0.001). Among athletes, the lowest and the highest tertile of age did not show significantly different plasma TOSC (young: ROO- 20.3 +/- 1.5 and HO-: 9.7 +/- 1.4 units/ml; older: ROO-: 17.1 +/- 1.3 and HO-: 9.0 +/- 0.8 units/ml, n.s.). Resting SBF was similar in all the subgroups; stimulated SBFs were lower in both subgroups of untrained respect to trained individuals (P <0.001). In the sedentary subjects, SBF was inversely related to age (r = -0.63; P <0.0001) and directly related to TOSC against peroxyl (r = 0.59, P <0.001) and hydroxyl radicals (r = 0.47, P <0.01). In athletes SBF was related only to VO2max (r = 0.36; P <0.05) and TOSC vs ROO. (r = 0.41, P <0.01). In conclusion, these results suggest that regular physical activity is associated with a better microvascular endothelial function in older athletes probably due to increased antioxidant defenses.

Restaging after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal adenocarcinoma: role of F18-FDG PET

Multimodality treatment of loco-regional advanced rectal cancer has demonstrated to improve local control and overall survival. Proctoscopy, digital rectal examination (DRE), computer tomography (CT), endorectal ultrasound (ERUS), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cannot correctly detect downstaging in rectal tumors after chemo radiation therapy (CRT). New imaging techniques, like 18F-FDG PET, may play some role in predicting the pathologic response to CRT before surgical resection. Aim of the present study was to further investigate the accuracy and predictive value of 18F-FDG PET in a large series of patients with rectal cancer treated with preoperative intensified CRT. Between January 2000 and December 2003, 81 patients with histologically proven adenocarcinoma in clinical stage II-III disease, according to criteria of TNM classification, were included in this study. All patients were submitted to diagnostic staging workup with DRE, proctoscopy with biopsy, ERUS, CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis or pelvic MRI plus liver ultrasonography, coloscopy or barium colonic enema. One month later the end of CRT all patients were submitted to diagnostic restaging work-up (DRW) and 18F-FDG PET. Surgery was performed 8-9 weeks after the end of CRT and pathologic stage was defined. Moreover a pathologic assessment of tumor regression was made with tumor regression grade score (TRG). PET correctly identified 22/28 (79% specificity) patients with complete pathologic response (pCR). However, sensitivity was 45% (24/53) while PPV, and NPV were equal to 77 and 43%, respectively. Total PET accuracy rate was 56%. PET sensitivity increased from 45 to 56% if the end-point was pCR, or TRG score, respectively. The best correlation was found between PET findings and pathologic stage (P <0.01) or TRG score (P <0.01). The accurate identification of rectal cancer patients with major pathological response after preoperative CRT further supports the necessity of designing prospective studies with new and more accurate was imaging technologies with the main object of offering conservative treatment in responder patients.

Oral low-dose cyclophosphamide in metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer (MHRPC)

The chemotherapeutic approach to hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer (MHRPC) for a long time included only estramustine. Then, attempts have been made with other various agents as cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, etoposide, taxanes and carboplatinum. Although the new drugs and combinations have increased the response rate of MHRPC, they have had no impact on the natural history of MHRPC, which is about 1 year as median time of survival. After an occasional observation of prolonged response in a patient with MHRPC treated with a very well tolerated oral low-dose of cyclophosphamide, from February 1996 to October 2002, seven more patients with MHRPC and progressive disease were consecutively recruited. Response to treatment was evaluated by conventional radiological procedures and/or serial serum PSA measurements. The decline of PSA value was considered to assess the response consistent with the response guidelines from the prostate specific antigen-working group. All eight studied patients continuously received oral low dose cyclophosphamide until progression or the occurrence of significant toxicity. So far three patients (37.5%) progressed (PD), two (25%) showed PR and the three remaining SD. Response rate was 25%, and clinical benefit occurred in 62.5% of the studied patients. In the five patients with clinical benefit on cyclophosphamide median duration of clinical benefit, PR and SD were 9, 24+ and 8 months, respectively. In these five patients median overall survival times from cyclophosphamide and from the first regimen of chemotherapy were 17 and 33+ months respectively, while in the three patients with PD they were 4 and 13 months. The same interval times in patients with > or =50% decline of serum PSA were 29 and 50.5 months, while in those with <50% decline of the same marker, they were 13 and 32 months, respectively. Grade 2 or 3 neutropenia were observed in all the studied patients. In four (50%) of them pulmonary and urinary infections that were easily cured by the common antibiotics occurred. These data suggest that the metronomic use of cyclophosphamide, given alone, has similar or higher activity with lower toxicity than when administered with other active drugs. So it can be an useful option before or after the use of other single or combined potentially active chemotherapeutic agents.

Left ventricular diastolic function and carotid artery wall in elderly athletes and sedentary controls

Advancing age is characterized by structural and functional change of left ventricle (LV) and large elastic arteries. Recent advances in tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and integrated backscatter (IBS), new ultrasound tools, have allowed non-invasive assessment of structural and functional characterization of myocardium and artery wall. Our aim was to compare LV diastolic function and carotid artery remodeling in elderly athletes and sedentary controls. Twenty-five elderly athletes (males, aged 68.6 +/- 4.2 years) were compared to 25 age-sex-matched sedentary controls. All the subjects underwent either conventional Doppler echocardiography with pulsed TDI to evaluate LV diastolic function, and conventional ultrasonography and integrated backscatter (IBS) analysis to evaluate the carotid wall. Corrected IBS values (C-IBS) were obtained by subtracting the IBS value of the adventitia. Body mass index and blood pressure were not different in the two groups; athletes showed lower heart rate (P < 0.0001) and, as expected, higher LV mass than sedentary subjects (P < 0.0001). Transmitral Doppler analysis showed in trained subjects a significantly lower peak A and a higher E/A ratio (P < 0.001). On regards to TDI measurements, athletes exhibited a higher Em, a lower Am, and, subsequently, an increased Em/Am ratio of both lateral wall and septum (P < 0.0001). The IVRTm was shorter in trained subjects (P < 0.001). Athletes showed a lower C-IBS (-26.8 +/- 2.9 vs. -23.4 +/- 3.8 dB, P < 0.001) and a smaller intima-media thickness (IMT: 0.66 +/- 0.14 vs. 0.80 +/- 0.18 mm, P < 0.001) respect to sedentary controls. Moreover, a significant direct correlation was found between Em/Am of LV septal and lateral wall and C-IBS values (respectively, r = 0.62 and r = 0.56, P < 0.001). Thus the aging heart manifests structural and functional changes in response to physical activity. The expected pattern of cardiac and arterial alterations normally seen in response to age is modified in the older athletes, suggesting the exercise training is an effective stimulus in shaping arterial structure and left ventricular function in older heart. It would appear that pulsed TDI and IBS analysis may play an important role in detecting training-induced LV and carotid artery structural and functional modifications.

Serum tumor markers in the management of ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer

CA 125 is the most reliable serum marker for ovarian carcinoma. Whereas its role in the screening of the malignancy is controversial, serum CA 125 assay is very useful for both the differential diagnosis of ovarian masses, particularly in postmenopause, and the monitoring of the response to chemotherapy and follow-up of patients with histologically proven ovarian carcinoma. Tumor-associated antigens other than CA 125, such as CA 19.9, CA 15.3 and TAG.72, firstly identified in gastro-intestinal or breast malignancies, have been detected also in tissue and serum samples from patients with ovarian carcinoma. In particular CA19.9 offers the advantage of high sensitivity for mucinous histotype, which often fails to express CA 125. Serum CA 125 correlates with the clinical course of disease better than the other antigens, and in patients with positive CA 125 assay at diagnosis the concomitant evaluation of CA 19.9 or CA 72.4 or CA 15.3 does not offer any additional benefit for monitoring ovarian carcinoma. Conversely, the serial measurements of these other antigens may represent an interesting biochemical tool for the management of patients with negative CA 125 assay. Serum alphaFP and betaHCG are very useful in the preoperative evaluation and management of nondysgerminomatous ovarian germ cell tumors, whereas elevated serum inhibin levels can be detected in patients with granulosa cell tumors of the ovary. As for endometrial carcinoma, preoperative serum CA 125 levels correlate with stage, depth of myometrial invasion, histologic grade, cervical invasion, peritoneal cytology, lymph node status and clinical outcome. Moreover, serial CA 125 assay is a good indicator of disease activity and a useful biochemical tool for post-treatment surveillance of patients with endometrial carcinoma. SCC is the most reliable serum marker for squamous cell cervical carcinoma, and in patients with this malignancy pretreatment SCC levels are related to tumor stage, tumor size, depth of cervical invasion, lymph-vascular space involvement, lymph node status and clinical outcome. Serial SCC measurements parallel the response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy as well as the clinical course of disease after the completion of treatment. Serum CYFRA 21.1 seems to be less sensitive than serum SCC for squamous cell cervical carcinoma. Elevated CA 125 levels can be often detected in patients with cervical adenocarcinoma. The future for tumor marker research is represented by the emerging technologies of transcriptional profiling and proteomics.

Large needle aspiration biopsy results of palpable thyroid nodules diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration as a microfollicular nodule with atypical cells or suspected cancer

Among 1875 patients with palpable thyroid nodules examined with FNA cytology and LNAB histology, 132 with a preoperative FNA diagnosis of microfollicular nodule with atypical cells (n = 50) or suspected cancer (n = 82) were operated on. The 50 nodules showed the following preoperative LNAB finding: inadequate (8), benign (15), microfollicular (20), microfollicular with atypical cells (5), suspected cancer (2). The postoperative cancer incidence in the nodules with the benign LNAB diagnosis was 0% while it was 10%, 60% (P = 0.008), 100% (P = 0.007) in the other three LNAB diagnostic categories. The 82 nodules showed the following preoperative LNAB finding: inadequate (21), benign (21), microfollicular (15), microfollicular with atypical cells (15), suspected cancer (10). The postoperative incidence of cancer in the 21 (14%) and 10 (80%) nodules diagnosed by LNAB as benign nodule or suspected cancer, respectively, was significantly different (P = 0.0007). These data suggest that LNAB can be used for the preoperative selection of the palpable thyroid nodules diagnosed by FNA as a microfollicular nodule with atypical cells or suspected cancer.

Cytokine secretion in nasal mucus of normal subjects and patients with allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is regulated by the local production and release of several cytokines. The levels of Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and the Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma were studied in nasal mucus from 30 subjects with allergic rhinitis and 45 non-atopic healthy controls. In this study a sampling technique for collecting nasal mucus, well tolerated by the subjects and with a minimal stimulation of the mucosa, was performed. The cytokine concentrations in nasal mucus samples were detected and quantitated by a new paramagnetic particle-based immunofluorescent assay system more sensitive than the conventional ELISA techniques. The new technique showed reliable values of the measured parameters. The nasal mucus from allergic patients contained significantly higher concentrations of IL-4 (25.5 +/- 3.6 pg/ml; P < 0.001) and IL-10 (1300 +/- 190 pg/ml; P < 0.05) compared to the nasal mucus from control subjects (15.2 +/- 2.3 and 532 +/- 28 pg/ml, respectively, for IL-4 and IL-10). No significant modification in IFN-gamma levels of allergic patients was found when compared to control group (respectively, 19.9 +/- 3.3 vs. 25.7 +/- 5.1 pg/ml; P > 0.05). Moreover, the allergic patients showed lower levels of IL-6 concentrations in the nasal mucus compared to control subjects (64.8 +/- 9.1 vs. 129.0 +/- 18.1 pg/ml; P = 0.0099). These data can be interpreted by the hypothesis that in response to environmental allergens there is a preferential Th2 polarity by activated CD4+ T cells and that the cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 have, respectively, an important anti-inflammatory and counterregulatory action in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.

Utility of a serum tumour marker panel in the post-operative follow-up of breast cancer patients with equivocal conventional radiological examinations

OBJECTIVE

To assess the value of the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and breast cancer-associated antigen CA15.3 (CEA-TPA-CA15.3) tumour marker panel in selecting from a group of patients with equivocal bone scintigraphy, chest X-ray or liver echography, those with skeletal, thoracic or liver metastases. Clinical data of 427 breast cancer patients submitted to an intensive follow-up after mastectomy between January 1986 and December 2000 were retrospectively reviewed.

METHODS

Among the 427 patients operated on for breast cancer, 221 patients with a total of 332 equivocal instrumental examinations (bone scintigraphy, n = 286; chest X-ray, n = 29; liver echography, n = 17) were reviewed. All 221 patients were followed up clinically, biochemically and instrumentally until there was a clear definition of their condition, metastatic or not, for an average time of 35 months. Positive and negative predictive values of the tumour marker panel in patients with equivocal bone scintigraphy, chest X-ray and liver echography were evaluated; concomitant clinical symptoms were also taken into consideration.

RESULTS

Among the 221 patients with equivocal bone scintigraphy, chest X-ray and liver echography, tumour markers showed a positive predictive value of 69, 93 and 83% and a negative predictive value of 98, 86 and 91%, respectively, for the indication of the metastatic or benign origin of the equivocal instrumental imaging. Clinical symptoms were not helpful in predicting metastatic disease (sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 60, 53 and 54%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that a short monitoring with the CEA-TPA-CA15.3 tumour marker panel is an important tool to confirm or exclude metastatic disease in those patients who are suspected to have metastases following common instrumental investigations, and it is particularly important to avoid false positive diagnoses.

Histomorphometric bone modifications induced by growth hormone treatment in a rabbit model of short bowel syndrome

The effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on cancellous and cortical bone were investigated in an experimental rabbit model of short bowel syndrome (SBS). Eighteen young male New Zealand rabbits, 2.0 +/- 0.2 kg b.w., were divided into three groups: an SBS Group submitted to a 70% midjejunoileal enterectomy and reanastomosis; an SBS-GH Group undergoing the same surgery and receiving 0.4 mg/kg/day rhGH for 28 days; a Control Group which was sham-operated. Thirty-five days after surgery, all the animals were pharmacologically euthanised and their femurs and L5 vertebrae were used for densitometric and histomorphometric studies. Vertebral and femoral densitometric results showed that the SBS Group presented significantly (P<0.01) lower values (10-25%) than the Control and SBS-GH Groups. Significant differences in the cancellous histomorphometric parameters, namely the trabecular bone area (-7% to 46%), trabecular thickness (-21% to 34%) and trabecular separation (17-32%), were observed between the SBS Group and the other groups. Both the SBS and SBS-GH Groups showed significantly (P<0.05) higher values than the Control Group in terms of cross-sectional area (approximately 24%), cortical area (approximately 20%), and periosteal perimeter (approximately 9%), while medullary area (41%) and endocortical perimeter (18%) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in SBS Group than those of Control Group. The current findings are encouraging and suggest that GH administration in SBS animal model used may improve skeletal tissue remodelling.