Tissue polypeptide specific antigen and squamous cell carcinoma antigen for early prediction of recurrence in lung squamous cell carcinoma

Synergistic increase of oxidative stress and tumor markers in PAH-exposed workers

In this study, we investigated oxidative stress and tumor marker levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 136 coke oven workers and in 60 control subjects, and evaluated the correlation between oxidative stress and tumor marker levels. Questionnaires on basic demographic information were also administered. Significant differences in employment time and percentages of alcohol drinkers were observed between the control and exposed groups. PAH exposure was assessed using urinary 1-hydroxy-pyrene (1-OHP) levels and was found to be significantly higher in workers than in the controls. Significant differences (P<0.001) of MDA, GST, LDH, NSE, Cyfra21-1, and of SCC and TNF-a (P<0.0001 and P<0.05, P<0.001, respectively) levels were observed among controls and coke-oven workers, except for bottom coke oven workers. Associations between age and risk of increased TNF-a, smoking and increased GST activities, and drinking with increased MDA concentrations, were marginal (P=0.055, P=0.048, P=0.057, respectively). The association between smoking with MDA (P=0.004), NSE (P=0.005), SCC (P=0.004) and TNF-a (P<0.001), and drinking with TNF-a levels was significant (P=0.012). In addition, a significant positive correlation between oxidative stress and tumor markers was found in the present study. These results suggest that a synergistic increase of oxidative stress and tumor markers induced by PAHs may play a role in toxic responses for PAHs in coke oven workers.

A reusable localized surface plasmon resonance biosensor for quantitative detection of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen in cervical cancer patients based on silver nanoparticles array

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCa), as a tumor biomarker, plays an important role in adjuvant diagnosis, treatment evaluation, and prognosis prediction for cervical cancer patients. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) technique based on noble metal nanoparticles bypasses the disadvantages of traditional testing strategies, in terms of free-labeling, short assay time, good sensitivity, and selectivity. Herein, we develop a novel and reusable LSPR biosensor for the detection of SCCa. First, a triangle-shaped silver nanoparticle array was fabricated using the nanosphere lithography method. Next, we investigated and verified the feasibility of amino coupling method using 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) to form a functionalized chip surface with monoclonal anti-SCCa antibodies on the silver nanoparticles for distinct detection of SCCa. Different concentrations of SCCa were successfully tested in both buffer and human serum by the ultrasensitive and specific LSPR system, with a linear quantitative detection range of 0.1–1,000 pM under optimal conditions. With appropriate regeneration solution, for example 50 mM glycine-HCl (pH 2.0), the LSPR biosensor featured effective fabrication reproducibility, which reduced both production cost and testing time. Our study represents the first application of the LSPR biosensor in cervical cancer, and demonstrates that the rapid, simple, and reusable nanochip can serve as a potential alternative for clinical serological diagnosis of SCCa in cervical cancer patients.

Recommendations For Clinical Use Of Tumor Markers In Lung Cancer

Kancer pluća predstavlja jedan od najozbiljnijih problema moderne onkologije. Uprkos kontinuiranom napretku u dijagnostičkim metodama, kod 50-70% pacijenata s kancerom pluća, bolest se dijagnostikuje u uznapredovalom stadijumu, isključujuci na taj način mogućnost radikalne terapije. Određivanje tumorskih markera kod kancera pluća može biti od pomoći u postavljanju dijagnoze, praćenju pacijenta i terapije, a takođe može da pruži dodatne informacije u prognostičke svrhe. U daljem tekstu opisani su odgovarajući serumski markeri kod dve glavne forme tumora pluća-mikrocelularnog i nemikrocelularnog (SCLC i NSCLC), kao i abnormalne supstance identifikovane u tumorima pluća ili njihovim metastazama, kao što su molekularni markeri, markeri prognoze u primeni neoadjuvantne ili adjuvantne terapije i mikrometastazama koštane srži ili limfnom čvoru.

Cytokeratin Markers Come of Age

Cytokeratins have been extensively used as serum tumour markers for monitoring of disease progression in cancer patients. The source of cytokeratins in the circulation as well as the mechanisms of release from cells have long been unclear. Recent evidence suggests that cytokeratins present in the circulation of cancer patients are released from apoptotic or necrotic tumour cells. CK18 is cleaved by caspases during apoptosis and a monoclonal antibody (M30) specific to caspase-cleaved forms is available. The molecular form of CK18 released from cells (caspase-cleaved or not) can conveniently be determined by immunoassays (M30-Apoptosense and M65 ELISA assays; Peviva AB, Bromma, Sweden) to determine cell death mode--apoptosis or necrosis. Recent studies where these assays were used to evaluate the response to cytotoxic anticancer drugs using cancer patient serum have been encouraging. CK18 is attracting considerable interest as a response biomarker during clinical trials of anticancer drugs. Properties such as excellent antigen stability and the epithelial specificity of cytokeratins contribute to make this biomarker attractive.

Serum proteomics study of the squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 in tongue cancer

The identification of serum biomarkers as a means of the early diagnosis and finding possible therapeutic targets in cancers is of increasing interest. In the present study, cells of human tongue cancer cell line Tca8113 were subcutaneously inoculated into nude mice, while control nude mice were injected with phosphate-buffered saline. Two weeks after injection, serum from mice was collected for proteomic analysis using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS). Comparing the serum 2-DE maps from the tumor-bearing mice with those produced from control mice, we found that squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 was over-expressed only in tumor-bearing mice. Squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 was also up-regulated in clinical tongue cancer patients by RT-PCR and Western-blotting. These results indicate that squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 may be of great potential as the biomarker of tongue cancer and as the potential therapeutic target for gene therapy.

Tumor M2-pyruvate kinase in the follow-up of inoperable lung cancer patients: a pilot study

Tumor markers were used for disease monitoring in lung cancer patients. The goal of this pilot study was to determine the diagnostic efficiency of a new tumor metabolic marker, Tumor M2-pyruvate kinase (Tumor M2-PK) for the detection of tumor growth in inoperable lung cancer patients.Fifty-seven consecutive and primary inoperable lung cancer patients were included in this prospective study. Changes in plasma levels of Tumor M2-PK were compared to the clinical course of the disease. Clinical monitoring was evaluated according to the standard criteria of the WHO. Of the 57 patients, 19 were in remission, 18 showed signs of stable disease and there were 20 tumor progressions under therapy. In the further follow-up after treatment, tumor relapse occurred in 30 patients. Tumor M2-PK was measured in plasma before and after treatment as well as at time of relapse. During tumor remission Tumor M2-PK levels decreased significantly under treatment (P=0.0004). As might be expected, pre- and post-treatment marker concentrations did not differ significantly in patients with stable disease. In progressive lung cancer patients a significant increase in Tumor M2-PK was detectable (P=0.0094). Overall, a decrease of Tumor M2-PK was seen in 17 (89%) of all responders, while an increase could be detected in 16 (80%) of the patients experiencing tumor progression. After treatment tumor relapse occurred in 30 patients. Tumor M2-PK increased significantly (P=0.0201) at time of relapse in 17 patients with non-small cell lung cancers and exceeded the cut-off in 11 of the 17 (65%). In conclusion, Tumor M2-PK proved useful as a diagnostic aid for therapy control in lung cancer patients. This marker can also be used to detect tumor relapse after treatment. Tumor M2-PK could be well suited to complete the present diagnostic panel for monitoring of inoperable lung cancer patients.

[Study of the cytosolic concentrations of the tissue poly-peptide specific (TPS) antigen in infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast. Positive relationship with hormone dependency and negative with cellular proliferation]

INTRODUCTION

The tissue-specific polypeptide antigen (TPS) is an epitope of the tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) which is defined by the M3 monoclonal antibody and is related to cytokeratin 18. Several groups have demonstrated its value as a useful parameter in the follow-up of some tumors. This work has aimed to study the TPS cytosolic levels in infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast (IDC) and their possible correlations with other clinical-biological parameters.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The TPS was determined by means of an immunoradiometric assay (Beki Diagnostics. Sweden). Other parameters included in the study were the estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), pS2, cathepsin D, tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), tumor size, axillary lymph node involvement, distant metastases, histological grade, ploidy and S-phase.

RESULTS

The TPS cytosolic levels ranged from 1.8 to 606.3 KU/mg prt. (median 110.2) and had a significant correlation with the ER (r: 0.721), PR (r: 0.287), cathepsin D (r: 0.550) and t-PA (r:0.436). The TPS positive (> 110.2 KU/mg prt.) carcinomas had higher levels of ER (p: 0.001), PR (p: 0.021), pS2 (p: 0.058), cathepsin D (p: 0.000) and t-PA (p: 0.053) than the TPS negative tumors. When the IDC were classified according to S-phase values, we observed that the positive cases (S-phase > 8.1%, which represents the median value of all carcinomas) had lower levels of TPS (p: 0.046) than the negative tumors. Likewise, the GoG1 cellular fraction correlated positively and significantly with the TPS cytosolic levels (p: 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on our results, we suggest that there is a positive correlation between the TPS cytosolic levels and hormone-dependence parameters, as well as an inverse correlation between these and the cellular proliferation parameters. Based on the above, we consider that it is worthwhile to carry out further studies on cytosolic TPS in order to investigate its possible value as a prognostic parameter in breast carcinomas.