Comparison of hormone receptor status in primary and recurrent breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Systematic treatments such as hormone and chemotherapy are selected according to tumor characteristic after major therapeutic approaches such as surgery. This study attempted to analyze and compare the status of Estrogen Receptor (ER) and Progesterone Receptor (PR) in primary and recurrent sites of breast cancer in patients.

METHODS

We reviewed all medical records of breast cancer women who were treated between January 1995 and December 2008. One hundred eighty two out of 2241 patients (8.12%) had a metastatic breast cancer. Amongst them 48 patients had tumor and biopsy-driven samples, however 13 samples were destroyed and only 35 samples were investigated in this study, therefore 35 malignant biopsy specimens of breast cancer patients were examined by immunohistochemistry essay for ER and PR. Binominal proportional test and Chi square test were conducted to determine the significant correlation between positive cases of hormone receptors among primary and metastases sites.

RESULTS

Hormone Receptor in the primary tumor (HR1) of 9 patients (25.7%) was positive (ER1 and/or PR1) and in the recurrent areas (HR2) of 8 patients (22.9%) was positive (either ER2 or PR2 positive). Kappa coefficients of diagnostic agreement in primary and recurrent cases were 0.077 and 0.125 for estrogen and progesterone, respectively which indicated that the amount of coefficient of agreement is not considerable between primary and recurrent sites.

CONCLUSION

The current study indicated that receptor status in recurrent tumors did not pose predictable value based on the analysis of hormone receptors in primary stage, so it is not an appropriate basis to set up therapeutic protocol in the metastatic patients. Therefore, tissue sampling and hormone receptor re-analyzing of metastatic sites should be considered in these cases.

Effect of thymoquinone on ethylene glycol-induced kidney calculi in rats

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of thymoquinone, a major component of Nigella Sativa seeds on ethylene glycol-induced kidney calculi in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (intact control, ethylene glycol control, and 4 experimental groups) and treated for 28 days according to the protocol of the study. The rats in experimental groups received ethylene glycol and intraperitoneal injection of thymoquinone either from the first day of the study or the 15th day, with either doses of 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg. Blood and 24-hour urine samples were collected at baseline and on day 28. Urine oxalate and citrate and serum electrolytes were also measured. On day 29, all rats were decapitated and their kidney specimens were studied.

RESULTS

On day 28, urine oxalate concentration significantly decreased in the experimental groups compared to the ethylene glycol group (P < .001). Also, serum calcium levels were significantly higher in the experimental groups (P = .001). Calcium oxalate deposits were smaller in the experimental groups than the ethylene glycol group. The mean number of deposits was lower in these groups, too (P < .001). Treatment with the lower dose of thymoquinone was associated with fewer deposits.

CONCLUSION

Thymoquinone significantly decreased the number and size of calcium oxalate deposits in the renal tubules. The dose and duration of treatment, however, does not have a linear relation with the outcomes. Further studies on thymoquinone as a preventive and therapeutic drug for kidney calculi are suggested.

Effect of Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+ on horseradish peroxidase: activation, inhibition, and denaturation studies

The effects of transition metal ions (M2+) such as Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+ on the functional and structural stabilities of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were investigated with respect to reversible chemical denaturation, Michaelis-Menten kinetics, chemical modification and time-dependent catalytic activity. Conformational Gibbs free energy (deltaGo(H2O)) as a structural stability criterion and transition concentrations of metal ions ([M2+] 1/2) were estimated using a two-state chemical denaturation model. Activation and inhibitory concentration ranges for each metal ion were specified by the steady-state enzyme kinetics. Results of a pH-profile method confirmed by chemical modification indicate that a histidine residue interacts in the activation concentration range, whereas carboxylic residues (Asp and Glu) contribute to interaction in the inhibitory concentration range. Incubation of the enzyme with the metal ion at activation concentration leads to long-term functional stability of peroxidase. Thus, such metal ions as potent effectors induced the enhancement of conformational and functional stabilities of horseradish peroxidase.