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M Gion

Publications and source records attributed to M Gion.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Tissue polypeptide antigen in breast cancer cytosol: a new effective prognostic indicator.

Since 1982 we have been evaluating oestrogen and progesterone receptors (PgR), cathepsin D and the cytosolic levels of the tumour marker, tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA), in 257 patients radically resected for breast cancer (follow-up 24-81 months). TPA was measured by an immunoradiometric assay previously validated for cytosol. No significant associations were found between cytosolic TPA and age, tumour size, lymph-node status, receptor status and cathepsin D. TPA+ cases showed a significantly longer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than TPA-patients (log-rank P < 0.0001). The prognostic value of cytosolic TPA was also demonstrated after stratification by nodal status, PgR and cathepsin D. The prognostic value of TPA was independent of the other prognostic indicators, being the most powerful among the evaluated indices (Cox multivariate analysis: chi 2 15.5 for DFS, 11.4 for OS). We conclude that cytosolic TPA is a powerful additional prognostic factor in primary breast cancer. Its prognostic role should therefore be extensively evaluated.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1992

Relationship between prostatic acid phosphatase and prostate-specific antigen serum levels and prostatic volume in benign prostate hyperplasia. Pitfall on tumor markers assessment in primary prostatic cancer?

Serum levels of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were measured in 78 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and compared with both the gland weight and the glandular component of prostatic tissue. Both PAP and PSA were significantly higher where prostate was heavier; however, we could not find a consistent factor which could correlate weight increase to marker levels. PSA tended to be higher when glandular component was more expressed. From the present findings we conclude that in patients with prostate cancer, PAP and PSA serum levels should be investigated considering also the benign components of prostate gland.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1991

Comparison between single saturating dose ligand binding assay and enzyme immunoassay for low-salt extractable oestrogen and progesterone receptors in breast cancer: a multicentre study.

An excellent correlation between ligand binding assay (LBA) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for both oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors has been reported. Nevertheless, considering that the clinical value of any discrepancy between LBA and EIA probably varies with the receptor level, we undertook a collaborative study in which a single saturating dose (SSD) LBA and EIA were compared in different ER and PR dose ranges. The values of ER measured by EIA were higher in tumours with low or intermediate receptor content, causing a misclassification of ER status in 9% of cases (ER+: 77.5%, EIA, 68.8% SSD). In the case of ER, EIA values tended to be higher than SSD in all centres. For PR, EIA and SSD were generally more comparable (PR+: 66.0% EIA, 72.0% SSD, discordance rate 6%), with EIA showing, however, different trends in different centres. PR concentration was not significantly different in ER SSD-/EIA+ and in ER SSD+/EIA+ cases, suggesting that EIA detects at least in part integer ER. We conclude that although EIA may be a reliable methodological alternative to SSD, the two methods are not interchangeable until effective cut-off levels for clinical decisions are assessed for EIA.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Epidermal growth factor receptor in lung malignancies. Comparison between cancer and normal tissue.

Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFr) were measured using a radioligand binding assay, in membrane preparations from 51 human non-small cell lung cancers and in normal tissue of the same patients. The binding characteristics of EGFr were similar in tumour and normal lung membranes (range of dissociation constant of high affinity sites: 0.1-0.6 nM). However, the concentrations in tumours (median, 16.4 fmol mg-1 of protein; range, 1.5-176) were significantly higher than in normal tissues (median, 7.4 fmol mg-1 of protein; range, 1.9-13.4). The receptor levels in normal tissue were normally distributed. It was therefore possible to define a normal/pathologic cut-off level (12.9 fmol mg-1 of protein). In 57% of cases EGFr in cancer was higher than the cut-off. No relationships were found between receptor concentrations and positivity rates of EGFr and histology, stage, lymph node positivity and pT. A trend for a direct relation between receptor positivity and grading was found.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) in primary esophageal carcinoma.

Esophageal carcinoma has a catastrophic clinical course with a very low 5 year survival rate of 5%. A circulating tumor marker with good specificity and sensitivity would be useful in the management strategy of the disease. So far, no tumor marker effective in esophageal carcinoma has been identified. Preliminary reports suggest satisfactory positivity rates of tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) in esophageal carcinoma. We measured TATI levels in 71 patients with primary squamous cell esophageal carcinoma as well as in 30 tissue samples from both carcinoma and normal esophageal mucosa. Detectable TATI levels were not found in tumor tissue samples. The marker showed significantly higher serum levels in patients than in controls, with an overall positivity rate of 28%. TATI levels were significantly lower in patients with a high number of tumor-positive lymph nodes. No relationship was found between TATI and several other clinical and pathological parameters. High TATI levels correlated with a lower probability of overall survival as well as in cases without clinical evidence of lymph node metastases. TATI did not show any relationship with CEA, TPA, ferritin or SCC. The results of the present study suggest that TATI shows a satisfactory positivity rate in esophageal carcinoma, and TATI levels are related to local disease spread and prognosis.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed1990

Tissue polypeptide antigen in tumor cytosol: a new prognostic indicator in primary breast cancer.

The assessment of the risk of relapse is a critical need in the management strategy of breast cancer patients. To date, the most reliable prognostic factor is axillary nodal status. Several other pathological and biological parameters are currently under evaluation. Since 1982 we have been studying the prognostic role of several tumor markers in breast cancer cytosol. Elevated cytosol concentrations of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) have been found to have a highly significant direct correlation with both prolonged relapse-free interval (RFI) and higher survival rate. The information provided by cytosol TPA was independent of both axillary nodal status and steroid receptor content. In patients with a low risk of relapse (no axillary metastases, estrogen and progesterone receptor positive), cytosol TPA was still a significant prognostic indicator.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Aldosterone regulation in primary aldosteronism: differences between adenoma and bilateral hyperplasia.

1. The diurnal patterns of plasma aldosterone, plasma renin activity (PRA), cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in the supine and in the upright position have been studied in fourteen patients with primary aldosteronism, five with adenoma and nine with bilateral hyperplasia. Blood samples were drawn at intervals from 6 h to 30 min. 2. Supine patients with an adenoma showed marked diurnal variations of aldosterone, with maximal values at 08.00 hours and minimal values of 18.00 hours and secretory spurts beginning after 02.00 hours. Plasma cortisol paralleled aldosterone, and ACTH seemed to anticipate aldosterone and cortisol variations; PRA remained unchanged. In patients with hyperplasia, aldosterone was significantly lower than in the adenoma group at 08.00 hours, and its decline during the day was less marked; fluctuations rather than secretory episodes were seen. 3. After patients assumed the upright posture, aldosterone remained unchanged or decreased in patients with adenoma, whereas it significantly increased in hyperplasia; PRA remained low, although a slight increment was seen in the latter group. The different response of aldosterone in the two groups was not modified by the administration of propranolol, apparently excluding a renin-dependent mechanism. On the other hand, dexamethasone seemed to affect the response of aldosterone to the upright posture in both groups; in adenoma there was a slight but significant increase, and in hyperplasia the usual rise was partially suppressed. 4. It is concluded that ACTH has a predominant role in regulating aldosterone secretion in primary aldosteronism due to adenoma, whereas its action in bilateral hyperplasia is only permissive.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1976

[Effect of diazoxide on blood pressure, PRA and plasma aldosterone in hypertensive patients (author's transl)].

Intravenous diazoxide (300 mg) was administered to 29 hypertensive patients previously classified in subgroups according to their plasma renin and urinary aldosterone levels. The blood pressure was measured before and periodically after injection and plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone before and after 2 hours. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell notably from 193/118 to 155 93 mmHg; whereas PRA increased from 7.51 to 13.21 ng/ml/3 hrs and plasma aldosterone did not change significantly (71.3 and 102.8 ng%). Examining the individual sub-groups, a significant decrease in blood pressure was observed in 15 patients with low, posture unresponsive PRA, both in subjects with normal urinary aldosterone and those with surgically proven primary aldosteronism. In the former only the mean PRA showed a slight but sigificant increase, while in the latter the changes for both PRA and aldosterone were not significant. In the subgroups of patients with normal renin and urinary aldosterone the arterial pressure also significantly and promptly decreased. However, in this group the mean PRA substantially increased whereas the plasma aldosterone levels remained constant. The same blood pressure decline was observed in those patients with high PRA and aldosterone, including 1 case of pheocromocytoma. The mean PRA showed a further modest increase while the plasma aldosterone did not change significantly. These results indicate that the antihypertensive action of diazoxide is similar in the different types of hypertension (volume, vasoconstrictor or mixed form according to Laragh's classification), being independent of the basal plasma renin and aldosterone levels. Furthermore, the response of the blood pressure to diazoxide is not related in any way to the induced changes in PRA and plasma aldosterone values.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of a radioreceptor assay to assess exogenous estrogen activity in serum of patients with breast cancer.

A radioreceptor assay (RRA) for the determination of total estrogen activity, was set up and used to assess the possible presence of exogenous molecules with estrogen activity in serum; a comparison was made with the specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the endogenous estrogen 17-B estradiol (17-B-E2). The assay was first performed on sera from healthy people taking estrogens in the form of oral contraceptives or lotions for local application whose total estrogenic activity in the blood was assumed to be abnormal. The assay was then performed on serum from 98 patients with early breast cancer and 20 patients with metastasis, not undergoing hormone therapy. A higher estrogen activity was found in 2.5% of sera compared to the activity found using the RIA method which is specific for endogenous estrogen 17-B-E2, the RRA/17-B-E2 ratio being higher than 3. Increased estrogen activity was found in 10% serum samples from digoxin treated cardiopathic patients, with an RRA/17-B-E2 ratio ranging from 4.4 to 20. The RRA assay could prove useful for showing up exogenous estrogen activity from various sources (drugs, food) in sera of people in whom estrogen stimulation could be potentially dangerous (i.e. in patients with hormone-sensitive tumors). This exogenous activity could support a certain degree of neoplastic stimulation and, therefore, unfavourably condition the patients' therapeutic response.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

TAF test in primary esophageal carcinoma: comparison with other tumor markers.

An ELISA method for the determination of circulating specific HSV-TAA antibodies has recently become available (TAF test). The presence of TAF was tested in serum of 154 patients with primary esophageal carcinoma, collected in three institutions. The overall TAF-test positivity rate was 57.1%, being significantly lower in stage IV than in stage III patients. The concordance rate between TAF and CEA, ferritin, TPA, SCC and TATI was low, suggesting that TAF is probably independent of the other tumor markers evaluated. The clinical role of TAF-test determination in patients with esophageal carcinoma is currently under evaluation.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cost/effectiveness ratio of carcinoembryonic antigen--importance of adequacy of routine requests of tumor markers.

Since 1987 we have been evaluating the cost/effectiveness ratio of tumor markers using carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a leading indicator. Preliminary to the evaluation of cost/effectiveness ratio we verified the fitness of CEA requests to the proper clinical problems in order to identify any bias of cost due to inadequate CEA use. 2677 CEA orders were evaluated in 1987. The percentage of inadequate requests was very high (43%). Therefore, it seemed not advisable to carry out the evaluation of cost/effectiveness ratio, while educational actions (divulgation of informative material, service of telephone consultation) were addressed to the physicians of the geographic area of laboratory users. In 1991 the adequacy of CEA requests was reevaluated. The percentage of inadequate requests on 2647 orders was 29.4%. This result, although not yet satisfactory, suggests that proper educational programs may probably improve the fitness of tumor marker requests to correct clinical problems. Additional educational actions are mandatory to further reduce the rate of inadequate tumor marker orders.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immunoenzymatic assay of erbB2 protein in cancer and non-malignant breast tissue. Relationships with clinical and biochemical parameters.

The erbB2-encoded protein p185 was determined in 130 breast cancer specimens and in 29 non-malignant breast tissues using a recently available ELISA method. The assay showed good characteristics of precision and accuracy. In the non-malignant tissue p185 concentrations were normally distributed and directly correlated with estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR). In cancer tissue p185 showed higher concentrations than in non-malignant tissue. No relationships were found between p185 and the main clinical and pathological parameters, except that a direct association with nuclear grade was found. We have categorized the breast cancer samples according to p185 concentrations as p185-negative (concentrations lower than the higher non-malignant tissue) and p185-positive. Our data suggested a different behaviour of p185 in samples with low or high p185 concentrations. Indeed, in p185-negative samples the concentrations were directly correlated with both ER and PR. Conversely, p185-positive samples were directly associated with node status and pT, and inversely associated with ER and PR.

Adult↗