CA 125 and carcinoembryonic antigen levels in cyst fluid, ascites and serum of patients with ovarian neoplasms.

The levels of CA 125 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in tumour cyst fluid, ascites and serum of patients with epithelial ovarian neoplasms were estimated. In addition, the serum concentration of both antigens was evaluated 10 days after operation. Independently of histological type of ovarian tumour, CA 125 and CEA values were significantly higher in cyst and ascitic fluid than in corresponding patients' serum. The higher values of both markers were also found in malignant than benign ovarian cysts. CEA occurred at higher concentrations in mucinous carcinomas whereas CA 125 values were comparable both in mucinous and serous cyst fluid. The levels of these markers in cyst fluid did not correlate with the serum concentrations. The significant individual differences existed in the ability of tumour cells to produce and release both studied antigens. Post-operative CEA levels returned to normal more slow than CA 125 values.     

Usefulness of photochemotherapy in allergic diseases of the skin

PUVA treatment was applied in 16 patients with chronic urticaria (7 with solar urticaria, 2 with cold urticaria and 7 with urticaria of unknown etiology), 26 with chronic disseminated eczema and 41 with atopic dermatitis. In all 9 patients with physical urticaria, a clear-cut improvement was observed. The results from the treatment of chronic urticaria of unknown etiology were considerably poorer (improvement in 2 out of 7 cases). In patients with chronic disseminated eczema, a full remission was present in 5 and considerable improvement in 20 cases. In group of 41 patients with atopic dermatitis, 52 cures were carried out; in 8 patients the cure was repeated 2-3 times at 1,0-0,5-year intervals. Complete recovery was achieved in 34 and significant improvement in 16 out of them. The results presented seem to indicate the effectiveness of PUVA treatment to some allergic skin diseases, the more so that the number of exposures required to obtain a considerable improvement, or even full remission, is comparatively low (3-21 occasions), which reduces the risk of complications.     

CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms and natural soluble CTLA-4 protein in psoriasis vulgaris

CTLA-4 molecule is an important inhibitor of T-lymphocyte activation. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CTLA-4 gene were found, and their associations with many human diseases were described. So far, however, such studies have not been performed in psoriasis vulgaris in Caucasoids. Therefore, we examined the distribution of three CTLA-4 SNPs: -1147C/T, -318C/T and +49 A/G in 116 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 123 healthy blood donors using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. For all three SNPs, the frequencies of alleles, genotypes and three-point haplotypes were very similar in patients and controls, suggesting no contribution of these genetic variants to psoriasis.     

Bacteriophage treatment of suppurative skin infections

The study material comprised 31 patients with chronic suppurative infections of the skin caused by Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, Proteus and Escherichia. Within 2-16 weeks of the treatment, an improvement of the general state was observed as well as suppression of the local inflammation, purification of a wound from the suppurative and necrotic content, faster healing of the ulcers and fully negative results of the bacteriologic tests. In 16 cases, an outstanding therapeutic effect was obtained, in 7 cases marked improvement was reported and in 2 a transitory improvement was reported. In 7 patients the treatment was abandoned due to the lack of improvement (1 case) or development of side effects (6 cases). The results obtained provide evidence for the high effectiveness of phage therapy in the treatment of suppurative skin infections.     

Endodermal sinus tumor--a contribution to the clinical aspects of ovarian tumors

Two cases of endodermal sinus tumor (EST) are described in a 19-year-old girl and a 50-year-old menopausal women, respectively. Exstirpation uteri totalis cum adnexis was carried out in both cases. According to the FIGO the tumors were classified as Ic. The histologic diagnosis of EST was based on the presence of elements such as extraembryonic mesoderm, yolk sac mesoderm, vascular structures with Schiller-Duval bodies, PAS-positive globules in Duval sinus spaces. In the first case, where the proposed chemotherapy was refused, the patient died 4 months later with symptoms of abdominal metastases. In the other case, chemotherapy was applied according to the VAC program. At 13 months of the treatment a relaparotomy was made and the lymphatic nodes taken showed no metastases. Three months later, the tumor relapsed and the patient died at 22 months of the therapy. In the light of their observations and literature data the authors recommended a radical surgical intervention combined with intense polychemotherapy as the only effective approach to the problem.     

Immunological reactivity of mucinous and serous ovarian adenocarcinomas

Comparison of immunological reactivity of glycoprotein antigens extracted from individual cases of mucinous and serous ovarian adenocarcinomas was performed taking into account the immunological relationship with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA), alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein. In all immunological tests, the specific immune sera against perchloric acid extracts of ovarian mucinous and serous cystadenocarcinomas and antisera against the reference antigens mentioned above were used. It was established that: 1) ovarian mucinous and serous adenocarcinomas are immunologically different and possess various tumor-associated antigens, 2) ovarian mucinous adenocarcinomas contain considerable amounts of CEA and NCA, whereas serous type neoplasms show negligible amounts or lack of these antigens; and 3) in both types of tumors, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein activities are found. Immunological data indicate that ovarian mucinous and serous adenocarcinomas derive from separate lineages of epithelium.