Biomedical subjects

A Ruello

Publications and source records attributed to A Ruello.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum levels of interleukin-18 and sICAM-1 in patients affected by breast cancer: preliminary considerations.

Interleukin-18 (IL-18), a cytokine that plays an important role in the T-cell-helper type 1 response, acts as an angiogenesis and tumor suppressor. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has a potential role in immunoregulation by mediating immune cell infiltration into the tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate IL-18 and soluble (s) ICAM-1 serum levels in breast cancer (BCa) patients with liver (BCaM1 h) or bone (BCaM1 b) metastases compared to BCa patients without metastases (BCaM0) and healthy donors (HDs). Furthermore, since IL-18 enhances ICAM-1 expression, we investigated whether there was a direct correlation between sICAM-1 and IL-18 serum levels. Serum IL-18 and sICAM-1 levels were assayed by immunoenzymatic methods. The serum sICAM-1 levels in the three groups of cancer patients were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of HDs. Serum IL-18 levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in BCaM1h and BCaM1b patients compared to BCaM0 patients and HDs. sICAM-1 proved to be closely correlated with serum IL-18 levels in HDs, whereas a weaker correlation was found in BCaM1h, BCaM1b and BCaM0 patients. The defective correlation between sICAM-1 and IL-18 found in cancer patients may contribute to our understanding of the immunity upset occurring in cancer. Our data suggest that IL-18, irrespective of its biological activity, could represent a marker for metastatic breast cancer.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid on interleukin-18 production in colorectal cancer patients.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to evaluate the IL-18 blood concentrations of operated colorectal cancer patients and their possible variation in response to combination chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and folinic acid. METHODS: IL-18 levels were assayed in sera of 18 healthy donors and 18 surgical colorectal cancer patients before and after adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid. An ELISA kit for human IL-18 was used for the assay. RESULTS: Colorectal cancer patients showed significantly higher baseline levels of IL-18 than healthy donors (p<0.005). Furthermore, serum IL-18 levels increased significantly with respect to baseline in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that treatment with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid may provoke an increase in IL-18 serum levels in colorectal cancer patients. This increase may help to explain the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-FU in colorectal cancer.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Diverticular disease of the colon in peritoneal dialysis].

Colon diverticular disease is a very common pathology in western countries and represents a risk factor for septic-type complications, especially in peritoneal dialysis patients. We examined both diagnostic procedure and therapeutics options, either pharmacological or surgical. Ultrasonography, which is useful for the diagnosis of diverticulosis and diverticular disease, has been supported in the last few years by new imaging techniques, such as NMR and CT, that also find applications in the treatment of diverticulitis complications like peritoneal abscesses. Our emphasis is on the therapeutic perspective, either dietetic - based on the use of a fibre-rich diet and the infusion of liquids by intravenous injection - or surgical, such as the Hartmann procedure, single anastomosis with stomia conservation and laparoscopic and endoscopic treatment. These therapeutic approaches have reduced both morbidity and mortality rate and have emphasized how the reduction of surgical stress on the mesothelium promotes the recovery of the functional integrity and, consequently, faster resumption of peritoneal dialysis. In conclusion, diverticulosis alone is not a contraindication for peritoneal dialysis, but constitutes a risk factor for the continuation of this alternative treatment.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗