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M Nekulová

Publications and source records attributed to M Nekulová.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

[How external quality evaluation programs affect the quality of laboratory results in routine practice in the Czech Republic].

Goals of our study were: 1. to assess quality of our analytical work and application of concepts of good laboratory practice using different EQA surveys, 2. to evaluate performance and efficiency of systems for internal quality control using EQA program that is independent on local subjective and objective influences and 3. to observe how single EQA programs differ and how they contribute the ability of laboratories to manage their overall quality. Using one-way ANOVA, we compared our 1999 results in the local EQA survey AKS (SEKK s r.o., Czech Republic) to our results in CN3 Comprehensive Chemistry Survey (College of American Pathologists, USA) for analyses provided in CN3 with the definitive method correlated target values, the design of which assures accuracy of the field methods on patient specimens. In 4 out of 9 methods, the material AKS predicted target values that were significantly different from that of CN3; calcium sodium, uric acid and cholesterol. The CN3 survey provided link of our results of internal quality control and national EQA to the largest proficiency testing available worldwide in clinical chemistry. Out data suggest that a possibility exists to improve the design of target values for materials used for small national EQA surveys as well as the program administration so that local characteristics of field method on patient specimens could be better monitored.

Clinical Chemistry Tests↗
PubMed2001

Quantitative determination of telomerase activity in breast cancer and benign breast diseases.

Telomerase plays an important role in maintaining the stability of chromosomes. This ribonucleoprotein prevents chromosome ends (telomeres) from gradual loss with each cell division. It enables tumor cells to maintain telomere length, allowing indefinite replicative capacity. Telomerase activity has been detected in the majority of tumor and germ cells and in immortalized cell lines. Quantitative telomerase PCR-ELISA (TeloTAGGG Telomerase PCR ELISA(PLUS)) was evaluated for distinguishing benign and malignant breast tissue. Activity of telomerase was determined in 27 samples of fibrocystic and dysplastic tissues, 28 fibroadenomas and phylloid tumors, and 154 breast cancer tissues; 59 specimens were analyzed retrospectively. Analytical precision and linearity of the assay was tested using breast carcinoma cell line ZR-75-1 and breast tumor tissue extracts. About 4% of tumor samples were excluded from analysis due to interferences in the PCR reaction. Relative telomerase activity differed significantly in the groups of dysplastic tissues, fibroadenomas and carcinomas. The highest activity was found in breast cancer tissue. This method can identify breast cancer tissue with 73% clinical sensitivity and 93% specificity as compared to benign breast tumors. We did not find a correlation between telomerase activity and the tissue levels of estrogen and progesterone receptors, HER-2/neu oncoprotein concentration, tumor size, and lymph node positivity. Probability of disease-free survival was significantly lower for patients with telomerase activity higher than median value. As the assay for telomerase activity has very high analytical sensitivity and high specificity for cancer cells, this routinely used method may prove useful for distinguishing malignant phenotype of breast tissues.

Breast Diseases↗
PubMed1997

Phylloid breast tumors and three steroid hormone receptors.

The concentrations of three steroid hormones (estrogen, progesteron and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol) receptors (ER, PgR, DR) in tissue cytosol were analyzed in a group of 17 breast phylloid tumors. Comparison with breast carcinoma tissue samples (n = 37) did not reveal significant differences in average values of ER, PgR, and DR. Comparison with another control set of 30 samples of dysplastic tissue of the mammary gland showed significant differences only in PgR values. Only 18% of phylloid tumor samples contained levels above cut-of-line of all three receptors (ER, PgR, DR-5,10,10 resp. fmol/ mg protein). The most frequent combination was ER+PgR+DR-(41%). As far as we know, DR in phylloid breast tumors have never been examined before. In approximately 60% of our samples we found the expression of DR, in 36% the estimated values were above 10 fmol/mg protein. Cells of the tissue not expressing DR seem to belong to a special phenotype. We found no ER+PgR- or ER-PgR-combinations in them. The group which expresses DR is characterized by a higher dispersion of PgR values.

Breast↗
PubMed1997

[Regional chemotherapy of liver tumors].

Based on experience with regional intrahepatic chemotherapy in 67 patients with inoperable primary, and in particular secondary liver tumours, which comprises several hundred administered cycles of mostly continuous regional regimens, the authors summarize briefly the main principles and possibilities of this treatment. In a review of randomized studies they provide evidence for the advantage of regional chemotherapy, as compared with systemic treatment, in particular with regard to the higher percentage of therapeutic responses. In correctly indicated, and if possible early cases of hepatic tumourous affections, it is possible to potentiate the effect of regional chemotherapy by local destruction of tumourous foci by alcoholization, cryodestruction or resection. An integral part of this treatment is also monitoring of the effect by following up the dynamics of serum levels of tumour markers and by imaging methods. Because the most frequent cause of failure of this method are extrahepatic secondaries and secondary chemoresistance of the tumourous foci, improvement of results can be expected in particular from a combination of regional and systemic chemotherapy and the inclusion of cytokines into the therapeutic schemes.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1994

Biochemical analysis of breast cyst fluid as a possible predictor of breast carcinoma development.

The occurrence of breast cancer in patients with gross cystic disease is 2-5 times higher as compared to control group of women. During 3 years, 183 cyst fluid samples were analyzed in 129 females, in 30 patients of them the samples were analysed repeatedly. The distribution of the Na+/K+ ratio, considered as the measure of cancer risk, was found to be bimodal. In repeated analyses the type I cyst fluid markedly predominated (Na+/K+ < or = 4.0). A direct dependence on this ratio was found in the concentration of glucose, albumin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and its specific form, TPS; an indirect dependence was found for the level of uric acid, phosphates, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alpha-amylase (AMS). The predominance of apocrine metaplasia cells released into the cyst fluid is characteristic of type I cysts. A definitive assessment of significance of these parameters will be enabled by a long-term follow-up of the disease in the respective patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Early diagnosis of breast cancer dissemination by tumor markers follow-up and method of prediction.

A mathematical model of prediction of progression was tested in patients with breast cancer employing long-term monitoring of tumor markers CEA, CA 15-3, MCA and TPA, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (FW), and the enzymes gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LD) in serum. At the same time, specificity, sensitivity, lead time and positive predictive value were evaluated along with false positivity for all these parameters and their combinations. A model was proposed for the follow-up of patients with breast cancer after the completion of basic therapy.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1987

The excretion of urinary enzymes, proteins and creatinine in patients receiving cisplatinum.

The sensitive parameters of tubular nephrotoxicity during 4-day chemotherapy with new combination schedule of cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil were followed. The determinations of tubular enzymes beta-glucuronidase (GRS) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GMT) in 24 hours urine, the excretion of creatinine and proteinuria were assayed before therapy and during 4 consecutive days of treatment. We recorded the significant increase of protein excretion and only slight increase of GMT and GRS activities after chemotherapy. The decrease of the creatinine excretion on the 3rd day of therapy was not statistically significant. Simultaneously followed serum creatinine and urea levels proved the elevation of creatinine only in 1 patient (the 1st grade according WHO classification). Our results suggest that the performed regime of chemotherapy produces only very low nephrotoxicity comparing to the 1-day administration of cisplatinum. These conclusions are confirmed also by the former examinations of GRS activities in cisplatinum therapy.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1986

Relation between dose, plasma concentration and toxicity in a phase I trial using high dose intermittent administration of an alkylating agent, diacetyldianhydrogalactitol (DADAG).

Diacetyldianhydrogalactitol (DADAG), a new alkylating sugar alcohol derivative, was administered as single, 30-min infusions in doses ranging from 390 to 1200 mg/m2. The dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression. The median times to WBC nadir and regeneration were 16 and 21 days, and to platelet nadir and recovery 20 and 27, respectively. Nausea and vomiting occurred frequently and were of moderate severity. For phase II studies 900 mg/m2 DADAG given every 4-6 weeks is recommended. The area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) for DADAG did not increase in proportion with dose escalation; it changed only from 235.5 +/- 70.7 to 262.4 +/- 71.5 micrograms h ml-1 between doses of 690 and 1050 mg/m2. No correlations between the dose administered and the nadir values for haemoglobin concentration, WBC and platelet counts, or the number of episodes of vomiting were demonstrable in this dose range. Such an association was revealed, however, when the above biological variables were related to the individual AUC for DADAG.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Tiapride].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Analgesia↗
PubMed1984

Three-year follow-up of carcinoembryonal antigen levels in the serum of patients with breast cancer.

The levels of carcinoembryonal antigen (CEA) were followed up for three years in 66 patients with breast cancer. In the group of patients treated surgically (N = 36, T1-2, NO-2, MO) the values of CEA were in agreement with the clinical course in 97% of the patients (35 out of 36 patients). Recurrence and/or dissemination of the disease were signalled by a rise in the serum CEA level to more than 15 micrograms/1 out four out of five patients more than 3-10 months before clinical manifestation. In the group of patients without surgery, who were treated by radiation and/or chemotherapy (N = 30, T2-4, NO-3, MO) the serum CEA values were in agreement with the clinical course in 71% of the patients (20/28). Within three years recurrence and/or dissemination were detected in 57% patients (16/28), ten patients died (10/30--two of them were not evaluated). The recurrence or dissemination were signalled in seven out of 16 patients (44%) more than 4-14 months before clinical detection, in three patients (19%) the rise was detected simultaneously with the clinical finding (examinations at 3-4 months intervals), and in 6 patients (38%) the CEA level was at variance with the clinical finding.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1982

Longitudinal follow-up circulating immune complexes of the serum in patients with breast cancer.

The values of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in patients with breast cancer were followed for one year at 4-month intervals by means of the "PEGIKEM" test. From the total of 67 patients, 37 were treated surgically and a significant decrease in mean values of CIC occurred 8 months after the operation. 30 patients with a more advanced stage of the disease treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy showed a decrease in mean CIC values already after 4 months but later on the CIC values increased again. No significant differences in the mean CIC values prior to treatment between individual clinical stages were found, only a certain tendency towards a more frequent occurrence of higher CIC values in more advanced stages was noted. Nor were the findings in lymph nodes reflected in the mean CIC values prior to treatment. Comparison of CIC values prior to treatment and the results of 2-hour blood sedimentation, revealed conformity in only 40% of the patients. In the other cases higher values of blood sedimentation were more frequent. The study of prognostic value of CIC after 3 and 5 years follow-up is in progress.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗