[en] Expression of the cold shock protein Y-box protein 1 (YB-1) is associated with deleterious outcome in various malignant diseases. Our group recently showed that the detection of an 18 kDa YB-1 fragment (YB-1/p18) in human plasma identifies patients with malignant diseases. We now tested the prevalence, clinical, and diagnostic value of YB-1/p18 detection in common tumors. A newly established monoclonal YB-1 antibody was used to detect YB-1/p18 by immunoblotting in plasma samples from 151 unselected tumor patients, alongside established tumor markers and various diagnostic measures, during evaluation for a cancerous disease and in follow-up studies after therapeutic interventions. Circulating YB-1/p18 was detected in 78% of patients having a tumor disease. YB-1/p18 positivity was highly prevalent in all examined malignancies, including lung cancer (32/37; 87%), breast cancer (7/10; 70%), cancer of unknown primary (CUP; 5/5, 100%) or hematological malignancies (42/62; 68%). Positivity for YB-1/p18 was independent of other routine laboratory parameters, tumor stage, or histology. In comparison to 13 established tumor markers (cancer antigens 15–3, 19–9, 72–4, and 125; carcinoembryonic antigen; cytokeratin fragments 21–1; neuron-specific enolase; alpha-fetoprotein; beta-2-microglobulin; squamous cell carcinoma antigen; thymidine kinase; tissue polypeptide antigen; pro-gastrin-releasing peptide), YB-1/p18 detection within serum samples was the most sensitive general parameter identifying malignant disorders. YB-1/p18 concentrations altered during therapeutic interventions, but did not predict prognosis. Plasma YB-1/p18 detection has a high specific prevalence in malignancies, thereby providing a novel tool for cancer screening independent of the tumor origin

[en] Full text: Objective: To assess and compare the overall value of pleural fluid CEA and CYFRA 21-1 in differential diagnosis of pleural effusions with a meta-analysis. Methods: All the English and Chinese published studies for differential diagnosis of pleural effusions by pleural fluid CEA and CYFRA 21-1 were collected. Methodological quality of the included studies was then evaluated. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated, the threshold effect and the possible sources of heterogeneity were also analyzed. SROC (summary receiver operating characteristic) was used to compare the differential diagnostic ability of pleural fluid CEA and CYFRA 21-1. Results: 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis, with a total of 3228 subjects. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of CEA and CYFRA 21-1 were 45.9%(43.2%- 48.5%),97.0%(96.0%-97.8%) and 47.3%(44.0%- 50.6%),91.8%(89.5%-93.7), respectively. Both CEA and CYFRA 21-1 have a threshold effect, the main source of heterogeneity was from variable assay methods. AUC (area under the curve) of CEA and CYFRA 21-1 were 0.7691 and 0.8213, respectively. There was no statistical significance between the AUC of CEA and CYFRA 21-1 (p>0.05). Conclusion: Both CEA and CYFRA 21-1 have good performance at differential diagnosis of pleural effusion, while compared with CEA, CYFRA 21-1 has no advantage. (author)

[en] Short communication

[en] To assess and identify the causes and circumstances leading to delays in health seeking and diagnosis of tuberculosis patients as they often present with advance disease resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Settings Department of Tuberculosis, DOTS clinic DHQ Hospital, Vehari. Methodology One (author) inspiration diagnosed smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients were included. Information was gathered through interviews and from TB-01 card. Results Maximum patients were in age group of 16-40 years. Median patient delay was 4-6 months; jobless, homeless personnel had longer delay. The main reason for delay was that the symptoms were not considered serious enough. Delay in presentation of smear positive cases may be due to the lack of awareness of patients and the incompetence of some health workers. Training and supervision of staff and awareness campaigns targeted at the population and involvement of private sector will improve TB control in Vehari. (author)

[en] Short communication. 8 refs

No abstract available

[en] The clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric cancer in young patients are both limited and controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to define the clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric cancer in young patients after curative resection. From May 2008 to December 2014, 198 young patients (age ≤ 40 years) and 1096 middle-aged patients (55 ≤ age ≤ 64 years) were enrolled in this study. The clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric cancer in these patients were analyzed. Compared with middle-aged patients, the proportion of females, lower third tumors, tumor size less than 5 cm, poorly differentiated tumors and T1 tumors were significantly higher in young patients (all P < 0.05). The proportions of comorbidity, upper third tumors, well and moderately differentiated tumors, T4 tumors, and positive carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19–9 were significantly lower in young patients (all P < 0.05). The distributions of N status and CA125 were comparable between young and middle-aged patients (all P > 0.05). The five-year overall survival rates were comparable between young patients and middle-aged patients (62.8 vs 54.7 %, P = 0.307). The tumor location, T status, N status and CA125 were independent predictors of prognosis in young patients. The overall survival of patients with tumors located in the upper or middle third was significantly lower than for those located in the lower third (60.8 vs 50.6 % vs 68.4 %, P = 0.016). The overall survival of CA125-positive patients was significantly lower than CA125-negative patients (49.0 vs 64.4 %, P = 0.001). The clinicopathological features were significantly different between young and middle-aged patients. The prognosis of gastric cancer in young patients was equivalent to that of middle-aged patients. Tumor location, T status, N status and CA125 were independent risk factors for prognosis in young patients. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2489-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

No abstract available

[en] The paper tries to illustrate the analogies as well as the differences between ionizing radiation and chemotoxic agents with regard to their adverse somatic effects and the concepts for the determination of limiting values for dose or concentration. On the basis of experience on the cancerogenic and genetic effects of ionizing radiation, the limiting radiation doses for the population were set so low that acute harmful effects of radiation are ruled out. The legal concentration limiting values for many non-mutagenic chemical pollutants, on the other hand, are often based on nothing but a comparison with their acute effects, with the assumption that there is a threshold concentration. This concept is discussed by the example of different pollutants and compared with the natural and man-made level of these pollutants. The findings show that acute effects of chemical pollutants leading to increased morbidity and even mortality of the general population under adverse conditions cannot be ruled out. The assessment of the delayed effects of ionizing radiation and chemical pollutants poses the same problems. Epidemiological statistics suggest that artificial and also natural cancerogenics, have a significant influence on the cancer incidence. Animal experiments show that for ionizing radiation as well as for chemical cancerogenics, the mean latency period for cancer lengthens with decreasing dose. (orig./AK)

[en] Most Tumor markers (TM) are neither organ- nor tumor-specific. Their growing number is presently more disturbing than helpful for the clinician and their present potential as an indication-basis for radio- and/or chemotherapy can be roughly summarized in 3 categories: 1) High specificity and high clinical value: Examples are beta-HCG in female chorio-CA, AFP and beta-HCG in testicular tumors, calcitonin in medullary thyroid CA and subclasses of immunglobulins in lymphoproliferative disorders. 2) High specificity and low clinical value: Examples are AFP in primary liver CA, CEA in colon cancer, CA 19-9 in pancreatic CA and CA 125 in ovarian CA. Despite of their high specificity, detection of 'earlier relapse' does not serve the purpose of important treatment decisions due to the current lack of salvage therapy. 3) Low specificity and low clinical value: Most of the rest of TM, for which there is no clinically proven basis, which renders their use neither interesting nor economical. The clinical value of TM belonging to the 'second category' at present time, will reach clinical usefulness as soon as secondary curative treatment will be available for those clinical situations. (orig.)