Ilona Bányász¹, Géza Bokodi¹, Barna Vásárhelyi², András Treszl¹, László Derzbach¹, András Szabó¹, Tivadar Tulassay^1,2,3, Ádám Vannay³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.4, pp. 266-270, 2006, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2006.0041

Abstract Low birth weight (LBW) infants have increased susceptibility to perinatal complications. An immature and impaired vascular system may possibly participate in these complications. There is evidence that supports the notion that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is an essential regulator of embryonic angiogenesis, plays a central role in the pathogenesis of perinatal complications. We aimed to test whether functional genetic polymorphisms of VEGF are associated with the risk of preterm birth or perinatal morbidity. We enrolled 128 LBW infants (≤ 1500 grams). VEGF T-460C, VEGF C-2578A and VEGF G+405C polymorphisms were determined by real-time… More >

Emmanouil Galanakis, Francescopaolo Di Cello, Maneesh Paul-Satyaseela, Kwang Sik Kim

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.4, pp. 260-265, 2006, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2006.0042

Abstract Microbial penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into the central nervous system is essential for the development of meningitis. Considerable progress has been achieved in understanding the pathophysiology of meningitis, however, relatively little is known about the early inflammatory events occurring at the time of bacterial crossing of the BBB. We investigated, using real-time quantitative PCR, the expression of the neutrophil chemoattractants alpha-chemokines CXCL1 (Groa) and CXCL8 (IL-8), and of the monocyte chemoattractant beta-chemokine CCL2 (MCP-1) by human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) in response to the meningitis-causing E. coli K1 strain RS218 or its isogenic… More >

Soraya Meghari¹, Benoît Desnues¹, Christian Capo¹, Georges E. Grau^1,2, Didier Raoult¹, Jean-Louis Mege¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.4, pp. 253-259, 2006, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2006.0041

Abstract Q fever is an infectious disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, which may become chronic when cytokine network and cell-mediated immune responses are altered. Chemokines, such as Regulated upon Activation, Normal T cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES, CCL5) and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1, CCL2), are specialized in the trafficing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and are associated with T cell polarization that is essential for intracellular survival of C. burnetii. The present study investigated whether or not the infection status (no infection and acute or chronic infection with C. burnetii) of donors, affected the production of the two… More >

Diana Boraschi¹, Charles A. Dinarello²

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.4, pp. 224-252, 2006, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2006.0047

Abstract IL-18 is among the cytokines responsible for immune-mediated pathologies and is probably one of the factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Identification of the causes of uncontrolled IL-18 production and activity in autoimmunity would allow for novel therapeutic targets to effectively block autoimmune activation and inhibit concomitant tissue damage. IL-18 is produced mainly by monocytes/macrophages in response to stimuli of viral/bacterial origin, its production being therefore one of the effects of innate immunity initiated by host-pathogen interaction. In this review, we summarise the evidence supporting both the effector and the pathogenic role More >

Tom Pickles¹, Alan Pollack²

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.13, Suppl.2, pp. 68-71, 2006

Abstract Patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer have a significant risk of biochemical failure after treatment with external beam radiation therapy. Two strategies to improve outcomes are radiation dose escalation and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This article discusses the evidence in favor of dose escalation.
The case for radiation dose escalation has been established by several randomized studies, which show improved biochemical control (bNED) rates. Although late toxicity was also increased, it remains at clinically acceptable levels. The use of more focal methods of radiation, such as proton therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), allows safe dose More >

Jarad Martin, Robert Bristow, Padraig Warde

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.13, Suppl.2, pp. 63-67, 2006

Abstract Risk categorization based on pre-treatment PSA, clinical stage and Gleason score is now widely used in the management of patients with localized prostate cancer. In patients with low-risk disease (cT1-T2a, PSA < 10 ng/ml and Gleason score ≤ 6) there is no role for the routine use of adjunctive hormonal therapy. In intermediate-risk patients (T1-T2, PSA < 20 ng/ml and Gleason ≤ 7) there is some evidence to suggest improved outcomes with neo-adjuvant hormonal therapy when low-dose external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is used. However, with appropriate modern dose EBRT there is little data to More >

Ivar Bleumer¹, Pieter H. M. de Mulder², Peter F. A. Mulders¹

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.13, Suppl.2, pp. 57-62, 2006

Abstract Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presents as localized disease in 54% of the cases. For these patients, surgery is the primary curative treatment. Unfortunately, up to 65% of all patients show recurrent disease. For metastatic RCC non-specific immunotherapy is currently the treatment of choice. Nevertheless, several new modalities, e.g. WX-G250, oncophage and anti-angiogenic compounds like sunitinib and sorafenib are being explored with favorable results. Still, their place in the primary treatment of advanced RCC has yet to be determined. Because of the high percentage of recurrent disease, there is a need to identify these patients with… More >

Fred Saad, Abdulhadi Al Dejmah, Paul Perrotte, Michael McCormack, François Bénard, Luc Valiquette, Pierre I. Karakiewicz

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.13, Suppl.2, pp. 52-56, 2006

Abstract Over 60 years ago, Huggins and Hodges discovered androgen deprivation as an effective first-line therapy for metastatic prostate cancer. This leads to significant cancer control but in almost all men prostate cancer ultimately progresses to a hormone-refractory (HRPC) state resulting in significant morbidity and eventual death. In 2004, two landmark studies using docetaxel based chemotherapy demonstrated, for the first time, a survival advantage in HRPC. This has set a new standard of care for this disease. In addition, treatment with the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid has been shown to significantly reduce bone complications in metastatic HRPC. More >

Joseph L. Chin, Jonathan I. Izawa

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.13, Suppl.2, pp. 48-51, 2006

Abstract Radiotherapy, both external beam and more recently, interstitial, have been therapeutic options for localized prostate cancer. Management of patients who have failed of local radiotherapy remains a challenge. Herein the current therapeutic options are reviewed. More >

Laurence H. Klotz

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.13, Suppl.2, pp. 43-47, 2006

Abstract Uncertainty exists for clinicians and patients with respect to choosing the optimal therapy for patients with PSA recurrence. There is no consensus as to what the PSA cutpoint should be to define PSA failure after radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiation therapy (XRT). We do, however, have validated nomograms which allow the stratification of patients according to their risk of disease progression and cancer specific death. This is based in large part on PSA kinetics. A short PSA doubling time (PSA-DT) is associated with a marked increase in the risk of prostate cancer death in the More >