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Background The metabolism of vitamin D is complex, its receptor (VDR) and proteins encoded by the genes CYP27B2 and CYP24A1 can influence vitamin D serum levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of the polymorphisms of VDR (ApaI and BsmI), CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 with serum vitamin D levels in both forms, 25(OH)D3 (circulating form) and 1,25(OH)2D3 (active form), in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods One hundred fifty-two CRC patients and 321 controls were included. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. Polymorphisms of BsmI and ApaI were identified by PCR-RFLP. Those of CYP24A1 (rs6013897, rs158552 and rs17217119) and CYP27B1 (rs10877012) were determined by gene sequencing. Results The median serum levels of circulating vitamin D were not different between CRC patients and controls; however, the percentage of those with deficient vitamin D was higher in patients with cancer. The active form of the vitamin D was higher in CRC patients. VDR, CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 polymorphic genotypes had no influence on serum levels of circulating vitamin D. The correlation between circulating and active vitamin D forms was lower among patients with CRC, regardless of the presence or absence of any genetic polymorphism. The mean serum levels of active vitamin D were higher among patients with polymorphic genotype variants of Apa1 or Bsm1. Conclusions CRC patients had a higher frequence of insufficient vitamin D and a higher concentration of active vitamin D. These concentration were higher between patients with polymorphic genotypes variants of ApaI and BsmI, CYP24A1 and CYP27B1. Polymorphic genotypes cause a lower correlation between the forms of vitamin D.

Introduction Vitamin D receptor (VDR) and proteins encoded by the genes CYP27B2 and CYP24A1 involved in the production and inactivation of vitamin D can influence vitamin D and the susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC). The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the risk of CRC and polymorphisms in VDR, CYP27B1 and CYP24A1, lifestyle and dietary habits. Methods The study included 152 patients with CRC and 321 controls. All participants answered a questionnaire on their dietary habits, alcohol consumption and smoking habits. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. Polymorphisms of BsmI and ApaI were identified by performing PCR-RFLP. Identification of CYP24A1 (rs6013897, rs158552 and rs17217119) and CYP27B1 (rs10877012) polymorphisms was performed by gene sequencing. Results Smoking, alcohol use, and low or no consumption of fruit, cereals and dairy products were associated with an increased risk of CRC. A heterozygous genotype Aa or an association genotype aa + Aa of the VDR ApaI polymorphism increased the risk of CRC. The VDR BsmI polymorphism was not significantly associated with the risk of CRC. Multivariate analysis showed that heterozygous and association genotype AT + AA of the rs6013897 polymorphism, genotype CT of the rs158552 polymorphism, association genotype CT + CC and genotypes AA and GG of the rs17217119 polymorphism of CYP24A1, and heterozygous genotype GT and association genotype GT + TT of the rs10877012 polymorphism in CYP27B1 were associated with a higher risk of CRC. Conclusions Dietary habits, lifestyle, and polymorphisms in VDR (ApaI), CYP24A1 (rs6013897, rs158552, rs17217119) and CYP27B1 (rs10877012) were associated with a higher risk of CRC.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the oncogene c-erbB-2 in gastric tumors. Immunohistochemical study of the expression of c-erbB-2 was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 82 gastric adenocarcinomas using polyclonal antibody. c-erbB-2-positive immunostaining was observed in 37 (45%) tumors. Positive staining was detected in 63% of well differentiated, 46% of moderately differentiated and 80% of papillary adenocarcinomas. In poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, positivity for c-erbB-2 was observed in 21%. According to the Lauren classification, a higher frequency of c-erbB-2 positive staining was observed in intestinal type tumors (70%). During the follow-up period 43% of the patients with c-erbB-2 oncoprotein-negative tumors and 45% of the patients with c-erbB-2 oncoprotein-positive tumors died. There was no significant association between c-erbB-2 staining and sex, age, clinical stage, tumor grade, histological type or survival rates. In conclusion, almost half of the gastric cancers were positive for c-erbB-2. Nonetheless, the expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein did not play a role in prognosis.

Introduction CA19-9 is one of the most important tumor markers used in patients with colorectal cancer, mainly in radical surgery follow-up. Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preoperative CA19-9 level obtained from a peripheral vein (PV) and compare it to the level obtained from the mesenteric vein (MV). Materials and methods Blood was collected from a PV of the arm and from the MV of 59 patients with colorectal cancer before primary surgery. Of these 59 patients fourteen had stage I disease, 10 stage II, 22 stage III, and 13 stage IV. CA19-9 was determined in serum by immunoenzymatic assay (Abbott Diagnostica). Results Fifteen patients (24%) had elevated serum levels of CA19-9 in the MV and 13 (22%) in the PV. None of the stage I or II patients had elevated serum levels of CA19-9. There were no differences between marker levels in blood collected from the MV or PV, independent of clinical stage. The CA19-9 values obtained from the MV differed significantly in the different stages of the disease according to the Kruskal-Wallis analysis (p=0.026); this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.08) in serum from the PV. There was no correlation between venous infiltration by the tumor and positivity of CA19-9 serum levels collected from the mesenteric vein. We observed a close correlation between the serum levels of CA19-9 collected from the PV and from the MV (r=0.9). Conclusion The current study demonstrates a close correlation between the serum levels of CA19-9 collected from a peripheral vein and from the mesenteric vein. Our results confirmed the poor sensitivity of serum CA19-9 at diagnosis, independent of the collection site.