Search

Objective: Progesterone is a signaling molecule synthesized by the adrenal glands and ovaries and is structurally the precursor of many different hormones. Vitamin D, unlike other vitamins, is a steroid hormone that can be synthesized endogenously as well as supplied exogenously. Vitamin D deficiency is a matter of considerable controversy in the world of medicine. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of progesterone on the proliferation and liver enzyme activities of HepG2 cells, as well as to assess the potential of vitamin D in mitigating the cytotoxic effects induced by progesterone. Material and Method: Cytotoxicity studies were conducted on HepG2 hepatocellular cancer cells to determine the appropriate doses of progesterone and vitamin D when applied alone or in combination. The hormones were administered to the experiment and control groups, either alone or in combination at specific doses. Subsequently, HepG2 cell viability, morphology and liver enzyme activities were measured comparatively between the groups. Results: The results indicated a decrease in cell viability in the cells treated with 1 mM and 2 mM progesterone when compared to the control group. In addition, AST and LDH activity values were significantly lower with 1 mM and 2mM progesterone. Vitamin D was found not to have a cytotoxic effect on HepG2 cells between doses of 0.008 µM and 166.667 µM. Therefore, a dose of 2.5 µM was selected for further applications. No significant difference in ALT, AST, and LDH enzyme activity values was observed when only vitamin D was administered. Similar cell viability and enzyme activities were demonstrated when progesterone was administered alone or in combination with vitamin D. Conclusion: At the doses and incubation periods used in the current study, vitamin D was found to be ineffective in preventing the cytotoxic effects caused by progesterone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Survival data for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is heterogeneous. We aimed to analyze the survival and cost of treatment in cirrhotic patients with HCC. Materials and methods: From May 1998 to March 2015, 157 patients with HCC diagnosed and treated in a single center were assessed retrospectively. Etiology, biopsy findings, Child-Pugh-Turcotte (CPT) scores, Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages, treatment response, cost, and prognostic factors were recorded. Deaths due to complications of cirrhosis or other diseases were excluded. Results: 157 patients (82.8% male) with a mean age of 62.2±11.4 years at diagnosis were included. Etiology was HBV (56%), HCV (26.1%), cryptogenic (11.5%), and others (6.4%). Median lesion diameter was 4 (0.5-28) cm. 1, 2, and =3 lesions were present in 46.5%, 19.1%, and 34.2% of patients, respectively. Treatments were as follows: palliative (n: 53), transarterial chemoembolization-TACE (n: 53), radiofrequency ablation-RF (n: 14), radioembolization (n: 3), alcohol (n: 5), and chemotherapy (n: 14). Resection (n: 9) and transplantation (n: 6) were amenable in few patients. Before treatment, 114 (72.6%) patients were in the CPT A/B group, but 93 (59.3%) of all patients were initially staged as BCLC-C/D. Overall survival was 11.6±0.9 months, with 32% probability of surviving one year. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that pre-treatment CPT score, BCLC stage, TACE, and resection significantly affect survival. Cox regression defined BCLC stage (stage B: HR=9.58, 95% CI=1.03-88.98, p=0.047; stage C: HR=13.41, 95% CI=1.37-130.85, p=0.026, stage D: HR=24.72, 95% CI=2.33-262.46, p=0.008) and TACE (HR=2.36, 95% CI=1.18-4.71, p=0.015) as independent predictors of survival. Conclusion: Treatment modalities were not significantly different in terms of cost (p=0, 656). Hepatocellular carcinoma was usually diagnosed late, and treatment modalities were similar in cost. Barcelona clinical liver cancer stage and TACE were predictive of survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Comparing gene expression profiles using gene expression datasets of different types of tumors is frequently used to identify molecular mechanisms of cancer. This study aimed to find shared and type specific gene expression profiles of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Material and methods: Gene expression microarrays for HCC and B-CLL and RNA-sequencing expression data for liver HCC and lymphoid neoplasm diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBC) were analyzed and differentially expressed probe sets or genes for each cancer type were detected. Probe sets and genes that were shared or specifically expressed in both cancer types were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) terms for Biological Process (BP) annotations were performed. Results: According to our analysis shared upregulated genes were mainly annotated in cell cycle processes. Some of the genes that changed only in HCC were annotated in cell cycle and metabolic processes, and some of the genes, altered only in B-CLL, were annotated in immune response and hemopoiesis. Conclusion: These results contribute to cancer research that aim to find the conserved gene expression profiles in different cancer types and widen the knowledge of HCC and B-CLL specific mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A female Terrier dog with the age of 11 was brought to our hospital with complains of anorexia, loss of weight, lethargy and abdominal swelling. In the abdominal palpation, a mass extending towards the caudal in the right quadrant was identified. Presence of a mass was confirmed in the direct radiographic examination, which supports the clinical finding. In the abdominal ultrasonography it was determined that the liver had lost its homogenous structure, there was free fluid in the abdomen, and the liver borders were irregular. The ALP, total protein, ALB and GGT were identified as 328 IU/L, 2.74 g/dl, 1.85 g/dl and 12.2 U/I respectively in the biochemical analysis. Experimental laparotomy was applied to the case and a diffused mass was identified in the liver. Samples were taken from the neoplastic masses during the operation and the abdomen was closed after identifying diffused neoplastic formations in all lobes. Following the histo-pathological examination of the sample, the patient was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma. In this paper, it was aimed to report the clinical, radiological, ultrasonographic, biochemical and haematological findings of a hepatocellular carcinoma observed in a dog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although the clinical and histopathological findings of hepatocellular carcinoma are well described, there are few national studies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between these findings in total or partial hepatectomy specimens in our series. Material and Method: We first collected 190 cases of total or partial hepatectomies performed because of hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis or other disorders from the archives of Pathology. After re-examining the histopathological and clinical features such as age, gender and etiology, the relationship between them and serology results were statistically analyzed using the chi square and Multiple Comparison Tests. Results: Among 190 cases, there were 168 (88.5%) total and 18 (9.5%) partial hepatectomies and 4 (2%) tumorectomy or metastasectomy cases. After gross and microscopic examination, 170 (89.5%) cases had a diagnosis of cirrhosis, 85 (44.7%) hepatocellular carcinoma, 3 parasitic cyst, 7 metastasis, 1 hepatoblastoma, 1 hepatocellular adenoma, 2 cholangiocarcinoma, 2 Budd Chiari Syndrome, 1 focal nodular hyperplasia, 1 cavernous hemangioma, and 2 acute fulminant hepatitis. Among the hepatocellular carcinoma cases, 53 had Hepatitis B virus, 15 Hepatitis C virus , 3 Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus, and 3 Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis delta virus etiology, while 6 were alcoholic and 4 were due to other causes. Among cirrhosis patients, 84 (49.4%) had hepatocellular carcinoma. The male to female ratio of hepatocellular carcinoma cases was 74/11. The mean age was 55 and the median age 56.7. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that the most common hepatic disorder was cirrhosis due to Hepatitis B virus in the hepatectomy specimens of our series that mostly consisted of total hepatectomies performed for transplantation where 50% had hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]