Leicester Royal Infirmary

About: Leicester Royal Infirmary is a healthcare organization based out in Leicester, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Carotid endarterectomy. The organization has 5300 authors who have published 6204 publications receiving 208464 citations.

Somatostatin, Its Receptors and Analogs, in Lung Cancer

Abstract: Despite developments in diagnosis and treatment, lung cancer is the commonest cause of cancer death in Europe and North America. Due to increasing cigarette consumption, the incidence of the disease a

Estrogen and colon cancer: current issues.

Abstract: Carcinoma of the colon is common and its incidence varies according to the geographical location and dietary habits. The aims of this paper are, first, to review the current epidemiological data on the incidence and mortality of colon cancer in postmenopausal women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT); second, to review the published data on the prevalence of estrogen receptors in healthy and malignant colonic tissue; and third, to examine the available evidence of gene silencing as applicable to this and other neoplastic conditions. Estrogen use confers overall protection, with a reduction in the incidence of colon adenoma and carcinoma of about 30%. Estrogen use reduces the colon cancer-related mortality. The risk of colon cancer is decreased among current and recent users of postmenopausal HRT but the molecular mechanisms involved remain unclear. Estrogen acts either on a single major transformation step in the oncogenetic process, or is involved in multiple events that avert the course of this transformation. Aberrant methylation of the CpG islands in the promoter regions of the estrogen receptor gene, as well as of other genes, is equivalent to the silencing of that gene, with the consequence of inactivation, or reduced expression, of a number of genes downstream, including tumor suppressor genes. This epigenetic mechanism, when reversed, suppresses the growth of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The ubiquitous distribution of the estrogen receptor genes and their isoforms, in a tissue-specific manner, opens new avenues for the understanding of cellular behavior in health and disease.

Erythropoietin and sexual dysfunction.

Abstract: Background. Erythropoietin (rHuEpo) therapy has been shown to improve sexual function in the male dialysis population, with several studies suggesting a direct effect upon endocrine function, as well as correction of anaemia. Nevertheless many male dialysis patients receiving rHuEpo continue to complain of sexual dysfunction. Methods. At a dedicated renal impotence clinic, 65 male dialysis patients were screened for endocrine disturbances. Baseline serum sex hormones were compared between those receiving and not receiving rHuEpo, using either the two-sample t test or the Mann-Whitney U test, after assessing for normality. Results from four patients were excluded on account of either medications (antiemetic phenothiazines), hepatic dysfunction, or carcinomatosis. Results. Twenty-five patients (41.0%) were receiving rHuEpo, the recipients and non-recipients being well matched for haemoglobin (10.19±0.29 vs 10.55±0.25 g/dl, n.s.), age (51.1±1.9 vs 53.6±2.1 years, n.s.) and duration of sexual dysfunction (median, 3.0 vs 3.0 years, n.s.). The rHuEpo recipients had a higher median creatinine (1090 vs 972 μmol/l, P<0.02), but similar nutritional status to the non-recipients (albumin 41.0 vs 39.0 g/l, n.s.). The total duration of rHuEpo therapy was 0.85±0.14 years. Prolactin levels were similar in both the rHuEpo recipients and non-recipients (440 vs 541 mu/l, n.s.), as were LH (11.0 vs 10.5 iu/l, n.s.) and FSH (8.0 vs 6.5 iu/l, n.s.). However, there were significant elevations of testosterone (19.8±1.3 vs 16.1±1.1 nmol/l, P<0.05) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) (40.5 vs 26.0 nmol/l, P<0.01), with a trend toward elevated oestradiol (304 vs 248 pmol/l, P=0.095) in the rHuEpo-treated group. Forty-eight subjects (78.7%) received peritoneal dialysis (PD), with the 19 rHuEpo recipients (39.6%) demonstrating increased serum testosterone (21.0 ± 1.5 vs 16.6±1.3nmol/l, P<0.05), SHBG (40.5 vs 26.5 nmol/l, P<0.01), LH (15.0 vs 10.0 iu/l, P<0.01) and FSH (12.0 vs 5.3 iu/l, P<0.05). These differences were not demonstrated in the 13 haemodialysis (HD) subjects. Conclusions. Male dialysis patients complaining of sexual dysfunction after correction of anaemia with rHuEpo are characterized by higher levels of serum testosterone and SHBG, but not suppression of hyperprolactinaemia or hyperoestrogenism. Male PD subjects receiving rHuEpo also demonstrated increased LH and FSH.