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Objectives: Interferon-α (IFN-α) is a gold standard in the therapy of viral chronic hepatitis type C (CHC). However, such treatment might lead to thyroid dysfunction. Patients usually present hypothyroidism, but rarely also hyperthyroidism may develop. The aim of the study is to present two-year clinical follow-up of patients with CHC and IFN-α-induced hyperthyroidism (IIH), with special regard to the methods and efficacy of the therapy., Methods: A group of 106 patients with CHC and IIH were analyzed. Subjects were divided into two groups according to etiology: group 1, with Graves' disease (GD) and group 2, with Hashitoxicosis (HT). The diagnosis of GD and HT was based on: clinical signs of hyperthyroidism, hormonal profile (TSH, fT4, fT3), level of thyroid autoantibodies (Tg-Abs, TPO-Abs, TSHRAbs). Treatment of hyperthyroidism was monitored by repeated clinical assessment and laboratory tests. RESULST: 28 patients (26 with GD of which 5 exhibited mild orbitopathy and 2 with HT) were treated with radioiodine [the average dose of was 17 mCi [668 MBq]. In adition 78 out of 80 patients with HT mostly β-blocker therapy was successful (transient hyperthyroidism). At the end of the observation period, in group 1 remission was achieved in 17 (65.4%) cases, 6 (23.1%) patients showed hypothyroidism and 3 (11.5%) presented recurrence of hyperthyroidism., Conclusions: Most patients with IIH present Hashitoxicosis, while a minority of them develop Graves' disease. In a majority of patients with HT spontaneous remission of disease occurs. In patients with long-term hyperthyroidism, radioiodine therapy is an effective and well-tolerated.

Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. It is mainly secreted by stomach cells but has also been shown to be present in the hypothalamus, pituitary, gonads and many other organs. Ghrelin is a regulator of energy homeostasis and GH secretion. Many studies have been done examining the influence of ghrelin on different organs. Ghrelin may play an important role in pathophysiology of some endocrine diseases. The relationship between ghrelin and pituitary, gonads and thyroid function appears to be specially interesting.

Objectives: Ghrelin presents a multiplicity of biological functions, what is consistent with widespread expression of this peptide and its receptors. Ghrelin may act locally, but it may also influence distant cells. The aim of the study was to assess plasma activity of exogenous ghrelin and its distribution in rats., Design: Plasma radioactivity of (125)I-ghrelin (cpm) was analyzed in blood specimens collected after (125)I-ghrelin administration. Tissue uptake of (125)I-ghrelin (cpm/mg) was evaluated in 27 tissues obtained during an autopsy performed 1, 2 and four hours after (125)I-ghrelin administration. The radioactivity of the tissue specimen (cpm) was divided by the weight of the specimen (mg)., Results: Plasma (125)I-ghrelin radioactivity decreased rapidly after peptide administration. The half-life time of (125)I-ghrelin was 15-18 minutes. The analysis of (125)I-ghrelin distribution revealed three profiles of its tissue uptake. The first profile was characterized by decreasing radioactivity (e.g. brain, kidney, liver). Increasing tissue radioactivity followed by a gradual decrease (second profile) was observed for example in stomach, intestine and thyroid. The third profile was described as a relatively stable radioactivity (e.g. lung, myocardium). Despite of Lugol's solution administration, thyroid uptake of (125)I-ghrelin was notably higher than in other tissues (second and third profile)., Conclusions: Exogenous ghrelin uptake in tissues that produce this peptide suggests, that ghrelin influences the biology and function of these cells also in endocrine way. Similarly, the accumulation of peptide observed in the third profile (e.g. thyroid) may reflect a potential role of ghrelin in these organs.

Objectives: Many patients with a chronic disease are dissatisfied with the information they are given. A brief questionnaire completed by patients would assist health professionals to identify areas of information needed to be provided, tailored to the patient's mental condition., Aim: The aim of our study was to assess how often thyroid patients report being adequately informed about iodine treatment in connection with their real need thereof, emotional state and acceptance of the disease., Methods: One hundred outpatients who had presented subclinical hyperthyroidism "[19 men (19%), 81 women (81%); mean (SD±) age 53±14,range 18-77 yr ] treated with radioiodine (RAI) responded to an Experimental Questionnaire, 54 of them answered to AIS, HADS-M and Beck Inventory measuring their acceptance of the illness and depressive symptoms, 37 of them answered the Patient Request Form (PRF)., Results: The obtained results indicated that about 50% of patients treated with 131I therapy did not receive suitable information about their treatment. Neither written information prepared by the specialist, nor verbal information given by physicians were adequate for specific problems of study group. The examined patients presented with a comparable intensity of three distinct types of requests: for explanation and reassurance, for emotional support, and for investigation and treatment. The acceptance of their disease was mediocre for most of the study group., Conclusion: We conclude that the reported lack of satisfaction with medical information in study group was associated with depressive symptoms influencing cognitive efficiency, patients' great need of emotional and cognitive support, influencing the acceptance of their disease, and social prejudice to radioiodine (as a method of treatment), worrying them additionally. All thyroid patients even these with subclinical symptoms of hyperthyroidism should be treated with specific attention by physicians, especially during information process.

Objective: The influence of obesity on cancer development has been proven for numerous tumours. In contrast, the association between obesity and non-secreting adrenal incidentaloma has never been proven. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate this relationship in a large sample of patients., Methods: 143 patients with benign non-secreting adrenal incidentalomas treated in the Department of Endocrinology at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences between the years 2000-2007 were examined. To rule out subclinical hyperfunctioning lesions, serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, cortisol (8 am, 6 pm, and after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression), sodium and potassium, along with concentrations of sodium, potassium, vanillylmandelic acid, metanephrine and normetanephrine in 24-hour urine collection were determined. Radiological evaluation included computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Only non-secreting lesions and those of benign radiologic appearance were considered. The patients body mass index was compared to that of the general population of Poland and the Western Poland Region of Wielkopolska., Results: The average body mass index of our patients was 28.77 kg/m2 (SD=4.71), with a 40% prevalence of obesity in the study group. One-proportion z-test showed a statistically significantly higher prevalence of obesity as compared to the general population of Poland and Wielkopolska (40% vs 12.5%, p<0.005); the results were similar for the whole cohort, and for each gender separately., Conclusions: This clinical research study demonstrates a strong association between obesity and incidentally discovered non-functioning adrenal tumours.

Objectives: Acromegaly is a chronic disease caused by excessive growth hormone secretion resulting in bone and soft tissue overgrowth. Body image changes as well as systemic complications may considerably influence patients' psychological health and disturb everyday activities. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of octreotide treatment on somatic and psychological symptoms of acromegaly, and thus on patients' quality of life., Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 15 patients with acromegaly. The average duration of octreotide therapy was 5.6 years (1-10 years). The respondents created a list of subjective signs and symptoms of acromegaly before treatment and reported changes observed during therapy. The psychological examination was performed with appropriate test scales assessed patients' self-efficacy, emotional control, psychological gender and their life satisfaction., Results: The most important changes observed during octreotide therapy were associated with head and joint pain relief and reduction of physical limitations. The patients also noticed the improvement of cognitive functions and interpersonal relations. The study revealed average life satisfaction in the group. The patients on the one hand demonstrated high self-efficacy and on the other hand - intensive repression of emotions. The undifferentiated sex-role schema dominated in group., Conclusions: The study proved a significance of octreotide therapy in acromegalic patients' life. In spite of chronic disease, all the respondents reported good quality of life (average life satisfaction). Additionally, their high self-efficacy helps to cope with the disease. Nevertheless, undifferentiated sex role schema in the study group suggests lack of behavioral flexibility and high emotional repression predicts negative somatic consequences.

Objectives: The survivin is the protein involved in regulation of basic and cycle-specific functions of cells both in normal and cancer tissue. Recent studies present survivin as a factor having the leading role in the regulation of apoptosis and mitosis as well as a target of anticancer therapy. The employing of survivin in this therapy is based on its high expression level in most human cancers, as well as its association with the disease's progression. The aim of our study was to evaluate the expression and localization of survivin's gene product on the protein level in different types of pituitary tumors and normal pituitary. The coexpression of survivin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen - PCNA in pituitary was also examined., Design and Methods: The study was conducted on the postoperative pituitary tumors tissue taken during standard neurosurgical removal of tumor from 43 patients. The group of patients consists of 23 women and 20 men, aged from 27 to 71 years. As a control of the study three normal pituitary tissues obtained at the autopsy were used. Evaluation of survivin and PCNA expression was performed using immunohistochemical staining., Results: The study demonstrated the presence of survivin in all analyzed by us pituitary tumors. Survivin was present also in normal pituitary tissue. The protein was localized mainly in cell's nuclei, however the less intense immunostaining was observed also in the cytoplasm of pituitary tumors cells. Furthermore survivin was found in normal pituitary, but the positive immunostaining was limited to a single cells. The analysis of pituitary tumor cells proliferation index based on PCNA reactivity showed that survivin is coexpressed with PCNA, especially in invasive tumors., Conclusions: The study documented the presence of survivin in different types of pituitary tumors as well as in normal pituitary. Additionally the coexpression of survivin and PCNA in tumor cells was shown. The expression of survivin in both normal and cancer pituitary cells suggests that it may play an important role in regulation of the gland's proliferation.

Objective: The high prevalence of goiter in acromegalic patients is well known. Several studies revealed increased frequency of thyroid carcinoma in these patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of thyroid lesions, including thyroid cancer in acromegalic patients and to estimate possible factors influencing their occurrence, especially high IGF-1 level., Materials and Methods: 86 consecutive patients with acromegaly were retrospectively analyzed. 45 patients had been previously treated for acromegaly and 41 were newly diagnosed. In all subjects hGH, IGF-1, TSH, FT4 levels were determined. Thyroid gland was evaluated in ultrasound examination. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was performed in every solid or mixed thyroid nodule., Results: Thyroid morphology abnormalities were found in 75 patients (87.2%). 10 patients (11.6%) had diffuse goiter and 65 patients (75.6%) had nodular goiter. There were 5 cases of thyroid carcinoma (5.8%): 3 papillary carcinomas and two follicular variants of papillary cancer. Out of five cancers three were multifocal, one infiltrated thyroid capsule and one was diagnosed at the stage of metastases to four lymph nodes., Conclusions: Our study confirmed common co-existence of acromegaly and thyroid lesions. Furthermore, it revealed considerably high occurrence of thyroid carcinoma in these patients. In view of this correlation, the potential role of IGF-1 in pathogenesis of benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms should be considered. Due to high frequency of thyroid cancer in acromegalic patients, we suggest to perform fine needle aspiration biopsy in each case of thyroid nodule.

Since introduction of population-based neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism (CH), cases of long-term untreated inborn hypothyreosis have become very rare whereas its clinical symptoms are currently not well known. We report a patient with CH due to an ectopic thyroid. The presented case is exceptional due to both advanced age of diagnosis and unusual clinical presentation, as the anomaly was detected during evaluation of suspected acromegaly at the age of 62. This report indicates that there is still necessity of considering, in spite of its rarity, congenital form in differential diagnosis of hypothyroidism.

Unlabelled: It is unknown if altered ghrelin secretion might contribute to the development of metabolic complications in acromegaly. The AIM OF THE STUDY was to: 1) assess if serum concentrations of total and acylated ghrelin in patients with acromegaly differ in the presence of various metabolic complications (hypercholesterolemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglicemia). 2) assess the correlations between concentrations of ghrelin and concentrations of GH, IGF-1, cholesterol, insulin and glucose in patients with acromegaly., Materials: 24 patients with previously diagnosed acromegaly (11 subjects with active and 13 subjects with inactive disease) and 12 healthy subjects. 23 subjects were treated in the past with neurosurgery, 3 subjects with radiotherapy. 7 patients were receiving octreotide LAR at the time of the study., Methods: In all studied subjects the concentrations of total ghrelin, acylated ghrelin, GH, IGF-1, insulin, glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglicerydes, were measured., Results: The concentrations of total and acylated ghrelin did not significantly differ between patients with active and inactive disease. The mean concentrations of total and acylated ghrelin were significantly higher in acromegalic patients who presented with hypercholesterolemia compared with patients with normocholesterolemia. In patients with hypercholesterolemia the ratio of acylated/total ghrelin was 16%. In patients with active acromegaly there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the concentration of total ghrelin and the concentration of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. There was also a positive correlation between the concentration of acylated ghrelin and LDL cholesterol (without statistical significance). In patients with inactive acromegaly there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the concentration of acylated ghrelin and the concentration of triglycerides and a positive correlation between total ghrelin and triglycerides, but statistically insignificant. There were no differences in ghrelin levels depending on the insulin and glucose concentrations., Conclusions: Some metabolic complications of the disease might result not only from GH hypersecretion but also from altered ghrelin secretion.

Introduction: Amiodarone (AM) is frequently used in the therapy of patients with cardiac disorders. However, due to high iodine content, it has side effects on thyroid function. The use of radioiodine therapy (RIT) in amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) with low radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) is still controversial. In these patients therapeutic choices for refractory disease include surgery, antithyroid drugs, or glu ocorticosteriods., Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of RIT in patients presenting AIT and low RAIU in two-year follow-up., Patients and Methods: 40 patients (25 men and 15 women) aged from 63 to 83 years (x +/- SD: 66.2 +/- 5.0 years; median: 65 years) treated with RIT were included into the study. In these patients AM therapy was essential for the underlying heart disorder, while surgery, antithyroid drugs or glucocorticosteroids, were contraindicated. Forty seven patients with toxic multinodular goiter (TMNG) (39 women and 8 men), matched for age (67 +/- 12 yr; range 54-89 yr), were enrolled into the study as a comparative group. The diagnostic procedures included baseline thyroid function tests (thyrothropin - TSH, free triiodothyronine - fT3 and free thyroxine - fT4 levels), thyroid autoantibodies measurement (antithyroglobulin autoantibodies - TgAb, antithyroid peroxidase autoantibodies - TPOAb, anti-TSH receptor autoantibodies - TRAb), thyroid ultrasonography, thyroid scintiscan and RAIU assessment., Results: Serum values of TSH, TgAb, TPOAb and TRAb were undetectable in both groups. In patients with AIT fT4 level was 18.7 to 38.7 pmol/l (mean: 27.1 +/- 5.8) and fT3 concentration was 3.9 to 5.6 pmo/l (mean: 5.7 +/- 1.4), while in TMNG patients level of fT4 was 31.5 to 22.2 pmol/l (mean: 25,3 +/- 5,8) and fT3 concentration was 3.8 to 4,2 pmo/l (mean: 4,2 +/- 0,2). Mean RAIU values after 5h and 24h in AIT patients were 2.3 +/- 0.5 and 3.1 +/- 0.9%, while in TMNG patients were 18,0 +/- 3,8 and 35,7 +/- 9,1%, respectively. A significant difference (p<0.001) between 5h and 24h RAIU in AIT compared to TMNG was noted. In all patients with AIT, a dose of 800 MBq of 131I was administered. During two-year-observation recurrence of hyperthyroidism was observed in two patients (5%) with TMNG. These patients received a second radioiodine dose 16.2 +/- 15 months later (the mean re-treatment dose was 735.93 +/- 196.1 MBq). In comparison, none of the patients with AIT required a second 131I dose and only one patient (2.5%) 6 months after ablative 131I dose needed anti-thyroid medication. Transient hypothyroidism was observed in only two patients (5%) with AIH, though was not observed in TMNG. During follow-up time, no sudden deaths in AIT patients were observed; one patient was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and in one patient acute toxic hepatitis after AM occurred., Conclusion: RIT may be a safe and useful method of AIT therapy in patients with low RAIU, in whom other treatment methods are contraindicated.

Objectives: Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, which was recently showed to be expressed by different benign and malignant human tumors. Still very little is known about survivin expression in pituitary tumors. In spite of the fact that pituitary tumors in histological examination are usually benign, in the clinical process a certain number of pituitary adenomas is capable of aggressive growth, recurrence and invasion of the surrounding structures. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of survivin transcripts and protein in different types of pituitary tumors and to evaluate survivin expression levels in invasive and non-invasive pituitary tumors., Design and Methods: The analyzed material consisted of tumor tissue samples obtained during standard neurosurgical removal of the tumor from 23 patients in whom acromegaly (n=14), non-functioning pituitary tumor (n=6), prolactinoma (n=2) and corticotropinoma (n=1) were diagnosed. As a control of the study normal pituitary tissue obtained at autopsy was used. Amplification of survivin gene using sequence specific primers and qRT-PCR method and immunohistochemical staining with primary polyclonal antibodies against human survivin were performed., Results: Our study demonstrated the presence of survivin mRNA in all 23 analyzed pituitary tumors. Survivin expression was also observed in normal pituitary, but the level of its expression was 6-fold lower than in tumors tissue when studied by real time RT-PCR. The difference between the levels of survivin expression in invasive and non-invasive tumors was not statistically significant. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed the presence of the protein in both normal and tumor tissue of pituitary. Immunostaining of tumor tissue was not uniform. Survivin was observed mainly in the nuclei of cells collected in clusters. The presence of the protein in normal pituitary was restricted to small population of cells., Conclusions: The present study showed that overexpression of survivin is characteristic for pituitary tumors. Further analysis of this protein expression profile should demonstrate whether survivin might be use as a prognostic marker in diagnosis and therapy of pituitary adenomas.

Objectives: It has been suggested that ghrelin synthesized locally in pituitary regulates the function and growth of pituitary cells in autocrine/paracrine way and might be an important factor of pituitary tumorogenesis. The expression of ghrelin receptor in neoplastic cells of pituitary adenomas has also been demonstrated. In vitro studies confirmed that ghrelin stimulates the proliferation of somatotroph cells in GH3 cell line. The presence of both ghrelin mRNA and protein was detected in a number of benign and malignant neoplasms as well as in neoplastic cells of the tissues which do not express ghrelin in physiological conditions. This study showed the presence of ghrelin mRNA and its protein in different types of pituitary adenomas., Design: The samples of 37 pituitary adenomas were obtained during standard neurosurgical tumor removal. The study tissues included 20 somatotroph tumors (15 patients treated and 5 patients untreated with octreotide LAR before the surgery), 12 nonfunctioning adenomas, 4 prolactinomas and 1 ACTH-secreting tumor. The control included samples of normal mucous membrane of the stomach and normal pituitaries. Expression of ghrelin mRNA was studied in 28 pituitary adenomas by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical evaluation of ghrelin presence was performed in 34 tumors., Results: The presence of ghrelin gene transcripts was demonstrated in 10 out of 15 examined somatotroph tumors (obtained from patients treated with octreotide LAR before the surgery) and also in 2 out of 4 samples of prolactinomas, 7 out of 8 of nonfunctioning tumors and in 2 samples of normal pituitary. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed the presence of the protein in all 5 examined somatotroph tumors obtained from patients not treated prior to the surgery and in 10 out of 15 tumors obtained from patients treated with octreotide LAR. The peptide was detected also in 10 out of 12 examined nonfunctioning tumors and in 2 examined PRL-secreting tumors. The immunostaining for ghrelin was not shown in normal pituitaries., Conclusions: The study demonstrated that ghrelin gene is expressed in somatotroph adenomas, both treated and untreated with octreotide LAR before the surgery, and also in other types of pituitary adenomas (prolactinomas and nonfunctioning adenomas).

Objective: Anti-thyroglobulin, anti-thyroid-peroxidase and anti-TSH receptor antibodies have been observed with high frequency in autoimmune thyroid diseases. Thyroid hormone auto-antibodies (THAA): anti-thyroxine (T4) and anti-triiodothyronine (T3), conversely, have been reported rarely. In both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, patients suffer from muscle weakness and function disorders. The aim of our study was the evaluation of the occurrence rate of autoantibodies targeting muscle proteins in a group of 24 patients with circulating anti-T3 and/or anti-T4 autoantibodies. The control group consisted of 41 healthy blood donors., Methods: In polyethylene tubes coated with muscle antigens: actin, myosin, myoglobin, troponin and tropomyosin solid-phase radioimmunoassay was performed to detect autoantibodies. A reaction with 125I-labelled staphylococcus protein A was used for the detection of antibodies bound to the antigens on the tubes., Results: We found a high occurrence of antibodies to muscle proteins in patients with THAA. Anti-myoglobin autoantibodies were most frequent (54.2% of subjects), the binding index values was very high and exceeded normal values two to four fold. Anti-myosin autoantibodies were detected in 50% of subjects; anti-troponin autoantibodies in 33.3%, and anti-tropomyosin autoantibody in 3 patients (12.5%). Differences between the patients and the controls were statistically significant. The antibody binding index to actin was low and statistically insignificant., Conclusions: Our study indicates that muscle protein antibodies, especially to myoglobin, myosin and troponin, are very frequently present in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease and circulating anti-T3 and anti-T4 autoantibodies, as well as in most cases of chronic thyroiditis with clinical symptoms of hypothyroidisms.

Objectives: Very little is still known about ghrelin in cases of GH hypersecretion. We decided to evaluate whether ghrelin concentrations in acromegalic patients differ according to the administered therapy (surgical and/or with long acting octreotide). We wanted to assess the correlation between serum ghrelin levels and 1) the treatment applied in the past or being applied at the time of our study 2) GH, IGF-1 and insulin concentrations., Material: Serum ghrelin, GH, IGF-1 and insulin were measured in 42 acromegalic patients who had received surgical and/or long acting octreotide therapy or who hadn't receive any treatment at all. According to the applied treatment, we divided the patients into groups, as follows: 1) LAO/+/, surgery /-/, 2) LAO /+/, surgery /+/, 3) LAO /-/, surgery /-/, 4) LAO /-/, surgery /+/. Ghrelin was also evaluated in 18 control healthy subjects., Results: The difference between mean ghrelin level in the healthy subjects and acromegalic patients was not statistically significant (p=0.08). LAO /-/, surgery /-/ patients showed fasting ghrelin levels indistinguishable from those seen in healthy subjects (p=0.1). There wasn't any statistically significant difference between LAO /-/, surgery /-/ patients and LAO /-/, surgery /+/ group (p=0.14). Serum ghrelin levels in LAO /+/, surgery /+/ group were significantly lower from those observed in LAO /-/, surgery /+/ patients (p=0.006). A similar reduction in ghrelin levels was also found in patients LAO /+/ (both after and without surgery) compared to LAO /-/ patients (both after or without surgery) (p=0.001). Serum ghrelin levels showed a significant negative correlation with IGF-1 concentration and a tendency to a statistically significant correlation with GH in LAO /-/ group (p<0,05)., Conclusions: Ghrelin concentrations were significantly lower in acromegalic patients who had been receiving long acting somatostatin analogue treatment; there was no significant difference in serum ghrelin levels between patients who had and who had not undergone surgery. A significant negative correlation between ghrelin and IGF-1 and a tendency to such correlation between ghrelin and GH was observed in LAO /-/ group of patients.

Objectives: Due to the recent increase of incidence of thyroid nodules and the known risk of malignant transformation, there is an elevated risk of thyroid cancer in Poland. Several approaches, including molecular, have been proposed to support fine needle aspiration biopsy in the early detection of malignant lesions. Although the IGF-I system in thyroid cancer has been studied, little is known about the gene and its promoter structure changes. Our aim was to assess, whether the analysis of the IGF-I gene promoter region and 5'UTR exon 1 structure may be useful in assessing the risk of thyroid carcinoma., Material: Our study included 46 patients that underwent strumectomy due to a presence of thyroid nodules., Methods: All patients underwent clinical examination and laboratory investigations to assess their thyroid structure and function. Tissues obtained during the surgery were used for DNA extraction, PCR, SSCP and direct sequencing., Results: Among 46 patients, 14 had a nucleotide difference in one of the examined regions. In our study we revealed no significant difference between carcinomatous and non-carcinomatous groups of patients in terms of presence of nucleotide change, but Fisher's exact test gave a significant result in terms of the efficacy of detecting follicular adenoma. Moreover, the patients with nucleotide change had thyroid glands significantly smaller in volume., Conclusions: We conclude that the molecular analysis of the IGF-I gene promoter is thought to be of a functional significance, but probably could not be considered useful in the assessment of risk of thyroid cancer in thyroid nodules.

Unlabelled: Survivin has received great attention due to its expression in many human tumours and its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer. Its expression is developmentally regulated: present during fetal development, it is undetectable in terminally differentiated normal adult tissue. Survivin expression has been described to be cell cycle-dependent and restricted to the G2-M checkpoint, where it inhibits apoptosis in proliferating cells., Objectives: The aim of our study was to determine the survivin expression in different types of pituitary adenomas., Methods: Tissue samples were obtained during surgical removal of the tumour from 12 patients with diagnosed: acromegaly in seven cases, non-functioning pituitary tumours in four cases and prolactinoma in one case. Six patients with acromegaly received long-acting somatostatin analogues before tumour resection. After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, the amplification of specific survivin's gene fragment was performed., Results: In agreement with the current view that survivin is a tumor-associated antigen, highly expressed in various tumours, we found the presence of survivin expression as a characteristic feature of human pituitary adenomas. The findings of our study demonstrated the presence of an active survivin gene in all twelve analysed pituitary tumours., Conclusions: Based on these findings, we conclude that the estimation of survivin expression in human pituitary tumours may help predict tumour growth and prognosis.

Objectives: Apoptosis of endocrine cells represents one of factors significantly affected the control of hormones secretion. Present study aimed to examine whether treatment of somatotropinoma types tumours with somatostatine analogue (lanreotide) results in apoptosis., Material and Methods: The studies were performed on 35 patients with somatotropinoma type tumours on whom adenomectomy was performed by transsphenoidal approach. The operative material was examined by cellular morphology, based on light and electron microscopy and chromosomal ladder formation assay., Results: The number of apoptotic cells showed features typical for the process as condensation and fragmentation of chromatin, vacuolisation, damage of the inner structure of mitochondria and oligonucleosomal fragmentation of DNA was found in the study material. The results of the studies demonstrated the occurrence of lanreotide induced apoptosis in somatotropinoma type tumours. The grade of apoptotic cells in macroadenomas type adenomas, treated with lanreotide, ranged from 4.0% to 17.1% (mean 8.7+/-2.6%). Patients in whom hypophysectomy was not preceded by lanreotide treatment demonstrated low level of apoptotic cells (no more than 3.5%)., Conclusions: The studies showed that treatment with somatostatine analogue-lanreotide induced apoptosis of tumour cell suggesting that the induction of apoptotic cell death may be involved in the anticancer activity of somatostatine analogue.