Endocrine Abstracts

Prolactin (PRL) exerts independent hypertrophic effects on prostate in in vivo and in vitro experimental models, and prostatic PRL receptors are known to activate cell proliferation pathways such as MAPK and STAT. Nevertheless, in men with hyperprolactinemia the risk of prostate cancer has been found reduced suggesting a role of concomitant hypogonadism. Chronic cabergoline treatment generally normalizes PRL treatment and improves gonadal function. The curren...

Background: Vitamin D has several ‘noncalcemic’ implications, including effects on cell signaling and differentiation. Patients with gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine tumors (NET) have an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, due to the tumor itself, systemic therapies and abdominal surgery. However, data regarding vitamin D status are limited. Aim of this study was to evaluate 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D (25(OH)D) levels in GEP-NET patients and correlated them ...

Hyperprolactinemia is associated with abnormalities in glucose and lipid profile with development of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (MetS), which have been found to be improved by treatment with cabergoline (CAB). The current study aimed at investigating hormonal and metabolic effects of long-term CAB withdrawal in patients with prolactinomas. In 46 patients (37 F, 9 M, aged 34.5±11.5 yrs, 36 microadenomas and 10 macroadenomas) anthropometric (weight, BMI, wais...

Conventional glucocorticoids (CGCs) are unable to mimic physiological cortisol rhythm in adrenal insufficiency (AI), resulting in increased metabolic morbidity and impaired quality of life (QoL). Non-physiological cortisol pattern and elevated evening cortisol levels may be responsible for the increased risk of metabolic disorders observed in AI patients under CGCs. Once daily dual-release-hydrocortisone (DR-HC), which better reproduces physiological daily cortisol profile, si...

HCC is a difficult-to-treat- cancer with poor prognosis. Despite EVOLVE-1 trial demonstrated that EVE did not improve overall survival in molecularly and clinically unselected patients with advanced sorafenib resistant HCC, in selected patients, the established antitumor effect of EVE could make this drug a potential adjuvant therapy. Unfortunately, the acquired EVE resistance due to the tumour adaptation to chronic drug use is a current challenge. VitD has been deemed as pote...

: Patients with Cushing’s disease (CD) have increased cardiovascular risk due to metabolic alterations caused by glucocorticoids excess. Pasireotide, a multireceptor-targeted somatostatin analogue, is a therapeutic option in CD patients in whom surgery is not curative or not feasible. Pasireotide has been shown to be effective in controlling hypercortisolism and to improve metabolic features. Recently, the visceral adiposity index (VAI) has been proposed as a marker of vi...

Introduction: Due to the absence of randomized controlled trials, management of low risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), which represents the most commonly diagnosed form of thyroid malignancy, remains controversial. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is significantly more frequent in patients with PTC, as compared with subjects carrying benign lesions as well as different tumour histotypes. Despite still controversial, HT is considered a protective factor in PTC being associat...

: Inflammation and several oxidative processes are modulated by Selenium (Se) trough the selenoproteins. Se deficiency has been associated with thyroid autoimmune diseases and hypothyroidism, while Se-supplementation reduces antibodies titles and ameliorates ultrasound pattern of the gland.Aim of the current study, is to study the molecular effects of Se-supplementation in thyroid follicular cells (FRTL5).FRTL5 cells have been star...

Conventional glucocorticoids (GCs) are unable to mimic physiological cortisol rhythm in adrenal insufficiency (AI), with a significant impact on morbidity and mortality. Possible explanations are supra-physiological doses and impaired cortisol profile. In particular, elevated evening cortisol levels were related to glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity alterations and visceral obesity. Once-daily-dual-release-hydrocortisone (OD-DR-HC), better reproducing the physiological ...

Introduction: Environmental toxins, including those deriving from illegal and hazardous disposal of urban and chemical waste, are known to act as endocrine disruptors and to increase the risk of malignancy and cancer mortality. The present study aimed at investigating prevalence and characteristics of thyroid diseases in the area of Acerra, a town in the perimeter of the so called ‘Land of Fires’.Methods: The screening included subjects aged &#...