Purpose: The unique mechanism of tumor destruction by photodynamic therapy (PDT), resulting from apoptotic and necrotic killing of tumor cells accompanied by local inflammatory reaction and induction of heat shock proteins (HSPs), prompted us to investigate the antitumor effectiveness of the combination of PDT with administration of immature dendritic cells (DCs). Experimental Design: Confocal microscopy and Western blotting were used to investigate the influence of PDT on the induction of apoptosis and expression of HSP expression in C-26 cells. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry studies were used to examine phagocytosis of PDT-treated C-26 cells by DCs. Secretion of interleukin (IL)-12 was measured with ELISA. Cytotoxic activity of lymph node cells was evaluated in a standard ⁵¹Cr-release assay. The antitumor effectiveness of PDT in combination with administration of DCs was investigated in in vivo model. Results: PDT treatment resulted in the induction of apoptotic and necrotic cell death and expression of HSP27, HSP60, HSP72/73, HSP90, HO-1, and GRP78 in C-26 cells. Immature DCs cocultured with PDT-treated C-26 cells efficiently engulfed killed tumor cells, acquired functional features of maturation, and produced substantial amounts of IL-12. Inoculation of immature DCs into the PDT-treated tumors resulted in effective homing to regional and peripheral lymph nodes and stimulation of cytotoxic activity of T and natural killer cells. The combination treatment with PDT and administration of DCs produced effective antitumor response. Conclusions: The feasibility and antitumor effectiveness demonstrated in these studies suggest that treatment protocols involving the administration of immature DCs in combination with PDT may have clinical potential.

The surgical treatment of patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer is based on maximal cytoreduction with widening the debulking on the extra-ovarian tissues and infiltrated organs. The purpose of the study was to assess the outcome after optimal cytoreduction with partial bowel resection and to find the risk factors of relapse. Another goal was the quantitative and qualitative assessment of intra- and postoperative complications in the studied group. The analysis of debulking procedures with intestinal resection and postoperative period in 33 ovarian cancer patients, The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages III and IV, was performed. The optimal cytoreduction defined as less than 1.0 cm residual disease was achieved in all patients including the following: 26 patients (78.8 %) with no macroscopic residual disease, 4 patients (12.1 %) with the largest residual tumor less than 0.5, and 3 patients (9.1 %) with 0.5 cm to less than 1.0 cm residual disease. The rectosigmoid resection was the most common surgical procedure (n = 27). The risk of relapse was significantly higher in subjects who had the macroscopic residual tumor left during the primary operation (57.1 vs. 11.5 %, P = 0.035). A primary bowel tumor size was another predictor of relapse. The maximum tumor diameter was significantly larger (14.9 ± 6.7 cm vs. 10.3 ± 4.7 cm, P = 0.047) in patients who developed the relapse. As presented in the article, our outcomes and other authors’ observations indicate that debulking surgery with bowel resection in patients with advanced ovarian cancer brings good results. Complications connected with bowel surgery are to be accepted. The interesting thing is that a primary bowel tumor size was a predictor of relapse.

The purpose of this study was to determine if asiatic acid may act efficiently in the model of cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis in rats. We performed experiments after administration of CYP (single dose 200 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), asiatic acid (30 mg/kg/day for 14 consecutive days, by oral gavage), or CYP plus asiatic acid, during which conscious cystometry, measurements of urothelium thickness and bladder edema, as well as selected biomarkers analyses were conducted. In rats that received asiatic acid together with CYP, a drop in bladder basal pressure, detrusor overactivity index, non-voiding contraction amplitude, non-voiding contraction frequency, and the area under the pressure curve were observed, when compared to the CYP group. Furthermore, a significant increase in threshold pressure, voided volume, intercontraction interval, bladder compliance, and volume threshold to elicit NVC were found in that group accordingly. Administration of the asiatic acid successfully restored concentrations of biomarkers both in bladder urothelium (BDNF, CGRP, OCT-3, IL-1β, IL-6, NGF, nitrotyrosine, malondialdehyde, TNF-α, SV2A, SNAP23, SNAP25, PAC-1, ORM1, occludin, IGFBP-3, HB-EGF, T–H protein, Z01, and HPX) and detrusor muscle (Rho kinase and VAChT) in CYP-treated rats. Finally, asiatic acid significantly decreased urothelium thickness and bladder oedema. Asiatic acid proved to be a potent and effective drug in the rat model of CYP-induced cystitis.