Browsing by Author "Samarasinghe, K."

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Cancer antigen 15-3 and the grade of the breast carcinoma in newly diagnosed patients
(Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Akalanka, H.M.K.; Ekanayake, S.; Samarasinghe, K.
BACKGROUND: Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) is a breast tumor marker of clinical utility. However, the utility of measuring CA15-3 in patients with breast cancer (BC) remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: To assess CA15-3 concentrations of newly diagnosed BC patients and to compare those with concentrations of apparently healthy females and within the different the grades of the carcinoma. METHODS: CA15-3 concentration of newly diagnosed BC patients (n=155) and apparently healthy age matched females (n=35) was assessed using enzyme immunoassay sandwich method with a final fluorescent detection using mini vidas immuno analyser. Nottingham grade of the carcinoma of each BC patient was recorded from the histopathology records. RESULTS: The median levels of CA15-3 of the BC patients and apparently healthy women in the study sample was 14.45 (IQR: 10.17) U/mL and 14.19 (IQR: 7.09) U/mL respectively. CA15-3 concentrations were not significantly different among BC and healthy women (p>0.05). Only 11% of women with BC had elevated CA15-3 concentrations above the reference range (30 U/mL). The BC patients were classified as Nottingham grade I (13.4%), II (47.8%) and III (38%). CA15-3. Concentrations (median and IQR) within each grade were 15.24 (6.62), 13.06 (11.56) and 17.52 (13.69) respectively. CA15-3 concentrations were not significantly different according to the grade (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CA 15-3 concentrations of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients were not significantly different when compared with apparently healthy women and according to the Nottingham grading.
Hypoglycaemic effect of the single and multiple doses of the water extract of dried flowers of Aegle marmelos (Bael fruit) in healthy Wistar rats
(University of Kelaniya, 2011) Sugandhika, S.; Kumari, K.D.K.P.; Samarasinghe, K.
Aegle marmelos (AM) has been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries to treat many disorders. The water extract of the dried flowers is a very popular drink in Sri Lanka. Due to paucity of studies on flower extract, the present study was designed to evaluate the oral hypoglycaemic effect of the water extract of dried flowers of Aegle marmelos (WEAM) in healthy Wistar rats. To evaluate the oral hypoglycaemic effect of a single dose of the WEAM (200 mg/kg) healthy, male Wistar rats were divided into Test and Control (n = 6) groups. Following an overnight fast the Test and Control groups received the WEAM and distilled water respectively. A glucose load (3 g/kg) was given half an hour later. Blood was drawn after 2 hours and the serum glucose levels were measured. In evaluation of multiple doses, the Test and Control groups received a single dose (500 mg/kg) of WEAM and distilled water continuously for 7 days. On day 8, fasting and post glucose load serum glucose levels were measured. The single dose of WEAM showed a statistically significant (p = 0.003) oral hypoglycaemic activity in healthy rats. The mean serum glucose level of the Test group was 7.70 ± 0.2 mmol/L, while it was 9.00 ± 0.1 mmol/L in the Control group. On day 8, fasting serum glucose levels of the Test and Control groups were 4.21 ± 0.2 mmol/L and 6.15 ± 0.5 mmol/L respectively while the post glucose load serum glucose levels were 5.56 ± 0.4 mmol/L and 8.70 ± 0.2 mmol/L respectively. There was a 38.5 % reduction in serum glucose level of the Test group when compared with the Control (p = 0.003). Single and multiple doses of water extract of dried flowers of Aegle marmelos exert a significant oral hypoglycaemic effect in healthy Wistar rats.
Serum ferritin in newly diagnosed breast cancer and apparently healthy individuals
(Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Akalanka, H.M.K.; Ekanayake, S.; Samarasinghe, K.
BACKGROUND: Iron is an essential element for the cell proliferation and is primarily stored in human body in the form of ferritin. Iron metabolism is influenced by oestrogen and interactions between iron and oestrogen is thought to synergistically promote breast cancer (BC). OBJECTIVES: To assess serum ferittin concentrations of BC patients and healthy females. METHODS: Newly diagnosed BC patients (n=150) and apparently healthy females (n=75) who consented to be on the study were enrolled. Serum ferritin concentration was assessed using enzyme immunoassay method using mini vidas immune analyser. RESULTS: Median serum ferritin concentrations (IQR) of pre (n=58) and postmenopausal (n=92) BC patients were 32.32 (37.84) ng/ml and 64.33 (27.18) ng/ml respectively. Postmenopausal BC patients had significantly high (p<0.05) serum ferritin concentrations compared to premenopausal BC patients. Apparently healthy pre (n=35) and postmenopausal (n=40) women had median values of 26.06(28.09) ng/ml and 45.00(51.24) ng/ml respectively the difference of which was statistically significant (p<0.05). A significant difference in serum ferritin concentration was not observed among premenopausal BC women and apparently healthy women (p>0.05). However, postmenopausal BC women had significant high levels of serum ferritin compared to postmenopausal healthy women (0<0.05). The postmenopausal ferritin concentrations among BC and normal women studied via ROC curve showed 70% (p=0.000, CI 0.62-0.79) of area under the curve with ferritin cutoff value of 58 ng/mL with 60% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Among postmenopausal BC and healthy women, 56.5% and 29% had ferritin levels above this cutoff value respectively and postmenopausal women having ferritin levels above the cutoff had 3times (OR=3.1, 95%CI 1.6-5.9) risk of having breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum ferritin concentration in postmenopausal women is associated with breast cancer risk but not in premenopausal women.