title: Changes in clusterin serum concentration levels in oncologic patients during the course of spa therapy--a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clusterin (70-80 kDa; synonym ApoJ) is a stress-associated cytoprotective glycoprotein involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes and it is up-regulated by various apoptotic triggers in many cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Measurement of serum clusterin values in individuals with a history of cancer before and after spa therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum clusterin concentration (ELISA) was determined in a group of 26 oncologic patients (4 men and 22 women) at the beginning and at the end (the 18th or 19th day) of spa treatment. The spa treatment lasted 3 weeks. The patients with various types of cancer had undergone basic therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, actinotherapy) prior to spa treatment. They were divided according to the interval between the end of basic treatment and the start of spa therapy. Patients coming within 12 months comprised group A (n=15) while patients coming later comprised group B (n=11).
  
  
  RESULTS
  clusterin concentrations increased in 11 patients (73%) and decreased in 4 (27%) in group A and increased in 5 (45%) and decreased in 6 (55%) in group B. The non-parametric sign test was non-significant. There were positive value of average change between the second and the first sample in group A and negative value in group B. In group A the parametric test showed significant increased clusterin concentration at the end of spa treatment but the data had non-parametric distribution in fact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that early spa therapy increases clusterin serum concentration. This is probably due to to the positive effects of balneotherapy. However the sample was very small and further research is required.
authors.affiliation: Spa Luhacovice Inc., Luhacovice, Czech Republic. IvanVareka@seznam.cz
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vareka
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stejskal
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Varekova
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burianova
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hnatek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001452:Balneology; D051152:Clusterin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D051152:Clusterin