Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2009, 153(2):117-120 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2009.019

CHANGES IN CLUSTERIN SERUM CONCENTRATION LEVELS IN ONCOLOGIC PATIENTS DURING THE COURSE OF SPA THERAPY – A PILOT STUDY

Ivan Vareka^a,b, David Stejskal^c,d, Renata Varekova^e, Katerina Burianova^b, Jiri Hnatek^a

^a Spa Luhacovice Inc., Luhacovice, Czech Republic

^b Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

^c Department of Laboratory Medicine & Metabolic Out Patient Centre, Central Moravian Hospital, Prostejov, Czech Republic

^d Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

^e Department of Functional Anthropology and Physiology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

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.

Aim: 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.

Conclusion: 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.

Keywords: Clusterin, Spa therapy, Cancer

Received: February 9, 2009; Accepted: May 8, 2009; Published: June 1, 2009  Show citation