Ankaferd blood stopper (ABS) is a standardized herbal extract obtained from five different plants Thymus vulgaris (thyme), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), Vitis vinifera (grape), Alpinia officinarum (lesser galangal), and Urtica dioica (stinging nettle)

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BACKGROUND: Receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells (RCAS1) is a novel tumour marker that has been described in various kinds of cancer. The majority of observations include immunohistochemical studies; however, there are not enough data about the utility of this antigen as a serum tumour marker and its tumour specificity. AIM: To measure the serum levels of RCAS1 in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancers and compare them with other GI tract tumour markers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sera collected from patients with GI cancers (14 esophagus, 32 gastric and 36 colon) and from healthy volunteers (30 individuals) were analyzed for RCAS1 and compared with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 19-9. The relationship between serum RCAS1, tumour stage and tumour grade was also evaluated. RESULTS: Mean serum RCAS1 level was higher in patients with GI tract cancers compared with the control group (P=0.001). Among GI tract cancers, RCAS1 had lowest and highest sensitivity for esophagus and colon cancer diagnosis, respectively. Serum RCAS1 had a higher sensitivity for malignancy, except in the colon, and lower specificity in all groups compared with CEA. In comparison with cancer antigen 19-9, serum RCAS1 was more sensitive but less specific for all GI cancer groups. Mean serum RCAS1 levels were not statistically significant among histopathological tumour types (P>0.05). Although serum RCAS1 levels were significantly higher in cases with lymph node involvement compared with lymph node-negative cases (P=0.009), there was no difference between cases with and without serosal involvement, vascular invasion and distant metastasis; no correlation was found between tumour size and RCAS1 levels. CONCLUSIONS: RCAS1 may be used and combined with CEA as a tumour marker in GI tract cancers.

and to provide contributory data to the already existing data from the other geographical regions of Turkey. Materials and Methods: HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HCV seropositivity rates were retrospectively investigated among a total of 1084 pregnant women attending the Obstetric Outpatient Unit at the Medical Faculty of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University between January 2012 and January 2014 Serum assays were performed using a chemiluminescence immunoassay method according the manufacturer's instructions (Cobas e 411 Analyzer, Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). Statistical analyses of the study data were performed using SPSS 18.0 software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago IL, USA). Results: The mean age of the 1084 pregnant participants was 29.12±5.48 years (min: 17, max: 46 y) and the average gestational age was 10.7±4.64 weeks. HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV detection rates were 4% (n=43), 7.3% (n=79), and 0.6% (n=7), respectively. With regard to age groups, HBsAg was positive in 3.1%, 3.7%, 4.4%, and 5.9% of the women who were below 20 years of age, between 21 and 30 years of age, between 31 and 40 years of age, and over 40 years of age, respectively. Conclusion: While similar rates of seroprevalence for HBsAg and anti-HCV were found as compared to the previous reports from Turkey, anti-HBs positivity rates were lower than that in most of the previous reports.