Coetzee, M. J. C.Gasa, Noluthando Ncebakazi2024-07-192024-07-192023http://hdl.handle.net/11660/12710Dissertation (MMed.Sc.(Haematology))--University of the Free State, 2023All cells actively release extracellular vesicles (EVs) upon activation and apoptosis. EVs mediate intercellular communication in normal physiology and pathology. Cancer cells, like normal cells, secrete cancer specific EVs into the blood stream. EVs can possibly be used to monitor disease progression and response to treatment. This research quantified and characterised circulating EVs in the plasma of ten patients with stage II cervical cancer before, during and up to six weeks after treatment. EVs were isolated from plasma by size exclusion chromatography. Flow cytometry was used to count and characterise the EVs. The total number of EVs was identified by using an anti-CD63 monoclonal antibody. Cancer derived EVs were identified using an anti-CD133, while anti-CD11b was used to identify platelet derived EVs, and anti-CD41 to identify neutrophil EVs. After the start of radiotherapy (week 1) the number of CD63+ EVs, increased as large numbers of cancer cells were killed. The number of CD63 positive events significantly decreased in week six compared to baseline. There was also a significant decrease in CD133 positive and CD41 positive events in week six compared to baseline. This study demonstrated a significant increase at the start of treatment, followed by a decrease in circulating EVs after treatment compared to baseline. These findings suggest that EVs can possibly be used to monitor a patient’s response to treatment.enExtracellular vesiclesEVscervical cancerDissertationUniversity of the Free State