Histology Findings after Two Years of Cytology/HPV Co-Testing in Germany.

Introduction: Since 1 January 2020, diagnostic confirmation of abnormalities detected in the context of cytology/HPV co-testing in cervical cancer screening under the statutory health insurance scheme in women aged 35 and over has been performed according to predefined algorithms. A colposcopy is indicated even in the case of borderline/low-grade cytological changes and/or HPV persistence. In this article we compare the histology findings after primary screening examinations in 2020/21 with those from 2018/19, thus also comparing the results of two different screening approaches.

Comparison of the Hologic Genius Digital Diagnostics System with the ThinPrep Imaging System-A retrospective assessment.

Background: Digital cytology (DC) with artificial intelligence (AI) is a new approach. The authors compared DC with liquid-based cytology (LBC) using computer assistance (CAS) in a retrospective, noninterventional study.

Methods: In total, 1994 ThinPrep LBC slides (Hologic), which were previously analyzed in 2020 using an imaging system with CAS in routine cotesting for cytology/human papillomavirus, were reviewed in a blinded mode using the Genius Digital Diagnostics System (Hologic).

Two Years of Cytology and HPV Co-Testing in Germany: Initial Experience.

On 1 January 2020 the screening programme for the prevention of cervical cancer in women from the age of 35 years of the Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) in Germany changed from an annual cytology examination to cytological and HPV co-testing carried out every three years. A large standard diagnostics laboratory has been using liquid-based cytology (LBC) with computer-assisted screening (CAS) since 1 January 2020 to assess the samples. The cytological and HPV results for all cases examined with co-testing from 01.

Claudin-1 is linked to presence of implants and micropapillary pattern in serous borderline epithelial tumours of the ovary.

Aims: Expression of Claudin-1 has been associated with prognosis in several cancers. Here we investigated the expression pattern of Claudin-1 in borderline tumours of the ovary (BOT).

Methods: We analysed a cohort of 114 cases of borderline tumour (BOT).

Prognostic evaluation of the B cell/IL-8 metagene in different intrinsic breast cancer subtypes.

We recently reported that a ratio of high B cell and low IL-8 metagene expression identified 32 % of triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) with good prognosis and was the only significant predictor in multivariate analysis including routine clinicopathological variables. However, the clinical relevance of this signature in other breast cancer subtypes remains unclear. We compiled Affymetrix gene expression datasets from 4,467 primary breast cancer samples and excluded 329 triple negative samples which were used as discovery cohort in our previous study.

Homogeneous datasets of triple negative breast cancers enable the identification of novel prognostic and predictive signatures.

Background: Current prognostic gene signatures for breast cancer mainly reflect proliferation status and have limited value in triple-negative (TNBC) cancers. The identification of prognostic signatures from TNBC cohorts was limited in the past due to small sample sizes.

Methodology/principal Findings: We assembled all currently publically available TNBC gene expression datasets generated on Affymetrix gene chips.

A clinically relevant gene signature in triple negative and basal-like breast cancer.

Introduction: Current prognostic gene expression profiles for breast cancer mainly reflect proliferation status and are most useful in ER-positive cancers. Triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) are clinically heterogeneous and prognostic markers and biology-based therapies are needed to better treat this disease.

Methods: We assembled Affymetrix gene expression data for 579 TNBC and performed unsupervised analysis to define metagenes that distinguish molecular subsets within TNBC.

Melanoma antigen family A identified by the bimodality index defines a subset of triple negative breast cancers as candidates for immune response augmentation.

Background: Molecular markers displaying bimodal expression distribution can reveal distinct disease subsets and may serve as prognostic or predictive markers or represent therapeutic targets. Oestrogen (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptors are strongly bimodally expressed genes in breast cancer.

Material And Methods: We applied a novel method to identify bimodally expressed genes in 394 triple negative breast cancers (TNBC).

Prognostic impact of thymidine phosphorylase expression in breast cancer--comparison of microarray and immunohistochemical data.

Contrary findings exist according to the prognostic and predictive impact of thymidine phosphorylase (TP) expression in breast cancer. Goal of our study was to investigate TP expression on the mRNA level by microarray analysis in a large cohort of 1781 breast cancers and to analyse its prognostic impact. Furthermore we compared mRNA expression and immunohistochemical data to explain discrepancies between different studies.

Data-driven derivation of cutoffs from a pool of 3,030 Affymetrix arrays to stratify distinct clinical types of breast cancer.

Pooling of microarray datasets seems to be a reasonable approach to increase sample size when a heterogeneous disease like breast cancer is concerned. Different methods for the adaption of datasets have been used in the literature. We have analyzed influences of these strategies using a pool of 3,030 Affymetrix U133A microarrays from breast cancer samples.

T-cell metagene predicts a favorable prognosis in estrogen receptor-negative and HER2-positive breast cancers.

Introduction: Lymphocyte infiltration (LI) is often seen in breast cancer but its importance remains controversial. A positive correlation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification and LI has been described, which was associated with a more favorable outcome. However, specific lymphocytes might also promote tumor progression by shifting the cytokine milieu in the tumor.

Loss of Plexin B1 is highly prognostic in low proliferating ER positive breast cancers--results of a large scale microarray analysis.

Plexins, cell-surface receptors for semaphorins, are involved in cell adhesion and migration. In the previous work, we demonstrated that the loss of Plexin B1 expression is associated with poor outcome in breast cancer patients. The goal of the present study was a validation of Plexin B1 expression in a large scale microarray dataset from n=1086 breast cancer patients.

Gene expression of topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A) by microarray analysis is highly prognostic in estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer.

Introduction: Overexpression of Topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A) has been implicated with gene amplification of the 17q21 amplicon and consecutively with ErbB2 overexpression and amplification. However, gene amplification does not necessarily correlate with RNA and protein expression. There is growing evidence that TOP2A protein expression is a strong prognostic and TOP2A gene amplification might be a predictive marker (particularly for the use of anthracyclines).

Poor outcome in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers predicted by loss of plexin B1.

Purpose: A common characteristic of mammary carcinomas is an inverse relationship between the estrogen receptor (ER) status and the proliferative activity of the tumor. Yet, a subset of ER-positive breast cancers is characterized by a high proliferation, suggesting malfunctions in ER responsiveness that influence the biological and therapeutic behavior of tumor cells. The expression of several ER-dependent genes seems to be dysregulated among those "uncoupled" tumors.

Prenatal ultrasound assessment and fetal heart monitoring: analysis of dizygotic twins discordant for body stalk anomaly in the third trimester of pregnancy.

We describe a case of dizygotic twin pregnancy which was referred to our centre because of a discordant anomaly of one of the twins. The ultrasound examination revealed a large extra-abdominal mass (liver and bowel) with micromelia, severe kyphoscoliosis and a short umbilical cord of the second dizygotic discordant twin. These ultrasound findings were diagnosed as body stalk anomaly.

[Risk factors for recurrence of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia III (VIN III)].

Objective: The incidence of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) has increased in the last decades. The therapy of VIN is the in toto resection. Still some patients develop VIN recurrence.

Gene expression profiling of breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide within the GEPARTRIO trial: HER-2, but not topoisomerase II alpha and microtubule-associated protein tau, is highly predictive of tumor response.

Gene expression analysis in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an interesting tool for identification of gene signatures and new markers to predict tumor response. However, the detection of predictive markers strongly depends on the drugs used in the specific therapeutic setting. There is growing evidence that topoisomerase II-alpha (TOPO IIalpha) is a marker for anthracycline-, and microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) for taxane sensitivity.

[Cervical cancer screening of HIV-positive women: is a prolongation of the screening interval meaningful?].

Objective: Cervical cancer screening guidelines stated recently that the screening interval of healthy women can be extended up to 3 years. Can those recommendations be applied for high risk populations?

Material And Methods: In a prospective setting 305 HIV-positive women have been enrolled in this analysis between September 2000 and December 2003. Patients have been characterized according to HPV (human papilloma virus) prevalence, CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) incidence and CD4 cell count.

[Management of abnormal uterine bleeding].

Bleeding disorders are one of the most frequent gynecological problems. The causes of bleeding disorders, and their frequency in particular, vary depending on the age of the woman affected. In premenopause and perimenopause, the most frequent causes are hormonal, in up to 90 % of cases, as well as organic changes in the uterus such as myomas, adenomyosis uteri, or endometrial polyps, in up to 70 % of cases.

[Identification of preeclampsia by cDNA-gene expression profiling in human placentas and serum -- a pilot study].

Objective: Preeclampsia is associated with significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The etiology remains unclear. For the accurate diagnosis and the prevention of preeclampsia it seems to be important to find a diagnostic tool that identifies risk patients before symptoms occur.

[Integrin expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrium].

The significance of retrograde menstruation as a risk factor for endometriosis has been confirmed by numerous clinical observations. Integrins mediate both cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion, and it is therefore suspected that integrins are involved in the development of endometriosis. Using immunohistochemistry, integrin expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrium is examined in endometriosis patients and control individuals.

Gene expression profiles of breast cancer obtained from core cut biopsies before neoadjuvant docetaxel, adriamycin, and cyclophoshamide chemotherapy correlate with routine prognostic markers and could be used to identify predictive signatures.

Background: Neoadjuvant administration of chemotherapy provides a unique opportunity to monitor response to treatment in breast cancer and assesses response exactly. Global gene expression profiling by microarrays has been used as a valuable tool for the identification of prognostic and predictive marker genes. Even though this technology is now wide spread and relatively standardized, there are only few data available which compare established parameters with expression values to determine reliability of this method.

Outcome of preterm and term neonates of mothers with malignant diseases diagnosed during pregnancy.

Objective: To investigate the outcome of preterm and term neonates born to mothers with malignant diseases diagnosed during pregnancy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis with a matched-paired control group in a third level obstetric department and third level neonatal department of the University Hospital Frankfurt. Patients were preterm and term neonates from mothers with oncologic diseases diagnosed during pregnancy and matched-paired preterm and term neonates from healthy mothers.

[Management of HIV-positive pregnancies -- results from a retrospective study].

Objective: The management of HIV-positive pregnancies was investigated in conjunction to pre-, peri and postpartal complications and the HIV transmission rate.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective study of 88 HIV-positive patients who were delivered at the Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology during 1.

Predictive value of impaired uterine transport function assessed by negative hysterosalpingoscintigraphy (HSSG).

Background: Hysterosalpingoscintigraphy (HSSG) has given insight into the dynamics of rapid sperm transport inside the female genital tract.

Results: While there is an increase of an ipsilateral transport on the side bearing the dominant follicle in 70% of the subjects in the periovulatory phase, 15% of the patients do not demonstrate transport to the fallopian tubes (negative HSSG). In these patients the pregnancy rate achieved spontaneously or by intrauterine insemination is significantly reduced compared to the patients who showed an intact transport mechanism confirmed by positive HSSG.