Effect of metformin versus placebo on metabolic factors in the MA.32 randomized breast cancer trial.

Metformin may exert anticancer effects through indirect (mediated by metabolic changes) or direct mechanisms. The goal was to examine metformin impact on metabolic factors in non-diabetic subjects and determine whether this impact varies by baseline BMI, insulin, and rs11212617 SNP in CCTG MA.32, a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized adjuvant breast cancer (BC) trial.

Serum metabolomic profile as a means to distinguish stage of colorectal cancer.

Background: Presently, colorectal cancer (CRC) is staged preoperatively by radiographic tests, and postoperatively by pathological evaluation of available surgical specimens. However, present staging methods do not accurately identify occult metastases. This has a direct effect on clinical management.

Approach to inflammatory breast cancer.

Objective: To review the definition, clinical presentation, and management of inflammatory breast cancer in primary care.

Sources Of Information: Relevant research and review articles, as well as personal experience of the authors practising in a specialized locally advanced breast cancer program at a comprehensive cancer centre. Evidence is levels II and III.

First-in-class, first-in-human phase I results of targeted agents: highlights of the 2008 American society of clinical oncology meeting.

This review summarizes phase I trial results of 11 drugs presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting held in Chicago IL from May 30 to June 3rd 2008: BMS-663513, CT-322, CVX-045, GDC-0449, GRN163L, LY2181308, PF-00562271, RAV12, RTA 402, XL765, and the survivin vaccine.

Breast cancer in pregnancy: a literature review.

Purpose: Breast cancer in pregnancy is a clinically challenging situation for patients and their physicians. A review of the literature was performed to help identify optimal treatment strategies.

Methods: A Medline search between 1966 to the present using the keywords "breast", "carcinoma", and "pregnancy" revealed numerous hits, from which English-language articles including epidemiologic studies, case series, and general summaries were reviewed.

Changes in dielectric properties at 460 kHz of kidney and fat during heating: importance for radio-frequency thermal therapy.

We have developed a system to measure the changes due to heating to high temperatures in the dielectric properties of tissues in the radio-frequency range. A two-electrode arrangement was connected to a low-frequency impedance analyser and used to measure the dielectric properties of ex vivo porcine kidney and fat at 460 kHz. This frequency was selected as it is the most commonly used for radio-frequency thermal therapy of renal tumours.

Diagnostic potential of near-infrared Raman spectroscopy in the colon: differentiating adenomatous from hyperplastic polyps.

Background: Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy is a promising optical technique for GI tissue diagnosis. This study assessed the diagnostic potential of near-infrared Raman spectroscopy in the colon by evaluating its ability to distinguish between adenomatous and hyperplastic polyps.

Methods: Ex vivo and in vivo Raman spectra of colon polyps were collected by using a custom-built, fiber-optic, near-infrared Raman spectroscopic system.