Recurrence of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: a role for insulin-like growth factor-II loss of imprinting and cytoplasmic E-cadherin immunolocalization.

Purpose: This study documents the frequency of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) loss of imprinting (LOI) in a series of 87 bladder tissues. E-cadherin (CDH1) immunolocalization was also investigated due to the known redistribution of this adherence protein to the cytoplasm following exogenous exposure to IGF-II.

Experimental Design: Informative IGF-II cases were identified following DNA-PCR amplification and subsequent sequencing of the transcribable ApaI RFLP in exon 9 of IGF-II.

Taxanes, microtubules and chemoresistant breast cancer.

The taxanes, paclitaxel and docetaxel are microtubule-stabilizing agents that function primarily by interfering with spindle microtubule dynamics causing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. However, the mechanisms underlying their action have yet to be fully elucidated. These agents have become widely recognized as active chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and early-stage breast cancer with benefits gained in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).