An interferon response gene signature is associated with the therapeutic response of hepatitis C patients.

Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide, and thus represents a significant public health problem. The type I interferon (IFN), IFNα, has been successful in treating HCV-infected patients, but current IFN-based treatment regimens for HCV have suboptimal efficacy, and relatively little is known about why IFN therapy eliminates the virus in some patients but not in others. Therefore, it is critical to understand the basic mechanisms that underlie the therapeutic resistance to IFN action in HCV-infected individuals, and there is an urgent need to identify those patients most likely to respond to IFN therapy for HCV.

MicroRNA-21 promotes glioblastoma tumorigenesis by down-regulating insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP3).

Despite advances in surgery, imaging, chemotherapy, and radiation, patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common histological subtype of glioma, have an especially dismal prognosis; >70% of GBM patients die within 2 years of diagnosis. In many human cancers, the microRNA miR-21 is overexpressed, and accumulating evidence indicates that it functions as an oncogene. Here, we report that miR-21 is overexpressed in human GBM cell lines and tumor tissue.

Occult primary, version 3.2014.

The NCCN Guidelines for Occult Primary tumors provide recommendations for the evaluation, workup, management, and follow-up of patients with occult primary tumors (cancers of unknown primary). These NCCN Guidelines Insights summarize major discussion points of the 2014 NCCN Occult Primary panel meeting. The panel discussed gene expression profiling (GEP) for the identification of the tissue of origin and concluded that, although GEP has a diagnostic benefit, a clinical benefit has not been demonstrated.

A multicenter study directly comparing the diagnostic accuracy of gene expression profiling and immunohistochemistry for primary site identification in metastatic tumors.

Metastatic tumors with an uncertain primary site can be a difficult clinical problem. In tens of thousands of patients every year, no confident diagnosis is ever issued, making standard-of-care treatment impossible. Gene expression profiling (GEP) tests currently available to analyze these difficult-to-diagnose tumors have never been directly compared with the diagnostic standard of care, immunochemistry (IHC).

Comparison of histopathology to gene expression profiling for the diagnosis of metastatic cancer.

Background: Determining the primary site of metastatic cancer with confidence can be challenging. Pathologists commonly use a battery of immunohistochemical (IHC) stains to determine the primary site. Gene expression profiling (GEP) has found increasing use, particularly in the most difficult cases.

Oral cancer: enduring characteristics and emerging trends.

Oral cancer is arguably the most serious condition that dental providers may encounter in their practice. The relatively poor prognosis associated with oral cancer highlights the importance of the dental team's awareness of the disease. While many characteristics of oral cancer have endured over time, new research is revealing trends that are changing the way we approach its screening, diagnosis and treatment.

Gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry in evaluation of cancer of unknown primary: time for a patient-centered approach.

Molecular medicine is rapidly changing the diagnosis and management of cancer of unknown primary. The science, business, and economics of the genomic revolution have moved at such a pace that coordinating practical application of all available tools, such as gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry, often seems to clash. In fact, very little work has been done to actively coordinate use of these techniques, each of which can be very resource-intensive.

NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines Occult primary.

Occult primary tumors, or cancers of unknown primary (CUPs), are defined as histologically proven metastatic malignant tumors whose primary site cannot be identified during pretreatment evaluation. They have a wide variety of clinical presentations and a poor prognosis in most patients. Patients with occult primary tumors often present with general complaints, such as anorexia and weight loss.

MicroRNA miR-21 regulates the metastatic behavior of B16 melanoma cells.

MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is overexpressed in many human tumors and has been linked to various cellular processes altered in cancer. miR-21 is also up-regulated by a number of inflammatory agents, including IFN, which is of particular interest considering the close relationship between inflammation and cancer. Because miR-21 appears to be overexpressed in human melanoma, we examined the role of miR-21 in cancer development and metastasis in B16 mouse melanoma cells.

Oral cancer: enduring characteristics and emerging trends.

Oral cancer is arguably the most serious condition that dental providers may encounter in their practice. The relatively poor prognosis associated with oral cancer highlights the importance of the dental team's awareness of the disease. While many characteristics of oral cancer have endured over time, new research is revealing trends that are changing the way we approach its screening, diagnosis and treatment.

VHL deletion impairs mammary alveologenesis but is not sufficient for mammary tumorigenesis.

Overexpression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)alpha, which is common in most solid tumors, correlates with poor prognosis and high metastatic risk in breast cancer patients. Because HIF-1alpha protein stability is tightly controlled by the tumor suppressor von Hippel-Lindau (VHL), deletion of VHL results in constitutive HIF-1alpha expression. To determine whether VHL plays a role in normal mammary gland development, and if HIF-1alpha overexpression is sufficient to initiate breast cancer, Vhl was conditionally deleted in the mammary epithelium using the Cre/loxP system.

Lymph node counts in uterine cancer: a randomized double blind trial.

Objective: Higher number of lymph nodes counts may suggest a more accurate cancer staging. We wish to study whether sending lymph nodes to pathologist in four containers, instead of a single container, yields a higher nodal count.

Methods: Patients with uterine cancer who underwent abdominal hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy were recruited.

Salvage paclitaxel chemotherapy for metastatic collecting duct carcinoma of the kidney.

We report a case of metastatic collecting duct carcinoma (CDC) incidentally found on computer assisted tomography in an 18-year-old male who presented status post a motor vehicle crash (MVC). The patient underwent total nephrectomy/renal vein thrombectomy with retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, followed by multimodal therapy, with gemcitabine and platinum salt therapy, effecting a short lived complete response, followed by single agent paclitaxel chemotherapy effecting a similarly short lived partial response. We conclude that cytoreductive nephrectomy and lymphadenectomy combined with chemotherapy may be useful for extending and increasing the quality of life of selected patients with CDC.

Absorbable biomaterials used within paranasal sinuses: an animal study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of mucosal regeneration in the presence of two different resorbable dressings derived from hyaluronic acid (HA): HA-carboxymethyl cellulose (HACMC) and esterified HA (HYAFF). A prospective randomized animal study was performed.

Methods: Twelve New Zealand white rabbits underwent bilateral maxillary sinusomy via a canine fossa approach.

Histologic effects of autologous platelet gel in skin flap healing.

Objective: To supply animal model data in the area of autologous platelet gel (APG) in the application of plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures in which clinical observation purports augmented hemostasis and optimal wound healing.

Methods: Paired skin flaps were dissected on each side of the backs of 12 New Zealand white rabbits. Prior to suture closure, APG was placed in the wound bed on 1 side (hereinafter, APG wounds), and the wound bed on the other side served as a control.

The effect of bacterial contamination on neointimal hyperplasia in vascular grafts.

Neointimal hyperplasia (NH) is the most significant contributing factor to long-term vascular graft failure. Inflammation is known to be important in its development; however, the role of bacterial infection is unclear. We examined the effect of contamination with common organisms on the development of NH in expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts.

Skin basement membrane zone: a depository for circulating microbial antigen evoking psoriasis and autoimmunity.

Background: Elevated levels of antibody to streptococcal exoenzymes have been found in patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Research on the role of streptococcal antigen in psoriasis has been hampered by a potential molecular mimicry between streptococcal epitopes and human epidermal keratin.

Objective And Methods: Evidence of microbial product was sought in skin biopsies of psoriasis patients thought clinically to have either streptococcal carrier state or gastrointestinal candidal colonization.

Rapamycin-coated expanded polytetrafluoroethylene bypass grafts exhibit decreased anastomotic neointimal hyperplasia in a porcine model.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that rapamycin coated onto, and eluted from, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts would diminish neointimal hyperplasia in a porcine model.

Methods: Rapamycin (also called sirolimus) was coated onto the luminal surface of 6-mm-internal-diameter thin-walled ePTFE grafts by using an adhesive polymer that allows timed release of the drug. An adhesive polymer that allows timed release of rapamycin from ePTFE was developed with commercially available chemicals and applied on 6-mm ePTFE grafts.