New concept in neurovascular navigation: technical description and preclinical experience with the Bendit 17 and Bendit 21 microcatheters in a rabbit aneurysm model.

Background: Endovascular treatment of intracranial vascular diseases, such as aneurysms, is often challenged by unfavorable vascular anatomy. The Bendit Steerable Microcatheter (Bendit Technologies, Tel Aviv, Israel) has bending and torqueing capabilities designed to improve navigation and stability during device delivery, with or without a guidewire. We describe our preclinical experience with the Bendit 17 and Bendit 21 microcatheters in a rabbit aneurysm model.

Evaluation of circulating cell-free KRAS mutational status as a molecular monitoring tool in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic carcinoma carries a devastating prognosis and is the 4th leading cause for cancer related death in the US and most European countries. Apart from imaging and CA 19-9, pancreatic carcinoma is still lacking reliable markers to assess tumor dynamics and to monitor treatment response over time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of cell free tumor-DNA (cft-DNA), respectively KRAS mutation in peripheral blood, detection as a prognostic and predictive value for chemotherapy monitoring.

Evaluation of a novel flow diverter, the DiVeRt system, in an animal model.

Background: Using a surgical aneurysm model, this study assessed the performance of a new flow diverter (FD), the DiVeRt, and evaluated the angiographic and histologic features at different periods after stent deployment.

Methods: Fifteen New Zealand White rabbits were treated 3 days prior to intervention and until euthanization with dual antiplatelets. DiVeRt was implanted in bilateral carotid aneurysms (n=30) as well as in the aorta (n=15).

Low Expression of miR-20a-5p Predicts Benefit to Bevacizumab in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Treated within the TANIA Phase III Trial.

Background: In metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients, no biomarker predicting benefit to a bevacizumab-containing therapy has been established yet. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in angiogenesis and treatment resistance and therefore could be of predictive value.

Methods: Profiling of 754 miRNAs was performed in tumor samples of 58 MBC patients treated with a bevacizumab-containing first-line regimen (learning set).

Expression of the microRNA-200 Family, microRNA-205, and Markers of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition as Predictors for Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection over Esophagectomy in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: A Single-Center Experience.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an effective treatment of early esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs). The decision of ESD over esophagectomy is based on clinical evaluation of tumor depth and invasion. On a molecular level, tumor invasion is strongly associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Evaluation of circulating cell-free DNA as a molecular monitoring tool in patients with metastatic cancer.

The clinical decisions made when treating patients with metastatic cancer require knowledge of the current tumor extent and response to therapy. For the majority of solid tumors, a response assessment, which is based on imaging, is used to guide these decisions. However, measuring serum protein biomarkers (i.

BIRC3 Expression Predicts CLL Progression and Defines Treatment Sensitivity via Enhanced NF-κB Nuclear Translocation.

Purpose: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) pathophysiology is characterized by a complex crosstalk of tumor cells with the microenvironment. In this regard, NF-κB signaling is considered as important signaling axis, with a variety of key molecules aberrantly expressed or genetically altered in patients with CLL. One of these molecules is BIRC3 (cIAP2), a central regulator of noncanonical NF-κB signaling that serves as pathway brake in the absence of microenvironmental signals.

Clonal evolution and heterogeneity in metastatic head and neck cancer-An analysis of the Austrian Study Group of Medical Tumour Therapy study group.

Background: Tumour heterogeneity and clonal evolution within a cancer patient are deemed responsible for relapse in malignancies and present challenges to the principles of targeted therapy, for which treatment modality is often decided based on the molecular pathology of the primary tumour. Nevertheless, the clonal architecture in distant relapse of head and neck cancer is fairly unknown.

Patients And Methods: For this project, we analysed a cohort of 386 patients within the Austrian Registry of head and neck cancer.

Sidedness and TP53 mutations impact OS in anti-EGFR but not anti-VEGF treated mCRC - an analysis of the KRAS registry of the AGMT (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Medikamentöse Tumortherapie).

Background: In metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), the localization of the primary tumour has been shown to be of prognostic as well as predictive relevance.

Methods: With the aim to investigate clinical and molecular disease characteristics with respect to sidedness in a real-world cohort, we analyzed 161 mCRC patients included in the KRAS Registry of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Medikamentöse Tumortherapie (AGMT) between January 2006 and October 2013.

Results: Right-sided mCRC displayed a worse median overall survival (OS) in comparison to left-sided disease (18.

Clonal evolution in relapsed and refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is characterized by high dynamics of subclones.

Little information is available about the role of certain mutations for clonal evolution and the clinical outcome during relapse in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Therefore, we analyzed formalin-fixed-paraffin-embedded tumor samples from first diagnosis, relapsed or refractory disease from 28 patients using next-generation sequencing of the exons of 104 coding genes. Non-synonymous mutations were present in 74 of the 104 genes tested.

miR-16-5p Is a Stably-Expressed Housekeeping MicroRNA in Breast Cancer Tissues from Primary Tumors and from Metastatic Sites.

For quantitative microRNA analyses in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue, expression levels have to be normalized to endogenous controls. To investigate the most stably-expressed microRNAs in breast cancer and its surrounding tissue, we used tumor samples from primary tumors and from metastatic sites. MiRNA profiling using TaqMan(®) Array Human MicroRNA Cards, enabling quantification of 754 unique human miRNAs, was performed in FFPE specimens from 58 patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Anti-Hu Antibody Associated Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration in Head and Neck Cancer.

Background: Paraneoplastic syndromes are most frequently associated with small cell lung carcinoma, hematologic and gynecologic malignancies while reports in head and neck cancer are rare.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 60-year old female patient who developed paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration upon locoregional recurrence of a poorly differentiated spindle cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus. The neurological symptoms, especially ataxia, stabilized after resection of tumor recurrence and concomitant chemoradiotherapy whereas anti-Hu-antibodies remained positive.

Independent Prognostic Value of Serum Markers in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in the Era of the NCCN-IPI.

Background: Several serum parameters have been evaluated for adding prognostic value to clinical scoring systems in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but none of the reports used multivariate testing of more than one parameter at a time. The goal of this study was to validate widely available serum parameters for their independent prognostic impact in the era of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) score to determine which were the most useful.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective bicenter analysis includes 515 unselected patients with DLBCL who were treated with rituximab and anthracycline-based chemoimmunotherapy between 2004 and January 2014.

CYP39A1 polymorphism is associated with toxicity during intensive induction chemotherapy in patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Background: Induction chemotherapy incorporating docetaxel, cisplatin and 5- fluorouracil before radiotherapy may improve the outcome of patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Nevertheless, the addition of docetaxel increases hematological toxicity and infectious complications. Therefore, genetic markers predicting toxicity and efficacy of this treatment regimen may help to identify patients, who would have the most benefit from this intensive treatment.

Lapatinib-plus-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer following trastuzumab: a phase II trial.

Background: Trastuzumab, one important treatment option for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is limited by its cardiotoxic potential. Lapatinib and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) represent a cardiosparing alternative that can cross the blood brain barrier. This is important, because one third of breast cancer patients develop brain metastases.

A modified scoring of the NCCN-IPI is more accurate in the elderly and is improved by albumin and β2 -microglobulin.

The International Prognostic Index (IPI) has been used for decades in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). A retrospective cancer registry analysis in North America showed significantly improved results when an enhanced IPI, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)-IPI was applied. This novel score puts more weight on age and high levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).

Treatment of aggressive B-cell lymphoma in elderly patients: influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms affecting pharmacodynamics of chemotherapeutics.

Clinical and/or biological risk factors are needed to identify elderly patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma able to receive full-dose R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) treatment. We present a retrospective analysis of 83 patients≥75 years of age (range: 75-97) who were diagnosed with aggressive B cell lymphoma between 2004 and 2011 in our clinic. R-CHOP-like therapy was administered in 82% of these patients resulting in a median overall survival of 54 months.

Liver toxicity during temozolomide chemotherapy caused by Chinese herbs.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine is often used by patients with malignant glioma. Although several interactions of various alternative agents with chemotherapy are known, none has been described for temozolomide so far.

Case Presentation: We report the case of severe liver toxicity with jaundice during radiochemotherapy with temozolomide likely due to interaction with a popular Chinese herbal formula after surgery for glioblastoma.

Effect of the AMP-kinase modulators AICAR, metformin and compound C on insulin secretion of INS-1E rat insulinoma cells under standard cell culture conditions.

Background/aims: The function of β-cells is regulated by nutrient uptake and metabolism. The cells' metabolic state can be expressed as concentration ratios of AMP, ADP and ATP. Relative changes in these ratios regulate insulin release.

The phytostilbene resveratrol induces apoptosis in INS-1E rat insulinoma cells.

We investigated the effect of resveratrol on proliferation and induction of apoptosis of INS-1E rat insulinoma cells by cell counting, crystal violet staining, flow cytometry and immunoblotting. Resveratrol treatment of INS-1E cells at concentrations > or =50 microM resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation, accumulation of the cells in the S and G0/G1 phase and a significant increase of the percentage of apoptotic cells. This was paralleled by an increase of cell granularity, apoptotic volume decrease (AVD), exposure of phosphatidylserine at the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, an increase of the 7-AAD signal and caspase activation.

Effect of folate supplementation on N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.

Background: Increased plasma homocysteine (HCY) has been suggested as a novel risk factor for chronic heart failure (CHF). This study investigated the effect of a HCY lowering therapy by folic acid (FA) supplementation on N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in healthy subjects.

Methods: We treated 61 healthy individuals (median age [25th-75th percentile]: 57 [53-69] years with placebo, 0.