Distant solitary skeletal muscle metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma.

An unusual case of isolated trapezoid muscle metastasis from a papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland is described. Although extrathyroidal extension to the soft tissues of the neck may occur, distant metastases are rare in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Skeletal muscle metastasis from a differentiated thyroid carcinoma seems to be extremely rare, even for the follicular type of this cancer, well known for its hematogenous spread to various sites.

Relation between common polymorphisms in genes related to inflammatory response and colorectal cancer.

Aim: To investigate the association between common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in inflammatory response-related genes such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in a group of Greek patients.

Methods: The study group consisted of 222 CRC patients and 200 healthy controls. Genotyping was performed using allele-specific PCR of PRC-RFLP and the results were confirmed by sequencing.

Hypoxia, angiogenesis and apoptosis markers in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Background And Aims: Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a critical regulatory protein of cellular response to hypoxia. HIF-1alpha triggers the angiogenic process through activation of the vascular endothelial factor (VEGF) gene. The bcl-2 anti-apoptotic and the death promoting p53 genes, regulate the apoptotic cell death.

Assessment of JC polyoma virus in colon neoplasms.

Purpose: Research data have recently emphasized an intriguing association of JC polyoma virus with colon carcinogenesis. Tumorigenicity of JC virus is attributed to the T-antigen of its Mad-1 variant. Controversy arose when another research group did not confirm this association.

Association between mutations in the CARD15/NOD2 gene and colorectal cancer in a Greek population.

Epidemiological observations suggest that cancer arises from chronically inflamed tissues. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a typical example since patients with longstanding IBD are at increased risk for development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, genetic factors predisposing to or implicated in the chronic inflammatory process in IBD may simultaneously predispose to CRC.