BRAF, hypothyroidism, and human relaxin in thyroid carcinogenesis.

Purpose: BRAF, a major driver of thyroid cancer, evaluated in the context of thyroid hormones and human relaxin.

Methods: Immunohistochemical expressions of BRAF, TSH, TSH receptor (TSHR), T4, T3 receptor (T3R), RLNH2, and its receptor, RXFP1, were evaluated in thyroid tumors from a retrospective U.S.

Breast tumor tissue inflammation but not lobular involution is associated with survival among breast cancer patients in the Multiethnic Cohort.

Background: This study investigated the association of breast lobular involution status and three inflammatory markers as predictors of survival among breast cancer patients in the Multiethnic Cohort.

Methods: Lobular involution was evaluated in tissue sections of normal breast tissue and COX-2, TNF-α, and TGF-β proteins were assessed by immunohistochemistry in tumor microarrays. A summary score added the expression levels of the three markers.

Mammographic density and breast tissue expression of inflammatory markers, growth factors, and vimentin.

Background: Mammographic density is a known risk factor for breast cancer, but the underlying pathologic characteristics are not well understood. The current analysis investigated the expression of several markers of interest, e.g.

Calpain-2 inhibitor treatment preferentially reduces tumor progression for human colon cancer cells expressing highest levels of this enzyme.

Calpain-2 levels are higher in colorectal tumors resistant to chemotherapy and previous work showed calpain-2 inhibitor therapy reduced inflammation-driven colorectal cancer, but direct effects of the inhibitor on colon cancer cells themselves were not demonstrated. In the present study, five human colon cancer cell lines were directly treated with a calpain-2 inhibitor and results showed increased cell death in 4 of 5 cell lines and decreased anchorage-independent growth for all cell five lines. When tested for levels of calpain-2, three cell lines exhibited increasing levels of this enzyme: HCT15 (low), HCC2998 (medium), and HCT116 (significantly higher).

Involution of breast tissue and mammographic density.

Background: Mammographic density decreases and involution of breast tissue increases with age; both are thought to be risk factors for breast cancer. The current study investigated the relationship between involution or hormone treatment (HT) and breast density among multiethnic patients with breast cancer in Hawaii.

Methods: Patients with breast cancer cases were recruited from a nested case-control study within the Multiethnic Cohort.

Differences in IGF-axis protein expression and survival among multiethnic breast cancer patients.

There is limited knowledge about the biological basis of racial/ethnic disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Aberrations in IGF signaling induced by obesity and other factors may contribute to these disparities. This study examines the expression profiles of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-axis proteins and the association with breast cancer survival across a multiethnic population.

Viral hepatitis markers in liver tissue in relation to serostatus in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence is increasing in the United States. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are major causes of HCC. Hepatitis infection in patients with HCC is generally diagnosed by serology, which is not always consistent with the presence of HBV and HCV in the liver.

Agreement for tumor grade of ovarian carcinoma: analysis of archival tissues from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results residual tissue repository.

Background: Emerging data suggest that ovarian cancers differ by tumor grade. However, the reliability of microscopic grade from paraffin tissue in the general medical community and as reflected in population-based cancer registries is unknown.

Methods: We examined grade agreement between two gynecologic pathologists and the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Residual Tissue Repository (SEER).

BRCA1-IRIS overexpression promotes formation of aggressive breast cancers.

Introduction: Women with HER2(+) or triple negative/basal-like (TN/BL) breast cancers succumb to their cancer rapidly due, in part to acquired Herceptin resistance and lack of TN/BL-targeted therapies. BRCA1-IRIS is a recently discovered, 1399 residue, BRCA1 locus alternative product, which while sharing 1365 residues with the full-length product of this tumor suppressor gene, BRCA1/p220, it has oncoprotein-like properties. Here, we examine whether BRCA1-IRIS is a valuable treatment target for HER2(+) and/or TN/BL tumors.

Geminin overexpression induces mammary tumors via suppressing cytokinesis.

Aneuploidy plays an important role in the development of cancer. Here, we uncovered an oncogenic role for geminin in mitotic cells. In addition to chromatin, tyrosine phosphorylated geminin also localizes to centrosome, spindle, cleavage furrow and midbody during mitosis.