Regulation of extracellular and intracellular prolactin on cell proliferation and survival rate through GHR/JAK2/STAT3 pathway in NSCLC.

Styrene increases serum prolactin (PRL) concentration. Hyperprolactinemia is associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer patients, but the mechanism of PRL action is unclear. The aims of this study were to (i) investigate the mechanism of PRL-action receptor in NSCLC cells (ii) measure whether PRL was secreted by NSCLC cells and its stimulatory mechanism in vitro and in vivo.

Molecular-Clinical Correlation in Pediatric Medulloblastoma: A Cohort Series Study of 52 Cases in Taiwan.

In 2016, a project was initiated in Taiwan to adopt molecular diagnosis of childhood medulloblastoma (MB). In this study, we aimed to identify a molecular-clinical correlation and somatic mutation for exploring risk-adapted treatment, drug targets, and potential genetic predisposition. In total, 52 frozen tumor tissues of childhood MBs were collected.

Loss of BCAT1 Expression is a Sensitive Marker for IDH-Mutant Diffuse Glioma.

Background: IDH mutation is an important prognostic factor of diffuse astrocytomas. Although the majority of IDH mutations could be identified by immunohistochemical (IHC) stain for R132H-mutant IDH1, DNA sequencing would be required for IHC negative cases to determine their IDH mutation status. This approach is not cost-effective for tumors with low IDH mutation rates.

Irradiation-Induced Secondary Tumors following Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumors: Experiences of a Single Institute in Taiwan (1975-2013).

Purpose: Complications can occur following a prolonged latency period after radiation therapy for cancer, and this is a growing concern because secondary tumors are potentially fatal. Few studies have examined secondary tumors in patients who received radiation therapy as children.

Methods And Materials: This retrospective study examined 1697 pediatric patients with central nervous system tumors who received treatment at Taipei Veterans General Hospital from January 1, 1975, to December 31, 2013.

Aggressive natural killer (NK)-cell leukaemia and extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma are two distinct diseases that differ in their clinical presentation and cytogenetic findings.

Aims: Aggressive natural killer (NK)-cell leukaemia (ANKCL) and extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) with secondary bone marrow involvement are rare bone marrow NK/T-cell neoplasms and share similar features. This study aimed to distinguish these two entities.

Methods And Results: We studied bone marrow NK/T-cell neoplasms by classifying them into those with no extramedullary mass (group 1, eight cases) and those with extramedullary mass (group 2, 13 cases).

The MGMT promoter single-nucleotide polymorphism rs1625649 had prognostic impact on patients with MGMT methylated glioblastoma.

Promoter methylation is the most significant mechanism to regulate O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) expression. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MGMT promoter region may also play a role. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of SNPs in the MGMT promoter region of glioblastoma.

Large cell/anaplastic medulloblastoma is associated with poor prognosis-a retrospective analysis at a single institute.

Purpose: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most commonly occurring malignant pediatric brain tumor worldwide. However, a recent study found that the treatment outcomes in those with high-risk disease receiving conventional treatment were suboptimal. This study aimed to assess outcomes and treatment strategies for specific histologic subtypes of pediatric MB.

Thyroid transcription factor-1 distinguishes subependymal giant cell astrocytoma from its mimics and supports its cell origin from the progenitor cells in the medial ganglionic eminence.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma is a benign brain tumor mostly associated with tuberous sclerosis complex. However, it may be misinterpreted as other high-grade brain tumors due to the presence of large tumor cells with conspicuous pleomorphism and occasional atypical features, such as tumor necrosis and endothelial proliferation. In this study, we first investigated thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) expression in a large series of subependymal giant cell astrocytomas and other histologic and locational mimics to validate the diagnostic utility of this marker.

Clinical considerations and surgical approaches for low-grade gliomas in deep hemispheric locations: thalamic lesions.

Background: Tumors with epicenter in the thalamus occur in about 4 % of pediatric brain tumors. The histological diagnosis is mainly gliomas. Among them, low-grade glioma (LGG) constituted of a significant entity of the tumors (Cuccia et al.

Comparative Assessment of 4 Methods to Analyze MGMT Status in a Series of 121 Glioblastoma Patients.

The O-methylguanine-DNA-methyltranferase (MGMT) status is a powerful predictor of response to temozolomide for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) patients, and it is commonly assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC), methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), quantitative real-time MSP (qMSP), and/or pyrosequencing (PSQ). This study was to compare their predictive power of prognosis in 121 newly diagnosed GBM patients using multivariate Cox regression with bootstrapping. MGMT status tested by IHC, MSP, qMSP, or PSQ all showed significant correlation with the progression-free survival and overall survival of GBM patients.

Downregulation of miR-137 and miR-6500-3p promotes cell proliferation in pediatric high-grade gliomas.

Pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs) are aggressive brain tumors affecting children, and outcomes have remained dismal, even with access to new multimodal therapies. In this study, we compared the miRNomes and transcriptomes of pediatric low- (pLGGs) and high-grade gliomas (pHGGs) using small RNA sequencing (smRNA-Seq) and gene expression microarray, respectively. Through integrated bioinformatics analyses and experimental validation, we identified miR-137 and miR-6500-3p as significantly downregulated in pHGGs.

Factors affecting survival of medulloblastoma in children: the changing concept of management.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is a type of malignant tumor arising only in the cerebellum that was first defined by Cushing and Bailey in 1920s. In this review paper, we trace the evolution of risk stratification and the correlated changing concept of management in the past years. Outcome analysis of the hospital series of the Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, and Taipei Medical University Hospital was performed to correlate prognostic indicators with reported studies.

Can mixed pure hepatocellular carcinoma and germinoma arise together in the brain?

Intracranial germ-cell tumors (GCTs) represent 10-15% of all pediatric brain tumors in East Asia. There is a wide histopathological spectrum of intracranial GCTs. Germinomas and nongerminomatous GCTs are the two major classifications.

Integrated genomics has identified a new AT/RT-like yet INI1-positive brain tumor subtype among primary pediatric embryonal tumors.

Background: Pediatric embryonal brain tumors (PEBTs), which encompass medulloblastoma (MB), primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), are the second most prevalent pediatric brain tumor type. AT/RT is highly malignant and is often misdiagnosed as MB or PNET. The distinction of AT/RT from PNET/MB is of clinical significance because the survival rate of patients with AT/RT is substantially lower.

Treatment results and prognostic factors for intracranial nongerminomatous germ cell tumors: single institute experience.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the treatment of intracranial nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT) and to identify the prognostic factors for survival.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients with nondisseminated NGGCTs, excluding those with pure mature teratomas, were treated between January 1985 and December 2010. Twenty-four patients received gross total or partial removal, 11 had excision biopsies, and 4 had no surgery.

Prognosis of glioblastoma with faint MGMT methylation-specific PCR product.

Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) for the promoter methylation status of O(6)-methylguanine-DNA-methyltranferase (MGMT) gene theoretically provides a positive or negative result. However, the faint MSP product is difficult to interpret. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of faint MSP product in glioblastoma (GBM).

MGMT promoter methylation in non-neoplastic brain.

O(6)-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) is mainly regulated by cytosine-guanine island promoter methylation that is believed to occur only in neoplastic tissue. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether methylation occurs also in non-neoplastic brains by collecting 45 non-neoplastic brains from autopsies and 56 lobectomy specimens from epileptic surgeries. The promoter methylation status of MGMT was studied by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) and pyrosequencing (PSQ), while protein expression was studied by immunohistochemical stain (IHC).

Cognitive and epilepsy outcomes after epilepsy surgery caused by focal cortical dysplasia in children: early intervention maybe better.

Background: Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a specific malformation of cortical development harboring intrinsic epileptogenicity, and most of the patients develop drug-resistant epilepsy in early childhood. The detrimental effects of early and frequent seizures on cognitive function in children are significant clinical issues. In this study, we evaluate the effects of early surgical intervention of FCD on epilepsy outcome and cognitive development.

Downregulation of SUN2, a novel tumor suppressor, mediates miR-221/222-induced malignancy in central nervous system embryonal tumors.

Embryonal tumors of the central nervous system represent a highly malignant tumor group of medulloblastoma (MB), atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor that frequently afflict children. AT/RT is often misdiagnosed as MB/primitive neuroectodermal tumor but with higher recurrence and lower survival rates. Pathogenesis of AT/RT is largely unknown.

Frequent overexpression of HMGA2 in human atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor and its correlation with let-7a3/let-7b miRNA.

Purpose: Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT) are highly aggressive pediatric malignancies characterized by biallelic inactivation of the SMARCB1 tumor suppressor gene. We searched for novel genomic aberrations by investigating the copy number and expression alterations of let-7a3/let-7b microRNA (miRNA) and correlated these with expression of high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) oncoprotein, a target of let-7 miRNA family, in 18 AT/RT samples to elucidate potential roles of HMGA2 in the pathogenesis of AT/RT.

Experimental Design: Genomic aberrations, let-7a3/let-7b miRNA and HMGA2 expression in AT/RT tissues were identified using quantitative PCR, reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry.