Objective: To explore whether Paget's disease (PD) has an effect on outcome in patients with breast cancer.
Design: Retrospective analysis of comprehensive pathology database, medical records, and slides of samples showing pathologic features.
Setting: UMass Memorial Health Care.
New pulmonary nodules in an oncology patient are often considered metastatic unless proven otherwise. However, the possibility of an inflammatory cause needs to be considered in this setting. Clinicopathologic correlation is always needed in such cases to establish a diagnosis, especially before initiating a new treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTumor-associated carbohydrate antigens are typically perceived as inadequate targets for generating tumor-specific cellular responses. Lectin profile reactivity and crystallographic studies demonstrate that MHC class I molecules can present to the immune system posttranslationally modified cytosolic peptides carrying O-beta-linked N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Here we report that a peptide surrogate of GlcNAc can facilitate an in vivo tumor-specific cellular response to established Meth A tumors that display native O-GlcNAc glycoproteins on the tumor cell surface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe recent definition of tumour-specific immunity in cancer patients and the identification of tumour-associated antigens have generated renewed enthusiasm for the application of immune-based therapies for the treatment of malignancies. Recent developments in cancer vaccines have also been based on an improved understanding of the cellular interactions required to induce a specific anti-tumour immune response. Consequently, a number of cancer vaccines have entered clinical trials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmunization with peptide mimetics of carbohydrate antigens can induce functional carbohydrate-reactive antibodies. Here, we examine the immune characteristics of alternative approaches in prime and boost strategies using glycosylated HIV-1 envelope protein and model tumor associated carbohydrate antigens. Our results indicate that peptide mimotopes either in a DNA or carrier-conjugated format can induce comparable levels of IgM and IgG.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTumor cells may evade immune surveillance by possessing polysaccharides or carbohydrates on their surface. This evasive strategy is effective because glycans are poorly immunogenic and fail to elicit immunological memory responses due to an absence of T-cell processing. Induction of an immune response to cell surface carbohydrate antigens is considered as an important strategy to fight cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCarbohydrate antigens are immune targets associated with a variety of pathogens and tumor cells. Unfortunately, most carbohydrates are intrinsically T cell-independent antigens, which diminishes their efficacy as immunogens. The conversion of carbohydrate epitopes to peptide mimotopes is one means to overcome the T cell-independent nature of carbohydrate antigens because peptides have an absolute requirement for T cells.
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