Volumetric parameters from [ F]FDG PET/CT predicts survival in patients with high-grade gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms.

A positive fluorine-18 labelled 2-deoxy-2-fluoroglucose ([ F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has been associated with more aggressive disease and less differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN). Although a high maximum standardized uptake value (SUV ) predicts poor outcome in NEN, volumetric parameters from [ F]FDG PET have not been evaluated for prognostication in a pure high-grade gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) NEN cohort. In this retrospective observational study, we evaluated the volumetric PET parameters total metabolic tumour volume (tMTV) and total total lesion glycolysis (tTLG) for independent prognostication of overall survival (OS).

[Aplastic anaemia].

Aplastic anaemia is a rare form of bone marrow failure characterised by loss of haematopoietic stem cells, bone marrow suppression and insufficient production of blood cells. If left untreated, the condition is very serious with short life expectancy, but a large proportion of patients recover with the aid of immunosuppression or allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Clinical relevance of pancreatobiliary and intestinal subtypes of ampullary and duodenal adenocarcinoma: Pattern of recurrence, chemotherapy, and survival after pancreatoduodenectomy.

Background: The clinical relevance of the classification of ampullary adenocarcinoma (AC) into pancreatobiliary (PB) or intestinal (Int) subtypes has not been resolved.

Methods: Clinicopathological factors, survival, and localization and treatment of recurrence were investigated for patients with AC and duodenal adenocarcinoma (DC) treated by pancreatoduodenectomy from 2000 to 2015.

Results: A total of 109 AC (45 PB, 64 Int) and 71 DC (all Int) were identified.

Cetuximab in treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer: final survival analyses and extended RAS data from the NORDIC-VII study.

Background: The NORDIC-VII study is a randomised phase III trial of cetuximab plus continuous or intermittent fluorouracil, folinic acid, and oxaliplatin (Nordic FLOX) vs FLOX alone in first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. The present report presents an updated and final survival analysis with BRAF and extended RAS mutational status, 5 years after the primary analysis.

Methods: A total of 566 patients were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population of the NORDIC-VII study.

The Genomic Landscape of Pancreatic and Periampullary Adenocarcinoma.

Despite advances in diagnostics, less than 5% of patients with periampullary tumors experience an overall survival of five years or more. Periampullary tumors are neoplasms that arise in the vicinity of the ampulla of Vater, an enlargement of liver and pancreas ducts where they join and enter the small intestine. In this study, we analyzed copy number aberrations using Affymetrix SNP 6.

Serum N-Glycome Characterization in Patients with Resectable Periampullary Adenocarcinoma.

Serum N-glycans are promising biomarkers for systemic disease states. Better understanding of the serum N-glycome of patients with resectable periampullary adenocarcinoma may identify novel prognostic markers for this disease. Serum N-glycans in 70 patients with resectable periampullary adenocarcinoma, 15 patients with benign periampullary tumor, and 129 healthy individuals were quantified using ultra performance liquid chromatography.

Pancreatic cancer exosomes initiate pre-metastatic niche formation in the liver.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are highly metastatic with poor prognosis, mainly due to delayed detection. We hypothesized that intercellular communication is critical for metastatic progression. Here, we show that PDAC-derived exosomes induce liver pre-metastatic niche formation in naive mice and consequently increase liver metastatic burden.

Intestinal PTGS2 mRNA levels, PTGS2 gene polymorphisms, and colorectal carcinogenesis.

Background & Aims: Inflammation is a major risk factor for development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Prostaglandin synthase cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) encoded by the PTGS2 gene is the rate limiting enzyme in prostaglandin synthesis and therefore plays a distinct role as regulator of inflammation.

Methods: PTGS2 mRNA levels were determined in intestinal tissues from 85 intestinal adenoma cases, 115 CRC cases, and 17 healthy controls.

Generation and characterisation of novel pancreatic adenocarcinoma xenograft models and corresponding primary cell lines.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the most lethal cancer types, currently lacking efficient treatment. The heterogeneous nature of these tumours are poorly represented by the classical pancreatic cell lines, which have been through strong clonal selection in vitro, and are often derived from metastases. Here, we describe the establishment of novel pancreatic adenocarcinoma models, xenografts and corresponding in vitro cell lines, from primary pancreatic tumours.

Opportunities of improvement in the management of pancreatic and periampullary tumors.

Abstract Objective. The first objective of the present study was to identify opportunities of improvement for clinical practice, assessed by local quality indicators, then to analyze possible reasons why we did not reach defined treatment quality measures. The second objective was to characterize patients, considered unresectable according to present criteria, for future arrangement of interventional studies with improved patient selection.

Improved survival and quality of life in patients undergoing R1 pancreatic resection compared to patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Objective: To prospectively record the clinical consequences of R1 resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared to patients with locally advanced tumours not undergoing surgery.

Background: Surgery is the only potentially curative treatment of pancreatic cancer, and postoperative safety is increasing. The rate of R1 resections might also increase unintentionally as surgical procedures with curative goal become more comprehensive, and the clinical outcome requires further prospective evaluation.

Current clinical criteria for Lynch syndrome are not sensitive enough to identify MSH6 mutation carriers.

Background: Reported prevalence, penetrance and expression of deleterious mutations in the mismatch repair (MMR) genes, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2, may reflect differences in the clinical criteria used to select families for DNA testing. The authors have previously reported that clinical criteria are not sensitive enough to identify MMR mutation carriers among incident colorectal cancer cases.

Objective: To describe the sensitivity of the criteria when applied to families with a demonstrated MMR mutation.

Germ-line mutations in mismatch repair genes associated with prostate cancer.

Genetic predisposition to prostate cancer includes multiple common variants with a low penetrance (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and rare variants with higher penetrance. The mismatch repair (MMR) genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 are associated with Lynch syndrome where colon and endometrial cancers are the predominant phenotypes. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether germ-line mutations in these genes may be associated with prostate cancer.

Alterations in regulators of the extracellular matrix in non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Bone marrow angiogenesis is increased in non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). Compounds affecting extracellular matrix (ECM) may modify angiogenesis. Here we investigated ECM regulators in 48 unselected NHL patients compared with 35 controls.

CYP1A2 164 A-->C polymorphism, cigarette smoking, consumption of well-done red meat and risk of developing colorectal adenomas and carcinomas.

Background: Genetic polymorphisms in metabolizing enzymes may modify the association of environmental exposure on colorectal cancer (CRC) and adenoma risk.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight CRC cases, 422 adenomas (206 low-risk and 216 high-risk adenomas) and 222 controls were genotyped for the CYP1A2 164 A-->C polymorphism and questionnaires were used to assess environmental exposure.

Results: The smoking parameter "current smoking" was significantly associated with CRC risk, and all the smoking parameters related to current smoking, having ever smoked or high numbers of cigarette years were significantly associated with risk of adenomas.

Expression of NDRG2 is down-regulated in high-risk adenomas and colorectal carcinoma.

Background: It has recently been shown that NDRG2 mRNA is down-regulated or undetectable in several human cancers and cancer cell-lines. Although the function of NDRG2 is unknown, high NDRG2 expression correlates with improved prognosis in high-grade gliomas. The aim of this study has been to examine NDRG2 mRNA expression in colon cancer.

Polymorphisms of the XRCC1, XRCC3 and XPD genes and risk of colorectal adenoma and carcinoma, in a Norwegian cohort: a case control study.

Background: Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may influence individual variation in DNA repair capacity, which may be associated with risk of developing cancer. For colorectal cancer the importance of mutations in mismatch repair genes has been extensively documented. Less is known about other DNA repair pathways in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Estimated prevalence of hereditary cancers and the need for surveillance in a Norwegian county, Telemark.

Objective: The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of hereditary cancers and the need for surveillance in Telemark county, Norway.

Material And Methods: All persons attending the Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Prevention (NORCCAP) trial in Telemark were interviewed about cases of cancer in the family. Diagnoses were verified, pedigrees constructed and families classified according to preset criteria aiming at identifying hereditary cancer.

Immunohistochemistry identifies carriers of mismatch repair gene defects causing hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) may be caused by mutations in mismatch repair (MMR) genes. The aim of this study was to validate immunohistochemistry and family history as prescreening tools to predict germline mutations in MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6.

Patients And Methods: Pedigrees from 250 families were extended, cancer diagnoses were verified, and families were classified according to the Amsterdam and the Bethesda criteria.

GPX Pro198Leu and OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphisms and risk of development of colorectal adenomas and colorectal cancer.

Little is known about genetic risk factors for colorectal cancer. We assessed the association between polymorphisms in two genes involved in DNA repair of oxidative stress, GPX and OGG1, and risk of colorectal carcinoma or adenomas. We studied 166 cases with adenocarcinoma, 974 with adenomas and 397 controls recruited from the Norwegian cohort NORCCAP.

The inframe MSH2 codon 596 deletion is linked with HNPCC and associated with lack of MSH2 protein in tumours.

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) may be caused by germline truncating mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. Whether or not missense or inframe mutations are disease-associated has become a practical clinical problem, because predictive genetic testing is employed to select high-risk persons for clinical examinations. Clinical examinations may reveal polyps to be removed and prevent cancer.