Publications by authors named "Kavantzas N"

Background/aim: Significant transcription factors - including c-Fos (gene locus: 14q24.3) and c-Jun (gene locus: 1p32-p31) - regulate cell homeostasis preventing abnormal signal transduction to nucleus. Their over-activation seems to be associated with an aggressive phenotype in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs).

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Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is a protein that is involved in many physiological and pathological cellular processes. There is compelling evidence that its dysregulated expression, be it up- or downregulation, contributes to the oncogenesis of various neoplasms, including those of the digestive system. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on the role of ANXA2 in the main tumors of the digestive system.

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Article Synopsis
  • Precision medicine in breast cancer tailors diagnosis and treatment to individual and tumor characteristics, moving away from a one-size-fits-all strategy.
  • Genetic testing is vital for understanding hereditary risks and influencing treatment decisions, while molecular subtyping helps select personalized therapies like hormonal treatments and HER2-targeted interventions.
  • Emerging technologies, including big data and liquid biopsies, enhance treatment strategies, although challenges like accessibility and tumor complexity remain, emphasizing the goal of improved effectiveness and quality of life for patients.
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Background/aim: Concerning primary central nervous system neoplasms, meningiomas demonstrate the most common type in adults worldwide. Deregulation of apoptotic pathways in malignancies, including meningiomas, is correlated with chemoresistance and poor prognosis. Caspases represent crucial proteins that induce cell apoptosis.

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Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major and multifaceted health problem but also the first cause of death in modern Western societies. Furthermore, myocardial infarction (MI) constitutes a challenge for analysis in the field of molecular mechanisms, early diagnosis and therapeutic approaches, as its incidence increases every year worldwide. Concerning the histopathological diagnosis in the corresponding cases, a variety of immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers and methods are available to support conventional histology diagnosis.

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The presence and contribution of senescent cells in premalignant lesions is well documented, but not in germ cell neoplasia in situ. The purpose of this study is to identify the presence of senescent cells in pre-malignant testicular conditions and in different histological types of testicular cancer. Thirty patients who underwent orchiectomy due to testicular tumors were included.

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Background/aim: Breast cancer is a complex disease with variability in clinical manifestation, response to current therapy, and biochemical and histological features among various subgroups. Histologic grading and immuno-histochemical evaluation of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), and Ki-67 proliferation index play a crucial role in increasing the differential diagnostic value among various types of breast carcinoma. The aim of this study was to determine the histopathological and immuno-histochemical characteristics of breast tumors from a University Laboratory of Pathology in Greece.

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Purpose: The aim of this experimental study is to investigate the correlation between the presence of senescent cells and the tumor size, the lymphovascular invasion (LVI), the invasion of rete testis (RTI), the preoperative tumor markers or pathological stage in patients who underwent orchiectomy for malignant purposes.

Methods: This experimental study included patients with a history of radical orchiectomy performed from January 2011 to January 2019. The testicular tissue specimens underwent an immunohistopathological process for the detection of the presence of cellular senescence.

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Background/aim: The tumor protein 53 (TP53) tumor suppressor protein (17p13.1) acts as a significant regulator for the cell cycle normal function. The gene is frequently mutated in colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) patients and is associated to poor prognosis and low response rates to chemo-targeted therapy.

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A large number of alveolar type I and II cells from the lungs of both smokers and non-smokers was collected using 40x magnification histological images from our digital archive. These images underwent a transformation into binary images of nuclear contours, followed by the application of the box-counting method. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in the mean box-counting dimension values between type I cells of smokers and non-smokers.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the impact of adherence to the Mediterranean diet over a person's lifetime on the progression and survival of gastric cancer patients, with data from 186 patients followed for an average of 57 months.
  • - Results indicate that individuals with higher Mediterranean diet adherence tend to be younger, have better health-related quality of life, and show improved physical activity, sleep quality, and lower levels of depression and anxiety.
  • - Additionally, a strong correlation was found between high Mediterranean diet compliance and longer overall survival rates, even after accounting for other influencing factors.
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Xenobiotics, radiation, and other environmental health risk factors leave their mark on human organs. This can be demonstrated through the use of pathology museum specimens. Upon completing two semesters of postgraduate studies in environmental health, a tour of the Museum of Pathology is offered to postgraduate students at Athens Medical School who are being trained in environmental health.

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Article Synopsis
  • Odontogenic tumors and cysts, including common benign neoplasms like ameloblastomas, mainly occur in the jaws, showing slow growth but potential for local invasion and higher recurrence rates post-surgery.
  • Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a role in the development and progression of ameloblastomas, helping with protein folding and responding to cellular stress.
  • The review highlights the origins, functions, and deregulation of HSPs, emphasizing their impact on ameloblastomas and related inflammatory and developmental odontogenic cysts.
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A compartmental, epidemiological, mathematical model was developed in order to analyze the transmission dynamics of Delta and Omicron variant, of SARS-CoV-2, in Greece. The model was parameterized twice during the 4th and 5th wave of the pandemic. The 4th wave refers to the period during which the Delta variant was dominant (approximately July to December of 2021) and the 5th wave to the period during which the Omicron variant was dominant (approximately January to May of 2022), in accordance with the official data from the National Public Health Organization (NPHO).

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In the current molecular review, we describe the mechanisms of TP53/MDM2 deregulation and their impact on the colon adenocarcinoma molecular substrate and phenotype. Among the genes that are critically altered in carcinogenesis, the TP53 tumor suppressor gene is of major importance. The TP53 gene (gene locus: 17p13.

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: The aim of our study was to observe the associations between the ETS-related gene ( and the phosphatase and tensin homolog gene () immunoexpression in prostate cancer and related lesions and highlight the clinical significance of these findings. : We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of and in a series of 151 invasive prostate adenocarcinomas, including low-grade (Gleason grade pattern 3) and high-grade (Gleason grade patterns 4, 5) morphological patterns which corresponded to 45.5% and 54.

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Background/aim: The purpose of this article was to review the association between the ETS-related gene (ERG) and the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) genes with pathologic parameters of prostate cancer, emphasizing on Gleason score.

Materials And Methods: We performed a PubMed-based search of the literature emphasizing on articles that use pathological techniques, and especially on those that report the use immunohistochemical staining and FISH to investigate the association between ERG and PTEN mutations with the histopathologic parameters of prostate cancer.

Results: ERG expression is frequently marked in patients with prostate cancer, usually due to the occurrence of the TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion.

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Background/aim: Renal cell carcinoma is one of the three most common malignant urologic tumors, with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) representing its most common subtype. Although nephrectomy can radically cure the disease, a large percentage of patients is diagnosed when metastatic sites are present and thus alternative, pharmaceutical approaches need to be sought. Since HIF1 up-regulates the transcription of genes that range from metabolic enzymes to non-coding RNAs, and is a key molecule of ccRCC pathogenesis, this study aimed to investigate the expression ALDOA, SOX-6, and non-coding RNAs (mir-122, mir-1271, and MALAT-1) in samples from ccRCC patients.

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Oxidative stress is considered one of the early underlying contributors of sepsis-induced myocardial depression. DJ-1, also known as PARK7, has a well-established role as an antioxidant. We have previously shown, in a clinically relevant model of polymicrobial sepsis, DJ-1 deficiency improved survival and bacterial clearance by decreasing ROS production.

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Background/aim: Odontogenic cysts belong to a type of lesions with endodontic origin that in some cases mimic even aggressive odontogenic tumors sharing with them similar radiographic features. Periapical cysts (PCs) belong to the inflammatory odontogenic cysts sub-category and rarely squamous cell carcinoma arises from their hyperplastic/ dysplastic epithelia. This study aimed to explore the impact of cluster differentiation 34 (CD34) protein expression combined with micro vessel density (MVD) on PCs.

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Background: Undergraduate medical curricula often fail to integrate experiential learning methodologies. Thus, a pilot series of interactive pathology lessons was designed and implemented in an attempt to promote experiential learning.

Methods: Thirty pre-graduate medical students voluntarily participated in the interactive study groups at the First Department of Pathology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School.

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The significant heterogeneity in clinical outcomes among patients with bladder cancer has highlighted the existence of different biological subtypes of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Meanwhile, immune checkpoint proteins and their interference with tumor-related immune-evasive strategies has led to the development of several immunotherapeutic drugs targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1) or programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1). However, the lack of any known biomarker that could predict responses to immunotherapy has led to a more agnostic therapeutic approach.

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