Breast cancer incidence in the city and province of Palermo in 1999-2002: a Breast Cancer Registry report.

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of breast cancer in women from the city and province of Palermo (Sicily) in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002, using a population-based cancer registry approach. In recent years, a sharp increase of breast cancer incidence has been observed worldwide. Overall, direct age-standardized incidence rates (SIR) were 81.

Expression levels and clinical-pathological correlations of HER2/neu in primary and metastatic human breast cancer.

In this retrospective study we assessed the expression of the HER2/neu oncogene product in a series of 574 consecutive breast cancer cases, all recruited at the Maurizio Ascoli Cancer Center of Civico Hospital, in Palermo, between January 1998 and June 2003. The HER2/neu expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and scored from 0 to +3 as per FDA recommendations. The HER2/neu expression levels were related to the clinical-pathological features of the disease, including tumor size, nodal and menopausal status, estrogen and progesterone receptors, and hormonal or chemotherapeutic treatment.

Virokines in the pathogenesis of cancer: focus on human herpesvirus 8.

During evolution, DNA viruses have captured a broad array of cellular genes involved in immune recognition and growth control that are nonessential for viral replication. The encoded virokines and viroceptors may act as mimetics or antagonists of their cellular homologues, altering signal transduction and cell communication towards survival of virus-infected cells. Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV8) is the most recently identified human oncogenic herpesvirus.

Sex steroids, carcinogenesis, and cancer progression.

The relationship between sex steroids and cancer has been studied for more than a century. Using an original intact cell analysis, we investigated sex steroid metabolism in a panel of human cancer cell lines, either hormone responsive or unresponsive, originating from human breast, endometrium, and prostate. We found that highly divergent patterns of steroid metabolism exist and that the catalytic preference (predominantly reductive or oxidative) is strictly associated with the steroid receptor status of cells.

Intercellular communication and human hepatocellular carcinoma.

We have previously reported that gap junction-mediated intercellular communication (GJIC) can be restored in junctionally deficient human prostate epithelial cells, also suggesting that GJIC activity is regulated by estrogen. In the present work, we report studies on sex steroid regulation of GJIC and proliferative activity in both nontumoral (Chang liver, CL) and malignant (HepG2, Huh7) human liver cells. Junctional activity and liver cell growth were measured using the scrape-loading/dye-transfer (SL/DT) and the MTS assay, respectively.