Glutathione-s-transferase-pi expression in early breast cancer: association with outcome and response to chemotherapy.

Glutathione-S-transferase-pi (GST-pi) is a detoxification enzyme expressed in breast cancer; however its involvement in chemotherapy sensitivity and prognosis is not well understood. We evaluated the expression of GSTpi and its predictive role of chemotherapy response. Breast tumor samples from 166 patients at stage I/II of the disease were immunostained for GST-pi, and the expression was 96 %.

Clinical significance of cultures collected from fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

The rate of positive cultures in fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) specimens is evaluated, and the value of submitting FNAB culture is assessed. Review of 3,300 FNAB specimens from 2,416 patients were tabulated for culture results, when obtained from the FNAB material. For positive culture results, clinical impact was assessed.

Expression of glutathione S-transferase pi and glutathione synthase correlates with survival in early stage non-small cell carcinomas of the lung.

The glutathione S-transferase (GST) family of genes encode for detoxification enzymes that protect against reactive oxygen species and influence host susceptibility to carcinogens, including tobacco smoke. It has not been determined whether isoenzyme GST-pi or glutathione synthase (GSH2) expression by tumor cells bears a relationship to survival. A total of 201 non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) with long-term follow-up were immunostained with antibodies to GST-pi and GSH2 using standard immunostaining techniques.

Comparison of monoclonal versus polyclonal calretinin antibodies for immunohistochemical diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

Of putative specific markers for diffuse malignant mesothelioma, nuclear staining with Zymed polyclonal calretinin antibody has shown the best specificity to date for epithelial diffuse malignant mesothelioma versus adenocarcinoma. We compared specificity and sensitivity of this polyclonal antibody for diagnosis of diffuse malignant mesothelioma with a new monoclonal antibody from DAKO. One hundred eighteen adenocarcinomas and 111 diffuse malignant mesotheliomas-70 epithelial, 22 sarcomatous, and 19 biphasic-were immunostained with calretinin antibodies from Zymed (polyclonal rabbit, prediluted, PAD:DC8) and DAKO(monoclonal mouse, 1:100, clone DAK Calret 1) using manufacturer-recommended procedures.