Prognostic and predictive markers of response to treatment in patients with locally advanced unresectable and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel: Results of a retrospective analysis.

Background: Recent studies support the use of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in adults with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma although insufficient data are available on prognostic and predictive markers of response to treatment.

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify treatment response markers in patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: This is an observational, retrospective, and multicenter study.

Evaluation of COX-2, EGFR, and p53 as biomarkers of non-dysplastic oral leukoplakias.

Objective: Identify candidate SEBs (surrogate endpoint biomarkers) for premalignant trends in head and neck mucosa.

Study Design: Study, by qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction), the expression of COX-2, EGFR and p53 in 24 biopsies of non-dysplastic oral leukoplakia and contra-lateral normal-appearing mucosa.

Results: COX-2 was up-regulated in leukoplakia (79.

In silico and in vitro analysis of small breast epithelial mucin as a marker for bone marrow micrometastasis in breast cancer.

Molecular signatures associated with malignant phenotype would be useful for detection of micrometastatic carcinoma cells. The small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) gene is predicted to code for a low molecular weight glycoprotein. To evaluate its potential role as a marker for bone marrow (BM) micrometastasis in breast cancer (BC) patients, we have studied in silico and in vitro expression profiles of SBEM gene.

Subacute cerebellar degeneration as paraneoplastic syndrome: initial symptom of breast cancer with HER2 overexpression.

We report the case of a patient with subacute cerebellar degeneration presenting as paraneoplastic syndrome, preceding the final diagnosis of breast cancer. The tumor had high HER2 overexpression, so a weekly regimen of paclitaxel/trastuzumab was started after surgery of the primary breast tumor. Negativity of specific antineuronal antibodies and clinical stabilization of the patient was achieved after 12 cycles of treatment.