Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma: a comparative study of histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features using high throughput tissue microarray.

Aims: In some cases distinction between chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC), oncocytoma and clear cell (conventional) renal cell carcinoma (eosinophilic variant) using routine light microscopy remains problematic. The present study investigates the level of agreement in the diagnosis of CRCC, as well as the histological features most frequently used for this diagnosis by two pathologists with a special interest in renal neoplasia. The sensitivity and specificity of immunohistochemical markers in cases with overlapping histological features in the diagnosis of CRCC were also studied.

c-kit Expression in small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: prognostic and therapeutic implications.

The prognosis for small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is poor, and strategies for improved therapy are needed. Targeted therapy against the c-kit proto-oncogene has been successful in the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. We investigated the expression of c-kit in 52 cases of small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a clinicopathologic analysis of 64 patients.

Background: Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is an uncommon tumor that has been described in case reports or small series. Herein, the authors report a series of 64 patients with small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Methods: Histologic slides and medical records from 64 patients with small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder were reviewed for morphologic, demographic, and clinical data.

Simulation of microcalcifications on specimen radiographs of breast biopsies by inks used in marking the surgical resection margins.

In routine practice, the evaluation of breast excisional biopsy specimens is assisted by the use of various tissue marking inks to delineate surgical margins and preserve tissue orientation. These inks may simulate microcalcifications in specimen and tissue block radiographs. The magnitude of this problem is studied by systematically identifying the factors leading to the creation of this artifact.

Nuclear factor-kappaB/p65 (Rel A) is constitutively activated in human prostate adenocarcinoma and correlates with disease progression.

Aberrant nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several human malignancies. In this study, we determined whether NF-kappaB is constitutively activated in human prostate adenocarcinoma, and, if so, whether increased NF-kappaB activation and its binding to DNA influence tumor progression. Using tissue samples obtained during transurethral prostatic resection and paraffin-embedded sections of benign and cancer specimens, we determined the nuclear expression of NF-kappaB/p65 and NF-kappaB/p50, cytoplasmic expression of IkappaBalpha, its phosphorylation, and expression of NF-kappaB-regulated genes, specifically Bcl2, cyclin D1, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Laser capture microdissection analysis reveals frequent allelic losses in papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential of the urinary bladder.

Background: In the 1999 World Health Organization classification system, papillary tumors of the urinary bladder were classified as papilloma, papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP), and as Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 urothelial carcinoma. The biologic potential of PUNLMP of the urinary bladder is controversial. To the authors' knowledge, information regarding the genetic changes of PUNLMP tumors of the bladder is limited.

Aberrant expression of CARM1, a transcriptional coactivator of androgen receptor, in the development of prostate carcinoma and androgen-independent status.

Background: Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) is a transcriptional coactivator of the androgen receptor (AR). It is involved in the regulation of the biologic functions of the AR. It remains to be determined whether CARM1 is involved in prostatic carcinogenesis.

A randomised controlled trial of a tailored multifaceted strategy to promote implementation of a clinical guideline on induced abortion care.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a tailored multifaceted strategy, delivered by a national clinical effectiveness programme, to implement a guideline on induced abortion.

Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Setting And Participants: All 26 hospital gynaecology units in Scotland providing induced abortion care.

Suppression of prostate carcinogenesis by dietary supplementation of celecoxib in transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate model.

Epidemiological studies and clinical observations suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and certain selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors may reduce the relative risk of clinically evident prostate cancer. This prompted us to investigate the chemopreventive potential of celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, against prostate carcinogenesis in a transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. Similar to prostate cancer in humans, prostate malignancies in TRAMP mice progress from precursor intraepithelial lesions, to invasive carcinoma that metastasizes to lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and occasionally to bone.

Sample size calculator for cluster randomized trials.

Cluster randomized trials, where individuals are randomized in groups are increasingly being used in healthcare evaluation. The adoption of a clustered design has implications for design, conduct and analysis of studies. In particular, standard sample sizes have to be inflated for cluster designs, as outcomes for individuals within clusters may be correlated; inflation can be achieved either by increasing the cluster size or by increasing the number of clusters in the study.

Effectiveness and efficiency of guideline dissemination and implementation strategies.

Objectives: To undertake a systematic review of the effectiveness and costs of different guideline development, dissemination and implementation strategies. To estimate the resource implications of these strategies. To develop a framework for deciding when it is efficient to develop and introduce clinical guidelines.

Minipump induced hyperoxaluria and crystal deposition in rats: a model for calcium oxalate urolithiasis.

Purpose: Unraveling the mechanisms leading to clinically active calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone disease and the development of effective medical therapies to treat it have been hampered by the lack of appropriate animal models. To address this problem we developed a model of hyperoxaluria and calcium oxalate crystal deposition by implanting osmotic minipumps subcutaneously into male rats, that is minipump induced hyperoxaluria and crystal deposition in rats.

Materials And Methods: Male Harlan-Sprague Dawley rats (225 to 290 gm) were implanted subcutaneously with 1-week 2 ml osmotic minipumps containing 1.

Allelic loss of the active X chromosome during bladder carcinogenesis.

Context: Previous studies have shown that loss of the X chromosome is involved in the carcinogenesis of certain human malignancies.

Objective: To determine whether X-linked allelic losses occur during bladder tumorigenesis and whether such losses involve the active or the inactive X chromosome.

Design: We analyzed the deletion status of the X-linked human androgen receptor gene locus in 6 female patients who underwent radical cystectomies for muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Women's perceptions of decision-making about hysterectomy.

Objective: To explore women's views of decision-making relating to hysterectomy.

Design: Structured questionnaire and in-depth interview surveys.

Setting: A teaching hospital and a district general hospital in northeast Scotland.

Molecular genetic alterations in the laser-capture-microdissected stroma adjacent to bladder carcinoma.

Background: Urothelial carcinoma commonly manifested loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at different regions of chromosomes 17p, 3p, and 9q. Recent studies suggested that bladder stromal cells may be implicated in the growth and progression of urothelial carcinoma. To better understand the genetic alterations in the stromal cells in patients with bladder carcinoma, the authors evaluated the prevalence of allelic loss at three microsatellite polymorphic markers on chromosomes 17p13 (TP53), 3p25-26 (D3S3050), and 9q32-33 (D9S177).

Differential expression of S100A2 and S100A4 during progression of human prostate adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: To establish the clinical significance of calcium binding proteins S100A2 and S100A4 during progression of human prostate adenocarcinoma.

Patients And Methods: Expression pattern of S100A2 and S100A4 was determined in normal human prostate epithelial cells (NHPE); virally transformed prostate epithelial cells (PZ-HPV-7); several human prostate carcinoma cells (22Rv1, DU145, LNCaP, and PC3); tissue samples obtained during transuretheral prostatic resection from patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, and adenocarcinoma; and paraffin-embedded sections from pair-matched benign and cancer specimens of different tumor grade.

Results: High constitutive protein expression of S100A2 was observed in NHPE and PZ-HPV-7 cells, whereas its complete absence was observed in 22Rv1, DU145, LNCaP, and PC3 cells.

Analysis of the molecular quality of human tissues: an experience from the Cooperative Human Tissue Network.

The scientific usefulness of the data obtained from tissue analysis is related to specimen quality, which may be affected by conditions that may contribute to the degradation of the specimen before processing and analysis. We determined the usability of nucleic acids extracted from banked human tissues for further molecular analyses. We assayed 151 tissue specimens, storedfor various times at 4 divisions of the Cooperative Human Tissue Network, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, for DNA and RNA degradation.

Primary care guidelines on consultation practices: the effectiveness of computerized versus paper-based versions. A cluster randomized controlled trial among newly qualified primary care physicians.

Objective: To compare the effects of computerized and paper-based versions of guidelines on recently qualified physicians' consultation practices.

Methods: Two arm cluster randomized controlled trial. Physicians were randomized to receive computerized or textbook-based versions of the same guidelines for a 4-week study period.

Attributes of clinical recommendations that influence change in practice following audit and feedback.

The object of this study was to determine which attributes of clinical practice recommendations influence changes in clinical practice following audit and feedback. This was an observational study using multilevel modeling to examine the relationship between attributes of clinical practice recommendations and compliance with the recommendations before and after audit and feedback. Sixteen hospital gynecology units in Scotland participated in a national audit project.

The utility of epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin in the diagnosis of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.

We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and vimentin (VMT) in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CHRCC). We also studied the utility of EMA and VMT immunostains in helping differentiate CHRCC from renal oncocytoma and conventional (clear cell) renal cell carcinoma with granular morphology (GCRCC). Immunohistochemical staining for EMA and VMT was performed on 21 cases of CHRCC, 16 cases of renal oncocytoma, and 28 cases of GCRCC.