Diagnostic Accuracy of a Blood-Based Biomarker Panel for Colorectal Cancer Detection: A Pilot Study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite its preventability through screening, compliance still needs to improve due to the invasiveness of current tools. There is a growing demand for validated molecular biomarker panels for minimally invasive blood-based CRC screening.

Molecular and Sociodemographic Colorectal Cancer Disparities in Latinos Living in Puerto Rico.

Background: The incidence of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) among individuals <50 years (early-onset CRC) has been increasing in the United States (U.S.) and Puerto Rico.

Racial/ethnic disparities in gastric cancer: A 15-year population-based analysis.

Background And Aims: Disparities in gastric cancer incidence and mortality have been reported among ethnic/racial groups. While gastric cancer is not common in the U.S.

The Presence of Gut Microbial Genes Encoding Bacterial Genotoxins or Pro-Inflammatory Factors in Stool Samples from Individuals with Colorectal Neoplasia.

Gut bacterial toxins are thought to contribute to the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study examines the presence of specific gut bacterial toxin genes in stool samples from individuals with colorectal neoplasia (adenomas and/or CRC). The presence of bacterial genes encoding genotoxic or pro-inflammatory factors (, , , , , and ) was established by PCR of stool samples from individuals from mainland US ( = 30; controls = 10, adenoma = 10, CRC = 10) and from Puerto Rico (PR) ( = 33; controls = 13; adenomas = 8; CRC = 12).

Prevalence of Synchronous Oligopolyposis in Incident Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based Study.

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading causes of cancer death among men and women. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of oligopolyposis (≥20 synchronous colorectal adenomas) and its associated clinicopathological characteristics in Hispanics with incident CRC.

Methods: Pathology reports from individuals diagnosed with CRC (2007 to 2011) were obtained from the PR Central Cancer Registry.

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Hispanics living in Puerto Rico: A population-based study.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is an important etiologic factor for peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, one of the top ten leading causes of cancer death in Puerto Rico. However, the prevalence of H. pylori infections in this population was previously unknown.

Hereditary cancer syndromes in Latino populations: genetic characterization and surveillance guidelines.

Hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes comprise approximately 10% of diagnosed cancers; however, familial forms are believed to account for up to 30% of some cancers. In Hispanics, the most commonly diagnosed hereditary cancers include colorectal cancer syndromes such as, Lynch Syndrome, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes. Although the incidence of hereditary cancers is low, patients diagnosed with hereditary cancer syndromes are at high-risk for developing secondary cancers.

Clinical Cancer Genetics Disparities among Latinos.

The three major hereditary cancer syndromes in Latinos (Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Lynch Syndrome) have been shown to exhibit geographic disparities by country of origin suggesting admixture-based disparities. A solid infrastructure of clinical genetics geared towards diagnosis and prevention could aid in reducing the mortality of these cancer syndromes in Latinos. Currently, clinical cancer genetic services in Latin America are scarce.

Current Perspectives on Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is third leading cause of cancer-related death. Only 28.3% of new GC cases survive more than 5 years.

High Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus in Colorectal Cancer in Hispanics: A Case-Control Study.

The role of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in colorectal carcinogenesis remains elusive. Based on the high incidence of HPV-associated malignancies among Puerto Rican Hispanics, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of HPV infection and viral integration in colorectal tissues in order to evaluate its putative role in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this case-control study, the prevalence of HPV infection in CRC (cases n = 45) and normal colon mucosa from cancer-free subjects (controls n = 36) was assessed by a nested PCR strategy.

Colorectal Cancer Survival Disparities among Puerto Rican Hispanics: A Comparison to Racial/Ethnic Groups in the United States.

Purpose: Ethnic/racial disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) survival have been well documented. However, there is limited information regarding CRC survival among Hispanic subgroups. This study reports the 5-year relative survival of Puerto Rican Hispanic (PRH) CRC patients and the relative risk of death compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the US.

Risk of thyroid cancer among Caribbean Hispanic patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited form of colorectal cancer characterized by hundreds of adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum. FAP is also associated with thyroid cancer (TC), but the lifetime risk is still unclear. This study reports the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of TC in Hispanic FAP patients.

Multidrug ATP-binding cassette transporters are essential for hepatic development of Plasmodium sporozoites.

Multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs) belong to the C-family of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport proteins and are known to transport a variety of physiologically important compounds and to be involved in the extrusion of pharmaceuticals. Rodent malaria parasites encode a single ABC transporter subfamily C protein, whereas human parasites encode two: MRP1 and MRP2. Although associated with drug resistance, their biological function and substrates remain unknown.

Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers: Where Are We Now?

Colorectal cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related death in the Western world. Patient survival is highly dependent on the tumor stage at the time of diagnosis. Reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy is still a major obstacle in effective treatment of advanced disease.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and colorectal neoplasia risk in Hispanics: a case-control study.

Aims: There is inconclusive evidence regarding the potential link between diabetes mellitus (DM) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Associations between type 2 DM and colorectal neoplasia (CRN; colorectal cancer and/or adenomas) have not been well studied in Hispanics, an ethnic minority at high risk for type 2 DM. This study aims to assess the association between type 2 DM and CRN in Hispanics.

Clinical characterization and mutation spectrum in Caribbean Hispanic families with Lynch syndrome.

Lynch syndrome (LS) is an inherited form of colorectal cancer (CRC) caused by germline mutations in the mismatch repair (MMR) genes. It accounts for approximately 5% of all CRCs. The prevalence of LS among US Hispanics is unknown.

Report of a Novel Mutation in MLH1 Gene in a Hispanic Family from Puerto Rico Fulfilling Classic Amsterdam Criteria for Lynch Syndrome.

In Puerto Rico, colorectal cancer (CRC) represents the second leading cause of cancer in men and women. Familial CRC accounts for 10-15% of the total CRC cases, while Lynch syndrome accounts for approximately 2-4% of cases. Limited information is available about the prevalence, clinical manifestations, and genetic mutations of hereditary CRC in US Hispanic individuals.

Clinical characterization and mutation spectrum in Hispanic families with adenomatous polyposis syndromes.

Several genetically defined hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC) syndromes are associated with colonic polyposis including familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and MUTYH adenomatous polyposis (MAP). Limited data exists on the clinical characterization and genotypic spectrum of polyposis syndromes among Hispanics. To describe the phenotype and genotype of Puerto Rican Hispanic patients with FAP and MUTYH and compare with other ethnic and racial groups.

Identification and bioinformatic characterization of a multidrug resistance associated protein (ABCC) gene in Plasmodium berghei.

Background: The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily is one of the largest evolutionarily conserved families of proteins. ABC proteins play key roles in cellular detoxification of endobiotics and xenobiotics. Overexpression of certain ABC proteins, among them the multidrug resistance associated protein (MRP), contributes to drug resistance in organisms ranging from human neoplastic cells to parasitic protozoa.