pSTAT3 Levels Have Divergent Expression Patterns and Associations with Survival in Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma of the Oesophagus.

Signal transducers and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 is activated in cancers, where it promotes growth, inflammation, angiogenesis, and inhibits apoptosis. Tissue microarrays were generated using tissues from 154 patients, with oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) ( = 116) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) ( = 38) tumours. The tissues were stained for pSTAT3 and IL-6R using immunohistochemistry.

Expression of protein kinase C gamma promotes cell migration in colon cancer.

Despite extensive efforts, Protein Kinase Cs (PKCs) have proven to be an intractable target in cancer therapies. Traditionally it was accepted that PKCs act as tumour promoters, however new research suggests that PKCs may play an important role in the suppression of cancer. A challenge in targeting PKCs is the limited data available in patient samples.

HLA-DR expression in tumor epithelium is an independent prognostic indicator in esophageal adenocarcinoma patients.

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis, and incidence is increasing rapidly in the Western world. Measurement of immune markers has been shown to have prognostic significance in a growing number of cancers, but whether this is true for EAC has yet to be evaluated. This study aimed to characterize HLA-DR expression in the esophagus across the inflammation to cancer progression sequence and to assess the prognostic significance of HLA-DR expression in EAC.

Protein kinase C beta II suppresses colorectal cancer by regulating IGF-1 mediated cell survival.

Despite extensive efforts, cancer therapies directed at the Protein Kinase C (PKC) family of serine/threonine kinases have failed in clinical trials. These therapies have been directed at inhibiting PKC and have, in some cases, worsened disease outcome. Here we examine colon cancer patients and show not only that PKC Beta II is a tumour suppressor, but patients with low levels of this isozyme have significantly decreased disease free survival.

Thromboxane synthase expression and correlation with VEGF and angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Thromboxane synthase (TXS) metabolizes prostaglandin H2 into thromboxanes, which are biologically active on cancer cells. TXS over-expression has been reported in a range of cancers, and associated with angiogenesis and poor outcome. TXS has been identified as a potential therapeutic target in NSCLC.

MMP9 expression in oesophageal adenocarcinoma is upregulated with visceral obesity and is associated with poor tumour differentiation.

Overweight and obesity is linked to increased incidence and mortality of many cancer types. Of all cancers, oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) displays one of the strongest epidemiological links with obesity, accounting for up to 40% of cases, but molecular pathways driving this association remain largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate mechanisms underpinning the association of obesity and cancer, and to determine if visceral obesity is associated with aggressive tumour biology in OAC.