HtrA1, a potential predictor of response to cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy in gastric cancer.

Aims: HtrA1 is a member of the HtrA (high-temperature requirement factor A) family of serine proteases. HtrA1 plays a protective role in various malignancies due to its tumour suppressive properties. The aim of this study was to determine HtrA1 expression as a predictor of chemoresponse in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Prognostic role of human equilibrative transporter 1 (hENT1) in patients with resected gastric cancer.

Nucleoside transporter proteins are specialized proteins that mediate the transport of nucleosides and nucleoside analog drugs across the plasma membrane. The human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1) is a member of these proteins and mediates cellular entry of gemcitabine, cytarabine, and fludarabine. The hENT1 expression has been demonstrated to be related with prognosis and activity of gemcitabine-based therapy in breast, ampullary, lung, and pancreatic cancer.

Immunohistochemical study of dendritic cells in foetal skin and lymph-nodes supporting the hypothesis for the neural crest origin of Langerhans cells.

An immunohistochemical study on foetal skin and lymph-nodes was undertaken in 35 foetuses with the aim to obtain some evidence supporting the hypothesis for the neural crest origin of the Langerhans cells (LCs).Specimens from the axillary and inguinal areas including the skin, subcutaneous tissues and lymph-nodes have been examined. For immunohistochemistry a panel of antibodies were used such as CD1, Langerin, Melan A, HMB45, S100 protein, CD21, subsets for B and T lymphocytes, CD68, Myeloperoxidase, CD31 and CD34.

Intratumoural FOXP3-positive regulatory T cells are associated with adverse prognosis in radically resected gastric cancer.

We investigated the clinical significance of tumour-infiltrating FOXP3-positive regulatory T cells (Tregs) in radically resected (R0) gastric cancer. From a single-institution database, tumors of 110 patients who underwent R0 resection for stage II-III disease were studied for FOXP3-positive Tregs by immunohistochemistry. The observed median number of FOXP3-positive Tregs was used as the cut-point in analyses (<6 versus >or=6 count).

Endogastric capsule for E-cadherin gene (CDH1) promoter hypermethylation assessment in DNA from gastric juice of diffuse gastric cancer patients.

Background: We investigated whether an endogastric capsule (EC) may be a valuable tool for collecting DNA from exfoliated cells from the gastric mucosa and for carrying out an analysis of promoter methylation status of the E-cadherin (CDH1) gene in poorly differentiated, diffuse gastric cancer (DGC).

Material And Methods: Consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of poorly differentiated DGC underwent collection of gastric juice by EC. Subjects without cancer and premalignant lesions were also accrued as controls.

The relationship of Langerhans cells to melanocytes and Schwann cells in mature cystic teratomas of the ovary.

Mature cystic teratomas have been widely studied relative to their tissue components derived from all 3 embryonic layers, and immunohistochemical methods have demonstrated a variety of neurohormonal polypeptides. To our knowledge, Langerhans cells (LCs), which are a peculiar component of epidermis, have not been reported in ovarian teratomas. The origin of these cells is still a matter of debate, ranging from bone marrow stem cells to neural elements.

Serine protease HtrA1 modulates chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity.

Resistance to chemotherapy presents a serious challenge in the successful treatment of various cancers and is mainly responsible for mortality associated with disseminated cancers. Here we show that expression of HtrA1, which is frequently downregulated in ovarian cancer, influences tumor response to chemotherapy by modulating chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity. Downregulation of HtrA1 attenuated cisplatin- and paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity, while forced expression of HtrA1 enhanced cisplatin- and paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity.

[Argyria: new physio-pathological and therapeutic hypothesis].

The authors describe a case of sistemic argyria. They suggest a common physiopatologic mechanism with Wilson disease and they consider the utilization of penicillamine as a ligand for the silver, since there are not other available valid treatments.

Prognostic role of thymidylate synthase polymorphisms in gastric cancer patients treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic role of thymidylate synthase (TS) polymorphisms in gastric cancer patients treated with radical surgery and fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy.

Experimental Design: Ninety gastric cancer cases were identified among 187 patients previously enrolled in prospective case-control studies for disease susceptibility. Patients were genotyped for a G/C nucleotide change within a triple 28 bp variable number of tandem repeat sequence in the TS 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) and a 6 bp deletion in the TS 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR).

Predictive and prognostic role of E-cadherin protein expression in patients with advanced gastric carcinomas treated with palliative chemotherapy.

Loss of E-cadherin expression has been related with an adverse outcome in patients with resected gastric cancer. More recently, experimental models with cancer cell lines showed that chemosensitivity may be affected by the E-cadherin expression status. We investigated whether E-cadherin expression is correlated with the response to chemotherapy and the survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Prognostic relevance of histological grade and its components in node-negative breast cancer patients.

Available results highlight the lack of good level of evidence studies on the pure prognostic value of histological grade. In the present study, the prognostic relevance of histological grade and of its three components, tubule formation, nuclear pleomorphism and mitotic count, was analyzed in a series of 372 patients with node-negative breast cancer treated with locoregional therapy alone until early relapse. Histological grade was determined blindly by two observers and discordance between evaluations was resolved after joint review using a multihead microscope.

Prognostic analysis of E-cadherin gene promoter hypermethylation in patients with surgically resected, node-positive, diffuse gastric cancer.

Purpose: Recent investigations have demonstrated that hypermethylation is a frequent mechanism for silencing tumor suppressor genes. This is a potentially reversible epigenetic change, and it is the target of a novel class of anticancer compounds with demethylating activity. Better understanding of the clinical implications of hypermethylation will allow the optimal planning of future trials with demethylating drugs.

Combined analysis of E-cadherin gene (CDH1) promoter hypermethylation and E-cadherin protein expression in patients with gastric cancer: implications for treatment with demethylating drugs.

Background: Hypermethylation is studied as a new, relevant mechanism for silencing tumor suppressor genes. It is a potentially reversible epigenetic change and it is the target of novel anticancer compounds with demethylating activity. In this perspective, we investigated E-cadherin gene (CDH1) promoter hypermethylation in gastric carcinomas and its correlation with E-cadherin protein expression.

Vascular endothelial growth factor and p53 expressions in liver and abdominal metastases from colon cancer.

Objective: To determine the relationship between p53 overexpression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) upregulation in liver and abdominal metastases from colon cancer. The analysis in the two metastatic sites was carried out to evaluate the potential role of microenvironment in the molecular regulation of VEGF.

Methods: Bioptic specimens of liver and abdominal metastases from colon carcinomas were examined by immunohistochemistry for p53 and VEGF expressions.

An endogastric capsule for measuring tumor markers in gastric juice: an evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a new diagnostic tool.

Background: In gastric juice, high levels of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) have been found to correlate with precancerous lesions and gastric cancer. So far, sampling of gastric juice has required upper endoscopy. In place of this invasive procedure, we investigated a new tool for the quantitation of tumor markers in gastric juice.

Effects of iron overload and hepatitis C virus positivity in determining progression of liver fibrosis in thalassemia following bone marrow transplantation.

To identify the role of iron overload in the natural history of liver fibrosis, we reviewed serial hepatic biopsy specimens taken annually from patients cured of thalassemia major by bone marrow transplantation. The patients underwent transplantation between 1983 and 1989 and did not receive any chelation or antiviral therapy. Two hundred eleven patients (mean age, 8.

Color ultrasound-guided fine needle cutting biopsy for the characterization of diffuse liver damage in critical bone marrow transplanted patients.

Background And Objectives: The optimal method for liver biopsy in patients with simultaneous bone marrow and liver impairment has not yet been established. New approaches (e.g.

Reversibility of cirrhosis in patients cured of thalassemia by bone marrow transplantation.

Background: Cirrhosis is a well-known complication of thalassemia major. In this context, it is a consequence of iron overload and hepatitis C virus infection and generally seems to be irreversible.

Objective: To determine whether cirrhosis in thalassemia major can be reversible.

An analysis of p53, BAX and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in node-positive rectal cancer. Relationships with tumour recurrence and event-free survival of patients treated with adjuvant chemoradiation.

Tumours of patients with node-positive rectal cancer were studied by immunohistochemistry for p53, BAX and vascular endothelial growth factor expressions. Results were correlated to the relapse rate, the pattern of relapse and the event-free survival after radical surgery and adjuvant chemoradiation. After a median follow-up of 60 months, 39 patients remained disease-free and 40 patients relapsed (18 local relapses and 22 distant metastases).

Differences of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression between liver and abdominal metastases from colon cancer. Implications for the treatment with VEGF inhibitors.

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in promoting angiogenesis, and it is the target of innovative anti-cancer therapies. In colorectal carcinomas, differences in the VEGF expression have been found between the primary tumor and its metastases. We postulated that differences in the VEGF expression may also exist between liver and abdominal metastases from colon cancer.

Potential role and chronology of abnormal expression of the Deleted in Colon Cancer (DCC) and the p53 proteins in the development of gastric cancer.

Background: Loss of activity of tumor suppressor genes is considered a fundamental step in a genetic model of carcinogenesis. Altered expression of the p53 and the Deleted in Colon Cancer (DCC) proteins has been described in gastric cancer and this event may have a role in the development of the disease. According to this hypothesis, we investigated the p53 and the DCC proteins expression in different stages of gastric carcinomas.

Biovularity and "coalescence of primary follicles" in ovaries with mature teratomas.

Several theories have been postulated regarding the origin of ovarian teratomas, including incomplete twinning, neoplastic proliferation of sequestered totipotent blastomeres or primordial cells, derepression of totipotent genetic information in the nuclei of somatic cells, and parthenogenetic development of germ cells. At present parthenogenetic development of ova is the most widely accepted theory, primarily because of the presence of a 46 XX karyotype in almost all mature teratomas. However, some authors have raised the possibility of fusion of ova in the mechanism of formation of ovarian teratomas.