Low Osteopontin N-Terminal Fragment and Carotid Plaque Stability Associated with Statin or Antiplatelet Therapy.

Introduction: Full-length osteopontin (OPN-FL), whose levels are elevated in association with atherosclerosis, is cleaved by thrombin, resulting in the formation of a putatively biologically-active N-terminal cleavage product (OPNN). This study addresses the hypothesis that statin and antiplatelet therapy in hypertensive patients specifically reduces OPN-N, rather than OPN-FL, in carotid plaques.

Methods: Seventy-four carotid plaques were collected from patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Cell-free DNA blood levels in colorectal cancer patients do not correlate with mismatch repair-proficiency.

Unlabelled: While sporadic cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) most commonly arise via the well-characterized chromosomal instability pathway (CIN), most other cases develop via a serrated neoplasia pathway (CIMP), in which methylation of CpG islands results in silencing of DNA nucleotide mismatch repair (MMR)-related genes, and a high level of microsatellite instability (MSI). MSI-high tumors typically show proximal location, mucinous histology, poor differentiation, and lymphocytic infiltration. Cell-free circulating DNA (CFD) may become elevated in CRC patients compared to healthy individuals.

Adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy in patients with stage I breast cancer at a regional oncology center in Israel: implementation of a 'switching' policy in postmenopausal patients after initial tamoxifen.

Objective: To analyze the implementation of a switching policy of adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy sequentially after tamoxifen in consecutively treated stage I (T1N0M0) hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer (BC) patients.

Methods: The records of 279 consecutive HR-positive BC patients diagnosed between 2002 and 2006 and followed at the Soroka Medical Center were reviewed.

Results: Two-hundred-seventeen patients who initially received tamoxifen were suitable for switching and 28 received an AI as initial adjuvant treatment.

Giant enterolith in ileal diverticulum following ileoplastic bladder augmentation.

Introduction: When adhesions, internal hernias, malignant intra- and retro-peritoneal neoplasms are excluded in patients presenting with new onset constipation and abdominal mass appearance after previous abdominal surgery, other causes must be considered.

Presentation Of Case: Giant enteroliths formed within ileal diverticula in the site of small bowel anastomosis may extrude and produce a palpable abdominal lump. Recent experience with such a patient is the basis of this report.

N-terminal rather than full-length osteopontin or its C-terminal fragment is associated with carotid-plaque inflammation in hypertensive patients.

Background: Hypertensive patients develop carotid atherosclerotic plaques with enhanced inflammation. Full-length osteopontin (OPN-FL), a multifunctional protein whose levels are elevated in association with atherosclerosis, is cleaved by thrombin and matrix metalloproteinases to form a C-terminal and a putatively biologically active N-terminal fragment (OPN-C, OPN-N, respectively). We conducted a study to examine whether plaque inflammation in hypertensive patients corresponds to the expression of OPN or of its cleaved forms or both.