Demonstration of cytokeratin-5 non-expression in tobacco related oral carcinogenesis--use of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction as a sensitive assay.

Cytokeratins (CK) are the epithelia specific intermediate filament proteins. We have shown consistent non-expression of CK-5 protein in human oral pre-cancer and cancer, in earlier studies. To investigate whether non-expression of CK-5 protein is the result of transcriptional or translational block and to evaluate the possibility if CK-5 non-expression can be used as a marker for early diagnosis of tobacco related oral cancer, RT-PCR using CK-5 specific primers was conducted.

Expression of enhancing factor/phospholipase A2 in skin results in abnormal epidermis and increased sensitivity to chemical carcinogenesis.

Enhancing factor (EF), a growth factor modulator, is the mouse homologue of human secretory group II phospholipase A(2). EF exhibits growth-promoting activity in vitro, in the presence of epidermal growth factor, and also brings about phenotypic transformation of normal cells. In order to ascertain the role of EF in vivo, a human keratin-14 promoter was used to drive the expression of EF ectopically to squamous epithelial cells.

Benign metastasizing meningioma.

Meningiomas represent about one sixth of all primary neoplasms of the central nervous system. They rarely metastasize outside the intracranial compartment. There are no clear criteria to identify the subset of aggressive tumors which recur locally or metastasize.

Inhibition of nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by dietary turmeric in rats.

Turmeric, widely used in food and medicine has been shown to prevent benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] or dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced forestomach, skin and mammary tumors in mice and/or rats. In this study we examine the modulatory effects of turmeric on nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. Female Wistar rats were administered NDEA (200 ppm) through drinking water (5 days per week) for 4 weeks.

Regional variation in the distribution of subtypes of lymphoid neoplasms in India.

Lymphoid malignancies (LM) are a heterogeneous group of tumours. The relative frequencies of the various types of LMs vary across geographic regions. The pattern in India shows significant differences from the rest of the world.

Bcl-2 family of proteins in indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: study of 116 cases.

The bcl-2 family of proteins comprises both antagonists and agonists of apoptosis. We have investigated whether subsets of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (IB-NHL) differ in the expression of the bcl-2 family members; 116 cases of IB-NHL, composed of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, n = 48), follicular lymphoma (FL, n = 38), marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZBCL, n = 15), and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL, n = 15), were investigated for expression of bcl-2, bcl-X, mcl-1, bax, and bak proteins by immunohistochemistry. Expression of bcl-2 and bcl-X proteins was moderate/high among most IB-NHLs.

Do metastatic tumours from an unknown primary reflect angiogenic incompetence of the tumour at the primary site?--a hypothesis.

Metastases from unknown primary tumours (MUP) are not an uncommon clinical problem. A hypothesis that discusses the plausible role of neoangiogenesis, as a central theme in the development of MUPs, is presented. Invasive cancers, which cannot or do not switch to the angiogenic phenotype, remain subclinical.

Expression of P53 and bcl-2 proteins in T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma: prognostic implications.

In patients (pts) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) under 25 years, treatment with MCP-842 protocol, a short duration intense protocol, yields worse survival in pts with lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) compared to other high grade lymphomas. In order to identify both favourable and unfavourable subgroups in pts with T-cell LL (T-LL) with respect to relapse free survival following treatment with MCP-842 protocol, we analysed the expression of p53 and bcl-2 proteins in 22 pts with T-LL treated at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai by immunohistochemistry. p53 protein overexpression was noted in 59% cases and bcl-2 overexpression was noted in 29.

Epstein-Barr virus association and ALK gene expression in anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma of T/null-cell type (ALCL) is associated with a characteristic genetic abnormality t(2;5) that results in the NPM-ALK chimeric gene and the protein product derived thereof. In 10% to 20% of ALCLs, the translocation partners of the ALK gene are genes other than NPM (variant translocations). ALK gene expression limited to the cytoplasm implies a variant translocation.

Lymphoid neoplasms in HIV-positive individuals in India.

The HIV epidemic in the Asian subcontinent has a significant impact on India. Patients with AIDS have an increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In this study, we have investigated the pattern of distribution of lymphoid neoplasms and also studied the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-association and p53 expression in 35 HIV-positive patients from India.

Angiogenesis is redundant for tumour growth in lymph node metastases.

Aims: Angiogenesis is essential for the growth of solid tumours. As the role of angiogenesis is unclear in the pathogenesis of primary lymph node (LN) tumours, we wondered whether neoangiogenesis was important in supporting and promoting the growth of tumours in LNs.

Methods And Results: We investigated 16 cases of squamous carcinoma involving oral cavity (n=9) and larynx/pyriform fossa (n=7), all of whom had lymph node metastases.

Primary extranodal mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the prostate.

Low-grade B-cell mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma can rarely present primarily in extranodal sites other than stomach, which is the most common site for it. Until now only four cases of primary prostatic MALTomas have been described in the literature and we report the fifth. We describe a case of primary prostatic MALToma in a 67-year-old man and the diagnosis was made on the trans-urethral resection specimen of the prostate.

Hodgkin's disease involving Waldeyer's ring: a study of four cases.

We report four cases of Hodgkin's disease who presented with involvement of Waldeyer's ring. Their clinical, morphological and immunohistochemical features are discussed. The patients were immuno-competent, were between 17 and 65 years of age and presented with symptoms related to swelling in the nasopharynx or oropharynx and cervical lymphadenopathy.

CD40 Ligand--an anti-apoptotic molecule in Hodgkin's disease.

The expression of CD40L was investigated in HD involved lymph nodes by flow cytometry (FCM) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Also an investigation of the role of CD40L in upregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene BclxL in a Hodgkin's disease (HD) derived cell line was undertaken. HD patients (n = 18) had significantly higher numbers of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment as compared to controls (n = 8).

Apoptosis index is a predictor of metastatic phenotype in patients with early stage squamous carcinoma of the tongue: a hypothesis to support this paradoxical association.

Background: Patients with squamous carcinoma of the oral tongue in clinical stages TIN0M0 and T2N0M0 with a tumor thickness < or = 3 mm usually do not have lymph node (LN) metastasis. However, factors that are useful in predicting LN metastasis in thicker tumors (> 3 mm thick) need to be identified. The authors investigated the clinical relevance of the apoptotic index (AI), the proliferation index, and tumor grade in relation to LN metastasis in patients with early stage squamous carcinoma of the oral tongue.

Isolated splenic lymphoma: an elusive preoperative diagnosis.

Four patients underwent splenectomy for various clinical and radiological diagnoses and were found to have primary splenic lymphoma at surgery and histology. The diagnosis was classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, mixed cellularity type (one case); marginal zone B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (one case); and large B cell type non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (two cases). The first two patients had multiple nodules in the spleen measuring 0.

Circulating levels of TNF alpha and TNF receptor superfamily members in lymphoid neoplasia.

We have correlated the serum levels of TNF alpha and soluble TNF receptor superfamily members with clinico-pathologic parameters in patients of Hodgkin's disease (HD, N = 26) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHLs, N = 35). HD patients had significantly higher levels of TNF alpha, sTNFRI, and sTNFRII in serum while NHL patients had significantly higher levels of sTNFRI, sTNFRII, sCD27, and sFas as compared to controls. In NHL patients the levels of sCD27 correlated directly and significantly with the high-stage disease, bone marrow involvement, lymph nodal presentation, and serum LDH levels.

Intra-tumoral cytolytic cells: pattern of distribution in B-cell non Hodgkin s lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin s lymphomas (NHLs) constitute a heterogeneous group of lymphoid neoplasms and a majority of them in India are of B-cell phenotype. Varying numbers of T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells are consistently present within the lymph nodes (LNs). The role of these reactive cells is becoming understood.