Publications by authors named "Noushin Taghavi"

Background: Golestan Province in northeastern Iran has one of the highest incidences of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the world with rates over 50 per 100,000 person-years in both sexes. We have analyzed TP53 mutation patterns in tumors from this high-risk geographic area in search of clues to the mutagenic processes involved in causing ESCC.

Methodology/principal Findings: Biopsies of 119 confirmed ESCC tumor tissue from subjects enrolled in a case-control study conducted in Golestan Province were analyzed by direct sequencing of TP53 exons 2 through 11.

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Aim: To investigate the expression of p53 and p21 and associations with possible risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in northeastern Iran, a region with a high incidence of ESCC.

Methods: The expression of p53 and p21 proteins was investigated immunohistochemically in tumor tissue from 80 ESCC patients and in 60 available paraffin-embedded blocks of adjacent normal specimens from the cases, along with normal esophageal tissue from 80 healthy subjects.

Results: Positive expression of p53 protein was detected in 56.

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Background: The incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is very high in northeastern Iran. However, the genetic predisposing factors to ESCC in this region have not been clearly defined. The P21(waf1/cip1) gene is involved in the arrest of cellular growth, as induced by the p53 tumor suppressor gene.

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Background: Tumor suppressor genes p53 and p16INK4a and the proto-oncogene MDM2 are considered to be essential G1 cell cycle regulatory genes whose loss of function is associated with ESCC carcinogenesis. We assessed the aberrant methylation of the p16 gene and its impact on p16INK4a protein expression and correlations with p53 and MDM2 protein expressions in patients with ESCC in the Golestan province of northeastern Iran in which ESCC has the highest incidence of cancer, well above the world average.

Methods: Cancerous tissues and the adjacent normal tissue obtained from 50 ESCC patients were assessed with Methylation-Specific-PCR to examine the methylation status of p16.

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Aim: To define the sub site distribution of upper gastrointestinal cancers in three provinces of Iran.

Methods: The study was carried out in three provinces in Iran: Ardabil, Golestan, and Tehran. In Arbabil and Golestan, the data was collected from the sole referral center for gastrointestinal cancers and the local cancer registry.

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