Multimodality Management of Localized Biliary Cancer.

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a diverse group of malignancies arising from the biliary tree, including cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. Patients that are candidates for surgical resection should also have lymphadenectomy. Since recurrence rates are high, after surgical resection, patients should be considered for adjuvant therapy in a multidiscipline setting.

Cell-Free DNA and Active Rejection in Kidney Allografts.

Histologic analysis of the allograft biopsy specimen is the standard method used to differentiate rejection from other injury in kidney transplants. Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) is a noninvasive test of allograft injury that may enable more frequent, quantitative, and safer assessment of allograft rejection and injury status. To investigate this possibility, we prospectively collected blood specimens at scheduled intervals and at the time of clinically indicated biopsies.

Vitamin D deficiency and corticosteroid use are risk factors for low bone mineral density in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Background: As several factors can contribute to low bone mineral density (BMD), we investigated the role of vitamin D in low BMD while controlling for other risk factors in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study between 2008 and 2012 in adult IBD patients. Demographic data including age, gender, ethnicity, BMI, along with disease type and location, vitamin D levels, prior corticosteroid use, and anti-TNF use were recorded and evaluated with DEXA results.

Histone acetylation resulting in resistance to methotrexate in choroid plexus cells.

Choroid plexus carcinomas are rare tumors that typically occur in young children. Prognosis is poor, and very little information is available to optimize treatment protocols. We used a cell culture model to evaluate whether combining chemotherapeutic agents such as methotrexate with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACI) such as valproic acid and MS-275 could improve efficacy.

Valproic acid induces p21 and topoisomerase-II (alpha/beta) expression and synergistically enhances etoposide cytotoxicity in human glioblastoma cell lines.

Object: Etoposide, a topoisomerase-II inhibitor promotes DNA damage and apoptosis of cancer cells. In this study, we have examined the ability of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, valproic acid (VPA) to modulate gene expression and sensitize glioblastoma cell lines to the cytotoxic effects of etoposide in vitro.

Methods: The effect of VPA and etoposide alone or a combination of the two drugs on the growth of three different glioblastoma cell lines (U87, LN18, and U251) were measured by MTT assays.