Human feasibility study of fluorescence spectroscopy guided optical biopsy needle for prostate cancer diagnosis.

Current prostate biopsy cores have a very low diagnostic yield. These biopsies often fail to diagnose prostate cancer since 90% of cores are histopathologically classified as benign. The concentrations of endogenous fluorophores in prostate tissue vary with disease states.

Prognostic value of Ishak fibrosis stage: findings from the hepatitis C antiviral long-term treatment against cirrhosis trial.

Unlabelled: Studies of the prognostic value of Ishak fibrosis stage are lacking. We used multi-year follow-up of the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial to determine whether individual Ishak fibrosis stages predicted clinical outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Baseline liver biopsy specimens from 1050 patients with compensated chronic hepatitis C who had failed combination peginterferon and ribavirin were reviewed by a panel of expert hepatopathologists.

Acute hepatitis in three patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis taking interleukin-1 receptor antagonist.

Purpose: We investigated the etiology of acute hepatitis in three children with systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA) taking Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RA).

Methods: Laboratory and clinical data for three children with sJIA diagnosed at ages 13 months to 8 years who developed acute hepatitis during treatment with IL1RA were reviewed for evidence of sJIA flare, infection, macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), malignancy, and drug reaction.

Results: In all patients, hepatitis persisted despite cessation of known hepatotoxic drugs and in absence of known infectious triggers, until discontinuation of IL1RA.

Significance of serrated polyps of the colon.

The fundamental view that colon adenocarcinomas arise only from conventional adenomas has been challenged by the now recognized hyperplastic polyp-serrated adenoma-adenocarcinoma pathway. This article describes the history of the serrated adenoma (both the traditional serrated adenoma and the sessile serrated adenoma) as well as the histology and endoscopic appearance of these lesions in comparison with hyperplastic polyps and mixed polyps. Although the exact pathway is the subject of ongoing research, compelling histologic associations and molecular phenotypes that define the model of the serrated polyp-carcinoma sequence, including microsatellite instability, BRAF/KRAS mutations, and CpG island methylator phenotype, provide strong evidence that this is a genuine pathway.

Preoperative capecitabine and accelerated intensity-modulated radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer: a phase II trial.

Objectives: A prospective phase II trial was conducted to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and pathologic response rate of preoperative capecitabine and accelerated synchronous integrated boost (SIB) intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods: Consenting operable patients with stage II or III adenocarcinoma of the rectum received capecitabine (825 mg/m2 PO BID, 5 days/wk x 5 weeks) and SIB-IMRT delivering 55 Gy (2.2 Gy/fraction) to the gross tumor while simultaneously delivering 45 Gy (1.

Detection of B7-H4 and p53 in pancreatic cancer: potential role as a cytological diagnostic adjunct.

Objectives: This study compared p53 expression with B7-H4, a novel cancer biomarker, in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) resection specimens and in a pilot series of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirations (EUS-FNAs).

Methods: B7-H4 and p53 expression were evaluated by immunoperoxidase methods in 36 PDA and 15 EUS-FNA specimens and were scored for intensity and proportion of positive cells; cases were then assigned a final sum score.

Results: B7-H4 was detected in 33 (92%) of 36 PDA sections, 8 (89%) of 9 cytologically positive EUS-FNAs, and 1 (20%) of 5 cytologically negative EUS-FNAs.

NQO1 expression in pancreatic cancer and its potential use as a biomarker.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is rarely curable due to regional/metastatic spread at diagnosis. Identification of molecular markers may enhance diagnosis and early detection of PDA. The 2-electron reductase, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) has been found to be overexpressed in many solid tumors including PDA, and may be a useful clinically relevant diagnostic marker of malignancy.

Hodgkin lymphoma-related vanishing bile duct syndrome and idiopathic cholestasis: statistical analysis of all published cases and literature review.

Background: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)-related vanishing bile duct syndrome (VBDS) and idiopathic cholestasis (IC) are rare conditions that often lead to liver failure and death. The available literature consists primarily of case reports, resulting in little clarity as to the clinical course and ideal treatment for this disease.

Material And Methods: We performed a literature search from which we identified all published cases of HL-related VBDS or IC, and created a database of detailed presentation, treatment, and outcome information for all patients.

Roles of iron and HFE mutations on severity and response to therapy during retreatment of advanced chronic hepatitis C.

Background & Aims: Iron overload may cause or contribute to hepatic injury and fibrosis. Mutations in the HFE gene may influence development or progression of chronic liver disease by increasing iron stores or modulating immune responses. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of HFE mutations and serum and hepatic measures of iron status on baseline features and response to lead-in therapy in subjects with advanced chronic hepatitis C enrolled in the Hepatitis C Anti-viral Long-term Treatment to prevent Cirrhosis (HALT-C) Trial.

Safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of peginterferon alpha2a (40 kd) in children with chronic hepatitis C.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children is a problem affecting thousands of children worldwide. Although standard interferon (INF) has better efficacy in pediatric patients than in adults, results in children with genotype 1 are poor; response rates to combination treatment with standard INF and ribavirin are better but the treatment requires thrice-weekly injections. The improved antiviral efficacy of weekly pegylated interferons relative to standard interferons in adults with chronic HCV infection suggests that pegylated interferons may also improve antiviral efficacy in children.

Safety and efficacy of argon plasma coagulation trimming of malpositioned and migrated biliary metal stents: a controlled study in the porcine model.

Background: Argon plasma coagulation (APC) has been used to trim uncovered Elgiloy stents, but the extent of thermal damage and bile duct injury is not known. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of APC for this application.

Methods: Eight Elgiloy (covered and uncovered) and four nitinol stents were deployed in the bile duct at ERCP in 12 anesthetized pigs.

Retrospective clinicopathologic correlation of gross tumor size of hepatocellular carcinoma: implications for stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Purpose: To determine the degree of correlation between radiographic size and true gross pathologic size for subjects with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods And Materials: This analysis included 18 patients with 27 tumors who underwent either partial hepatectomy or orthotopic liver transplantation for HCC at the University of Colorado Hospital between 1997 and 2002. Preoperative imaging was performed using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Increased vascular heme oxygenase-1 expression contributes to arterial vasodilation in experimental cirrhosis in rats.

Vascular heme oxygenase (HO) regulates vascular tone in normal conditions and in some pathologic circumstances (e.g., sepsis).