Identifying risk factors for post-operative bleeding in women undergoing loop electrosurgical excision procedure for cervical dysplasia.

Background: Loop electrosurgical excision is a procedure utilised in the treatment of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) of the cervix. Post-operatively women may experience immediate and/or delayed per vaginal bleeding.

Aims: The objective of this prospective pilot study was to assess the feasibility of identifying and quantifying patients' subjective experiences of post-operative bleeding following a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) for HSIL.

Radiology-pathology correlation of endometrial carcinoma assessment on magnetic resonance imaging.

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynaecological cancer in developed countries. Most cases are low-volume/low-grade tumour at presentation; however, high-grade subtypes may present with locally advanced disease with higher propensity for spread outside of the pelvis. MRI has a role in local staging of the tumour and helping the clinicians in treatment decision making.

Intraoperative Frozen Section of Ovarian Tumors: A 6-Year Review of Performance and Potential Pitfalls in an Australian Tertiary Referral Center.

Objectives: Intraoperative frozen section (IFS) offers a rapid test to guide the extent of surgery, which is essential for optimal treatment of ovarian cancer. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance and influence of IFS in the surgical management of ovarian tumors.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of IFS of adnexal lesions from 2008 to 2013, with diagnoses classified as benign, borderline, or malignant.

Clinical utility of image-guided peritoneal and omental biopsy.

Image-guided core biopsy of the omentum and peritoneum was described a decade ago and has since been validated in a number of large studies as a safe and effective means of providing a tissue diagnosis in patients with undiagnosed peritoneal disease. Some studies have addressed its ability for determining whether peritoneal infiltration and/or omental masses in patients with prior malignancy represent recurrent disease or a new disease process. Others have focused on the specific issue of women suspected to have advanced peritoneal carcinomatosis from ovarian or primary peritoneal cancer where the primary management of the patient is directed by the tissue diagnosis.

In vitro and in vivo effects of the PPAR-alpha agonists fenofibrate and retinoic acid in endometrial cancer.

Unlabelled: Fenofibrate, an agonist of PPAR-alpha, in doses above 25 microM, inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells. We show that these effects are potentiated by retinoic acid, an agonist of the retinoid-X-receptor. DNA content analysis shows that G1/S phase progression through the cell cycle is inhibited.

Bioinformatic analysis of primary endothelial cell gene array data illustrated by the analysis of transcriptome changes in endothelial cells exposed to VEGF-A and PlGF.

We recently published a review in this journal describing the design, hybridisation and basic data processing required to use gene arrays to investigate vascular biology (Evans et al. Angiogenesis 2003; 6: 93-104). Here, we build on this review by describing a set of powerful and robust methods for the analysis and interpretation of gene array data derived from primary vascular cell cultures.

Transcriptome analysis of endometrial cancer identifies peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors as potential therapeutic targets.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy, frequently arising in association with obesity and diabetes mellitus. To identify gene pathways contributing to endometrial cancer development, we studied the transcriptome of 20 endometrial cancers and 11 benign endometrial tissues using cDNA microarrays. Among the transcript changes identified in endometrial cancer were up-regulation of the nuclear hormone receptors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) alpha and gamma, whereas retinoid X receptor beta was down-regulated.

Independent component analysis of microarray data in the study of endometrial cancer.

Gene microarray technology is highly effective in screening for differential gene expression and has hence become a popular tool in the molecular investigation of cancer. When applied to tumours, molecular characteristics may be correlated with clinical features such as response to chemotherapy. Exploitation of the huge amount of data generated by microarrays is difficult, however, and constitutes a major challenge in the advancement of this methodology.

Generation and use of a tailored gene array to investigate vascular biology.

Vasculogenesis, angiogenesis and vascular remodelling are complex processes where the fate of several cell types is determined by different signalling networks. Many of these networks ultimately function by changing the abundance of RNA transcripts within the cells which constitute blood vessel walls. Researchers can now map these transcript abundance changes using gene array technology.

Endothelial cells preparing to die by apoptosis initiate a program of transcriptome and glycome regulation.

The protein-based changes that underlie the cell biology of apoptosis have been extensively studied. In contrast, mRNA- and polysaccharide-based changes have received relatively little attention. We have combined transcriptome and glycome analyses to show that apoptotic endothelial cell cultures undergo programmed changes to RNA transcript abundance and cell surface polysaccharide profiles.