Status of - fusion in prostate cancer patients from India: correlation with clinico-pathological details and Met160Val polymorphism.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) shows considerable clinical heterogeneity that has been primarily attributed to variable molecular alterations. - fusion is one such molecular subtype that has been associated with predominantly poor prognosis. More recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the gene rs12329760 C>T (Met160Val) has been shown to positively correlate with the fusion status and also to be associated with increased risk for PCa.

Molecular evaluation of BRAF gene mutation in thyroid tumors: Significant association with papillary tumors and extra thyroidal extension indicating its role as a biomarker of aggressive disease.

Background: Somatic mutation of the BRAF gene is one to be the most commonly known genetic change in thyroid tumors especially papillary thyroid cancers. The T1799A activating point mutation is detected in >98% of the thyroid tumors, and result in substitution of amino acid valine at position 600 to glutamic acid.

Method: In this study, we evaluated BRAF mutation in 95 Indian thyroid tumors by pyrosequencing assay.

Molecular investigation of FGFR3 gene mutation and its correlation with clinicopathological findings in Indian bladder cancer patients.

Background: Molecular alteration of FGFR3 gene is the most common genetic event currently known in bladder cancer. Notably, FGFR3 mutation has emerged as a promising molecular biomarker for recurrence, prognosis, and therapeutic target in bladder cancer.

Aim: The present study explored the frequency and distribution pattern of FGFR3 mutation in 100 Indian bladder cancer patients.

Molecular evaluation of PIK3CA gene mutation in breast cancer: determination of frequency, distribution pattern and its association with clinicopathological findings in Indian patients.

Somatic mutations in the PIK3CA gene are common in breast cancer and represent a clinically useful marker for prognosis and therapeutic target. Activating mutations in the PI3K p110 catalytic subunit (PIK3CA) have been identified in 18-40 % of breast carcinomas. In this study, we evaluated PIK3CA mutation in 185 Indian breast cancer patients by direct DNA sequencing.

Utility of MPT64 antigen test for differentiating mycobacteria: Can correlation with liquid culture smear morphology add further value?

Context: Clinical presentation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections may or may not be the same, but the treatment is always different. Hence accurate differentiation between MTBC and NTM is of utmost importance.

Aims: To assess in parallel, the utility of MPT64 antigen immunochromatography assay (MPT64 ICT) and bacillary morphology on liquid culture smear, for rapid differentiation between MTBC and NTM in clinical isolates.

Identifying Candida and other yeast-like fungi: utility of an identification algorithm in resource limited setting.

Aim: The increasing recovery rates of unusual yeasts with innate drug resistance make accurate identification crucial for successful therapy and infection control measures. The current study was undertaken to study the utility of CHROMagar Candida (CC) and evaluate an identification algorithm, using germ tube test (GT), CC and a commercial identification kit, API ID 32C.

Settings And Design: The prospective study was carried out at a private laboratory in Mumbai, India.

Molecular spectrum of c-KIT and PDGFRA gene mutations in gastro intestinal stromal tumor: determination of frequency, distribution pattern and identification of novel mutations in Indian patients.

KIT and PDGFRA gene mutations are the major genetic alterations seen in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and are being used clinically for predicting response to imatinib therapy. In the current study, we set out to explore the frequency and distribution pattern of c-KIT (exons 9, 11 and 13) and PDGFRA (exons 12 and 18) by direct sequencing in a series of 70 Indian GIST cases. Overall, 27 (38.

Molecular spectrum of KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA gene mutation: determination of frequency, distribution pattern in Indian colorectal carcinoma.

Molecular evaluation of KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutation has become an important part in colorectal carcinoma evaluation, and their alterations may determine the therapeutic response to anti-EGFR therapy. The current study demonstrates the evaluation of KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutation using direct sequencing in 204 samples. The frequency of KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations was 23.

Evaluation of genetic status of HER-2/neu and aneusomy 17 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and comparison with immunohistochemistry assay from Indian breast cancer patients.

Aims: The HER-2/neu proto-oncogene is amplified in 15%-25% of breast cancers. In the current study, we evaluated HER-2/neu status of 396 cases of breast cancer by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and the results were correlated with immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HER-2/neu protein expression.

Results: Overall, HER-2/neu amplification was observed in 38.