Volume-outcome relationship in pancreatic surgery: the situation in Germany.

Background: Discussion of the volume-outcome relationship in pancreatic surgery has gained increasing interest. Currently, no data describe the situation in Germany. Pursuant to a recent legislative reform, a threshold of 10 operations per year was introduced for pancreatic surgery in 2006.

Multidrug-resistance proteins are weak tumor associated antigens for colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a clinically, highly relevant phenomenon. Under chemotherapy many tumors show an increasing resistance towards the applied substance(s) and to a certain extent also towards other agents. An important molecular cause of this phenomenon is an increased expression of transporter proteins.

Experimental study of cardiorespiratory and stress factors in esophageal surgery using robot-assisted thoracoscopic or open thoracic approach.

Background: Our aim was to compare cardiovascular and stress response to robotic technology during thoracoscopic mobilization and anastomosis of the esophagus vs the conventional open approach.

Design: Randomized experimental study.

Setting: Department of Experimental Surgery, University of Heidelberg.

Induction of an antitumoral immune response by wild-type adeno-associated virus type 2 in an in vivo model of pancreatic carcinoma.

We analyzed the immunologic impact of adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2), a small single-stranded parvovirus with tumorsuppressive properties, on DSL6A pancreatic carcinoma in syngeneic rats. Established tumors of animals treated with AAV-2 or mock infected were resected (Ro), and DSL6A cells were rechallenged on the different site. Eleven (92%) of 12 mock-infected animals but only 3 (25%) of 12 AAV-2-treated animals redeveloped tumors.

Activating anti-CD40 antibodies induce tumour invasion by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and inhibition of tumour growth in experimental liver cancer.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an activating anti-CD40 antibody (aCD40Ab) on leukocyte adhesion to tumour vessels, leukocyte migration and tumour growth in experimental liver cancer. Morris-Hepatoma was induced by subcapsular inoculation of tumour cells in the liver of ACI-rats. On day 7 and 8 after tumour cell injection, one group of the animals received aCD40Ab.

The effect of adenovirus expressing wild-type p53 on 5-fluorouracil chemosensitivity is related to p53 status in pancreatic cancer cell lines.

Aim: There are conflicting data about p53 function on cellular sensitivity to the cytotoxic action of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Therefore the objective of this study was to determine the combined effects of adenovirus-mediated wild-type (wt) p53 gene transfer and 5-FU chemotherapy on pancreatic cancer cells with different p53 gene status.

Methods: Human pancreatic cancer cell lines Capan-1(p53mut), Capan-2(p53wt), FAMPAC(p53mut), PANC1(p53mut), and rat pancreatic cancer cell lines AS(p53wt) and DSL6A(p53null) were used for in vitro studies.

Dendritic cells reduce number and function of CD4+CD25+ cells in cytokine-induced killer cells derived from patients with pancreatic carcinoma.

Aim And Background: CD4+CD25+ cells are described as professional regulatory/suppressor T cells that are crucial for the prevention of spontaneous autoimmune diseases. They play an important role in maintaining a balanced peripheral immune system. On the other hand, it has been suggested that regulatory T cells (Treg) suppress antitumor immune responses after tumor-specific vaccinations.

Prevalence of familial pancreatic cancer in Germany.

Based on several case-control studies, it has been estimated that familial aggregation and genetic susceptibility play a role in up to 10% of patients with pancreatic cancer, although conclusive epidemiologic data are still lacking. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of familial pancreatic cancer and differences to its sporadic form in a prospective multicenter trial. A total of 479 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were prospectively evaluated regarding medical and family history, treatment and pathology of the tumour.

Characterization of FAMPAC, a newly identified human pancreatic carcinoma cell line with a hereditary background.

Background: A novel pancreatic carcinoma cell line, FAMPAC, was identified from investigation of poorly differentiated pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells found in a patient with a familial predisposition to pancreatic carcinoma. A gene responsible for familial pancreatic carcinoma has not been identified to date.

Methods: The FAMPAC cell line was characterized by its morphology, growth rate, tumorigenicity, and chromosomal analysis.

Prevention of chemotherapy-related toxic side effects by infection with adeno-associated virus type 2.

Drug resistance and toxic side effects are major limiting factors in the clinical use of antineoplastic chemotherapy. Patients with pancreatic cancer generally do not benefit from chemotherapy. The nonpathogenic adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) has been shown to sensitize human tumor cells to gamma irradiation and chemotherapeutic drugs.

Sensitization of sarcoma cells to doxorubicin treatment by concomitant wild-type adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) infection.

Doxorubicin-based chemotherapy is used in the treatment of sarcomas. Toxic side effects and poor response rates underline the demand for an improvement in current chemotherapeutic protocols. Recently, it has been reported that parvoviruses confer various antineoplastic properties to infected cells, and that adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) infection sensitizes malignant epithelial cells to radiation- or chemotherapy-based genotoxic treatment.