PGP9.5 overexpression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background/aims: PGP9.5 is a ubiquitin hydrolase widely expressed in neuronal tissue at all stages of neuronal differentiation and has been used as a neuroendocrine marker. Recently, it has been proved that PGP9.

Molecular detection of p16 promoter methylation in the serum of recurrent colorectal cancer patients.

We previously proved that p16 promoter methylation present in the tumors of colorectal cancer patients can be detected in the serum of those same patients using methylation-specific PCR (MSP). To seek the possibility that this technique could be applied to the monitoring of cancer recurrence, we examined the p16 methylation using MSP. We detected tumor DNA in the serum of 31 of 45 (69%) patients with recurrent colorectal cancer.

Molecular detection of p16 promoter methylation in the serum of colorectal cancer patients.

Assays based on the molecular detection of genetic changes in serum have been shown as potential diagnostic tools for colorectal cancer. We examined the methylation status of p16 in colorectal cancers using methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Forty-four of 94 (47%) cancer DNA exhibited abnormal promoter methylation of p16 gene while no corresponding normal DNA exhibited such methylation.

Modification of adriamycin pharmacokinetics by direct electric current in rats.

Adriamycin (ADR, doxorubicin), a drug having cardiotoxicity, is electrically charged as a cation in blood. We therefore investigated whether iontophoresis caused by direct electric current (DC; 50 microA, 90 min) would cause systemic modification of ADR pharmacokinetics. Cathode and anode were placed into a right kidney and muscles of the abdominal wall, respectively, in six Donryu rats.

Usefulness of analytical CEA doubling time and half-life time for overlooked synchronous metastases in colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Measurement of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been widely applied to detect recurrence, especially of colorectal carcinoma. The validity however, is still controversial. We investigated serial changes in CEA values to calculate whether the CEA doubling time and half-life time could predict metastatic progression or prognosis in colorectal carcinoma.

PGP9.5 as a marker for invasive colorectal cancer.

Purpose And Experimental Design: We proved recently that PGP9.5-negative pancreatic cancer patients had significantly better survival rates compared with those who were PGP9.5 positive, and PGP9.