Publications by authors named "Tara Laurine Roberts"

Article Synopsis
  • - CDX2 is a biomarker for gastrointestinal cancer that plays a crucial role in the development and differentiation of epithelial cells; low levels are linked to worse prognosis and may help predict chemotherapy response.
  • - In a study involving 668 colorectal cancer patients, low CDX2 expression (7.9%) was associated with poor tumor differentiation, increased invasion, and significantly reduced overall and disease-free survival rates compared to high CDX2 levels.
  • - The study confirms CDX2 as an independent prognostic factor but suggests further research is necessary to establish its effectiveness as a predictive biomarker for chemotherapy, particularly in left-sided and rectal cancers.
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and mutation rates in colorectal cancer (CRC) reported from various mono-ethnic studies vary amongst different ethnic groups. However, these differences in mutation rates may not be statistically significant or may be due to differences in environmental and/or laboratory factors across countries rather than racial genetic differences. Here, we compare the / mutation rates and survival outcomes in CRC between ethnic groups at a single institution.

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Although strong connections exist between the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer and chronic inflammation, gastric cancer is unique in that the chronic gastritis which frequently precedes carcinogenesis is strongly associated with infection. The interplay between virulence factors and host immune cells is complex but culminates in the activation of inflammatory pathways and transcription factors such as NF-κB, STAT3, and AP-1, all of which upregulate cytokine production. Due to the key role of cytokines in modulating the immune response against tumour cells as well as possibly stimulating tumour growth and proliferation, different patterns of cytokine secretion may be associated with varying patient outcomes.

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The role of the local tumour and stromal immune landscape is increasingly recognised to be important in cancer development, progression and response to therapy. The composition, function, spatial orientation and gene expression profile of the infiltrate of the innate and adaptive immune system at the tumour and surrounding tissue has an established prognostic role in colorectal cancer (CRC). Multiple studies have confirmed that a tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) reflective of a type 1 adaptive immune response is associated with improved prognosis.

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In contrast to ancient Western and Asian cultures, medicinal plants of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia have not been as intensively studied for their molecular composition and molecular bioactivity. Syncarpia glomulifera subsp. glomulifera is a species in the plant family Myrtaceae.

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Blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway with targeted monoclonal antibodies has demonstrated encouraging anti-tumour activity in multiple cancer types. We present the case of a patient with BRAF-negative stage IVC anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) treated with the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, pembrolizumab, following radiographic progression on chemoradiation. Blood samples were collected prior to and at four time points during treatment with pembrolizumab.

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To date, no research evaluating the predictive capabilities of soluble programmed cell death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) in thyroid cancer patients has been performed. We aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of sPD-L1 expression in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and to evaluate the association between sPD-L1 levels with tumoural PD-L1 expression and patient outcomes. Pre-treatment levels of serum and plasma sPD-L1 were measured by ELISA in 101 PTC patients.

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Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer in men worldwide, resulting in significant mortality and morbidity. Depending on the grade and stage of the cancer, patients may be given radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, or chemotherapy. However, more than half of these patients develop resistance to treatment, leading to disease progression and metastases, often with lethal consequences.

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Multiple myeloma (MM) is a haematological malignancy of mature antibody-secreting plasma cells. Currently, MM is incurable, but advances in drug treatments have increased patient lifespan. One of the characteristics of MM is the excessive production of monoclonal immunoglobulin (also referred to as paraprotein).

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Article Synopsis
  • PLK1 is a key protein involved in cell-cycle progression and DNA damage response, and its overexpression is associated with poor cancer prognosis.
  • PLK1 knockdown has been shown to reduce the survival of cancer cells, making it a promising target for anticancer therapies.
  • Various proteins regulate PLK1 expression, and its deregulation in tumors may result from different mechanisms, including genetic mutations and hypomethylation of its promoter region.
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