Biliary Anomalies in VACTERL Syndrome: A Case Report.

The VACTERL/VATER association is a rare congenital disorder characterized by the presence of at least three of its main components: vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiovascular anomalies, tracheoesophageal fistulas, esophageal atresia, renal anomalies, and limb defects. The exact cause of the VACTERL association is not fully understood. Most cases occur randomly.

Radiofrequency ablation for management of malignant biliary obstruction: a single-center experience and review of the literature.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) causes coagulative necrosis of tissue and may be beneficial prior to biliary stenting. We report our experience using RFA for malignant biliary obstruction and review the literature.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing RFA for malignant biliary obstruction over the last two years.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms, cytokine levels and the risk of colorectal neoplasia in a screened population of Northeast Scotland.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms modify expression and their circulating protein levels reflect inflammatory response. Chronic inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of colorectal neoplasia (CRN) associated with inflammatory bowel disease, but it is not clear whether inflammation is a cause or an effect of tumours in sporadic CRN. We therefore investigated the association of cytokine gene polymorphisms and circulating cytokine levels on the risk of CRN in Northeast Scotland, which has a high incidence of CRN.

MicroRNAs in gastrointestinal malignancy: a tool in cancer prevention?

Gastrointestinal malignancies are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage and, as such, 5-year survival rates are poor. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at a post-transcriptional level.

Lack of association between the rs2294008 polymorphism in the prostate stem cell antigen gene and colorectal neoplasia: a case-control and immunohistochemical study.

Background: Prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several solid tumours, either due to changes in protein expression, or through association with the rs2294008 polymorphism in the PSCA gene. To our knowledge, the role of PSCA in the development of colorectal neoplasia has not been explored. We performed a genotyping study to assess for associations between the rs2294008 polymorphism and risk of adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer.