Toward a More General Consent for the Use of Patients' Biological Material and Health Information for Medical Research-The Patient Perspective.

Biological material and health information from patients are valuable for medical research. Under a "broad" consent model, hospital patients in Norway can consent to their biological material and health information being stored in research biobanks and used for "specific, broadly defined research purposes" within a specified medical research area but not for medical research in general. Patients are asked to provide new consent each time researchers wish to use their material in a different medical research area.

Anti-Angiogenic Treatment in Pseudomyxoma Peritonei-Still a Strong Preclinical Rationale.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare, slow-growing cancer characterized by progressive accumulation of intraperitoneal mucinous tumor deposits. Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) cures approximately 50% of patients, but in unresectable and recurrent cases, treatment options are limited. Anti-angiogenic treatment is being explored as a potential therapeutic option.

BAG-1/SODD, HSP70, and HSP90 are potential prognostic markers of poor survival in node-negative breast carcinoma.

The objective of this study was to analyze the expression and clinical role of 13 signaling molecules in a large cohort of breast carcinoma patients with long follow-up period. Breast carcinomas (n=410) were analyzed for protein expression of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (p-ERK, p-JNK, p-p38) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling pathway proteins (p-AKT, p-mTOR, p-p70S6K); the BAG family proteins BAG-1 and BAG-4/SODD; the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2; the inhibitor of apoptosis family member Survivin; and the heat shock protein family members HSP27, HSP70, and HSP90. Protein expression was studied for association with clinicopathological parameters and survival.

Optimizing sharing of hospital biobank samples.

Implementing technical guidelines and standards as well as ways to boost cooperation should facilitate sharing of hospital biobank samples.

Immunotoxin targeting EpCAM effectively inhibits peritoneal tumor growth in experimental models of mucinous peritoneal surface malignancies.

Cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal (i.p.) chemotherapy constitute a curative treatment option in mucinous peritoneal surface malignancies of intestinal origin, but treatment outcome is highly variable and the search for novel therapies is warranted.

Exploring the peritoneal surface malignancy phenotype--a pilot immunohistochemical study of human pseudomyxoma peritonei and derived animal models.

Peritoneal surface malignancies are characterized by the propensity for tumor growth on peritoneal surfaces without development of extraperitoneal metastases, but the molecular basis for this phenomenon is incompletely understood. Five human tumors and corresponding orthotopic animal models of human pseudomyxoma peritonei and peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis from colorectal carcinoma were extensively characterized by immunohistochemical analysis of molecular markers of tissue differentiation (carcinoembryonal antigen, CK20, CK7, and vimentin), proliferation and metastasis (Ki-67, vascular endothelial growth factor, and S100A4), mucins (MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC), and adhesion molecules (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, P-cadherin, claudin 1, claudin 3, and claudin 4). Macro- and microscopic growth patterns of implanted human tissues were preserved through passages in the animals, as were with few exception immunohistochemical staining profiles, supporting the relevance of the models as tools for studying the human disease.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei--two novel orthotopic mouse models portray the PMCA-I histopathologic subtype.

Background: Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare malignant disease, most commonly originating from appendiceal lesions and characterized by accumulation of mucinous tumor tissue in the peritoneal cavity. Since the disease is infrequent, the task of carrying out studies of treatment efficacy and disease biology in the clinical setting is challenging, warranting the development of relevant in vitro and in vivo PMP models.

Methods: Human tumor tissue was implanted in the peritoneal cavity of nude mice to establish two orthotopic models exhibiting noninvasive intraperitoneal growth without metastasis development.

Short stricture of the rectum regressing on discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy: endoscopic appearance, multiple biopsies and clinical improvement insufficient for diagnosis.

A short, benign-looking stricture of the rectum presented itself clinically as subileus in a middle-aged woman after 5 years on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and 8 years after curative surgery for cancer of the ovaries. Radiological work-up and multiple, repeated biopsies supported the endoscopically appearing benign nature of the lesion, and the stricture subsided after discontinuation of HRT. Re-introduction of HRT again caused subileus.

Occult metastases in axillary lymph nodes as a predictor of survival in node-negative breast carcinoma with long-term follow-up.

Increased detection rate in the lymph nodes is seen with serial sectioning or immunohistochemistry (IHC), but the importance of occult metastases is not resolved. IHC is still not recommended in routine examination of lymph nodes. Axillary lymph nodes from 385 node-negative breast cancer patients with a median follow-up of 25 years were examined with IHC for cytokeratins, applied on routine sections.

Reproducibility of classification in non-squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix.

Objective: Reproducibility of histopathologic classification systems is of major importance for their utility in daily practice and in research. The reproducibility of histologic classification of non-squamous carcinomas (non-SCC) of the uterine cervix was evaluated, using population-based material from two 5-year periods in Norway.

Methods: Histologic slides from 388 tumors were reviewed by three experienced pathologists and analyzed for inter- and intraobserver agreement on histological subtypes and grade.

[Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast carcinoma: the experience from the Norwegian Radium Hospital].

Background: We report our experience with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in breast carcinoma.

Material And Methods: The series included 51 women with invasive carcinoma and 3 ductal carcinoma in situ. The first 32 patients underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) independently of the results of the SLN biopsy.

[Fine-needle aspiration cytology or core biopsy when diagnosing tumours of the breast].

Background: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is an established, highly accurate method for diagnosing breast lesions. In recent years, core biopsy (CB) has been increasingly used. The aim of this study was to compare the quality assessment parameters of FNA and CB in palpable and non-palpable breast lesions.

The prognostic impact of hormone receptors and c-erbB-2 in pregnancy-associated breast cancer and their correlation with BRCA1 and cell cycle modulators.

A population-based series of 122 patients with pregnancy-associated breast carcinomas was histologically revised and the relationship between hormone receptors, c-erbB-2, BRCA1, p27, cyclin E, and cyclin D1 was studied. The 5-year overall survival was 41%; 70% had tumor size >20 mm; 72% had metastasized to regional lymph nodes; 95% were histologic grade II or III; 66% and 75% were negative for estrogen and progesterone receptor, respectively; and c-erbB-2 expression was high (44%). BRCA1 expression was reduced in 33% of the cases.