Particular genomic and virulence traits associated with preterm infant-derived toxigenic Clostridium perfringens strains.

Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic toxin-producing bacterium associated with intestinal diseases, particularly in neonatal humans and animals. Infant gut microbiome studies have recently indicated a link between C. perfringens and the preterm infant disease necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), with specific NEC cases associated with overabundant C.

Reciprocal Interactions Between the Gut Microbiome and Mammary Tissue Mast Cells Promote Metastatic Dissemination of HR+ Breast Tumors.

Establishing commensal dysbiosis, defined as an inflammatory gut microbiome with low biodiversity, before breast tumor initiation, enhances early dissemination of hormone receptor-positive (HR+) mammary tumor cells. Here, we sought to determine whether cellular changes occurring in normal mammary tissues, before tumor initiation and in response to dysbiosis, enhanced dissemination of HR+ tumors. Commensal dysbiosis increased both the frequency and profibrogenicity of mast cells in normal, non-tumor-bearing mammary tissues, a phenotypic change that persisted after tumor implantation.

Antibiotic-induced disturbances of the gut microbiota result in accelerated breast tumor growth.

The gut microbiota's function in regulating health has seen it linked to disease progression in several cancers. However, there is limited research detailing its influence in breast cancer (BrCa). This study found that antibiotic-induced perturbation of the gut microbiota significantly increases tumor progression in multiple BrCa mouse models.

The β3-integrin endothelial adhesome regulates microtubule-dependent cell migration.

Integrin β3 is seen as a key anti-angiogenic target for cancer treatment due to its expression on neovasculature, but the role it plays in the process is complex; whether it is pro- or anti-angiogenic depends on the context in which it is expressed. To understand precisely β3's role in regulating integrin adhesion complexes in endothelial cells, we characterised, by mass spectrometry, the β3-dependent adhesome. We show that depletion of β3-integrin in this cell type leads to changes in microtubule behaviour that control cell migration.

A comparative study of 3 surgical methods for hysterectomy with staging for endometrial cancer: robotic assistance, laparoscopy, laparotomy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes in women who underwent endometrial cancer staging by different surgical techniques.

Study Design: Three hundred twenty-two women underwent endometrial cancer staging: 138 by laparotomy (TAH); 81 by laparoscopy (TLH) and 103 by robotic technique (TRH).

Results: The TRH cohort had a higher body mass index than the TLH cohort (P = .

A case-control study of robot-assisted type III radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection compared with open radical hysterectomy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare robotically assisted hysterectomy (RAH) with open (ORH) type III radical hysterectomy in the treatment of early-stage cervical cancer.

Study Design: The outcomes of 51 consecutive patients who underwent RAH were compared with the outcomes of 49 patients who underwent ORH.

Results: There were no differences with regard to patient demographics.

Consolidation therapy with weekly paclitaxel infusion in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and primary peritoneal cancer: an extended follow-up.

Objective: To determine the impact of weekly paclitaxel consolidation on progression-free survival (PFS) of women undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer.

Methods: All women with advanced epithelial ovarian or primary peritoneal carcinoma, treated with paclitaxel consolidation therapy from August 1997 to March 2002, were identified. Patients received weekly paclitaxel infused at a median dose of 80 mg/m(2) (range: 60-80 mg/m(2)) for a maximum of 12 weeks.

Uterine serous and grade 3 endometrioid carcinomas: is there a survival difference?

Background: Serous components within endometrial carcinoma are reportedly poor prognosticators. However, to the authors' knowledge the percentage of tumors which must be comprised of a serous component in order to affect outcome is unknown. The authors compared overall survival (OS) in women with endometrial carcinomas comprised of various percentages of uterine serous carcinoma (USC) with that of women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Grade 3 endometrioid carcinoma (G3EC) to determine whether outcomes varied between these two poorly differentiated histologies.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the vagina: a case report involving a TVT allograft.

Introduction: Primary malignant lesions of the vagina represent less than 2% of all gynecologic malignancies. Primary vaginal sarcomas account for about 2% of all malignant vaginal lesions, with leiomyosarcoma being the most common vaginal sarcoma found in adult women.

Case: We report a case of primary vaginal leiomyosarcoma occurring in the field of a prior tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure using a Bard Duraderm allograft.

Association between uterine serous carcinoma and breast cancer.

Objective: Endometrial cancer and breast cancer are two common malignancies found in women. As a result of estrogen dependency, an association is thought to exist between these entities. This study was undertaken to determine if the endometrial carcinomas, which develop in women with a history of breast cancer, were more likely to be of the endometrioid or the serous histology, which is generally considered non-estrogen-dependent.

Endobronchial clear cell adenocarcinoma occurring in a patient 15 years after treatment for DES-associated vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma.

Background: Clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) of the vagina and cervix in young women is associated with prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES). Parenchymal pulmonary metastases are known to occur following treatment of the primary tumor. Most recurrences present within 2 to 3 years of the initial diagnosis.

Weekly paclitaxel infusion as salvage therapy in ovarian cancer.

The majority of women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer will have persistent or recurrent disease after initial treatment. We evaluated response and toxicity in women with advanced stage disease given salvage paclitaxel as a low-dose, weekly infusion. We performed a retrospective review of 22 women with advanced stage epithelial ovarian (19 women) or primary peritoneal carcinoma (3 women) who had received low-dose, weekly paclitaxel salvage therapy.

Gemcitabine as a single-agent treatment for ovarian cancer.

Objective: Gemcitabine has shown therapeutic activity in a variety of malignancies, including ovarian cancer. This review summarizes both published and unpublished data on the use of gemcitabine as a single agent in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Methods: The results of eight clinical trials of gemcitabine in women with advanced (stage III or IV) ovarian cancer whose disease progressed despite previous heavy treatment (one to four previous courses) with platin-based chemotherapy or taxanes were reviewed.

Radiation therapy with and without extrafascial hysterectomy for bulky stage IB cervical carcinoma: a randomized trial of the Gynecologic Oncology Group.

Objective: To evaluate, in a randomized clinical trial, the role of adjuvant hysterectomy after standardized radiation in improving progression-free survival and survival for patients with "bulky" stage IB cervical cancer.

Methods: A total of 256 eligible patients with exophytic or "barrel" shaped tumors measuring > or = 4 cm were randomized to either external and intracavitary irradiation (RT, N = 124) or attenuated irradiation followed by extrafascial hysterectomy (RT + HYST, N = 132). Twenty-five percent of patients had tumors with a maximum diameter of > or =7 cm.