A genome-wide association study identifies susceptibility loci for primary central nervous system lymphoma at 6p25.3 and 3p22.1: a LOC Network study.

Background: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare form of extra-nodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. PCNSL is a distinct subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with over 95% of tumors belonging to the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) group. We have conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on immunocompetent patients to address the possibility that common genetic variants influence the risk of developing PCNSL.

Outcomes of special histotypes of breast cancer after adjuvant endocrine therapy with letrozole or tamoxifen in the monotherapy cohort of the BIG 1-98 trial.

Background: We investigated the outcomes of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, early breast cancer with special histotypes (mucinous, tubular, or cribriform) enrolled in the monotherapy cohort of the BIG 1-98 trial.

Patients And Methods: The intention-to-treat BIG 1-98 monotherapy cohort (5 years of therapy with tamoxifen or letrozole) included 4922 women, of whom 4091 had central pathology review. Histotype groups were defined as: mucinous (N = 100), tubular/cribriform (N = 83), ductal (N = 3257), and other (N = 651).

[Laparoscopic versus open surgery for colorectal cancer. A comparative study].

Background: Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer is currently accepted and widespread worldwide. However, according tol the surgical experience on this approach, surgical and short-term oncologic results may vary. Studies comparing laparoscopic vs.

Prognostic factors of brain metastases from breast cancer: impact of targeted therapies.

Introduction: Brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer are associated with poor prognosis. This study was made to determine the prognostic influence of breast cancer biological subtypes, and to define the best therapeutic options in this setting, with a special focus on the HER2-positive population.

Patients And Methods: Breast cancer patients with known hormone receptors (HR) and HER2 status presenting with BM treated between 1995 and 2010 in our two institutions were considered for this retrospective study.

Comparative performances of prognostic indexes for breast cancer patients presenting with brain metastases.

Background: Several prognostic indexes (PI) have been developed in the brain metastases (BM) setting to help physicians tailor treatment options and stratify patients enrolled in clinical studies. The aim of our study was to compare the clinical relevance of the major PI for breast cancer BM.

Methods: Clinical and biological data of 250 breast cancer patients diagnosed with BM at two institutions between 1995 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.

The non-crosslinking fixative RCL2®-CS100 is compatible with both pathology diagnosis and molecular analyses.

Formalin is the key agent for tissue fixation and pathological diagnosis. However, it poorly preserves nucleic acids and this can impair molecular studies. An alternative to formalin would be a fixative which can allow both morphologic and molecular analyses.

KRAS genotyping in rectal adenocarcinoma specimens with low tumor cellularity after neoadjuvant treatment.

KRAS status assessment is mandatory in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer before therapy with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies, as KRAS mutations are associated with resistance to this treatment. However, KRAS genotyping may be very challenging in case of poor tumor cellularity, particularly when major tumor regression is achieved in locally advanced rectal adenocarcinomas after radiochemotherapy. We aimed at identifying the most reliable strategy to detect KRAS mutations in such samples.

Prophylactic percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in patients with advanced head and neck tumors treated by combined chemoradiotherapy.

Context: Few studies have evaluated outcomes of combined chemoradiotherapy for Stage III-IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in terms of the use of nutritional support by means of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).

Objectives: To compare nutritional status and treatment interruption because of acute toxicity in patients with advanced head and neck tumors who were treated by combined chemoradiotherapy and received or did not receive prophylactic PEG tubes.

Methods: This was a retrospective study that evaluated data obtained from a cancer center in Montpellier, France.

EGFR and HER3 mRNA expression levels predict distant metastases in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Aberrant activation of the HER signaling pathways plays a critical role in the invasive and metastatic potential of tumors. The aim of this study was to address whether, in rectal cancer, alterations of these pathways could have a value as prognostic factors to be used to identify patients who are at risk of distant metastases. Therefore, the mRNA expression of the four members of the HER family as well as the frequency of PTEN allelic loss and KRAS/BRAF mutations were determined in pretreatment biopsies from a series of 100 locally advanced rectal cancers and then their ability to predict distant metastases was evaluated.

A large-scale candidate gene approach identifies SNPs in SOD2 and IL13 as predictive markers of response to preoperative chemoradiation in rectal cancer.

Neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision is now the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. However, tumor response to chemoradiation varies widely among individuals and cannot be determined before the final pathologic evaluation. The aim of this study was to identify germline genetic markers that could predict sensitivity or resistance to preoperative radiochemotherapy (RT-CT) in rectal cancer.

Intraoperative radiotherapy in early-stage breast cancer: results of the montpellier phase II trial.

Purpose: We recently presented the intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) technique given as a reliable alternative to conventional boost radiation after breast-conserving surgery. The low crude numbers of recurrence in elderly patients led us to investigate the feasibility and the efficacy of this procedure as a sole treatment.

Methods And Materials: We included 94 patients older than 65 years in this phase II trial.

Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction: description of a RIN-based algorithm for accurate data normalization.

Background: Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the gold standard technique for mRNA quantification, but appropriate normalization is required to obtain reliable data. Normalization to accurately quantitated RNA has been proposed as the most reliable method for in vivo biopsies. However, this approach does not correct differences in RNA integrity.

Validation of an appropriate reference gene for normalization of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction data from rectal cancer biopsies.

Gene expression quantification using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) requires data normalization using an invariable reference gene. Here we assessed the stability of 15 housekeeping genes in 31 tumor and normal rectal samples to validate a reliable reference gene for rectal cancer studies. Our data show that 18S and 28S RNA are stably expressed in all samples.

Dosimetric comparison between coplanar and non coplanar field radiotherapy for ethmoid sinus cancer.

Background: To compare non coplanar field (NCF) with coplanar field (CF) -intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning for ethmoid cancer.

Methods: Seven patients treated with NCF IMRT for ethmoid cancer were studied. A CF IMRT optimization was prepared with the same constraints as for the NCF treatment.

Cyclin D1 gene G870A polymorphism predicts response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy and prognosis in rectal cancer.

Purpose: To investigate whether CCND1 genetic variations associated with a constitutive nuclear protein may influence either the pathologic response to preoperative RT or the prognosis in a series of rectal cancer patients.

Methods And Materials: Seventy rectal cancer patients treated by neoadjuvant radiotherapy were included in the study. CCND1 exon 5 mutations were screened, and the G870A polymorphism was assessed for correlation with clinical variables, tumor response, and patient outcome.

The value of endoscopic rectal ultrasound in predicting the lateral clearance and outcome in patients with lower-third rectal adenocarcinoma.

Background And Study Aims: The aim of this study was to assess whether preoperative endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) is able to predict histological infiltration of the external anal sphincter or the levator ani muscle in patients with a lower-third rectal neoplasm and so the possibility of treatment by sphincter-saving surgery.

Patients And Methods: Between May 1996 and May 2003, 66 patients with a lower-third rectal neoplasm that was staged as uT2 or greater were entered into a prospective evaluation of ERUS. All patients underwent neoadjuvant treatment before surgery.

Detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms by minisequencing on a polypyrrole DNA chip designed for medical diagnosis.

With the increasing availability of genetic information and its relationship to human diseases, there is a growing need in the medical diagnostic field for technologies that can proceed to the parallel genotyping of multiple markers. In this paper, we report the development of a new flexible microarray-based method that aims to be inexpensive, accurate, and adapted to routine analysis. The construction of the MICAM (MICrosystem for Analysis in Medicine) DNA chip is based on the controlled electro-synthesis of a conducting polymer film bearing oligonucleotide probes on gold electrodes.

Intraoperative radiotherapy given as a boost for early breast cancer: long-term clinical and cosmetic results.

Purpose: The standard radiotherapy (RT) of breast cancer consists of 50 Gy external beam RT (EBRT) to the whole breast followed by an electron boost of 10-16 Gy to the tumor bed, but this has several cosmetic disadvantages. Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) could be an alternative to overcome these.

Methods And Materials: We evaluated 50 women with early breast cancer operated on in a dedicated IORT facility.

Prognostic impact of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression on loco-regional recurrence after preoperative radiotherapy in rectal cancer.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) represents a major target for current radiosensitizing strategies. We wished to ascertain whether a correlation exists between the expression of EGFR and treatment outcome in a group of patients with rectal adenocarcinoma who had undergone preoperative radiotherapy (RT).

Methods: Within a six-year period, 138 patients underwent preoperative radiotherapy and curative surgery for rectal cancer (UICC stages II-III) at our institute.

p53 status and response to radiotherapy in rectal cancer: a prospective multilevel analysis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in a prospective study, the predictive role of p53 status analysed at four different levels in identifying the response to preoperative radiotherapy in rectal adenocarcinoma. Before treatment, 70 patients were staged and endoscopic forceps biopsies from the tumour area were taken. p53 status was assessed by total cDNA sequencing, allelic loss analysis, immunohistochemistry, and p53 antibodies.