Cancer Biomarkers - Volume 8, issue 3

Authors: Liu, Dong-Cai | Yang, Zhu-Lin | Jiang, Song

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In this study, we investigated the expressions of Msi-1 and ALDH1 in gallbladder adenocarcinoma (n=100), peritumoral tissues (n=46), adenomatous polyp (n=15), and chronic cholecystitis (n=35) using immunohistochemical method. The percentage of cases with positive Msi-1 and ALDH1 expression were significantly higher in gallbladder adenocarcinoma than that in peritumoral tissues, adenomatous polyp and chronic cholecystitis (ps < 0.01). The expression of Msi-1 and ALDH1 was significantly associated with differentiation, tumor mass, lymph node metastasis and invasion of adenocarcinoma. The expression of Msi-1 and ALDH1 was found to be highly consistent in gallbladder adenocarcinoma (p < 0.01). Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a …negative correlation between Msi-1 (p=0.042) or ALDH1 (p< 0.001) expression with overall survival. The average survival time of patients with both low or no Msi-1 expression and ALDH1 expression was significantly longer than patients with the other three subtypes (p< 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that positive expression of Msi-1 or ALDH1 (p=0.016, p=0.006, respectively) was an independent bad-prognostic predictor in gallbladder adenocarcinoma. Our study suggested that Msi-1 and/or ALDH1 expression might be closely related to the carcinogenesis, progression, clinical biological behaviors, and prognosis of gallbladder adenocarcinoma. Show more

Keywords: Gallbladder neoplasms, gallbladder polyp, chronic cholecystitis, aldehyde dehydrogenase1, musashi-1, immunohistochemistry

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2011-0812

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 113-121, 2011

Authors: Cerne, Jasmina-Ziva | Gersak, Ksenija | Novakovic, Srdjan

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of the rs2747648 genetic variant in the estrogen receptor alpha (ER1) gene affecting a putative miR-453-binding site on the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, we examined if the risk changes in a subset of women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Patients and methods: We studied 530 breast cancer cases and 270 controls of the same age and ethnicity. Duration of HRT use was ascertained through a postal questionnaire. Genotyping was accomplished by TaqMan® allelic discrimination assay. The associations with breast cancer risk were assessed …using logistic regression models. Results: The analysis did not reveal any association between the ER1 genetic variant and postmenopausal breast cancer risk, either ER-positive or ER-negative disease. Also, there was no association between the ER1 genetic variant and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women receiving HRT. Conclusion: There may be an inverse association between the premenopausal women carrying the variant allele and breast cancer, but it was not detected in our analysis for the postmenopausal women, or for those on HRT. Show more

Keywords: Breast cancer, polymorphism, miRNA-binding site, estrogen receptor, hormone replacement therapy

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2011-0813

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 123-128, 2011

Authors: Martinez, Natalia Peres | Kanno, Danilo Toshio | Pereira, José Aires | Cardinalli, Izilda Aparecida | Priolli, Denise Gonçalves

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Aim: To investigate the relationship between beta-catenin and E-cadherin tissue quantitative expression (content) in tumors and clinical prognostic factors in patients with left colon cancer. Material and Methods: Twenty nine patients with colon adenocarcinoma located distal to the splenic flexure were studied. Diagnosis and histological variables related to adenocarcinoma prognosis were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin. Beta-catenin and E-cadherin were analysed by immunohistochemistry with specific anti-beta-catenin and anti-E-cadherin monoclonal antibodies. Tissue quantitative expression (content) was determined by computer assisted image analysis method. Results were analysed with statistical tests, adopting a significance level of 5%. Results: There are correlations …between beta-catenin and TNM stage (p< 0.01). There are progressively greater amounts of beta-catenin in patients with deeper invasion of the tumor in colon layers (p=0.03), progressive lymph node involvement (p=0.05), as well as in patients with distant metastasis (p=0.04). Worse histological grades are related to lower expression of E-cadherin in tumor tissue (p=0.01). Conclusions: E-cadherin can be used as an indicator of tumor differentiation degree, whereas beta-catenin can be used as a predictor of invasion depth and spread of distal colorectal cancer. Show more

Keywords: Colorectal carcinoma, beta-catenin, e-cadherin, immunohistochemistry, image processing, computer-assisted, prognosis

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2011-0843

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 129-135, 2011

Authors: Lücke, Catherina | Siebert, Silvana | Mayr, Doris | Mayerhofer, Artur

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Human granulosa cell (GC)-tumors are assumed to arise from ovarian GCs but to what extent they resemble normal human GCs is not well established. We examined whether a prominent feature of normal GCs, expression of the major gap junctional protein connexin 43 (Cx43), was retained in 14 human GC-tumor samples. Immunohistochemistry revealed areas of strong staining side by side with areas of weak and/or no staining. If present, cytoplasmic and membrane-associated Cx43 staining occurred. In cells with reduced or absent Cx43, another Cx was found, Cx32. Cx32, which is absent from non-tumor GCs, was present in GC-tumor cells co-expressed in …part with Cx43 at gap junctional plaques. Expression of Cx32 and Cx43 was confirmed by RT-PCR and sequencing in the majority of tumor samples. Thus GC-tumor cells are characterized by a partial or complete loss of Cx43 expression and expression of Cx32, which may be a marker for these rare tumors. It is possible that the pattern of Cxs may contribute to tumor formation and growth, as it may indicate aberrant and/or reduced cell-to-cell communication ability. Show more

Keywords: Ovarian tumor, human ovary, gap junction

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2011-0848

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 137-144, 2011

Authors: Willis, Carolyn M. | Britton, Lezlie E. | Harris, Rob | Wallace, Joshua | Guest, Claire M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In a previous canine study, we demonstrated that volatile organic compounds specific to bladder cancer are present in urine headspace, subsequently showing that up to 70% of tumours can be correctly classified using an electronic nose. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity which can be achieved by a group of four trained dogs. In a series of 30 double-blind test runs, each consisting of one bladder cancer urine sample placed alongside six controls, the highest sensitivity achieved by the best performing dog was 73% (95% CI 55–86%), with the group as a whole correctly identifying the cancer …samples 64% (95% CI 55–73%) of the time. Specificity of the dogs individually ranged from 92% (95% CI 82–97%) for urine samples obtained from healthy, young volunteers down to 56% (95% CI 42–68%) for those taken from older patients with non-cancerous urological disease. Odds ratio comparisons confirmed a significant decrease in performance as the extent of urine dipstick abnormality and/or pathology amongst the control population increased. Importantly, however, statistical analysis indicated that covariates such as smoking, gender and age, as well as blood, protein and /or leucocytes in the urine did not significantly alter the odds of response to the cancer samples. Our results provide further evidence that volatile biomarkers for bladder cancer exist in urine headspace, and that these have the potential to be exploited for diagnosis. Show more

Keywords: Bladder cancer, volatile organic compounds, diagnosis, canine olfaction, dog

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-2011-0208

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 145-153, 2011

Authors: Varghese, Soma Susan | Sunil, P.M. | Madhavan, R. Nirmal

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Aims: Prolonged production of the free radical, nitric oxide (NO) by the enzyme inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) plays an important role in tumour progression by promoting angiogenesis, invasion and inducing mutation in tumour suppressor gene. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expression and intensity of iNOS in normal oral mucosa, precancer and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and methods: An immunohistochemical study was performed using rabbit monoclonal antibody to iNOS on archival formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues of 5 normal oral mucosal samples, 10 Leukoplakia, 10 oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and 15 OSCC …of different grades. Results: A statistical significant difference was found between normal oral mucosa, precancer and OSCC in expression of iNOS (p value 0.0015). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the expressions of iNOS within premalignant groups (p value 0.5647) and histological sub-groups of OSCC (p value-0.5647). There was no statistically significant difference in the intensity of iNOS expression within the precancer group, OSCC sub-groups and between precancer and OSCC (p value-0.623). Conclusion: The orderly increase in the expression of iNOS from normal, through precancer, to OSCC suggests the essential role played by iNOS in epithelial transformation and tumour formation. Show more

Keywords: iNOS, oral, premalignancy, oral squamous cell carcinoma, immunohistochemistry

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-2011-0207

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 155-160, 2011