Comparison of ERCP,EUS, and ERCP combined with EUS in diagnosing pancreatic neoplasms: a systematic review and meta-analysis

In the current study, we performed a systematic review of literature pertaining to the diagnostic value of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), and combined ERCP plus EUS to pancreatic cancer. We searched MEDLINE, OVID, and the Cochrane Library for studies evaluating diagnostic validity of ERCP, EUS, and ERCP plus EUS between January 1989 and May 2014. We obtained pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, and summary receiver operating characteristic curves (SROC). A total of 10 studies that included 669 patients who fulfilled all of the inclusion criteria were considered for inclusion in the analysis. The pooled sensitivities of EUS, ERCP, and EUS plus ERCP were 76.7, 57.9, and 79.9 %, respectively. The pooled specificities were 91.7, 90.6, and 94.2 %, respectively. The *Q index estimates were 0.828, 0.862, and 0.896, respectively. The *Q indices for EUS and EUS plus ERCP were significantly higher compared with ERCP (P?=?0.010 and 0.008, respectively). Our meta-analysis showed that ERCP plus EUS was associated with a high diagnostic value for the detection of pancreatic neoplasms compared with ERCP and EUS alone.     

miR-195 Targets HDGF to inhibit proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the development and progression of NSCLC. miR-195 acts as a tumor suppressor in several cancers, however, its role in NSCLC is not well understood. Herein, we found that miR-195 was significantly decreased in both NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Forced expression of miR-195 significantly suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) was identified as a target of miR-195 in NSCLC cells. Overexpression of HDGF dramatically abolished the tumor suppressive role of miR-195 in NSCLC cells. Our results demonstrated a tumor suppressive role of miR-195 in NSCLC, and suggested a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC.     

The Application of Real-Time PCR Technique to Detect Rare Cell Clones with Primary T790M Substitution of EGFR Gene in Metastases of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer to Central Nervous System in Chemotherapy Naive Patients

The time-limited efficacy of reversible EGFR-TKIs in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR gene activating mutations is associated with development of treatment resistance after some period of therapy. This resistance predominantly results from secondary mutations located in EGFR gene, especially T790M substitution. There is limited information available concerning the prevalence of primary T790M mutations in patients with metastatic NSCLC tumors before treatment with EGFR-TKIs. The aim of work was to assess the prevalence of de novo T790M mutations in EGFR gene in tissue samples from NSCLC metastatases in central nervous system (CNS) in both chemotherapy and EGFR-TKI naive NSCLC patients. We analyzed DNA samples isolated from paraffin-embedded tissue from CNS metastases for T790M mutations using real-time PCR and TaqMan probe against the T790M mutant sequence. The tissue samples were taken during palliative neurosurgery in 143 NSCLC patients. Amplification of the T790M-specific sequence was detected in 25 patients (17.5 %). The quantity of mutated DNA was less than 1 % in all samples with amplification, and in vast majority (20 patients, 14 % of all samples) it was even less that 0.1 %. In 5 patients (3.5 %) quantity of mutated DNA ranged from 0.1 to 1 % and true positive results of T790M mutation presence in these patients were most possible. Amplification of this sequence was not concurrent with common EGFR mutations and was not associated with sex, smoking status and pathological type of cancer. There is a possibility to detect the primary T790M mutation in brain metastases of NSCLC in EGFR-TKIs naïve patients.     

Prediction of thyroid extracapsular extension with cervical lymph node metastases (ECE-LN) by CEUS and BRAF expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma

The aim of our study was to find a specific imaging (contrast-enhanced ultrasound, CEUS) to detect extracapsular extension and cervical lymph node metastases (ECE-LNM) that associated with BRAF protein expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Preoperative utrasonography (US) or CEUS was performed in the diagnosis of extracapsular extension (ECE) in 317 patients with 369 PTC. BRAF protein status was tested on the primary tumor and lymph node involvement. The diagnostic accuracy of CEUS and US was evaluated after thyroid surgery. The association between CEUS and BRAF expression were then analyzed to investigate the diagnostic value of ECE-LNM in PTC. The sensitivity and specificity of CEUS were higher than those in US in the diagnosis of ECE in patients with PTC (91.1, 86.5 vs 49, 55 %). BRAF protein overexpression were significantly associated with ECE (P?=?0.0003) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) positive cases (P?=?0.0014). The results of CEUS, not US, have a significant correlation with BRAF expression status in PTC samples (P?BRAF protein expression status, the routine preoperative CEUS could have a good value in the diagnosis of ECE-LNM in PTC and facilitate a surgeon to improve further clinical management.     

MiR-186 targets ROCK1 to suppress the growth and metastasis of NSCLC cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in human cancers. Increasing evidence shows that deregulation of miRNAs contributes to the development and progression of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we identified miR-186 as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC, which was decreased in NSCLC. Overexpression of miR-186 significantly inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. In addition, Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) was identified as a target of miR-186 in NSCLC cells. Restoration of ROCK1 remarkably reversed the tumor-suppressive effects of miR-186 on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, ROCK1 was inversely correlated with miR-186 expression in NSCLC. Collectively, our data indicate that miR-186 functions as tumor suppressor in NSCLC by targeting ROCK1.     

mTOR Pathway As a Potential Target In a Subset of Human Medulloblastoma

As mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) plays role in protein synthesis and metabolism, mTOR pathway activation is involved in the pathogenesis of several types of tumors. Our aim was to elucidate its role in medulloblastoma in terms of prognosis and as a therapeutic target. Members of activated mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway, phospho-mTOR (p-mTOR) and phospho-S6 (p-S6) were examined by immunohistochemistry in formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples of 40 patients with medulloblastoma, and results were compared to clinical features and survival of patients. In proliferation assays, Daoy and UW228–2 medulloblastoma cell lines were tested by rapamycin, an mTORC1 inhibitor, and NVP-BEZ235, a dual mTOR and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, each in monotherapy and in combination with cytostatic drugs (cisplatin, etoposide). Components of mTORC1 and mTORC2 complexes were also examined in these cell lines. Neither presence of p-mTOR (32.5 %) nor p-S6 (32.5 %) correlated with age, gender or histological subtype. In 22.5 % of cases simultaneous expression of p-mTOR and p-S6 was shown. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed inferior survival of patients expressing both marker proteins, but it was not statistically significant, probably due to low case number. UW228–2 cells had greater sensitivity to mTOR inhibitors, possibly due to its higher mTORC1 specific protein expression levels, compared to Daoy cells. In both cell lines antiproliferative effect of cytostatic drugs was significantly enhanced by mTOR inhibitors (p?mTOR inhibitors may have a role in the future treatment of a subset of patients with medulloblastoma.     

ADAM10 regulates proliferation,invasion, and chemoresistance of bladder cancer cells

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) is upregulated in several cancers and associates with malignant cancer progression. However, its expression pattern in bladder cancer remains unexplored. In the present study, we examined ADAM10 expression in 105 bladder cancer specimens using immunohistochemistry. We found ADAM10 overexpression in 51 of 105 (48.5 %) bladder cancer specimens. ADAM10 overexpression associated with advanced tumor stage (p?=?0.001) and tumor grade (p?=?0.018). To explore its biological functions in bladder cancer cells, small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown was performed in 5,637 and T24 cell lines. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay and Matrigel invasion assay showed that ADAM10 depletion decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, ADAM10 knockdown increased the level of cisplatin-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, ADAM10 is overexpressed in bladder cancer and regulates malignant cell growth and invasion, which makes it a candidate therapeutic target.     

Nestin involvement in tissue injury and cancer - a potential tumor marker?

Background

In eukaryotic cells, the cytoskeleton contains three major filamentous components: actin microfilaments, microtubules and intermediate filaments. Nestin represents one of the class VI intermediate filament proteins. Clinical and molecular analyses have revealed substantial information regarding the presence of Nestin in cells with progenitor or stem cell properties. During tissue injury Nestin is expressed in cells with progenitor cell-like properties. These cells may serve as a tissue reserve and, as such, may contribute to tissue repair. Based on currently available data, Nestin also appears to be implicated in two oncogenic processes. First, Nestin has been found to be expressed in cancer stem-like cells and poorly differentiated cancer cells and, as such, Nestin is thought to contribute to the aggressive behavior of these cells. Second, Nestin has been found to be involved in tumor angiogenesis through an interaction of cancer cells and blood vessel endothelial cells and, as such, Nestin is thought to facilitate tumor growth.

Conclusions

We conclude that Nestin may serve as a promising tumor marker and as a potential therapeutic target amenable to tumor suppression and angiogenesis inhibition.     

MiRNA-181c inhibits EGFR-signaling-dependent MMP9 activation via suppressing Akt phosphorylation in glioblastoma

As the most aggressive malignant primary human brain tumor, glioblastoma is noted with extremely poor patient survival. Previous studies have demonstrated that expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) in glioblastoma cells is critical for cancer metastasis. However, the molecular signaling pathways that control MMP9 activation remain undefined. Here, we reported a strong negative correlation of microRNA (miRNA)-181c levels with either MMP9 levels or activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in glioblastoma patients. EGF-induced activation of EGFR in a human glioblastoma line, A-172 cells, increased MMP9 expression through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, without affecting expression of miRNA-181c. On the other hand, overexpression of miRNA-181c in A-172 cells inhibited MMP9 expression by inhibiting Akt phosphorylation, but not phosphorylation of EGFR receptor. Taken together, these findings suggest that EGFR signaling activates downstream PI3K/Akt to increase MMP9 expression in glioblastoma, while phosphorylation of Akt is a control point by miRNA-181c. Our work thus provides new insights into the molecular basis underlying the metastasis of glioblastoma.     

Should EGFR mutations be tested in advanced lung squamous cell carcinomas to guide frontline treatment?

There is no argument over using epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status to guide the frontline treatment for advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LADC); however, the role of the testing in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSQC) remains controversial. Currently, the guidelines/consensus statements regarding EGFR mutation testing in LSQC are not consistent among different oncology societies. American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends performing EGFR mutation testing in all patients; European Society for Medical Oncology, College of American Pathologists/International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/Association for Molecular Pathology, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network suggest for some selected group. EGFR mutation is rarely found in LSQC; however, more importantly, it is not a valid predictive biomarker for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) in LSQC as it has been shown in LADC. Available data showed that the response rate and progression-free survival in EGFR mutant LSQC patients treated with EGFR-TKI are not better than that observed in patients treated with platinum-doublet chemotherapy in the first-line setting. Therefore, in contrast to advanced LADC, EGFR mutation testing may not be necessarily performed upfront in advanced LSQC because not only the mutation rate is low, but also the predictive value is insufficient. For LSQC patients with known sensitizing-EGFR mutations, both conventional chemotherapy and EGFR-TKI are acceptable frontline treatment options.     

Relationships between VEGF protein expression and pathological characteristics of diffuse large B cell lymphoma: a meta-analysis

We carried out the current meta-analysis of relevant cohort studies in an attempt to investigate the relationships between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and pathological characteristics of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The following electronic databases were searched for relevant articles without any language restrictions: Web of Science (1945?~?2013), the Cochrane Library Database (Issue 12, 2013), PubMed (1966?~?2013), EMBASE (1980?~?2013), CINAHL (1982?~?2013), and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) (1982?~?2013). Meta-analyses were conducted with the use of STATA software (version 12.0, Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). Odds ratios (ORs) and its 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) were calculated. Nine clinical cohort studies with a total of 789 DLBCL patients met our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis results showed that patients with positive VEGF expression had higher international prognostic index (IPI) scores than VEGF-negative patients (OR?=?5.12, 95 % CI?=?2.70?~?9.71, P?VEGF expression and evaluated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (OR?=?2.50, 95 % CI?=?1.36?~?4.60, P?=?0.003). We also found that patients with positive B symptoms had increased level of VEGF expression (OR?=?2.02, 95 % CI?=?1.08?~?3.77, P?=?0.027). The findings of our meta-analysis provide reliable evidence that VEGF expression may be strongly correlated with pathological characteristics of DLBCL.     

ADAM17 is associated with EMMPRIN and predicts poor prognosis in patients with uterine cervical carcinoma

Metalloproteinase activities of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17), amphiregulin (AREG), extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in tumor biology. In patients with uterine cervical carcinoma, the expression and prognostic significance of ADAM17 remain to be fully elucidated. The expression of ADAM17, AREG, EMMPRIN, phospho-epidermal growth factor receptor (p-EGFR), phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), MMP-2, and MMP-9 was assessed by immunohistochemistry and/or Western blotting from cervical carcinoma cell lines, SiHa and HeLa cells, and cervical carcinoma tissues. AREG activity was measured by ELISA assay. The correlation of ADAM17, AREG, EMMPRIN, and MMP-9 expression with patients’ survival rates was assessed by Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses. RNA interference (RNAi) experiment was performed using small interfering mRNA to ADAM17 and EMMPRIN. ADAM17, EMMPRIN, and MMP-9 protein content was overexpressed in cervical carcinoma tissues compared with normal cervical tissues (P?ADAM17, AREG, EMMPRIN, and MMP-9 was significantly associated with stages, lymph node metastasis, differentiation, and parametrium invasion (P?ADAM17, AREG, EMMPRIN, and MMP-9 was significantly correlated with short progression-free survival and overall survival (P?ADAM17 expression were independent prognostic indicators for cervical cancer. ADAM17 RNAi decreased EMMPRIN, p-EGFR, p-ERK, MMP-2, and MMP-9 proteins in SiHa and HeLa cells. ELISA assay revealed that AREG activity was stimulated by ADAM17 and was reversed by ADAM17 RNAi in SiHa and HeLa cells. Our data suggest that the increased expression of ADAM17 in cervical cancer is significantly associated with aggressive progression and poor prognosis. ADAM17 may be a molecular marker for predicting the progression and prognosis in cervical cancer.     

The association of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 polymorphisms and lifestyle habits with colorectal cancer risk in a Chinese population

The PI3K signaling pathway plays an important role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and other neoplasm. Somatic phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) mutations and deletions or epigenetic silencing have been observed in multiple tumor types including CRC. To assess the association of PTEN polymorphisms and lifestyle habits with CRC risk in Chinese population, we carried out a case-control study which included 545 cases and 522 controls. In the present study, we genotyped eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PTEN and found that rs11202607 was associated with increased CRC risk (odds ratio (OR)?=?1.40, 95 % confidence interval (CI)?=?1.04–1.90). Stratification analysis by lifestyle habits showed a stronger association between rs11202607 and CRC risk among never tea drinkers than that among tea-drinkers (OR?=?2.04, 95 % CI 1.29–3.22), and significant additive interaction between rs10490920 and tea drinking status was observed. Our study provided the evidence of an association between PTEN polymorphisms and the risk of CRC and significant additive interaction between PTEN polymorphism and tea drinking. Studies with larger sample size and further investigations into the mechanism are warranted to clarify the role of PTEN in colorectal carcinogenesis and the association between PTEN genetic variations, environment exposure, and CRC risk.     

Transarterial embolization with or without chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and transarterial embolization (TAE) are commonly used as first-line treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and have been shown to improve overall survival (OS). However, there remain concerns regarding whether the benefit of the prolonged survival achieved with TACE is superior to the maximum cytotoxic effect of the associated chemotherapeutics. This systematic review aims to compare the efficiency of TACE and TAE based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, the Science Citation Index, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were systematically searched through the end of April 2014. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Meta-analysis of the RCTs was conducted to estimate the mortality and survival rate between the TACE and TAE groups. The analysis included five RCTs involving 582 patients. For all-cause mortality, TACE did not result in a statistically significant reduced incidence of adverse events than TAE with a pooled RR of 1.21 (95 % CI?=?0.74–1.98, P?=?0.16). In addition, 6-, 9-, 12-, 24-, and 36-month OS of the TACE group were not significantly higher than that of the TAE group (all P?>?0.05). Interestingly, TACE resulted in a significantly higher rate of advanced events. The efficacy of TACE is not superior to TAE in advanced HCC patients. Moreover, TACE was associated with an increased rate of adverse events than TAE. Improved strategies are needed to reduce the risk of post-TACE complications.     

miR-195 inhibits the growth and metastasis of NSCLC cells by targeting IGF1R

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs which act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in multiple human cancers. Accumulating evidence reveals that aberrant expression of miRNAs contributes to the development and progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we identified miR-195 as a tumor suppressor in NSCLC cells, whose expression level was dramatically decreased in both NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Ectopic expression of miR-195 suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation and metastasis-related traits in vitro. Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) was identified as a direct target of miR-195 in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, restoration of IGF1R remarkably attenuated the tumor suppressive effects of miR-195 on NSCLC cells. Our data suggest that miR-195 may be involved in the carcinogenesis of NSCLC partially by targeting IGF1R.     

Development of Serous Ovarian Cancer is Associated with the Expression of Homologous Recombination Pathway Proteins

To investigate the expressions of key markers in the homologous recombination (HR) pathway and the correlation with clinicopathological parameters in serous ovarian cancer (SOC). We analyzed the protein expression of MRE11, MDC1, ATM, ATR and BRCA1 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 97 SOC samples, and correlated with clinical parameters including age, tumor grades, clinical stage, status of menstruation and chemotherapy. Low expression of MRE11 and MDC1 was detected in 14.4 % and 3.1 % of the patient samples, and negative expression of ATM, ATR and BRCA1 was found in 11.3 %, 6.3 % and 29.9 % of the patient samples, respectively. ATR deficiency was significantly associated with menopause (P?=?0.025), strong expression of ATM (P?=?0.017) and MRE11 (P?=?0.040) with pre-menopausal SOC, strong expression of MRE11 (P?=?0.016) with low tumor grade, and strong expression of BRCA1 (P?=?0.015) with early clinical stage. In addition, low expression of MRE11 was strongly associated with negativity of ATR (P?BRCA1 (P?=?0.004) Furthermore, ATR deficiency was associated with low expression of ATM (P?=?0.028) and loss expression of BRCA1 (P?=?0.009). Our results suggest that reduced expression or loss of proteins in HR pathway is associated with SOC development. Abnormality of MRE11 and BRCA1 are strongly associated with late clinical stage in SOC patients.