The direct effect of Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK), dominant-negative FAK, FAK-CD and FAK siRNA on gene expression and human MCF-7 breast cancer cell tumorigenesis

Background  

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in survival signaling. FAK has been shown to be overexpressed in breast cancer tumors at early stages of tumorigenesis.     

Circadian rhythms,symptoms, physical functioning,and body mass index in breast cancer survivors

Introduction  

Research has been limited in circadian activity rhythms and their relationship with health status in early-stage breast cancer survivors. Maintaining strong circadian parameters may reduce symptoms and improve physical functioning and disease-free survival.     

Prognostic impact of nodal micrometastasis in early esophageal cancer

Introduction

Nodal micrometastasis is a negative prognosticator for esophageal cancer. There is a trend toward endoscopic resection for early cancer of the esophagus without lymphadenectomy. Frequency and prognostic impact of nodal micrometastasis in early cancer of the esophagus have not been investigated so far.

Patients and methods

This study includes 69 patients with a pT1-stage cancer of the esophagus (SCC: n = 26, AC: n = 43), who underwent transthoracic en-bloc esophagectomy with D2-lympadenectomy between 1996 and 2004. On routine histopathological analysis 48 patients were diagnosed as pN0. Lymph nodes (n = 1344) of these patients were further examined for the presence of isolated tumor cells with the monoclonal anti-epithelial antibody AE1/AE3.

Results

In lymph nodes of 7 (14.6%) out of 48 pN0-patients a positive staining for AE1/AE3 as a sign for nodal micrometastasis was found. In these patients the tumor has infiltrated the submucosal layer. In patients with tumors restricted to mucosal layer (n = 20) no nodal micrometastasis was present. 5-year survival of pN0-patients with nodal micrometastasis was inferior compared to pN0-patients (57% vs. 82%; p = 0.002).

Conclusion

Almost 15% of patients with pT1 N0 M0 carcinoma of the esophagus and only those with submucosal infiltration show nodal micrometastasis. It has a significant negative impact on survival already in early esophageal cancer.     

Benefits of biomarker selection and clinico-pathological covariate inclusion in breast cancer prognostic models

Introduction  

Multi-marker molecular assays have impacted management of early stage breast cancer, facilitating adjuvant chemotherapy decisions. We generated prognostic models that incorporate protein-based molecular markers and clinico-pathological variables to improve survival prediction.     

Family history of cancer and risk for esophageal and gastric cancer in Shanxi, China

Background  

Family history (FH) by different relative types and risk of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancers has been only rarely reported; the data on UGI cancer survival are sparse.     

Does delay in diagnosing colorectal cancer in symptomatic patients affect tumor stage and survival? A population-based observational study

Background  

Diagnosing colorectal cancer (CRC) at an early stage improves survival. To what extent any delay affects outcome once patients are symptomatic is still unclear.     

Improved survival for non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients in New South Wales,Australia

Background  

We evaluated if the survival benefit of adding rituximab to standard chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) observed in clinical trials has been experienced by an Australian NHL patient population.     

PREDICT: a new UK prognostic model that predicts survival following surgery for invasive breast cancer

Introduction  

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a prognostication model to predict overall and breast cancer specific survival for women treated for early breast cancer in the UK.     

Radiosurgery versus surgery, both with adjuvant whole brain radiotherapy, for solitary brain metastases: a randomised controlled trial

Aims

This randomised non-inferiority trial was designed to assess whether radiosurgery plus adjuvant whole brain radiotherapy (RS + WBRT) is as effective as surgery plus whole brain radiotherapy (S + WBRT) for cancer patients with a solitary brain metastasis, with respect to overall survival and quality of life.

Materials and methods

Major inclusion criteria were a history of systemic cancer within 5 years and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed solitary brain metastasis suitable for both radiosurgery and surgery. All patients were to receive WBRT (30 Gy in 10 fractions). Between February 2003 and April 2009, 40 patients were considered eligible, 22 consented to randomisation and 21 were analysed (11 RS + WBRT, 10 S + WBRT). The trial was closed early due to slow accrual.

Results

The estimated median overall survival times for RS + WBRT and S + WBRT patients were 6.2 and 2.8 months, respectively (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.20–1.43, P = 0.20). Corresponding median failure-free survival times were 3.1 and 1.7 months (P = 0.20). For 19 ‘per protocol’ patients, 2/10 in the RS + WBRT arm had distant intracranial failure (one also had local failure) and 3/9 S + WBRT patients had distant intracranial failure (no local failures). There were no grade 3–4 late radiation toxicities. Two months after starting treatment there were no significant differences in quality of life between the arms.

Conclusion

This randomised trial encountered the accrual difficulties and consequent low statistical power commonly associated with interdisciplinary studies drawing from a small eligible population, but can contribute to future overviews on the management of solitary brain metastases.     

Birthweight, parental age, birth order and breast cancer risk in African-American and white women: a population-based case-control study

Introduction  

Much recent work has focused on hypotheses that very early life exposures influence adult cancer risk. For breast cancer it has been hypothesized that high in utero estrogen exposure may increase risk.     

Split Course Hyperfractionated Accelerated Radio-Chemotherapy (SCHARC) for patients with advanced head and neck cancer: Influence of protocol deviations and hemoglobin on overall survival, a retrospective analysis

Background  

The advantage of hyperfractionated accelerated radiation therapy for advanced head and neck cancer has been reported. Furthermore, randomized trials and meta-analyses have confirmed the survival benefit of additional chemotherapy to radiotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed the efficiency and toxicity of the Regensburg standard therapy protocol "SCHARC" and the overall survival of our patients.     

Clinical significance of CA125 regression in chemotherapy of advanced ovarian cancer

Objective  

The aim of this study was to compare the serum CA125 regression in advanced ovarian carcinoma patients treated with paclitaxel/platinum (TP) and platinum/epirubicin/ifosfamide (PAC) during early chemotherapy. The relationship between survival and CA125 regression during first line chemotherapy was evaluated.     

Leukemia survival in children, adolescents, and young adults: influence of socioeconomic status and other demographic factors

Objective  

In California, leukemia represents ~35, 5, and 2% of all cancers in children (aged 0–14), adolescents (15–29), and young adults (30–39), respectively. Poorer survival has been previously noted in individuals residing in lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods. We explored the relationship between SES and survival as modified by age and race/ethnicity using data from the California Cancer Registry.     

Long-term survival rates of laryngeal cancer patients treated by radiation and surgery,radiation alone,and surgery alone : studied by lognormal and Kaplan-Meier survival methods

Background  

Validation of the use of the lognormal model for predicting long-term survival rates using short-term follow-up data.     

Gene expression profiling of peripheral blood cells for early detection of breast cancer

Introduction  

Early detection of breast cancer is key to successful treatment and patient survival. We have previously reported the potential use of gene expression profiling of peripheral blood cells for early detection of breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to refine these findings using a larger sample size and a commercially available microarray platform.     

Treatment of primary g lioblastoma multiforme with c e tuximab, r adiotherapy and t emozolomide (GERT) – phase I/II trial: study protocol

Background  

The implementation of combined radiochemotherapy (RCHT) with temozolomide (TMZ) has lead to a significant increase in overall survival times in patients with Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), however, outcome still remains unsatisfactory.     

Qualitative analysis of Adenomatous Polyposis Coli promoter: Hypermethylation, engagement and effects on survival of patients with esophageal cancer in a high risk region of the world, a potential molecular marker

Background  

Squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus (SCCE) occurs at a high incidence rate in certain parts of the world. This feature necessitates that different aspects of the disease and in particular genetic characteristics be investigated in such regions. In addition, such investigations might lead to achievement of molecular markers helpful for early detection, successful treatment and follow up of the disease. Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) promoter hypermethylation has been shown to be a suitable marker for both serum and solid tumors of adenocarcinoma of esophagus. We investigated the status of APC promoter hypermethylation in Iranian patients, compared the results with the former studies, and evaluated its applicability as a candidate molecular marker by examining association between survival of SCCE patients and APC promoter methylation.     

Improved survival among patients with base of tongue and tonsil cancer in the United States

Objective  

To examine if survival has changed over the last 20 years in patients with base of tongue and tonsil cancers in the United States.     

Knowledge, attitudes and practice of breast cancer screening among female health workers in a Nigerian urban city

Background  

Late presentation has been observed as the hallmark of breast cancer in Nigerian women and an earlier onset has been reported in this population. This study was designed to assess the awareness of female health workers about risk factors and screening methods for early detection of breast cancer.