Lung cancer: a comparative study of metabolism related protein expression in cancer cells and tumor associated stroma

Immunohistochemical evaluation of lung carcinomas for key enzymes involved in cellular metabolism (lactate dehydrogenase LDH 1 and 5, pyruvate dehydrogenase PDH, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase PDHK-1, monocarboxylate transporters MCT 1, 2 and 4, glucose transporter GLUT1, hypoxia inducible factors HIF1alpha and 2alpha) show a complementary metabolic profile between cancer cells and tumor-associated stroma. Cancer cells share enzyme/transporter activities suggestive of an anaerobic metabolism with high affinity for glucose absorption, anaerobic glycolysis and lactate extrusion. On the other hand, the tumour-associated fibroblasts express patterns involved in aerobic pathways and lactate oxidation. These findings bring forward the hypothesis that tumor associated stroma is an accomplice in tumor growth and survival sustaining an independent cellular and metabolic tumor domain. The development of agents exploiting such cancer specific metabolic pathways may prove of importance in the treatment of lung cancer.     

Efficacy of panitumumab in older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a retrospective analysis using the database of the Hellenic Oncology Research Group (HORG)

Background

Although colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease of the older patients, older patients are under-represented from randomized trials. Herein we conducted a retrospective analysis for the effect of panitumumab in the management of older patients (≥65?years) patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC) in the Hellenic Oncology Research Group's (HORG) database.

Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower probability of prodromal Parkinson's disease and risk for Parkinson's disease/dementia with Lewy bodies: A longitudinal study

Background and purpose

Lifestyle factors have been implicated in the long-lasting neurodegenerative process in prodromal Parkinson's disease (pPD). The aim was to investigate the associations between adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MeDi) and longitudinal changes of pPD probability and the development of Parkinson's disease (PD) or pPD in a Mediterranean older population.

Methods

Data from the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet cohort (community-dwelling individuals, aged ≥ 65 years) were used. A detailed food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate dietary intake and calculate MeDi adherence score, ranging from 0 to 55, with higher scores indicating higher adherence. The probability of pPD was calculated according to the updated Movement Disorder Society research criteria.

Results

In all, 1047 non-PD/dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) participants were followed for 3 ± 1 years. MeDi adherence was associated with lower increase in pPD probability over time (b = −0.003, 95% confidence interval −0.006 to −0.001, p = 0.010). Forty-nine participants had incident possible/probable pPD (i.e., pPD probability ≥ 30%). Compared to the participants in the lowest quartile of MeDi adherence, those in the higher quartiles had an approximately 60%–70% lower risk for possible/probable pPD (p for trend 0.003). MeDi–pPD associations were driven by both motor and non-motor pPD markers and not from risk markers. Also, 21 participants were diagnosed with PD/DLB at follow-up. For each unit increase in the MeDi score, there was a 9%–10% lower risk for PD/DLB (hazard ratio 0.906 [95% confidence interval 0.823–0.997], p = 0.044).

Conclusions

Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with lower increase in pPD probability over time and lower possible/probable pPD and PD/DLB incidence in older Mediterranean people. More studies are needed to confirm our results in other populations.     

Associations between neuropsychiatric symptoms and incident Alzheimer’s dementia in men versus women

Journal of Neurology - To examine whether associations between individual neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and incident Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) differ in men versus women. Data were acquired...