Cyclin E, p27 and mutant p53 do not predict the prognosis in AJCC stage II colorectal carcinomas.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Carcinogenesis is characterized by the abnormal regulation of cell cycle. The abnormal expression of the regulators of cell cycle may be related to the prognosis. Since the clinical significance of the expression of the three proteins in colorectal carcinomas is still controversial, we evaluated the prognostic value of the expression of cyclin E, p27 and mutant p53 in stage II colorectal cancer. METHODS: The expression levels of cyclin E, p27 and mutant p53 proteins in 41 patients with stage II colorectal carcinomas were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, the level of CEA at diagnosis was associated with disease relapse. In the multivariate analysis, the clinicopathological variables such as age, gender, site of primary tumor, tumor size, state of tumor differentiation and preoperative plasma CEA level were not associated with disease relapse. When Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed to determine the prognosis, cyclin E, p27 and mutant p53 expressions did not predict poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the expression of cyclin E, p27 and mutant p53 proteins did not predict the clinical outcome in the stage II colorectal carcinomas.     

Short-Ti inversion-recovery pulse sequence: analysis and initial experience in cancer imaging

Inversion recovery (IR), commonly considered a pulse sequence capable of producing T1-weighted images with excellent display of normal anatomy, is versatile: The null point and peak time provide a useful, succinct summary of the properties of IR and its capacity for producing both T1- and T2-weighted images. Shortening of the inversion time (TI) and creation of a short-TI inversion-recovery (STIR) pulse sequence increases sensitivity to malignancy and other abnormalities by making the effects of prolonged T1 and T2 on signal intensity additive and by nulling the signal from fat. The authors examined over 300 patients with various malignancies and compared STIR images with T1- and T2-weighted images obtained at 0.5 T. In 43 cases, signal-difference-to-noise ratios (SD/Ns) were calculated between tumor, fat, and muscle. In general, STIR images demonstrated tumor as a conspicuously high-intensity area in a background of muted, discernible anatomic detail. The good contrast achieved with STIR sequences between tumor and fat (SD/N = 18.1) and tumor and muscle (SD/N = 12.9) consolidated into a single image the information contained separately on T1- and T2-weighted images, which facilitates efficient detection and localization of malignancy.     

前额迟发性小汗腺血管瘤性错构瘤

一71岁韩国男性前额出现孤立的红色斑块。该斑块出现已有1年,并缓慢增大。体检发现前额上正中线部有一轻微隆起的、1.5cm×1.5cm红色斑块。体力活动或情绪应激反应均不诱发该斑块出汗。皮损无疼痛或触痛。患者前额部无外伤史。皮损组织病理检查示外分泌腺数目增加,真皮深部和皮     

A case of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a patient with Crohn's disease]

Although adenocarcinoma is a well known complication of chronic inflammatory bowel disease, primary gastrointestinal lymphoma occurring in Crohn's disease is rare. A 40-year-old man with 10 year-history of Crohn's disease had multiple longitudinal ulcerative lesions on descending colon in follow-up colonoscopic examination. Microscopic examination of proximal descending colon revealed peripheral T cell lymphoma and other site of the descending colon was consistent with Crohn's disease. The patient reached complete remission of malignant lymphoma after three cycles of combined chemotherapy. He has been well for 10 months with sulfasalazine maintenance therapy but was admitted to the hospital due to spontaneous bowel perforation of ascending colon. Right hemicolectomy was done, but the patient died of post-surgical recurrent mesenteric abscess and sepsis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma complicating Crohn's disease in Korea which was confirmed by immunohistochemical studies.     

Rizatriptan in the treatment of migraine

Migraine is a common, disabling disorder associated with considerable personal and societal burden. Current guidelines recommend triptans for the acute treatment of migraine unlikely to respond to less effective therapies. Rizatriptan is a second-generation triptan available in tablet or orally disintegrating tablet (wafer) formulations that offers several advantages over other members of its class. Rizatriptan is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and achieves maximum plasma concentrations more quickly than other triptans, providing rapid pain relief. Clinical trials have shown that rizatriptan is at least as effective or superior to other oral migraine-specific agents in the acute treatment of migraine, and has more consistent long-term efficacy across multiple migraine attacks. Rizatriptan has a favorable tolerability profile, and patients have reported greater satisfaction and a preference for rizatriptan over other migraine-specific agents. Improvements in quality of life reported with rizatriptan are consistent with its favorable efficacy and tolerability profiles. Notably, multi-attribute decision models that combine clinical data with patient- and physician-reported treatment preferences have identified rizatriptan as one of three triptans closest to a hypothetical “ideal”. The efficacy and tolerability of rizatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine have thus been well established.     

Enhanced expression of adenovirus-mediated sodium iodide symporter gene in MCF-7 breast cancer cells with retinoic acid treatment.

Increased expression of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) is required for effective radioiodine treatment and reporter gene imaging of breast cancer. We investigated the effect of retinoic acid on adenovirus-mediated expression of the human NIS gene in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. METHODS: The MCF-7 cell line was infected with recombinant adenovirus carrying the human NIS gene (Rad-NIS). Levels of NIS messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression and radioiodine ((125)I) uptake were measured to evaluate adenovirus-mediated NIS gene expression in wild-type and Rad-NIS-infected MCF-7 cells after treatment with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA; 10(-8)-10(-6) mol/L). RESULTS: The transduction efficiency of adenovirus in MCF-7 cells at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 50 was >60%. After incubation with 10(-6) mol/L ATRA, the mRNA level in Rad-NIS-infected MCF-7 cells increased to 118.5 times that of wild-type MCF-7 cells, whereas the mRNA level in wild-type MCF-7 cells showed only a 2.1-fold increase. Western blot, immunocytochemical staining, and flow cytometry analyses showed that NIS protein expression in MCF-7 cells infected with Rad-NIS increased after ATRA treatment. With ATRA treatment, the amount of (125)I uptake increased in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.001). The (125)I uptake in wild-type MCF-7 cells increased 3.1-, 5.5-, and 7.6-fold with treatment with 10(-8), 10(-7), and 10(-6) mol/L ATRA, respectively. Rad-NIS-infected cells showed a 4.0-fold increase in (125)I uptake. Treatment of Rad-NIS-infected cells with 10(-8), 10(-7), and 10(-6) mol/L ATRA increased (125)I uptake by 4.9-, 8.2-, and 27.6-fold, respectively, compared with wild-type MCF-7 cells. The level of NIS expression in Rad-NIS-infected MCF-7 cells treated with 10(-6) mol/L ATRA (245.0 +/- 13.7 pmol/10(6) cells) was much greater than the sum of the expression levels seen in ATRA-treated wild-type cells and Rad-NIS-infected wild-type cells. CONCLUSION: Retinoic acid increases adenovirus-mediated NIS expression in MCF-7 cells. Our results indicate that improved efficiency of NIS gene therapy or reporter imaging in breast cancer may be possible with retinoic acid treatment.     

The study of diethylstilbestrol toxic effect in the mouse sertoli cell line by comparison of miRNA and mRNA expression

It is important to acknowledge the harmful effects of environmental chemicals in human’s lives. The toxic effects of Diethylstilbestrol (DES), one of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have been documented in many studies. As expected, DES affect male gendal hormone as well as female’s; therefore, epigenetic study should be considered. In this study, microarray technology was used to study harmful effects on the level of genomics, and here, two types of microarray chips- the Agilent mouse genome 4 × 44 K array for gene expression profiling and the Agilent mouse miRNA v13 for miRNA expression profiling-was used to study the relation between gene and miRNA expression profiles. As a result, we identified 4 miRNAs (miR 203, 350, 421, and 466i) that were similarly expressed at 3 hrs and 24 hrs of DES treat times. Twenty one genes matched between predicted target for 4 miRNAs and 118 genes expressed similarly. These genes have functions related to cell differentiation and cell cycle. Therefore, DES affects cellular function and induces toxicity in TM4 cells. In future studies, it is necessary to find more related functions and mechanisms of DES in the system.     

Case Report: Giant choledochal cyst

We report an adult female with a rare giant choledochal cyst. The patient presented following a normal pregnancy with the classical triad of an abdominal mass associated with jaundice and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. The cyst was excised using an intramural technique and biliary reconstruction achieved with a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Our patient has remained well with no evidence of malignancy over a 12 year review period. The aetiology and current management of this condition are discussed.