Impact of a Summer Camp Experience on Daily Activity and Family Interactions Among Children with Cancer

Eighteen pediatric cancer patients and their families participatedin a longitudinal study to assess the effects of a camp experienceon daily activity and family interactions. Based on maternalreport, changes were found in the amount of time these childrenspent in social, physical, and self-engaged activities. Mothersand a sibling closest in age to the patient also noted changesin their own frequency of activities spent with the family andwith others. These changes were evident when comparing measuresobtained 2 weeks prior to and 2 weeks after camp. Many changeswere still present 1 month after attending camp. These datasupport the use of a camp experience as an intervention to facilitatea return to more normal, healthy functioning by pediatric cancerpatients and their families.     

Neoglycoprotein binding to colorectal tumour cells: Comparison between primary and secondary lesions

Summary Biotinylated neoglycoproteins are useful to determine the expression of sugar receptors (lectins) histochemically in routinely processed tissue sections. Assessment of the presence of distinct receptor classes with specificity to-galactosides and to- or-N-acetylgalactosamine, selected on the basis of their potential relevance for recognition processes within the metastatic cascade in murine model systems, was performed for a common human tumour type, colorectal cancer. The four different types of neoglycoproteins, derived from covalent attachment of commercially available derivatives of-N-acetylgalactosamine, differed only quantitatively in their capacity to detect specific binding on cultured cells and tissue sections, thus posing no major restriction on the choice of synthetic process for histochemical efficiency of the product. Glycocytological application revealed specific probe binding and a regulation of level of receptor expression for a human colon carcinoma cell line primarily forN-acetylgalactosamine-specific receptors upon retinoic acid-induced differentiation. Monitoring of sections of the 12 cases of primary and secondary colorectal lesions invariably disclosed the presence of the respective receptors, the extent of cell labelling in primary tumours and metastases being similar. Establishment of metastases, even in different target organs, is apparently not followed by a major phenotypic variation in this feature.     

Plasma Content of Extracellular Nucleic Acids in Donors and Patients with Mammary Tumors

The concentrations of extracellular DNA and RNA were measured in the plasma of donors and patients with fibroadenoma and breast cancer. The content of extracellular DNA surpassed the normal in 80% plasma samples from patients with mammary tumors. Extracellular RNA was detected in 30% plasma samples from donors and patients with breast tumors. No correlations were found between plasma concentration of extracellular DNA and size and stage of tumor growth. Hence, measurement of extracellular DNA in the plasma of patients can be used only as an accessory test for tumor diagnosis.__________Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 139, No. 4, pp. 462–464, April, 2005     

Breast cancer risk with postmenopausal hormonal treatment

This review was designed to determine from the best evidence whether there is an association between postmenopausal hormonal treatment and breast cancer risk. Also, if there is an association, does it vary according to duration and cessation of use, type of regimen, type of hormonal product or route of administration; whether there is a differential effect on risk of lobular and ductal cancer; and whether hormone treatment is associated with breast cancers that have better prognostic factors? Data sources for the review included Medline, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Cochrane Library, 2005) and reference lists in the identified citations. Eligible citations addressed invasive breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women and involved use of the estrogen products with or without progestin that are used as treatment for menopausal symptoms. Abstracted data were demographic groupings, categories of hormone use, categories of breast cancer, two-by-two tables of exposure and outcome and adjusted odds ratios, relative risks (RRs) or hazard rates. Average estimates of risk were weighted by the inverse variance method, or if heterogeneous, using a random effects model. The average risk of invasive breast cancer with estrogen use was 0.79 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.61-1.02] in four randomized trials involving 12 643 women. The average breast cancer risk with estrogen-progestin use was 1.24 (95% CI = 1.03-1.50) in four randomized trials involving 19 756 women. The average risks reported in recent epidemiological studies were higher: 1.18 (95% CI = 1.01-1.38) with current use of estrogen alone and 1.70 (95% CI = 1.36-2.17) with current use of estrogen-progestin. The association of breast cancer with current use was stronger than the association with ever use, which includes past use. For past use, the increased breast cancer risk diminished soon after discontinuing hormones and normalized within 5 years. Reasonably adequate data do not show that breast cancer risk varies significantly with different types of estrogen or progestin preparations, lower dosages or different routes of administration, although there is a small difference between sequential and continuous progestin regimens. Epidemiological studies indicate that estrogen-progestin use increases risk of lobular more than ductal breast cancer, but the number of studies and cases of lobular cancer remains limited. Among important prognostic factors, the stage and grade in breast cancers associated with hormone use [corrected] do not differ significantly from those in non-users, but breast cancers in estrogen-progestin users are significantly more likely to be estrogen receptor (ER) positive. In conclusion, valid evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicates that breast cancer risk is increased with estrogen-progestin use more than with estrogen alone. Epidemiological evidence involving more than 1.5 million women agrees broadly with the trial findings. Although new studies are unlikely to alter the key findings about overall breast cancer risk, research is needed, however, to determine the role of progestin, evaluate the risk of lobular cancer and delineate effects of hormone use on receptor presence, prognosis and mortality in breast cancer.     

A comprehensive in vitro characterization of pancreatic ductal carcinoma cell line biological behavior and its correlation with the structural and genetic profile

There are a large number of stable pancreatic ductal carcinoma cell lines (PDCL) that are used by researchers worldwide. Detailed data about their differentiation status and genetic alterations are present in the literature, but a systematic correlation with cell biological behavior is often lacking. PDCL (n=12) were clustered by source of tumor cell (ascites, primary tumor, metastasis), and the data of functional cell biology were correlated with the reported structural and genetic profiles. Major histocompatibility complex expression, chemosensitivity and aneuploidia appeared to be related to the source of PDCL, and proliferative capacity appeared to be related to the grade of differentiation. No correlation between genetic/structural features of PDCL and biological behavior was found. All the cell lines appeared generally insensitive to in vitro treatment with 5-fluorouracil and showed variable degrees of susceptibility to gemcitabine, raltitrexed and oxaliplatin. All the PDCL showed resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis but were significantly sensitive to the pro-apoptotic effect of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon ]. PDCL were characterized for the secretion of several factors relevant to the tumor-immune cross talk. Vascular endothelial growth factor, CCL2, CCL5 and transforming growth factor were the factors most frequently released; less frequent was the secretion of CXCL8, CCL22, IL-6 and sporadically CXCL12, IL-10 and hepatocyte growth factor. The cytokines IL-1 and TNF were always undetectable. In conclusion, a clear correlation between structural/genetic features and function could not be detected, suggesting the weakness of a morphological classification for the in vitro studies of pancreatic cancer.     

Assisted reproduction in male cancer survivors: fertility treatment and outcome in 67 couples

BACKGROUND: Many male cancer survivors experience fertility problems due to antineoplastic treatment. We report the fertility outcome in 67 couples referred to assisted reproduction treatment (ART) because of male factor infertility due to cancer. METHODS: This was a retrospective study assessing the following parameters: diagnosis, cancer treatment, type of fertility treatment and type of sperm used, number of pregnancies and pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: Testicular cancer and lymphomas were the most prevalent diagnoses. Adjuvant treatment with chemo- and/or radiation therapy had been given to 90% of the men. Semen was cryopreserved in 82% of the men prior to treatment. Following antineoplastic treatment, 43% of the men had motile spermatozoa in the ejaculate, but 57% were azoospermic. A total of 151 ART cycles were performed [55 intra-uterine insemination (IUI), 82 ICSI and 14 ICSI-frozen embryo replacement (FER)]. The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was 14.8% after IUI, 38.6% after ICSI and 25% after ICSI-FER. The corresponding delivery rates were 11.1, 30.5 and 21%. Cryopreserved semen was used in 58% of the pregnancies. The delivery rate per cycle was similar after use of fresh or cryopreserved spermatozoa. CONCLUSIONS: Male cancer survivors have a good chance of fathering a child by using either fresh ejaculated sperm or cryopreserved sperm.     

肿瘤转移抑制基因nm23—H1 mRNA在乳腺癌中的转录表达

目的：探讨nm23—H1基因mRNA在乳腺患组织中的表达及其与临床的关系．方法:采用半定量RT—PCR方法，检测30例乳腺患组织nm23—H1的表达．结果:①淋巴结阳性的原发灶组织nm23—H1 mRNAA表达明显低于淋巴结阴性的原发灶组织，Ⅲ期乳腺患组织nm23—H1 mRNA水平较Ⅰ、Ⅱ期的明显低．②多因素分析发现淋巴结转移与nm23—H1 mRNA的表达有显著性相关．结论nm23—H1基因mRNA表达强度与淋巴结转移呈负相关．在乳胰患转移过程中，nm23—H1 mRNA起重要的作用。     

A mutation analysis of the<Emphasis Type="Italic"> BRCA1</Emphasis> gene in 140 families from southeast France with a history of breast and/or ovarian cancer

A mutation analysis of the BRCA1 gene in 140 French families with a history of breast cancer or breast-ovarian cancer revealed several deleterious germline mutations, as well as rare sequence variants. The 19 genetics variants were of 15 different types, two of which had not been reported in the Breast cancer Information Core (BIC) database. Five distinct truncating mutations, leading to putative nonfunctional proteins, were identified out of 140 index cases (3.5%). One novel nonsense mutation, C4491T, was reported, whereas the four other BRCA1 deleterious mutations identified consisted of frequent frameshifts in the nucleotide sequence. One splice variant (331+3A>G) and thirteen missense variations leading to amino acid substitutions of unknown structural and functional importance were identified. Among these, two BRCA1 missense mutations, A120G and T243C could be considered as suspected deleterious. The first missense mutation modified the initiation codon (M1V) and the second (C39R) may have consequences on the structure and functioning of the BRCA1 protein by modifying cysteine ligands from the RING finger domain. As expected BRCA1 gene alteration, including missense mutations of unknown biological significance, were more frequent in families with a history of breast-ovarian-cancer (32%) than in breast-cancer-only families (12%).     

胃癌患者生活质量问卷(QLQ-STO22)中文版的制定

目的:将QLQ-STO22引入国内,并评价其可行性、信度和效度。方法:以2003年6月1日至12 月31日在某市三家医院入院治疗的胃癌患者为研究对象。调查内容主要包括一般状况、简明病情调查表及QLQ-STO22。结果:重复测量前后比较,STO22量表各个维度的ICC 值均大于0.75;Cronbaeh'a 系数为0.80; 量表的分半信度系数分别为0.78。表明量表的重测信度、分半信度和内部一致性良好。对STO22量表的各个维度做因子分析,得到3个因子,它们分别能解释总体方差的72.8%,各公共因子在相应项目上的因子载荷均>0. 5,表明该量表具有较满意的结构效度。结论:QLQ-STO22中文版具有较好的信度和效度。     

A novel STK11 germline mutation in two siblings with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome complicated by primary gastric cancer

Patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) are known to be at risk of gastric cancer (GC), and the STK11 gene is a susceptibility gene for PJS. However, as no cases of PJS with GC in which a STK11 germline mutation has been identified have ever been reported and other susceptibility genes have also been suggested to be involved in PJS, the relation between STK11 germline mutations and GC in PJS is still unknown. In this study, we used sequencing analysis to investigate the STK11, CDH1, and TP53 loci for a germline mutation in two siblings with PJS with primary GC. A novel type of the STK11 germline mutation, c.890delG, encoding a truncated protein (p.Arg297fsX38) was identified, but no germline mutations of the CDH1 and TP53 genes were detected. No inactivation of the wild-type allele by somatic mutation or chromosomal deletion or hypermethylation at the 5'-CpG site of STK11 was detected in the GC. This is the first report of a STK11 germline mutation in a PJS patient with GC and should contribute to establishing correlations between the STK11 germline mutations and GC in PJS patients.