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Since its discovery in the 1970's, MYC oncoprotein has been continuing to fascinate the scientific world and there is a growing interest in the role of MYC in the genesis and prognosis of cancer. Initially MYC was identified as the cellular homologue of the MC29 transforming avian retrovirus. Shortly hereafter, additional related sequences were identified, suggesting that MYC might be part of a larger family of genes. The constellation of MYC effects on genes involved in proliferation has led to the concept of MYC-driven lymphomas, that include Burkitt lymphoma (BL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and lymphomas that share morphologic features of DLBCL and BL, officially termed B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between DLBCL and BL (BCLU). Other lymphomas showing MYC over-expression comprises Plasmablastic lymphoma and Plasmacytoma, Double hit/triple hit lymphomas and Anaplastic lymphomas Kinase-positive Large B-cell Lymphoma. MYC aberrations can be detected by standard cytogenetics, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), comparative genomic hybridization and most recently immunohistochemistry. By comparing expression profiles of MYC gene rearrangement and MYC protein expression has came up that MYC gene rearrangements do not necessarily correlate with MYC protein expression. In fact, by applying immunoistochemistry, the frequency of MYC protein expression appears much higher than what is detected by FISH standard method. Therefore, nowadays the key problem in the hematopathology field is to define the clinical impact of the double-expressor lymphoma status. The updated World Health Organization (WHO) of tumours of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues asses that the status of double or triple lymphoma should rely only on molecular biology findings and not on immunohistochemistry results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translationally controlled tumor protein is a multifaceted protein involved in several physiological and biological functions. Its expression in normal kidney and in renal carcinomas, once corroborated by functional data, may add elements to elucidate renal physiology and carcinogenesis. In this study, translationally controlled tumor protein expression was evaluated by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, and its localization was examined by immunohistochemistry on 84 nephrectomies for cancer. In normal kidney protein expression was found in the cytoplasm of proximal and distal tubular cells, in cells of the thick segment of the loop of Henle, and in urothelial cells of the pelvis. It was also detectable in cells of renal carcinoma with different pattern of localization (membranous and cytoplasmic) depending on tumor histotype. Our data may suggest an involvement of translationally controlled tumor protein in normal physiology and carcinogenesis. However, functional in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to verify this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: The lymphatic system plays an active role in the metastatic process by directly facilitating recruitment of cancer cells into the vessels. The present study aimed to assess the lymphatic vessel area and the lymphatic vessel density in prostate adenocarcinoma and to correlate these parameters with patients prognosis and outcome., Patients and Methods: The lymphatic vessel area and the lymphatic vessel density were evaluated using the D2-40 monoclonal antibody in 153 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma who had been treated by radical prostatectomy, in comparison to 152 non-neoplastic controls. We also estimated the lymphatic vessel area in a set of 139 patients who had undergone radical prostatectomy after neoadjuvant treatment with combined androgen blockade., Results: Lymphatic vessel area was higher in periglandular than in interglandular stroma, inversely correlated with tumor differentiation (in untreated patients) and was influenced by hormonal treatment. Lymphatic vessel density was not significantly different between the non-tumoral and the high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasm compartment, whereas it was higher in tumoral than in non-tumoral compartments, mainly in periglandular stroma. In addition, it increased in parallel to the tumor grade progression and positively correlated with all the main prognostic factors of prostate adenocarcinoma., Conclusion: The evaluation of lymphatic vessel density on radical prostatectomy with positive nodes may help to discriminate those patients at higher risk of developing an aggressive disease, which may need early androgen deprivation therapy to delay the worsening of clinical disease., (Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.)