Search

Scorpion envenomation is one of the severe public health problems, particularly children and pregnant women. Increased oxidative stress in the brain during the first couple of weeks in the gestational period may limit the efficacy of antioxidants after the scorpion envenomation. High ROS activity during brain organogenesis may damage the forebrain and midbrain of fetuses. In this study, we examined cellular alterations in the fetal brain and cotyledon of in utero exposure to scorpion venom and antivenom during pregnancy in rats. The study focused on establishing a correlation between fetal brain and cotyledonary lesions due to altered oxidative stress. Eighteen pregnant Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups envenomated group (EG) by Androctonus turkiyensis Yagmur venom, antivenom group (AVG), and physiological saline solution (1 mL, PSS: NaCl 0.85%) treated control group (CG). Pregnant rats in the EG (n=6) were injected sublethal doses of A. turkiyensis every day between 7-13th days of pregnancy. AVG, pregnant rats (n=6) were envenomed with A. crassicauda venom. After 4 h of each venom injection, these pregnant rats were administered a specific antivenom. The pregnant rats in groups were operated aseptically on the 21st day of pregnancy. Ovariohysterectomy was performed to remove the fetus with cotyledons. Fetal central nervous systems and cotyledons were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically. To demonstrate ROS-related damages, iNOS, 8-OHdG, 4HNE and RIPK3 were quantified and analysed statistically. As a result, expressions correspondingly to venom administration were increased in EG despite of a decrease in AVG. In conclusion, it was found that the antivenom administration regarding scorpion envenomations can diminish ROS-related-cotyledonary and neuronal damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen: Introducción y objetivos: El carcinoma colorrectal es la neoplasia maligna más frecuente del sistema digestivo. La patogenia del carcinoma colorrectal es compleja, en la que se encuentra la secuencia APC/β-catenina. Las metástasis a ganglios linfáticos son un indicador significativo para determinar el tratamiento y son factor pronóstico. La sobreexpresión de SOX9 se relaciona con cualidades oncogénicas y capacidad de metástasis. El objetivo fue analizar la inmunoexpresión de SOX9 en el carcinoma colorrectal primario y el estatus de metástasis a ganglios linfáticos. Material y métodos: Se dividieron 79 casos disponibles en los grupos con metástasis a ganglios linfáticos (n = 38) y sin metástasis a ganglios linfáticos (n = 41), en los que se evaluó la expresión de SOX9. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó el programa IBM SPSS Statistics 27 versión en español para obtener medidas de tendencia central, kappa, desviación estándar y las medidas no paramétricas de Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney y el coeficiente de asociación de Spearman, además de las pruebas de chi cuadrado y t de Student. La inmunoexpresión de SOX9 se evaluó mediante H-score con base en la media, y se consideró inmunoexpresión alta ≥ 145 y baja ≤ 144. Resultados: Se obtuvo una p = 0.73, la cual no fue significativa en la relación de SOX9 del carcinoma colorrectal primario con las metástasis a ganglios linfáticos. Conclusiones: La presencia o ausencia de metástasis a ganglios linfáticos es independiente de la inmunoexpresión de SOX9 en el carcinoma colorrectal primario. No obstante, por el número limitado de la población es necesario realizar más investigaciones. Abstract: Introduction and aims: Colorectal cancer is the most frequent malignant tumor of the digestive system. Its pathogeny is complex and involves the APC/β-catenin sequence. Lymph node metastases are a significant indicator for determining treatment and are a prognostic factor. SOX9 overexpression is related to oncogenic qualities and the capacity for metastasis. Our aim was to analyze SOX9 immunoexpression in primary colorectal cancer and lymph node metastasis status. Material and methods: Seventy-nine available cases were divided into the group with lymph node metastasis (n = 38) and the group without lymph node metastasis (n = 41), evaluating their SOX9 expression. The IBM SPSS version 27 program in Spanish was utilized to carry out the statistical analysis, obtaining measures of central tendency, the kappa index, standard deviation, Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney nonparametric measurements, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and chi-square test and Student's t test values. SOX9 immunoexpression was evaluated through the mean-based H-score, with high immunoexpression as a score ≥ 145 and low immunoexpression as a score ≤ 144. Results: A p = 0.73 was obtained that was not statistically significant, regarding the relation of SOX9 expression in primary colorectal cancer to lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: The absence or presence of lymph node metastasis was independent from SOX9 immunoexpression in primary colorectal cancer. However, due to the limited size of the population analyzed, further research is needed.

Oral cancer is a prevalent global health issue, with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Despite available preventive measures, it remains one of the most common cancers, emphasising the need for improved diagnostic and prognostic tools. This review focuses on oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs), precursors to oral cancer, specifically emphasising oral epithelial dysplasia (OED). The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides a three-tier grading system for OED, and recent updates have expanded the criteria to enhance diagnostic precision. In the prognostic evaluation of OED, histological grading is presently regarded as the gold standard; however, its subjectivity and unreliability in anticipating malignant transformation or recurrence pose notable limitations. The primary objective is to investigate whether specific immunohistochemical biomarkers can enhance OED grading assessment according to the WHO classification. Biomarkers exhibit significant potential for comprehensive cancer risk evaluation, early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment optimisation. Technological advancements, including sequencing and nanotechnology, have expanded detection capabilities. Some analysed biomarkers are most frequently chosen, such as p53, Ki-67, cadherins/catenins, and other proteins used to differentiate OED grades. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and discover new potential biomarkers for precise dysplasia grading and minimally invasive assessment of the risk of malignant transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Colorectal cancers have been extensively studied in recent years to understand their molecular abnormalities and their impact on treatment outcomes, as they continue to be a major global health burden. The Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) β-catenin pathway and the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPKs) pathway are the topic of extensive research in colorectal pathology. Need of the study: The mutation in B-type Rapidly Accelerated Fibrosarcoma (BRAF) kinase is known to be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of precancerous lesions to cancerous lesions. Precancerous lesions carry a high risk of developing Adenocarcinoma. Therefore, the expression of BRAF can serve as a useful predictive and prognostic biomarker for disease outcomes and establish correlations with other clinicopathological parameters. Aim: The present study aims to assess the immunoexpression of BRAF V600E in precancerous and cancerous lesions of the colorectum, as well as the relationship between BRAF expression, histological grading, and the Tumour, Lymph Nodes, and Metastasis (TNM) staging of colorectal cancers. Materials and Methods: This will be an ambispective observational study (both prospective and retrospective) conducted at the Department of Pathology, Rural Hospital, Wardha, Maharashtra, India, over a two-year period (Retrospective data: August 2021 to July 2022, Prospective data: August 2022 to July 2023). A total of 25 cases each of precancerous and cancerous colorectal lesions will be included. Immunohistochemical expression of BRAF V600E will be performed on tissue sections from each case, and scoring will be conducted. The relationship between BRAF expression and clinicopathological parameters (such as tumour site, tumour size, number of positive lymph nodes, and perineural invasion), histological grade, and TNM stage will be assessed. The results will be analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 27.0. The Chi-square test will be used to investigate the relationship and association between BRAF V600E expression and clinicopathological parameters. Furthermore, Pearson’s correlation coefficient method will be utilised to determine the correlation between two parameters. A significance level of 95% (p-value < 0.05) will be considered.

BACKGROUND: Cafeteria diet (CAF) is a succesful tool for establishing animal obesity model. This study purposed to show immunoexpression and oxidant-antioxidant status in the various organ tissues of Wistar rats fed CAF. METHODS: Two groups (six rats per group) of Wistar albino rats were fed CAF and standard chow (control) diets for eight weeks. After experimental procedure, the animals were sacrificed. Intestine, stomach, liver, kidney, spleen, heart, lung, and pancreas tissues were sent to Pathology Department and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor- κB (NF-κB) and cannabinoid receptor-1 (CB-1) immunoexpressions were assessed. Also, plasma liver function tests and lipid levels were measured total oxidant capacity (TOC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were evaluated in both plasma and liver tissue. RESULTS: The immunoexpressions of NF-κB, iNOS and CB-1 were higher in the experiment group for all tissues. TOC was significantly higher in the experiment group, for both plasma and liver tissue (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02). TAC was higher in the experiment group's plasma measurement (p = 0.02), while there was no difference in the liver tissue between experiment and control groups (p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: CAF-induced obesity may be related to increased immunoexpression and oxidative damage in the various organs. Systemic problems should be considered and these phenomenon should be studied more comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Etlik Veteriner Mikrobiyoloji Dergisi is the property of Veteriner Kontrol Merkez Arastirma Enstitusu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Colorectal cancers have been extensively studied in recent years to understand their molecular abnormalities and their impact on treatment outcomes, as they continue to be a major global health burden. The Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) ß-catenin pathway and the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPKs) pathway are the topic of extensive research in colorectal pathology. Need of the study: The mutation in B-type Rapidly Accelerated Fibrosarcoma (BRAF) kinase is known to be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of precancerous lesions to cancerous lesions. Precancerous lesions carry a high risk of developing Adenocarcinoma. Therefore, the expression of BRAF can serve as a useful predictive and prognostic biomarker for disease outcomes and establish correlations with other clinicopathological parameters. Aim: The present study aims to assess the immunoexpression of BRAF V600E in precancerous and cancerous lesions of the colorectum, as well as the relationship between BRAF expression, histological grading, and the Tumour, Lymph Nodes, and Metastasis (TNM) staging of colorectal cancers. Materials and Methods: This will be an ambispective observational study (both prospective and retrospective) conducted at the Department of Pathology, Rural Hospital, Wardha, Maharashtra, India, over a two-year period (Retrospective data: August 2021 to July 2022, Prospective data: August 2022 to July 2023). A total of 25 cases each of precancerous and cancerous colorectal lesions will be included. Immunohistochemical expression of BRAF V600E will be performed on tissue sections from each case, and scoring will be conducted. The relationship between BRAF expression and clinicopathological parameters (such as tumour site, tumour size, number of positive lymph nodes, and perineural invasion), histological grade, and TNM stage will be assessed. The results will be analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 27.0. The Chi-square test will be used to investigate the relationship and association between BRAF V600E expression and clinicopathological parameters. Furthermore, Pearson's correlation coefficient method will be utilised to determine the correlation between two parameters. A significance level of 95% (p-value < 0.05) will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly Involuting Congenital Hemangioma (RICH) is a type of benign tumor that reaches maximum growth at birth and then undergoes involution in the first year after birth. One of the enzymes associated with tumor development and has been acknowledged for its association with the development of several types of cancer is the human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT). This study aimed to analyze the level of hTERT immunoexpression in RICH patients. The study was conducted on 10 paraffin blocks of RICH patients who were treated at Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia. Samples that were embedded in representative paraffin blocks were stained by using the immunohistochemical staining technique (IHC) with anti-hTERT antibodies. All data were collected and analyzed qualitatively. The analysis showed that five samples (50%) of RICH patients showed strong hTERT immunoexpression, three samples (30%) of RICH patients showed moderate hTERT immunoexpression, and two samples (20%) of RICH patients showed weak hTERT immunoexpression. The study concludes that hTERT Immunoexpression detected in RICH patient samples showed very strong of immunoexpression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral cancer is a prevalent global health issue, with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Despite available preventive measures, it remains one of the most common cancers, emphasising the need for improved diagnostic and prognostic tools. This review focuses on oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs), precursors to oral cancer, specifically emphasising oral epithelial dysplasia (OED). The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides a three-tier grading system for OED, and recent updates have expanded the criteria to enhance diagnostic precision. In the prognostic evaluation of OED, histological grading is presently regarded as the gold standard; however, its subjectivity and unreliability in anticipating malignant transformation or recurrence pose notable limitations. The primary objective is to investigate whether specific immunohistochemical biomarkers can enhance OED grading assessment according to the WHO classification. Biomarkers exhibit significant potential for comprehensive cancer risk evaluation, early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment optimisation. Technological advancements, including sequencing and nanotechnology, have expanded detection capabilities. Some analysed biomarkers are most frequently chosen, such as p53, Ki-67, cadherins/catenins, and other proteins used to differentiate OED grades. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and discover new potential biomarkers for precise dysplasia grading and minimally invasive assessment of the risk of malignant transformation.

The most common malignancy of the head and neck region is “oral squamous cell carcinoma” (OSCC) because of its low survival rate and the increasing incidence in some geographic areas. The process of invasion and metastasis, which is noted in most cancers, requires loss of cell-to-cell attachment. It is therefore important to identify a marker that would help in the identification of lesions that would acquire the ability to transform into OSCC. Cell-to-cell adhesion and cell motility are monitored by E-cadherin; its loss is associated with OSCC progression. Early detection, proper analysis, and correct handling of oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) are beneficial to preventing its malignant progression. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to identify the expression and determine the role of E-cadherin in OPMD and OSCC.

The most common malignancy of the head and neck region is “oral squamous cell carcinoma” (OSCC) because of its low survival rate and the increasing incidence in some geographic areas. The process of invasion and metastasis, which is noted in most cancers, requires loss of cell-to-cell attachment. It is therefore important to identify a marker that would help in the identification of lesions that would acquire the ability to transform into OSCC. Cell-to-cell adhesion and cell motility are monitored by E-cadherin; its loss is associated with OSCC progression. Early detection, proper analysis, and correct handling of oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) are beneficial to preventing its malignant progression. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to identify the expression and determine the role of E-cadherin in OPMD and OSCC.

Background: p53 tumour suppressor gene limits unchecked cellular growth in response to DNA damage, by causing G1 arrest and the activation of apoptosis. Inhibitors of apoptosis include survivin which acts by inhibition of caspases. Survivin has a significant role as a cell cycle modulator and is only minimally present in mature tissues. Aberrant expression of p53 and survivin has been evaluated in various carcinomas. Thus, the objective of this research was to elucidate the co-expression of p53 and survivin in tissue samples of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMDs) and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCCs). Method: Thirty tissue samples of OPMDs and 30 tissue samples of OSCCs taken from department archives were used in the study. Expression of p53 and survivin was analyzed in the study groups by the help of immunohistochemistry. Also, co-expression of both the markers was evaluated. Results: The expression of p53 and survivin in the oral epithelium of patients with OSCCs was significantly higher than that in patients with OPMDs (P value ≤0.05). Conclusion: Our results provide insights into the altered survivin and p53 co-expression with significant immunoexpression within the study groups. Therefore, survivin and p53 could be better markers for identifying cell proliferation and apoptotic pathway. Also, malignant transformation rate of OPMD increases with increased expression of these markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy production by cancer is driven by accelerated glycolysis, independently of oxygen levels, which results in increased lactate production. Lactate is shuttled to and from cancer cells via monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). MCT1 works both as an importer and an extruder of lactate, being widely studied in recent years and generally associated with a cancer aggressiveness phenotype. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the prognostic value of MCT1 immunoexpression in different malignancies. Study collection was performed by searching nine different databases (PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, OVID, TRIP and PsycINFO), using the keywords "cancer", "Monocarboxylate transporter 1", "SLC16A1" and "prognosis". Results showed that MCT1 is an indicator of poor prognosis and decreased survival for cancer patients in sixteen types of malignancies; associations between the transporter's overexpression and larger tumour sizes, higher disease stage/grade and metastasis occurrence were also frequently observed. Yet, MCT1 overexpression correlated with better outcomes in colorectal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer patients. These results support the applicability of MCT1 as a biomarker of prognosis, although larger cohorts would be necessary to validate the overall role of MCT1 as an outcome predictor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common form of carcinoma in cattle. Histopathological grading systems have been utilized over several decades for estimating the malignancy of cattle SCCs. This study aimed to detect p53 and Mdm2 expression in different SCC cases in cattle and correlate their expression with the SCC histopathological grading. Materials and Methods: Cattle SCC cases were collected at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Nineveh. The SCC grading system categorized the cases histologically based on their differentiation grade into three groups: Well, moderately, and poorly differentiated. The SCC cases were subsequently verified for p53 and Mdm2 immunoexpression. Results: Fourteen of 16 examined cattle SCC samples tested positive for p53 expression. Moreover, 15 out of the 16 SCC samples tested positive for Mdm2 expression. The increased immunoreactivity of both p53 and Mdm2 was associated with a poor histological grading of the cattle SCC. There is a positive correlation between the nuclear expression of p53 and Mdm2, and the degree of differentiation and the number of mitotic figures in the examined cattle SCC samples. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate an increased p53 and Mdm2 expression in cattle SCC cases characterized by poor histopathological grading, thus suggesting an essential role of these molecules in the development of moderately and poorly differentiated SCC in cattle.

To determine the possible role ofmatrixmetallopeptidase (MMP)-8 andMMP-9 in the development of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH), we investigated their expression in CSDH. In our previous study, we analyzed hematoma fluid and peripheral blood of 83 patients with CSDH, including 17 postoperative patients. Based on these results, we included 50 people in the normal group and analyzed 20 markers in the peripheral blood of each person. In order to identify representative markers, it was assessed by using overall differential gene expression. The concentration of MMP-8 was significantly higher in the normal group than that in the preoperative and postoperative groups. The concentration of MMP-9 was significantly lower in the normal group than in both preoperative and postoperative groups. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 in CSDH membranes. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 in CSDH. In addition, the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 suggests angiogenesis in CSDH formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common form of carcinoma in cattle. Histopathological grading systems have been utilized over several decades for estimating the malignancy of cattle SCCs. This study aimed to detect p53 and Mdm2 expression in different SCC cases in cattle and correlate their expression with the SCC histopathological grading. Materials and Methods: Cattle SCC cases were collected at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Nineveh. The SCC grading system categorized the cases histologically based on their differentiation grade into three groups: Well, moderately, and poorly differentiated. The SCC cases were subsequently verified for p53 and Mdm2 immunoexpression. Results: Fourteen of 16 examined cattle SCC samples tested positive for p53 expression. Moreover, 15 out of the 16 SCC samples tested positive for Mdm2 expression. The increased immunoreactivity of both p53 and Mdm2 was associated with a poor histological grading of the cattle SCC. There is a positive correlation between the nuclear expression of p53 and Mdm2, and the degree of differentiation and the number of mitotic figures in the examined cattle SCC samples. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate an increased p53 and Mdm2 expression in cattle SCC cases characterized by poor histopathological grading, thus suggesting an essential role of these molecules in the development of moderately and poorly differentiated SCC in cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista ADM is the property of Asociacion Dental Mexicana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and objective: Colorectal carcinoma is one of the commonest cancers and the second leading cause of cancer death in Europe and North America. Despite the improved surgeries and adjuvant therapies, the prognosis of colorectal cancer remains poor, and the survival rate is unsatisfactory. Overexpression of HER2 gene has been noticed in many human cancers, and it is associated with poor prognosis. This study aimed to detect the frequency of the HER2/neu immunoexpression in colorectal carcinoma and investigate its association with the clinicopathological parameters. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out in Rizgary teaching hospital and private laboratories in Erbil city for the period from January 2014 - December 2017. A total of 103 formalin fixed, paraffin embedded, archival tissue blocks of colectomy samples of colorectal carcinoma cases were collected. Immunostaining was done in a private laboratory (Vin Lab) in Dohuk city. Scoring of the HER2/neu immunostaining was managed according to published criteria for breast carcinoma. Results: Fifty-five cases (53.4%) were labeled as positive for HER2/neuimmunoexpression. While 48 (46.6%) of the cases were labeled as negative. HER2/neu status was significantly associated with the tumor grade (P = 0.02), while no significant association was found between HER2/neu expression and other clinicopathological parameters. Conclusion: HER2/neu immunoexpression was observed in 53.4% of the cases of colorectal carcinoma, and it was significantly associated with tumor grade.

Objectives This study investigated the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of the powdered seeds of Ajwa Al-Madina in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. Besides investigating the possible underlying mechanisms. Methods Rats were assigned to one of six groups (n = 5) as follows: normal control, vehicle control, Ajwa seeds control, diabetic control, Diabetic + Metformin, and Diabetic + Ajwa seeds. Metformin and Ajwa seeds were injected into rats orally via oral gavage 6 days/week along 4 weeks period. Results Ajwa seeds decreased fasting serum glucose, increased fasting serum insulin and decreased fasting serum triglycerides cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and increased fasting serum high-density lipoprotein. Besides, it upregulated insulin protein immunoexpression in the beta cells of Langerhans islets. Ajwa seed also preserved the normal histological structure of the pancreatic beta cells tissue. Conclusion Ajwa seeds produced significant hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in diabetic rats mainly through enhancement of insulin secretion. The plant is a promising adjunctive therapy in diabetes mellitus treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the immunoexpression of biomarkers interleukin (IL)-17, IL-6, and IL-1β in primary chronic apical periodontitis in smokers and nonsmokers. Teeth with primary chronic apical periodontitis indicated for extraction in 16 cigarette smokers and 16 nonsmokers were selected. Silanized sections of tissue were used for immunohistochemical analysis after being stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histopathologic categorization. Subsequently, the images were analyzed with an optical microscope, and each slide was subdivided into 5 high-magnification fields, with scores (0–2) being assigned according to the amount of staining for each antibody. The qualitative analysis of IL-17 cytokine expression showed no focal expression in 5.8%, weak to moderate expression in 17.6%, and strong expression in 76.4% of the smokers and no focal expression in 78.5% and weak to moderate expression in 21.4% of the nonsmokers. IL-6 expression was negative to focal in 13.3%, weak to moderate in 53.3%, and strong in 33.3% of the smokers and negative to focal in 33.3%, weak to moderate in 25%, and strong in 41.6% of the nonsmokers. IL-1β expression was weak to moderate in 87.5% and negative to focal expression in 12.5% of the smokers and negative to focal expression in 100% of the nonsmokers. Quantitative evaluation of the data using the Mann-Whitney U test showed a significant difference in the immunoexpression of IL-17 (P <.0001) and IL-1β (P <.0001) and no significant difference in the immunoexpression of IL-6 (P =.46) between the 2 groups (P <.05). The cytokines IL-17 and IL-1β were more highly expressed in smokers than nonsmokers, whereas IL-6 expression was similar in the 2 groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: Colorectal cancer is the most frequent malignant tumor of the digestive system. Its pathogeny is complex and involves the APC/β-catenin sequence. Lymph node metastases are a significant indicator for determining treatment and are a prognostic factor. SOX9 overexpression is related to oncogenic qualities and the capacity for metastasis. Our aim was to analyze SOX9 immunoexpression in primary colorectal cancer and lymph node metastasis status., Material and Methods: Seventy-nine available cases were divided into the group with lymph node metastasis (n=38) and the group without lymph node metastasis (n=41), evaluating their SOX9 expression. The IBM SPSS version 27 program in Spanish was utilized to carry out the statistical analysis, obtaining measures of central tendency, the kappa index, standard deviation, Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney nonparametric measurements, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and chi-square test and Student's t test values. SOX9 immunoexpression was evaluated through the mean-based H-score, with high immunoexpression as a score ≥145 and low immunoexpression as a score ≤144., Results: A p=0.73 was obtained that was not statistically significant, regarding the relation of SOX9 expression in primary colorectal cancer to lymph node metastasis., Conclusions: The absence or presence of lymph node metastasis was independent from SOX9 immunoexpression in primary colorectal cancer. However, due to the limited size of the population analyzed, further research is needed., (Copyright © 2024 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Background: Glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) is a GLUT protein whose expression is upregulated in malignant cells where enhanced uptake of glucose is observed. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of GLUT-1 protein in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissue sections using immunohistochemistry and to describe the relationship between increased metabolic status and the grades of OSCC. Materials and Methods: This is cross-sectional study with 76 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of OSCC, obtained from the archives of the department. All the cases were scored using Bryne's grading system by three oral pathologists independently. The tissue sections were then stained using immunohistochemistry with anti-GLUT-1 rabbit monoclonal antibody. Results: Staining intensity and localization of positively stained slides were evaluated. Overall, a significant correlation between Bryne's histopathological grading system for OSCC and GLUT-1 immunohistochemical expression was observed. Thus, high GLUT-1 expressions are observed with increasing grades of OSCC. Conclusion: This study shows that a significant positive correlation exists between GLUT-1 immunoexpression and histological grading of OSCC. Thus, GLUT-1 expression can be used as a diagnostic adjunct and prognostic marker for OSCC patients.

Background: In recent years, p53 has emerged as an important tool for not only diagnosis and predicting prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of this study was to find the role of p53 staining intensity in determining prognosis. Materials and Methods: Fifty histopathologically proven cases of squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck were studied. The findings of the study were analyzed particularly in reference to p53 expression and their correlation with age, sex, anatomical site, tumor size, histological grading, vascular, peri-neural, muscle invasion, lymph node metastasis and staining intensity.Results: Immunopositivity rate of p53 was 64% with percentage positive cells varying from 5-76% with mild, moderate and strong staining intensity. A positive correlation of p53 independently was seen with oral cavity, grade, lymph node metastasis and pathological staging.Conclusion: p53 immunoexpression is an important independent variable of prognostication.

Objective: Colorectal cancer, ranking second in global cancer mortality following lung cancer, arises from diverse causes. While the genetic aspects of colorectal cancer (CRC) have been extensively explored, there is growing recognition of the substantial involvement of epigenetic modifications of histones at the DNA level in various malignant diseases, including CRC. This research sought to evaluate the immunoexpression of HDAC-1 and 3 in a cohort of colorectal cancer patients. Additionally, we investigated potential associations between the expression of HDAC-1,3 and p53. Methods: The retrospective analysis encompassed 95 paraffin-embedded tissue samples from CRC cases, involving participants aged 22 to 79 years, including 60 males and 35 females. Results: Notably, the expression of the p53 protein exhibited a remarkable correlation with the protein expression of both HDAC1 (p < 0.001, rho = 0.522) and HDAC3 (p < 0.001, rho = 0.411), as well as the advanced TNM staging of the patients (p = 0.002, rho = 0.313). Downregulated p53 was correlated with underexpressed HDAC1& HDAC3. Nevertheless, the observed expression of p53 exhibited a negative but significant correlation with the ages of the patients. Conclusion: The outcomes of this research highlight the diagnostic and prognostic importance of protein 53 in CRC. Our data in respect with the expression of HDACs-P53 correlation could pave the way to hypothesize a possible mechanism of action between the expression of HDACs and 53, highlighting the need for broader studies on Whole Transcriptome Sequencing level to thoroughly illustrate the pattern of interplay between p53 and HDACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aims Torsion of the spermatic cord is a common urologic emergency and can lead to testicular necrosis and infertility. Diacerein (DIA) is interleukin-1b (IL-1b) blocker which has a protective role against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion, however, to-date this role has not been investigated in testicular ischemia- reperfusion (TIR). We aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of action of DIA in induced TIR. Main methods DIA (50 mg/kg) was administered i.m (intramuscular) to rats in the presence or absence of TIR. Testicular weight changes and serum testosterone and total cholesterol levels were evaluated. In addition; the level of testicular tissue reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), total nitrites (NOx) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. Histopathology and interleukin1b (IL-1b) immunoexpression were evaluated. Key findings TIR manifested by significant decrease in testicular weight, serum testosterone and testicular tissue GSH levels and SOD activity as well as increase in serum total cholesterol, testicular MDA and NOx levels. TIR showed the histopathological changes of marked testicular damage with increase in IL-1b immunoexpression. DIA was able to normalize both testicular weight, serum testosterone and cholesterol levels with attenuation of oxidative stress parameters along with amelioration of histopathological changes and IL-1 b immunostaining induced by TIR. Significance DIA has a protective effect against TIR induced injury in rats mediated by its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Compare and correlate immunoexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD105 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and correlate its expression with the prognosis of the patient. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on total of 49 cases of OSCC. Detailed demographic and clinical data were obtained, and tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to grade the tumor. Later each case was subjected for immunohistochemical analysis of CD105 and VEGF. Results: All the cases showed positivity for both CD105 and VEGF but high expression was noted with CD105 compared to VEGF. Average microvascular density for CD105 was higher (69.5) in moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (MDSCC) when compared to well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (WDSCC) (52.16). When expression of CD105 and VEGF was compared in WDSCC and MDSCC, it was statistically insignificant. However when expression of CD105 and VEGF was compared with survival of the patient, survival rate was <2 years in CD105 and was statistically significant, but VEGF did not show any significant difference with survival rate. Conclusion: CD105 immunoexpression in OSCC predicts a poor outcome than VEGF. So it can be postulated that endoglin may have a particular role in the development of cancer and might be relatively more specific than commonly used endothelial markers for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDBC) stage IIIB need multimodality treatment. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) is given to reduce the size and stage of tumor so that surgery can be performed. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens generally used was fluorouracil, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (FAC). FAC chemotherapy works by damaging deoxyribonucleic acid and induce apoptosis of cancer cells. Abnormalities of proteins or genes associated with apoptosis (p53) is believed to affect the chemotherapy response. This study was purpose to determine correlation between immunoexpression of p53 and response of neoadjuvant FAC chemotherapy in invasive ductal breast carcinoma. The study was a cross sectional analytic study of 40 IDBC cases given FAC NC at Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital Bandung between March 2008–February 2009. Response of FAC NC judged on the size of tumor mass following administration of FAC. Haematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemistry stain using a mouse monoclonal antibody to p53 protein (Novocastra) was made from paraffin blocks of patients, then determined the immunoexpression levels of p53. Somers’d and Gamma statistical were used to test the correlation between variables. The p-value 75%, 14 cases p53 10–75%, 7 cases p53

Uterine leiomyomas in miniature pet pigs occur similarly to those in women with regard to frequency, age, parity, and cycling. Clinical signs, gross, and histologic features of the porcine tumors closely resemble uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) in women. Although fibroids are hormonally responsive in women, the roles of estrogen and progesterone have not been fully elucidated. In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of the steroid hormone receptors, estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α), estrogen receptor beta (ER-β) and progesterone receptor (PR), and cell proliferation markers, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 in tumor and matched myometrial tissues sampled from miniature pigs. A “quickscore” method was used to determine receptor expression and labeling indices were calculated for the markers. ER-α/β and PR were localized to the nuclei of smooth muscle cells in both tissues. PR expression was intense and diffuse throughout all tissues, with correlation between tumors and matched myometria. Conversely, ER-α expression was variable between the myometrial and tumor tissues, as well as between animals. ER-β expression was low. PCNA and Ki-67 were localized to the nucleus and expression varied among tumors; however, normal tissues were overall negative. These findings support further investigation into the use of the miniature pig as a model of fibroids in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immunoexpression of human placental lactogen (hPL) in mammary epithelium is not well studied in the literature. Our overall objective was to delineate the distribution pattern of hPL across mammary epithelia of varying levels of differentiation. This is the first research to study the level of expression of hPL in human lactational change epithelium. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for hPL was performed on archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 97 cases. These consisted of 53 invasive ductal carcinomas, 21 lactational change cases, and 23 cases of normal mammary tissue. The results of this study show underexpression of hPL in malignant epithelium compared to normal and lactational groups individually and combined as a non-malignant group. However, a higher expression of hPL was noted in mammary carcinoma of axillary lymph node (ALN)-positive patients compared to ALN-negative cases. There was no statistically significant difference between hPL expression and tumor grade, estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. The comparison of the immunoexpression of hPL in malignant epithelium versus lactational change epithelium may provide the basis for future studies on the possible role of hPL in the protective mechanism of lactation tissue from carcinogenesis. Our results could be explained by the proposed mechanism in the literature, which is that breast cancer cells have a potential inhibitory effect on the translation of human chorionic somatotropin hormone (CSH) mRNA into hPL protein. Our results support the literature findings of a poorer prognostic outcome for breast malignancies when hPL is expressed but require further studies using a more comprehensive range of clinical parameters., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Alyusuf et al.)

Background Currently, the evaluation of biomarkers HER-2 and ER is critical for targeting therapy for breast cancer and is performed by experienced pathologists, which takes time and causes a certain interobserver variability. The use of histological slide scanners coupled with the application of software for immunoexpression quantification can be profitable in pathological laboratories routine. This study aims to compare the quantification of HER-2 and ER immunoexpression employing automatic algorithms, using as standard the evaluation performed by a pathologist. Methods From the archive since 2016 to 2018 were retrieved 75 immunostained slides for HER-2 and 76 immunostained slides for ER with invasive breast carcinoma diagnosis. The slides were scanned in Aperio CS2 and the immunostaining signal was quantified in Aperio Imagescope using a membrane and nuclear algorithm, respectively. The concordance between the scores obtained and the previous assessment was calculated by Cohen's Kappa coefficient as well as the sensitivity and specificity for each algorithm. Results Both algorithms showed an almost perfect concordance with the conventional method (k = 0.94 for HER-2; k = 0.92 for ER). Digital evaluations presented a sensitivity of 100% for both biomarkers, and a specificity of 100% for HER-2 and 80% for ER. Conclusions This assay showed that applying signal quantification software for HER-2 and ER in digitized slides is accurate, as these tools have potential to be implemented in laboratory routine. However, it will be necessary to increase the sample to obtain more reliable values and extend this study to the PR and Ki67 biomarkers since both carry prognostic and predictive information as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urothelial carcinoma (UC) has histological subtypes whose phenotype reflects their molecular diversity, behavior and response to conventional therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved the management of UC by evaluation of PD-L1. In the case of PD-L1 22C3, the initiation of ICI is considered from a combined positive score (CPS) greater than 10. However, UC subtypes with absent PD-L1 22C3 expression in cases with CPS>10 may not respond to these treatments. This study aims to establish a correlation between the PD-L1 immunoexpression and molecular alterations in divergent differentiation and histological subtypes of UC (UC-s)., Material and Methods: Twenty-six samples of UC were detected from a total of 24 patients. Two pathologists performed separately an assessment of UC-s on hematoxylin-eosin as well as PD-L1 expression. Molecular study of each case was performed by next generation sequencing (NGS). A descriptive analysis of the variables included was conducted., Results: Nine cases (34.61%) showed a CPS>10, some with negative PD-L1 immunoexpression in aggressive UC-s. The molecular study revealed alterations in genes belonging to the p53/cell cycle control, RAS, and DNA repair pathways, among others. None of the alterations were exclusive to any histological subtype., Discussion: Special attention should be paid to CPS>10 cases that include histological subtypes of UC with divergent expression for PD-L1 as they may not respond to treatment with ICI. We recommend examining the proportion and PD-L1 status of each subtype, especially if it has aggressive behavior., (Copyright © 2022 Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

In Egypt colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the most common type of malignancy of the digestive system. Selectively inhibiting neoangiogenesis by targeting tumor-associated blood vessels is an important therapeutic strategy. Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is expressed in the tumor-associated neovasculature of most solid cancers making it an interesting therapeutic target. We thought to study the expression of PSMA in a series of CRCs in order to test for its possible use as a target for antiangiogenic cancer therapy in Egyptian patients. One hundred CRC cases were retrieved. Representative sections from each tumor were subjected to immunohistochemistry using PSMA antibodies and CD31 antibodies as reference marker. Accordingly vascular endothelial cell immunoreactivity was semiquantitatively scored. PSMA immunostaining was positive in the neovasculature of 75% of tumors. A statistically significant relation was found between PSMA immunostaining and distant metastasis as well as vascular invasion. The present findings strengthen the evidence on the potential usefulness of PSMA as a therapeutic vascular target. This study is the first to demonstrate a positive relation between PSMA expression in CRC and distant metastasis as well vascular invasion, suggesting that PSMA may play a significant role in vascular invasion and subsequent metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Galectin-3 a member of the galectin family is an endogenous β-galactoside binding lectin. It has been found to be associated with cell adhesion, recognition, proliferation, differentiation, immunomodulation, angiogenesis, apoptosis and can be a reliable marker for cancer aggressiveness. The aim of this study was to verify protein expression in gastric adenocarcinoma tissues and correlate the results with the clinical aspects in the study population. Methods: Galectin-3 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in 57 samples of gastric adenocarcinomas tissues. Galectin-3 protein expression was observed in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of examined tissues. Results: Thirty one (54.4%) samples had strong or moderate staining and 26 (45.6%) tumours had negative or weak staining. The galectin-3 did not show association with the sex (p=0.347), age (p=0.999), Lauren's classification (p=0.731) and TNM stage (p=0.222). Regarding the TNM stage, 66.7 per cent of stage I tumours had strong or moderate staining; with tumours stage IV this percentage was 33.3 per cent. Interpretation & conclusion: Our results suggest that gal-3 is not a reliable biomarker for prognosis of the gastric adenocarcinoma by immunohistochemistry. Further studies need to be done on a large sample of tumour tissues in different clinical staging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma are lesions with a generally favorable prognosis, although there are patients with risk of recurrence and metastasis. In this study we analyzed 43 thyroid carcinomas referring to Twist expression in relation to clinicopathological parameters. The immunoreaction was identified in 79% of cases, the expression of twist being low or high, with no differences in relation to the tumors type or subtype. Twist immunoexpression differ depending on tumor stage and presence of metastases, the immunostain being significantly higher in invasive tumors to adjacent structures and in cases of tumors with metastasized. In differentiated thyroid carcinomas overexpression of Twist is associated with an invasive and metastatic immunophenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the possible role of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-8 and MMP-9 in the development of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH), we investigated their expression in CSDH. In our previous study, we analyzed hematoma fluid and peripheral blood of 83 patients with CSDH, including 17 postoperative patients. Based on these results, we included 50 people in the normal group and analyzed 20 markers in the peripheral blood of each person. In order to identify representative markers, it was assessed by using overall differential gene expression. The concentration of MMP-8 was significantly higher in the normal group than that in the preoperative and postoperative groups. The concentration of MMP-9 was significantly lower in the normal group than in both preoperative and postoperative groups. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 in CSDH membranes. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 in CSDH. In addition, the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 suggests angiogenesis in CSDH formation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Su, Zhang, Wu, Deng, Wu, Zhang and Huang.)

Abstract: Objectives: Pair-Box 8 (PAX8) is a transcription factor which has been found to be overexpressed in ovarian serous carcinoma (OSC). Silencing PAX8 by using shRNA led to a drop in cell viability in ovarian cancer cell lines, suggesting its use as a targeted therapeutic agent. The prognostic value of PAX8 in OSC is still widely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate PAX8 as a prognostic biomarker in patients with advanced stage OSC. Methods: PAX8 was evaluated using immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray of 148 OSC and the expression was correlated to the following clinico-pathologic variables; age of diagnosis, tumor stage, optimal debulking, recurrence free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: We found that PAX8 was expressed in 61% of cases. There was no association between PAX8 and tumor stage, optimal debulking and disease recurrence. In addition, PAX8 failed to have a predictive value in disease outcome. Conclusion: Despite showing that PAX8 protein is not a useful predictive marker in patients with high grade, advanced stage OSC, its overexpression in a large number of these cases makes the inhibition of PAX8 a very attractive targeted therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Several studies have shown the participation of MMPs in oral squamous cell carcinoma, the most frequent malignant neoplasm of the oral cavity. The expression of some MMPs correlates with a more aggressive biological behaviour. The objective of this study was to determine which MMPs and TIMPs were expressed in both neoplastic and peritumoural stromal cells in different histopathology areas. Methods: Patients who underwent primary tumour neck dissection for oral squamous cell carcinoma were included. Immunoexpression of MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, -9, -11, -13, and TIMP-1 and -2 in different areas of pathologic specimens ( in situ carcinoma, primary tumour, invasive front, distant invasion carcinoma, and lymph node metastasis) was evaluated. Enzyme expression on mucosa adjacent to tumour served as control. Results: Thirty cases were included. Only 6 MMPs and 1 TIMP were expressed in the studied areas. Statistically significant differences in the number of cases with positive MMPs or TIMP expression, in both neoplastic and peritumoural cells, between control and the rest of the areas were observed. MMP-2 expression was constant in the areas with a more aggressive biological behaviour. Conclusions: MMP-2 expression may represent a dynamic interaction between host and tumour that favours the establishment of neoplastic cells at distant sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The prostate cancer is difficult to predict, and treatment failure is associated with local infiltration, as well as distant metastases. Adhesion and migration abilities to of cancer cells play a major role in formation of metastasis. The participation of β-catenin in pathogenesis of many types of cancer and benign processes has been an important discovery of recent years. Material and methods. The studied material was obtained by transrectal, sextant core biopsy from 102 patients hospitalized in Department of Urology, Regional Hospital in Kalisz (2001-2004). The aim of our study was to determine the predictive value of β-catenin immunoexpression in prostate cancer, to analyze the prognostic aspect of some histopathological features and finally to assess the relationship between β-catenin immunoreactivity and the microscopic image of the tumor. Relationships between the investigated variables were analyzed using the Chi² test of compatibility. We used the Kaplan-Meier curves to assess survival differences between groups of patients. Finally we established which of the studied factors significantly affect the patient outcome, using the method of Cox proportional hazard regression. Results. In prostate cancer in comparison with the normal epithelium, both the location and the strength of β-catenin immunoexpression are impaired. Conclusions. Our results indicate that the presence of disorders in β-catenin immunoexpression in prostate cancer cells indicates a high risk of death due to tumor progression and makes it imperative for immediate treatment procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) increases the survival rates significantly, but it also increases morbidity. Molecular markers may help on prognosis evaluation and treatment choice. Aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the imunoexpression of p53 and Ki-67 in rectal cancer tissue after CRT treatment. Patients and Methods: Stage II or III rectal cancer patients were evaluated and treated with RT and 5-FU preoperatively (neoadjuvant treatment, NG) or after surgical resection of the cancer (adjuvant treatment, AG). Results: Thirty-one patients were enrolled in the NG and 30 in the AG; 63.95% were between 50 and 70 years, 50.8% were male, and 53% were in stage III. Of the tumors, 64.5% of the NG and 63.34% of the AG had not overexpressed p53 ( p = 0.865) and 9.67% of NG and 33.33% of the AG tumors had a high proliferative index (HPI) of Ki67, p = 0.052. We have not found any difference among metastasis development in the groups ( p = 0.708). After 5 years, patients with low proliferative index (LPI) of Ki67 tumors had the best survival rate ( p = 0.041). Patients with positive or negative p53 tumors had similar survival ( p = 0.35). Patients with HPI of Ki67 had an increased marginal risk for death ( p = 0.069). Conclusion: The rate of tumors that overexpressed p53 was similar in both groups. Patients with p53 positive tumors survived as long as those with p53 negative. Patients treated with chemoradiotherapy before surgical resection, expressed Ki67 in a small percentage. Rectal cancer patients with LPI of Ki67 had the best prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past few decades, researchers have been looking for parameters with an impact on the prognosis of patients with astrocytic tumors. p53 is one of the most widely investigated molecules in human gliomas. We aimed to comprehensively review the evidence for the prognostic usefulness of p53 immunohistochemical expression in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from diffusely infiltrating astrocytomas. We conducted a systematic review of the PubMed database through December 2007 to identify cohort studies that evaluated p53 immunohistochemical expression as a prognostic marker for human astrocytomas. Estimates of significance were extracted from association tests and hazard ratios with 95% CI from actuarial curves and Cox regression analyses. A meta-analysis was performed on the studies that applied Cox models and had adjusted the hazard ratio of p53 expression with tumor grade and patients' age. We reviewed 44 publications (including 3,627 patients), 14 of which included the estimates (HR and 95% CI) derived from Cox regression. Descriptive analysis showed that most of the published articles did not contain information on important variables such as sex and age (missing from 25% and 11% of studies, respectively), previous treatment, tissue-retrieval and follow-up period (56%). The quantitative synthesis showed that p53 expression is not a significant prognostic factor (combined HR = 1.034, P = 0.531). There was no significant between-study heterogeneity and publication bias. A second meta-analysis performed only on glioblastomas showed that the overall risk of mortality in these tumors was −0.123 (−0.346 to 0.100) and was not statistically significant. After almost 20 years of research, published evidence does not substantiate the usefulness of p53 immunohistochemical expression as a prognostic marker in patients with astrocytic neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the role of D-type cyclins in both superficial (Ta–T1) and muscle-invasive (T2–T4) urothelial carcinomas (UCs), investigating their potential prognostic usefulness. Paraffin-embedded tissues from 157 patients with bladder UC were immunostained for cyclins D1, D2 and D3. Cyclin D1 expression positively correlated with D2 and negatively with D3. Cyclin D1 expression decreased with increasing grade ( P = 0.0001) and tumour T-category in the entire cohort and in muscle-invasive carcinomas ( P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0033). Cyclin D2 correlated with grade ( P = 0.0005) and T-category ( P = 0.0078), a relationship which remained significant in muscle-invasive ( P = 0.0135). Cyclin D3 immunoreactivity increased with histologic grade and T-category in the entire cohort ( P = 0.0001 in both relationships), in superficial ( P = 0.0034) and in muscle-invasive carcinomas ( P = 0.0036, respectively). Survival analysis in superficial tumours showed that higher cyclin D1 ( P = 0.0001) and higher cyclin D3 levels ( P = 0.0032) were correlated with a lesser probability of survival. In muscle-invasive tumours, lower cyclin D1 ( P = 0.0234), and D2 ( P = 0.0424) and higher cyclin D3 ( P = 0.0322) correlated with shortened survival. In multivariate analysis in superficial tumours only cyclin D3 expression remained significant. Cyclin D3 expression also retained its adverse significance in muscle-invasive tumours. Cyclin D1 overexpression seems to be more important during early T-categories of bladder carcinogenesis, whereas cyclin D3 is implicated in the acquisition of a more aggressive phenotype. Cyclin D3 overexpression emerges as an independent adverse prognostic marker in both superficial and muscle-invasive tumours. Cyclin D1 is an independent indicator of shortened survival only in muscle-invasive tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a report that assesses O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expression in a series of patients with regrowing nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA). The effectiveness of temozolomide (TMZ) in patients with progressive, regrowing tumors and a tumor-free patients is evaluated. The findings offer a rational for TMZ use as an alternative treatment approach for patients with regrowing NFPAs exhibiting low MGMT expression.

Aims: To determine prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression in normal tissues and in 3161 benign and malignant tumours and subsequently to define its sensitivity and specificity in prostatic adenocarcinoma (PaC). Methods and results: Multiple tissue microarray sections were stained with a monoclonal antibody to PSMA. PaC was positive in 93/141 cases (66.0%) with various staining patterns including cytoplasmic, apical, apical/cytoplasmic and cytoplasmic with membranous accentuation. Of 2174 various tumour types, 154 expressed PSMA, including 59/346 (17.0%) urothelial carcinomas of the bladder (UBC). In those tumours, the staining pattern was always cytoplasmic. All 846 benign tumours were negative for PSMA. The sensitivity and specificity of PSMA in distinguishing PaC from any other type of malignancy is 65.9% and 94.5%, respectively. Furthermore, its sensitivity and specificity in differentiating PaC from urothelial cancer is 65.9% and 82.9%, respectively. Conclusions: Despite its expression by subsets of various types of malignancies, PSMA is still considered to be fairly sensitive and highly specific for PaC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]