Low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma: a case report and review of the literature

Low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is a distinctive variant of fibrosarcoma with a high metastasizing potential and sometimes long interval between tumour presentation and metastasis. We present the case of a 50-year-old male who developed a large mass in the posterior aspect of his lower left thigh. The tumor was excised with preservation of the neurovascular structures surrounded by the mass. The tumour measured 11 × 10 × 9 cm and on pathology evaluation was diagnosed as LGFMS. Due to the relative rarity of LGFMS, there is no dedicated protocol regarding follow-up recommendations. In order to early diagnose possible metastasis it is important to inform the patients about the longstanding metastatic potential of the disease

Generation of stem cell-based bioartificial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) grafts for effective ACL rupture repair

AbstractIn the present study, we combined stem cell technology with a non-absorbable biomaterial for the reconstruction of the ruptured ACL. Towards this purpose, multipotential stromal cells derived either from subcutaneous human adipose tissue (hAT-MSCs) or from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated from human foreskin fibroblasts (hiPSC-MSCs) were cultured on the biomaterial for 21days in vitro to generate a 3D bioartifical ACL graft. Stem cell differentiation towards bone and ligament at the ends and central part of the biomaterial was selectively induced using either BMP-2/FGF-2 or TGF-β/FGF-2 combinations, respectively. The bioartificial ACL graft was subsequently implanted in a swine ACL rupture model in place of the surgically removed normal ACL. Four months post-implantation, the tissue engineered ACL graft generated an ACL-like tissue exhibiting morphological and biochemical characteristics resembling those of normal ACL

Propolis Extracts Inhibit UV-Induced Photodamage in Human Experimental In Vitro Skin Models

The aim of this study was to assess the antioxidant, photoprotective, and antiaging effects of Greek propolis. Propolis was subjected to n-heptane or methanol extraction. Total phenolic/flavonoid content and antioxidant potential were determined in the extracts. Promising extracts were evaluated for their cytoprotective properties using human immortalized keratinocyte (HaCaT) or reconstituted human skin tissue following exposure to UVB. Assessment of cytotoxicity, DNA damage, oxidative status, and gene/protein expression levels of various matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were performed. The propolis methanolic fractions exhibited higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents and significant in vitro antioxidant activity. Incubation of HaCaT cells with certain methanolic extracts significantly decreased the formation of DNA strand breaks following exposure to UVB and attenuated UVB-induced decrease in cell viability. The extracts had no remarkable effect on the total antioxidant status, but significantly lowered total protein carbonyl content used as a marker for protein oxidation in HaCaT cells. MMP-1, -3, -7, and -9, monitored as endpoints of antiaging efficacy, were significantly reduced by propolis following UVB exposure in a model of reconstituted skin tissue. In conclusion, propolis protects against the oxidative and photodamaging effects of UVB and could be further explored as a promising agent for developing natural antiaging strategies

Association of osteopontin with specific prognostic factors and survival in adjuvant breast cancer trials of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group

Additional file 1. OPN supplementary data

ANTINEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC ANTIBODIES: METHODOLOGY AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

WE DEVELOPED AN INDIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENT TECHNIQUE (IFT) IN ORDER TO DETERMINE ANCA IN SERA OF PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE RHEUMATIC AND NON RHEUMATIC DISEASES, SUCH AS SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE), PRIMARY SJOGREN'S SYNDROME (1O SS), RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS (U.C). THE CONTROL GROUPS WERE CONSISTED OF PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS VASCULITIDES AND GRANULOMATOUS DISEASES AS WELL AS OF HEALTHY BLOOD DONORS. DETERMINATIONS FOR ANCA WERE ALSO DONE BY AN ELISA ASSAY THAT USED AFFINITY PURIFIED PROTEINASE 3 (PR 3) AND MYELOPEROXIDASE (MPO). ADDITIONALLY, WE INVESTIGATED THE EFFICACY, SAFETY ANDTOLERANCE OF INTRAVENOUS PULSE CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE (IVP - CP) ADMINISTRATION INWEGENER'S GRANULOMATOSIS (WG) PATIENTS IN WHOM THE CLINICAL COURSE WAS ESTIMATED WITH THE SEROLOGICAL DEMONSTRATION OF ANCA. IFT HAD A HIGH SENSITIVITY FOR ANCA AND IT WAS CERTIFIED THE HIGH DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF PR3 - ANCA FOR WC BY BOTH METHODS. IN AUTOIMMUNE RHEUMATIC PATIENTS THE DETECTABLE P - ANCA WAS AT THE MAJORITY MPO - ANCA, IT WAS A DISTINCT SUBSET OF AUTOANTIBODIES AND NOT A PRODUCT OF CROSS REACTIVITY (INHIBITION EXPERIMENTS). THE COEXISTENCE OF P - ANCA WITH OTHER AUTOANTIBODIES, ESPECIALLY APPARENT IN SLE PATIENTS, SUGGESTS THAT THE PRODUCTION OF P - ANCA MAY BE EXPLAINED BECAUSE OF POLYCLONALLYMPHOCYTIC ACTIVATION. THE PRESENCE OF P - ANCA (NOT MPO - ANCA) IN VC WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCREASED CELLULAR IMMUNE ACTIVATION OF THE DISEASE, AS INDICATED BY THE STATISTICAL HIGH SIL - 2R CONCENTRATIONS IN THE GROUP OF ANCA- POSITIVE PATIENTS. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΑΜΕ ΜΕΘΟΔΟ ΕΜΜΕΣΟΥ ΑΝΟΣΟΦΘΟΡΙΣΜΟΥ (ΕΑ) ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΝΙΧΝΕΥΣΗ ΤΩΝ ANCA ΣΤΟΝ ΟΡΟ ΑΣΘΕΝΩΝ ΜΕ ΑΥΤΟΑΝΟΣΑ ΡΕΥΜΑΤΙΚΑ ΚΑΙ ΜΗ ΝΟΣΗΜΑΤΑ, ΟΠΩΣ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΙΚΟ ΕΡΥΘΗΜΑΤΩΔΗ ΛΥΚΟ (ΣΕΛ), ΠΡΩΤΟΠΑΘΕΣ ΣΥΝΔΡΟΜΟ SJOGREN (1O Σ S), ΡΕΥΜΑΤΟΕΙΔΗ ΑΡΘΡΙΤΙΔΑ (ΡΑ) ΚΑΙ ΕΛΚΩΔΗ ΚΟΛΙΤΙΔΑ (ΕΚ). ΟΙ ΟΜΑΔΕΣ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΩΝ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΟΥΝΤΑΝ ΑΠΟ ΑΣΘΕΝΕΙΣ ΜΕ ΠΟΙΚΙΛΕΣ ΑΓΓΕΙΙΤΙΔΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΚΟΚΚΙΩΜΑΤΩΔΕΙΣ ΝΟΣΟΥΣ ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟ ΥΓΙΕΙΣ ΑΙΜΟΔΟΤΕΣ.Ο ΠΡΟΣΔΙΟΡΙΣΜΟΣ ΤΩΝ ANCA ΜΕΛΕΤΗΘΗΚΕ ΠΑΡΑΛΛΗΛΑ ΜΕ ΜΕΘΟΔΟ ELISA ΣΤΗΝ ΟΠΟΙΑ ΧΡΗΣΙΜΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΕ ΚΕΚΑΘΑΡΜΕΝΗ ΠΡΩΤΕΙΝΑΣΗ 3 (ΠΡ 3) ΚΑΙ ΜΥΕΛΟΥΠΕΡΟΞΕΙΔΑΣΗ (ΜΠΟ) ΑΝΤΙΣΤΟΙΧΑ. ΕΠΙΠΡΟΣΘΕΤΑ ΔΙΕΡΕΥΝΗΣΑΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΙΚΟΤΗΤΑ, ΑΣΦΑΛΕΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΟΧΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΝΔΟΦΛΕΒΙΑΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΩΣΕΙΣ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗ ΚΥΚΛΟΦΩΣΦΑΜΙΔΗΣ (IVP - ΚΦ) ΣΕ ΑΣΘΕΝΕΙΣ ΜΕ ΚΟΚΚΙΩΜΑΤΩΣΗ ΤΟΥ WEGENER (KW) ΤΩΝ ΟΠΟΙΩΝ Η ΚΛΙΝΙΚΗ ΠΟΡΕΙΑ ΕΛΕΓΧΘΗΚΕ ΚΑΙ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΟΡΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΑΝΙΧΝΕΥΣΗ ΤΩΝ ANCA. O EA ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΕ ΥΨΗΛΗ ΕΥΑΙΣΘΗΣΙΑ ΓΙΑ ΤΑ ANCA ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ Η ΥΨΗΛΗ ΔΙΑΓΝΩΣΤΙΚΗ ΑΞΙΑ ΤΩΝ C - ANCA ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ KW ΚΑΙ ΜΕ ΔΥΟ ΜΕΘΟΔΟΥΣ. ΣΤΟΥΣ ΑΣΘΕΝΕΙΣ ΜΕ ΑΥΤΟΑΝΟΣΑ ΡΕΥΜΑΤΙΚΑ ΝΟΣΗΜΑΤΑ ΤΑ ΑΝΕΥΡΕΘΕΝΤΑ P - ANCA ΗΤΑΝ ΣΤΗΝ ΠΛΕΙΟΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΜΠΟ - ANCA ΚΑΙ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΟΥΣΑΝ ΜΙΑ ΙΔΙΑΙΤΕΡΗ ΟΜΑΔΑ ΑΥΤΟΑΝΤΙΣΩΜΑΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΟΧΙ ΠΡΟΙΟΝ ΔΙΑΣΤΑΥΡΟΥΜΕΝΩΝ ΑΝΤΙΔΡΑΣΕΩΝ (ΠΕΙΡΑΜΑΤΑ ΑΝΑΣΤΟΛΗΣ). Η ΣΥΝΥΠΑΡΞΗ ΤΩΝ P - ANCA ΜΕ ΑΛΛΑ ΑΥΤΟΑΝΤΙΣΩΜΑΤΑ, ΙΔΙΑΙΤΕΡΑ ΕΜΦΑΝΗΣ ΣΤΟΥΣ ΑΣΘΕΝΕΙΣ ΜΕ ΣΕΛ, ΥΠΟΔΗΛΩΝΕΙ ΟΤΙ Η ΠΑΡΑΓΩΓΗ ΤΩΝ P - ANCA ΜΠΟΡΕΙ ΝΑ ΕΡΜΗΝΕΥΘΕΙ ΣΤΑ ΠΛΑΙΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΠΟΛΥΚΛΩΝΙΚΗΣ ΛΕΜΦΟΚΥΤΤΑΡΙΚΗΣ ΕΝΕΡΓΟΠΟΙΗΣΗΣ, ΠΟΥ ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗΡΙΖΕΙ ΤΑ ΝΟΣΗΜΑΤΑ ΑΥΤΑ. (ΠΕΡΙΚΟΠΗ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗΣ

Bulk and Single-Cell Next-Generation Sequencing: Individualizing Treatment for Colorectal Cancer

The increasing incidence combined with constant rates of early diagnosis and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC) over the past decade worldwide, as well as minor overall survival improvements in the industrialized world, suggest the need to shift from conventional research and clinical practice to the innovative development of screening, predictive and therapeutic tools. Explosive integration of next-generation sequencing (NGS) systems into basic, translational and, more recently, basket trials is transforming biomedical and cancer research, aiming for substantial clinical implementation as well. Shifting from inter-patient tumor variability to the precise characterization of intra-tumor genetic, genomic and transcriptional heterogeneity (ITH) via multi-regional bulk tissue NGS and emerging single-cell transcriptomics, coupled with NGS of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), unravels novel strategies for therapeutic response prediction and drug development. Remarkably, underway and future genomic/transcriptomic studies and trials exploring spatiotemporal clonal evolution represent most rational expectations to discover novel prognostic, predictive and therapeutic tools. This review describes latest advancements and future perspectives of integrated sequencing systems for genome and transcriptome exploration to overcome unmet research and clinical challenges towards Precision Oncology

Dietary mastic oil extracted from Pistacia lentiscus var. chia suppresses tumor growth in experimental colon cancer models

Plant-derived bioactive compounds attract considerable interest as potential chemopreventive anticancer agents. We analyzed the volatile dietary phytochemicals (terpenes) present in mastic oil extracted from the resin of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia and comparatively investigated their effects on colon carcinoma proliferation, a) in vitro against colon cancer cell lines and b) in vivo on tumor growth in mice following oral administration. Mastic oil inhibited - more effectively than its major constituentsproliferation of colon cancer cells in vitro, attenuated migration and downregulated transcriptional expression of survivin (BIRC5a). When administered orally, mastic oil inhibited the growth of colon carcinoma tumors in mice. A reduced expression of Ki-67 and survivin in tumor tissues accompanied the observed effects. Notably, only mastic oil -which is comprised of 67.7% α-pinene and 18.8% myrceneinduced a statistically significant anti-tumor effect in mice but not α-pinene, myrcene or a combination thereof. Thus, mastic oil, as a combination of terpenes, exerts growth inhibitory effects against colon carcinoma, suggesting a nutraceutical potential in the fight against colon cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that orally administered mastic oil induces tumor-suppressing effects against experimental colon cancer

Touch Imprint Intraoperative Flow Cytometry as a Complementary Tool for Detailed Assessment of Resection Margins and Tumor Biology in Liver Surgery for Primary and Metastatic Liver Neoplasms

Liver resection is the main treatment for primary and metastatic liver tumors in order to achieve long-term survival with good quality of life. The ultimate goal of surgical oncology is to achieve complete tumor removal with adequate clear surgical margins. Flow cytometry is a powerful analytical technique with applications such as phenotypic analysis and quantification of DNA content. Intraoperative flow cytometry (iFC) is the application of flow cytometry for DNA content/ploidy and cell cycle distribution analysis during surgery for tumor cell analysis and margin evaluation. It has been used for cell analysis of intracranial tumors and recently of head and neck carcinomas and breast carcinomas, as well as for tumor margin evaluation. Herein, we present a novel touch imprint iFC protocol for the detailed assessment of tumor margins during excision of malignant hepatic lesions. The protocol aims to offer information on surgical margins after removal of malignant liver tumors based on DNA content of cancer cells and to corroborate the results of iFC with that of histopathological analysis. Based on the established role of iFC in other types of malignancies, our specialized protocol has the potential, through characterization of cells in liver transection surface post hepatectomy, to offer significant information on the type of resection and tumor biology. This information can be used to effectively guide intra- and postoperative patient management

The Role of Macroautophagy and Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy in the Pathogenesis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocarcinogenesis is a long process with a complex pathophysiology. The current therapeutic options for HCC management, during the advanced stage, provide short-term survival ranging from 10–14 months. Autophagy acts as a double-edged sword during this process. Recently, two main autophagic pathways have emerged to play critical roles during hepatic oncogenesis, macroautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy. Mounting evidence suggests that upregulation of macroautophagy plays a crucial role during the early stages of carcinogenesis as a tumor suppressor mechanism; however, it has been also implicated in later stages promoting survival of cancer cells. Nonetheless, chaperone-mediated autophagy has been elucidated as a tumor-promoting mechanism contributing to cancer cell survival. Moreover, the autophagy pathway seems to have a complex role during the metastatic stage, while induction of autophagy has been implicated as a potential mechanism of chemoresistance of HCC cells. The present review provides an update on the role of autophagy pathways in the development of HCC and data on how the modulation of the autophagic pathway could contribute to the most effective management of HCC