Identification of women with early breast cancer by analysis of p43-positive lymphocytes

Regular screening mammographies and increasing knowledge of high-risk groups have resulted in an improvement in the rate of detection of smaller malignant lesions. However, uncertain minimal mammographic features frequently require further costly and often uncomfortable investigation, including repeat radiological controls or surgical procedures, before cancerous lesions can be identified. Placental isoferritin (p43), a protein with immunosuppressive effects, has been detected on the surface of lymphocytes taken from peripheral blood in patients with breast cancer. In this study we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the expression of p43-positive lymphocytes as a marker in early stage breast cancer and also investigated its expression on T-cell subpopulations. The presence of p43-positive lymphocytes was investigated using the monoclonal antibody CM-H-9 and flow cytometry in 76 women with controversial, non-palpable mammographic findings who were undergoing surgical biopsy. Patients with early breast cancer (n = 48) had significantly higher p43-positive cell values (median 3.83%, range 0.98-19.4) than patients with benign lumps (n = 28, median 1.43%, range 0.17-3.7) or controls (n = 22, median 1.3%, range 0.4-1.87) (P \u3c 0.0001). At a cut-off level of 2% p43-positive cells a sensitivity of 91.7% and a specificity of 89.3% for detection of breast cancer could be reached. While the median ratio of total CD4+/CD8+ cells was 2.6, a ratio of 1.3 was found for the p43-positive subpopulation (P \u3c 0.001), thus indicating a significant link between p43 and CD8+ cells. The determination of p43-positive lymphocytes in peripheral blood could serve as an additional diagnostic tool in patients with controversial mammographic findings and could also reduce the need for cost-intensive and often uncomfortable management of these patients

Researching Neoliberal and Neocolonial Assemblages in Early Childhood Education

The article provides a discussion of ‘‘researching’’ neoliberalisms and neocolonialisms in white settler colonial societies such as Canada. It addresses the research implications after conceptualizing neoliberalisms as assemblages that are always already implicated in colonial histories. Specifically, the article discusses the need to rethink methodologies when neoliberalisms do not follow coherent directions, the kinds of methodological and research approaches necessary for the fluid and nonlinear movements of neoliberalisms and neocolonialisms, and how neoliberalisms and neocolonialisms as connected assemblages open up early childhood research practices that attend to colonial pastpresents

Natural humoral immune response to ribosomal P0 protein in colorectal cancer patients

Tumor associated antigens are useful in colorectal cancer (CRC) management. The ribosomal P proteins (P0, P1, P2) play an important role in protein synthesis and tumor formation. The immunogenicity of the ribosomal P0 protein in head and neck, in breast and prostate cancer patients and the overexpression of the carboxyl-terminal P0 epitope (C-22 P0) in some tumors were reported

Significance of Cytokeratin Fragment M65 and Cytokines IL6, IL8 and IL17A in Bone Marrow Aspirates of Colorectal Cancer Patients

Aims: Soluble cytokeratin (CK) fragments and inflammatory interleukins (ILs) in bone marrow (BM) aspirates of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients are expected to indicate presence of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) and anticancer response of the host, respectively. The present study investigated the relations of CK18 fragment M65, IL6, IL8, and IL17A in BM samples to the presence of DTCs and prognosis. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine (Medical Unit II) and Department of Surgery, Donauspital Vienna, between 2002 and July 2005. Methodology: BM aspirates were obtained immediately prior to and one and two years after tumor surgery, respectively, and M65 and cytokines were quantified by ELISA assays. Results: 16/66 patients revealed tumor-positive BM aspirates, and 10/46 evaluable patients relapsed within five years. M65 levels exhibited no relation to either positive biopsies, relapses or methylation status of O6-methyl guanine methyl transferase (MGMT). In contrast, IL17A concentrations of BM aspirates were elevated in nonrelapsed versus relapsed, as well as MGMT-wildtype versus MGMT-methylated patients. Due to large individual variations, IL6 and IL8 levels of BM showed no significant differences for non-relapsed versus relapsed patients. Conclusion: M65 levels of BM samples of CRC patients exhibited no correlation with micrometastases or disease recurrence, respectively; however, patients who achieved disease-free survival revealed increases of IL17A in BM aspirates, possibly indicating immune response to tumor cells