Effects of active form of EGFR on disease-free survival in ovarian cancer women

BackgroundStandard procedure in cases of ovarian cancer includes surgical treatment and complementary chemotherapy based on taxanes and platinum compounds. The results of such a procedure in advanced forms of cancer are still unsatisfactory. More accurate determination of the duration of remission with cancer patients is possible through the identification of prognostic factors. Currently adopted and extensively used prognostic factors include, among others, the age of the patient at the moment of the disease being diagnosed, the degree of clinical advancement, the size of the tumour remaining after surgery, the histological type of the neoplasm, and the volume of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. Among neoplasm markers the greatest importance is attributed to the CA 125 antigen, but continued efforts are being made in the search for new, more specific and sensitive markers.AimThe objective of the study presented herein was estimation of the prognostic significance of the active form of EGFR in the serum of women with ovarian cancer in relation to their disease-free survival time.Materials/MethodsThe study was performed on 100 women treated for ovarian cancer in the course of four years. The concentration of the active form of EGFR was determined in the blood serum, prior to treatment, using commercial immunoenzymatic sets. Disease-free survival was defined as the time elapsed from the completion of complementary first-line chemotherapy till the appearance of clinical and/or biochemical (CA 125>30 U/ml) symptoms of relapse of the neoplastic disease.ResultsThe concentration of the active form of EGFR fell within the range of 0.093–0.475 fmol/ml and did not show statistical significance with relation to disease-free time: the duration of the remission period was similar in patients with low as well as with high concentration of the active form of that receptor.ConclusionsExamination of concentration of the active form of EGFR in blood serum prior to surgery does not display prognostic significance for prediction of the length of the period of remission or of disease-free survival

Gaucher disease diagnosed after bone marrow trephine biopsy — a report of two cases

The hematologist is at the forefront of specialists to whom patients with Gaucher disease present because of cytopenia and hepatosplenomegaly. Usually, patients with such symptoms have undergone trephine biopsy. We present the cases of two patients in whom Gaucher disease was suspected because of the discovery of Gaucher cells in trephine biopsy, and subsequently confirmed via enzymatic and molecular investigations. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 352–356

Prognostic value of p27kip1 expression in adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head region

Background. p27kip1 is a tumour suppressor gene, functioning as a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, and an independent prognostic factor in breast, colon, and prostate adenocarcinomas. Conflicting data are reported for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The aim of this study was to establish the prognostic value of p27kip1 expression in adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head region. Patients and methods. The study included 45 patients (male/female ratio 2:1; mean age 59, range 38–82 years) with adenocarcinomas of the pancreatic head region: 24 – pancreatic head, 18 – periampullary and 3 – uncinate process. The patients underwent the Kausch-Whipple pancreatoduodenectomy (n=39), pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (n=5), or nearly total pancreatectomy (n=1). Eight patients received adjuvant chemotherapy postoperatively. Follow-up time ranged from 3 to 60 months. Tumours were staged according to the pTNM classification (UICC 1997). Immunohistochemistry was done on paraffin-embedded blocks from tumour sections. Quantitative determination of p27kip1 expression was based on the proportion of p27kip1 -positive cells (< 5% = negative). Survival analysis was carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model. Results. Positive p27kip1 expression was detected in 22 tumours (49%), whereas 23 tumours (51%) were p27kip1-negative. There were no significant correlations between p27kip1 index and stage or lymph node involvement. Median survival time in patients with p27kip1-positive tumours was 19 months, whereas in patients with p27kip1-negative tumours it was 18 months (p=0.53). A significant relationship was found between p27kip1-negative tumours and radical resection (p=0.04). Multivariate survival analysis revealed that the localization of the tumour (pancreatic head/uncinate process vs periampullary) was the only significant and independent prognosticator (p = 0.01, Cox regression model). Resection margins involvement and grade remained nearly significant prognostic factors (p=0.07 and p=0.09, respectively). Conclusion. We conclude that p27kip1 has limited overall prognostic utility in resected carcinoma of the pancreatic head region, but its potential role as a marker of residual disease needs to be further assessed

E-cadherin expression as predictive marker of proximal resection line involvement for advanced carcinoma of the gastric cardia

Aims. Total gastrectomy for gastric cardia tumours harbours a high risk of proximal resection tine (PRL) involvement. The adhesion markers CD44v6 and E-cadherin were evaluated as predictive factors for PRL involvement independent of tumour stage. Methods. Forty-nine gastrectomy specimens for gastric cardia carcinoma (type II) were evaluated for stage, resection margins, and CD44v6 and E-cadherin immunohistochemistry. Results. PRL involvement was microscopically recognized in 49% of specimens. CD44v6 expression was found in 84% of intestinal tumours, and in 56% of diffuse/mixed tumours (p=0.045). In the group of resections performed with curative intent, the proximal. extension of the resection (margin) was significantly shorter in E-cadherin negative tumours than in E-cadherin positive tumours (p=0.029). Histological. type and stage of the tumour, lymph node metastases, and absence of E-cadherin expression, but not the presence of CD44v6 correlated with PRL involvement. Only the absence of E-cadherin expression appeared to be a significant predictor of PRL involvement, independent of tumour stage. Survival for patients with PRL involvement was shorter than that for patients after R0 resection (p=0.07). Stage was the only independent prognostic factor emerging from multivariate survival analysis (p=0.002). Conclusions. When curative resection is intended in type 11 cardiac cancer patients, an oesophageal resection and gastric tube reconstruction should be considered, especially for a tumour without E-cadherin expression. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve