Body Mass Index and Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Obesity is an established risk factor for colorectal carcinogenesis. Many epidemiological and experimental studies support this link and tumor-promoting effects of obesity. Body mass index (BMI) is a marker of general obesity. Obesity is also a global health problem and is defined by World Health Organization as BMI > 30 kg/m2. In this chapter, we give a general review about the mechanisms of obesity on colorectal carcinogenesis and the effects of obesity on clinical outcomes such as disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), in adjuvant setting and metastatic disease, respectively

Serum vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) level is elevated in colorectal cancer regardless of the tumor stage

Purpose: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein, which is expressed on endothelium and plays role in inflammation. It is over-expressed on colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and plays role in metastasis development and angiogenesis. We aimed to compare serum VCAM1 levels of CRC patients with heathy controls and evaluate its relationship with clinicopathological parameters, treatment response and overall survival (OS).Methods: The study enrolled 111 patients with histopathologically confirmed CRC followed-up in our clinic and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Pre-treatment serum VCAM1 levels were determined by the solid-phase sandwich ELISA method.Results: Metastatic disease was present in 57 patients. Forty percent of 40 metastatic patients receiving systemic therapy had partial or complete response. The median serum VCAM1 level was significantly higher in CRC patients than controls (p<0.001). In addition, serum VCAM1 level was significantly higher in diabetic CRC patients than those without diabetes (p = 0.03). There was no significant relationship between VCAM1 and other clinicopathological parameters including stage and response to systemic therapy. The median follow-up period was 12 (±8.2) months. Twenty patients were dead at the time of analysis. The presence of metastasis (p < 0.001) and elevated CEA level (p < 0.001) were factors affecting OS significantly. However, serum VCAM1 did not have a significant impact on OS (p = 0.55).Conclusion: Serum VCAM1 level is significantly elevated in CRC patients regardless of the tumor stage. However, it has no prognostic or predictive role for response to systemic therapy

Red meat and colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women worldwide. More than half of cases occur in more developed countries. The consumption of red meat (beef, pork, lamb, veal, mutton) is high in developed countries and accumulated evidence until today demonstrated a convincing association between the intake of red meat and especially processed meat and CRC risk. In this review, meta-analyses of prospective epidemiological studies addressed to this association, observed link of some subtypes of red meat with CRC risk, potential carcinogenic compounds, their mechanisms and actual recommendations of international guidelines are presented

Message-adjusted network (MAN) hypothesis in gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) endocrine system

Several types of communication coordinate body functions to maintain homeostasis. Clarifying intercellular communication systems is as important as intracellular signal mechanisms. In this study, we propose an intercellular network model to establish novel targets in GEP-enclocrine system, based on up-to-date information from medical publications. As materials, two physiologic events which are Pavlov's sham-feeding assay and bicarbonate secretion into the duodenum from pancreas were explored by new biologic data from the literature. Major key words used in Pub-Med were modes of regulations (autocrine, paracrine, endocrine, neurocrine, juxtacrine, lumencrine), GEP cells, hormones, peptides and neuro-transmitters. In these two examples of physiologic events, we can design a model of network to clarify transmission of a message. When we take a simple, unique message, we can observe a complete intercellular network. In our examples, these messages are "food is coming" and "hydrogen ions are increasing" in human language (humanese). We need to find molecular counterparts of these unique messages in cell language (cellese). In this network (message-adjusted network; MAN), message is an input which can affect the physiologic equilibrium, mission is an output to improve the disequilibrium and aim is always maintenance of homeostasis. If we orientate to a transmission of a unique message we can distinguish that different cells use different chemical messengers in different modes of regulations to transmit the same message. This study also supports Shannon's information theory and cell language theories such as von NeumannPatte principles. After human genome project (HU-GO) and protein organisations (HU-PO), finding true messages and the establishment of their networks (in our model HU-MAN project) can be a novel and exciting field in cell biology

Penile metastasis of cutaneous malignant melanoma: a true hematogenous spread? Case report and review of the literature

Penile involvement has been implicated as a metastatic site in several tumors; approximately 300 cases have been reported. Of these, only two cases showed cutaneous melanoma as the primary site. Our patient presented with a painless mass on the penile shaft together with other distant metastases. A magnetic resonance image demonstrated two sites of deposit in the subcutaneous tissue on the radix penis, and fine needle aspiration cytology of the mass confirmed the presence of melanoma cells. The patient died of systemic disease without any further treatment for penile involvement. This unusual involvement is presented with a review of the related literature. Melanoma Res 16:259-261 (c) 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins