How useful is the assessment of lymphatic vascular density in oral carcinoma prognosis?

Abstract Background Lymphatic vessels are major routes for metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) are difficult to recognize in tumor histological sections. D2-40 stains podoplanin, a molecule expressed in LECs, however, the potential prognostic usefulness of this molecule is not completely understood in HNSCC. We aimed to investigate the value of assessing peritumoral and intratumoral lymphatic vessel density (LVD) as prognostic marker for HNSCC. Methods Thirty-one cases of HNSCC were stained for D2-40 and CD31. LVD and blood vessel density (BVD) were assessed by counting positive reactions in 10 hotspot areas at ×200 magnification. Results D2-40 was specific for lymphatic vessels and did not stain blood vascular endothelial cells. LECs showed more tortuous and disorganized structure in intratumoral lymphatic vessels than in peritumoral ones. No statistical differences were observed between peritumoral-LVD and intratumoral-LVD or between peritumoral-BVD and intratumoral-BVD. Tumor D2-40 staining was positively associated with lymphatic vessel invasion (p = 0.011). Conclusion LVD is a powerful marker for HNSCC prognosis. We found significant differences in peritumoral and intratumoral D2-40 immunoreactivity, which could have important implications in future therapeutic strategies and outcome evaluation

Ethnicity and Cutaneous Melanoma in the City of Sao Paulo, Brazil: A Case-Control Study

Background: Over the last century the incidence of cutaneous melanoma has increased worldwide, a trend that has also been observed in Brazil. The identified risk factors for melanoma include the pattern of sun exposure, family history, and certain phenotypic features. In addition, the incidence of melanoma might be influenced by ethnicity. Like many countries, Brazil has high immigration rates and consequently a heterogenous population. However, Brazil is unique among such countries in that the ethnic heterogeneity of its population is primarily attributable to admixture. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of European ethnicity to the risk of cutaneous melanoma in Brazil. Methodology/Principal Findings: We carried out a hospital-based case-control study in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo, Brazil. We evaluated 424 hospitalized patients (202 melanoma patients and 222 control patients) regarding phenotypic features, sun exposure, and number of grandparents born in Europe. Through multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found the following variables to be independently associated with melanoma: grandparents born in Europe-Spain (OR = 3.01, 95% CI: 1.03-8.77), Italy (OR = 3.47, 95% CI: 1.41-8.57), a Germanic/Slavic country (OR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.05-8.93), or >= 2 European countries (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.06-7.47); eye color-light brown (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.14-3.84) and green/blue (OR = 4.62; 95% CI 2.22-9.58); pigmented lesion removal (OR = 3.78; 95% CI: 2.21-6.49); no lifetime sunscreen use (OR = 3.08; 95% CI: 1.03-9.22); and lifetime severe sunburn (OR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.03-3.19). Conclusions: Our results indicate that European ancestry is a risk factor for cutaneous melanoma. Such risk appears to be related not only to skin type, eye color, and tanning capacity but also to others specific characteristics of European populations introduced in the New World by European immigrants.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo - FAPESP [06-52041-9, 5-56069-2]Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico - Brasil (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development - Brazil) - CNPq [478239/03-3]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico Brasil (National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development Brazil) CNP

Antisymmetric Magnetic Interactions in Oxo-Bridged Copper(II) Bimetallic Systems

The antisymmetric magnetic interaction is studied using correlated wave-function-based calculations in oxo-bridged copper bimetallic complexes. All of the anisotropic multispin Hamiltonian parameters are extracted using spin-orbit state interaction and effective Hamiltonian theory. It is shown that the methodology is accurate enough to calculate the antisymmetric terms, while the small symmetric anisotropic interactions require more sophisticated calculations. The origin of the antisymmetric anisotropy is analyzed, and the effect of geometrical deformations is addressed.

Biomarcadores moleculares em câncer: implicações para a pesquisa epidemiológica e a saúde pública Molecular biomarkers in cancer: implications for epidemiological research and public health

O desenvolvimento das áreas de genética e biologia molecular tem sido admirável nas últimas décadas e isso tem repercutido intensamente na epidemiologia. Neste artigo, discute-se a ampliação das fronteiras da pesquisa epidemiológica em câncer com a incorporação das técnicas da genética e da biologia molecular. Examina-se o conhecimento atual dos biomarcadores de exposição e de suscetibilidade, o papel das mutações genéticas na carcinogênese, a aplicação destas nos estudos epidemiológicos e implicações para a prevenção. Perscrutando o meio interno dos indivíduos, a epidemiologia molecular e a genética representam um avanço tanto para a avaliação da exposição, quanto para a detecção de indivíduos suscetíveis, e possuem imenso potencial para ampliar a compreensão dos mecanismos da carcinogênese e dos efeitos de fatores de risco no câncer. Entretanto, por serem necessariamente mais invasivas, essas abordagens remetem a importantes questões no campo da ética. A comunidade científica de saúde pública e a sociedade devem guardar vigilância sobre os usos e aplicações deste novo conhecimento, avaliando seus desdobramentos à luz da bioética<br>Identification of molecular biomarkers is a common result of current cancer epidemiological research. Both genetic and molecular epidemiology have enjoyed impressive developments in recent decades, with important repercussions on traditional epidemiological approaches. In this paper we evaluate the new frontiers of cancer epidemiology, incorporating both genetic and molecular biology approaches. We examine the current knowledge of molecular biomarkers for exposure and susceptibility to cancer, the role of gene mutations in carcinogenesis, and their application to epidemiological studies. By exploring the status of relevant biomarkers, these approaches become effective in evaluating exposure and susceptibility and show enormous potential for elucidating mechanisms of carcinogenesis and the effect of risk factors in cancer. However, these approaches are necessarily more invasive and raise several ethical issues for consideration by both researchers in public health and society as a whole

Biomarcadores moleculares em câncer: implicações para a pesquisa epidemiológica e a saúde pública

O desenvolvimento das áreas de genética e biologia molecular tem sido admirável nas últimas décadas e isso tem repercutido intensamente na epidemiologia. Neste artigo, discute-se a ampliação das fronteiras da pesquisa epidemiológica em câncer com a incorporação das técnicas da genética e da biologia molecular. Examina-se o conhecimento atual dos biomarcadores de exposição e de suscetibilidade, o papel das mutações genéticas na carcinogênese, a aplicação destas nos estudos epidemiológicos e implicações para a prevenção. Perscrutando o meio interno dos indivíduos, a epidemiologia molecular e a genética representam um avanço tanto para a avaliação da exposição, quanto para a detecção de indivíduos suscetíveis, e possuem imenso potencial para ampliar a compreensão dos mecanismos da carcinogênese e dos efeitos de fatores de risco no câncer. Entretanto, por serem necessariamente mais invasivas, essas abordagens remetem a importantes questões no campo da ética. A comunidade científica de saúde pública e a sociedade devem guardar vigilância sobre os usos e aplicações deste novo conhecimento, avaliando seus desdobramentos à luz da bioétic