The role of circulating anti-p53 antibodies in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and their correlation to clinical parameters and survival

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer causes approximately one million deaths each year worldwide and protein p53 has been shown to be involved in the intricate processes regulating response to radiation and/or chemotherapeutic treatment. Consequently, since antibodies against p53 (anti-p53 antibodies) are associated with mutations within the p53 gene it seems likely that these antibodies could, hypothetically, be correlated with prognosis. METHODS: Serum samples from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) admitted to the Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, during 1983–1996 were studied. Anti-p53 abs were measured using a sandwich ELISA (Dianova, Hamburg, Germany). RESULTS: The present study included 84 patients with stage IIIA-IV (advanced NSCLC). At least three serum samples from each patient were collected and altogether 529 serum samples were analysed for the presence of anti-p53 antibodies. The median value of anti-p53 antibodies was 0.06 (range 0 – 139.8). Seventeen percent of investigated NSCLC first serum samples (n = 84) expressed elevated levels of anti-p53 antibodies. Anti-p53 antibodies were not correlated to tumour volume or platelets. Survival analysis showed that anti-p53 antibodies were not associated with survival as revealed by univariate analysis (p = 0.29). However, patients with adenocarcinoma had a significantly poorer survival if they expressed anti-p53 antibodies (p = 0.01), whereas this was not found for patients with squamous cell carcinoma (p = 0.13). In patients where the blood samples were collected during radiation therapy, a statistically significant correlation towards poorer survival was found (p = 0.05) when elevated anti-p53 antibodies levels were present. No correlations to survival were found for serum samples collected prior to radiation therapy, during chemotherapy, or during follow-up. When anti-p53 antibodies were measured continuously, no increase in median anti-p53 values was observed the closer the individual patient come to death. CONCLUSION: The result of the present retrospective study indicates that anti-p53 antibodies are not suitable for predictions concerning selection of patients with a more favourable outcome. Further prospective studies are, though, needed to fully elucidate this issue

The Presence of Anti-p53 Antibodies in Sera Prior to Thoracic Surgery in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Its Implications on Tumor Volume, Nodal Involvement, and Survival

BACKGROUND: During recent years, a correlation between the presence of antibodies in sera against p53 and survival has been reported. The aim of the present study was to analyze anti-p53 antibodies in sera from patients with non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prior to thoracic surgery and their correlation to survival, nodal involvement, and tumor volume. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples from 58 patients with NSCLC admitted to the Department of Pulmonary Medicine in Uppsala were collected between 1993 and 1995 and analyzed for the expression of anti-p53 antibodies. RESULTS: Antibodies against p53 were detected in 12 patients (21%). No association was found between increased levels of anti-p53 antibodies and tumor volume (P = .84). There was a numerical trend towards higher levels of anti-p53 antibodies in patients without nodal disease, when compared with patients with nodal involvement, although not statistically significant (P = .136). However, when patients with metastatic disease were included, statistically significantly lower levels of anti-p53 antibodies were demonstrated, in comparison to patients without any sign of nodal engagement or metastatic disease (P = .038). Anti-p53 antibodies and survival showed no correlation between increasing index levels of anti-p53 antibodies and survival (P = .18). Neither was a correlation found between using the cutoff (>1.1) described by the manufacturer and survival. CONCLUSION: The presence of anti-p53 antibodies was correlated neither to survival nor to tumor volume in the present study. However, patients with either nodal or metastatic disease had lower levels of anti-p53 antibodies in comparison to patients without signs of either nodal or metastatic disease. These issues are discussed

High-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) and survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma : a pilot study

BACKGROUND: Human papilloma virus (HPV) in patients with esophageal carcinoma has previously been studied with an average detection rate of 15%, but the role of HPV in relation to survival is less clear. In cervical cancer, lung cancer and tonsil cancer HPV viral load is a predictive factor for survival and outcome of treatment. The primary aim was to study the spectrum of high-risk HPV types in esophageal tumors. Secondary, as a pilot study we investigated the association between HPV status and the survival rates. METHODS: We compared both the presence and the viral load of high-risk HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 39, 45, 52, 58, and 67 in relation to clinical data from patients with esophageal carcinoma. Survival data and tumor samples were retrieved from 100 patients receiving treatment at the Department of Oncology, Uppsala Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. The tumor samples were investigated for HPV viral load using real-time PCR. RESULTS: HPV 16 was detected in 16% of the patients; no other HPV type was detected. HPV 16 infection had no significant effect on survival (p = 0.72). Also, HPV 16 did not improve survival after treatment (radiotherapy or chemotherapy). CONCLUSION: Only HPV 16 was detected among the patients. HPV 16 in esophageal carcinoma patients did not influence survival or improve therapy response. However, given the size of the study there is a need to examine a larger cohort in order to understand in more detail the effect of high risk HPV types in esophageal carcinoma.De två första författarna delar förstaförfattarskapet.</p

The role of circulating anti-p53 antibodies in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and their correlation to clinical parameters and survival-0

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "The role of circulating anti-p53 antibodies in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and their correlation to clinical parameters and survival"</p><p>BMC Cancer 2004;4():66-66.</p><p>Published online 14 Sep 2004</p><p>PMCID:PMC517936.</p><p>Copyright © 2004 Bergqvist et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.</p

The role of school libraries in providing the learning process

Bakalaura darbs “Skolu bibliotēku loma mācību procesa nodrošināšanā” ir izstrādāts ar mērķi noskaidrot, kāda loma ir skolu bibliotēkām mācību procesa nodrošināšanā skolēniem vecumā no 7 – 12 gadiem, kā arī noskaidrot, kādi ir galvenie iemesli, kādēļ skolēni apmeklē skolas bibliotēku. Pētījuma teorētisko bāzi veido Ļeva Vigotska, Erika Eriksona un Žana Piažē izteiktās atziņas par bērnu psihiskās attīstības īpatnībām. Mūsdienu sabiedrībā tehnoloģijas ieņem ļoti nozīmīgu lomu, līdz ar to, ar vien vairāk skolēnu ikdienā izmanto tehnoloģijas, tajā skaitā arī mācībām, līdz ar to, ar vien mazāk tiek apmeklēta bibliotēka. Lai sasniegtu izvirzīto mērķi, tika izpētīti ar tematu saistītie jēdzieni, analizēta teorētiskā bāze, analizēti līdzīgie pētījumi, izpētīta informācija par skolu bibliotēkām, veikta novērošana un intervijas, apkopoti un analizēti iegūti dati un izdarīti secinājumi. Pētījuma rezultāti rāda, ka skolēni skolas bibliotēku apmeklē bieži. Visvairāk to apmeklē, lai mācītos, pildītu mājasdarbus, meklētu informāciju un lasītu grāmatas. Skolas bibliotēkai ir liela nozīme mācību procesa nodrošināšanā.The bachelor thesis “The role of school libraries in providing the learning process” has been developed with goal to determine what is the role of school libraries in process of study for students aged 7 to 12 years and what are the main reasons for students attending school libraries. The theoretical basis of the research is based on the findings of Lev Vygotsky, Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget on the peculiarities of children's psychic development. Technology in modern society plays a very important role, therefore, more and more students use technology for their studies on daily basis, which means that they are less likely to visit the library. In order to achieve the objective of this thesis concepts related to the subject, the theoretical basis, information about school libraries was analyzed, observations and interviews were carried out. The obtained data was collected and analyzed to draw the conclusions. The results of the study indicate that students often attend school libraries. Most of the time they attend them to study, do homework, search for information and read books. The school library plays a major role in ensuring the process of study

High-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) and survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma: a pilot study

Abstract Background Human papilloma virus (HPV) in patients with esophageal carcinoma has previously been studied with an average detection rate of 15%, but the role of HPV in relation to survival is less clear. In cervical cancer, lung cancer and tonsil cancer HPV viral load is a predictive factor for survival and outcome of treatment. The primary aim was to study the spectrum of high-risk HPV types in esophageal tumors. Secondary, as a pilot study we investigated the association between HPV status and the survival rates. Methods We compared both the presence and the viral load of high-risk HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 39, 45, 52, 58, and 67 in relation to clinical data from patients with esophageal carcinoma. Survival data and tumor samples were retrieved from 100 patients receiving treatment at the Department of Oncology, Uppsala Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. The tumor samples were investigated for HPV viral load using real-time PCR. Results HPV 16 was detected in 16% of the patients; no other HPV type was detected. HPV 16 infection had no significant effect on survival (p = 0.72). Also, HPV 16 did not improve survival after treatment (radiotherapy or chemotherapy). Conclusion Only HPV 16 was detected among the patients. HPV 16 in esophageal carcinoma patients did not influence survival or improve therapy response. However, given the size of the study there is a need to examine a larger cohort in order to understand in more detail the effect of high risk HPV types in esophageal carcinoma.</p