REARRANGEMENT OF c-myc GENE

The c-myc oncogene was found to be rearranged in a human cell line of giant cell carcinoma of the lung (C-Lu65) and in a human primary giant cell carcinoma of the lung (LuC38C). The rearrangements in C-Lu65 and LuC38C were in regions about 7.5kb and 6kb, respectively, upstream from the transcription initiation site. No rearrangement of the c-myc gene was observed in a non-cancerous portion (LuC38N) of the lung of the patient who carried LuC38C. These results suggest that rearrangement of the c-myc gene may play some role in tumorigenesis of giant cell carcinoma of the lung

Concordance of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter‐1 expressions between murine ( 10D7G2 ) and rabbit ( SP120 ) antibodies and association with clinical outcomes of adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer: A collaborative study from the JASPAC 01 trial

BACKGROUND: Expression of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter‐1 (hENT1) is reported to predict survival of gemcitabine (GEM)‐treated patients. However, predictive values of immunohistochemical hENT1 expression may differ according to the antibodies, 10D7G2 and SP120. AIM: We aimed to investigate the concordance of immunohistochemical hENT1 expression between the two antibodies and prognosis. METHODS: The subjects of this study were totally 332 whose formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded specimens and/or unstained sections were obtained. The individual H‐scores and four classifications according to the staining intensity were applied for the evaluation of hENT1 expression by 10D7G2 and SP120, respectively. RESULTS: The highest concordance rate (79.8%) was obtained when the cut‐off between high and low hENT1 expression using SP120 was set between moderate and strong. There were no correlations of hENT1 mRNA level with H‐score (p = .258). Although the hENT1 mRNA level was significantly different among four classifications using SP120 (p = .011), there was no linear relationship among them. Multivariate analyses showed that adjuvant GEM was a significant predictor of the patients with low hENT1 expression using either 10D7G2 (Hazard ratio [HR] 2.39, p = .001) or SP120 (HR 1.84, p < .001). In contrast, agent for adjuvant chemotherapy was not significant predictor for the patients with high hENT1 expression regardless of the kind of antibody. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the two antibodies for evaluating hENT1 expression are equivalent depending on the cut‐off point and suggests that S‐1 is the first choice of adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer with low hENT1 expression, whereas either S‐1 or GEM can be introduced for the pancreatic cancer with high hENT1 expression, no matter which antibody is used

A case of bronchial aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus udagawae and its mycological features

Aspergillus udagawae and A. fumigatus share similar morphological features but they differ genetically. There is also an important clinical distinction as A. udagawae is less sensitive to amphotericin B than A. fumigatus. We encountered a rare case of bronchial infection due to A. udagawae that was successfully treated with voriconazole. An 82-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus complained of bloody sputum. Bronchoscopy revealed a white plugged region at the origin of the right bronchi B5. Cytological study revealed a clot composed of filamentous fungi and Aspergillus spp. was detected by culture. Molecular analysis revealed that the causative agent was A. udagawae, and voriconazole was used for the treatment. In comparison to A. fumigatus, the A. udagawae strain isolated in this case was less sensitive to amphotericin B, less virulent in immunosuppressed mice, and more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide, features that are almost identical to those of the previously reported isolates of the fungus. We should be aware of the emergence of new Aspergillus species that might pose a clinical threat