Detection of cytokeratins 19/20 and guanylyl cyclase C in peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients

The clinical significance of detecting supposed tumour cell-derived mRNA transcripts in blood using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) remains unclear. We have used a fully quantitative 5′-nuclease RT-PCR assay to screen for the expression of cytokeratins (ck) 19 and 20 and guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) in the peripheral blood of 21 healthy controls and 27 colorectal cancer patients. Expression of cytokeratin 19 and 20 mRNA was detected in 30% and 100% of samples, respectively, taken from healthy volunteers. There was no apparent difference in ck19 and ck20 mRNA transcription levels between controls and patients, or between patients with different Dukes' stages. While GCC mRNA was detected in only 1/21 control samples, it was expressed in approximately 80% of patients, although again there was no correlation between GCC levels and disease stage. Transcription levels of all three markers varied considerably between samples, even between samples taken from the same person at different times. We conclude that neither ck19 nor ck20 are reliable markers for the detection of colon epithelial cells in peripheral blood and that an evaluation of the usefulness of GCC awaits further longitudinal studies. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

The Musicality of Non-Musicians: An Index for Assessing Musical Sophistication in the General Population

Musical skills and expertise vary greatly in Western societies. Individuals can differ in their repertoire of musical behaviours as well as in the level of skill they display for any single musical behaviour. The types of musical behaviours we refer to here are broad, ranging from performance on an instrument and listening expertise, to the ability to employ music in functional settings or to communicate about music. In this paper, we first describe the concept of ‘musical sophistication’ which can be used to describe the multi-faceted nature of musical expertise. Next, we develop a novel measurement instrument, the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI) to assess self-reported musical skills and behaviours on multiple dimensions in the general population using a large Internet sample (n = 147,636). Thirdly, we report results from several lab studies, demonstrating that the Gold-MSI possesses good psychometric properties, and that self-reported musical sophistication is associated with performance on two listening tasks. Finally, we identify occupation, occupational status, age, gender, and wealth as the main socio-demographic factors associated with musical sophistication. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical accounts of implicit and statistical music learning and with regard to social conditions of sophisticated musical engagement

Surgical resection for locoregional esophageal cancer is underutilized in the United States

Background Although esophagectomy provides the highest probability of cure in patients with esophageal cancer, many candidates are never referred for surgery. We hypothesized that esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is underused, and we assessed the prevalence of resection in national, state, and local cancer data registries. Study Design Clinical stage, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, age, and race of patients with cancer of the esophagus were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry (1988 to 2004), the Healthcare Association of NY State registry (HANYS 2007), and a single referral center (2000 to 2007). SEER identified a total of 25,306 patients with esophageal cancer (average age 65.0 years, male-to-female ratio 3:1). HANYS identified 1,012 cases of esophageal cancer (average age 67 years, M:F ratio 3:1); stage was not available from NY State registry data. A single referral center identified 385 patients (48 per year; average age 67 years, M:F 3:1). For SEER data, logistic regression was used to examine determinants of esophageal resection; variables tested included age, race, and gender. Results Surgical exploration was performed in 29% of the total and only 44.2% of potentially resectable patients. Esophageal resection was performed in 44% of estimated cancer patients in NY State. By comparison, 64% of patients at a specialized referral center underwent surgical exploration, 96% of whom had resection. SEER resection rates for esophageal cancer did not change between 1988 and 2004. Males were more likely to receive operative treatment. Nonwhites were less likely to undergo surgery than whites (odds ratio 0.45, p < 0.001). Conclusions Surgical therapy for locoregional esophageal cancer is likely underused. Racial variations in esophagectomy are significant. Referral to specialized centers may result in an increase in patients considered for surgical therapy. \ua9 2010 American College of Surgeons