Recent advances in targeted therapy of colorectal cancer: impacts of monoclonal antibodies nanoconjugates

Despite rapid advances in diagnostic and treatment approaches, the overall survival rate of cancer has not been improved. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is recognized as the third leading cause of neoplasm-related deaths worldwide, in large part due to its considerable metastasis and drug resistance. For developing new anticancer strategies, rapid progression of multimodal nanomedicines and nanoconjugates has provided promising treatment modalities for effective therapy of cancer. The limitations of cancer chemotherapy might be overcome through the use of such nanosized therapeutics, including nanoconjugates of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) along with drugs and organic/inorganic nanoparticles. CRC cells express various molecular markers against which mAbs can be designed and used as targeting/therapeutic agents. This editorial highlights the importance of such targeted nanosystems against CRC

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Relationship between serum hyaluronic acid level and stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis

Article retraction: Ana-Maria Simundic. Parsian H et al. Relationship between serum hyaluronic acid level and stage of liver fi brosis in patients with chronic hepatitis. Biochem Med 2009;19:154-65. Biochemia Medica 2012;22(2):259. Editor-in-chief Biochemia Medica The above stated article has been retracted from the Biochemia Medica Journal. It has been recently brought to the Editor-in-chief’s attention by Monica Acalovschi, who is the Editor-in-chief of the Journal Gastrointestinal Liver Diseases that Hadi Parsian has since 2009 published three articles with close similarities: Parsian H, Rahimipour A, Nouri M, Somi MH, Qujeq D, Fard MK, Agcheli K. Serum hyaluronic acid and laminin as biomarkers in liver fibrosis. J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2010;19(2):169-74. Parsian H, Rahimipour A, Nouri M, Somi MH, Qujeq D. Assessment of liver fibrosis development in chronic hepatitis B patients by serum hyaluronic acid and laminin levels. Acta Clin Croat. 2010;49(3):257-65. Parsian H et al. Relationship between serum hyaluronic acid level and stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis. Biochemia Medica 2009;19(2):154-65. Authors have submitted their work to Biochemia Medica along with a cover letter clearly stating that their manuscript is original, has not been published before and is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere. Unfortunately, after thourough investigation we conclude that all three published articles have close similarities and high degree of homology. They originate from the same investigation, they report same results on the same patients. This is considered as self-plagiarism and serious publication misconduct. Article published in the Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases in June 2010, has been retracted this March. Due to the above stated reasons, we therefore retract the article published in Biochemia Medica. The authors have been informed about the reasons for the retraction decision

An economic analysis of premarriage prevention of hepatitis B transmission in Iran

BACKGROUND: To assess the economic aspects of HBV (hepatitis B virus) transmission prevention for premarriage individuals in a country with cultural backgrounds like Iran and intermediate endemicity of HBV infection. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis model was used from the health care system and society perspectives. The effectiveness was defined as the number of chronic HBV infections averted owing to one of the following strategies: 1) HBsAg screening to find those would-be couples one of whom is HBsAg positive and putting seronegative subjects on a protection protocol comprising HBV vaccination, single dose HBIG and condom protection. 2) HBsAg screening as above, in addition to performing HBcAb screening in the HBsAg negative spouses of the HBsAg positive persons and giving the protocol only to HBcAb negative ones. Sensitivity and threshold analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The cost of each chronic infection averted was 202$and 197$ for the strategies 1 and 2, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that strategy 2 was always slightly cheaper than strategy 1. The discounted threshold value for the lifetime costs of chronic liver disease, above which the model was cost saving was 2818$in strategy 1 and 2747$ in strategy 2. CONCLUSIONS: Though premarriage prevention of HBV transmission in the countries with cultural backgrounds similar to Iran seems cost saving, further studies determining precise costs of HBV infection in Iran can lead to a better analysis

Effects of Pharmacologic Dose of Resveratrol Supplementation on Oxidative/Antioxidative Status Biomarkers in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Purpose: Despite a proposed role for oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), antioxidant approaches have not been sufficiently investigated in human NAFLD management. Resveratrol has been reported to possess a wide range of biological functions, including antioxidant activities. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of resveratrol supplementation on oxidative/anti-oxidative status in patients with NAFLD. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients with NAFLD (males and females) aged 20 to 60 years, and body mass index (BMI) of 25-35 kg/m2. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of 600 mg resveratrol (2×300 mg pure trans-resveratrol capsules; n=30) or placebo capsules (n=30) for 12 wk. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements, and dietary intakes were collected for all patients at baseline and at the end of the trial. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measurement of serum malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities. Changes in the outcomes were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Resveratrol supplementation did not significantly affect neither serum MDA, ox-LDL, and TAC levels, nor erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activities, compared to placebo group (All P>0.05). Moreover, changes in serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP) were not significant in neither of the study groups (All P>0.05). Conclusion: Resveratrol supplementation did not modify oxidative/anti-oxidative status in patients with NAFLD

Does long sleep duration increase risk of metabolic syndrome in Azar cohort study population?

Background: We decided to assess the correlation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) risks,sleep and napping duration in Azar cohort population according to the increasing incidence of MetS in the world and inconsistence results about sleep duration and MetS. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, MetS and sleep habits of 14916 subjects (35-70 years old) who inhabited in Shabestar city were determined by ATPIII and Pittsburg questionnaire respectively. Inclusion criteria were subjects with 35-70 years old and living in Shabestar for at least 9 months of the year.Results: According to the results, age, living place, body mass index, hypnotic drug use, sleep and napping duration and TV time were the risk factors of MetS. In this regard, long sleep duration (>9 h/24 h), napping (0.25-2 h/day), hypnotic drug use and watching TV (2 h/day)increased the risk of MetS by 1.18 (1.05-1.33), 1.16(1.07-1.26), 1.35(1.13-1.60), and 1.13(1.04-1.23) respectively.Conclusion: According to these results, it appears that proper education for improvement of sleep habit is necessary to reduce incidence of MetS and its consequences. However, there is need for more longitudinal researches and using objective method of sleep habits evaluation for more precise results

Colorectal Cancer in Iran: Molecular Epidemiology and Screening Strategies

Purpose. The increasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the past three decades in Iran has made it a major public health burden. This study aimed to report its epidemiologic features, molecular genetic aspects, survival, heredity, and screening pattern in Iran. Methods. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the relevant published articles. We used medical subject headings, including colorectal cancer, molecular genetics, KRAS and BRAF mutations, screening, survival, epidemiologic study, and Iran. Results. Age standardized incidence rate of Iranian CRCs was 11.6 and 10.5 for men and women, respectively. Overall five-year survival rate was 41%, and the proportion of CRC among the younger age group was higher than that of western countries. Depending on ethnicity, geographical region, dietary, and genetic predisposition, mutation genes were considerably diverse and distinct among CRCs across Iran. The high occurrence of CRC in records of relatives of CRC patients showed that family history of CRC was more common among young CRCs. Conclusion. Appropriate screening strategies for CRC which is amenable to early detection through screening, especially in relatives of CRCs, should be considered as the first step in CRC screening programs

Impact of RAS/RAF mutations on clinical and prognostic outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer

Introduction: Early-activated RAS/RAF mutation status is a key molecular finding in colorectal cancer (CRC), while these mutations have been proposed as predictive and prognostic biomarkers. The present study has been designed as a longitudinal study to evaluate and summarize the different genotypes of metastatic CRC (mCRC), and assessing any association with the disease prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics. This study was performed in two main referral hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, over three years (2016-2018). Methods: Mutations were detected by Idylla tests of KRAS/NRAS/BRAF among a total of 173 mCRCs, using surgically-resected specimens or biopsied samples. To evaluate the factors associated with overall survival (OS) and prognosis, the Cox proportional hazards model was used in two steps to estimate the outcome measures (hazard ratio, or HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The nominal 1 to 5-year OS rates were 78%, 65%, 55%, 46%, and 42%, respectively. KRAS mutations in codon 12 was an independent significant prognostic factor, as the patients with codon 12 mutations had a significantly lower OS (P Log-rank=0.049) and a higher hazard of mortality (HR=2.30; 95% CI: 0.95-5.58; P=0.066). Also, the mCRC patients with liver metastasis (HR=2.49; 95% CI: 1.49-12.52; P=0.002) and tumors of the distal colon (HR=3.36; 95% CI: 1.07-10.49; P=0.037) had a significantly worse prognosis. Conclusion: KRAS mutation in codon 12 was an independent significant poor prognostic factor, and patients with liver metastasis had a significantly worse prognosis. Routinely performing specific oncogenic tests may help improve the patients’ prognosis and life expectancy