naevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome in a 22 month old child presenting with multiple basal cell carcinomas and a fetal rhabdomyoma

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Proposta metodologica per l’indagine negli ambienti di lavoro in alcologia

This paper is composed by two parts: the first is a brief methodological introduction to hierarchical approach in order to construction a valid and reliable instrument of survey; the second part, instead, shows and describes a questionnaire to look into the behaviours and perceptions of the workers in their workplace. The presented questionnaire is constructed by the hierarchical approach

Antidiabetic thiazolidinediones inhibit invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells via PPARγ independent mechanisms

Background/Aims: Thiazolidinediones (TZD) are a new class of oral antidiabetic drugs that have been shown to inhibit growth of some epithelial cancer cells. Although TZD were found to be ligands for peroxisome proliferators activated receptor γ (PPARγ) the mechanism by which TZD exert their anticancer effect is currently unclear. Furthermore, the effect of TZD on local motility and metastatic potential of cancer cells is unknown. The authors analysed the effects of two TZD, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, on invasiveness of human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines in order to evaluate the potential therapeutic use of these drugs in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Methods: Expression of PPARγ in human pancreatic adenocarcinomas and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by western blot analysis. PPARγ activity was evaluated by transient reporter gene assay. Invasion assay was performed in modified Boyden chambers. Gelatinolytic and fibrinolytic activity were evaluated by gel zymography. Results: TZD inhibited pancreatic cancer cells’ invasiveness, affecting gelatinolytic and fibrinolytic activity with a mechanism independent of PPARγ activation and involving MMP-2 and PAI-1 expression. Conclusion: TZD treatment in pancreatic cancer cells has potent inhibitory effects on growth and invasiveness suggesting that these drugs may have application for prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer in humans

Human gastric epithelium produces IL-4 and IL-4delta2 isoform only upon Helicobacter pylori infection.

Recent evidence suggests that interleukin-4 (IL-4) is related to mucosal tolerance by which an injurious immune response is prevented, suppressed or shifted to a non-injurious response. We investigated the expression of IL-4 and its splice variant isoform IL-4δ2 in gastric epithelial cells of healthy subjects and gastritis patients infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) with or without the cag pathogenicity island ( cag-PAI). IL-4 and IL-4δ2 mRNAs were evaluated in microdissected gastric epithelium and in AGS cell lines co-cultured with H. pylori B128 or SSI strains. IL-4 mRNA was consistently detected in microdissected gastric epithelial cells from healthy subjects. The IL-4 mRNA expression was low in H. pylori-infected patients, and markedly reduced in cag-PAI-positive ones. IL-4δ2 mRNA was expressed on gastric epithelium of H. pylori-infected patients, but not in healthy subjects. The IL-452 expression was lower in cag-PAI-positive than in cag-PAI-negative H. pylori infected patients. AGS cells also produced IL-4 mRNA upon SSI strain stimulation, whereas IL-4δ2 mRNA expression was detected in AGS co-cultured with either SSI or B128 strains. An inverse correlation was documented between IL-4 and IL-482 mRNA expression by microdissected gastric epithelial cells and the score of gastritis. IL-4, but not IL-452, is expressed by gastric epithelium of healthy subjects, whereas IL-452 and lesser IL-4 mRNA are detectable in the gastric epithelium of H. pylori-infected patients. Data suggest that gastric epithelial cells might regulate the balance between tolerance and immune response by the fine tuning of IL-4 and IL-4δ2 expression

Efficacy of photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate in the treatment of superficial and nodular basal cell carcinoma: an open-label trial

Photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate (MAL-PDT) is a non-invasive therapy for superficial and nodular basal cell carcinoma (BCC). We performed an open-label trial to evaluate efficacy, safety, tolerability and cosmetic outcome of MAL-PDT in selected patients with superficial and nodular BCCs. Ninety-four superficial and 24 nodular BCCs in 69 patients were treated with 2 to 8 MAL-PDT sessions. Efficacy, safety, tolerability and cosmetic outcome were evaluated at months 1, 3, 6 and 12 after the last MAL-PDT treatment and then every 3 months. One patient discontinued the study for reasons unrelated to study procedures. Complete clinical regression was detected in 84/94 (89.4%) superficial BCCs, and 12/23 (52.2%) nodular BCCs one month after 2 MAL-PDT sessions. No further clinical improvement was observed in either superficial or nodular BCCs with treatment continuation up to a maximum of 8 MAL-PDT sessions. Adverse effects were limited to mild local skin reactions, and cosmetic outcome was rated as excellent or good. Recurrence was observed in 2/84 (2.4%) successfully treated superficial BCCs at 6 and 12 months after treatment discontinuation. Based on the efficacy, tolerability, cosmetic outcome and recurrence rate, our results support the use of MAL-PDT for treatment of superficial BCC and for selected cases of nodular BCC