Stromal myofibroblasts in breast cancer: relations between their occurrence, tumor grade and expression of some tumour markers.

It is suggested that tumour stromal myofibroblasts exert an unfavourable effect on the biology of breast cancer. We are aware of only a single study which examined relationships between manifestation of myofibroblasts in the stroma of breast cancer and clinicopathological data of the patients. The present study was aimed at estimation of the effect exerted by myofibroblasts present in the tumour stroma on principal pathological parameters and on expression of Ki67, P53 and HER-2 proteins in the group of the most frequent breast cancers, the ductal cancers. In paraffin sections of 60 ductal breast cancers (20 cases in G1, 20 in G2 and 20 in G3), immunohistochemical reactions were performed to detect expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA) in order to visualize myofibroblasts, Ki67, P53 and HER-2. The studies demonstrated that the most numerous myofibroblasts were present in G3 cases and they were the least frequent in G1 cases (P = 0.02). Positive correlations were observed between the presence of myofibroblasts in tumour stroma and expression of Ki67 and HER-2 in breast cancer cells in the entire group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively), in G2 cases (P = 0.003 and P = 0.03) and in G3 cases (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03). Considering that the higher grade, Ki67 and HER-2 are thought to represent unfavourable prognostic factors, the elevated content of myofibroblasts in tumour stroma is probably typical for cases with worse prognosis

Estrogen Receptor Alpha Expression in Ovarian Cancer Predicts Longer Overall Survival

Estrogen as a potential factor of ovarian carcinogenesis, acts via two nuclear receptors, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ), but the cellular signal pathways involved are not completely clear so far. In this study we have described the expression of ERα, detected by immunocytochemistry in 11 ovarian carcinoma cell lines and by immunohistochemistry in 43 Federation Internationale des Gyneacologistes et Obstetristes stage III ovarian carcinoma specimens prepared before and after treatment with cisplatin-based schemes. For cisplatin resistance is a major obstacle in the treatment of ovarian carcinoma, analysis of cisplatin sensitivity in 11 ovarian carcinoma cell line was also performed. The strong nuclear ERα expression was only shown in the single A2780P cell line. Expression of ERα in tissue specimens did not reveal any correlations between histopathological parameters (histologic type and grading). We demonstrated a significant association with ERα expression in specimens from primary laparotomies (PL) and cause–specific survival. In the cases terminated by death of the patient, overall immunoreactivity score of ERα expression at PL was significantly lower than in surviving patients. In addition, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly shorter overall survival time and progression-free time in cases with lower immunoreactivity score of ERα expression at PL. Our findings support the hypothesis that aberrant hormone activity, by way of altered receptor expression, might be an important factor in the malignant transformation of ovarian cancer

Risk Factors for Cerebral Aneurysm Rupture in Mongolia

Purpose!#!Identification of country-specific demographic, medical, lifestyle, and geoenvironmental risk factors for cerebral aneurysm rupture in the developing Asian country of Mongolia. First-time estimation of the crude national incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).!##!Methods!#!A retrospective analysis of all intracranial digital subtraction angiographies (DSA) acquired in Mongolia during the 2‑year period 2016-2017 (1714 examinations) was performed. During this period, DSA was used as primary diagnostic imaging modality for acute severe neurological symptoms in the sole hospital nationwide dedicated to neurological patients. The catchment area of the hospital included the whole country. Patients with incidental and ruptured aneurysms were reviewed with respect to their medical history and living conditions. The data was used to install a Mongolian aneurysm registry.!##!Results!#!The estimated annual crude incidence of cerebral aneurysm rupture was 6.71 for the country of Mongolia and 14.53 per 100,000 persons for the capital region of Ulaanbaatar. Risk factors common in developed countries also applied for the Mongolian population: A medical history of hypertension, smoking or the presence of multiple aneurysms led to a higher relative risk of rupture. In contrast, female gender was not associated with a higher risk in this national cohort. Males pursuing a traditional nomadic living may exhibit a specifically high risk of rupture.!##!Conclusion!#!Disease management of over 200 individuals/year with aSAH constitutes a socioeconomic burden in Mongolia. Efforts to raise awareness of the risk factors hypertension and smoking among the Mongolian population are desirable. Measures to improve the nationwide availability of modern neurovascular treatment options are currently under consideration

Stromal myofibroblasts in breast cancer: relations between their occurrence, tumor grade and expression of some tumour markers.

It is suggested that tumour stromal myofibroblasts exert an unfavourable effect on the biology of breast cancer. We are aware of only a single study which examined relationships between manifestation of myofibroblasts in the stroma of breast cancer and clinicopathological data of the patients. The present study was aimed at estimation of the effect exerted by myofibroblasts present in the tumour stroma on principal pathological parameters and on expression of Ki67, P53 and HER-2 proteins in the group of the most frequent breast cancers, the ductal cancers. In paraffin sections of 60 ductal breast cancers (20 cases in G1, 20 in G2 and 20 in G3), immunohistochemical reactions were performed to detect expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA) in order to visualize myofibroblasts, Ki67, P53 and HER-2. The studies demonstrated that the most numerous myofibroblasts were present in G3 cases and they were the least frequent in G1 cases (P = 0.02). Positive correlations were observed between the presence of myofibroblasts in tumour stroma and expression of Ki67 and HER-2 in breast cancer cells in the entire group (P &lt; 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively), in G2 cases (P = 0.003 and P = 0.03) and in G3 cases (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03). Considering that the higher grade, Ki67 and HER-2 are thought to represent unfavourable prognostic factors, the elevated content of myofibroblasts in tumour stroma is probably typical for cases with worse prognosis

Wpływ tamoksifenu na platynowrażliwość i ekspresję receptorów estrogenowych linii komórkowych raka jajnika

Abstract Background: Tamoxifen, used in breast cancer treatment, competitively inhibits estrogen receptor (ER) and also demonstrates direct antiproliferative effect on cancer cells even in ER lacking cancer tissue. However, its molecular mechanism of action is still unclear. Material and methods: We exposed on tamoxifen 11 ovarian cancer cell lines, including well-documented platinumsensitive and platinum-resistant ones, and studied tamoxifen-, cisplatin-sensitivity and expression of ERα and s. Results: We observed: no correlation between TAM-sensitivity and ERα and ERs expressions, no correlation between TAM influence on cisplatin-sensitivity and ERα and ERs expressions, increase of ERs expression after TAM-exposure in 3 cell lines; decrease in the 1 line, no TAM-exposure influence on ERα expression and increase of IC50 for cisplatin after TAM-exposure in 5 (45%) cell lines. These results show ovarian cancer cells being affected by TAM have different platinum sensitivity. Conclusions: Our data suggests that ovarian cancer cells platinum-sensitivity are not linked with ER expressions. We claim the necessity of seeking some TAM predicting factors, using DNA microarrays.Streszczenie Cel pracy: Tamoksifen (TAM) kompetecyjne blokuje receptor estrogenowy (ER) i jest lekiem powszechnie używanym w terapii raka sutka. Wykazuje także bezpośredni efekt antyproliferacyjny w komórkach nowotworowych pozbawionych ER, jednak mechanizm tego działania nie jest znany. Celem pracy było zbadanie, w jaki sposób ekspozycja na tamoksyfen wpływa na platynowrażliwość linii komórkowych raka jajnika oraz określenie ekspresji ER w tych reakcjach. Materiał i metoda: Użyto 11 linii komórkowych raka jajnika, zarówno o udokumentowanej wrażliwości na platynę jak również niewrażliwych na działanie cytostatyku. Inkubowano je z cisplatyną oraz 0,0 (kontrola) oraz 0,5 i 1,0μMol tamoksyfenu. Wrażliwość na platynę oceniono wyznaczając IC50 dla poszczególnych hodowli. Metodą immunohistochemiczną określono ekspresję i lokalizację ERα i ERβ. Wyniki: Zaobserwowano brak korelacji pomiędzy wrażliwością na tamoksyfen i ekspresją ERα i ERβ, choć wykazano rożną lokalizację ERα i ERβ (jądrową i cytoplazmatyczną). Nie wykazano wpływu tamoksyfenu na platynowrażliwość linii komórkowych w powiązaniu z ekspresją ERα i ERβ. Po ekspozycji na tamoksyfen w 3 liniach zaobserwowano wzrost ekspresji ERβ a spadek w jednej linii. W 5 liniach nie odnotowano wpływu tamoksyfenu na ich platynowrażliwość przy braku wpływu na ekspresję ERα. W 6 liniach zaobserwowano wzrost IC50 dla platyny przy inkubacji z 0,5 (4 linie) i 1,0 μMol (3 linie) tamoksyfenu. Otrzymano: 10.12.2009 Wnioski: Wyniki sugerują, że tamoksyfen modyfikuje w rożny sposób platynowrażliwość linii komórkowych raka jajnika i nie jest ona powiązana z ekspresją ER. Należy poszukiwać innych czynników predykcyjnych wrażliwości na tamoksyfen u chorych na raka jajnika