An increased micronucleus frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes predicts the risk of cancer in humans

none24noneS. BONASSI; A. ZNAOR; M. CEPPI; C. LANDO; W.P. CHANG; N. HOLLAND; M. KIRSCH-VOLDERS; E. ZEIGER; S. BAN; R. BARALE; M.P. BIGATTI; C. BOLOGNESI; A. CEBULSKA-WASILEWSKA; E. FABIANOVA; A. FUCIC; L. HAGMAR; G. JOKSIC; A. MARTELLI; L. MIGLIORE; E. MIRKOVA; M.R. SCARFI; A. ZIJNO; H. NORPPA; M. FENECHS., Bonassi; A., Znaor; M., Ceppi; C., Lando; W. P., Chang; N., Holland; M., KIRSCH VOLDERS; E., Zeiger; S., Ban; R., Barale; M. P., Bigatti; C., Bolognesi; A., CEBULSKA WASILEWSKA; E., Fabianova; A., Fucic; L., Hagmar; G., Joksic; Martelli, ANTONIETTA MARIA; L., Migliore; E., Mirkova; M. R., Scarfi; A., Zijno; H., Norppa; M., Fenec

Intrathoracic solitary fibrous tumor - an international multicenter study on clinical outcome and novel circulating biomarkers

Intrathoracic solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare disease. Radical resection is the standard of care. However, estimating prognosis and planning follow-up and treatment strategies remains challenging. Data were retrospectively collected by five international centers to explore outcome and biomarkers for predicting event-free-survival (EFS). 125 histological proven SFT patients (74 female; 59.2%; 104 benign; 83.2%) were analyzed. The one-, three-, five- and ten-year EFS after curative-intent surgery was 98%, 90%, 77% and 67%, respectively. Patients age (>/=59 vs. 10 cm vs. 5 vs. < 5 HR 3.91, CI 1.40-10.89, p = 0.009) were prognostic after univariate analyses. After multivariate analyses tumor-dignity and fibrinogen remained as independent prognosticators. Besides validating the role of age, tumor-dignity, tumor-size, stage and resection margins, we identified for the first time inflammatory markers as prognosticators in SFT

New tumour entities in the 4th edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck tumours: odontogenic and maxillofacial bone tumours.

The latest (4th) edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck tumours has recently been published with a number of significant changes across all tumour sites. In particular, there has been a major attempt to simplify classifications and to use defining criteria which can be used globally in all situations, avoiding wherever possible the use of complex molecular techniques which may not be affordable or widely available. This review summarises the changes in Chapter 8: Odontogenic and maxillofacial bone lesions. The most significant change is the re-introduction of the classification of the odontogenic cysts, restoring this books status as the only text which classifies and defines the full range of lesions of the odontogenic tissues. The consensus group considered carefully the terminology of lesions and were concerned to ensure that the names used properly reflected the best evidence regarding the true nature of specific entities. For this reason, this new edition restores the odontogenic keratocyst and calcifying odontogenic cyst to the classification of odontogenic cysts and rejects the previous terminology (keratocystic odontogenic tumour and calcifying cystic odontogenic tumour) which were intended to suggest that they are true neoplasms. New entities which have been introduced include the sclerosing odontogenic carcinoma and primordial odontogenic tumour. In addition, some previously poorly defined lesions have been removed, including the ameloblastic fibrodentinoma, ameloblastic fibro-odontoma, which are probably developing odontomas, and the odontoameloblastoma, which is not regarded as an entity. Finally, the terminology "cemento" has been restored to cemento-ossifying fibroma and cemento-osseous dysplasias, to properly reflect that they are of odontogenic origin and are found in the tooth-bearing areas of the jaws

Twist-1 Up-Regulation in Carcinoma Correlates to Poor Survival

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) facilitates tumor metastasis. Twist is a basic helix-loop-helix protein that modulates many target genes through E-box-responsive elements. There are two twist-like proteins, Twist-1 and Twist-2, sharing high structural homology in mammals. Twist-1 was found to be a key factor in the promotion of metastasis of cancer cells, and is known to induce EMT. Twist-1 participation in carcinoma progression and metastasis has been reported in a variety of tumors. However, controversy exists concerning the correlation between Twist-1 and prognostic value with respect to carcinoma. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine whether the expression of Twist-1 was associated with the prognosis of carcinoma patients. This analysis included 17 studies: four studies evaluated lung cancer, three evaluated head and neck cancer, two evaluated breast cancer, two evaluated esophageal cancer, two evaluated liver cancer and one each evaluated osteosarcoma, bladder, cervical and ovarian cancer. A total of 2006 patients were enrolled in these studies, and the median trial sample size was 118 patients. Twist-1 expression was associated with worse overall survival (OS) at both 3 years (hazard ratio “HR” for death = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.86 to 2.45, p &lt; 0.001) and 5 years (HR for death = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.76 to 2.29, p &lt; 0.001). Expression of Twist-1 is associated with worse survival in carcinoma

Cytogenetic effect of chronic low-dose, low-dose-rate γ-radiation in residents of irradiated buildings

Steel rods contaminated with cobalt-60 were used in the construction of more than 100 buildings in Taiwan around 1983, 1,2 but the contamination was first discovered only in August,1992,in a block of flats called Ming-shan Villa. 2,3 Dozens of contaminated residential and school buildings,which have been occupied by about 6000 citizens and students,have been identified since then.These individuals have been exposed to excessive radiation for 1 –11 years,on the basis of time spent indoors. 3,4 The background radioactivity (0 ·5 –132 ·0 µSv/h)in the apartments of Ming-shan Villa,measured in 1994,is several to more than 1000 times that in most Taiwanese buildings (0 ·08 –0 ·1 µSv/h).The health of the residents of Ming-shan Villa has been of great interest since,from a public-health perspective,their unique environmental radiation exposure resembles occupational exposure.An epidemiological study of the health effects of exposure of these residents to the radiation was started at the end of 1993,with the support of the Department of Health in Taiwan.95%of the residents in that building were relocated within 6 –8 months.The others opted to stay on.This report is derived from the first phase of this study. Of the 85 residents who had lived in Ming-shan Villa for at least 1 year before the start of the study,73 were registered as the exposed cohort.They were aged 2 –46 years and had lived in the building for 13 –122 months. Among the 12 not enrolled were seven aged under 4 years,who were too young for invasive tests,and five who had moved away.Serious illness was excluded in all 12 by telephone questionnaire and by checking with their physicians.There were 77 controls.31 exposed individuals had close relatives,siblings,brothers-in-law,or sisters-in-law,matched for age and sex (group A controls);eight of these 31 exposed individuals had a second close relative also matched for age and sex but not as closely for age as their group A control.The other controls were 38 residents from a non-contaminated building next door,matched for age and sex.Controls Background Many people in Taiwan have been living in buildings constructed with cobalt-60-contaminated steel rods.To study the biological effects of chronic low-dose ionising radiation on the residents of one such building, micronucleus formation in these individuals was compared with that in controls. Methods The 73 residents had 77 age-and-sex-matched controls:31 had 31 close relatives as controls (group A controls);eight of the 31 had a second set of close relatives;and the other controls were 38 residents in neighbouring buildings.Two micronucleus assays were used —a cytochalasin B (CBMN)assay and another involving incubation with cytarabine (CBMNA).Assay results are given as “frequency ”,or the number of binucleate cells containing one micronucleus per 1000 randomly examined binucleate cells. Findings The CBMN and CBMNA mean (SD)frequencies for 31 exposed individuals (0 ·016 [0 ·009 ]and 0 ·025 [0 ·013 ] respectively)were greater than those for their group A controls (0 ·009 [0 ·004 ]and 0 ·016 [0 ·009 ],respectively) (p=0 ·0006 and 0 ·0002,respectively).The mean CBMN and CBMNA frequencies for all the exposed individuals (0 ·017 [0 ·011 ]and 0 ·030 [0 ·014 ],respectively)were significantly greater than those for all controls (0 ·011 [0 ·008 ]and 0 ·019 [0 ·01 ];p=0 ·0001 for both comparisons).The ranges of the differences in CBMN or CBMNA frequencies between 31 exposed individuals and their group A controls were 0 ·003 to 0 ·020 and 0 ·001 to 0 ·032,respectively.After adjustment for age,sex,and cigarette smoking,the adjusted relative risks of micronucleus formation from radiation exposure in all 73 residents was 1 ·56 (95%CI 1 ·42 –1 ·71;p=0 ·0001)by the CBMN assay and 1 ·64 (1 ·53 –1 ·77;p=0 ·0001)by the CBMNA assay. Interpretation These findings suggest that chronic low- dose and low-dose-rate γ-ray environmental exposure may induce cytogenetic damage in human beings