Cancer

In the current study evaluating bone marrow (BM) involvement in non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) compared with morphology showed a low positive concordance rate. Furthermore, PCR-based clonality did not show significant impact on survival. The results of this large study confirm that morphology remains the gold standard in the evaluation of BM involvement in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

We analyzed outcomes in 224 patients with Stage I–IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Patients participated in two Phase II clinical trials, which included chemotherapy with a median of six cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) with or without involved-field radiotherapy. Five-year progression-free, cause-specific, and overall survival rates for patients with an international prognostic index (IPI) of 0–2 were 73%, 84%, and 82%, respectively, versus only 37%, 33%, and 32% for patients with an IPI of 3–4. To improve our results, we are currently conducting clinical trials with young DLBCL patients and patients older than 60 years old. The young DLBCL patients, who have more than two adverse prognostic features, are being treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue. The patients older than 60 years, regardless of IPI, are being treated with rituximab immunotherapy and liposomal CHOP chemotherapy with or without involved-field radiotherapy.

A problem-solving training intervention specifically designed for younger women with breast carcinoma significantly decreased the difficulties experienced by women who had average or good problem-solving skills before the intervention. However, it was not effective in alleviating or resolving the problems encountered by women with poor problem-solving skills, relative to the control group. The results underscore the importance of targeting interventions to the population subgroups most likely to benefit from them.

A significant increase (> 50%) in secondary endometrial thickening, measured ultrasonographically, in postmenopausal tamoxifen-treated patients is associated with a high rate of endometrial pathologies, including endometrial cancer.

The roles of tumor nuclear grade, mitotic activity, and biomarker expression profiles were investigated in predicting the pathologic response of patients with breast carcinoma to preoperative chemotherapy. The results suggest that nuclear grade and proliferative activity are not only indicators of tumor biologic behavior but also may serve as important predictors of tumor response to doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Thymic carcinomas are rare neoplasms and to the authors' knowledge information regarding the results of treatment and possible prognostic factors in patients with these tumors is limited. In the current study, the authors analyze their experience of 40 patients with thymic carcinomas and indicate a possible curative treatment for these tumors.

Heterozygosity for the thrombophilic mutation factor V Leiden proved to be a significant risk factor for tumor-associated thrombosis. Most thrombotic events occurred during the first few months after tumor diagnosis and in close correlation to the onset of chemotherapy, indicating that diagnostic and therapeutic procedures might play an additional role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis. Results also suggest that the prothrombin G20210A mutation might be a significant cofactor in cancer pathogenesis.

The authors investigated the expression of phosphorylated Akt (Ser473) in colon carcinoma cell lines and tissue samples and found close associations with cell growth, resistance to apoptosis, and clinicopathologic parameters. These findings indicate that activation of Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) plays an important role in the progression of colorectal carcinomas implicating the usefulness of an Akt/PKB inactivating agent in colon carcinoma treatment.

Conventional chemotherapeutic agents that target tumor cells directly have produced disappointing results in the treatment of patients with serotonin-producing tumors in the advanced stage. The data from this study suggest that 7-hydroxytryptophan may be a highly specific chemotherapeutic compound against such tumors.

Prostate carcinoma (PC) with an aggressive clone can be identified when the ratio of cathepsin B (CB) is greater than that of stefin A. Less aggressive clones are identified when the ratio of CB is less than that of stefin A or when the ratio of CB is equal to that of stefin A. The ratios of CB to stefin A can be used in the differential diagnosis and treatment of patients with PC.

The authors reviewed the prognostic impact of three patterns of invasion of pT3 renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma. Multivariate analysis revealed that extensive parenchymal invasion was the most powerful predictor of prognosis among the variables tested.

Microsatellite analysis of Sardinian patients with endometrial carcinoma revealed that about one-third of primary tumors exhibited genetic instability. This was associated with lack of expression of DNA mismatch-repair genes but not with disease-causing mutations of candidate genes (hMLH1/hMSH2 and PTEN). In patients with endometrial carcinoma, microsatellite instability does not seem to be associated significantly with a different clinical outcome.

In this Phase II clinical trial for advanced, resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, and hypopharynx, a multimodal regimen involving surgery, intraoperative radiation therapy, and pre- and postoperative chemoradiotherapy showed improved locoregional and distant disease control. The regimen maintained a low rate of patient noncompliance and acceptable toxicities.

Allelic losses on 8p are frequent in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Association of allelic losses at specific loci on 8p with a more aggressive tumor behavior suggests that loss/inactivation of putative tumor suppressor gene(s) located at these regions may confer a tumor growth advantage and contribute to the progression of HCC.

A recent trial reported moderate activity for gemcitabine among Asian patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma; however, this trial observed no responses for gemcitabine in a population of U.S. patients.

Clinical photographs and photomicrographs of melanomas and dysplastic nevi from members of melanoma-prone families who were followed for up to 24 years are presented. The lesions do not appear to vary substantially by type of germline mutation found in the families.

In the current study, the intratumoral concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in human intracranial neoplasms was measured and correlated with prognosis, tumor recurrence, vasogenic edema, cell proliferation index, and vascular density. The findings suggest that the routine measurement of HGF may be used as a predictive factor for planning therapeutic strategies in both malignant gliomas and meningiomas.

A glioma may occur secondary to inherited genetic disorders, prior treatments, or as a sporadic event. In the current study, the authors describe 21 patients with a malignant glioma that was diagnosed subsequent to a prior malignancy.

In the current experiment, the use of gemcitabine in patients with advanced sarcomas was well tolerated but had limited activity.

A meta-analysis of 38 randomized-controlled clinical trials of antifungal prophylaxis in 7014 patients with severe neutropenia demonstrated treatment effects for a number of outcomes, including reductions in the use of empiric parenteral antifungal therapy, superficial and proven invasive fungal infection, and fungal infection-related mortality. In addition, a metaregression analysis identified additional treatment-related reductions in overall mortality for patients who had prolonged neutropenia and patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Oxidative stress in peripheral blood plasma and bone marrow plasma was higher in advanced lung and breast carcinoma patients than in healthy controls. The levels of both lipid oxidation and lipid-soluble antioxidants in peripheral blood plasma correlate positively with those in bone marrow plasma. Peripheral blood plasma and bone marrow plasma lipid oxidation is inversely related to lipid-soluble antioxidant levels.

The bleeding risk index identifies patients with solid tumors who are at high risk of bleeding during chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia by using information that is readily available on Day 1 of a chemotherapy cycle. This individualized approach to bleeding prophylaxis is more sensitive and specific compared with platelet threshold-based strategies as a guide for the use of prophylactic platelet transfusions.

This article shows that vinorelbine as a single agent is feasible and potentially effective in already heavily treated pediatric patients with recurrent sarcomas. In particular, it appears to have a significant clinical effect in patients with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.

This article describes the clinical management and outcome of 28 pediatric patients with clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses. This pediatric series confirms that clear cell sarcoma behaves like a high-grade soft tissue sarcoma. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment, whereas chemotherapy is ineffective.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for pediatric bone sarcomas results in significant changes in [F-18]-fluorodeoxy-D-glucose (FDG) metabolism quantified by positron emission tomography (PET). In our study, FDG PET correlates with histopathologic response to chemotherapy in surgically excised pediatric bone sarcomas.

In the current study evidence was found to support the assumption that cavernomas are induced by radiation.

In the current study, an internal tandem duplication of the FLT3 gene (FLT3/ITD) was found in 11.3% of children with acute myeloid leukemia and was frequently associated with PML/RARα, particularly the S-form. The authors did not confirm the previous finding that FLT3/ITD predicted a poor outcome, but they found that a high mutant/wild type ratio of FLT3 may serve as a potential predictor for a poor outcome.

This large, prospective, population-based study provided no support for the hypothesis that personality, as measured by the Test of Psychic Vulnerability, is an independent risk factor for cancer. If an association between personality and risk for cancer does exist, then it is likely that personality influences health practices.

Population-based data were used to compare the incidence, demographics, and survival of malignant tumors of the appendix by histologic types.