Colorectal cancer concurrent gene signature based on coherent patterns between genomic and transcriptional alterations.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to enhance colorectal cancer prognostication by integrating single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and gene expression (GE) microarrays for genomic and transcriptional alteration detection; genes with concurrent gains and losses were used to develop a prognostic signature. METHODS: The discovery dataset comprised 32 Taiwanese colorectal cancer patients, of which 31 were assayed for GE and copy number variations (CNVs) with Illumina Human HT-12 BeadChip v4.0 and Omni 25 BeadChip v1.1. Concurrent gains and losses were declared if coherent manners were observed between GE and SNP arrays. Concurrent genes were also identified in The Cancer Genome Atlas Project (TCGA) as the secondary discovery dataset (n = 345). RESULTS: The "universal" concurrent genes, which were the combination of z-transformed correlation coefficients, contained 4022 genes. Candidate genes were evaluated within each of the 10 public domain microarray datasets, and 1655 (2000 probe sets) were prognostic in at least one study. Consensus across all datasets was used to build a risk predictive model, while distinct relapse-free/overall survival patterns between defined risk groups were observed among four out of five training datasets. The predictive accuracy of recurrence, metastasis, or death was between 61 and 86% (cross-validation area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve: 0.548-0.833) from five independent validation studies. CONCLUSION: The colorectal cancer concurrent gene signature is prognostic in terms of recurrence, metastasis, or mortality among 1746 patients. Genes with coherent patterns between genomic and transcriptional contexts are more likely to provide prognostication for colorectal cancer.

Validation of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-CR29 to assess quality of life in colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The increasing incidence of colorectal cancer in Taiwan has generated a need for a disease-specific quality-of-life measuring instrument. We aimed to validate the Taiwan Chinese version of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29. METHODS: A total of 108 patients were interviewed. Convergent and discriminant validity, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, test-retest reliability, and known-groups comparisons were used to examine the reliability and validity. RESULTS: We found good internal consistency reliability for multi-item scales of the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29, except for the cognitive function and pain scale of the QLQ-C30. Patients in the active treatment group reported compromised functional scale scores (global health status/quality of life, QLQ-C30) and worse symptoms (blood and mucus in stool, QLQ-CR29) than those in the follow-up group. Similar results were found in comparisons based on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status and Bristol Stool Scale: higher physical function/sexual interest, less fatigue/urine frequency symptoms for patients with the lowest ECOG Performance Status (Grade 0), and borderline worse stool frequency scores from Types 5 and 6 patients on the Bristol Stool Scale. CONCLUSION: The study validated the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29. The clinical applicability warrants further studies with greater number of participants.

Dramatic remission of anemia after thymectomy in a patient of idiopathic myelofibrosis with thymoma.

Anemia is one of the characteristics of idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), and malignant thymoma is usually associated with various hematologic disorders, including anemia, pancytopenia, and hypogammaglobulinemia. However, the relationship between IMF and malignant thymoma has not been published before. Here, we report a 48-year-old woman who was initially diagnosed of IMF with severe anemia and transfusion dependent. Five years later, malignant thymoma was found when she was examined for chronic cough. After performing extended thymectomy, her anemia dramatically recovered to normal and sustained for 2 years till last follow-up. Her splenomegaly and myelofibrosis were also improved. We hypothesized that her malignant thymoma induced the progression of IMF, especially in anemia.

A new model for predicting the timing of leukapheresis on the basis of CD34+ cell and hematopoietic progenitor cell levels.

We developed a model (depending on peripheral CD34(+) cell count and hematopoietic progenitor cell count) to determine the optimal timing of 3-day leukapheresis in patients pretreated with chemotherapy and G-CSF. Marrow potentials were identified on the basis of three patterns of leukapheretic yield. Pattern 1 predicted good marrow potential. The positive predictive value of a first-day leukapheretic yield of >1 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg (mean 3-day yield = 8.18 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg, n = 11) was 100%. Pattern 2 predicted poor marrow potential. The negative predictive value of a 3-day leukapheretic yield of >1 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg (3-day yield = 0.26 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg, n = 1) was 100%. Pattern 3 met neither of the above criteria (mean 3-day yield = 1.37 x 10(6) CD34(+) cells/kg, n = 19). The marrow potential was borderline and patients could be further divided into two subgroups according to peripheral CD34(+) cell counts when WBC reached >10,000/microl. The mean yield differed significantly between pattern 1 and 3 (P < 0.001). For patients with good marrow potential, leukapheresis should begin as soon as the WBC count is >5,000/microl. Patients with borderline marrow potential may benefit from delaying leukapheresis until the WBC level is >10,000/microl and leukapheresis extended more than 3 days.