A comparison of computed tomography and magnetic resonance brain imaging in HIV-positive patients with neurological symptoms.

We reviewed our practice in order to determine the optimum neuroimaging strategy for HIV-infected patients with acute neurological presentations between April 2007 and August 2008. Overall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected cranial abnormalities in more than twice as many patients as did computed tomography (CT) (74% and 32%, n = 54 and 38, respectively). Replacement of CT by first-line MRI for all patients would have required an additional 16 MRI scans, although at a saving of 38 CT scans. Our study highlights the importance of first-line MRI brain imaging in HIV patients with neurological symptoms and reinforces the need for early transfer of patients from centres that do not have rapid access to (or expert interpretation of) MRI scanning, to an appropriate HIV specialist centre.

An unusual cause of fever in an HIV-positive patient.

Patients with HIV frequently present with fever. However, the spectrum of diseases affecting patients with HIV has changed in the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Here we present a patient who has an unusual cause for his fever with an eventual diagnosis of adult-onset Still's disease.

High expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 messenger RNA in epithelial ovarian cancers produces elevated preoperative serum levels.

The molecular etiology of epithelial ovarian cancer remains unclear. Using microarray expression analysis, we recently reported that expression of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) gene is elevated in advanced epithelial ovarian cancers. The aim of this study was to further delineate the role of IGFBP-2 in the pathoetiology of epithelial ovarian cancer and determine if elevated ovarian cancer IGFBP-2 gene expression is reflected in serum. Relative IGFBP-2 expression was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 113 epithelial ovarian cancers and 6 normal ovarian surface epithelial samples. Preoperative serum IGFBP-2 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 84 women (42 ovarian cancers, 26 benign gynecological conditions, and 10 healthy female controls). Ovarian cancers demonstrated 38-fold higher mean IGFBP-2 expression than normal ovarian epithelium (P < 0.01). Serum IGFBP-2 levels were elevated in women with early- and advanced-stage ovarian cancer compared to controls and patients with benign gynecological conditions (P = 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Epithelial ovarian cancers express high levels of IGFBP-2 relative to normal ovarian epithelium, and this is associated with elevated serum IGFBP-2 levels compared to both normal controls and patients with benign gynecological disease. Our findings provide further support that the insulin-like growth factor pathway plays a significant role in epithelial ovarian cancer pathogenesis. Further, IGFBP-2 may represent an additional serum biomarker with utility in detection and monitoring of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Identification of genes associated with ovarian cancer metastasis using microarray expression analysis.

Although the transition from early- to advanced-stage ovarian cancer is a critical determinant of survival, little is known about the molecular underpinnings of ovarian metastasis. We hypothesize that microarray analysis of global gene expression patterns in primary ovarian cancer and metastatic omental implants can identify genes that underlie the metastatic process in epithelial ovarian cancer. We utilized Affymetrix U95Av2 microarrays to characterize the molecular alterations that underlie omental metastasis from 47 epithelial ovarian cancer samples collected from multiple sites in 20 patients undergoing primary surgical cytoreduction for advanced-stage (IIIC/IV) serous ovarian cancer. Fifty-six genes demonstrated differential expression between ovarian and omental samples (P < 0.01), and twenty of these 56 differentially expressed genes have previously been implicated in metastasis, cell motility, or cytoskeletal function. Ten of the 56 genes are involved in p53 gene pathways. A Bayesian statistical tree analysis was used to identify a 27-gene expression pattern that could accurately predict the site of tumor (ovary versus omentum). This predictive model was evaluated using an external data set. Nine of the 27 predictive genes have previously been shown to be involved in oncogenesis and/or metastasis, and 10/27 genes have been implicated in p53 pathways. Microarray findings were validated by real-time quantitative PCR. We conclude that gene expression patterns that distinguish omental metastasis from primary epithelial ovarian cancer can be identified and that many of the genes have functions that are biologically consistent with a role in oncogenesis, metastasis, and p53 gene networks.