The utility of ultrasound superb microvascular imaging for evaluation of breast tumour vascularity: comparison with colour and power Doppler imaging regarding diagnostic performance.

AIM: To investigate the utility of superb microvascular imaging (SMI) for evaluating the vascularity of breast masses in comparison with colour or power Doppler ultrasound (US) and the effect on diagnostic performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 191 biopsy-proven masses (99 benign and 92 malignant) in 166 women with greyscale, colour Doppler, power Doppler, and SMI images were enrolled in this retrospective study. Three radiologists analysed the vascular images using a three-factor scoring system to evaluate the number, morphology, and distribution of tumour vessels. They assessed the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System categories for greyscale US alone and combinations of greyscale US and each type of vascular US. The Kruskal-Wallis test was performed and the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) measured. On SMI, vascular scores were compared between benign and malignant masses and the optimal cut-off value for the overall score was determined. RESULTS: SMI showed higher vascular scores than colour or power Doppler US and malignant masses had higher scores than benign masses (p<0.001). The diagnostic performance of the combination of greyscale US and SMI was higher than those of greyscale US alone and greyscale and colour or power Doppler US (AUC, 0.815 versus 0.774, 0.789, 0.791; p<0.001). The optimal cut-off value of the overall vascular score was 5 with a sensitivity of 82.3% and a specificity of 65.3% (AUC, 0.808). CONCLUSION: SMI is superior to colour or power Doppler US for characterising the vascularity in breast masses and improving diagnostic performance.

Cervical cancer screening among Michigan women: 'The Special Cancer Behavioral Risk Factor Survey', 2004-2008.

The burden of cervical cancer remains greater among minority women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate racial/ethnic disparities in cervical cancer screening among minority women in Michigan. Data from 8,023 women (≥ 40 years) surveyed in the 2004-2008 Michigan Special Cancer Behavioral Risk Factor Survey were used to assess racial/ethnic differences in cervical cancer screening, knowledge and beliefs. Unexpectedly, African-American and Hispanic women reported being screened for cervical cancer at rates similar to, or higher than, Whites. Women demonstrated limited knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors and its signs/symptoms. Most minority women were more likely than Whites to believe in the importance of cervical screening, with Hispanic women more likely to support HPV vaccination. Differential utilisation of screening does not explain the disproportionately high rates of cervical cancer among minorities. Future research should examine disparities in the follow-up of abnormal cervical results and receipt of treatment.

Airway management using a supraglottic airway device without endotracheal intubation for positive ventilation of anaesthetized rats.

Endotracheal intubation is often necessary for positive pressure ventilation of rats during open thoracic surgery. Since endotracheal intubation in rats is technically difficult and is associated with numerous complications, many techniques using various devices have been described in the scientific literature. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of airway management of a home-made supraglottic airway device (SAD), which is cheap to fabricate and easy to place with that of an endotracheal intubation tube in enflurane-anaesthetized rats. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-300 g) were randomly assigned to two equal groups for positive pressure mechanical ventilation using either the SAD or an endotracheal intubation tube. The carotid artery of each rat was cannulated for continuous blood pressure measurements and obtaining blood samples for determination of oxygen tension, carbon dioxide tension, and blood acidity before, during and after SAD placement or endotracheal intubation. Proper placement of the SAD was confirmed by observing chest wall movements that coincided with the operation of the mechanical ventilator. No complications and adverse events were encountered in the rats in which the SAD was placed, during SAD placement and immediate removal, during their mechanical ventilation through the SAD, and one week after SAD removal. From the results of blood gas analyses, we conclude that anaesthetized rats can be successfully ventilated using an SAD for open thoracic surgery.

Intramyocardial transfer of hepatocyte growth factor as an adjunct to CABG: phase I clinical study.

The purpose of this phase I clinical trial was to evaluate the safety, tolerability and potential efficacy of VM202, naked DNA expressing two isoforms of hepatocyte growth factor, as an adjunct therapy to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Nine patients were assigned to receive increasing doses (0.5 to 2.0 mg) of VM202 injected into the right coronary artery (RCA) territory following completion of CABG for the left coronary artery territory. Patients were evaluated for safety and tolerability, and changes in myocardial functions were monitored via echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and myocardial single photon emission computed tomography throughout 6-month follow-up period. No serious complication related to VM202 was observed throughout the 6-month follow-up period. Global myocardial functions (wall motion score index, P=0.0084; stress perfusion, P=0.0002) improved during the follow-up period. In the RCA region, there was an increase in the stress perfusion (baseline vs 3-month, P=0.024; baseline vs 6-month, P=0.024) and also in the wall thickness of the diastolic and systolic phases. Intramyocardial injection of VM202 can be safely used in IHD patients with the tolerable dose of 2.0 mg. In addition, VM202 might appear to have improved regional myocardial perfusion and wall thickness in the injected region.

MSX2 is an oncogenic downstream target of activated WNT signaling in ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma.

Ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinomas (OEAs) frequently exhibit constitutive activation of canonical WNT signaling, usually as a result of oncogenic mutations that stabilize and dysregulate the ß-catenin protein. In previous work, we used microarray-based methods to compare gene expression in OEAs with and without dysregulated ß-catenin as a strategy for identifying novel ß-catenin/TCF target genes with important roles in ovarian cancer pathogenesis. Among the genes highlighted by the microarray studies was MSX2, which encodes a homeobox transcription factor. We found MSX2 expression was markedly increased in primary human and murine OEAs with dysregulated ß-catenin compared with OEAs with intact ß-catenin regulation. WNT pathway activation by WNT3a ligand or GSK3ß inhibitor treatment potently induced MSX2 and ectopic expression of a dominant negative form of TCF4 inhibited MSX2 expression in ovarian cancer cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that ß-catenin/TCF directly regulates MSX2 expression via binding to TCF binding elements in multiple regions of the MSX2 gene. Notably, ectopic MSX2 expression was found to promote neoplastic transformation of the rodent RK3E model epithelial cell line and to enhance the invasiveness of immortalized human ovarian epithelial cells in vitro and ovarian carcinoma cells in vivo. Inhibition of endogenous MSX2 expression in ovarian endometrioid cancer cells carrying a ß-catenin mutation using shRNA approaches inhibited neoplastic properties of the cells in vitro and in vivo. Expression of MSX2 in selected ovarian carcinoma cells induced changes suggestive of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but based on analysis of ovarian cell lines and primary tumor tissues, effects of MSX2 on EMT appear to be complex and context-dependent. Our findings indicate MSX2 is a direct downstream transcriptional target of ß-catenin/TCF and has a key contributing role in the cancer phenotype of OEAs carrying WNT/ß-catenin pathway defects.

Loss of CDX2 expression and microsatellite instability are prominent features of large cell minimally differentiated carcinomas of the colon.

Most large bowel cancers are moderately to well-differentiated adenocarcinomas comprised chiefly or entirely of glands lined by tall columnar cells. We have identified a subset of poorly differentiated colon carcinomas with a distinctive histopathological appearance that we term large cell minimally differentiated carcinomas (LCMDCs). These tumors likely include a group of poorly differentiated carcinomas previously described by others as medullary adenocarcinomas. To better understand the pathogenesis of these uncommon neoplasms, we compared molecular features of 15 LCMDCs to those present in 25 differentiated adenocarcinomas (DACs) of the colon. Tumors were examined for alterations commonly seen in typical colorectal carcinomas, including increased p53 and beta-catenin immunoreactivity, K-ras gene mutations, microsatellite instability, and loss of heterozygosity of markers on chromosomes 5q, 17p, and 18q. In addition, tumors were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for CDX2, a homeobox protein whose expression in normal adult tissues is restricted to intestinal and colonic epithelium. Markedly reduced or absent CDX2 expression was noted in 13 of 15 (87%) LCMDCs, whereas only 1 of the 25 (4%) DACs showed reduced CDX2 expression (P < 0.001). Nine of 15 (60%) LCMDCs had the high-frequency microsatellite instability phenotype, but only 2 of 25 (8%) DACs had the high-frequency microsatellite instability phenotype (P = 0.002). Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that the molecular pathogenesis of LCMDCs is distinct from that of most DACs. CDX2 alterations and DNA mismatch repair defects have particularly prominent roles in the development of LCMDCs.

Diverse mechanisms of beta-catenin deregulation in ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinomas.

Clinical and molecular findings suggest that the four major histological subtypes of ovarian carcinoma (serous, clear cell, mucinous, and endometrioid) likely represent distinct disease entities. Prior studies have shown that ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinomas (OEAs) often carry mutations in the CTNNB1 gene, which encodes beta-catenin, a critical component of the Wnt signaling pathway. However, the nature of other defects in the Wnt signaling pathway in ovarian carcinomas remains largely unknown. Thus, in 45 primary OEAs and two OEA-derived cell lines, we sought to comprehensively address the prevalence of and mechanisms underlying beta-catenin and Wnt pathway deregulation. CTNNB1 missense mutations were detected in 14 primary tumors. All mutations affected the NH(2)-terminal regulatory domain of beta-catenin, presumably rendering the mutant proteins resistant to degradation. Immunohistochemical studies revealed nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin in all but two tumors with CTNNB1 mutations. Two primary tumors lacking CTNNBI mutations showed strong nuclear immunoreactivity for beta-catenin. In one of the two tumors, biallelic inactivation of the APC gene was found. In the remaining 29 primary OEAs, unequivocal nuclear beta-catenin immunoreactivity was not observed, though a nonsense mutation in AXIN1 was observed in one tumor and a truncating frameshift mutation in AXIN2 was seen in another case. Both OEA-derived cell lines studied (TOV-112D and MDAH-2774) had elevated constitutive T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor transcriptional activity. TOV-112D cells were shown to harbor mutant beta-catenin, whereas a missense AXIN1 sequence alteration was identified in MDAH-2774 cells. Collectively, our findings demonstrate frequent defects of the Wnt signaling pathway in a particular subtype of ovarian carcinomas, i.e., OEAs. Although mutations in the CTNNB1 gene are the most common mechanism of beta-catenin deregulation in OEAs, beta-catenin deregulation may also result from mutations in the APC, AXIN1, and AXIN2 genes.

Organ-specific molecular classification of primary lung, colon, and ovarian adenocarcinomas using gene expression profiles.

Molecular classification of tumors based on their gene expression profiles promises to significantly refine diagnosis and management of cancer patients. The establishment of organ-specific gene expression patterns represents a crucial first step in the clinical application of the molecular approach. Here, we report on the gene expression profiles of 154 primary adenocarcinomas of the lung, colon, and ovary. Using high-density oligonucleotide arrays with 7129 gene probe sets, comprehensive gene expression profiles of 57 lung, 51 colon, and 46 ovary adenocarcinomas were generated and subjected to principle component analysis and to a cross-validated prediction analysis using nearest neighbor classification. These statistical analyses resulted in the classification of 152 of 154 of the adenocarcinomas in an organ-specific manner and identified genes expressed in a putative tissue-specific manner for each tumor type. Furthermore, two tumors were identified, one in the colon group and another in the ovarian group, that did not conform to their respective organ-specific cohorts. Investigation of these outlier tumors by immunohistochemical profiling revealed the ovarian tumor was consistent with a metastatic adenocarcinoma of colonic origin and the colonic tumor was a pleomorphic mesenchymal tumor, probably a leiomyosarcoma, rather than an epithelial tumor. Our results demonstrate the ability of gene expression profiles to classify tumors and suggest that determination of organ-specific gene expression profiles will play a significant role in a wide variety of clinical settings, including molecular diagnosis and classification.

Glial implants in gliomatosis peritonei arise from normal tissue, not from the associated teratoma.

Metaplasia of subcoelomic mesenchyme has been implicated, but not proven, in the pathogenesis of common gynecological diseases such as endometriosis and rarer entities such as leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata and gliomatosis peritonei (GP). GP is associated with ovarian teratomas and is characterized by numerous peritoneal and omental implants composed of glial tissue. Two theories to explain the origin of GP have been proposed. In one, glial implants arise from the teratoma, whereas in the other, pluripotent Müllerian stem cells in the peritoneum or subjacent mesenchyme undergo glial metaplasia. To address the origin of GP, we exploited a unique characteristic of many ovarian teratomas: they often contain a duplicated set of maternal chromosomes and are thus homozygous at polymorphic microsatellite (MS) loci. In contrast, DNA from matched normal or metaplastic tissue (containing genetic material of both maternal and paternal origin) is expected to show heterozygosity at many of these same MS loci. DNA samples extracted from paraffin-embedded normal tissue, ovarian teratoma and three individual laser-dissected glial implants were studied in two cases of GP. In one case, all three implants and normal tissue showed heterozygosity at each of three MS loci on different chromosomes, whereas the teratoma showed homozygosity at the same MS loci. Similar results were observed in the second case. Our findings indicate that glial implants in GP often arise from cells within the peritoneum, presumably pluripotent Müllerian stem cells, and not from the associated ovarian teratoma. This finding has important implications for more common gynecological entities with debatable pathogenesis, such as endometriosis, by definitively demonstrating the metaplastic potential of stem cells within the peritoneal cavity.

Coordinately up-regulated genes in ovarian cancer.

A better understanding of the molecular circuitry in normal ovarian tissues and in ovarian cancer will likely provide new targets for diagnosis and therapy. Recently, much has been learned about the genes expressed in ovarian cancer through studies with cDNA arrays and serial analysis of gene expression. However, these methods do not allow highly quantitative analysis of gene expression on a large number of specimens. Here, we have used quantitative real-time RT-PCR in a panel of 39 microdissected ovarian carcinomas of various subtypes to systematically analyze the expression of 13 genes, many of which were previously identified as up-regulated in a subset of ovarian cancers by serial analyses of gene expression. The genes analyzed are glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3), apolipoprotein J/clusterin, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2, epithelial cell adhesion molecule/GA733-2, Kop protease inhibitor, matrix gla protein, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3, folate receptor 1, S100A2, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, apolipoprotein E, and ceruloplasmin. All of the genes were found overexpressed, some at extremely high levels, in the vast majority of ovarian carcinomas irrespective of the subtype. Interestingly, GPX3 was found at much higher levels in tumors with clear cell histology and may represent a biomarker for this subtype. Some of the genes studied here may thus represent targets for early detection ovarian cancer. The gene expression patterns were not associated with age at diagnosis, stage, or K-ras mutation status in ovarian cancer. We find that several genes are coordinately regulated in ovarian cancer, likely representing the fact that many genes are activated as part of common signaling pathways or that extensive cross-talk exists between several pathways in ovarian cancer. A statistical analysis shows that genes commonly up-regulated in ovarian cancer may result from the aberrant activation of a limited number of pathways, providing promising targets for novel therapeutic strategies.

Somatic mutations of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) are uncommon in carcinomas of the uterine cervix.

Germline mutations of the gene encoding human fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) have been shown to be responsible for several related autosomal dominant forms of syndromic craniosynostosis and short limb dwarfism. Somatic activating mutations of FGFR3 were recently reported to occur in three of 12 (25%) uterine cervical carcinomas and nine of 26 (35%) bladder carcinomas, suggesting that constitutive activation of FGFR3 may be an important mechanism underlying the development and/or progression of these common epithelial malignancies. In order to investigate further a possible role for FGFR3 mutations in cervical carcinogenesis, we performed sequence-based mutational analysis of FGFR3 in 51 primary cervical carcinomas and seven cervical carcinoma-derived cell lines. The regions analysed (exons 7, 10, 13, 15, and 19) encompassed all previously described FGFR3 mutations. A single nucleotide substitution at codon 249, predicting a serine to cysteine amino acid substitution (S249C) in the FGFR3 extracellular domain, was identified in one primary tumor. Only wild type FGFR3 alleles were identified in the remaining tumors and cell lines. The S249C mutation is the only FGFR3 mutation described to date in cervical carcinomas. These findings suggest that while activating mutations of FGFR3 occur in cervical cancer, they may not be as common as initially reported.

Large-scale serial analysis of gene expression reveals genes differentially expressed in ovarian cancer.

Difficulties in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of ovarian cancer result in an overall low survival rate of women with this disease. A better understanding of the pathways involved in ovarian tumorigenesis will likely provide new targets for early and effective intervention. Here, we have used serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) to generate global gene expression profiles from various ovarian cell lines and tissues, including primary cancers, ovarian surface epithelia cells, and cystadenoma cells. The profiles were used to compare overall patterns of gene expression and to identify differentially expressed genes. We have sequenced a total of 385,000 tags, yielding >56,000 genes expressed in 10 different libraries derived from ovarian tissues. In general, ovarian cancer cell lines showed relatively high levels of similarity to libraries from other cancer cell lines, regardless of the tissue of origin (ovarian or colon), indicating that these lines had lost many of their tissue-specific expression patterns. In contrast, immortalized ovarian surface epithelia and ovarian cystadenoma cells showed much higher similarity to primary ovarian carcinomas than to primary colon carcinomas. Primary tissue specimens therefore appeared to be a better model for gene expression analyses. Using the expression profiles described above and stringent selection criteria, we have identified a number of genes highly differentially expressed between nontransformed ovarian epithelia and ovarian carcinomas. Some of the genes identified are already known to be overexpressed in ovarian cancer, but several represent novel candidates. Many of the genes up-regulated in ovarian cancer represent surface or secreted proteins such as claudin-3 and -4, HE4, mucin-1, epithelial cellular adhesion molecule, and mesothelin. Interestingly, both apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and ApoJ, two proteins involved in lipid homeostasis, are among the genes highly up-regulated in ovarian cancer. Selected serial analysis of gene expression results were further validated through immunohistochemical analysis of ApoJ, claudin-3, claudin-4, and epithelial cellular adhesion molecule in archival material. These experiments provided additional evidence of the relevance of our findings in vivo. The publicly available expression data reported here should stimulate and aid further research in the field of ovarian cancer.

Loss of fhit expression in invasive cervical carcinomas and intraepithelial lesions associated with invasive disease.

Allelic losses involving chromosome 3p are frequently observed in cervical cancers. Deletion mapping studies of primary cervical carcinomas have localized common regions of deletion to 3p14.2 and 3p21. The candidate tumor suppressor gene FHIT has been mapped to 3p14.2, and previous studies have demonstrated reduced or aberrant FHIT transcripts and reduced or absent Fhit protein expression in a large percentage of cervical cancer-derived cell lines and primary cervical carcinomas. To expand these observations to preinvasive cervical epithelial lesions and to determine whether loss of Fhit protein expression might be associated with tumor progression, immunohistochemical methods were used to examine Fhit expression in 95 invasive cervical carcinomas, 33 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) associated with concurrent invasive cancer, 38 HSILs unassociated with invasive cancer, 24 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, and 22 normal cervix samples. All normal cervical epithelia and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions exhibited diffuse cytoplasmic immunostaining of moderate to strong intensity. Fhit protein expression was markedly reduced or absent in 67 of 95 (71%) invasive cancers, 17 of 33 (52%) HSILs associated with invasive cancer, and 8 of 38 (21%) HSILs without associated invasive cancer. The results confirm that Fhit protein expression is reduced or absent in the majority of cervical carcinomas and suggest that loss of Fhit expression often accompanies cervical tumor progression. Moreover, absent or reduced Fhit protein is observed at a significantly higher frequency in HSILs associated with progression to invasive cancer than in HSILs with unknown risk for progression (P = 0.012). These findings suggest that loss of Fhit expression in HSILs could serve as a useful marker of high-grade preinvasive lesions that have an increased likelihood of progression to invasive carcinoma.

gamma-catenin is regulated by the APC tumor suppressor and its oncogenic activity is distinct from that of beta-catenin.

beta-Catenin and gamma-catenin (plakoglobin), vertebrate homologs of Drosophila armadillo, function in cell adhesion and the Wnt signaling pathway. In colon and other cancers, mutations in the APC tumor suppressor protein or beta-catenin's amino terminus stabilize beta-catenin, enhancing its ability to activate transcription of Tcf/Lef target genes. Though beta- and gamma-catenin have analogous structures and functions and like binding to APC, evidence that gamma-catenin has an important role in cancer has been lacking. We report here that APC regulates both beta- and gamma-catenin and gamma-catenin functions as an oncogene. In contrast to beta-catenin, for which only amino-terminal mutated forms transform RK3E epithelial cells, wild-type and several amino-terminal mutated forms of gamma-catenin had similar transforming activity. gamma-Catenin's transforming activity, like beta-catenin's, was dependent on Tcf/Lef function. However, in contrast to beta-catenin, gamma-catenin strongly activated c-Myc expression and c-Myc function was crucial for gamma-catenin transformation. Our findings suggest APC mutations alter regulation of both beta- and gamma-catenin, perhaps explaining why the frequency of APC mutations in colon cancer far exceeds that of beta-catenin mutations. Elevated c-Myc expression in cancers with APC defects may be due to altered regulation of both beta- and gamma-catenin. Furthermore, the data imply beta- and gamma-catenin may have distinct roles in Wnt signaling and cancer via differential effects on downstream target genes.

Restored expression of fragile histidine triad protein and tumorigenicity of cervical carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Allelic losses in the short arm of chromosome 3 are common in cervical carcinomas. The fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene at chromosome region 3p14.2 is a candidate tumor suppressor gene that may play a role in cervical tumorigenesis. We and others have identified aberrant FHIT transcripts and frequent loss of Fhit protein expression in primary cervical cancers and high-grade noninvasive lesions but not in normal cervical tissues. The altered expression of FHIT may be due to somatic mutations or integration of human papillomavirus DNA at the FHIT locus. The purpose of this study was to determine whether ectopic expression of Fhit can suppress the tumorigenic properties of cervical cancer cells. METHODS: We employed infection with recombinant retroviruses as well as transfection of plasmid DNA to restore Fhit protein expression in cervical cancer cell lines lacking full-length FHIT transcripts and endogenous Fhit protein. The effects of Fhit expression on tumor cell morphology, anchorage-independent growth, and tumorigenicity in nude mice were examined. RESULTS: Stable overexpression of Fhit had no discernible effect on the tumorigenic properties of two cervical carcinoma cell lines or on a lung carcinoma cell line previously reported by others to be suppressed for tumorigenicity by Fhit. CONCLUSIONS: Restoration of Fhit expression does not suppress anchorage-independent growth or tumorigenicity of cervical carcinoma cell lines. However, it remains possible that FHIT inactivation may be important early in cervical tumor progression or that FHIT may suppress tumorigenesis in ways distinct from those measured by the assays employed in this study.

Somatic mutations in the STK11/LKB1 gene are uncommon in rare gynecological tumor types associated with Peutz-Jegher's syndrome.

Peutz-Jegher's syndrome (PJS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by mucocutaneous pigmentation, hamartomatous polyposis, and predisposition to benign and malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, breast, ovary, uterine cervix, and testis. Germline-inactivating mutations in one allele of the STK11/LKB1 gene at chromosome 19p13.3 have been found in most PJS patients. Although ovarian sex cord tumors with annular tubules (SCTATs) and minimal deviation adenocarcinomas (MDAs) of the uterine cervix are very rare in the general population, both tumor types occur with increased frequency in women with PJS. An earlier report indicated that the 19p13.3 region containing the STK11 gene was affected by loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in nearly 50% of MDAs of the uterine cervix. We investigated the role of STK11 mutations and LOH of the 19p13.3 region in two PJS-associated SCTATs and in five SCTATs and eight MDAs of the uterine cervix, which occurred in patients lacking features of PJS (referred to here as "sporadic" cases). Germline mutations in the STK11 gene, accompanied by LOH of markers near the wild-type STK11 allele, were found in the two PJS-associated SCTATs. Somatic mutations in the coding region of STK11 were not found in any of the sporadic SCTATs or MDAs studied, although LOH of the 19p13.3 region was seen in three of eight MDAs. Our findings indicate that STK11, like other tumor suppressor genes, is affected by biallelic inactivation in gynecological tumors of PJS patients. In addition, although LOH of the 19p13.3 region was seen in sporadic MDAs, somatic STK11 mutations are rare. A yet-to-be-defined tumor suppressor gene in the 19p13.3 region may be the specific target of inactivation in these tumors.

The Cox-Maze III procedure for atrial fibrillation associated with rheumatic mitral valve disease.

BACKGROUND: The surgical results of the Cox-Maze III procedure (CM-III) for atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with rheumatic mitral valve (MV) disease are not as good as the results from surgery for AF alone. METHODS: To assess the efficacy and safety of the CM-III in AF associated with rheumatic MV disease, we retrospectively analyzed 75 patients who underwent the CM-III combined with a rheumatic MV procedure between April 1994 and December 1997. Fourteen cases were reoperations because of prosthetic valve failure. RESULTS: Mean aortic cross-clamp (ACC) times and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) times were 151+/-43 and 251+/-73 min, respectively. Concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) in 25 patients, MVR and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 14 patients, MV repair in 10 patients, MVR and tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) in 6 patients, MVR and AV repair in 3 patients, MVR and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 2 patients, MVR and AVR and CABG in 1 patient, redo-MVR in 8 patients, redo-MVR and TAP in 4 patients, and redo-MVR and redo-AVR in 2 patients. There were two in-hospital mortalities (2 of 75, 2.7%). Seventy-three survivors were followed for a mean duration of 30+/-13 months (12-56 months). Normal sinus rhythm was restored in 90.4% (66 of 73). Three patients remained in AF and 2 patients were in junctional rhythm. Permanent pacemakers were implanted in 2 patients due to sick sinus syndrome. Right atrial (RA) contractility was demonstrable in 100% (66 of 66) and left atrial (LA) contractility in 62.1% (41 of 66) of the patients in the latest follow-up echocardiography. RA and LA contractilities were restored a mean 69+/-93 and 126+/-136 days after the operation, respectively. LA contractility was restored significantly later at a lower rate than RA contractility in rheumatic MV disease. There were no differences in ACC time, CPB time, incidence of postoperative bleeding complications, and sinus conversion rates between non-redo and redo cases in spite of the significantly longer duration of preoperative AF in redo cases (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The CM-III for AF associated with rheumatic MV disease demonstrated a high sinus conversion rate with acceptable operative risk even in cases of reoperation.

Molecular genetic evidence supporting the clonality and appendiceal origin of Pseudomyxoma peritonei in women.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a poorly understood condition characterized by mucinous ascites and multifocal peritoneal mucinous tumors. Women with PMP often have mucinous tumors involving both the appendix and the ovaries. Several previous histopathological and immunohistochemical studies of PMP have suggested that most, if not all, cases of PMP in women are derived from mucinous adenomas of the appendix rather than from primary ovarian tumors. A few studies of the molecular genetics of PMP have been recently reported. However, these studies analyzed only a small number of cases and some included a heterogeneous group of mucinous tumors, including both benign and malignant appendiceal and ovarian tumors. We analyzed K-ras mutations and allelic losses of chromosomes 18q, 17p, 5q, and 6q in a substantial number of morphologically uniform cases of PMP with synchronous ovarian and appendiceal tumors as well as in appendiceal mucinous adenomas (MAs) and ovarian mucinous tumors of low malignant potential (MLMPs) unassociated with PMP. Each of the 16 PMP cases (100%) analyzed demonstrated identical K-ras mutations in the appendiceal adenoma and corresponding synchronous ovarian tumor. K-ras mutations were identified in 11 of 16 (69%) appendiceal MAs unassociated with PMP and in 12 of 16 (75%) ovarian MLMPs unassociated with PMP. Two PMP cases showed identical allelic losses in the matched ovarian and appendiceal tumors. A discordant pattern of allelic loss between the ovarian and appendiceal tumors at one or two of the loci tested was observed in six PMP cases. In all but one instance, LOH was observed in the ovarian tumor, whereas both alleles were retained in the matched appendiceal lesion, suggesting tumor progression in a secondary (metastatic) site. Our findings strongly support the conclusion that mucinous tumors involving the appendix and ovaries in women with PMP are clonal and derived from a single site, most likely the appendix.

Atypical immature metaplasia (AIM) of the cervix: is it related to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL)?

Atypical immature metaplasia (AIM) is a poorly characterized cervical lesion with uncertain biological and clinical significance. AIM shares some, but not all, morphological features of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs). SILs are characterized by human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity and increased cellular proliferation, but these features have not been fully evaluated in AIM. Genomic DNA was extracted from 27 microdissected cervical biopsy specimens diagnosed as AIM. HPV DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using two different sets of L1 gene consensus primers. HPV types were identified by sequence analysis of PCR products and comparison with published HPV sequences. The cell proliferation index was assessed by immunohistochemical staining for Ki-67 (MIB-1) antigen and expressed as the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells. Comparison groups included normal cervix (n = 10) and low-grade (LSILs, n = 19) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs, n = 11). Intermediate- or high-risk HPV DNA was detected in 67% (18 of 27) of AIM cases. Low-risk HPV DNA was not detected in any of the specimens. The Ki-67 index in AIM (mean, 33.0 +/- 20.3; median, 29) was comparable to that of LSILs (mean, 21.4 +/- 4.6; median, 21) and was significantly higher than that of normal cervix (mean, 11.0 +/- 2.1; median, 11) (P< .01) and lower than that of HSILs (mean, 60.4 +/- 13.2; median, 60) (P < .01). Of the cases with available follow-up, HPV-positive AIMs were significantly more likely to have a concurrent or subsequent diagnosis of typical HSIL (12 of 15, 80%) than HPV-negative AIMs (one of six, 45%) (P = .014). The wide range of Ki-67 indices and variable HPV status in AIM suggest that AIM represents a heterogeneous group of lesions including bona fide HSILs (high-risk HPV-positive, high Ki-67 index), antecedents (precursors?) of HSILs (high-risk HPV-positive, low to moderate Ki-67 index), and benign reactive conditions (HPV-negative, variable Ki-67 index). HPV testing may be useful in the assessment of atypical epithelial proliferations of the cervix for which a diagnosis of AIM is considered.

Neural toxicity induced by accidental intrathecal vincristine administration.

Described here is a case of accidental intrathecal administration of vincristine with pathologic findings in the central nervous system. A 3-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was given his ninth course chemotherapy. Vincristine was accidentally injected intrathecally. The clinical course was rapidly progressive (6-day course) and resulted in death. An autopsy was done. The brain and spinal cord was grossly edematous and congested without any specific feature. Histologically, profound loss of neuron was noted in the spinal cord. Remaining neurons in the spinal cord, particularly anterior horn cells were markedly swollen. The spinal nerves show diffuse axonal degeneration and myelin loss. The upstream portion of the spinal cord (brain stem, cerebellum, cerebrum) showed patchy loss of neurons, especially Purkinje cells and granular cells of the cerebellar cortex. Many neurons showed axonal reaction (chromatolysis) with swelling. Several neurons show intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion body. Myelin loss, axonal swelling and enlargement of perivascular spaces were seen throughout the white matter of central nervous system.