Validation of the Observer-Reported Communication Ability (ORCA) measure for individuals with Rett syndrome.

PURPOSE: The study goal was to validate the Observer-Reported Communication Ability (ORCA) measure for use with females with Rett Syndrome (RTT). METHODS: Qualitative interviews, including concept elicitation and cognitive interviewing methods, were conducted with 19 caregivers of individuals with RTT ages 2 and older. A quantitative study was then conducted in 279 caregivers to evaluate construct validity and reliability. RESULTS: After minor modifications were made, the modified ORCA measure was well understood and captured key communication concepts. Quantitative data showed evidence for reliable scores (α = 0.90, test-retest intraclass correlation = 0.88), minimal floor and no ceiling effects, and strong correlation with the Communication and Symbolic Behaviors Scale (r = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS: This study provided initial support that the modified ORCA measure is an acceptable caregiver-reported measure of communication ability for females with RTT. Future work should include evaluation of longitudinal validity of the measure and its associations with clinician- and performance-based measures in diverse samples.

Same day service: A genetic testing station model to improve germline genetic testing in patients with ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Genetic testing for ovarian cancer (OC) patients is essential to consideration of PARP inhibitor therapy. To improve access, we piloted a Genetic Testing Station (GTS) allowing patients to have a same-day genetic testing visit facilitated by Genetic Counselor Assistants (GCAs) under the supervision of Genetic Counselors (GCs). METHODS: The GTS was implemented December 2018 and operated through February 2020. Gynecologic Oncologists offered ovarian cancer patients a same-day GTS visit with a GCA. The patient received education via videos designed by GCs and then provided consent, a brief family history, and a sample for a standardized 133-gene panel. Results were provided by a GC. Patients were retrospectively identified by querying the medical record for OC patients seen 12 months prior to and 18 months after GTS implementation. RESULTS: A total of 482 patients pre-GTS were compared to 625 patients post-GTS. Genetic testing increased from 68.5% to 75.4% (p = 0.012) after implementation, primarily in patients with epithelial histologies (80% vs 89% in pre-GTS vs post-GTS, p = 0.005). Time from referral for genetic testing to obtaining results was evaluated in the post-GTS cohort, comparing patients who had traditional counseling to those who utilized the GTS. Time to obtaining results was 21 days in the GTS group (95% CI [10, 34]) compared to 56 days (95% CI [41,76]) in the traditional genetic counseling group. CONCLUSIONS: The GTS reduces barriers to care and facilitates discussion of precision treatment within a timely fashion while optimizing GC clinic time. Access improvement remains integral to improving uptake of genetic testing.

Validation of the Observer-Reported Communication Ability (ORCA) Measure for Individuals With Angelman Syndrome.

There is a critical need for high-quality clinical outcome assessments to capture the important aspects of communication ability of individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS). To center the perspective of caregivers, our team developed the novel Observer-Reported Communication Ability (ORCA) measure using best practice guidelines, with the goal of developing a measure that could be administered to caregivers directly without the need for a certified administrator for use in clinical trials. To refine the draft measure, we conducted two rounds of cognitive interviews with 24 caregivers and a quantitative study including 249 caregivers. The results from both studies support the overall content validity, construct validity, and the reliability of the ORCA measure for individuals with AS > 2 years old for use in research contexts. Future work should explore the responsiveness of ORCA measures to changes over time in a diverse sample.

Exploring Communication Ability in Individuals With Angelman Syndrome: Findings From Qualitative Interviews With Caregivers.

Communication deficits have a substantial impact on quality of life for individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS) and their families, but limited qualitative work exists to support the necessary content of measures aiming to assess communication for these individuals. Following best practices for concept elicitation studies, we conducted individual qualitative interviews with caregivers and clinicians to elicit meaningful aspects of communication for individuals with AS. Caregivers were able to discuss their child's specific communication behaviors within a large number of expressive, receptive, and pragmatic functions via numerous symbolic and non-symbolic modalities. These results aligned well with published literature on communication in AS and will be used to inform the design of a novel caregiver-reported measure. Future studies on communication in individuals with AS should focus on gathering quantitative data from large samples of diverse caregivers, which would allow for estimations of the frequency of specific behaviors across the population.

Implementation of a Telehealth Genetic Testing Station to Deliver Germline Testing for Men With Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE: Germline testing for men with prostate cancer (PCa) poses numerous implementation barriers. Alternative models of care delivery are emerging, but implementation outcomes are understudied. We evaluated implementation outcomes of a hybrid oncologist- and genetic counselor-delivered model called the genetic testing station (GTS) created to streamline testing and increase access. METHODS: A prospective, single-institution, cohort study of men with PCa referred to the GTS from October 14, 2019, to October 14, 2021, was conducted. Using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework, we described patients referred to GTS (Reach), the association of GTS with germline testing completion rates within 60 days of a new oncology appointment in a pre- versus post-GTS multivariable logistic regression (Effectiveness), Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance. Because GTS transitioned from an on-site to remote service during the COVID-19 pandemic, we also compared outcomes for embedded versus remote GTS. RESULTS: Overall, 713 patients were referred to and eligible for GTS, and 592 (83%) patients completed germline testing. Seventy-six (13%) patients had ≥ 1 pathogenic variant. Post-GTS was independently associated with higher odds of completing testing within 60 days than pre-GTS (odds ratio, 8.97; 95% CI, 2.71 to 29.75; P < .001). Black race was independently associated with lower odds of testing completion compared with White race (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.96; P = .042). There was no difference in test completion rates or patient-reported decisional conflict for embedded versus remote GTS. GTS has been adopted by 31 oncology providers across four clinics, and implementation fidelity was high with low patient loss to follow-up, but staffing costs are a sustainability concern. CONCLUSION: GTS is a feasible, effective model for high-volume germline testing in men with PCa, both in person and using telehealth. GTS does not eliminate racial disparities in germline testing access.

Exploring the environmental determinants of food choice among Haudenosaunee female youth.

BACKGROUND: Research on Indigenous food literacy within Canada has been focused on northern and remote communities despite the fact there are considerable and unique barriers to food access, availability, and utilization in southern Indigenous communities. Food insecurity is also a prevalent issue among Indigenous Peoples living in these more populous regions. Study objectives included investigating the determinants of food choice among youth, along with perceived opportunities that would improve food environments individually and at the community level. METHODS: This community-based study used Photovoice to explore the perceptions and experiences of traditional foods and the determinants of food choice among youth in the community of Six Nations of the Grand River. Participants took photos of their local food environments, including where foods were acquired, consumed, prepared, or shared, and participated in semi-structured interviews to share the stories behind these images. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in participants' photos and interview content. RESULTS: Environmental factors were found to influence participants' traditional and everyday food choices. Built, social, economic and ecological environments were described by the youth as distinct yet inter-related determinants that converge to influence individual food choice. Built environments had a notable impact on food choice, most notably at home and in school settings. Home and family were found to be facilitators of meal consistency and healthy food choices across participants. The social environment including participants' relationships with their peers and community friends was often a barrier to healthy food choices. Eating at fast food outlets was a common social activity. The economic environment included cost deterrents associated with food choices and regular meals. The ecological environment was less of an influence and impacted the seasonal consumption of traditional and other locally harvested foods. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the study findings have generated important knowledge regarding food environments and literacy and serves as a unique example of how to explore the traditional and everyday food experiences of Indigenous youth. Recommendations will inform the development of new as well as existing initiatives and resources to enhance the holistic wellbeing of youth and the broader community.

Implementation of an Embedded In-Clinic Genetic Testing Station to Optimize Germline Testing for Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Germline genetic testing is universally recommended for patients with pancreatic cancer, but testing remains infrequent. In May 2018, we implemented a systematic patient intake workflow featuring an in-clinic genetic testing station (GTS) at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) to expedite genetic counseling and facilitate sample collection. We sought to determine the impact of this innovation on rates of genetic counseling and testing. METHODS: Medical records, patient intake records, and genetic test reports were retrospectively reviewed for new patients with pancreatic cancer eligible for germline testing at UCSF from May 2018 to May 2019. Primary outcomes included the rate of offered genetic counseling and confirmed germline testing. Data were compared for periods before and after GTS implementation. Associations between demographic characteristics and testing rates were assessed. RESULTS: Genetic counseling/testing was offered to 209 (94%) of 223 eligible patients, and 158 (71%) completed testing (135 at UCSF, 23 elsewhere). Compared with a traditional referral-based genetic counseling model, confirmed testing increased from 19% to 71%, patient attrition between referral and genetics appointment decreased from 36% to 3%, and rate of pathogenic variant detection increased from 20% to 33%. Patients who were younger, identified as non-Hispanic White, and spoke English as a primary language were more likely to complete testing. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a systematic patient intake workflow and in-clinic GTS resulted in the highest reported real-world rate of germline testing for patients with pancreatic cancer. Health care disparities were identified and will guide future innovation. This report provides a model for other centers to create a similar testing infrastructure. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study demonstrates that a systematic patient intake workflow and associated in-clinic genetic testing station improve delivery of genetic counseling and completion of germline testing for patients with pancreatic cancer. This study achieved, to the authors' knowledge, the highest real-world rate of confirmed genetic testing in this patient population. This article describes this innovation in detail to guide replication at other medical centers and facilitate guideline-concordant care for patients with pancreatic cancer. This infrastructure can also be applied to other cancers for which germline testing is recommended.

Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood: gastrointestinal manifestations and correlation with neurological impairments.

BACKGROUND: Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC) is caused by mutations of the ATP1A3 gene which is expressed in brain areas that include structures controling autonomic, gastrointestinal, gut motility and GABAergic functions. We aimed to investigate, in a cohort of 44 consecutive AHC patients, two hypotheses: 1) AHC patients frequently manifest gastrointestinal, particularly motility, problems. 2) These problems are often severe and their severity correlates with neurological impairments. RESULTS: 41/44 (93%) exhibited gastrointestinal symptoms requiring medical attention. For these 41 patients, symptoms included constipation (66%), swallowing problems (63%), vomiting (63%), anorexia (46%), diarrhea (44%), nausea (37%), and abdominal pain (22%). Symptoms indicative of dysmotility occurred in 33 (80%). The most common diagnoses were oropharyngeal dysphagia (63%) and gastroesophageal reflux (63%). 16 (39%) required gastrostomy and two fundoplication. Severity of gastrointestinal symptoms correlated with non-paroxysmal neurological disability index, Gross Motor Function Classification System scores, and with the presence/absence of non-gastrointestinal autonomic dysfunction (p = 0.031, 0.043, Spearman correlations and 0.0166 Cramer's V, respectively) but not with the paroxysmal disability index (p = 0.408). CONCLUSIONS: Most AHC patients have gastrointestinal problems. These are usually severe, most commonly are indicative of dysmotility, often require surgical therapies, and their severity correlates with that of non-paroxysmal CNS manifestations. Our findings should help in management-anticipatory guidance of AHC patients. Furthermore, they are consistent with current understandings of the pathophysiology of AHC and of gastrointestinal dysmotility, both of which involve autonomic and GABAergic dysfunction.

Exploring the Perceptions of and Experiences with Traditional Foods among First Nations Female Youth: A Participatory Photovoice Study.

Traditional foods contribute to the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples. Many Indigenous Peoples within Canada have expressed a desire to consume more traditional foods; however, there are a number of barriers to doing so. Southern and urban communities face unique challenges associated with traditional food consumption. To address these concerns and build on community interests in a Haudenosaunee community in Southern Ontario, a participatory research project was initiated. This community-based study utilized Photovoice methodology to explore the perceptions of and experiences with traditional foods among local youth. Participants ranging in age from 15-22 (n = 5) took photos of their local food environments, including locations where foods were acquired, consumed, prepared, or shared during two seasons of the year. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect participants' stories behind 8-10 self-selected images. A thematic analysis was subsequently utilized to identify patterns and themes illustrated by the photos and interview content. The youth conveyed contextual understandings of traditional foods and a preference for these items, despite their limited consumption, preparation or harvesting of these foods. The youth also identified the important influence of families and communities on their individual perceptions and experiences with traditional foods. Recommendations to reduce barriers to traditional food choices among youth are made.

A Noninvasive Blood-based Combinatorial Proteomic Biomarker Assay to Detect Breast Cancer in Women Under the Age of 50 Years.

BACKGROUND: Despite significant advances in breast imaging, the ability to detect breast cancer (BC) remains a challenge. To address the unmet needs of the current BC detection paradigm, 2 prospective clinical trials were conducted to develop a blood-based combinatorial proteomic biomarker assay (Videssa Breast) to accurately detect BC and reduce false positives (FPs) from suspicious imaging findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Provista-001 and Provista-002 (cohort one) enrolled Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 or 4 women aged under 50 years. Serum was evaluated for 11 serum protein biomarkers and 33 tumor-associated autoantibodies. Individual biomarker expression, demographics, and clinical characteristics data from Provista-001 were combined to develop a logistic regression model to detect BC. The performance was tested using Provista-002 cohort one (validation set). RESULTS: The training model had a sensitivity and specificity of 92.3% and 85.3% (BC prevalence, 7.7%), respectively. In the validation set (BC prevalence, 2.9%), the sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 81.5%, respectively. The negative predictive value was high in both sets (99.3% and 98.8%, respectively). Videssa Breast performance in the combined training and validation set was 99.1% negative predictive value, 87.5% sensitivity, 83.8% specificity, and 25.2% positive predictive value (BC prevalence, 5.87%). Overall, imaging resulted in 341 participants receiving follow-up procedures to detect 30 cancers (90.6% FP rate). Videssa Breast would have recommended 111 participants for follow-up, a 67% reduction in FPs (P < .00001). CONCLUSIONS: Videssa Breast can effectively detect BC when used in conjunction with imaging and can substantially reduce unnecessary medical procedures, as well as provide assurance to women that they likely do not have BC.

Motor function domains in alternating hemiplegia of childhood.

AIM: To characterize motor function profiles in alternating hemiplegia of childhood, and to investigate interrelationships between these domains and with age. METHOD: We studied a cohort of 23 patients (9 males, 14 females; mean age 9y 4mo, range 4mo-43y) who underwent standardized tests to assess gross motor, upper extremity motor control, motor speech, and dysphagia functions. RESULTS: Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and Revised Melbourne Assessment (MA2) scales manifested predominantly mild impairments; motor speech, moderate to severe; Modified Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (M-DOSS), mild-to moderate deficits. GMFCS correlated with GMFM-88 scores (Pearson's correlation, p=0.002), MACS (p=0.038), and MA2 fluency (p=0.005) and accuracy (p=0.038) scores. GMFCS did not correlate with motor speech (p=0.399), MA2 dexterity (p=0.247), range of motion (p=0.063), or M-DOSS (p=0.856). Motor speech was more severely impaired than the GMFCS (p<0.013). There was no correlation between any of the assessment tools and age (p=0.210-0.798). INTERPRETATION: Our data establish a detailed profile of motor function in alternating hemiplegia of childhood, argue against the presence of worse motor function in older patients, identify tools helpful in evaluating this population, and identify oropharyngeal function as the more severely affected domain, suggesting that brain areas controlling this function are more affected than others.

Integration of Serum Protein Biomarker and Tumor Associated Autoantibody Expression Data Increases the Ability of a Blood-Based Proteomic Assay to Identify Breast Cancer.

Despite significant advances in breast imaging, the ability to accurately detect Breast Cancer (BC) remains a challenge. With the discovery of key biomarkers and protein signatures for BC, proteomic technologies are currently poised to serve as an ideal diagnostic adjunct to imaging. Research studies have shown that breast tumors are associated with systemic changes in levels of both serum protein biomarkers (SPB) and tumor associated autoantibodies (TAAb). However, the independent contribution of SPB and TAAb expression data for identifying BC relative to a combinatorial SPB and TAAb approach has not been fully investigated. This study evaluates these contributions using a retrospective cohort of pre-biopsy serum samples with known clinical outcomes collected from a single site, thus minimizing potential site-to-site variation and enabling direct assessment of SPB and TAAb contributions to identify BC. All serum samples (n = 210) were collected prior to biopsy. These specimens were obtained from 18 participants with no evidence of breast disease (ND), 92 participants diagnosed with Benign Breast Disease (BBD) and 100 participants diagnosed with BC, including DCIS. All BBD and BC diagnoses were based on pathology results from biopsy. Statistical models were developed to differentiate BC from non-BC (i.e., BBD and ND) using expression data from SPB alone, TAAb alone, and a combination of SPB and TAAb. When SPB data was independently used for modeling, clinical sensitivity and specificity for detection of BC were 74.7% and 77.0%, respectively. When TAAb data was independently used, clinical sensitivity and specificity for detection of BC were 72.2% and 70.8%, respectively. When modeling integrated data from both SPB and TAAb, the clinical sensitivity and specificity for detection of BC improved to 81.0% and 78.8%, respectively. These data demonstrate the benefit of the integration of SPB and TAAb data and strongly support the further development of combinatorial proteomic approaches for detecting BC.

Receipt of cardiac medications upon discharge among men and women with acute coronary syndrome and nonobstructive coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with nonobstructive epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD) remains poorly understood. HYPOTHESIS: Acute coronary syndrome patients with nonobstructive CAD are less likely to receive effective cardiac medications upon discharge from the hospital. METHODS: We identified patients hospitalized with ACS that underwent coronary angiography and had a 6-month follow-up. Patients were grouped by CAD severity: nonobstructive CAD (<50% blockage in all vessels) or obstructive CAD (> or =50% blockage in > or = 1 vessels). Data were collected on demographics, medications at discharge, and adverse outcomes at 6 months, for all patients. RESULTS: Of the 2264 ACS patients included in the study: 123 patients had nonobstructive CAD and 2141 had obstructive CAD. Cardiac risk factors including hypertension and diabetes were common among patients with nonobstructive CAD. Men and women with nonobstructive CAD were less likely to receive cardiac medications compared to patients with obstructive CAD including aspirin (87.8% vs 95.0%, P = 0.001), beta-blockers (74.0% vs 89.2%, P < 0.001), or statins (69.1% vs 81.2%, P = 0.001). No gender-related differences in discharge medications were observed for patients with nonobstructive CAD. However, women with nonobstructive CAD had similar rates of cardiac-related rehospitalization as men with obstructive CAD (23.3% and 25.9%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with nonobstructive CAD are less likely to receive evidence-based medications compared to patients with obstructive CAD, despite the presence of CAD risk factors and occurrence of an ACS event. Further research is warranted to determine if receipt of effective cardiac medications among patients with nonobstructive CAD would reduce cardiac-related events.

Prognostic value of admission fasting glucose levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Data are limited regarding the best prognostic glucose measure for patients admitted for an acute coronary event. We examined the admission fasting glucose levels among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from the University of Michigan ACS registry. The glucose levels were grouped into 3 categories (> or =70 to <100, 100 to <126, and > or =126 mg/dl). The primary outcome measures included mortality and a composite end point (stroke, recurrent infarction, and death) in hospital and at 6 months after the ACS event. Of the 1,525 patients (29% with diabetes) for whom glucose levels were available, a fasting glucose level of > or =100 mg/dl was associated with increased in-hospital mortality, after adjusting for the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score and gender. A fasting glucose level of > or =126 mg/dl in patients with no known history of diabetes was associated with in-hospital adverse events (odds ratio 3.37, 95% confidence interval 1.51 to 7.51). The fasting glucose level was associated with an increased risk of 6-month mortality among nondiabetics (odds ratio 3.03, 95% confidence interval 1.35 to 6.81 for patients with a glucose level of 100 to 125 mg/dl; and odds ratio 2.81, 95% confidence interval 1.07 to 7.36 for patients with a glucose level of > or =126 mg/dl) but not for diabetic patients. In conclusion, we observed a strong association between the admission fasting glucose level and mortality, particularly among nondiabetic patients. Whether improving the diagnosis and treatment of hyperglycemia would result in reductions in adverse events after ACS remains unclear.

Bone morphogenetic proteins induce pancreatic cancer cell invasiveness through a Smad1-dependent mechanism that involves matrix metalloproteinase-2.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have an emerging role in human cancers. Here we demonstrate that the BMP-signaling pathway is intact and functional in human pancreatic cancer cells, with several BMP signaling components and transcriptional targets upregulated in human pancreatic cancer specimens compared with normal pancreatic tissue. Functionally, multiple BMP family members, including BMP-2, BMP-4 and BMP-7, induce an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the human pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1, as demonstrated by morphological alterations and loss of E-cadherin expression. BMP-mediated EMT results in an increase in invasiveness of Panc-1 cells, in part through increased expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, a known mediator of pancreatic cancer cell invasiveness. Accompanying EMT, BMP reduces expression of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily receptor, transforming growth factor-beta type III receptor (TbetaRIII), for which we have previously demonstrated loss of expression during pancreatic cancer progression. Maintaining TbetaRIII expression inhibits BMP-mediated invasion and suppresses Smad1 activation. Further, Smad1 is required for BMP-induced invasiveness and partially responsible for BMP-mediated increases in MMP-2 activity. These data suggest that BMP signaling, through Smad1 induction and upregulation of MMP-2, is an important mediator of pancreatic cancer invasiveness and a potential therapeutic target for treating this deadly disease.

Role of transforming growth factor-beta superfamily signaling pathways in human disease.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily signaling pathways are ubiquitous and essential regulators of cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival, as well as physiological processes, including embryonic development, angiogenesis, and wound healing. Alterations in these pathways, including either germ-line or somatic mutations or alterations in the expression of members of these signaling pathways often result in human disease. Appropriate regulation of these pathways is required at all levels, particularly at the ligand level, with either a deficiency or an excess of specific TGF-beta superfamily ligands resulting in human disease. TGF-beta superfamily ligands and members of these TGF-beta superfamily signaling pathways also have emerging roles as diagnostic, prognostic or predictive markers for human disease. Ongoing studies will enable targeting of TGF-beta superfamily signaling pathways for the chemoprevention and treatment of human disease.

Loss of type III transforming growth factor beta receptor expression increases motility and invasiveness associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition during pancreatic cancer progression.

Epithelial to mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) contribute to increases in cellular motility and invasiveness during embryonic development and tumorigenesis. The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway is a key regulator of EMT. The TGF-beta superfamily coreceptor, the type III TGF-beta receptor (TbetaRIII or betaglycan), is required for EMT during embryonic heart development and palate fusion. Here, we establish that in a pancreatic cancer model of EMT, TbetaRIII expression is specifically lost during EMT at the mRNA and protein levels, whereas levels of the TGF-beta type I and type II receptors are maintained at the mRNA level. Loss of TbetaRIII expression at the protein level precedes the loss of E-cadherin and cytoskeletal reorganization during early stages of EMT. However, maintaining TbetaRIII expression does not block these aspects of EMT, but instead suppresses the increased motility and invasiveness associated with EMT. Reciprocally, shRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous TbetaRIII increases cellular motility without affecting Snail or E-cadherin levels. The ability of TbetaRIII to suppress motility and invasiveness does not depend on its cytoplasmic domain or its coreceptor function. Instead, this suppression of invasion is partially mediated by ectodomain shedding of TbetaRIII, generating soluble TbetaRIII (sTbetaRIII). In human pancreatic cancer specimens, TbetaRIII expression decreases at both the mRNA and protein levels, with the degree of loss correlating with worsening tumor grade. Taken together, these studies support a role for loss of TbetaRIII expression during the EMT of pancreatic cancer progression, with a specific role for sTbetaRIII in suppressing EMT-associated increases in motility and invasion.

The type III TGF-beta receptor suppresses breast cancer progression.

The TGF-beta signaling pathway has a complex role in regulating mammary carcinogenesis. Here we demonstrate that the type III TGF-beta receptor (TbetaRIII, or betaglycan), a ubiquitously expressed TGF-beta coreceptor, regulated breast cancer progression and metastasis. Most human breast cancers lost TbetaRIII expression, with loss of heterozygosity of the TGFBR3 gene locus correlating with decreased TbetaRIII expression. TbetaRIII expression decreased during breast cancer progression, and low TbetaRIII levels predicted decreased recurrence-free survival in breast cancer patients. Restoring TbetaRIII expression in breast cancer cells dramatically inhibited tumor invasiveness in vitro and tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis in vivo. TbetaRIII appeared to inhibit tumor invasion by undergoing ectodomain shedding and producing soluble TbetaRIII, which binds and sequesters TGF-beta to decrease TGF-beta signaling and reduce breast cancer cell invasion and tumor-induced angiogenesis. Our results indicate that loss of TbetaRIII through allelic imbalance is a frequent genetic event during human breast cancer development that increases metastatic potential.

Solitary papillary breast carcinoma metastasis to the large bowel presenting as primary colon carcinoma: case report and review of the literature.

Breast carcinoma has the potential for widespread dissemination. Spread to the lower gastrointestinal tract is infrequent, often multifocal, occurs in association with spread to other sites, and most commonly develops from lobular carcinoma. Solitary colorectal metastasis as the first and sole manifestation of spread is a rare occurrence and can be confused with primary intestinal malignancy. We present a case of metastatic papillary breast carcinoma presenting as a perforated primary colon cancer. Identity of the lesion was confirmed by direct histologic comparison of the resected tumor with prior breast specimen, cytokeratin expression, and the presence of estrogen receptors.