Breast Cancer Tissue Explants: An Approach to Develop Personalized Therapy in Public Health Services.

Breast cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide. Lately, there is great interest in developing methods that assess individual sensitivity and/or resistance of tumors to antineoplastics to provide personalized therapy for patients. In this study we used organotypic culture of human breast tumor slices to predict the experimental effect of antineoplastics on the viability of tumoral tissue. Samples of breast tumor were taken from 27 patients with clinically advanced breast cancer; slices were obtained and incubated separately for 48 h with paclitaxel, docetaxel, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, and cell culture media (control). We determined an experimental tumor sensitivity/resistance (S/R) profile by evaluating tissue viability using the Alamar Blue® metabolic test, and by structural viability (histopathological analyses, necrosis, and inflammation). These parameters were related to immunohistochemical expression of the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. The predominant histological type found was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (85.2%), followed by lobular carcinoma (7.4%) and mixed carcinoma (7.4%). Experimental drug resistance was related to positive hormone receptor status in 83% of samples treated with cyclophosphamide (p = 0.027). Results suggest that the tumor S/R profile can help to predict personalized therapy or optimize chemotherapeutic treatments in breast cancer.

Antitumoral Effect of Laurinterol on 3D Culture of Breast Cancer Explants.

Macroalgae represent an important source of bioactive compounds with a wide range of biotechnological applications. Overall, the discovery of effective cytotoxic compounds with pharmaceutical potential is a significant challenge, mostly because they are scarce in nature or their total synthesis is not efficient, while the bioprospecting models currently used do not predict clinical responses. Given this context, we used three-dimensional (3D) cultures of human breast cancer explants to evaluate the antitumoral effect of laurinterol, the major compound of an ethanolic extract of Laurencia johnstonii. To this end, we evaluated the metabolic and histopathological effects of the crude extract of L. johnstonii and laurinterol on Vero and MCF-7 cells, in addition to breast cancer explants. We observed a dose-dependent inhibition of the metabolic activity, as well as morphologic and nuclear changes characteristic of apoptosis. On the other hand, a reduced metabolic viability and marked necrosis areas were observed in breast cancer explants incubated with the crude extract, while explants treated with laurinterol exhibited a heterogeneous response which was associated with the individual response of each human tumor sample. This study supports the cytotoxic and antitumoral effects of laurinterol in in vitro cell cultures and in ex vivo organotypic cultures of human breast cancer explants.

[Prognostic factors for survival in patients with resectable advanced gastric adenocarcinoma]. / Factores pronóstico de sobrevida en adenocarcinoma gástrico avanzado resecable.

BACKGROUND: Patients under 45 years with gastric cancer are associated with a poor prognosis. Recent studies report that the 5-year survival is better in younger patients after curative resection. OBJECTIVE: To determine if prognostic factors such as age under 45 years old, anaemia, weight loss, tumour differentiation, histological sub-type, depth of invasion, and lymph node involvement, reduce the survival of patients with resectable advanced gastric adenocarcinoma undergoing gastrectomy with limited and extended lymphadenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included a cohort of consecutive cases treated in the Sarcomas Department of the Oncology Hospital of the Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, during the period between January 2000 and December 2006. RESULTS: Of the total of 588 patients evaluated, 112 (19%) were under 45 years, 43% classified as Borrmann IV, and 36% as Borrmann III. Metastatic disease was present in 39.3%, localised diffuse in 12.5%; lower resectability 52.7 vs. 61.3% in older than 45 years. At the end of the study 29.5% of patients under 45 years were alive; no recurrence in 26.8%, with an overall survival of 58.6±4.3 months, compared with 18.3% of patients alive over 45 years, 17.9% disease-free, and with overall survival 35.2±4.3 months resectable disease. CONCLUSIONS: Patients under 45 years have a better survival after a two-year disease-free period.

[Urological complications following kidney transplantation using Lich-Gregoir technique: A 4-year experience in Mexico]. / Complicaciones urológicas postrasplante renal con técnica de Lich-Gregoir. Experiencia de cuatro años.

OBJECTIVE: We present a retrospective review of urological complications following kidney transplantation in two medical centers in the Mexican state of Veracruz using Lich-Gregoir extravesical ureteroneocystostomy during a 4-year period. METHODS: Records from 242 patients from January 2003 to November 2007 were reviewed. Standard technique for organ procurement, open nephrectomy and kidney transplant was performed. EVU was used in all patients. Urological complications and management are reported. RESULTS: There were 19 complications recorded in 18 patients (7.8%). Sixteen kidneys were obtained from living donors. Urinary leak was the most common complication (4.5%) followed by ureteral stenosis (1.6%), vesicoureteral reflux (1.2%) and ureteral necrosis (0.4%) Most patients were treated with Foley catheter (42%), Boary flap (26%) and nephrostomy (15%); 1.23% grafts were lost associated with urological complications. CONCLUSIONS: Renal transplantation should incur few urological complications. Attention to technical details should be paid to avoid major complications. Early evaluation to correct complications reduces sepsis, morbidity and the risk of losing graft function.

Complicaciones urológicas postrasplante renal con técnica de Lich-Gregoir: experiencia de cuatro años / Urological complications following kidney transplantation using Lich-Gregoir technique: a 4-year experience in Mexico

Objetivo: Revisión de las complicaciones urológicas posteriores al trasplante renal en dos centros hospitalarios utilizando la técnica de ureteroneocistostomía extravesical de Lich-Gregoir en un periodo de cuatro años. Material y métodos: Se revisaron los expedientes de 242 pacientes en quienes se llevó a cabo trasplante renal de enero de 2003 a noviembre de 2007. En todos los pacientes se realizó ureteroneocistostomía extravesical. Se informaron todas las complicaciones urológicas y su manejo. Resultados: Se registraron 19 complicaciones en 18 pacientes, con una incidencia de 7.8 %; 16 riñones se obtuvieron de donadores vivos. Las complicaciones más comunes fueron fuga de orina (4.5 %), estenosis urinaria (1.6 %), reflujo vesicoureteral (1.2 %) y necrosis ureteral (0.4 %). La mayoría de los pacientes fueron tratados con sonda de Foley (42 %), colgajo de Boary (26 %) y nefrostomía (15 %). La pérdida del injerto renal se asoció a complicaciones urológicas en 1.23 % Conclusiones: El trasplante renal debe incurrir en pocas complicaciones urológicas, por lo que debe cuidarse los detalles técnicos. La evaluación temprana para corregir las complicaciones reduce la sepsis, morbilidad y el riesgo de pérdida del injerto.

OBJECTIVE: We present a retrospective review of urological complications following kidney transplantation in two medical centers in the Mexican state of Veracruz using Lich-Gregoir extravesical ureteroneocystostomy during a 4-year period. METHODS: Records from 242 patients from January 2003 to November 2007 were reviewed. Standard technique for organ procurement, open nephrectomy and kidney transplant was performed. EVU was used in all patients. Urological complications and management are reported. RESULTS: There were 19 complications recorded in 18 patients (7.8%). Sixteen kidneys were obtained from living donors. Urinary leak was the most common complication (4.5%) followed by ureteral stenosis (1.6%), vesicoureteral reflux (1.2%) and ureteral necrosis (0.4%) Most patients were treated with Foley catheter (42%), Boary flap (26%) and nephrostomy (15%); 1.23% grafts were lost associated with urological complications. CONCLUSIONS: Renal transplantation should incur few urological complications. Attention to technical details should be paid to avoid major complications. Early evaluation to correct complications reduces sepsis, morbidity and the risk of losing graft function.