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Objective: The present study evaluated the clinical relevance of an integrative preoperative assessment of inflammation-, nutrition-, and muscle-based markers for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) undergoing curative radical cystectomy (RC). Methods: The analysis enrolled 117 patients and the variables included age, body mass index (BMI), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), Controlling Nutritional Status score, psoas muscle index (PMI), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). The correlations among the variables were evaluated and their prognostic values after RC were tested. Results: Three inflammation markers (ratios of blood cell counts) were positively correlated (p < 0.0001). The PNI and the BMI were positively correlated (p = 0.04), although they were inversely correlated with the three inflammation markers (p < 0.0001). Age was not significantly correlated with the inflammation markers and PMI, although older age was associated with lower PNI and lower PEF. The disease-specific survival was independently predicted by T4 tumor, positive N status, and decreased PNI. Overall survival was independently predicted by T4 tumor, mGPS, and pretreatment sarcopenia status. Conclusions: The inflammation-, nutrition-, and muscle-based markers would be useful risk assessment tools for MIBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Recently, it has been reported that expression of the HRK gene was significantly reduced by hypermethylation in astrocytic tumors. Our aim is to verify the alterations in the HRK gene in primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs). Methods: We analyzed the hypermethylation status and expression of the gene and 12q13.1 loss of heterozygosity in 31 PCNSLs. Results: A total of 13 PCNSLs (31%) demonstrated hypermethylation in either the promoter or exon 1; loss of HRK expression was immunohistochemically observed in 9 tumors and was significantly associated with promoter methylation. In addition, higher apoptotic counts were associated with HRK positivity. PCNSLs with HRK methylation also showed methylation of multiple genes, such as p14ARF, p16INK4a, RB1, p27Kip1 and O6-MGMT. Patients with tumors demonstrating concurrent methylation of more than half of their genes demonstrated significantly poorer survival and earlier recurrence. Hypermethylation of the HRK promoter alone was not associated with overall outcome, but relapse-free survival was significantly shorter. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that transcriptional repression of HRK is caused by promoter hypermethylation in PCNSL, and that the loss of HRK associated with the methylation profile of other genes is a potential step in the modulation of cellular death by apoptosis during PCNSL tumorigenesis. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prognostic factors for low-grade astrocytomas have been proposed, but optimal treatment remains controversial. Eighty-eight consecutive adult patients with supratentorial low-grade astrocytomas were retrospectively reviewed to determine specific factors influencing outcome. All underwent craniotomy (43 radical resections, 45 nonradical resections). Sex, age at diagnosis, preoperative Karnofsky performance status (KPS), tumor location, estimated extent of resection, radiation, chemotherapy, histological type, p53 status, MIB-1 staining and the apoptotic index were assessed as parameters for prognostic significance. KPS (p = 0.03), tumor location (p < 0.001), extent of surgical resection (p < 0.001) and radiotherapy (p = 0.01) were significantly assoicated with longer survival rates by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis also showed a significant correlation between radiation therapy after surgical removal and survival time (p < 0.001). p53 status was not of importance in determining the necessity for radiotherapy. Radical surgical removal is the most important factor in the management of low-grade astrocytomas. Radiation therapy appears to be effective in improving the prognosis regardless of the extent of surgical resection or the p53 status.Copyright © 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Midkine (MK) is a growth/differentiation factor frequently expressed at high levels in some types of human malignancies. To investigate whether MK is a useful marker in prostate carcinogenesis, immunohistochemical analysis was performed on samples of both latent and clinical prostate cancers of various stages, as well as on specimens of normal gland and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). Of the 80 clinical cancers examined, 69 specimens (86.3%) were immunoreactive for MK, with metastatic lesions generally showing higher expression than the corresponding primaries; normal prostate tissues were negative or showed only weak staining. Midkine was also detected in 12 of 15 latent cancers (80%) and in 12 of 16 cases of PIN (75%). In sections of whole prostate, MK showed variable expression through tumorous sections, probably in reflection of heterogeneous cell populations. The results demonstrate the possible value of MK as a marker for early and latent disease, as well as for more advanced clinical stages of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, an analysis of whether expression of nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 proteins has prognostic significance was performed. A series of 95 renal cell carcinomas was analyzed for nuclear grade, tumor size (larger than 50 mm or not), staging in the Robson system and expression of nm23-H1 and nm23-H2, as well as patient survival. Immunohistochemical staining of nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 was found in 68.4 and 50.5% of the cases, respectively. Significant differences in nm23-H1, but not nm23-H2 expression were noted with regard to nuclear grade and tumor size. The patients with nm23-H1-expression-negative tumors sized ≤50 mm had a significantly poorer prognosis than their positive counterparts. Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards regression model indicated that the staging in the Robson system and expression of nm23-H1 were significant and independent prognostic factors for survival. However, no significant correlation between the incidence of metastasis and expression of nm23-H1 or nm23-H2 was found. The results imply that reduced expression of nm23-H1 influences the prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinomas, but not the likelihood of metastasis. In small tumors sized ≤50 mm, reduced expression of nm23-H1 protein was suggested to be an especially strong predictor of a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]