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Extensive surface profiles of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have been obtained from 45 surgical resection samples. Live cells were captured on an antibody microarray and stained with fluorescently-labeled antibodies. Minimal panels of 11 CRC antigens (CD13, CD24, CD26, CD49d, CD138, CD166, CA-125, CA19-9, EGFR, Galectin-4 and HLA-DR) and 11 T-cell antigens (CD10, CD11b, CD11c, CD25, CD31, CD95, CD151, CD181, Galectin-4, CA19-9, TSP-1) provide signatures for relapse and survival. Hierarchical clustering of profiles from CRC cells and TIL identified groups of patients for survival, systemic relapse and death. The groups from CRC and TIL profiles for systemic relapse showed 79.2% concordance, enabling prediction of relapse after surgery. The results demonstrate communication between CRC cells and TIL.

Objective To investigate the nature and the architecture of the puboprostatic ligament (PPL) and its relationship with surroundings. Materials and Methods Six adult male cadaveric pelvises (age range, 46-87 years) were prepared as serial transverse (2 sets), coronal (1 set), or sagittal (3 sets) plastinated sections, and were examined under a stereoscope and a confocal microscope. The thickness of the section was 2.5 mm, the interval between 2 adjacent sections was about 0.9 mm, and a total of about 70 serial sections per set were collected. Results First, the musculotendinous sheet of the pubococcygeus contributed to the visceral endopelvic fascia, decussated in front of the detrusor apron, and fixed to the pubis. Second, anteriorly to the prostate, the detrusor apron split up into anterior, middle, and posterior layers, which contributed to the PPL, the fascial sheaths of the dorsal vascular complex, and the anterior fibromuscular stroma of the prostate, respectively. Third, the PPL originated from both the detrusor apron and the decussated and undecussated fibers of the pubococcygeus, and inserted onto the pubis. Conclusion This study revealed the nature and the architecture of the PPL and its relationship with surroundings. These findings provide new insights in the “suspensory system” involving the urinary continence and may incite for future surgical techniques that aim to preserve the decussated pubococcygeus and the intactness of a pubococcygeus-detrusor apron complex during radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Background As a precursor lesion, adenoma is ideally suited for proteome profiling to investigate early colorectal cancer (CRC) development. The ability to recognise premalignant lesions may have important applications in cancer prevention. Aim To identify protein expression patterns that can distinguish colorectal adenoma from normal tissue. Methods Twenty paired samples of adenoma and normal mucosa were analysed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) to detect proteins with ≥ 2-fold differential expression. Protein expression was validated and localised by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results 2-DE identified four up-regulated (Annexin A3, S100A11, S1 00P and eIF5A-1)and three down-regulated (Galectin-1, S100A9 and FABPL) proteins in adenomas. These proteins have important functions in cell differentiation, proliferation and metabolism.The finding of decreased S100A9 and galectin-1 expression in adenoma was unexpected given the previous reports of their up-regulation in CRC. Our observations however, were validated by IHC and explained by the cellular localisation of these proteins, which are linked to tumour-associated inflammatory and stromal responses respectively, features seen in CRC but not in adenoma. Conclusions Proteomic study of adenomas provides unique biomolecular insights into early colorectal carcinogenesis, however findings need to be validated and interpreted in the light of IHC tissue localisation. This study identifies a distinctive pattern of protein expression that differentiates colorectal adenoma from both CRC and normal mucosa.

Background and aim Increased expression of glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTP) has been shown to be associated with poor prognosis and reduced survival in many cancers. Our study aimed to examine the association between GSTP expression, histopathology and survival in a large consecutive series of patients after potentially curative resection for node-positive stage C colonic adenocarcinoma. Methods and results Nuclear and cytoplasmic GSTP expression in both superficial and deep parts of the tumour were assessed retrospectively by tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry in specimens from 469 patients, whose other histopathology had been recorded in a prospective hospital registry of large bowel cancer resections from 1971 to 2001 with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. The intensity of staining was graded as 0 (no staining), 1 (weak), 2 (intermediate) and 3 (strong). The percentage of cells staining was recorded as 0%, Conclusions GSTP expression is an independent prognostic factor in reduced overall survival in stage C colonic adenocarcinoma.

To determine the biological and prognostic significance of DNA ploidy, 492 consecutive and prospectively documented cases of colorectal cancer were retrieved from the archives of Concord Hospital. 35 cases were excluded due to poor preparations. Nuclei were extracted from paraffin blocks and analysed by DNA flow cytometry. A tumour was classified as diploid when only one G 0 -G 1 peak was detected and aneuploid when there were two or more G 0 -G 1 peaks. The DNA index (DI) was derived from the ratio between the mean fluorescence intensities of the second or aberrant G 0 -G 1 peak and the reference 2N peak. Anatomical Site Diploid Hyperdiploid DI DI ≥ 1.4 Proximal Colon 58 27 37 Distal Colon 56 25 81 Rectum 67 26 80 After a follow-up of 7 years DNA ploidy was of marginal importance as a prognostic indicator (p=0.055). Clinical staging (ACPS), extent of direct tumour spread and extent of lymph node involvement were the most relevant prognostic indicators, once other factors were taken into account. Aneuploidy was also significantly correlated with absence of contiguous adenoma, tumour ulceration and venous invasion. The degree of aneuploidy or DI was greater in distal colorectal (DCR) i.e. splenic flexure and beyond than proximal colon (PC) cancers (p