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Background Serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs) have been documented in high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOCs). However, the rate of association between STICs and HGSOCs and, therefore, the fraction of HGSOCs that are likely to have originated from the fallopian tube (FT), has remained unclear. Objective To appraise the literature describing the association between STICs and established HGSOCs. Search strategy Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched. Selection criteria Studies were included if they evaluated the frequency of STICs in HGSOCs, and were published in an English peer-reviewed journal. Data collection and analysis Appropriate studies were evaluated for their compliance with the 'Strengthening and Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE)' criteria. Main results Ten articles met the study selection criteria. The reported coexistence between STICs and HGSOCs ranged from 11% to 61% (mean: 31%, 95% CI: 17-46%). STICs were rarely found in other gynaecological cancers. Small sample size, lack of objective criteria to identify STICs and the retrospective nature of the studies contributed to the variability in reporting the rate of the association. Conclusions STICs were identified commonly in the FTs of women with HGSOC. Finding the true rate of association between STICs and HGSOCs will require further investigations. While there is evidence that a fraction of HGSOCs arise from the FTs, an accurate estimate of that fraction remains to be determined. The lack of an accurate estimate of the association makes it difficult to evaluate the potential magnitude of reduction of HGSOCs following prophylactic salpingectomy. Tweetable abstract A systematic review of the incidence of STICs in HGSOCs identifies significant methodological inconsistencies.

BACKGROUND Standard biomarker testing of a single macroscopic disease site is unlikely to be sufficient because of tumor heterogeneity. A focus on examining global biomarker expression or activity, particularly in microscopic residual chemotherapy-resistant disease, is needed for the appropriate selection of targeted therapies. This study was aimed at establishing a technique for the assessment of biomarkers of ovarian cancer peritoneal spread. METHODS An in-house developed fluorescent imaging device was used to detect the expression of the c-Met oncogene in ovarian cancer. A modified cyanine 5–tagged peptide, GE137, with a high in vitro affinity for the human c-Met protein, was tested in a panel of ovarian cancer cell lines. Finally, the feasibility of detecting submillimeter ovarian cancer cell peritoneal metastases in vivo was tested through the intravenous injection of GE137 into mice with tumor xenografts. RESULTS Using optical imaging it was possible to detect c-Met expression in submillimeter peritoneal metastases that were freshly excised from a human high-grade serous ovarian cancer. GE137 selectively bound to the c-Met tyrosine kinase without activating survival signaling pathways (AKT or extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation) downstream of c-Met. GE137 specifically accumulated in SKOv3 ovarian cancer cells expressing c-Met via clathrin-mediated endocytosis and emitted a fluorescent signal that lasted for at least 8 hours in tumor xenografts in vivo with a sustained high signal-to-noise ratio. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that intraoperative optical imaging could provide a new paradigm for selecting cancer patients for appropriate targeted therapies, particularly after initial chemotherapy. Cancer 2015;121:202–13. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

Numerous studies have tested the association between TP53 mutations in ovarian cancer and prognosis but these have been consistently confounded by limitations in study design, methodology, and/or heterogeneity in the sample cohort. High-grade serous (HGS) carcinoma is the most clinically important histological subtype of ovarian cancer. As these tumours may arise from the ovary, Fallopian tube or peritoneum, they are collectively referred to as high-grade pelvic serous carcinoma (HGPSC). To identify the true prevalence of TP53 mutations in HGPSC, we sequenced exons 2–11 and intron–exon boundaries in tumour DNA from 145 patients. HGPSC cases were defined as having histological grade 2 or 3 and FIGO stage III or IV. Surprisingly, pathogenic TP53 mutations were identified in 96.7% (n = 119/123) of HGPSC cases. Molecular and pathological review of mutation-negative cases showed evidence of p53 dysfunction associated with copy number gain of MDM2 or MDM4, or indicated the exclusion of samples as being low-grade serous tumours or carcinoma of uncertain primary site. Overall, p53 dysfunction rate approached 100% of confirmed HGPSCs. No association between TP53 mutation and progression-free or overall survival was found. From this first comprehensive mapping of TP53 mutation rate in a homogeneous group of HGPSC patients, we conclude that mutant TP53 is a driver mutation in the pathogenesis of HGPSC cancers. Because TP53 mutation is almost invariably present in HGPSC, it is not of substantial prognostic or predictive significance. Copyright © 2010 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A prerequisite for the success of early detection of a disease is the clear understanding of its natural history. The cellular origin of ovarian cancer has remained elusive, and this has delayed our understanding of the biology of initiation and progression of the disease, and has hampered the development of effective early detection methods. As a consequence, ovarian cancer remains one of the most fatal malignancies in women worldwide. In this issue of BJOG Sharma et al. present important evidence from a prospective study of more than 48 000 postmenopausal women indicating that small ovarian inclusion cysts, of

Representative samples of date syrup were obtained from the local market and analysed. The chemical composition and some characteristics of these samples were investigated. The reducing sugars of the syrup comprised about 95% of its total sugars content. The major sugars present were glucose—48.70%, fructose-45.21%, and sucrose—6.09%. Furthermore, the coloring matters of date syrup were isolated, separated and further investigated. It was concluded that the color groups, degradation products of reducing sugars, melanoidines, and iron-polyphenolic complexes, contributed to the color of date syrup. The melanoidine-type compounds, which comprised the major part of syrup colorants, showed a low selective adsorption tendency on both charcoal and anion resins. An efficient clarification of date syrup has been achieved by the use of calcium phosphate precipitation. The results obtained may be of help in devising industrial processes for the utilization of dates, abundantly grown in Libya, in the production of “Total invert liquid sugar” with multiple commercial uses of its own.

Ten honey samples representing various floral types were obtained from different areas in Libya. Two other samples were obtained from hives, where bees were fed on sugar syrup and date syrup, respectively. The chemical composition and some characteristics of these samples were studied. The data obtained generally showed that the specifications of honeys produced in Libya conformed with those required for table honey. The application of thin-layer chromatography on cellulose-coated plates for the analysis of honey sugars yielded clear resolution and discrete spots. Some measures — such as high level of calcium, low level of potassium and UV-absorption spectra of honeys were suggested to be used for identifying the sugar-honeys and for ensuring the quality of blossom honeys. An attempt has been made to predict the granulation behavior of honeys and a derived regression formula was suggested.

Representative samples of wild truffles–Terfezia boudieri Chatin – obtained from a local market in Libya were analyzed. The analyses showed that tubers coulld be considered nutritionally a good source for protein, iron, potassium, calcium and sodium. The results indicated that protein was of high quality, since it contained nine essential amino acids which represented about 6% of the dry weight. Toxic compounds of the following groups were found to be absent: anthraquinone, cardiac glycosides, cathartic resin, and cyanogenetic glucosides.