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Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) is a glycoprotein found in different epithelial cancers, including biliary tract cancer (BTC). The aims of this study were to investigate the role of MUC5AC as serum marker for BTC and its prognostic value after operation with curative intent.From January 2007 to July 2012, a quantitative assessment of serum MUC5AC was performed with enzyme-linked immunoassay in a total of 88 subjects. Clinical and biochemical data (including CEA and Ca 19-9) of 49 patients with BTC were compared with a control population that included 23 patients with benign biliary disease (BBD) and 16 healthy control subjects (HCS).Serum MUC5AC was greater in BTC patients (mean 17.93 ± 10.39 ng/mL) compared with BBD (mean 5.95 ± 5.39 ng/mL; P.01) and HCS (mean 2.74 ± 1.35 ng/mL) (P.01). Multivariate analysis showed that MUC5AC was related with the presence of BTC compared with Ca 19-9 and CEA: P.01, P = .080, and P = .463, respectively. In the BTC group, serum MUC5AC ≥ 14 ng/mL was associated with lymph-node metastasis (P = .050) and American Joint Committee on Cancer and International Union for Cancer Control stage IVb disease (P = .047). Moreover, in patients who underwent operation with curative intent, serum MUC5AC ≥ 14 ng/mL was related to a worse prognosis compared with patients with lesser levels, with 3-year survival rates of 21.5% and 59.3%, respectively (P = .039).MUC5AC could be proposed as new serum marker for BTC. Moreover, the quantitative assessment of serum MUC5AC could be related to tumor stage and long-term survival in patients with BTC undergoing operation with curative intent.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one leading cause of cancer-related death and surgical resection is still one of the major curative therapies. Recently, there has been a major effort to find mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis and early relapse. c-myc gene abnormality is found in hepatocarcinogenesis. Our aim was to analyze the role of c-myc as prognostic factor in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival and to investigate if c-myc may be an important target for therapy. We studied sixty-five hepatocellular carcinomas submitted to surgical resection with curative intent. Size, macro-microvascular invasion, necrosis, number of nodules, grading and serum alfa-fetoprotein level were registered for all cases. We evaluated the c-myc aberrations by using break-apart FISH probes. Probes specific for the centromeric part of chromosome 8 and for the locus specific c-myc gene (8q24) were used to assess disomy, gains of chromosomes (polysomy due to polyploidy) and amplification. c-myc gene amplification was scored as 8q24/CEP8 > 2. Statistical analysis for disease-free survival and overall survival were performed. At molecular level, c-myc was amplified in 19% of hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas showed gains in 55% and set wild in 26% of cases. The 1- and 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival for disomic, polysomic and amplified groups were significantly different (p=0.020 and p=.018 respectively). Multivariate analysis verified that the AFP and c-myc status (amplified vs. not amplified) were significant prognostic factors for overall patients survival. c-myc gene amplification is significantly correlated with disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection and this model identifies patients with risk of early relapse (≤12 months). We suggest that c-myc assessment may be introduced in the clinical practice for improving prognostication (high and low risk of relapse) routinely and may have be proposed as biomarker of efficacy to anti-c-myc targeted drugs in clinical trials.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography to detect colorectal liver metastases after preoperative chemotherapy compared with intraoperative ultrasound and preoperative imaging techniques.From January 2010 to December 2011, 28 patients with colorectal liver metastases underwent intraoperative ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography during hepatectomy following preoperative chemotherapy. The findings were compared to preoperative imaging using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and/or fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.Preoperative imaging techniques detected 58 metastatic lesions in 28 patients. In 32 % of patients (n = 9), intraoperative ultrasound detected 24 missed hepatic nodules. In 14 % of patients (n = 4), contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography detected an additional six nodules and change in operative management occurred in 18 % of patients. Using univariate analysis, we found three factors significantly related to detection of additional metastases with contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography: three or more metastases before chemotherapy (p = 0.047), resolution of at least one metastasis (p = 0.011), and small liver metastases (largest lesion size ≤20 mm) after chemotherapy (p = 0.007).In patients undergoing surgery for colorectal liver metastases after chemotherapy, contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography improved both the sensitivity of intraoperative ultrasonography to detect liver metastases and the R0 hepatic resection rate.