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Background: Since the first version of the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) developed in the past decade, several other versions have been developed. However, to date no study has attempted to compare these versions with respect to their associations with biomarkers of inflammation. Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between four dietary inflammatory scores [DII, two energy-adjusted derivatives (E-DII and E-DIIr), and the Inflammatory Score of the Diet (ISD)], and circulating levels of several inflammatory markers and adipokines. Methods: This study included 17 637 participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort with at least one marker of inflammation measured in blood. Associations between the four scores and C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)6, IL10, IL1RA, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (sTNFR1), sTNFR2, leptin, soluble leptin receptor (sLeptin R), adiponectin, and High Molecular Weight (HMW) adiponectin were evaluated using multivariable linear regressions adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Positive associations were observed between the four dietary inflammatory scores and levels of CRP, IL6, sTNFR1, sTNFR2 and leptin. However, only the DII and the ISD were positively associated with IL1RA levels and only the DII and the E-DIIr were positively associated with TNFα levels. The proportion of variance of each biomarker explained by the scores was lower than 2%, which was equivalent to the variance explained by smoking status but much lower than that explained by body mass index. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the four dietary inflammatory scores were associated with some biomarkers of inflammation and could be used to assess the inflammatory potential of diet in European adults but are not sufficient to capture the inflammatory status of an individual. These findings can help to better understand the inflammatory potential of diet, but they need to be replicated in studies with repeated dietary measurements.

Purpose - Chronic inflammation is thought to initiate or promote differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and previous studies have shown that diet can modulate this inflammatory process. We aimed to evaluate the association of several dietary scores reflecting the inflammatory potential of the diet with DTC risk. Methods - Within the EPIC cohort, 450,063 participants were followed during a mean period of 14 years, and 712 newly incident DTC cases were identified. Associations between four dietary inflammatory scores [the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and two energy-adjusted derivatives (the E-DIIr and the E-DIId), and the Inflammatory Score of the Diet (ISD)] and DTC risk were evaluated in the EPIC cohort using multivariable Cox regression models. Results - Positive associations were observed between DTC risk and the DIIs (HR for 1 SD increase in DII: 1.11, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.23, similar results for its derivatives), but not with the ISD (HR for 1 SD increase: 1.04, 95% CI 0.93, 1.16). Conclusion - Diet-associated inflammation, as estimated by the DII and its derivatives, was weakly positively associated with DTC risk in a European adult population. These results suggesting that diet-associated inflammation acts in the etiology of DTC need to be validated in independent studies.

Aims To study the correlation between clinicopathological risk factors and the risk for intervention-requiring cancer recurrence in patients with small papillary thyroid cancers (sPTCs). Materials and methods Records for 397 patients with sPTC (T1 ≤ 20mm) were obtained from the Scandinavian Quality Register for Thyroid, Parathyroid and Adrenal Surgery (SQRTPA) between 2010 and 2016. Follow-up time was at least 5 years. Data regarding intervention-requiring cancer recurrence were obtained from patient medical records and analysed regarding lymph node (LN) status (N0, N1a and N1b) and recurrence. Results Age was significantly lower in the N1a and N1b groups compared to N0 (45 vs. 40.5 vs. 49 years, respectively; p = 0.002). Tumour size was smaller in the N1a group compared to N1b group (9 vs. 11.8 mm; p p = 0.001), and in the recurrent compared to the non-recurrent group (7 versus 3.9; p p = 0.001). Conclusions Lymph node stage N1b at diagnosis, and having five or more metastatic nodes, are strong risk factors for cancer recurrence and decreased disease-free survival in sPTC. The management of patients with sPTC should include thorough lymph node mapping for optimal treatment and individual risk stratification.

Background Gliomas are complex tumors with several genetic aberrations and diverse metabolic programs contributing to their aggressive phenotypes and poor prognoses. This study defines key metabolic features that can be used to differentiate between glioma subtypes, with potential for improved diagnostics and subtype targeted therapy. Methods Cross-platform global metabolomic profiling coupled with clinical, genetic, and pathological analysis of glioma tissue from 224 tumors—oligodendroglioma (n = 31), astrocytoma (n = 31) and glioblastoma (n = 162)—were performed. Identified metabolic phenotypes were evaluated in accordance with the WHO classification, IDH-mutation, 1p/19q-codeletion, WHO-grading 2–4, and MGMT promoter methylation. Results Distinct metabolic phenotypes separate all six analyzed glioma subtypes. IDH-mutated subtypes, expressing 2-hydroxyglutaric acid, were clearly distinguished from IDH-wildtype subtypes. Considerable metabolic heterogeneity outside of the mutated IDH pathway were also evident, with key metabolites being high expression of glycerophosphates, inositols, monosaccharides, and sugar alcohols and low levels of sphingosine and lysoglycerophospholipids in IDH-mutants. Among the IDH-mutated subtypes, we observed high levels of amino acids, especially glycine and 2-aminoadipic acid, in grade 4 glioma, and N-acetyl aspartic acid in low-grade astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma. Both IDH-wildtype and mutated oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma were characterized by high levels of acylcarnitines, likely driven by rapid cell growth and hypoxic features. We found elevated levels of 5-HIAA in gliosarcoma and a subtype of oligodendroglioma not yet defined as a specific entity, indicating a previously not described role for the serotonin pathway linked to glioma with bimorphic tissue. Conclusion Key metabolic differences exist across adult glioma subtypes.

Other than the influence of ionizing radiation and benign thyroid disease, little is known about the risk factors for differentiated thyroid cancer (TC) which is an increasing common cancer worldwi ...

Fruit and vegetable (FV 95% CI: 0.68-1.15; p-trend = 0.44), vegetables (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.69-1.14; p-trend = 0.56), or fruit (HR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.79-1.26; p-trend = 0.64). No significant association was observed with any individual type of vegetable or fruit. However, there was a positive borderline trend with fruit juice intake (HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 0.98-1.53; p-trend = 0.06). This study did not find any significant association between FV however a positive trend with fruit juice intake was observed, possibly related to its high sugar content.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with a short overall survival (OS) in general. The treatment of GBM has evolved over the last decades and is today multimodal including surgical resection followed by radiochemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy for patients in good performance status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of treatment and the outcome for GBM patients at a single regional center. Patients and methods: Survival was studied for 571 patients in our region diagnosed with GBM between 1995 and 2015. Samples from 244 patients out of those treated 2005-2015 have been included in a tissue/blood bank and a clinical database has been set up with basic patient characteristics and details on surgery and non-surgical treatment. Results: The median OS for all patients from 1995 to 2015 was 9.3 months. There was a stepwise improvement from 6.9 to 10.3 months for patients diagnosed 1995-1996 and 2010-2015, respectively (p

The nuclear hormone receptor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan C2 (RORC2, also known as RORγt) is a promising target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. A small molecule, inverse agonist of the receptor is anticipated to reduce production of IL-17, a key proinflammatory cytokine. Through a high-throughput screening approach, we identified a molecule displaying promising binding affinity for RORC2, inhibition of IL-17 production in Th17 cells, and selectivity against the related RORA and RORB receptor isoforms. Lead optimization to improve the potency and metabolic stability of this hit focused on two key design strategies, namely, iterative optimization driven by increasing lipophilic efficiency and structure-guided conformational restriction to achieve optimal ground state energetics and maximize receptor residence time. This approach successfully identified 3-cyano- N-(3-(1-isobutyrylpiperidin-4-yl)-1-methyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1 H-pyrrolo[2,3- b]pyridin-5-yl)benzamide as a potent and selective RORC2 inverse agonist, demonstrating good metabolic stability, oral bioavailability, and the ability to reduce IL-17 levels and skin inflammation in a preclinical in vivo animal model upon oral administration.

Diets high in red or processed meat have been associated positively with some cancers, and several possible underlying mechanisms have been proposed, including iron-related pathways. However, the role of meat intake in adult glioma risk has yielded conflicting findings because of small sample sizes and heterogeneous tumour classifications. The aim of this study was to examine red meat, processed meat and iron intake in relation to glioma risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study. In this prospective cohort study, 408 751 individuals from nine European countries completed demographic and dietary questionnaires at recruitment. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine intake of red meat, processed meat, total dietary iron and haem iron in relation to incident glioma. During an average follow-up of 14.1 years, 688 incident glioma cases were diagnosed. There was no evidence that any of the meat variables (red, processed meat or subtypes of meat) or iron (total or haem) were associated with glioma; results were unchanged when the first 2 years of follow-up were excluded. This study suggests that there is no association between meat or iron intake and adult glioma. This is the largest prospective analysis of meat and iron in relation to glioma and as such provides a substantial contribution to a limited and inconsistent literature.

Incidence rates of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (TC) have increased in many countries. Adiposity and dietary risk factors may play a role, but little is known on the influence of energy intake and macronutrient composition. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between TC and the intake of energy, macronutrients, glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. The study included 477,274 middle-age participants (70.2% women) from ten European countries. Dietary data were collected using country-specific validated dietary questionnaires. Total carbohydrates, proteins, fats, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA), starch, sugar, and fiber were computed as g/1,000 kcal. Multivariable Cox regression was used to calculate multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) by intake quartile (Q). After a mean follow-up time of 11 years, differentiated TC was diagnosed in 556 participants (90% women). Overall, we found significant associations only with total energy (HRQ4 vs .Q1 , 1.29; 95% CI, 1.00-1.68) and PUFA intakes (HRQ4 vs .Q1 , 0.74; 95% CI, 0.57-0.95). However, the associations with starch and sugar intake and GI were significantly heterogeneous across body mass index (BMI) groups, i.e., positive associations with starch and GI were found in participants with a BMI ≥ 25 and with sugar intake in those with BMI

Background: Differentiated thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine cancer. Fish can be an important source of iodine and other micronutrients and contaminants that may affect the thyroid gland and TC risk.Objective: We prospectively evaluated the relations between the consumption of total fish and different fish types and shellfish and TC risk in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study.Methods: EPIC is a cohort of >500,000 men and women, mostly aged 35-70 y, who were recruited in 10 European countries. After a mean follow-up of 14 y, 748 primary differentiated TC cases were diagnosed; 666 were in women and 601 were papillary TC. Data on intakes of lean fish, fatty fish, fish products, and shellfish were collected by using country-specific validated dietary questionnaires at recruitment. Multivariable Cox regression was used to calculate HRs and 95% CIs adjusted for many potential confounders, including dietary and nondietary factors.Results: No significant association was observed between total fish consumption and differentiated TC risk for the highest compared with the lowest quartile (HR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.81, 1.32; P-trend = 0.67). Likewise, no significant association was observed with the intake of any specific type of fish, fish product, or shellfish. No significant heterogeneity was found by TC subtype (papillary or follicular tumors), by sex, or between countries with low and high TC incidence.Conclusion: This large study shows that the intake of fish and shellfish was not associated with differentiated TC risk in Europe, a region in which iodine deficiency or excess is rare.

Overall survival for glioblastoma patients is short. Standard treatment is surgery followed by radiochemotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome for all patients with progressive disease treated with bevacizumab-based treatment combinations in the northern region of Sweden.This was a single-center retrospective analysis after bevacizumab-based second-line treatment for malignant glioma. All patients treated with bevacizumab, between 2007 and 2011 in our Center were retrospectively evaluated.Progression-free survival after the start of bevacizumab-based treatment was 20 weeks and overall survival was 31 weeks. Treatment was well tolerated, but 9% of patients (n=6) suffered from serious adverse events. In 68% of patients, a ≥25% decrease in contrast enhancement was seen at best response.Results from this retrospective study are comparable with earlier phase-II studies and motivate randomized trials of bevacizumab-based treatment in the second-line setting.

Reflection groups for clinicians, often called Balint groups, are a way of refining professional competence in health care. This study presents a model for reflective practice in a group setting and describes the kinds of troublesome cases that medical residents are concerned about.From 2005 to 2012 a Balint-inspired reflective forum has been a part of the academic seminar program for physicians in training in a Department of Oncology at a Swedish university. The present study is focused on all 63 cases presented in the forum.The cases were categorized into three kinds of challenges: Communication challenges in the patient-physician relationship, Communication challenges in organizational matters, and Communication challenges with close relatives of the patient.The study tells us something about the vulnerability of being a medical resident and the identified challenges have bearings on medical education curricula as well as on how the training of junior physicians is organized.The cases are contextual and multifaceted, and a forum of this kind might therefore be regarded as a potential way to develop professional competence and to refine communication in clinical practice. A structured evaluation of the forum would be valuable.

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (TC) is threefold more common in women than in men and, therefore, a role of female hormones in the etiology of differentiated TC has been suggested. We assessed these hypotheses in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Among 345,157 women (mean age 51) followed for an average of 11 years, 508 differentiated TC cases were identified. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. No significant associations were observed between differentiated TC risk and number of pregnancies, breast feeding, menopausal status, and age at menarche and at menopause. Significant associations were found with history of infertility problems (HR 1.70; 95% CI 1.12-2.60), a recent pregnancy (HR for 5 vs. >5 years before recruitment 3.87; 95% CI 1.43-10.46), menopause type (HR for surgical vs. natural menopause: 2.16; 95% CI 1.41-3.31), oral contraceptive (OC) use at recruitment (HR: 0.48; 95% CI 0.25-0.92) and duration of OC use (HR for 9 vs. 1 year: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.89). An increased risk was also found with hormone replacement therapy use at recruitment (HR=1.30, 95% CI 1.02-1.67), but this was not significant after adjustment for type of menopause (HR=1.22, 95% CI 0.95-1.57). Overall, our findings do not support a strong role of reproductive and menstrual factors, and female hormone use in the etiology of differentiated TC. The few observed associations may be real or accounted for by increased surveillance in women who had infertility problems, recent pregnancies or underwent surgical menopause.

Hospital-acquired surgical infection causes suffering and prolonged hospitalization for the individual patient and contributes to costs for society. Patient safety is at focus for the perioperative...

To the Editor,Chordomas are rare tumors that arise from the vestigial or ectopic notochord, with an incidence of 0.5 to 0.8 per 1 000 000 [1,2]. About 50% originate from the sacrococcygeal region, ...

INTRODUCTION: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a rapidly progressing tumour with a short overall survival. The treatment of GBM has evolved over the last decades and is today multimodal including surgery with maximal tumour resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy for patients in good performance status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of treatment and the outcome for GBM patients at a single centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 244 patients treated for GBM 2005 - 2015 has been included in a tissue bank with tumour tissue and/or blood samples. A clinical database has been set up with basic patient characteristics and details on surgery and non-surgical treatment. Survival was also studied for all 571 patients in our region diagnosed with GBM between 1995 and 2015. RESULTS: The overall median survival for all patients from 1995 to 2015 was 9.3 months. There was a stepwise improvement from 6.9 to 10.3 months for patients diagnosed 1995–1996 and 2010–2015, respectively (p

Aim of the study The extensive neovascularisation of malignant glioma is mainly influenced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The effect of ZD6474, a potent inhibitor of VEGF-receptor-2, was evaluated in combination with either radiotherapy or temozolomide. Methods The effects on glioma growth were investigated in the intracerebral BT4C rat glioma model. ZD6474 30 mg/kg was given alone or in combination with radiotherapy 12 Gy × 1 or with temozolomide 100 mg/kg for 3 days. Two different experiments were performed comparing ZD6474 to radiotherapy or temozolomide. For each experiment 28 animals were randomized into four groups. Results ZD6474 in combination with radiotherapy significantly decreased tumour area by 66% compared with controls whereas the combination with temozolomide decreased tumour area by 74%. Conclusions ZD6474 in combination with two standard modalities in the treatment of malignant glioma, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, markedly decreased the growth of an intracerebral experimental glioma. These results justify further investigations of these therapies in combination.

Incidence rates of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (TC) have increased in many countries. Adiposity and dietary risk factors may play a role, but little is known on the influence of energy intake and macronutrient composition. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between TC and the intake of energy, macronutrients, glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. The study included 477,274 middle-age participants (70.2% women) from ten European countries. Dietary data were collected using country-specific validated dietary questionnaires. Total carbohydrates, proteins, fats, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA), starch, sugar, and fiber were computed as g/1,000 kcal. Multivariable Cox regression was used to calculate multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) by intake quartile (Q). After a mean follow-up time of 11 years, differentiated TC was diagnosed in 556 participants (90% women). Overall, we found significant associations only with total energy (HRQ4 vs .Q1, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.00-1.68) and PUFA intakes (HRQ4 vs .Q1, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.57-0.95). However, the associations with starch and sugar intake and GI were significantly heterogeneous across body mass index (BMI) groups, i.e., positive associations with starch and GI were found in participants with a BMI≥25 and with sugar intake in those with BMI

BACKGROUND: Results from several cohort and case-control studies suggest a protective association between current alcohol intake and risk of thyroid carcinoma, but the epidemiological evidence is not completely consistent and several questions remain unanswered.METHODS: The association between alcohol consumption at recruitment and over the lifetime and risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma was examined in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Among 477 263 eligible participants (70% women), 556 (90% women) were diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma over a mean follow-up of 11 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.RESULTS: Compared with participants consuming 0.1-4.9 g of alcohol per day at recruitment, participants consuming 15 or more grams (approximately 1-1.5 drinks) had a 23% lower risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (HR=0.77; 95% CI=0.60-0.98). These findings did not differ greatly when analyses were conducted for lifetime alcohol consumption, although the risk estimates were attenuated and not statistically significant anymore. Similar results were observed by type of alcoholic beverage, by differentiated thyroid carcinoma histology or according to age, sex, smoking status, body mass index and diabetes.CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides some support to the hypothesis that moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with a lower risk of papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas.British Journal of Cancer advance online publication, 27 August 2015; doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.280 www.bjcancer.com.

Malignant glioma is characterised by extensive neovascularisation, principally influenced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). ZD6474 is a potent inhibitor of VEGF-R2 tyrosine kinase activity, but with additional inhibitory effects on other growth factors. In this study, we have investigated the effects of ZD6474 with regard to tumour growth, neovascularisation, proliferation and apoptosis in the intracerebral rat glioma model, BT4C. ZD6474 (50 and 100 mg kg(-1)) was given as a daily oral gavage. Animals were killed on day 19 and tumour volume was measured. Sections were stained for factor VIII, Ki-67 and for apoptosis. The ability of ZD6474 to inhibit cell growth directly was examined in vitro, using the glioma cell line BT4C and the transformed rat brain endothelial cell line RBE4. Cell growth was analysed with fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay to quantify the cytotoxic effects. ZD6474 significantly decreased tumour volume compared to controls. Microvascular density increased after treatment with ZD6474, and tumour cell proliferation index was reduced. There was also an increase in tumour cell apoptosis. In vitro, the growth of both cell lines was significantly reduced. The results reported justify further experimental investigations concerning the effects of ZD6474 in malignant glioma alone or in combination with other modalities.

BACKGROUND: Increased levels of thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) are associated with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (TC) risk, but strong epidemiological evidence is lacking.METHODS: Three hundred fifty-seven incident TC case patients (n = 300 women and 57 men; mean age at blood collection = 51.5 years) were identified in the EPIC cohort study and matched with 2 (women) or 3 (men) control subjects using incidence density sampling. Matching included study center, sex, age, date, time, and fasting status at blood collection. Levels of total and free (f) thyroxine (T4) and triiodo-thyronine (T3), TSH, Tg, and anti-Tg antibodies (TgAb) were measured by commercially available immunoassays. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed using conditional logistic regression. All statistical tests were two-sided.RESULTS: TC risk was positively associated with Tg (OR for the highest vs lowest quartile = 9.15; 95% CI = 5.28 to 15.90; P < .001) and negatively associated with TSH level (OR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.38 to 0.81; P = .001). Odds ratios were not modified by adjustment for weight and height and were consistent across sexes, age groups, and countries. The association with Tg was stronger in follicular than papillary TC. The odds ratio for TgAb-positivity was 1.50 (95% CI = 1.05 to 2.15; P = .03). Among case patients, TSH level was stable over time, whereas Tg level was higher in proximity to TC diagnosis. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 57% and 74% for TSH and Tg level, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: High Tg levels precede by up to 8 years the detection of TC, pointing to a long sojourn time of the disease. Low TSH levels may predispose to TC onset. Neither marker has sufficient accuracy to be a screening test.

Background: Little is known about the causes of thyroid cancer, but insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) might play an important role in its development due to its mitogenic and antiapoptotic properties. Methods: This study prospectively investigated the association between serum IGF-I concentrations and risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in a case–control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. The 345 incident cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma were individually matched to 735 controls by study center, sex and age, date, time, and fasting status at blood collection, follow-up duration, and for women menopausal status, use of exogenous hormones, and phase of menstrual cycle at blood collection. Serum IGF-I concentrations were measured by immunoassay, and risk of differentiated thyroid cancer in relation to IGF-I concentration was estimated using conditional logistic regression. Results: There was a positive association between IGF-I concentrations and risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma: the OR for a doubling in IGF-I concentration was 1.48 (95% confidence interval, 1.06–2.08; Ptrend = 0.02). The positive association with IGF-I was stable over time between blood collection and cancer diagnosis. Conclusion: These findings suggest that IGF-I concentrations may be positively associated with risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Impact: This study provides the first prospective evidence of a potential association between circulating IGF-I concentrations and risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma and may prompt the further investigations needed to confirm the association. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(6); 976–85. ©2014 AACR.

Enigma of a rapid introduction of antiangiogenic therapy with bevacizumab in glioblastoma : a new era in the treatment of malignant brain tumours?

The treatment of glioblastoma is unsatisfactory. Improved understanding of the biological effects of treatment, together with development of new tools to predict outcome of the initiated treatment are therefore of great need. Vandetanib (ZD6474) is mainly a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. This study investigated the pattern of protein expression in brain tumor and normal brain tissue, following treatment with vandetanib in a rat glioma model. BT4C-cells were stereotactically implanted into the brain of BD IX rats. The rats were divided into three different experiments. The treatment schedule for experiments one and two consisted of daily, oral doses of vandetanib from day 6 until day 12 or 20 after implantation, respectively. In the third experiment, each animal received a single dose of vandetanib on day 19 after implantation and was then sacrificed 2, 8 or 24 h thereafter. The protein expression profiles were analyzed by SELDI-TOF-MS and evaluated with multivariate statistical methods. Following treatment with vandetanib, we found significantly altered protein expression pattern in malignant glioma and normal brain. Analyzing protein spectra is an interesting option to assess biological effects induced in brain tissue by signal transduction inhibitors such as vandetanib.

Various proteases and their inhibitors have been shown to be important in tumor invasion. Angiogenesis is further a prerequisite for the growth and progression of solid tumors. Since these systems are functionally linked, in situ hybridization and in situ zymography were used to investigate the spatial and temporal expression of factors representative of the plasmin/plasminogen system and of an angiogenic factor in the BT4C glioma model. This tumor is invasive with a high grade of neovascularization. Tissue-type plasminogen activator urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 mRNA were expressed in glioma cells during the entire tumor growth. Early in the tumor development the expression was found throughout the small tumor (approximately 10 mm3) while later in the time course the expression was found predominantly in the invasive tumor border of the tumor. The in situ zymography demonstrated that the plasminogen activators were translated into functional proteins. Vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA was expressed following a similar spatial and temporal pattern with an early expression in the entire small tumor while later, in larger tumors, it was exclusively expressed in the invasive tumor edge. In normal brain, the ventricular ependyma, meninges, as well as scattered neurons expressed tissue-type plasminogen activator mRNA. Vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA was observed in the choroid plexus, and in scattered cells in normal brain tissue. Our finding may suggest a functional co-operation of tissue-type plasminogen activator, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor during glioma progression. This model could be of value when evaluating different treatment modalities aimed at blocking the migrating capacity and growth of glial tumors.