Tamara Kalir

Estrogen receptor variant and hypertension in women.

Eighty-eight women visiting a gynecologist were tested for an estrogen receptor B-variant allele. The women were ethnically and racially homogeneous to a large degree. They were from a suburb of Long Island, and most were white. The 12% incidence of hypertension in women with the estrogen receptor wild-type allele is comparable to the 13-32% incidence in the general population of women aged 55-64 years. However, the 48% incidence of hypertension in women with the estrogen receptor B-variant allele is considerably higher than in the general population of women in this age group. We conclude that the presence of the estrogen receptor B-variant allele might have increased the prevalence of hypertension in the women in this study.

The clinical importance of atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance on the cytologic smear

The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of underlying cervical and endometrial lesions among patients with atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGCUS) on the cytologic smear. Eighty-six patients with AGCUS, without evidence of squamous intraepithelial lesions, underwent coloposcopy and endocervical curettage (ECC) within 6 months of the initial finding. Endometrial samplings were performed in 25 patients. Coloposcopy, endocervical curettage, and endometrial biopsy results were reviewed. A significant lesion was defined as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and/or any structural or histologic abnormality of the cervix or uterus (i.e., polyp). Statistical analyses were performed using the t test, chi-square, and Fishers Exact tests comparing patients with underlying lesions to those without. A significant lesion(s) was identified in 21 (24.4%) patients, with 8 (9.3%) of the lesions being high-grade cervical neoplasias. An additional 14 (16.3%) patients, with negative initial work-ups, had underlying lesions or major cytologic abnormalities diagnosed on subsequent follow-up. All of the endometrial findings were benign. None of the following were statistically significant predictors of underlying pathology: age, gravidy, parity, medications, medical history, tobacco use, history of sexually transmitted diseases including human immunodeficiency virus, previous abnormal cytologic smear, concurrent diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, or evidence of human papillomavirus. AGCUS is often associated with clinically important underlying lesions. Patients should therefore undergo colposcopy and ECC. Endometrial sampling and possible cervical conization should be performed when coloposcopic evaluation is nondiagnostic.

Role of nuclear pore complex in ovarian cancer chemoresistance

Tamara Kalir, M.D., Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Pathology at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she serves as Director of the Division of Gynecologic Pathology, Director of the Fellowship in Gynecologic Pathology, and works with co-researchers Stave Kohtz, Ph.D., and Yayoi Kinoshita, D.D.S., on nuclear pores in ovarian cancer chemoresistance. A ovarian carcinoma ranks fifth among cancer-related deaths in American women, it is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancy in the U.S. The treatment mainstay for ovarian cancer historically has been and remains surgical debulking, followed by chemotherapy. Preferred first-line agents are cisplatin and carboplatin. The emergence of cancer cell multi-drug resistance has spurred research efforts toward developing countermeasures. Among the many methods of drug resistance employed by cancer cells, are malfunctioning plasma membrane transporter proteins. We took a novel approach of bypassing the plasma membrane, and investigated nuclear membrane pore complexes (NPCs).Method: Data on all patients hospitalized for coronary heart disease at CountyHospital during a5-year period were analyzed according to age, sex and diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome were hospitalized at Coronary Unit, and those with angina pectoris at Department of Cardiology. Data on patient treatment were collected from patient history taken on admission and medical records at discharge (letter of discharge).