Weicheng Xue

Association of decreased mitochondrial DNA content with ovarian cancer progression

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in ovarian carcinomas was assessed by quantitative PCR. Results show that mtDNA content in tumour cell was significantly higher than that in normal ovary. Change in mtDNA content was not related with patients age or tumour stages. However, the average mtDNA copy number in pathological low-grade tumours was over two-fold higher than that in high-grade carcinomas (P=0.012). Moreover, type I carcinomas also had a significantly higher mtDNA copy number than in type II carcinomas (P=0.019). Change in mtDNA content might be an important genetic event in the progression of ovarian carcinomas.

Minichromosome maintenance protein 7 expression in gestational trophoblastic disease: correlation with Ki67, PCNA and clinicopathological parameters

Aims:u2002 To assess the proliferative activity of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) using one of the novel proliferation markers (MCM7) and to determine its prognostic value in hydatidiform mole (HM).

Effect of multidisciplinary team treatment on outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal malignancy

AIMnTo evaluate the effect of multidisciplinary team (MDT) treatment modality on outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal malignancy in China.nnnMETHODSnData about patients with gastric and colorectal cancer treated in our center during the past 10 years were collected and divided into two parts. Part 1 consisted of the data collected from 516 consecutive complicated cases discussed at MDT meetings in Peking University School of Oncology (PKUSO) from December 2005 to July 2009. Part 2 consisted of the data collected from 263 consecutive cases of resectable locally advanced rectal cancer from January 2001 to January 2005. These 263 patients were divided into neoadjuvant therapy (NT) group and control group. Patients in NT group received MDT treatment, namely neoadjuvant therapy + surgery + postoperative adjuvant therapy. Patients in control group underwent direct surgery + postoperative adjuvant therapy. The outcomes in two groups were compared.nnnRESULTSnThe treatment strategy was altered after discussed at MDT meeting in 76.81% of gastric cancer patients and in 58.33% of colorectal cancer patients before operation. The sphincter-preservation and local control of tumor were better in NT group than in control group. The 5-year overall survival rate was also higher in NT group than in control group (77.23% vs 69.75%, P = 0.049).nnnCONCLUSIONnMDT treatment modality can significantly improve the outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal malignancy in China.

p63 expression in ovarian tumours: a marker for Brenner tumours but not transitional cell carcinomas.

Aims:u2002 To investigate p63 expression in ovarian neoplasms.

Caspase activity is downregulated in choriocarcinoma: a cDNA array differential expression study

Background: Placental trophoblast can be considered to be pseudomalignant tissue and the pathogenesis of gestational trophoblastic diseases remains to be clarified. Aims: To examine the role of caspases 8 and 10, identified by differential expression, on trophoblast tumorigenesis. Methods: cDNA array hybridisation was used to compare gene expression profiles in choriocarcinoma cell lines (JAR, JEG, and BeWo) and normal first trimester human placentas, followed by confirmation with quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Caspase 10 and its closely related family member caspase 8 were analysed. Results: Downregulation of caspase 10 in choriocarcinoma was detected by both Atlas™ human cDNA expression array and Atlas™ human 1.2 array. Caspase 10 mRNA expression was significantly lower in hydatidiform mole (p u200a=u200a 0.035) and chorioarcinoma (p u200a=u200a 0.002) compared with normal placenta. The caspase 8 and 10 proteins were expressed predominantly in the cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast, respectively, with significantly lower expression in choriocarcinomas than other trophoblastic tissues (p < 0.05). Immunoreactivity for both caspase 8 and 10 correlated with the apoptotic index previously assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling (p u200a=u200a 0.02 and p u200a=u200a 0.04, respectively) and M30 (p < 0.001 and p u200a=u200a 0.003, respectively) approaches. Conclusions: These results suggest that the downregulation of capases 8 and 10 might contribute to the pathogenesis of choriocarcinoma.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei — a heterogenous disease

Objective: To evaluate the origin of pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) in Chinese women. Methods: The clinicopathologic features of 15 cases of PMP were reviewed. Immunostaining using antibodies for CK7 and CK20 was performed in the ovarian, appendiceal and peritoneal lesions of these cases. Results: Appendiceal pathology was documented in five cases, including four mucinous cystadenoma and one simple mucocele. Eight ovarian tumors were found, including seven mucinous cystadenocarcinomas of low malignant potential and one mucinous cystadenoma. Synchronous ovarian and appendiceal lesions were discovered in three cases. One patient had adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The origin of mucin production was not known in four cases with metastatic adenocarcinoma found in two of them. Immunoreactivity for CK20 was demonstrated in the tissues derived from the peritoneum, ovary, appendix and pancreas while only 23% (3 out of 13 women) of the peritoneal lesions and 33% (2 out of 6 women) of the ovarian tumors were immunoreactive for CK7. Conclusions: PMP is a heterogeneous lesion, which may develop from mucinous metaplasia of the peritoneum or from appendiceal, or ovarian lesions. Careful examination of the ovary and appendix with performance of appendectomy is advised in every case of PMP. Immunohistochemical examination of the peritoneal, ovarian or appendiceal lesions using antibodies, in particular that for CK7 would help in defining the origin of mucin production.

Morphology and prognostic value of tumor budding in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant radiotherapy.

Tumor budding is an acknowledged prognostic marker in colorectal cancer. This study was conducted to investigate the morphology and prognostic significance of budding in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Surgical specimens from 96 consecutive patients who underwent neoadjuvant radiotherapy and curative resection were retrieved to assess budding and other clinicopathologic factors. The morphology and prognostic significance of postirradiation tumor budding were closely associated with tumor regression grade. In the tumor regression grade 1 group, tumor budding presented as false budding and did not have a significant association with prognosis. In the tumor regression grade 2 and 3 groups, budding was observed surrounded by radiation-induced fibrosis and large populations of infiltrating inflammatory cells, and budding intensity was significantly associated with histologic differentiation, ypN stage, and lymphovascular invasion (P < .05). Moreover, the low-grade budding subgroup showed a significantly higher rate of 5-year disease-free survival than the high-grade budding subgroup (87.5% versus 55.6%, P < .0001). Multivariate analysis showed that pretreatment serum carcinoembyronic antigen, tumor regression grade, and tumor budding were the major independent factors affecting long-term disease-free survival. In conclusion, postirradiation budding has distinct morphology and prognostic significance in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant radiotherapy.

Id helix-loop-helix proteins are differentially expressed in gestational trophoblastic disease

Aims :u2002To assess the expression of Id proteins in trophoblastic tissues and to correlate this with clinical parameters, proliferative and apoptotic indices as well as to related oncogene expression.

Prognostic value of microsatellite instability in sporadic locally advanced rectal cancer following neoadjuvant radiotherapy.

This study was conducted to investigate the clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of microsatellite instability (MSI) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) following neoadjuvant radiotherapy.

The expression of chemokine receptors CCR6, CXCR2 and CXCR4 is not organ-specific for distant metastasis in colorectal cancer: a comparative study.

The liver and lung are the organs most commonly affected by metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC), and the interaction of chemokines and chemokine receptors (CKRs) plays an important role in the metastatic process. The aim of this study was to investigate the organ specificity of CKRs in CRC distant metastasis.