Useful Prognostic Marker (useful + prognostic_marker)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Tumor budding as a useful prognostic marker in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

DISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 4 2004
M. S. Roh
SUMMARY, We examined the prognostic significance of tumor budding in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, particularly in comparison to other routine pathological findings. Fifty-six cases who underwent an esophagectomy were reviewed. We defined tumor budding as an isolated single cancer cell or a cluster composed of fewer than five cancer cells and divided these into two grades; low-grade (< 5 budding foci) and high-grade (, 5 budding foci) within a microscopic field of ×200. There were 22 (39.3%) and 34 (60.7%) cases with low- and high-grade budding, respectively. There were significant differences in the patients with low- and high-grade budding in relation to tumor size, pT stage, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, circumferential resection margin involvement, and AJCC stage (P < 0.05). The 3-year survival rates of the patients with low- and high-grade budding were 72.3% and 30.7%, respectively (P = 0.04). We propose that tumor budding may be a pathological marker suggesting high malignancy potential and decreased postoperative survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. [source]


Prognostic significance of integrin-linked kinase1 overexpression in astrocytoma

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 6 2010
Jun Li
Abstract Integrin-linked kinase 1 (ILK1), a member of the serine/threonine kinases, has been demonstrated to be associated with numerous biological and pathological processes. However, the clinical and functional significance of ILK1 expression has not been characterized previously in human astrocytoma. In this study, we found that ILK1 was overexpressed, at both mRNA and protein levels, in astrocytoma cell lines as compared with normal human astrocytes. The ILK1 mRNA and protein were significantly increased up to 5.6-fold and 10.1-fold, respectively, in primary astrocytoma in comparison with the paired adjacent noncancerous brain tissues obtained from the same patient. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that ILK1 protein was positive in 208 of 228 (91.2%) paraffin-embedded archival astrocytoma specimens. Statistical analysis suggested that the upregulation of ILK1 was significantly correlated with the histological grading of astrocytoma (p = 0.000), and that patients with high ILK1 level exhibited shorter survival time (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that ILK1 upregulation might be an independent prognostic indicator for the survival of patients with astrocytoma. Taken together, our results suggest that ILK1 might represent a novel and useful prognostic marker for astrocytoma and play a role during the development and progression of the disease. [source]


Validation of model for end-stage liver disease score to serum sodium ratio index as a prognostic predictor in patients with cirrhosis

JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 9 2009
Xiao-Hui Lv
Abstract Aim:, To evaluate the prognostic ability of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) to serum sodium (SNa) ratio (MESO) index and to compare the predictive accuracy of the MESO index with the MELD score and the modified Child,Turcotte,Pugh (CTP) score for short-term survival in cirrhotic patients. Methods:, A total of 256 patients with cirrhosis were retrospectively evaluated. The predictive accuracy of the MESO index, MELD score and modified CTP score were compared by the area under the receiver,operator characteristic curve (AUC). Results:, Using 1-month and 3-month mortality as the end-point, overall, MESO and MELD were significantly better than the CTP score in predicting the risk of mortality at 1 month (AUC, 0.866,0.819 vs 0.722, P < 0.01) and 3 months (AUC, 0.875,0.820 vs 0.721, P < 0.01). In the low MELD group, the AUC of MESO index (0.758, 0.759) and CTP score (0.754, 0.732) were higher than that of the MELD score (0.608, 0.611) at 1 month and 3 months, respectively (P < 0.01). However, in the high MELD group, the AUC of MESO index (0.762, 0.779) and MELD (0.737, 0.773) were higher than that of the CTP score (0.710, 0.752) at 1 month and 3 months, respectively, although there were no significant differences (P > 0.05). With appropriate cut-offs for the MESO index, the mortality rate of patients in high MESO was higher (57.1% at 1 month and 69.2% at 3 months) than that of the low MESO (5.5% at 1 month and 7.9% at 3 months) (P < 0.01). Conclusions:, The MESO index, which adds SNa to MELD, is a useful prognostic marker and is found to be superior to the MELD score and modified CTP score for short-term prognostication of patients with cirrhosis. [source]


Comparison of metallothionein-overexpression with sentinel lymph node biopsy as prognostic factors in melanoma

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
G Weinlich
Abstract Background, Metallothioneins (MT) are ubiquitous, intracellular small proteins with high affinity for heavy metal ions. Immunohistochemical MT overexpression in paraffin-embedded tissues of patients with primary melanoma is associated with poor prognosis. While sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is an established surgical technique for high-risk melanoma patients with predictive value for progression, the benefit of this procedure for the individual patient's overall survival remains unclear. Aim and methods, We examined the role of MT overexpression in comparison with SLN biopsy in melanoma patients as a prognostic marker for progression and survival. One hundred and fifty-eight (158) patients underwent SLN biopsy due to high-risk melanoma. Primary melanoma specimens were investigated by using a monoclonal antibody against MT on routinely fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. The patients were followed up (median 37 months); the data of disease free survival and overall survival were calculated with a broad panel of statistical analyses. Results, Twenty-eight (18%) out of 158 recruited melanoma patients developed metastases, 17 (11%) patients died due to widespread disease. Kaplan,Meier curves gave significant disadvantages for the MT-positive as well as the SLN-positive group for progression and survival. In the Fisher's exact test and Pearson's ,2 -test MT overexpression was highly significant for progression, whereas SLN biopsy failed significance. In univariate as well as multivariate Cox regression analysis MT overexpression proved an excellent marker for progression (P = 0.007 and P = 0.009), although the P -values for survival were not significant. In contrast, while in the univariate analysis SLN biopsy did not show significant results for progression it did for survival, and in the multivariate analysis reached a P -value < 0.05 for both measured endpoints. Conclusion, Results corroborate the validity of MT overexpression in primary melanoma as a useful prognostic marker in melanoma patients. Accuracy is comparable and to some degree supplementary to the results of SLN biopsy. [source]


Expression of connective tissue growth factor is in agreement with the expression of VEGF, VEGF-C, -D and associated with shorter survival in gastric cancer

PATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 11 2007
Luying Liu
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is believed to be a multifunctional signaling modulator involved in a wide variety of biological or pathological processes including carcinogenesis. The role of CTGF in gastric cancer (GC) has not been reported so far. In the present study the expression of CTGF, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF-C and VEGF-D on immunohistochemistry in GC and the correlation between the expression of CTGF and VEGF, VEGF-C, VEGF-D were examined, along with the correlation between the expression of CTGF and clinicopathological parameters, as well as survival of the patients with GC. The expression of CTGF was significantly in agreement with expression of VEGF, VEGF-C and VEGF-D (, and P, respectively: 0.538, P < 0.001; 0.502, P < 0.001; 0.558, P < 0.001). High CTGF expression was significantly associated with lymph nodes metastasis (P = 0.038) and lower postoperative 5 year overall survival rates (23.9%) compared with those patients with low CTGF expression (48.4%, P = 0.0035). The present findings suggest that CTGF is a useful prognostic marker for GC. High CTGF expression is associated with the risk of lymph nodes metastasis and a poor survival time in GC. [source]


Preferential hypermethylation of the Dickkopf-1 promoter in core-binding factor leukaemia

BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
Rikio Suzuki
Summary The Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) gene product is an extracellular Wnt inhibitor. Hypermethylation of the DKK1 promoter results in transcriptional silencing and may play an important role in cancer development. Here, we investigated hypermethylation of the DKK1 promoter in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), especially core-binding factor (CBF) leukaemia. The methylation status of DKK1 was analysed using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in 47 patients with AML. DKK1 methylation was found in 14 (29·8%) patients, and more frequently in those with CBF leukaemia (6 of 12 patients), than in those with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) (0 of 6 patients) (P = 0·03). In contrast, Wnt inhibitory factor-1 methylation was found in APL (4 of 6 patients) but not in CBF leukaemia (0 of 12 patients) (P = 0·001). Multivariate analyses suggested that DKK1 methylation was a risk factor for poorer overall survival. Sequential analysis using four paired samples obtained at diagnosis and relapse suggested that DKK1 methylation was involved in the progression of leukaemia. Therefore, DKK1 methylation may be involved in leukaemogenesis, especially in CBF leukaemia, and may be a useful prognostic marker in AML. [source]


Prognostic significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor and endostatin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 10 2004
R. T. P. Poon
Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endostatin stimulate and inhibit tumour angiogenesis respectively. Recent studies have demonstrated the prognostic value of serum levels of both VEGF and endostatin in patients with various types of cancer. Their significance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Methods: Serum VEGF and endostatin levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay in 108 patients with HCC before surgical resection and in 20 healthy controls. Preoperative serum VEGF and endostatin levels were correlated with clinicopathological features and long-term survival. Results: Serum VEGF levels in patients with HCC were significantly higher than those in controls, but serum levels of endostatin were similar in the two groups. High serum levels of VEGF, but not endostatin, were significantly associated with venous invasion and advanced tumour stage. Patients with a serum VEGF level higher than median (over 245·0 pg/ml) had significantly worse overall and disease-free survival than those with a lower level (P = 0·012 and P = 0·022 respectively). On multivariate analysis, serum VEGF level was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 1·86 (95 per cent confidence interval 1·10 to 3·92); P = 0·032). Serum endostatin levels did not have significant prognostic influence on overall or disease-free survival. Conclusion: A high serum level of VEGF is a predictor of poor outcome after resection of HCC. Serum VEGF, but not endostatin, may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with HCC. Copyright © 2004 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Viral load is a significant prognostic factor for hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

CANCER, Issue 10 2002
Kazuaki Ohkubo M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is closely linked to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of the current study was to identify the factors involved in the prognosis of patients with HBV-associated HCC using multivariate analysis. METHODS The current study included 74 patients with HBV-associated HCC who were admitted to Nagasaki University Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan, between 1983,1998. Of these, 13 patients underwent surgical tumor resection; 43 patients received nonsurgical treatment with transcatheter arterial embolization, percutaneous ethanol injection, or both; and 18 patients were followed without any active treatment. The significance of the patient's age; gender; history of blood transfusion; alcohol use; serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, ,-fetoprotein, and HBV-DNA; number and size of liver tumors; clinical stage; and histologic diagnosis of HCC as prognostic factors was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS The 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year postdiagnosis cumulative survival rates were 36%, 21%, and 17%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified the level of serum HBV-DNA and tumor size at diagnosis as independent and significant prognostic factors (P = 0.0022 and P = 0.0106, respectively). In addition, a low level of viremia was found to be associated with longer survival (P = 0.0057) even in patients who were negative for the hepatitis B e antigen. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study suggest that viral load is a useful prognostic marker for HBV-related HCC and that HCC patients with a less favorable course appear either to clear the virus poorly or to have a greater level of virus production. Cancer 2002;94:2663,8. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10557 [source]


Characterization of SEZ6L2 cell-surface protein as a novel prognostic marker for lung cancer

CANCER SCIENCE, Issue 8 2006
Nobuhisa Ishikawa
To identify molecules that might serve as biomarkers or targets for development of novel molecular therapies, we have been screening genes encoding transmembrane/secretory proteins that are up-regulated in lung cancers, using cDNA microarrays coupled with purification of tumor cells by laser microdissection. A gene encoding seizure-related 6 homolog (mouse)-like 2 (SEZ6L2) protein, was chosen as a candidate for such molecule. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and western-blot analyses documented increased expression of SEZ6L2 in the majority of primary lung cancers and lung-cancer cell lines examined. SEZ6L2 protein was proven to be present on the surface of lung-cancer cells by flow cytometrical analysis using anti-SEZ6L2 antibody. Immunohistochemical staining for tumor tissue microarray consisting of 440 archived lung-cancer specimens detected positive SEZ6L2 staining in 327 (78%) of 420 non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and 13 (65%) of 20 small-cell lung cancers (SCLCs) examined. Moreover, NSCLC patients whose tumors revealed a higher level of SEZ6L2 expression suffered shorter tumor-specific survival compared to those with no SEZ6L2 expression. These results indicate that SEZ6L2 should be a useful prognostic marker of lung cancers. (Cancer Sci 2006; 97: 737,745) [source]


Immunohistochemical study of the expression of adhesion molecules in ovarian serous neoplasms

PATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2006
Eun Yoon Cho
To clarify possible roles of adhesion molecules including E-cadherin, ,- and ,-catenin, CD44s, CD44v6, CD56, and CD99 in ovarian serous neoplasms, an immunohistochemical study was undertaken for 23 benign, 40 borderline, and 95 malignant ovarian serous neoplasms using tissue microarray (TMA). Significantly reduced expression of E-cadherin, and overexpression of CD44s, CD56, and CD99 were more frequently observed in adenocarcinomas than in benign and borderline tumors. Expression of CD44v6 and nuclear ,- and ,-catenin were detected only in borderline tumors and adenocarcinomas. Reduced expression of E-cadherin was also correlated with high tumor grade (P = 0.03), presence of peritoneal seeding (P = 0.03), and low overall survival rate (P = 0.02). Overexpression of CD44s was significantly associated with high tumor grade (P = 0.04), advanced stage (P = 0.03), and low overall survival rate (P = 0.02). CD56 was increasingly expressed in the case of advanced stage (P = 0.005) and peritoneal seeding (P = 0.001). Nuclear staining for ,-catenin was correlated with tumor progression (P = 0.004) and advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (P = 0.02). Only CD44s expression and stage were correlated with overall survival in multivariate study. These results suggest that although E-cadherin, CD44s, CD56, and nuclear ,-catenin immunoexpression seem to be useful prognostic markers for serous neoplasm of the ovary, CD44s expression and FIGO stage are independent prognostic factors. [source]


Synovial fluid proteins differentiate between the subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 6 2010
Margalit E. Rosenkranz
Objective Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of inflammatory diseases, and no clinically useful prognostic markers to predict disease outcome in children with JIA are currently available. Synovial fluid likely reflects the proteins present in the inflamed synovium. The purpose of this study was to delineate the synovial fluid proteome and determine whether protein expression differs in the different subtypes of JIA. Methods Synovial fluid samples obtained from children with oligoarticular JIA, polyarticular JIA, or systemic JIA were compared. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis for protein separation and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization,time-of-flight mass spectrometry and quadripole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for protein identification were used for this study. Synovial fluid cells were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of haptoglobin messenger RNA (mRNA). Results The synovial fluid proteome of the samples was delineated. The majority of proteins showed overexpression in JIA synovial fluid as compared with noninflammatory control samples. There were 24 statistically significantly differentially expressed spots (>2-fold change; P < 0.05) between the subtypes of JIA. PCR analysis revealed haptoglobin mRNA, suggesting that haptoglobin is locally produced in an inflamed joint in JIA. Conclusion Despite the similar histologic appearance of inflamed joints in patients with different subtypes of JIA, there are differences in protein expression according to the subtype of JIA. Haptoglobin is differentially expressed between the subtypes of JIA and is locally produced in an inflamed joint in JIA. Haptoglobin and other differentially expressed proteins may be potential biomarkers in JIA. [source]