• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8197-8201
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• 2014

Background: Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and cleft lip and palate trans-membrane 1 like (CLPTM1L) genes located on chromosome 5p15.33 are known to influence the susceptibility to various cancers. Here, we examined the association of TERT and CLPTM1L single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: Genotyping of TERT SNP rs2736098 and CLPTM1L SNP rs401681 was performed using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays in a case-control study of 201 HCC cases and 210 controls in a Chinese male population. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression analyses. Results: Both the rs2736098 T allele of TERT and the rs401681 T allele of CLPTM1L were associated with a significantly increased risk of HCC (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.605, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.164-2.213; adjusted OR=1.399, 95%CI=1.002-1.955, respectively). Individuals carrying both TERT and CLPTM1L risk genotypes had an even higher risk of HCC (adjusted OR=4.420, 95%CI= 2.319-8.425). The TERT rs2736098 T allele was also significantly associated with the level of the HCC clinical indicator alpha-fetoprotein (P=0.026). Conclusions: Our results show that genetic variants of TERT and CLPTM1L may contribute to HCC susceptibility in Chinese males.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 1995

Teratoma contains elements derived from all three embryonic germ layers and mature teratomas are entirely composed of mature differentiated tissues, while immature types always contain additional embryonic tissues of variable degree of immaturity, especially neuroepithelial elements. Twenty cases of teratoma in infancy and childhood were reviewed and the clinical features and pathologic findings including PCNA expression were studied. Sacrococcygeal teratomas were the most common type(45%), followed by retroperitoneal and ovarian teratomas. There was a predilection of females in a ratio of 4:1 and age distribution was most prevalent below the first year of age(45%). But in ovarian teratomas, the age at diagnosis was above 4 years of age in all cases. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were checked in 18 cases. In all mature teratomas and 1 of 5 immature teratomas, the levels were normal. But in 4 of 5 immature teratomas, the serum levels were elevated and progressively declined to normal range after mass excision. Radiologically, calcifications in tumor were found in 60.0% of teratomas and was higher in mature teratomas(69.2%) than immature teratomas(42.9%). Immunohistochemical staining for PCNA(proliferating cell nuclear antigen) was done in 16 cases and PCNA expression was higher in grade III immature teratomas than grade I and II. The operative modes were complete mass excisions. Five immature teratomas were treated with multiagent PEB(Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatin) adjuvant chemotherapy, 3 tolerated well without significant complications, but in one case, severe bone marrow suppression was developed and died of sepsis. In conclusion, grade III immature teratoma showed higher PCNA expression than mature or lower grade immature teratoma, which suggests that chemotherapy after surgical excision may be effective modality for grade III immature teratoma. We think, however, multicenter study is necessary because of low incidence of immature teratoma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.117-122
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• 1999

Primary germ cell tumors of the mediastinum are rare, accounting 1-5 % among all germ cell tumors and 10% of all neoplasms in this area. Approximately 85 % of these tumors occur in men with a mean age 29 years. 'These tumors are mainly found in the anterior mediastinum and appear grossly as large lobulated masses. They are frequently invasive at the time of diagnosis and almost 90% of patients are symptomatic. Primary nonseminomatous germ cell tumor arising in the posterior mediastinum is very rare. We report a case of 37-year old male arising from the posterior mediastinum. Serum tumors markers including alpha-fetoprotein and $\beta$-hCG which are usually elevated in germ cell tumor were not elevated. He was found to have a primary mediastinal embryonal carcinoma with pulmonary metastasis at open exploration. He was treated with debulking surgery and cisplatin-based chemotherapy, died of sepsis after 15 months postoperatively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.959-967
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• 2010

Down syndrome (DS) is an abnormality of the 21st chromosome that commonly occurs in children born to older women. Thus, amniotic fluid (AF) is usually collected from such women for prenatal diagnosis. This study analyzed human AF supernatants (AFS) using a mass spectrometric (MS) approach to search for candidate biomarkers of a DS pregnancy. The AFS were collected from older pregnant women at weeks 16-18 of their gestation by amniocentesis for cytogenetic analysis. The AFS from the pregnancies carrying DS (n=4) or chromosomally normal (n=6) fetuses, as revealed by the cytogenetic analysis, were then subjected to global protein profiling based on liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Affinity chromatography was also applied prior to the LC-ESI-MS/MS to minimize the masking effect of highly abundant albumin and immunoglobulin and thereby increase the diversity of the identified proteins. As a result, at least 30 new AFS proteins were identified and 44 AFS proteins were found to be differentially expressed between the DS and normal cases, where 6 of the proteins were unique to the DS cases and 11 were unique to the chromosomally normal cases. In addition, in the DS cases, 19 AFS proteins were downregulated and 8 were upregulated to varying degrees. A Western blot analysis confirmed the LC-ESI-MS/MS data, indicating that the combined detection of apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) could be a potential tool for diagnosing DS cases.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.253-260
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• 2007

To examine the differential protein expression pattern in the 11.5 day post-coitus (dpc) and 18.5 dpc placenta of mouse, we have used the global proteomics approach by 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and MALDI-TOF-MS. The differential protein patterns of 3 placentae at the 11.5 dpc and 18.5 dpc from nature mating mice were analyzed. Proteins within isoelectric point range of $3.0{\sim}10.0$, separately were analyzed in 2DE with 3 replications of each sample. A total of approximately 1,600 spots were detected in placental 2-D gel stained with Coomassie-blue. In the comparison of 11.5 dpc and 18.5 dpc placentae, a total of 108 spots were identified as differentially expressed proteins, of which 51 spots were up-regulated proteins such as alpha-fetoprotein, mKIAA0635 protein and transferrin, annexin A5, while 48 spots were down-regulated proteins such as Pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor l(PBEF), aldolase 1, A isoform, while 4 spots were 11.5 dpc specific proteins such as chaperonin and Acidic ribosomal phosphoprotein P0, while 3 spots were 18.5 dpc specific proteins such as aldo-keto reductase family 1, member B7 and CAST1/ERC2 splicing variant-1. Most identified proteins in this analysis appeared to be related with catabolism, cell growth, metabolism and regulation. Our results revealed composite profiles of key proteins involved in mouse placenta during pregnancy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6673-6678
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• 2014

Background: To investigate the prognostic value of serum PIVKA-II (prothrombin induced by the absence of vitamin K or antagonist-II) in BCLC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer) 0-A hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after curative resection. Materials and Methods: Preoperative sera were collected from 140 patients with BCLC 0-A HCCs undergoing curative resection during 2011-2012 in Zhongshan Hospital. Follow-up ended on November 2013. ELISA was used to detect the serum concentrations of preoperative PIVKA-II. The prognostic value of PIVKA-II and other clinicopathological factors was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Results: During follow-up, 39 of 140 patients suffered recurrence and the 1-year recurrence rate was 27.9%. The high-PIVKA-II expression group had lower 1-year time to progression (TTP) compared with the low-expression group (54.8% vs 20.2%, p<0.001). Patients with high preoperative PIVKA-II expression showed a relatively higher risk of developing postoperative recurrence than those with low expression in the low-recurrence-risk subgroups, including ${\alpha}$-fetoprotein ${\leq}400ng/mL$ (45.4% vs 16.7%; p=0.006), tumor size ${\leq}5cm$ (54.2% vs 18.1%; p<0.001), single tumor (56.0% vs 19.1%; p<0.001), absence of satellite lesions (53.3% vs 19.8%; p=0.001), absence of vascular invasion (52.6% vs 14.9%; p=0.002), and Edmondson stage I/II (60.9% vs 20.3%; p<0.001). PIVKA-II was the strongest independent prognostic factor for TTP (hazard ratio, 2.877; 95% CI 1.524-5.429; p=0.001). Conclusions: Elevated PIVKA-II is associated with early recurrence of BCLC 0-A HCC after curative resection and can be considered a novel prognostic predictor.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2015

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of post-treatment intracranial hemorrhage of brain metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: Medical records of 81 patients who have been diagnosed of brain metastases from HCC and underwent surgery, radiosurgery and/or whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) between January 2000 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Intracranial hemorrhage was present in 64 patients (79%) at the time of diagnosis. Median value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was 1,700 ng/mL. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status for 20 patients was greater than 2. Fifty-seven patients underwent WBRT and the others were treated with surgery and/or radiosurgery without WBRT. During follow-up, 12 events of intracranial hemorrhage after treatment were identified. Three-month post-treatment hemorrhage rate was 16.1%. Multivariate analyses revealed that ECOG performance status, AFP, and WBRT were associated with post-treatment hemorrhage (p = 0.013, 0.013, and 0.003, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that 3-month post-treatment hemorrhage rate of new lesion was higher in patients treated without WBRT, although statistical significance was not reached. (18.6% vs. 4.6%; p = 0.104). Ten of 12 patients with post-treatment hemorrhage died with neurologic cause. Conclusion: WBRT should be considered to prevent post-treatment hemorrhage in the treatment of brain metastases from HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6485-6489
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• 2012

Aims: To investigate the incidence of ordering tests for tumor markers which are used in cancer diagnosis, follow-up treatment and detection of recurrence, the rate of elevation in benign diseases and which clinics order them frequently. Materials and Method: Data for the tumor markers carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA 125), cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) that were ordered by all the clinics in our Hospital between 2010 and 2011 were screened. When excluding repeated orders the results of 3,416 patients were available. It has been determined that in which benign diseases were the tumor markers frequently ordered and which of these conditions had high levels of them. Results: CA 19-9 was ordered for 1,858 patients 191 (10.3%) were malignant while 1667 (89.7%) were ordered in benign diseases. For CEA the total was 1,710, 226 (13.2%) malignant and 1484 (86.8%) benign, and for CA 125 1267, 111 (8.8%) malignant and 1156 (91.2%) benign. AFP was ordered for 1687 cases, 80 (4.7%) malignant but 1607 (95.3%) benign. CA 15-3 was ordered 1449 times, 174 (12%) for malignant and 1275 (88%) for benign diseases. In all cases, considerable proportions were positive. Conclusions: It was shown that clinicians frequently order tumor markers for benign conditions. The findings of this study has shown that tumor markers are used widely without indications as cancer screening tests.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1539-1544
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• 2014

Purpose: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of AFP (AFP-L3), and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) levels have been widely used as tumor markers for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate whether these tumor markers could be used to monitor short-term treatment response and recurrence of HCC in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: Between July 2012 and July 2013, 53 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed HCC were prospectively enrolled in this study. Among these, 32 patients underwent RFA, after which they were followed up prospectively at the First Hospital of Jilin University in China. Results: AFP, AFP-L3, and GP-73 values pre-RFA were not associated with tumor size, whereas AFP and GP-73 levels tended to be associated with tumor number, the presence of vascular invasion, deterioration of liver function, advanced-stage disease, and a poor performance status. GP-73 levels were dramatically elevated in the patients with hepatitis C-associated HCC. Neither pre-RFA nor 1-month post-RFA tumor marker values were associated with short-term outcome. The short-term recurrence rate of AFP-positive patients measured 1 month post-RFA was obviously higher than that of AFP-negative patients. Conclusions: AFP and GP-73 values were associated with clinical variables representing tumor growth and invasiveness, and the AFP value measured 1 month post-RFA was a strong predictor of short-term recurrence in patients with HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7563-7567
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• 2014

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the first cause of death in cirrhotic patients, mostly due to viral hepatitis with HCV or HBV infection. This study was performed to estimate the true prevalence of viral hepatitis-related HCC and the demographic and clinical-pathological associations with the two virus types. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional observational study enrolled clinical data base of 188 HCC patients and variables included from baseline were age, sex, area of residence, clinical-pathological features such as underlying co-morbidity, presence or absence of liver cirrhosis, macrovascular involvement, tumor extension and metastasis, liver lobes involved, serum alpha-fetoprotein level, and hepatitis serologies. Results: Overall prevalence of HCV- and HBV-related HCC was 66.0% and 34.0%, respectively. Patients with HCV were more likely to develop HCC at advanced age ($52.4{\pm}11.9$ vs. $40.7{\pm}12.09$ years), with highly raised serum AFP levels (${\geq}400ng/ml$) 78.2% (HBV 67.1%), large tumor size (HCV-66% >5 cm, HBV-59.3%), and presence of portal vein thrombosis (8.06%, HBV 1.56%). A binominal multivariate analysis showed that HCV-HCC group were more likely to be cirrhotic (OR=0.245, 95%CI: 0.117, 0.516) and had more than two times higher rate of solitary macrovascular involvement (OR=2.533, 95%CI: 1.162, 5.521) as compared with HBV associated HCC. Conclusions: Statistically significant variations were observed from baseline to clinical-pathological characteristics in HCV vs HBV associated HCC. Our study suggests prompt and early screening for high risk patients so that the rate of progression of these chronic viral diseases to cirrhosis and cancer can be decreased.