ABSTRACT
The TP63 gene, as the oldest homologue of TP53, encodes two main N-terminal variants by different promoters: the trans-activating variant, TAp63 with tumor suppressor activity and the amino terminal truncated variant, delta Np63 with oncogenic activity. As the result of the deletion of exon 4 in each of the variants, two further N-terminal variants have been reported for p63 in the last decade: d4TAp63 and delta Np73L, but the exact function of these variants have not been determined in normal and tumoral cells. In this study we evaluated the expression pattern of p63 variants and usefulness of d4TAp63 and delta Np73L as potential diagnostic molecular markers in breast cancer. In this study 30 tumoral and 20 non tumoral samples of marginal tissues were studied by use of Semi-quantitative Reverse Transcriptase-nested PCR [RT-nPCR] method. SPSS16 software was used for data analysis. In all cases with expression of TAp63 and delta Np63 variants, d4TAp63 and delta Np73L variants were always expressed with their long variants simultaneously. In tumoral and marginal samples delta Np73L mean expression level was significantly higher than the mean expression level of d4TAP63 [P = 0.009 and P=0.008 respectively]. delta Np63 expression levels in tumoral and marginal samples were also higher than those of TAp63, which had a statistically significant difference in tumoral samples [P=0.03], but no significant difference was detected in marginal samples [P = 0.11]. The results indicated dominant negative inhibitory activity of delta Np63 and its potential role as an oncogene in breast cancer. delta Np73L variant compared to d4TAp63, in tumoral and non tumoral breast tissues can act as dominant negative variant. Both variants [delta Np73L and d4TAp63] with similar expression patterns to their respective longer variants [delta Np63 and TAp63] and simultaneous expression with their variants are likely to be involved in strengthening the tumor suppressor activity in normal and tumoral breast cells. On the other hand, according to the expression patterns of delta Np73L and d4TAp63 variants, they cannot be considered as molecular markers in the diagnosis of breast tumors
ABSTRACT
To assess the results of surgical therapy of esophageal carcinoma and it's differences between young and old patients For a 16 year period from February 1989 to January 2005, 335 patients with esophageal carcinoma underwent surgical operation. The patients were divided into three age groups; Group I: aged less than 50 years, Group II: aged between 51 and 70 years and Group III: aged more than 70 years There were no significant differences among the three groups with regard to site and length of the lesion, sex ratio, depth of tumor invasion, vessel permeation, gross types, TNM classification and crude actuarial 5 years survival curves. The only difference clearly evident between young and older patients was the number of hospital deaths and hospital stay due to complication. These were significantly higher in older than young patients [P < 0.05]. In spite of significant differences from the viewpoint of age, were between gastric and colorectal carcinoma, the esophageal carcinoma in patients aged less than 50 years appeared to behave biologically like the same neoplasm in older patients