ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate ALK genomic rearrangements and expression in prostate cancer, and their clinical implications.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and eighty-one cases of prostate cancer were included. ALK gene rearrangements were assessed by FISH in all cases, and ALK protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 191 cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ALK gene was truncated (mostly 5' deletion) in 18 of 281 (6.4%) cases. EML4-ALK fusion gene was not detected. Genomic rearrangement of ALK gene was not statistically associated with Gleason score, age, TNM or baseline PSA level (P > 0.05). In all 18 cases, there were nuclear expression of ALK protein; in 12 cases, the expression was seen in 5%-30% of the tumor cells, and in the remaining 6 cases, the expression was seen in < 5% of the tumor cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ALK gene rearrangements occurred in 6.4%, of prostate cancer, and these may not be associated with disease progressions. The ALK protein expresses in the nucleus. The EML4-ALK fusion gene was not found in prostate cancer.</p>
ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the expression of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) protein in the endometriosis and its significance. Methods 28 pairs of samples of endometrium and ectopic endometrium from endometriosis (EMT) patients (EMT group), and 28 endometrial samples from patients only with myoma of uterus (control group)were tested for the expression of FHIT by immunohistochemical SP method. Results FHIT was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm and membraneof endometrial glandular epithelial cells. The positive rate of FHIT expression in endometriumand ectopic endometrium from intrauterine membrane endometriosis (EMT group) patientwas 68% and 54%, which had no significant difference (P > 0.05). However, the positive rate of FHIT expression in control group was 96% (27/28), which is higher than those in the EM group, and the differences were statistically significant. The expression of FHIT was different indifferent stages of r-AFS in ectopic endometrium samples. The expression in stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ is higher than in stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, with statistical significance. Conclusions FHIT may have some correlation with the development of endometriosis , and may have some influence on the severity of this disease.