Forkhead box O-class 1 and Forkhead box G1 as Prognostic Markers for Bladder Cancer

Forkhead box O-class 1 (FOXO1) is a key regulator of glucose homeostasis, cell-cycle progression, and apoptosis. Its functions are modulated by forkhead box G1 (FOXG1), which acts as a transcriptional repressor with oncogenic potential. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining were performed in 174 primary bladder cancer specimens and 21 normal bladder mucosae to evaluate these genes. FOXO1 and FOXG1 mRNA expression in cancer tissues were higher than in normal mucosae (each P<0.001). FOXO1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in samples of non-progressed patients (P<0.001), but FOXG1 were enhanced in those of progressed patients (P=0.019). On univariate analysis, FOXO1 mRNA expression was significantly associated with grade, stage, recurrence, progression and survival (each P<0.05). On multivariate analysis, increased FOXO1 mRNA expression was associated with both reduced disease progression (odds ratio [OR], 0.367; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.163-0.826, P=0.015) and enhanced disease-free survival (OR, 3.262; 95% CI, 1.361-7.820, P=0.008). At a median follow-up of 33 months (range 2 to 156), the patients with a high FOXO1 mRNA expression had a significantly prolonged survival (P=0.001). Immunohistochemical findings of FOXO1 were generally concordant with mRNA expression levels. In conclusion, FOXO1 may be a promising marker for predicting progression in human bladder cancers.

Forkhead box O-class 1 and Forkhead box G1 as Prognostic Markers for Bladder Cancer

Forkhead box O-class 1 (FOXO1) is a key regulator of glucose homeostasis, cell-cycle progression, and apoptosis. Its functions are modulated by forkhead box G1 (FOXG1), which acts as a transcriptional repressor with oncogenic potential. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining were performed in 174 primary bladder cancer specimens and 21 normal bladder mucosae to evaluate these genes. FOXO1 and FOXG1 mRNA expression in cancer tissues were higher than in normal mucosae (each P<0.001). FOXO1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in samples of non-progressed patients (P<0.001), but FOXG1 were enhanced in those of progressed patients (P=0.019). On univariate analysis, FOXO1 mRNA expression was significantly associated with grade, stage, recurrence, progression and survival (each P<0.05). On multivariate analysis, increased FOXO1 mRNA expression was associated with both reduced disease progression (odds ratio [OR], 0.367; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.163-0.826, P=0.015) and enhanced disease-free survival (OR, 3.262; 95% CI, 1.361-7.820, P=0.008). At a median follow-up of 33 months (range 2 to 156), the patients with a high FOXO1 mRNA expression had a significantly prolonged survival (P=0.001). Immunohistochemical findings of FOXO1 were generally concordant with mRNA expression levels. In conclusion, FOXO1 may be a promising marker for predicting progression in human bladder cancers.

Predicting Factors for Recurrence in First-time Stone Formers / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to determine the risk factors for predicting the recurrence in first-time urinary stone formers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 121 patients, who presented at our hospital with first-time urinary stone episodes, between 1996 and 2005, and followed up for at least 3 years, were retrospectively evaluated. Of these, 65 patients (41 males, 24 females) recurred (R group) and 56 (38 males, 18 females) not (NR group) during the follow-up period. The blood chemistry and urinary analytes values, as well as the clinical characteristics between the NR and R groups were compared by gender. p-values less than 0.05 were used to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: There were no differences in the clinical characteristics between the NR and R groups. A comparison of the blood chemistry showed differences in the phosphate and calcium in men and women (p=0.047 and 0.034), respectively. Greater urinary excretion of phosphates were found in the R group than in the NR group (p=0.018), but was more prominent in men (p=0.006). No significant differences were found between the two groups with regard to metabolic abnormalities. A multivariate analysis revealed that urinary phosphates excretion was the sole predictor for stone recurrence (Exp beta=8.347, p=0.033). CONCLISIONS: Our results suggested that the increased excretion of urinary phosphates was a significant risk factor for stone recurrence, which might be useful as a prognostic marker.

Effects of Transforming Growth Factor-beta1 and Its Receptor on the Development, Recurrence and Progression of Human Bladder Cancer / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: We investigated whether the expression levels of Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) and its receptors were related to the development, recurrence, progression and disease-free survival in the patients with bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mRNA levels of TGF-beta1 and its receptors were examined in 102 tumor specimens from patients with primary bladder cancer, 29 corresponding normal bladder mucosae specimens surrounding these tumors and 15 normal bladder mucosae specimens by performing quantitative competitive PCR (QC-PCR). The protein levels of TGF-beta1 and its receptors were investigated by performing immunohistochemical staining on sections cut from 86 archival bladder tissue paraffin blocks. RESULTS: QC-PCR analysis showed that expressions of TGF-beta1, TGF-beta receptor I (TGF-betaRI) and receptor II (TGF-betaRII) in the superficial and low-grade bladder cancers were significantly higher than those in both the corresponding normal bladder mucosae surrounding the cancer (p= 0.0069, 0.0022 and 0.0046, respectively) and the control's normal bladder mucosae (p=0.0014, 0.0125 and 0.0089, respectively). Expressions of TGF-beta1 and its receptors were enhanced in the non-recurred and non-progressed patients compared to the recurred cases (p=0.0022, 0.0003 and 0.0001, respectively) and the progressed cases (p=0.0002, <0.0001 and <0.0001, respectively). Patients with high expression of TGF-beta and its receptors had a significantly higher disease-free survival rate than those patients with low expressions (p=0.0129, 0.0121 and 0.0132, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced expression of TGF-beta1 and its receptors was correlated not only with superficial and low-grade bladder cancer, but also with enhanced patient survival. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the expressions of TGF-beta1 and its receptors are useful prognostic markers for a patient's resistance to disease recurrence and/or progression.

A Young Man with Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is a rare finding. It is characterized by an aggressive clinical course with early metastasis and it tends to affect the elderly who have significant comorbidities. The mean age of these patients is 67.8 years. The prognosis of small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is poor because its behavior is more aggressive than bladder transitional cell carcinoma. On the pathologic finding, small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is usually combined with transitional cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma in approximately 40% of cases. We reported here on a case of the primary pure small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in a 26 year-old man who was managed with partial cystectomy and combined chemotherapy using cisplatin.

In vitro activities of various drugs against adult worms of Clonorchis sinensis

The present study was undertaken to evaluate in vitro activities of following drugs against adult worms of Clororchis sinensis: i.e., stibnal, chloroquine diphosphate, Hetol (1,4-bis-trichloromethylbenzol), dehydroemetine 'Roche' (Ro 1-9334), niridazole (Ambilhar), bisbendazole, gentian violet, dithiazanine iodide, hexachlorophene, bithionol, niclofolan (Bilevon, Bayer 9015) and praziquantel (Embay 8440, Biltricide). After isolation from bile ducts of experimentally infected rabbits (3 months infection), the parasites were rinsed in sterilized Tyrode's solution and incubated for 24 hours at 37 C in TC 199 medium with Earle's balanced salt solution containing 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10 and 100 microgram/ml concentrations of each above drugs. The activities of each concentrations with each drugs were evaluated by the motility of the worms in culture tubes observing at 15, 30, 60 minutes and 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours by stereomicroscope. In the results, no effect was found at the adult worms of C. sinensis in all concentrations with stibnal, chloroquine diphosphate, Hetol, dehydroemetine, niridazole and bisbendazole. However, moderate activities were observed in the concentrations of 1.0 and 0.1 microgram/ml of gentian violet, dithiazanine iodide, hexachlorophene and bithionol. The highest activities were observed in all concentrations of niclofolan and praziquantel.