Differential expression of "A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 10" in hepatocellular carcinoma and the noncancerous hepatic tissues: Contribution to HCV-promoted hepatocarcinogenesis.

Background: A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) have emerged as therapeutic targets in many cancers. ADAM10 was particularly studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for its potential role in hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression. Objective: To investigate the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of ADAM10 in HCCs and the adjacent noncancerous tissues from 70 HCC patients, attempting to elucidate any association between ADAM10 and HCC development and/or progression. Materials and Methods: IHC staining for anti-ADAM10 was performed using horseradish peroxidase technique. An extent and intensity-dependent scoring was applied dividing samples into high- and low-expression groups. HCCs were statistically compared in relation with gender, age, cirrhosis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) status, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) serum level, tumor size, multiplicity, encapsulation/invasion, grade, histological pattern and variant, mitosis, necrosis, vascular emboli, portal thrombosis, stage, recurrence, and mortality. Kaplan-Meier's method was used to analyze disease-free and overall survival (DFS and OS). Results: ADAM10 was expressed in 77.1% of HCCs compared with 42.9% of noncancerous tissues. Differential expression showed significant statistical difference (P = 0.02), as 38.6% of HCCs showed high expression, whereas 92.8% of noncancerous samples showed low expression. No significant differences were observed when high- and low-ADAM10 expression HCCs were compared with respect to all tested prognostic parameters except the HCV status. Patients whose tumors showed high-ADAM10 expression had relatively longer DFS and OS times, but with insignificant log-rank differences. Conclusions: ADAM10 is frequently expressed in HCCs compared with noncancerous hepatic tissues suggesting its role in hepatocarcinogenesis, especially in association with HCV. It has no association with HCC progression or survival. Further studies should be sought to investigate its validity as a therapeutic target.

No association between BRCA1 immunohistochemical expression and tumor grade, stage or overall survival in platinum-treated epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work is to assess the frequency of BRCA1 protein immunohistochemical (IHC) expression in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and to evaluate the association of BRCA1 expression with clinical and pathological characteristics and the overall survival (OS) of patients treated with postoperative platinum- based chemotherapeutic agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted on 35 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer selected from the files of the Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed for BRCA1 gene protein. BRCA1 expression was compared to patient's age, tumor histology, grade, stage and OS time. Statistical analysis was carried out with the SPSS version 16.0 to assess significant associations. RESULTS: BRCA1 nuclear expression was detected in 40% of EOC, in which a mild increase in the percentage of positive cases was observed with serous histology, stage IV, and grade 3 carcinomas. There was a significant statistical difference in BRCA1 expression with regard to histological subtypes of EOC (p=0.048), but not grade or stage. Mean OS and survival rate were slightly better for BRCA1 expressing group, but there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.528). CONCLUSIONS: No association between BRCA1 immunohistochemical expression and tumor grade, stage or overall survival was noted in platinum-treated epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

Cyclin D1 overexpression associates with favourable prognostic factors in invasive breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Strong evidence implicates cyclin D1 in human breast cancer. Nevertheless, the prognostic value of cyclin D1 overexpression in breast cancer is still controversial. This work aims to assess the predictive value of cyclin D1 immunohistochemical expression in invasive breast carcinomas and evaluate its association with clinicopathological parameters, in addition to hormone receptor status and Her2/neu immunohistochemical expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 71 cases of invasive breast carcinoma selected according to the availability of clinical data and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens. Immunohistochemistry was performed for estrogen receptors (ER); progesterone receptors (PR); Her2/neu and cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 expression was assessed and compared to the patients' age, tumor histology, grade, nodal status, tumor size and ER; PR; Her2/neu immunostaining results. RESULTS: Cyclin D1 nuclear expression was detected in 35% of invasive breast carcinomas. There were statistically significant associations between the cyclin D1 and younger age, small tumor size, negative nodal status, well differentiated and lobular types of breast cancer and estrogen receptor positivity. Cyclin D1 had no association with progesterone receptor or Her2/neu. CONCLUSION: Cyclin D1 immunohistochemical expression associates strongly with the approved favourable prognostic factors in primary breast carcinoma, suggesting a favourable predictive value of cyclin D1.