Microvessel area using automated image analysis is reproducible and is associated with prognosis in breast cancer.

Microvessel density may be one measure of tumor associated angiogenesis but is methodologically difficult to standardize and reproduce. We used our automated quantitative image analysis system, AQUA, to more objectively assess microvessel area. Cytokeratin and CD31 were used to create tumor and vessel compartments respectively with AQUA. Microvessel area was defined as CD31 compartment area normalized to the tissue spot area (CD31 area/area of entire tissue spot). Consecutive breast cancer whole sections were stained with CD31 to compare pathologist-based microvessel density with AQUA microvessel area. Microvessel areas of 3-fold redundant tissue microarrays of 652 primary breast cancers were also assessed. CD34 and factor VIII-related antigen were also tested. There was nearly linear correlation between pathologist's microvessel density and AQUA microvessel area with regression coefficient R = 0.846. On the redundant arrays, of the 67% evaluable cases, 52% were microvessel area high and 48% low with good reproducibility of scores (Spearman rho 0.551). AQUA microvessel area was associated with larger tumors, node positivity, and estrogen receptor negativity, with 20 year survival at the univariate and multivariate levels (P < .0001 and P = .0121, respectively). CD34 or factor VIII-related antigen were more heterogenous, had poor association with CD31, and did not correlate with outcome. AQUA-based microvessel area was significantly correlated with both standard breast cancer prognostic parameters as well as with clinical outcome. In the future, it may also allow the use of the AQUA-based algorithms to quantify the expression of angiogenic biomarkers to either tumor or microvessel area-specific compartments.

Cisplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent cisplatin chemoradiotherapy for organ preservation and cure in patients with advanced head and neck cancer: long-term follow-up.

PURPOSE: The poor functional outcome in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with surgery and radiation has led to alternative approaches to advanced disease. We conducted a phase II study of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy for organ preservation in patients with advanced resectable and unresectable (nasopharyngeal) tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients with stage III to IV resectable HNSCC and nasopharyngeal tumors received induction chemotherapy with two courses of cisplatin (20 mg/m2/d continuous infusion [CI]), fluorouracil (800 mg/m2/d CI), and leucovorin (500 mg/m2/d CI; PFL) for 4 days followed by concurrent therapy with cisplatin (100 mg/m2/d on days 1 and 22) and approximately 70 Gy of external-beam radiotherapy. RESULTS: Response to induction chemotherapy included partial response rate of 52% and complete response rate of 24%. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicity was neutropenia (59%). After cisplatin chemoradiotherapy the complete response rate was 67%. Toxicities of cisplatin chemoradiotherapy consisted of grade 3 or 4 mucositis (79%) and neutropenia (51%). At a median follow-up of 71.5 months, 43% of the patients are still alive and disease-free. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 60%, and the 2- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 67% and 52%, respectively. Three patients died of second primaries. Late complications of treatment included xerostomia and hoarseness. One patient had persistent dysphagia and required laser epiglotectomy 108 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Induction chemotherapy with PFL followed by concurrent cisplatin chemoradiotherapy is well tolerated and results in a good likelihood of organ preservation and excellent PFS and OS.

Tissue microarray analysis of beta-catenin in colorectal cancer shows nuclear phospho-beta-catenin is associated with a better prognosis.

PURPOSE: Beta-catenin is involved in homotypic cell-cell adhesion and the wnt signaling pathway. Deregulation of beta-catenin levels, caused in part by mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene, is thought to play a role in the development of colorectal and other cancers. To further elucidate their roles, the expression pattern of beta-catenin and phosphospecific beta-catenin was correlated with clinical outcome in a series of patients with colorectal cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray with 650 colorectal cancer specimens was performed to study the expression and subcellular localization of beta-catenin and phosphospecific beta-catenin. These results were correlated with other clinicopathological factors and with overall survival. RESULTS: The majority of cancers retained some degree of beta-catenin membranous staining, whereas cytoplasmic or nuclear expression was seen in 42.5% and 20.4% of specimens, respectively. Phospho-beta-catenin showed nuclear staining in 9.5% of specimens, and there was no apparent membranous or cytoplasmic staining. There was no significant association between beta-catenin or phospho-beta-catenin and grade or stage. However, there was a positive correlation between beta-catenin and phospho-beta-catenin (P = 0.039), with phospho-beta-catenin representing a subset of nuclear beta-catenin. Patients with nuclear expression of beta-catenin did not have an altered survival compared with those that did not (P = 0.5611). Nuclear expression of phospho-beta-catenin, however, was associated with an improved survival (P = 0.0006). In multivariate analysis, only stage and phospho-beta-catenin were independently predictive of overall survival (P < 0.001 and P = 0.0034, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support a role for beta-catenin overexpression in colorectal tumorigenesis and provide initial evidence that phospho-beta-catenin may be a marker for improved overall survival independent of stage and grade.

Stimulation of renin secretion by ethacrynic acid is independent of Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport.

This study investigated the cellular mechanism of stimulation of renin secretion by the loop diuretic ethacrynic acid (EA) in rabbit renal cortical slices. The diuretic rapidly stimulated renin secretion reversibly and in a concentration-dependent manner. The stimulation was independent of the presence of Na+, Cl-, Ca2+, or other loop diuretics (furosemide and bumetanide) in the incubation media, suggesting that the stimulation in vitro was not dependent on the inhibitory effect of the diuretic on Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl-cotransport. The findings do not support the macula densa hypothesis. The stimulation by the diuretic was prevented and reversed by thiols such as cysteine and dithiothreitol, which also prevented and reversed the stimulation of renin secretion by the nondiuretic sulfhydryl reagent P-chloromercuriphenyl-sulfonate (PCMPS). These results suggest that EA stimulates renin secretion in vitro via reversible chemical reactions with specific membrane sulfhydryl groups that may have no functional role in the Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport.