EVI2B, ATP2A2, S100B, TM4SF3, and OLFM4 as potential prognostic markers for postoperative Taiwanese colorectal cancer patients.

Undetected micrometastasis may play a key role in the early relapse of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The aim of this study was to detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) for predicting early relapse of CRC patients by a weighted enzymatic chip array (WEnCA) and analyze 15 candidate genes associated with CRC carcinogenesis. The genes of 105 postoperative CRC patients were analyzed by membrane array and direct sequencing. We constructed a WEnCA platform including five prognosis-related genes and analyzed the detection rate of WEnCA for CTCs in 30 clinically confirmed CRC relapse patients. Postoperative relapse was significantly correlated with gene overexpression, including EVI2B (p=0.001, OR=4.622), ATP2A2 (p=0.006, OR=4.688), S100B (p=0.001, OR=11.521), TM4SF3 (p=0.001, OR=6.756), and OLFM4 (p=0.008, OR=3.545). Using WEnCA (weighting score of each gene: 5 to EVI2B, 5 to ATP2A2, 12 to S100B, 7 to TM4SF3, and 4 to OLFM4), we could detect CTCs presenting these genotypes in relapsed CRC patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 94.7%, 93.5%, and 97%, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that EVI2B, ATP2A2, S100B, TM4SF3, and OLFM4 could be potential prognostic markers for CRC patients.

Differential gene expression profile of MAGE family in taiwanese patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) gene family consists of different expression patterns in various tumor types. They are considered tumor-specific antigens and are ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy. The purpose of this study is to identify the expression profiles of the MAGE family genes in Taiwanese colorectal cancer patients. METHODS: In this study, a well-constructed chip array platform was used to analyze the expression of the MAGE family genes of 100 colorectal cancer tissues. Statistical analysis of the experimental results and patients' clinical manifestations were also conducted. RESULTS: The results showed MAGE-A2 (87%), -A7 (83%), -A8 (75%), -A12 (71%), -B2 (75%), -B3 (79%), -D2 (75%), -F1 (79%), and -H1 (70%) were significantly overexpressed genes in colorectal cancer tissues. MAGE-A2 was the most highly overexpressed gene among the MAGE family. MAGE-B3 gene expression is statistically correlated with tumor size, lymph node, and UICC stage. In addition, the overexpression of MAGE-D2 and -H1 genes are statistically correlated to the tumor size and depth, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first comprehensive report to clarify the differential expression profile of whole MAGE family in CRCs, and it might provide some crucial information about the carcinogenesis and progression in Taiwanese patients with CRC.

Gene expression profiles for predicting the efficacy of the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil in breast cancer.

Chemotherapy is an important postsurgery adjuvant therapy in the treatment of breast cancer. However, because of the individual genotype differences of patients, the drug efficacy differs from person to person, even when the same chemotherapy drug is administered. The purpose of this research was to probe the gene expression profiles to predict the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), the common drug used in chemotherapy for various type of cancers, in Taiwanese breast cancer patients. Microarray analysis was conducted on the cancer cell line ZR-75-1 with and without 5-FU stimulation to identify the differentially expressed genes. The significant overexpressed gene groups were selected after bioinformatics software analysis to explore the molecular mechanism of 5-FU. Six strains of breast cancer cell line purchased from American Type Culture Collection were used to analyze the expression profiles of the above target gene groups. IL18, CCL28, CXCL2, SOD1, HRAS, FDXR, and CHI3L1 genes were significantly differentially expressed in 5-FU responder and nonresponder cell lines. The selected gene groups were validated with 20 strains of breast cancer primary cultures established previously in our laboratory. The experimental results demonstrated that FAM46A, IL18, CCL28, TNF, CXCL2, PLEKHA8, HRAS, FDXR, and CHI3L1 genes showed statistically significant differential expression between primary breast cancer culture cells that respond and nonrespond to 5-FU. Six genes, IL18, CCL28, CXCL2, HRAS, FDXR, and CHI3L1, showed significant differential expression pattern in both American Type Culture Collection and primary breast cancer cultured cells. The findings of this study may serve as basis for predicting the effectiveness of 5-FU on breast cancer.

Isolation of a new monoterpenic ester from the leaves of Michelia compressa (Maxim.) Sargent var. formosana Kanehira (Magnoliaceae).

Pressafonin A (1) and pressafonin B (2), two new Michelia monoterpenic esters, have been isolated from Michelia compressa (Maxim.) Sargent var. formosana Kanehira (Magnoliaceae), and their structures are determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis.

Overexpression of EGFR pathway-related genes in the circulation is highly correlated with EGFR mutations and overexpression in paired cancer tissue from patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-directed tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been established as a treatment option in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinically, PCR and RFLP are commonly used to evaluate the efficacy of TKIs, and these methods require cancer tissues to proceed. In the event a peripheral blood test is able to replace current evaluation methods, a greater clinical application advantage may be achieved. Therefore, in this study, we selected 30 EGFR pathway-related genes and constructed activated EGFR chips to identify overexpression of EGFR pathway-related genes from the peripheral blood of 72 NSCLC patients and 100 normal subjects. According to ROC curve analysis, the best chip interpretation cutoff value was 11 genes. Correlation analysis showed high significance among EGFR mutations, overexpression and the overexpression of EGFR pathway-related genes (p<0.0001). The potential application of this new technique may provide an accurate, instantaneous and convenient drug evaluation tool.

Imaging of transmural migration of a retained surgical sponge: a case report.

A 61-year-old woman who had undergone a hysterectomy 15 years before this presentation had suffered from intermittent abdominal pain and a palpable lower abdominal mass for 3 months. Plain roentgenography revealed a radiopaque mass with serpiginous density in the pelvic region. Sonography showed curvilinear hyperechogenicity with an acoustic shadow. A small-bowel series revealed a huge amorphous filling defect inside the ileum. Computed tomography showed that the mass was a spongiform object with a whirl-like appearance mixed with air and with peripheral calcification.

Evaluation of perforated and nonperforated appendicitis with CT.

Fifty-three patients with 38 cases of perforated appendicitis and 15 cases of appendicitis without perforation were evaluated based on the computed tomography (CT) appearances of appendiceal diameter, phlegmon, abscess, extraluminal air, appendiceal wall enhancement, lateroconal fascial thickening, appendicolith, bowel wall thickening, ascites, ileal wall enhancement, peritoneal enhancement, periappendiceal fluid, omental haziness, retrocecal appendix, intraluminal air, and the combination of intraluminal air and appendicolith. The result of appendiceal diameter was compared using two-sample Student's t test, and the other CT findings were analyzed by Fisher's Exact Test. Our results showed that appendix was larger in caliber in perforated appendix (P< .05). Direct CT signs (i.e., phlegmon, abscess, and extraluminal air) were more specific for perforated appendicitis (P< .05). Indirect signs (bowel wall thickening, ascites, ileal wall enhancement, intraluminal air, and combined intraluminal air and appendicolith) were also found in higher incidence in appendiceal perforation (P< .05). Appendiceal enlargement and ileal wall enhancement were the two predominant findings in one case of perforation. We concluded that direct and indirect CT appearances can differentiate appendicitis with and without perforation. Indirect signs may be helpful in difficult case.

CT evaluation of gastrointestinal tract perforation.

The purpose of this study is to review the computed tomography (CT) appearance of gastrointestinal tract (GI) perforation. Forty-two patients with 10 cases of proximal GI perforation and 32 cases of distal GI perforation were evaluated based on the CT findings of extraluminal air (which was subdivided into the CT-falciform ligament sign crossing the midline and scattered pockets of air), bowel wall thickening (>8 mm in gastroduodenal wall, >3 mm in the small bowel wall, >6 mm in the caliber of the appendix and >5 mm in the colonic wall), associated abscess formation, ascites and adjacent fat stranding. The results were compared using Fisher's Exact Test. Detection of extraluminal air in the upright plain films and CT was analyzed by Z test. Our results showed that CT-falciform ligament sign was more frequent in the proximal GI perforation, while pockets of extraluminal air (excluding the cases accompanying CT-falciform ligament sign), bowel wall thickening and fat stranding were found in higher incidence in distal GI perforation (P<.05). CT detected extraluminal air in more cases than the upright plain films did (69% vs. 19%; Z=4.62>Z(0.01)=2.326). We concluded that CT is a good imaging tool to differentiate the various GI perforations.