Vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms in patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis plays an important role in tumor progression. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important regulator of angiogenesis. In the present study we evaluated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) -2578C > A, -1154G > A, and +936C > T in the VEGF gene, and their prognostic value for patients operated on for colorectal cancer (CRC). PATIENTS AND METHOD: VEGF polymorphisms have been analyzed in 177 patients who had undergone surgical resection at Hospital Clínico San Carlos. The analysis of these polymorphisms was performed with specific probes for each nucleotide in a multiplex reaction using real-time PCR. RESULTS: We only found a statistically significant relationship for one of these three polymorphisms, +936C > T, with gender and tumor location; 10.7% of patients heterozygotes for this SNP had tumors located in proximal colon, 35.2% in distal segment and 54.1% in rectum (p = 0.03). Patients with the +936T/T genotype had 100% overall survival (OS). CONCLUSION: Patients with a +936T/T genotype showed increased survival, therefore the +936C > T SNP could be a useful marker in the follow-up and clinical management of patients with colorectal cancer.

Cuantificación inmunogenética de células tumorales circulantes en pacientes con cáncer de próstata: correlación clínica y patológica / Immunomagnetic quantification of circulating tumoral cells in patients with prostate cáncer: clinical and pathological correlation

OBJETIVOS: Detección y cuantificación de células tumorales prostáticas circulantes (CTC) en sangre periférica de pacientes con cáncer de próstata (CP) y estudiar la relación de las CTCs con los parámetrosclínico-patológicos.MÉTODOS: Estudio prospectivo con tres brazos: 26 pacientes (p) con CP localizado (CPL); 24p con CP metastático(CPM) y 30 controles voluntarios sanos. Se extrajouna única muestra de 7,5 mL de sangre periférica y se aislaron las CTC según un método inmunomagnéticobasado en el sistema CellSearch (Veridex). Las CTCs fueron identificadas como células nucleadas negativas para el CD45 (leucocitos) y positivas para las citoqueratinas(8, 18 y 19). Se estudiaron las relaciones del número de CTCs con los niveles de PSA, Gleason y clasificación TNM.RESULTADOS: Sólo el 10% de controles sanos tenían 1 CTC/7,5 mL, ninguno de los pacientes con CP localizadotuvo más de 3 CTC (88% ≤ 2 CTC) y aquellos con CPM presentaban niveles de CTCs significativamente más altos [m: 29 (1-178)] comparados con los otros dos grupos (P: 0.000). Se demostró una correlación positiva entre el número de CTC y cifras de PSA, con el tamaño del tumor y con la presencia o no de adenopatías.El grado Gleason fue el único parámetro que no mostró correlación con los niveles de CTC y aunque el número de CTC fue mayor en aquellos con metástasis viscerales [m: 297 (0-416)] comparado con los que tenían metástasis óseas [m: 68 (9,5-168)] estas diferenciasno fueron significativas.CONCLUSIONES: El análisis inmunomagnético nos permite cuantificar las CTC en sangre periférica y podríapresentar una posibilidad para lograr una estadificacióncorrecta y estimar un pronóstico adecuado de la enfermedad metastática(AU)

OBJECTIVES: To detect and enumerate circulating prostatic tumor cells (CTC) in the peripheral blood of patients with prostate cancer (PC) and study the relationship between CTCs and clinical-pathological parameters. METHODS: Prospective three-arm study: 26 patients (p) with localised PC (LPC); 24 P with metastatic PC (MPC) and 30 healthy volunteer controls. A single 7.5 ml sample of peripheral blood was retrieved; CTCs were isolated using an immunomagnetic method based on the CellSearch system (Veridex). CTCs were identified as nucleated cells negative for CD45 (leukocytes) and positive for cytokeratins. (8, 18 y 19) The relationship between CTC numbers and PSA levels, Gleason score and TNM classification was studied.RESULTS: Only 10% of the healthy controls had 1 CTC/7.5 mL, none of the patients with localised PC had more than 3 CTCs (88% ≤ 2 CTCs), and patients with MPC had significantly higher CTC levels [m: 29 (1-178)] compared with the other two groups (P: 0.000). A positive correlation was demonstrated between the CTC count and PSA levels, tumor size, and presen-ce or absence of enlarged lymph nodes. Gleason score was the only parameter that did not show any correlation with CTC levels, and although the number of CTCs was higher in patients with visceral metasta-ses [m: 297 (0-416)] compared with bone metastases patients [m: 68 (9.5-168)], these differences were not significant(AU)