Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
 71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The ability of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) to diagnose brain tumors was investigated using in vitro high-resolution spectra. Fifty-eight surgically excised samples of brain tumors (12 glioblastomas, 4 anaplastic astrocytomas, 6 astrocytomas, 12 meningiomas, 6 neurinomas, 4 chordomas, 3 craniopharyngiomas, 2 pituitary adenomas, 2 malignant lymphomas, 1 ependymoma, 1 medulloblastoma, and metastatic brain tumors including 3 pulmonary adenocarcinomas, a hepatocellular carcinoma, and a renal cell carcinoma) and 4 nontumorous lobectomized brains were examined by in vitro 1H MRS. N-Acetyl-aspartate was demonstrated in normal tissues but could not be detected in nonneuroectodermal tumors. Total creatine was decreased in all brain tumors in comparison with normal brain tissues, but was relatively higher in neuroectodermal tumors than in other brain tumors. Choline-containing compounds were present in all tumors except craniopharyngioma, and their concentrations were particularly high in a metastatic brain tumor from hepatocellular carcinoma. The concentration of glycine was high in neuroectodermal tumors, whereas that of taurine was high in medulloblastoma, pituitary adenoma, and renal cell carcinoma. Alanine was increased in meningioma, glioma, and pituitary adenoma. Neurinoma had the largest inositol content among the tumors examined. Thus each type of brain tumor exhibited a characteristic MR spectrum. These data suggested that in vivo 1H MRS might provide clinically useful information about tumor metabolism and aid in the differential diagnosis of tumors. Although excellent anatomical localization of tumors can be readily obtained by MR imaging, MRS may provide additional information in cases in which the differential diagnosis of tumors by MR imaging is difficult.
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PMID:Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of brain tumors: an in vitro study. 780 3

A humanized ONS-M21 antibody (hM21) against human medulloblastoma and glioma cells was engineered as a single-chain Fv fragment (scFv), and its ability to internalize into tumor cells was evaluated by conjugation with ricin A. The scFv of hM21 (schM21) was easily purified from E.coli by one-step affinity column chromatography. Purified schM21 bound to a medulloblastoma ONS-76 cell with almost equal antigen-binding activity of hM21-Fab fragment. Furthermore, the schM21-ricin A conjugate inhibited the growth of ONS-76 cells, but not that of antigen-negative hepatoma HuH-7 cells, suggesting that the schM21 can be internalized after binding to antigen-positive cells. Thus, schM21 could be expected to act as a novel carrier of diagnostic and therapeutic agents for brain tumors.
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PMID:A humanized single-chain Fv fragment with high targeting potential against human malignant gliomas. 989 84

Since its discovery as a protein associated with the cytoplasmic region of E-cadherin, beta-catenin has been shown to perform two apparently unrelated functions: it has a crucial role in cell-cell adhesion in addition to a signaling role as a component of the Wnt/wg pathway. Wnt/wg signaling results in beta-catenin accumulation and transcriptional activation of specific target genes during development. It is now apparent that deregulation of beta-catenin signaling is an important event in the genesis of a number of malignancies, such as colon cancer, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, medulloblastoma pilomatricomas, and prostate cancer. beta-catenin mutations appear to be a crucial step in the progression of a subset of these cancers, suggesting an important role in the control of cellular proliferation or cell death. The APC/beta-catenin pathway is highly regulated and includes players such as GSK3-beta, CBP, Groucho, Axin, Conductin, and TCF. c-MYC and cyclin D1 were recently identified as a key transcriptional targets of this pathway and additional targets are likely to emerge. Published 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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PMID:beta-catenin signaling and cancer. 1058 Sep 87

Extended schedules of oral etoposide have been evaluated in many types of advanced cancer. In addition to their use in the common solid tumours, extended schedules have been employed in Kaposi's sarcoma (both AIDS-related and endemic types), medulloblastoma, glioma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Single agent activity was demonstrated in all of these tumour subtypes. For patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site, we have recently incorporated a 10-day oral etoposide schedule into a combination regimen that also includes paclitaxel and carboplatin. With this regimen we achieved a 47% response rate in a group of 53 evaluable patients, with a median survival of 13.4 months. Patients with adenocarcinoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma of unknown primary site had comparable response rates and survival. According to a large number of clinical trials and pharmacokinetic data, a daily oral etoposide dose of 50 mg/m2 consistently produces serum concentrations >1 mg/L for several hours each day. Lower doses fail to consistently produce this serum concentration, which is considered necessary for optimum tumoricidal activity. Optimal dose duration is 10 to 14 days, particularly when combination regimens are being employed. Oral etoposide has an established role as a single agent in patients with low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and testicular cancer (if residual carcinoma is resected after first-line treatment). The optimal use of extended-schedule etoposide in combination regimens is not defined but is being evaluated in a number of etoposide-sensitive malignancies.
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PMID:Extended-schedule oral etoposide in selected neoplasms and overview of administration and scheduling issues. 1071 42

Two isoforms of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) (Nramp2 and DCT1) are encoded by two mRNA species, one of which contains an iron response element (IRE) motif in the 3'-noncoding region. The subcellular distribution of the two isoforms of DMT1 is distinct, and the -IRE species accumulates in the nucleus of neuronal or neuronal-like cells. Reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis of PC12 cells reveals that these cells express both forms of DMT1. Immunofluorescence and immunoblotting studies, using immunospecific antibodies to the -IRE form of DMT1, demonstrate that this form of the transporter, in PC12 cells, is predominantly localized in the nucleus, cell membrane, and neurites with only weak staining of the cell body. Studies using antibodies to the +IRE form indicate that this species of DMT1 is distributed within vesicles in the cell body and neurite projections, with minimal nuclear staining. Similar staining patterns are observed for the two forms of DMT1 in cultures of sympathetic ganglion neurons isolated from perinatal rat pups. To determine whether nuclear localization of the -IRE form of DMT1 is constrained to neuronal or neuronal-like cells, immunocytochemical studies were performed with human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T), HEP2G hepatoma and medulloblastoma, and rat Schwann cells. The -IRE-specific antibodies stained nuclei from medulloblastoma, whereas little nuclear staining was observed with HEK293T, hepatoma, or Schwann cells. The unexpected finding that the -IRE species of DMT1 selectively accumulates in the nucleus of neuronal and neuronal-like cells leads us to postulate that the two proteins may have different functions in vivo.
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PMID:Differential localization of divalent metal transporter 1 with and without iron response element in rat PC12 and sympathetic neuronal cells. 1102 19

Hepatoblastomas (HBs) represent the most frequent malignant liver tumors of childhood; yet little is known about the molecular pathogenesis and the alterations in expression patterns of these tumors. We used a suppression subtractive hybridization approach to identify new candidate genes that may play a role in HB tumorigenesis. cDNA species derived from corresponding liver and fetal liver were subtracted from HB cDNAs, and a series of interesting candidates were isolated that were differentially expressed. One of the transcripts overexpressed in HB was derived from the human Dickkopf-1 (hDkk-1) gene, which encodes a secreted protein acting as a potent inhibitor of the wingless/WNT signaling pathway. We examined the hDkk-1 expression levels in 32 HB biopsy specimens and in the corresponding liver samples, in 4 HB cell lines, and in a panel of other tumors and normal tissues using a differential PCR approach and Northern blotting. Eighty-one percent of the HBs but none of the normal pediatric or fetal liver tissues showed hDkk-1 expression. hDkk-1 transcripts were also present in 5 of 6 Wilms' tumors but only weakly detectable in 2 of 20 hepatocellular carcinoma samples and in 1 of 5 medulloblastoma cell lines; transcripts were absent in malignant gliomas and breast cancer. The central effector molecule in the WNT developmental control pathway is the beta-catenin protein. Interestingly, activating mutations of the beta-catenin gene have previously been identified in 48% of HBs, and more than 85% of HBs show accumulation of beta-catenin protein as the indicator for an activated pathway. The overexpression of the inhibitor Dkk-1 may therefore be related to uncontrolled wingless/WNT signaling and may represent a negative feedback mechanism. hDkk-1 expression represents a novel marker for HBs and Wilms' tumors.
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PMID:Overexpression of human Dickkopf-1, an antagonist of wingless/WNT signaling, in human hepatoblastomas and Wilms' tumors. 1264 43

The fragility of the evidence for SV40 association with human cancer is seen in studies of NHL. A publication in 1999 stated that SV40 is rarely present in NHL. In 2002, two laboratories reported SV40 sequences in 42% to 43% of cases of NHL . One of these laboratories also detected SV40 sequences in small proportions of pediatric tumors (e.g., Wilm's tumor, hepatoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, medulloblastoma, osteosarcoma, and retinoblastoma) and adult carcinomas (e.g., lung, colon, breast, and prostate) These positive results were not confirmed in subsequent studies published in 2003. Capello et al and Mackenzie et al failed to detect SV40 sequences in NHL tissues. Sanjose et al examined sera from patients with NHL and from controls for antibodies reactive to SV40 VLPs, and they detected no significant differences between the two groups. The association of SV40 with NHL is in doubt. An etiologic link between a virus and a cancer becomes plausible when evidence from different lines of enquiry (e.g., epidemiology, pathogenesis, and molecular mechanisms) is mutually reinforcing and together provides a coherent picture that can connect the biology the virus to the characteristics of the disease. The associations of human papillomaviruses with cervical cancer and hepatitis B and C viruses with hepatocellular carcinoma are examples in which the etiologic link is clear. With SV40 and mesothelioma, the data on viral sequences in tumors is inconsistent and disputed, and serologic evidence does not support any association. The epidemiologic data do not show that documented exposures tt SV40 increase the risk of mesothelioma. It seems improbable that a single virus (which cannot be conclusively demonstrated to be present in the community) contributes to the development of such a wide variety of tumors, spanning all age groups and histologic types. The weaknesses in the evidence linking SV40 with mesothelioma are summarized in Box 11 It seems unlikely that infection with SV40 contributes to the development of human mesothelioma or any other human cancer.
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PMID:Causality of mesothelioma: SV40 question. 1555 56

A critical and difficult part of studying cancer with DNA microarrays is data interpretation. Besides the need for data analysis algorithms, integration of additional information about genes might be useful. We performed genome-wide expression profiling of 36 types of normal human tissues and identified 2503 tissue-specific genes. We then systematically studied the expression of these genes in cancers by reanalyzing a large collection of published DNA microarray datasets. We observed that the expression level of liver-specific genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) correlates with the clinically defined degree of tumor differentiation. Through unsupervised clustering of tissue-specific genes differentially expressed in tumors, we extracted expression patterns that are characteristic of individual cell types, uncovering differences in cell lineage among tumor subtypes. We were able to detect the expression signature of hepatocytes in HCC, neuron cells in medulloblastoma, glia cells in glioma, basal and luminal epithelial cells in breast tumors, and various cell types in lung cancer samples. We also demonstrated that tissue-specific expression signatures are useful in locating the origin of metastatic tumors. Our study shows that integration of each gene's breadth of expression (BOE) in normal tissues is important for biological interpretation of the expression profiles of cancers in terms of tumor differentiation, cell lineage, and metastasis.
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PMID:Interpreting expression profiles of cancers by genome-wide survey of breadth of expression in normal tissues. 1595 Apr 34

The Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center has a 230 MeV cyclotron from which proton beams are directed to two isocentric gantries, a stereotactic intracranial beam line, and an eye line. Because of improved physical dose distribution, proton radiotherapy allows dose escalation to improve local tumor control in anatomic sites and histologies where local control is suboptimal with photons. The improved dose localization also reduces normal-tissue doses with an anticipated reduction in acute and late toxicity. Clinical treatment protocols, developed to exploit the dosimetric advantages of protons over photons, have been grouped into two broad categories. In the first, dose is escalated for anatomic sites where local control with conventional radiation doses has been suboptimal. In the second, normal-tissue sparing with protons is designed to minimize acute and late toxicity. Treatment of patients on clinical research protocols has been encouraged. Patient treatments began on the first gantry in November 2001; on the eye line in April 2002; on the second gantry in May 2002; and on the stereotactic intracranial line in August 2006. The facility currently treats 60 patients per day, including up to six children daily under anesthesia. Dose-escalation studies have been completed for early stage prostate cancer (in conjunction with Loma Linda University) and sarcomas of the cervical spine/base of skull and thoracolumbosacral spine. Protocols are in progress or development for carcinoma of the nasopharynx, paranasal sinus carcinoma, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, locally advanced carcinoma of the prostate, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pancreatic cancer. Studies evaluating the use of protons for morbidity reduction include protocols for craniospinal irradiation in conjunction with systemic chemotherapy for medulloblastoma, retinoblastoma, pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma, other pediatric sarcomas, and accelerated, hypofractionated partial breast irradiation for T1N0 breast carcinomas. For pediatric patients, protons have also been accepted as an alternative to photons for children enrolled in Children's Oncology Group (COG) protocols. Treatment of patients on these studies has often required the development of new treatment techniques (i.e., matching abutting fields for craniospinal irradiation), respiratory gating, and development of appropriate clinical infrastructure support (i.e., increase in availability of pediatric anesthesia) to allow appropriate treatment. In addition, a clinical research infrastructure for protocol development and data management is required. Results to date indicate that proton radiation therapy offers several potential treatment advantages to patients that can be studied in the setting of clinical trials. Patients' willingness to enter these clinical trials seems to be quite high; accrual to selected studies has been favorable.
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PMID:Clinical proton radiation therapy research at the Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center. 1766 54

There is clinical evidence that chronic liver diseases in which MDBs (Mallory Denk Bodies) form progress to hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study provides evidence that links MDB formation induced by chronic drug injury, with preneoplasia and later to the formation of tumors, which develop long after drug withdrawal. Evidence indicated that this link was due to an epigenetic cellular memory induced by chronic drug ingestion. Microarray analysis showed that the expressions of many markers of preneoplasia (UBD, Alpha Fetoprotein, KLF6 and glutathione-S-transferase mu2) were increased together when the drug DDC was refed. These changes were suppressed by S-adenosylmethionine feeding, indicating that the drug was affecting DNA and histones methylation in an epigenetic manner. The link between MDB formation and neoplasia formation was likely due to the over expression of UBD (also called FAT10), which is up regulated in 90% of human hepatocellular carcinomas. Immunohistochemical staining of drug-primed mouse livers showed that FAT10 positive liver cells persisted up to 4 months after drug withdrawal and they were still found in the livers of mice, 14 months after drug withdrawal. The refeeding of DDC increased the percent of FAT10 hepatocytes.
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PMID:Fat10 is an epigenetic marker for liver preneoplasia in a drug-primed mouse model of tumorigenesis. 1828 Apr 69


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