Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0027627 (metastases)
 103,950 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although human breast tumorigenesis is associated with the accumulation of mutations both in oncogenes and in tumor suppressor genes, the identity of the genetic alterations that are critical in the early stages of the breast tumorigenic process remains obscure. A high frequency (27-41%) of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) occurrence has been shown at the MET locus on chromosome band 7q31 and this specific alteration is associated with poorer survival. Here, we report that restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis on 221 informative (heterozygous) primary breast tumors and 57 informative relapses (13 local recurrences and 44 distant metastases) revealed a similar frequency of 7q31 LOH as tumors progress from primary cancer to relapse, in marked contrast to other changes such as 11p15.5 LOH. This finding suggests that inactivation of a putative tumor suppressor gene located in 7q31 is a very early event in breast tumorigenesis. Our results also show that metastatic potential is an induced phenomenon that occurs at a relatively early stage, rather than a marker of tumor progression.
 ...
PMID:Loss of heterozygosity on 7q31 occurs early during breast tumorigenesis. 753 86

For quantificative determination of ERBB2 gene amplification in archival human carcinoma specimens we have developed a rapid, non-radioactive approach, which is based on the differential polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescent DNA technique. Sequences from the ERBB2 gene and from a single-copy reference gene were amplified simultaneously by PCR, in which one of each primer pair was fluorescently labelled. PCR products were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in an automated DNA sequencer and directly quantified after laser activation and emission scanning using appropriate software. This fluorescent differential polymerase chain reaction (fd-PCR) method was used for quantificative determination of ERBB2 gene amplification in 195 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast carcinoma tissues. ERBB2 gene amplification was found in 52 (26%) of these tumors and correlated significantly with tumor size, absence of estrogen receptor (ER) and pS2 expression, but not with absence of progesterone receptor (PR) or presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) expression, lymph-node metastases or grading. In univariate analysis, ERBB2 gene amplification showed no significant correlation with clinical outcome, either in the whole population or in the subgroup defined by positive axillary lymph-node metastases. However, within the node-negative subgroup, patients with ERBB2 gene amplification had significantly decreased relapse-free survival and overall survival (p < 0.05). The fd-PCR assay is a valuable tool for determination of amplification of ERBB2 gene as well as further oncogenes. In this way, more detailed information about individual tumor biology may be acquired by a routine assay.
 ...
PMID:ERBB2 gene amplification detected by fluorescent differential polymerase chain reaction in paraffin-embedded breast carcinoma tissues. 759 Dec 99

The level of a c-erbB-2 related protein was determined in sera from 168 breast carcinoma patients, 12 females with benign breast disease, and 66 female controls using an ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) kit. Elevated c-erbB-2 related protein level was detected in one of 13 preoperative sera (8%), two of 62 postoperative sera from patients without recurrent disease (3%), and 55 of 93 sera collected at recurrent disease (59%). Elevated serum levels were detected significantly more often in patients with distant metastases than in patients with recurrent disease restricted to loco-regional areas (68% versus 19%). Presence of elevated serum level was associated with ERBB2 gene amplification and c-erbB-2 protein overexpression in tumour. None of the patients who had normal ERBB2 gene copy number in tumour had elevated serum levels. Although the usefulness in postoperative prediction of the presence of micrometastases is somewhat questionable, the results suggest c-erbB-2 related protein to represent a novel tumour marker in serum and other body fluids from breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and during treatment monitoring.
 ...
PMID:Detection of c-erbB-2 related protein in sera from breast cancer patients. Relationship to ERBB2 gene amplification and c-erbB-2 protein overexpression in tumour. 760 58

The expression of Cath-D c-erbB-2 and EGFR in breast cancer and its correlation of lymphatic metastases were studied in 277 cases by immunohistochemical technique. Positive staining of Cath-D was detected in 107 cases (38.62%), of which, 89 cases (83.17%) had documented metastasis in the lymph nodes. One hundred and seventy cases (61.38%) stained negative for Cath-D, of which 64 cases (37.64%) had detectable lymphatic metastases. There was a significant difference in the rate of the lymphatic metastases between the Cath-D positive and Cath-D negative groups (P < 0.0001). Fifty-six out of 107 Cath-D positive cases (52.34%) were c-erbB-2 positive as well. However, only 27 out of 170 Cath-D negative cases (15.88%) were c-erbB-2 positive. The positive rate of c-erbB-2 in Cath-D positive group was significantly different from that of Cath-D negative group (P < 0.0001). Among those 107 Cath-D positive cases, 49 cases (45.79%) were EGFR positive. Only 24 cases (14.12%) were EGFR positive among the 170 Cath-D negative cases. The positive rate of EGFR between these two groups was also significantly different (P < 0.0001). The results suggest that Cath-D status can be used as an indicator of the aggressiveness of the breast cancer. Breast cancer cases with a positive Cath-D staining are more likely to have lymphatic metastases and a poor prognosis. Therefore, alternative therapeutic strategies and close follow-ups are needed for these patients.
 ...
PMID:[The expression of Cath-D, c-erbB-2 and EGFR in breast cancer and its correlation to lymphatic metastasis]. 765 92

Adhesion to vascular endothelium is a primary step in the colonization of select target organs by blood-borne cancer cells. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that adhesion is followed by the establishment of fully functional gap junctional channels between the arrested tumor cell and the endothelium and that gap junctional communication might play an important role in extravasation. Here we report on a critical interdependence between endothelial cell adhesion and communication of lung-metastatic cancer cells. Gap junctions are assembled at focal adhesion contacts between tumor cells and endothelial cells where they mediate metabolic coupling between the junction-forming cell pair. The level of coupling depends on sufficient amounts of connexin43 (cx43) protein expression by both cell partners and, in a rate-limiting fashion, on the expression level of the receptor/ligand pair that mediates adhesion between tumor cells and the endothelium. This conclusion is based on our findings that (a) tumor cells with equal cx43 message, yet different adhesion potential for endothelial cells, differ significantly in their level of communication with the endothelium (e.g., R230AC-MET vs. R3230AC-LR), and (b) gap junctional communication between B16-F10 melanoma cells and lung-matrix-modulated endothelium can be effectively blocked by antiadhesive, anti-Lu-ECAM-1 monoclonal antibody 6D3 and by soluble Lu-ECAM-1. Significantly increased adhesion and communication levels in highly lung-metastatic carcinoma cells imply a role of gap junctional coupling in cancer metastasis, presumably by facilitating extravasation.
Invasion Metastasis
PMID:Adhesion-mediated gap junctional communication between lung-metastatatic cancer cells and endothelium. 765 9

Cytologic specimens (FNA) from 42 primary invasive ductal breast carcinomas and 22 matched specimens of cancer tissue were tested for EGFR status, PCNA index and vimentin expression by immunocytochemical staining, using an Extravidin-Biotin method, and their relationship with various prognostic factors was investigated. EGFR positivity, high PC10 score and vimentin positivity were significantly correlated with high histologic grade. The coordinate expression of EGFR, PCNA and vimentin was significantly associated with ER-negative breast carcinomas. A positive trend was observed between high proliferating tumours and EGFR expression. EGFR status and PCNA index were not correlated with axillary lymph node involvement, tumour size, age and menopausal status. Vimentin was preferentially expressed in tumours, with lymph node metastases. Co-expression of EGFR, PCNA and vimentin was determined in most cases. These data suggest that EGFR status, PCNA index and vimentin expression may be important for the prediction of biologically aggressive tumours.
 ...
PMID:Relationship of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and vimentin expression and various prognostic factors in breast cancer patients. 773 97

The development of cancer is a multistep process involving accumulation of genetic changes which progressively transform normal cells to neoplastic cells. During the last few years, our understanding and knowledge of the genetic changes involved in ovarian carcinogenesis have increased dramatically. In this review I will focus on karyotypic abnormalities in ovarian cancer and will also refer to molecular studies involving alterations in oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes in ovarian tumorigenesis. Cytogenetic analyses have identified two distinct subgroups. Simple karyotypic changes, trisomy 12 being the most common aberration in this group, are recurrently found in well differentiated ovarian carcinomas. Complex karyotypic abnormalities, including predominantly chromosome losses, deletions and unbalanced translocations, are found in moderately and poorly differentiated carcinomas. The bands and regions most commonly involved in structural rearrangements have been, in decreasing order of frequency, 19p13, 1p36, 1q21, 1q23-25, 3p11-13, 6q21, 19q13, 11p13-15, 11q13, 11q23, 12q24, 12p11-13, and 7p13-22. The finding of identical karyotypic and other genetic changes in tumour samples taken from different sites, such as tumours from both ovaries and omental metastases, indicate that ovarian cancer is of unicentric origin with subsequent metastatic spread giving rise to multiple implants. Molecular genetic changes important in ovarian cancer involve both classes of tumor-associated genes: RAS activation is generally not observed in ovarian cancer. Alterations of MYC1, ERBB2, AKT2, TP53 has been described in some ovarian carcinomas. The temporal relationship of these mutations, i.e. early or late events in ovarian carcinogenesis, remains to be determined.
 ...
PMID:Genetic changes in ovarian cancer. 774 4

Epithelial cell kinase (ECK) is a receptor protein tyrosine kinase, the role of which in melanoma biology is unclear. Here we studied the role of ECK during melanoma progression. ECK mRNA was overexpressed in virtually all melanoma lines tested, and levels were significantly higher in cell lines from distant metastases than primary melanomas; melanocytes were negative. Gene amplification was not detected in melanomas. Levels of ECK protein corresponded well with mRNA levels. B61 or LERK-1, recently identified as an ECK ligand, stimulated the growth of ECK-expressing melanoma cell lines, its first identified biological activity. Melanoma chemotaxis and chemoinvasion were not affected by B61. Growth of normal melanocytes was not affected. mRNA for B61 was detected in both melanoma cell lines and normal melanocytes. B61 was also identified by Western blotting and ECK binding activity with the use of a BIAcore binding assay in melanoma cell-conditioned media. These results suggest that B61 is an autocrine growth factor for melanomas but not normal melanocytes.
 ...
PMID:Protein B61 as a new growth factor: expression of B61 and up-regulation of its receptor epithelial cell kinase during melanoma progression. 778 Sep 63

Key growth factor-receptor interactions involved in angiogenesis are possible targets for therapy of CNS tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a highly specific endothelial cell mitogen that has been shown to stimulate angiogenesis, a requirement for solid tumor growth. The expression of VEGF, the closely related placental growth factor (PIGF), the newly cloned endothelial high affinity VEGF receptors KDR and FLT1, and the endothelial orphan receptors FLT4 and Tie were analyzed by in situ hybridization in normal human brain tissue and in the following CNS tumors: gliomas, grades II, III, IV; meningiomas, grades I and II; and melanoma metastases to the cerebrum. VEGF mRNA was up-regulated in the majority of low grade tumors studied and was highly expressed in cells of malignant gliomas. Significantly elevated levels of Tie, KDR, and FLT1 mRNAs, but not FLT4 mRNA, were observed in malignant tumor endothelia, as well as in endothelia of tissues directly adjacent to the tumor margin. In comparison, there was little or no receptor expression in normal brain vasculature. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that these endothelial receptors are induced during tumor progression and may play a role in tumor angiogenesis.
 ...
PMID:Expression of endothelial cell-specific receptor tyrosine kinases and growth factors in human brain tumors. 785 49

To study genetic alterations related to the development and/or progression of breast carcinoma, we examined amplification of the ERBB2, INT2, and MYC genes, as well as loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at loci on 11p, 16q, 17p (D17S5 and TP53), 17q (D17S74 and NME1), and 18q by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The subjects were 26 patients with small breast carcinomas (< or = 2 cm) and 88 patients with larger breast carcinomas (2 to < 5 cm). All patients were free of distant metastasis. As tumor diameter increased, the frequency of oncogene amplification and LOH at all loci except D17S5 increased. However, there was no relationship between tumor diameter and amplification of specific oncogenes or allelic loss at specific loci. LOH at D17S5 was detected in 40% of small breast carcinomas (< or = 2 cm) and 43% of larger breast carcinomas (2 to < 5 cm). There was a significant correlation of LOH at D17S5 with INT2 amplification or with LOH on 11p, 16q, and 18q. These findings suggest that LOH at D17S5 may be involved in the early stage of breast carcinoma development, while INT2 amplification and LOH at 11p, 16q, and 18q appear to be genetic alterations that occur with tumor progression. In addition, as lymph node metastases were significantly related to amplification of the ERBB2 and MYC genes, and LOH of the NME1 gene, these genetic alterations may play a role in the mechanism of lymph node metastases.
 ...
PMID:Analysis of genetic alterations related to the development and progression of breast carcinoma. 790 63


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>