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

In benign goiter, thyroidectomy is only indicated in patients with nodular alterations of the complete thyroid gland. There is no evidence indicating that total thyroidectomy could improve the postoperative results in patients with Graves' disease. In Germany, thyroidectomy with cervicocentral lymph node dissection is the standard procedure for all differentiated thyroid carcinomas. However, there are no data to prove that this approach is superior to less radical procedures. Avoidance of reoperations and optimal conditions for effective postoperative radioiodine therapy are arguments for this aggressive strategy. In patients with medullary carcinoma or with detected ret-proto-oncogene mutations, thyroidectomy with cervicocentral lymphadenectomy should be the initial operation. The cervicolateral and mediastinal compartments should be dissected when clinically obvious lymph node metastases are present in patients with differentiated carcinomas. In patients with medullary carcinomas, persistently increased calcitonin levels after the initial operation are sufficient indication for this procedure. Thyroidectomy is an important part of the multimodal approach in patients with anaplastic carcinomas. The operative technique of thyroidectomy is presented as well as the technique of cervical lymphadenectomy in consideration of the lymphatic drainage of the thyroid gland.
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PMID:[Thyroidectomy and lymphadenectomy]. 1050 63

We conducted a phase I pharmacokinetic dose escalation study of a recombinant humanized anti-p185HER2 monoclonal antibody (MKC-454) in 18 patients with metastatic breast cancer refractory to chemotherapy. Three or six patients at each dose level received 1, 2, 4 and 8 mg kg(-1) of MKC-454 as 90-min intravenous infusions. The first dose was followed in 3 weeks by nine weekly doses. Target trough serum concentration has been set at 10 microg ml(-1) based on in vitro observations. The mean value of minimum trough serum concentrations at each dose level were 3.58 +/- 0.63, 6.53 +/- 5.26, 40.2 +/- 7.12 and 87.9 +/- 23.5 microg ml(-1) respectively. At 2 mg kg(-1), although minimum trough serum concentrations were lower than the target trough concentration with a wide range of variation, trough concentrations increased and exceeded the target concentration, as administrations were repeated weekly. Finally 2 mg kg(-1) was considered to be sufficient to achieve the target trough concentration by the weekly dosing regimen. One patient receiving 1 mg kg(-1) had grade 3 fever, one at the 1 mg kg(-1) level had severe fatigue defined as grade 3, and one at 8 mg kg(-1) had severe bone pain of grade 3. No antibodies against MKC-454 were detected in any patients. Objective tumour responses were observed in two patients; one receiving 4 mg kg(-1) had a partial response in lung metastases and the other receiving 8 mg kg(-1) had a complete response in soft tissue metastases. These results indicate that MKC-454 is well tolerated and effective in patients with refractory metastatic breast cancers overexpressing the HER2 proto-oncogene. Further evaluation of this agent with 2-4 mg kg(-1) weekly intravenous infusion is warranted.
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PMID:Dose escalation and pharmacokinetic study of a humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody in patients with HER2/neu-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. 1060 42

Rearrangements of NTRK1 proto-oncogene were detected in 'spontaneous' papillary thyroid carcinomas with a frequency varying from 5 to 25% in different studies. These rearrangements result in the formation of chimaeric genes composed of the tyrosine kinase domain of NTRK1 fused to 5' sequences of different genes. To investigate if the NTRK1 gene plays a role in radiation-induced thyroid carcinogenesis, we looked for the presence of NTRK1-activating rearrangements in 32 human thyroid tumours (16 follicular adenomas, 14 papillary carcinomas and two lymph-node metastases of papillary thyroid carcinomas) from patients who had received external radiation, using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot and direct sequencing techniques. These data were compared with those obtained in a series of 28 'spontaneous' benign and malignant thyroid tumours, collected from patients without a history of radiation exposure and four in vitro culture cell lines derived from 'spontaneous' thyroid cancers. Our results concerning the radiation-associated tumours showed that only rearrangements between NTRK1 and TPM3 genes (TRK oncogene) were detected in 2/14 papillary carcinomas and in one lymph-node metastasis of one of these papillary thyroid carcinomas. All the radiation-associated adenomas were negative. In the 'spontaneous' tumours, only one of the 14 papillary carcinomas and one of the four in vitro culture cell lines, derived from a papillary carcinoma, presented a NTRK1 rearrangement also with the TPM3 gene. Twenty-five of this series of radiation-associated tumours were previously studied for the ras and RET/PTC oncogenes. In conclusion, our data: (a) show that the overall frequency of NTRK1 rearrangements is similar between radiation-associated (2/31: 6%) and 'spontaneous' epithelial thyroid tumours (2/32: 6%). The frequency, if we consider exclusively the papillary carcinomas, is in both cases 12%; (b) show that the TRK oncogene plays a role in the development of a minority of radiation-associated papillary thyroid carcinomas but not in adenomas; and (c) confirm that RET/PTC rearrangements are the major genetic alteration associated with ionizing radiation-induced thyroid tumorigenesis.
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PMID:Search for NTRK1 proto-oncogene rearrangements in human thyroid tumours originated after therapeutic radiation. 1064 82

We investigated the relationship between the activation of the c-myc and c-K-ras proto-oncogenes and the acquisition of metastatic potential in a methylcholanthrene-induced BALB/c fibrosarcoma. The murine fibrosarcoma GR9 was originally induced in BALB/c mice following exposure to the carcinogenic chemical 3-methylcholanthrene. To induce spontaneous metastasis, we used two tumor cell clones (B9 and G2) known to differ in their metastatic potential, local tumor growth, H-2 class I expression and sensitivity to natural killer (NK) cells. The metastatic nodes were obtained from the lung, liver and kidney. The results showed: (1) amplification of the c-myc proto-oncogene in original tumor clones as well as in all metastatic nodes; (2) mRNA overexpression without amplification of the K-ras proto-oncogene in the metastatic cells, regardless of their anatomical location; (3) no c-K-ras point mutations at codons 12 and 61, and (4) in general, a statistically significantly reduced in vitro sensitivity of metastatic tumor cells to NK cells as compared with the tumor clones used to induce them (p<0.05). These results therefore suggest that overexpressed c-K-ras mRNA is important during tumor progression, perhaps rendering metastatic tumor cells more resistant to lysis by NK cells.
Invasion Metastasis
PMID:c-K-ras overexpression is characteristic for metastases derived from a methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma. 1072 71

In colorectal cancer patients, prognosis is not determined by the primary tumor but by the formation of distant metastases. Molecules that have been implicated in the metastatic process are the proto-oncogene product c-Met and CD44 glycoproteins. Recently, we obtained evidence for functional collaboration between these two molecules: CD44 isoforms decorated with heparan sulfate chains (CD44-HS) can bind the c-Met ligand, the growth and motility factor hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF). This interaction strongly promotes signaling through the receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met. In the present study, we explored the expression of CD44-HS, c-Met, and HGF/SF in the normal human colon mucosa, and in colorectal adenomas and carcinomas, as well as their interaction in colorectal cancer cell lines. Compared to the normal colon, CD44v3 isoforms, which contain a site for HS attachment, and c-Met, were both overexpressed on the neoplastic epithelium of colorectal adenomas and on most carcinomas. Likewise, HGF/SF was expressed at increased levels in tumor tissue. On all tested colorectal cancer cell lines CD44v3 and c-Met were co-expressed. As was shown by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting, CD44 on these cells lines was decorated with HS. Interaction with HS moieties on colorectal carcinoma (HT29) cells promoted HGF/SF-induced activation of c-Met and of the Ras-MAP kinase pathway. Interestingly, survival analysis showed that CD44-HS expression predicts unfavorable prognosis in patients with invasive colorectal carcinomas. Taken together, our findings indicate that CD44-HS, c-Met, and HGF/SF are simultaneously overexpressed in colorectal cancer and that HS moieties promote c-Met signaling in colon carcinoma cells. These observations suggest that collaboration between CD44-HS and the c-Met signaling pathway may play an important role in colorectal tumorigenesis.
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PMID:Expression of c-Met and heparan-sulfate proteoglycan forms of CD44 in colorectal cancer. 1107 15

The impact of bcl-2 proto-oncogene expression on the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer was examined in a transgenic mouse model. Probasin-bcl-2 transgenic mice were crossed with TRAMP (TRansgenic Adenocarcinoma Mouse Prostate) mice that express the SV40 early genes (T/t antigens) under probasin control. Prostate size, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the incidence and latency of tumor formation were evaluated. The double transgenic, probasin-bcl-2 X TRAMP F1 (BxT) mice exhibited an increase in the wet weight of the prostate. This was associated with an increase in proliferation, attributable to T/t antigens, and a decrease in apoptosis attributable to bcl-2. The latency to tumor formation was also decreased in the BxT mice compared to the TRAMP mice. The incidence of metastases was identical in both the TRAMP and BxT mice. Lastly, the incidence of hormone-independent prostate cancer was reduced in the BxT mice compared to the TRAMP mice. Together, these results demonstrate that bcl-2 can facilitate multistep prostate carcinogenesis in vivo.
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PMID:Bcl-2 accelerates multistep prostate carcinogenesis in vivo. 1107 42

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multifunctional cytokine which acts as a mitogen, motogen, morphogen and angiogenic factor of epithelial cells. HGF receptor is encoded by a proto-oncogene, c-met, which is overexpressed in various cancers. The role of HGF and c-Met in prostate carcinogenesis, especially in the early stages, is undefined. In this study, prostatic dysplasia and carcinomas were induced by testosterone propionate and 17 beta-estradiol in Noble rats. The expression of HGF and c-Met was assessed at a protein level by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Intense immunostaining for HGF alpha and c-Met beta-chain was co-localized in dysplastic lesions and in primary and metastatic cancer cells. The levels of HGF alpha expression were similar among normal control, dysplastic and cancerous prostate tissues, as determined by western blot analysis. Immunoblot study for c-Met under reducing conditions identified two bands at 145 kDa (beta-subunit of c-Met) and 170 kDa (precursor form of c-Met) in rat liver extracts. However, two bands at approximately 220 and 245 kDa were detected in hormone-treated dysplastic prostate tissues and primary tumors. Overexpression of the 220 kDa band was observed in long-term (10-12 months) hormone-treated prostate and primary tumor extracts. Metastatic tumors consistently exhibited up-regulation of a single 245 kDa band. Under non-reducing conditions, however, protein bands of 220, 280 or 300 kDa were seen in the blots. The hormone-treated prostate tissues and metastatic tumors expressed the 220 and 300 kDa proteins, respectively. The majority of primary tumors expressed the 280 kDa protein. In summary, HGF and its receptor, c-Met, were co-expressed in dysplastic and tumor cells, suggesting that an autocrine mode of action may be involved in prostate carcinogenesis. The close correlation of expression of the high-molecular-weight isoforms of c-Met with different stages of carcinogenesis implicates that they might play differential roles in the onset, progression, growth and metastasis in prostate cancer.
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PMID:Aberrant expression of hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor, c-Met, during sex hormone-induced prostatic carcinogenesis in the Noble rat. 1113 7

Over-expression of the HER2/neu (HER2) proto-oncogene in breast carcinoma imparts an enhanced metastatic potential. Metastasis requires escape of the tumor cell from the vasculature into subjacent tissue, a transmigration event across an endothelial cell (EC) monolayer. EC retraction has been reported to precede transmigration in several tumor metastatic models. Using intact human iliac vein EC monolayers, we tested the abilities of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and HER cells, a transfected MCF-7 line over-expressing HER2, to induce EC retraction. We further analyzed whether HER2 signaling influenced cancer cell-induced EC retraction. MCF-7 or HER cells were co-cultured onto mature EC monolayers. More HER than MCF-7 cells induced EC retraction (76 +/- 19% vs. 17 +/- 12%, p < 0.001) with resultant exposure of subendothelial matrix (6.80 +/- 2.86% vs. 0.85 +/- 0.39%, p < 0.001). Blockade of HER2 signaling using Herceptin nearly eliminated EC retraction (p < 0.01), while stimulation of HER2 using heregulin-beta1-augmented EC retraction (p < 0.05). Further, there was no difference between cell lines in either the number of cells adhered or the strength of adherence to EC under shear stress. These data suggest that HER2 signaling enhances metastasis in breast cancer cells by inducing EC retraction, a process that appears to precede endothelial transmigration.
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PMID:HER2/neu over-expression induces endothelial cell retraction. 1116 50

We show with transgenic mice that targeted overexpression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in undifferentiated spermatogonia promotes malignant testicular tumors, which express germ-cell markers. The tumors are invasive and contain aneuploid cells, but no distant metastases have been found. By several histological, molecular, and histochemical characteristics, the GDNF-induced tumors mimic classic seminomas in men, representing a useful experimental model for testicular germ-cell tumors. The data also show that a deregulated stimulation of a normal proto-oncogene by its ligand can be an initiative event in carcinogenesis.
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PMID:Promotion of seminomatous tumors by targeted overexpression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in mouse testis. 1130 77

Ets-1 proto-oncogene is a transcription factor with a role in the activation of metastasis-associated molecules. We recently found that Ets-1 mRNA expression in solid tumors is a marker of poor prognosis in ovarian carcinoma. The objective of this study was to compare the expression of Ets-1 mRNA in effusions and primary and metastatic tumors of serous ovarian carcinoma patients and to evaluate its prognostic role in effusions. Sections from 67 malignant effusions and 90 primary and metastatic lesions were evaluated for expression of Ets-1 using mRNA in situ hybridization. Expression of Ets-1 mRNA was detected in carcinoma cells in 24 of 67 (36%) effusions. Expression in cancer cells was similar in peritoneal and pleural effusions. In solid lesions Ets-1 expression was detected in both tumor cells and stromal cells in 34 of 90 (38%) lesions. Ets-1 expression in tumor cells showed a strong association with that of stromal cells (p <0.001). Ets-1 expression in effusions showed an association with mRNA expression of basic fibroblast growth factor, previously studied in this patient cohort (p = 0.019). Ets-1 expression in solid lesions showed an association with mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (p <0.001 for both carcinoma and stromal cells), basic fibroblast growth factor (p = 0.007 for carcinoma cells, p = 0.006 for stromal cells), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) (p = 0.001 for tumor cells). Ets-1 mRNA showed upregulation in metastases when compared with effusion specimens (p = 0.028). In univariate survival analysis Ets-1 expression in carcinoma cells in effusions correlated with poor survival (p = 0.003). Our findings confirm the role of Ets-1 as a novel prognostic marker in advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma and extend it to effusion specimens. The elevated expression in solid metastases supports a central role in tumor progression as well. The association between Ets-1 mRNA expression and the expression of angiogenic genes, documented also in our previous study, points to the close link between these molecules, in agreement with the role of angiogenic genes in the transcriptional activation of Ets-1. The identical phenotype of carcinoma cells in pleural and peritoneal effusions provides further evidence for our theory that cells at these sites share similar genotypic and phenotypic profiles.
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PMID:Ets-1 mRNA expression in effusions of serous ovarian carcinoma patients is a marker of poor outcome. 1171 38


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