Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0476089 (endometrial cancer)
 11,379 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

TNF-alpha levels in sera from patients with gynecological cancers were evaluated by ELISA and compared with those of patients with benign ovarian cysts or of anonymous healthy donors. Patients with cervical and endometrial carcinoma and with benign ovarian cysts showed levels of TNF-alpha similar to those of healthy donors. In contrast, significantly increased levels of TNF-alpha were found in patients with ovarian carcinoma, regardless of the stage of disease.
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PMID:Evaluation of circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with gynecological malignancies. 204 May 31

A large bulk of data link the use of unopposed estrogens to an increased risk of endometrial cancer. Cancers associated with estrogen use are often well differentiated and carry a good prognosis. Concomitant use of progestogens either cyclically or continuously substantially reduces the risk of promoting endometrial cancer. The development of endometrial cancers as a result of prolonged estrogen medication often occurs via hyperplasia (and atypical hyperplasia). The reason for this increase is not known in detail, but estrogens are believed to be promoter substances by increasing miotic activity and possibly also by down-regulating the defense system against abnormal cell clones. Estrogen receptor activity seems to be dependent on the degree of phosphorylation. Receptor interaction with the specific sites upstream of "regulatory genes" may regulate a variety of steps in gene expression from transcription and mRNA half-life to protein processing, permitting a rapid regulation of the nuclear protooncogenes. This may also explain why serum placental protein reflects endometrial status during hormone replacement therapy. Both 17 beta-estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate are capable of modulating DNA synthesis in the endometrial glandular epithelium. The endothelin receptor type A seems to be stimulated during the proliferative phase, whereas an increase in the endothelin B type receptor has been noted in secretory and menstrual phases. Furthermore, low doses of oral norethisterone and levonorgestrel induce morphological changes inclusive of breaks in the endothelial lining of veins with and without hemostatic plugs. Endometrial fibrinolytic enzymes seem to be modulated by estrogens and progestogens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:The endometrium: effects of estrogen and estrogen-progestogen replacement therapy. 787 91

The isolation of genes that predispose to familial disease is an important goal in cancer research. The identification of such genes "opens up" the possibility of genetic diagnosis in families so that individuals who are at risk of cancer through inheriting a predisposing mutation can be identified. Genes that are involved in familial cancer syndromes may also be important in the pathogenesis of sporadic forms of the disease, which are often more common. In the search for genes that predispose to familial breast and ovarian cancer much recent progress has been made. A locus on the long arm of chromosome 17, in the interval 17q12-21, has been identified by genetic linkage, and appears to be responsible for disease in approximately 40% of breast cancer families and most families that contain breast and ovarian cancer. The region containing this locus, which has been called BRCA1, has been narrowed to a 3-4 cM interval defined by THRA1, the thyroid hormone receptor locus alpha, and D17S183, an anonymous microsatellite polymorphism. Loci other than BRCA1 that have been identified appear not only to predispose to breast and/or ovarian tumors, but to tumors at other sites too. A new locus has been identified on chromosome 2 which is linked to hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Families with HNPCC are also at risk of endometrial cancer and tumors of the ovary, amongst other cancer sites. Finally, mutations in the p53 gene are inherited in families with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare cancer syndrome predisposing to breast tumors, sarcomas, leukemia and other cancers. Li-Fraumeni syndrome is also the only inherited cancer syndrome that predisposes at least in part to breast cancer where the actual predisposing gene is known. For the other cancer syndromes, the cloning of the predisposing genes is eagerly awaited.
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PMID:Predisposing genes in breast and ovarian cancer: an overview. 811 68

MFE-280 endometrial cancer cells express PP14 (placental protein 14) in vitro. PP14 is normally found in the secretory endometrium and in placental tissue. MFE-280 cells, which are tumorigenic in nude mice, were derived from a recurrent, poorly differentiated endometrial carcinoma. The cells were initially grown in suspension culture and later transferred to monolayer cultures. Karyotyping revealed near-diploidy with a complex heterogeneous aberration pattern. MFE-280 cells were positive for the cytokeratins 7, 8, 18 and 19 as well as for vimentin. The expression of PP14 in MFE-280 cells was demonstrated by immunochemistry and reverse transcriptase--polymerase chain reaction. PP14-mRNA was also detected in one out of five endometrial cancer specimen. In tumor tissue the expression of PP14 was not dependent on progestins.
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PMID:Expression of placental protein 14 by the new endometrial cancer cell line MFE-280 in vitro and by endometrial carcinomas in vivo. 961 81

INTRODUCTION: Lynch syndrome was first described in the 1950s however until recently it was rarely included in medical school curricula. As a result, many practicing physicians have limited exposure, potentially contributing to significant under diagnosis. As identification of Lynch syndrome prior to malignancy allows for intensified screening, prophylactic surgery and improved patient outcomes, all physicians should be aware of the characteristics of affected families. We aim to determine the overall level of awareness of Lynch syndrome among medical students at an American medical school. METHODS: A voluntary and anonymous questionnaire was delivered to students at an American medical school. The survey instrument assessed the respondent's perceived knowledge regarding the genetics and recommended screening for carriers of Lynch syndrome mutations. RESULTS: The questionnaire was distributed to the entire student body (405 students) with a response rate of 50%. Fifty-nine percent of students reported that they had learned about Lynch syndrome; 27% of first year students, 44% of second year students; 90% of third year students and 100% of fourth year students. Of the students familiar with Lynch syndrome, the reported knowledge of the underlying genetics was 46%, available genetic screening, 18%, criteria used to screen for the syndrome, 24%, recommendations for colon screening, 31% and recommendations for endometrial cancer screening, 17%. CONCLUSION: The majority of medical students surveyed had been exposed to Lynch syndrome and awareness increased over each year of education. Significantly more students were aware of recommendations for colon cancer screening than endometrial cancer screening (32% versus 17%, p = 0.01). Studies of the natural history of Lynch syndrome indicate that affected women are more likely to present with endometrial cancer than colon cancer and while there are no prospective data proving the efficacy of endometrial cancer screening in this high-risk population, the endometrium is easily accessible and can be sampled using simple office techniques. In addition, prophylactic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy are reasonable risk reducing interventions for the prevention of both uterine and ovarian cancer. Our findings suggest that increased emphasis must be placed on teaching the gynecologic manifestations of Lynch Syndrome in order to avoid the misconception that it is simply a colon cancer syndrome.
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PMID:Lynch Syndrome: Awareness among Medical Students at a United States Medical School. 2331 29