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Anticancer Research Mar 2018Detecting free tumor cells in the peritoneal lavage fluid of gastric cancer patients permits to assess a more accurate prognosis, predict peritoneal recurrence and... (Review)
Review
Gastric Cancer Cells in Peritoneal Lavage Fluid: A Systematic Review Comparing Cytological with Molecular Detection for Diagnosis of Peritoneal Metastases and Prediction of Peritoneal Recurrences.
BACKGROUND/AIM
Detecting free tumor cells in the peritoneal lavage fluid of gastric cancer patients permits to assess a more accurate prognosis, predict peritoneal recurrence and select cases for a more aggressive treatment. Currently, cytology and molecular biology comprise the two most popular methods of detection that are under constant study by researchers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We burrowed into the available literature comparing cytological with molecular detection of free intraperitoneal gastric cancer cells. PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar were the search engines investigated.
RESULTS
As of 2017, 51 dedicated studies have been published. Messenger RNA of carcinoembryonic antigen was the genetic target most frequently described. The genetic technique is usually superior to cytology in sensitivity (38-100% vs. 12.3-67% respectively), whereas cytological examination tends to show a slight pre-eminence in specificity (approximately 100%).
CONCLUSION
So far, given the imperfection of each method, employment of both cytology and molecular examination seem to be mandatory.
Topics: Ascitic Fluid; Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Cytodiagnosis; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Peritoneal Lavage; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Stomach Neoplasms
PubMed: 29491048
DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.12347 -
Journal of Atherosclerosis and... 2015Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder associated with elevated LDL-cholesterol and high lifetime cardiovascular risk. Both clinical and molecular cascade... (Review)
Review
Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder associated with elevated LDL-cholesterol and high lifetime cardiovascular risk. Both clinical and molecular cascade screening programs have been implemented to increase early definition and treatment. In this systematic review, we discuss the main issues found in 65 different articles related to cascade screening and familial hypercholesterolemia, covering a range of topics including different types/strategies, considerations both positive and negative regarding cascade screening in general and associated with the different strategies, cost and coverage consideration, direct and indirect contact with patients, public policy around life insurance and doctor-patient confidentiality, the "right to know," and public health concerns regarding familial hypercholesterolemia.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Cardiology; Cardiovascular Diseases; Child; Child, Preschool; Cholesterol, LDL; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Databases, Factual; Family Health; Female; Health Policy; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II; Infant; Male; Mass Screening; Pathology, Molecular; Risk Factors; Workforce; Young Adult
PubMed: 26194978
DOI: 10.5551/jat.31237 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023The surge in the number of publications on psoriasis has posed significant challenges for researchers in effectively managing the vast amount of information. However,...
BACKGROUND
The surge in the number of publications on psoriasis has posed significant challenges for researchers in effectively managing the vast amount of information. However, due to the lack of tools to process metadata, no comprehensive bibliometric analysis has been conducted.
OBJECTIVES
This study is to evaluate the trends and current hotspots of psoriatic research from a macroscopic perspective through a bibliometric analysis assisted by machine learning based semantic analysis.
METHODS
Publications indexed under the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) term "Psoriasis" from 2003 to 2022 were extracted from PubMed. The generative statistical algorithm latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) was applied to identify specific topics and trends based on abstracts. The unsupervised Louvain algorithm was used to establish a network identifying relationships between topics.
RESULTS
A total of 28,178 publications were identified. The publications were derived from 176 countries, with United States, China, and Italy being the top three countries. For the term "psoriasis", 9,183 MeSH terms appeared 337,545 times. Among them, MeSH term "Severity of illness index", "Treatment outcome", "Dermatologic agents" occur most frequently. A total of 21,928 publications were included in LDA algorithm, which identified three main areas and 50 branched topics, with "Molecular pathogenesis", "Clinical trials", and "Skin inflammation" being the most increased topics. LDA networks identified "Skin inflammation" was tightly associated with "Molecular pathogenesis" and "Biological agents". "Nail psoriasis" and "Epidemiological study" have presented as new research hotspots, and attention on topics of comorbidities, including "Cardiovascular comorbidities", "Psoriatic arthritis", "Obesity" and "Psychological disorders" have increased gradually.
CONCLUSIONS
Research on psoriasis is flourishing, with molecular pathogenesis, skin inflammation, and clinical trials being the current hotspots. The strong association between skin inflammation and biologic agents indicated the effective translation between basic research and clinical application in psoriasis. Besides, nail psoriasis, epidemiological study and comorbidities of psoriasis also draw increased attention.
Topics: Humans; United States; Psoriasis; Arthritis, Psoriatic; Bibliometrics; Dermatitis; Machine Learning; Inflammation
PubMed: 37954610
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1272080 -
Gut Jan 2021Recently, tumours with microsatellite instability (MSI)/defective DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) have gained considerable interest due to the success of immunotherapy in... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
OBJECTIVE
Recently, tumours with microsatellite instability (MSI)/defective DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) have gained considerable interest due to the success of immunotherapy in this molecular setting. Here, we aim to clarify clinical-pathological and/or molecular features of this tumour subgroup through a systematic review coupled with a comparative analysis with existing databases, also providing indications for a correct approach to the clinical identification of MSI/dMMR pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
DESIGN
PubMed, SCOPUS and Embase were searched for studies reporting data on MSI/dMMR in PDAC up to 30 November 2019. Histological and molecular data of MSI/dMMR PDAC were compared with non-MSI/dMMR PDAC and with PDAC reference cohorts (including SEER database and The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network - TCGA project).
RESULTS
Overall, 34 studies with 8323 patients with PDAC were included in the systematic review. MSI/dMMR demonstrated a very low prevalence in PDAC (around 1%-2%). Compared with conventional PDAC, MSI/dMMR PDAC resulted strongly associated with medullary and mucinous/colloid histology (p<0.01) and with a / wild-type molecular background (p<0.01), with more common genes mutations. Data on survival are still unclear.
CONCLUSION
PDAC showing typical medullary or mucinous/colloid histology should be routinely examined for MSI/dMMR status using specific tests (immunohistochemistry, followed by MSI-PCR in cases with doubtful results). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) should be adopted either where there is limited tissue or as part of NGS tumour profiling in the context of precision oncology, acknowledging that conventional histology of PDAC may rarely harbour MSI/dMMR.
Topics: Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal; Databases, Factual; Humans; Microsatellite Instability; Pancreatic Neoplasms
PubMed: 32350089
DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-320726 -
PloS One 2021Xerosis cutis or dry skin is a highly prevalent dermatological disorder especially in the elderly and in patients with underlying health conditions. In the past decades,...
BACKGROUND
Xerosis cutis or dry skin is a highly prevalent dermatological disorder especially in the elderly and in patients with underlying health conditions. In the past decades, numerous molecular markers have been investigated for their association with the occurrence or severity of skin dryness. The aim of this review was to summarize the molecular markers used in xerosis cutis research and to describe possible associations with different dry skin etiologies.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review of molecular markers of xerosis cutis caused by internal or systemic changes. References published between 1990 and September 2020 were searched using 'MEDLINE', 'EMBASE' and 'Biological abstracts' databases. Study results were summarized and analyzed descriptively. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO database (CRD42020214173).
RESULTS
A total of 21 study reports describing 72 molecules were identified including lipids, natural moisturizing factors (NMFs), proteins including cytokines and metabolites or metabolic products. Most frequently reported markers were ceramides, total free fatty acids, triglycerides and selected components of NMFs. Thirty-one markers were reported only once. Although, associations of these molecular markers with skin dryness were described, reports of unclear and/or no association were also frequent for nearly every marker.
CONCLUSION
An unexpectedly high number of various molecules to quantify xerosis cutis was found. There is substantial heterogeneity regarding molecular marker selection, tissue sampling and laboratory analyses. Empirical evidence is also heterogeneous regarding possible associations with dry skin. Total free fatty acids, total ceramide, ceramide (NP), ceramide (NS), triglyceride, total free amino acids and serine seem to be relevant, but the association with dry skin is inconsistent. Although the quantification of molecular markers plays an important role in characterizing biological processes, pathogenic processes or pharmacologic responses, it is currently unclear which molecules work best in xerosis cutis.
Topics: Biomarkers; Ceramides; Connective Tissue Diseases; Epidermis; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Humans; Lipids; Skin; Skin Diseases; Skin Diseases, Eczematous; Skin Physiological Phenomena
PubMed: 34914754
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261253 -
Oral Diseases May 2024The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of head and neck Ewing sarcoma (ES) concerning patients' demographic and clinical features,... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of head and neck Ewing sarcoma (ES) concerning patients' demographic and clinical features, histopathological findings, treatment, follow-up, and survival rate.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An electronic search was undertaken in four databases. Articles describing case reports or case series were included. Outcomes were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method along with Cox regression.
RESULTS
The search yielded 186 studies describing 227 ES cases. The mean age was 22.7 years, and males were slightly more affected. Interestingly, more than half the cases were diagnosed up to 20 years. The respiratory tract was the most reported site, followed by the jawbones. Clinically, symptomatic swelling or nodules were described, with a mean duration of 4 months. Management involved multimodal treatment regimens. Local recurrence, lymph node and distant metastasis were observed in 10.7%, 12.6%, and 20.3% of cases, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that older patients with distant metastasis had a lower overall survival rate (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
This study provides an overall view of head and neck ES that can assist oral and maxillofacial pathologists with the diagnosis and extend the knowledge of surgeons and oncologists about this condition.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Sarcoma, Ewing; Survival Rate; Young Adult
PubMed: 37392420
DOI: 10.1111/odi.14644 -
Cells Dec 2019The hyperechogenicity of the substania nigra (SN) has been established as a valid finding in patients with Parkinson´s disease (PD), probably caused by an increased... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis
The hyperechogenicity of the substania nigra (SN) has been established as a valid finding in patients with Parkinson´s disease (PD), probably caused by an increased tissue iron concentration in the SN. The application of transcranial sonography (TCS) has been investigated for further echogenic basal ganglia alterations in patients with extrapyramidal movement disorders. Compared to PD, a hyperechogenic nucleus lentiformis (LN) has been reported to appear more frequently in atypical parkinsonian syndromes (aPS) such as the parkinsonian phenotype of multiple system atrophy (MSA-P) or the progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). As the evidence providing study sizes are small, we conduct the first meta-analysis of the prevalence of LN hyperechogenicity in PD and aPS. We search for available studies providing prevalence of LN hyperechogenicity in patients with PD and aPS (MSA-P and PSP) detected by TCS in MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases. We calculate the prevalence rates of LN hyperechogenicity detection in patients with clinical diagnosis of PD vs. aPS under the random-effects model. We include a total of 1330 patients, 1091 PD and 239 aPS (MSA-P and PSP). We find a significantly higher prevalence of LN hyperechogenicity in aPS (76%, 95% CI: 0.62-0.88) compared to PD (16%, 95% CI: 0.10-0.23). After proving a higher prevalence of LN hyperechogenicity in aPS compared to PD, its histopathological cause needs to be investigated. Furthermore, its full diagnostic accuracy and the qualification to serve as a risk factor for MSA-P and PSP should also be questioned in future studies.
Topics: Corpus Striatum; Echoencephalography; Humans; Parkinsonian Disorders; Prevalence
PubMed: 31861253
DOI: 10.3390/cells9010002 -
Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental Aug 2016The fastest growing cause of cancer-related death is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is at least partly attributable to the rising prevalence of non-alcoholic... (Review)
Review
The fastest growing cause of cancer-related death is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is at least partly attributable to the rising prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a broad spectrum of conditions, ranging from non-progressive bland steatosis to malignant transformation into hepatocellular cancer. The estimated annual HCC incidence in the progressive form of NAFLD - non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) - is about 0.3%. The risk of HCC development is higher in men and increases with age, more advanced fibrosis, progressive obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. Studies on the molecular mechanism of HCC development in NAFLD have shown that hepatocarcinogenesis is associated with complex changes at the immunometabolic interface. In line with these clinical risk factors, administration of a choline-deficient high-fat diet to mice over a prolonged period results in spontaneous HCC development in a high percentage of animals. The role of altered insulin signaling in tumorigenesis is further supported by the observation that components of the insulin-signaling cascade are frequently mutated in hepatocellular cancer cells. These changes further enhance insulin-mediated growth and cell division of hepatocytes. Furthermore, studies investigating nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and HCC development allowed dissection of the complex links between inflammation and carcinogenesis. To conclude, NAFLD reflects an important risk factor for HCC, develops also in non-cirrhotic livers and is a prototypic cancer involving inflammatory and metabolic pathways. STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES AND SUMMARY OF THE TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THE MESSAGES IN THE PAPER: The systematic review summarizes findings from unbiased clinical and translational studies on hepatocellular cancer in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This provides a concise overview on the epidemiology, risk factors and molecular pathogenesis of the NAFL-NASH-HCC sequence. One limitation in the field is that few HCC studies stratify patients by underlying etiology, although the etiology of the underlying liver disease is an important co-determinant of clinical disease course and molecular pathogenesis. Molecular profiling of NAFL and associated HCC holds great translational potential for individualized surveillance, prevention and therapy.
Topics: Animals; Carcinogenesis; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Disease Progression; Humans; Incidence; Liver Neoplasms; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 26907206
DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2016.01.010 -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Aug 2016Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is defined as the transformation of an epithelial cell into a spindle cell with the loss of membrane E-cadherin expression and... (Review)
Review
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is defined as the transformation of an epithelial cell into a spindle cell with the loss of membrane E-cadherin expression and the gain of mesenchymal markers positivity. In the field of colorectal cancer (CRC), first data about EMT was published in 1995 and more than 400 papers had been written up to March 2016. Most of them are focused on the molecular pathways and experimentally-proved chemoresistance. In the present article, an update in the field of EMT in CRC based on the review of the literature and personal experience of the authors is presented. The information about the molecular and immunohistochemical (IHC) particularities of these processes and their possible role in the prognosis of CRC were also up-dated. This article focuses on the IHC quantification of the EMT, the immunoprofile of tumor buds and on the relation between EMT, angiogenesis, and stem cells activation. The EMT-induced chemoresistance vs chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-induced EMT and cellular senescence was also synthesized for both conventional and targeted therapy. As a future perspective, the EMT-angiogenesis-stemness link could be used as a possible valuable parameter for clinical follow-up and targeted therapeutic oncologic management of patients with CRC. Association of dexamethasone and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors combined with conventional chemotherapies could have clinical benefits in patients with CRC. The main conclusion is that, although many studies have been published, the EMT features are still incompletely elucidated and newly discovered EMT markers provide confusing data in understanding this complicated process, which might have significant clinical impact.
Topics: Colorectal Neoplasms; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neovascularization, Physiologic
PubMed: 27570416
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i30.6764 -
Endocrine Pathology Jun 2021Molecular testing has a potential to improve the management of patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules considered for surgery. This study examined the influence of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Molecular testing has a potential to improve the management of patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules considered for surgery. This study examined the influence of molecular tests on the treatment of indeterminate nodules, particularly the differences between Western and Asian countries. Electronic databases including PubMed and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles from 2010 to March 2019. We computed meta-analysis of proportion and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) utilizing the random-effect model. We used independent samples t test to compare the resection rate (RR), rate of malignancy (ROM), rate of preoperative molecular testing (RMT), and rate of positive test (RP) between subgroups. We included a total of 34 studies with 7976 indeterminate nodules. The multigene panel testing methods were exclusively used in the USA. Compared with the non-molecular era, molecular testing was associated with a significantly increased ROM (47.9% versus 32.1%; p = 0.001). The ROM of indeterminate nodules in Asian institutes was significantly higher than that in Western countries (75.3% versus 36.6%; p < 0.001, respectively). Institutes employing single-gene tests achieved a higher ROM (59.8% versus 37.9%; p = 0.013). Molecular testing is a promising method to tailor the clinical management for indeterminate thyroid FNA. Certain differences in routine thyroid cytopathology practice among the West and the East are still present. The combination of molecular testing and active surveillance enhances the accuracy of case selection for surgery in Asian countries.
Topics: Asia; Humans; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Thyroid Nodule
PubMed: 32767256
DOI: 10.1007/s12022-020-09643-0