The published data on the predictive and prognostic value of KRAS mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with cetuximab seemed inconclusive. To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed. Systematic computerised searches of the PubMed, EMBase, BIOSIS, and SCOPUS were performed. »
06/24/10

Primary radiotherapy (RT) is a mainstay of treatment for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Although the cure rates for early (T1) vocal cord tumours are high, RT proves ineffective in up to a third of T3 carcinomas. Moreover, RT is associated with debilitating early- and late-treatment-related toxicity, thus finding means to de-escalate therapy, while retaining/augmenting therapeutic effectiveness, is highly desirable. p53 is a key mediator of radiation responses; we therefore investigated whether Nutlin-3, a small-molecule inhibitor of MDM2 (mouse double minute 2; an essential negative regulator of p53), might radiosensitise LSCC cells. »
06/29/10

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. »
04/01/10

The heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) plays a crucial role in the stability of several proteins that are essential for cell survival and for malignant transformation. The binding of HSP90 with pro-survival kinase Akt prevents proteosomal degradation of Akt and contributes to the functional stabilization of PI3K/Akt signaling and cell survival. Akt kinase and HSP90 are therefore highly over-expressed in a large panel of cancer cell lines and are present in multi-chaperoning complexes. In this paper, we investigated whether targeting both Akt and HSP90 would inhibit the survival pathway in AGS cells (human gastric mucosal cells), and how Akt/HSP90 inhibition modulates the deoxycholate (DC)-induced apoptosis. »
06/29/10

A substantial number of microRNAs (miRNAs) is subject to epigenetic silencing in cancer. Although epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes is an important feature of cervical cancer, little is known about epigenetic silencing of miRNAs. Since DNA methylation-based silencing of hsa-miR-124 occurs in various human cancers, we studied the frequency and functional effects of hsa-miR-124 methylation in cervical carcinogenesis. »
06/26/10

Cyclin D1 (CCND1) is a key protein in regulation of cell cycle at the G1-to-S transition phase and is essential for regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and transcriptional control. We hypothesized that the CCND1 G870A polymorphism is associated with risk of bladder cancer. »
06/24/10

Bladder cancer is the second most common genitourinary cancer worldwide, yet its oncogenic origins remain poorly understood. »
06/29/10

The HIV protease inhibitor nelfinavir is currently under investigation as a new anti-cancer drug. Several studies have shown that nelfinavir induces cell cycle arrest, endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and apoptosis in cancer cells. Here, the effect of nelfinavir on human breast cancer cells was examined, and potential combination treatment options investigated. »
07/01/10

Aneuploidy has long been recognized to be associated with cancer. A growing body of evidence suggests that tumorigenesis, the formation of new tumors, can be attributed to some extent to errors occurring at the mitotic checkpoint, a major cell cycle control mechanism that acts to prevent chromosome missegregation. However, so far no statistical model has been available quantify the role aneuploidy plays in determining cancer. »
07/01/10

The transcription factor Runx2 has an established role in cancers that metastasize to bone. In metastatic breast cancer cells Runx2 is overexpressed and contributes to the invasive capacity of the cells by regulating the expression of several invasion genes. CBFbeta is a transcriptional co-activator that is recruited to promoters by Runx transcription factors and there is considerable evidence that CBFbeta is essential for the function of Runx factors. However, overexpression of Runx1 can partially rescue the lethal phenotype in CBFbeta-deficient mice, indicating that increased levels of Runx factors can, in some situations, overcome the requirement for CBFbeta. Since Runx2 is overexpressed in metastatic breast cancer cells, and there are no reports of CBFbeta expression in breast cells, we sought to determine whether Runx2 function in these cells was dependent on CBFbeta. Such an interaction might represent a viable target for therapeutic intervention to inhibit bone metastasis. »
06/30/10