Survivin is a 16.5 kDa member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family that is overexpressed in diverse malignancies including human bladder tumor, but not detectable in normal bladder tissues. »
05/08/10

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the expression profile of E-cadherin and N-cadherin in newly diagnosed non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) on the probability of intravesical recurrence in patients undergoing transurethral resection (TUR). »
05/05/10

Chemokines are potent proinflammatory cytokines that are implicated in numerous inflammatory diseases. Proinflammatory gene polymorphisms lead to variations in the production and concentration of inflammatory proteins. »
04/13/10

We describe for the first time a new integral molecular pathway, linking transcription factor E2F3a to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation in ovarian cancer cells. »
05/11/10

Increased activity of Sp family of transcription factors is a frequent and critical event in cancer development and progression. Genes governing tumor growth, invasion and angiogenesis are regulated by Sp factors, like Sp1, Sp3 or Sp4, and are frequently over-expressed in tumors. Targeting Sp factors has been explored as a therapeutic approach. Mithramycin (MTM) is a natural antibiotic that binds DNA and inhibit Sp1-dependent transcription. New analogues, named MTM-SDK and MTM-SK, were recently obtained by genetic engineering of the MTM biosynthetic pathway and have demonstrated improved transcriptional and antiproliferative activity in ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro. In the present study we evaluated the activity of the new compounds in human ovarian cancer xenografts. »
05/07/10

In prostate cancer (PCa), the common treatment involving androgen ablation alleviates the disease temporarily, but results in the recurrence of highly aggressive and androgen-independent metastatic cancer. Therefore, more effective therapeutic approaches are needed. It is known that aberrant epigenetics contributes to prostate malignancy. »
05/17/10

The orally active quinoline-3-carboxamide tasquinimod [ABR-215050; CAS number 254964-60-8), which currently is in a phase II-clinical trial in patients against metastatic prostate cancer, exhibits anti-tumor activity via inhibition of tumor angiogenesis in human and rodent tumors. To further explore the mode of action of tasquinimod, in vitro and in vivo experiments with gene microarray analysis were performed using LNCaP prostate tumor cells. The array data were validated by real-time semiquantitative reversed transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (sqRT-PCR) and protein expression techniques. »
05/17/10

The sole effective option for patients with advanced HCC is sorafenib and there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic approaches. Immunotherapy is a promising option that deserves major investigation. In this open label, single arm clinical trial, we analyzed the effect of a low dose cyclophosphamide treatment in combination with a telomerase peptide (GV1001) vaccination in patients with advanced HCC. »
05/17/10

Melanoma usually presents as an initial skin lesion without evidence of metastasis. A significant proportion of patients develop subsequent local, regional or distant metastasis, sometimes many years after the initial lesion was removed. The current most effective staging method to identify early regional metastasis is sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), which is invasive, not without morbidity and, while improving staging, may not improve overall survival. Lymphatic density, Breslow's thickness and the presence or absence of lymphatic invasion combined has been proposed to be a prognostic index of metastasis, by Shields et al in a patient group. »
05/17/10

Vitamin E succinate (RRR-alpha-tocopheryl succinate, VES), an efficient inducer of apoptosis, acts as a potent agent for cancer therapy. However, the mechanism by which VES mediates the effects are not yet fully understood. Here we studied the effect of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) on VES-induced apoptosis of SGC-7901 human gastric cancer cells. »
04/30/10