• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1131-1132
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• 2013

Background: Upper tract transitional cell carcinomas (UTCC) are relatively uncommon but prognosis is generally worse than TCC of bladder. Methods: Between March 2004 and June 2012, patients with initial non-metastatic UTCC were assessed in the Medical Oncology and Urology Departments of Ataturk Training and Research Hospital. Results: A total of 11 patients with initially non-metastatic UTCC were detected in the 8 year period, all males. Median age of was 62 (range, 38-74). Six lesions were located in the renal pelvis and 5 in the ureter. Nephroureterectomy was performed in 9 patients, and distal ureterectomy and cuff excision of the bladder in the remaining 2. The majority (n= 9) had high grade tumors. Median primary tumor diameter was 3.5 cm (range, 0.7-10). Five patients (45.5%) were stage I, 2 (18.2%) were stage II, and 4 (36.4%) were stage III. While adjuvant chemotherapy was not applied for stage I and II disease (n= 7), 4 to 6 courses were applied for 3 of the stage III patients. Also one stage III case received adjuvant radiotherapy. Up to 100 months follow-up, median overall survival was 13 months (range, 5-100 months). While stage I and II patients are following-up without muscle-invasive progression, 2 of stage III patients demonstrated progression. Conclusion: We need more collaborative studies to determine management of especially pT3-pT4 patients with UTCC.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.130-136
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• 2021

Purpose: The Halcyon radiotherapy platform at Groote Schuur Hospital was delivered with a factory-configured analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) beam model for dose calculation. In a recent system upgrade, the Acuros XB (AXB) algorithm was installed. Both algorithms adopt fundamentally different approaches to dose calculation. This study aimed to compare the dose distributions of cervical carcinoma RapidArc plans calculated using both algorithms. Methods: A total of 15 plans previously calculated using the AAA were retrieved and recalculated using the AXB algorithm. Comparisons were performed using the planning target volume (PTV) maximum (max) and minimum (min) doses, D95%, D98%, D50%, D2%, homogeneity index (HI), and conformity index (CI). The mean and max doses and D2% were compared for the bladder, bowel, and femoral heads. Results: The AAA calculated slightly higher targets, D98%, D95%, D50%, and CI, than the AXB algorithm (44.49 Gy vs. 44.32 Gy, P=0.129; 44.87 Gy vs. 44.70 Gy, P=0.089; 46.00 Gy vs. 45.98 Gy, P=0.154; and 0.51 vs. 0.50, P=0.200, respectively). For target min dose, D2%, max dose, and HI, the AAA scored lower than the AXB algorithm (41.24 Gy vs. 41.30 Gy, P=0.902; 47.34 Gy vs. 47.75 Gy, P<0.001; 48.62 Gy vs. 50.14 Gy, P<0.001; and 0.06 vs. 0.07, P=0.002, respectively). For bladder, bowel, and left and right femurs, the AAA calculated higher mean and max doses. Conclusions: Statistically significant differences were observed for PTV D2%, max dose, HI, and bowel max dose (P>0.05).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5613-5617
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• 2012

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the commonest cancer of the biliary tree and the most frequent cause of death from biliary malignancies. The incidence of GBC shows prominent geographic, age, race, and gender-related differences and is 4-7 times higher in patients with gallstones. This prompted us to study the clinicopathological aspects of the disease and the incidence of gallstones in gallbladder carcinoma patients, in this part of India. In this, combined retrospective (Jan 2004-March 2010) and prospective study (April 2010-Dec 2011) of eight years, 198 patients of gallbladder carcinoma (50 males and 148 females), (range 28-82 years; mean 55 years) were studied. Most of the patients were poor and presented with abdominal pain and mass, with abnormal lab parameters. Gallstones were present in 86% of patients. Surgical exploration was performed in 130, with gallbladder resection in 60 (including 7 incidental GBC). Adenocarcinoma (87.7%) was the commonest histological type. The study indicates that GBC is common in our scenario. It is a disease of elderly females, has a strong association with gallstones and every cholecystectomy specimen should be examined histopathologically.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.308-312
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• 2009

In this study, the effects of low molecular weight chitooligosaccharides were assessed. Low molecular weight chitooligosaccharide evidenced no cytotoxicity in in vitro trials with the normal cell line, Vero E6(Africa green monkey kidney cell). The $IC_{50}$ of low molecular weight chitooligosaccharide was $923.20{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Low molecular weight chitooligosaccharide exhibited in vitro antineoplastic activity in five human tumor(lung carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, colon carcinoma, stomach carcinoma, breast carcinoma) cell lines. The $IC_{50}$ values of low molecular weight chitooligosaccharide on A549, J82, SNU-C4, SNU-1 and ZR75-1 were $477.42{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $480.40{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $436.84{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $373.55{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, and $539.95{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.639-643
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• 2009

In this study, the antineoplastic effects of chitosan hydrolysates were assessed. The chitosan hydrolysates showed no cytotoxicity in in vitro trials using the normal cell line, Vero E6(Africa green monkey kidney cells). The $IC_{50}$ value of the chitosan hydrolysates on Vero E6 was 1,107.95 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. The hydrolysates exhibited in vitro antineoplastic activity in five human tumor (lung carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, colon carcinoma, stomach carcinoma, breast carcinoma) cell lines. The $IC_{50}$ values of the hydrolysates on A549, J82, SNU-C4, SNU-1, and ZR75-1 cells were 421.06, 417.99, 445.54, 380.65 and 460.49 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.363-365
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• 2015

Background: Kidney cancer is the third most frequent urologic cancer in Lebanon after prostate and bladder cancer, accounting for 1.5% of all diagnosed cancers. In this paper, we report the histologic characteristics and distribution of kidney cancer, never described in Lebanon or the Middle East. Materials and Methods: Pathology results of operated kidney cancer were collected during a two year period (2010-2011) from two different Lebanese hospitals (Hotel-Dieu de France University Hospital and Saint Joseph Hospital). A total of 124 reports were reviewed and analyzed according to WHO classification of 2009. Results: The 124 patients diagnosed with kidney cancer had a median age of 62.4 [18-86], 75% being men and 25% women. Some 71 % of the lesions were renal cell carcinoma (RCC), 25.8% had a urothelial histology, 1.6% were lymphomas and 1.6% were metastases to the kidney. Patients having RCC had a median age of 60.3 [18-85], 77.3% were men and 22.7% women. Of the RCCs, 59.1% were clear cell carcinoma, 22.7% papillary, 11.4% chromophobic, 3.4% rom the collecting ducts of Bellini and 3.4% were not otherwise classified. Conclusions: Histological distribution of Lebanese kidney cancer seems unusual when compared to the literature. The percentage of urothelial renal pelvis tumors is strikingly high. Moreover, clear cell carcinoma accounts for only 59.1% of RCCS in contrast to the 75% described elsewhere, while papillary carcinoma represents more than 22.7% compared to 10%.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.511-516
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• 2013

Bladder cancer is the seventh most common cancer in men that smoke, and the incidence of disease increases with age. The mechanism of occurrence has not yet been established. Potassium channels have been linked with cell proliferation. Some two-pore domain $K^+$ channels (K2P), such as TASK3 and TREK1, have recently been shown to be overexpressed in cancer cells. Here we focused on the relationship between cell growth and the mechanosensitive K2P channel, TREK2, in the human bladder cancer cell line, 253J. We confirmed that TREK2 was expressed in bladder cancer cell lines by Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. Using the patch-clamp technique, the mechanosensitive TREK2 channel was recorded in the presence of symmetrical 150 mM KCl solutions. In 253J cells, the TREK2 channel was activated by polyunsaturated fatty acids, intracellular acidosis at -60 mV and mechanical stretch at -40 mV or 40 mV. Furthermore, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated TREK2 knockdown resulted in a slight depolarization from $-19.9mV{\pm}0.8$ (n=116) to $-8.5mV{\pm}1.4$ (n=74) and decreased proliferation of 253J cells, compared to negative control siRNA. 253J cells treated with TREK2 siRNA showed a significant increase in the expression of cell cycle boundary proteins p21 and p53 and also a remarkable decrease in protein expression of cyclins D1 and D3. Taken together, the TREK2 channel is present in bladder cancer cell lines and may, at least in part, contribute to cell cycle-dependent growth.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4717-4721
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• 2014

Background: Dosimetric comparison of two dimensional (2D) radiography and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) based dose distributions with high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitry radiotherapy (ICRT) for carcinoma cervix, in terms of target coverage and doses to bladder and rectum. Materials and Methods: Sixty four sessions of HDR ICRT were performed in 22 patients. External beam radiotherapy to pelvis at a dose of 50 Gray in 27 fractions followed by HDR ICRT, 21 Grays to point A in 3 sessions, one week apart was planned. All patients underwent 2D-orthogonal and 3D-CT simulation for each session. Treatment plans were generated using 2D-orthogonal images and dose prescription was made at point A. 3D plans were generated using 3D-CT images after delineating target volume and organs at risk. Comparative evaluation of 2D and 3D treatment planning was made for each session in terms of target coverage (dose received by 90%, 95% and 100% of the target volume: D90, D95 and D100 respectively) and doses to bladder and rectum: ICRU-38 bladder and rectum point dose in 2D planning and dose to 0.1cc, 1cc, 2cc, 5cc, and 10cc of bladder and rectum in 3D planning. Results: Mean doses received by 100% and 90% of the target volume were $4.24{\pm}0.63$ and $4.9{\pm}0.56$ Gy respectively. Doses received by 0.1cc, 1cc and 2cc volume of bladder were $2.88{\pm}0.72$, $2.5{\pm}0.65$ and $2.2{\pm}0.57$ times more than the ICRU bladder reference point. Similarly, doses received by 0.1cc, 1cc and 2cc of rectum were $1.80{\pm}0.5$, $1.48{\pm}0.41$ and $1.35{\pm}0.37$ times higher than ICRU rectal reference point. Conclusions: Dosimetric comparative evaluation of 2D and 3D CT based treatment planning for the same brachytherapy session demonstrates underestimation of OAR doses and overestimation of target coverage in 2D treatment planning.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3471-3476
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• 2014

Background: Aberrant expression of the microRNA-29 family is associated with tumorigenesis and cancer progression. As transport carriers, tumor-derived exosomes are released into the extracellular space and regulate multiple functions of target cells. Thus, we assessed the possibility that exosomes could transport microRNA-29c as a carrier and correlations between microRNA-29c and apoptosis of bladder cancer cells. Materials and Methods: A total of 28 cancer and adjacent tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry to detect BCL-2 and MCL-1 expression. Disease was Ta-T1 in 12 patients, T2-T4 in 16, grade 1 in 8, 2 in 8 and 3 in 12. The expression of microRNA-29c in cancer tissues was detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (QRT-PCR). An adenovirus containing microRNA-29c was used to infect the BIU-87 human bladder cancer cell line. MicroRNA-29c in exosomes was measured by QRT-PCR. After BIU-87 cells were induced by exosomes-derived microRNA-29c, QRT-PCR was used to detect the level of microRNA-29c. Apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry and BCL-2 and MCL-1 mRNA expressions were assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Western blotting was used to determine the protein expression of BCL-2 and MCL-1. Results: The expressions of BCL-2 and MCL-1 protein were remarkably increased in bladder carcinoma (p<0.05), but was found mainly in the basal and suprabasal layers in adjacent tissues. The expression of microRNA-29c in cancer tissues was negatively correlated with the BCL-2 and MCL-1. The expression level of microRNA-29c in exosomes and BIU-87 cells from the experiment group was higher than that in control groups (p<0.05). Exosome-derived microRNA-29c induced apoptosis (p<0.01). Although only BCL-2 was reduced at the mRNA level, both BCL-2 and MCL-1 were reduced at the protein level. Conclusions: Human bladder cancer cells infected by microRNA-29c adenovirus can transport microRNA-29c via exosomes. Moreover, exosome-derived microRNA29c induces apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by down-regulating BCL-2 and MCL-1.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.192-197
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• 2001

Purpose: Urinary cytology and cystoscopic exam are effective methods for diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma(TCC). But the former shows drawbacks such as the need for a well-trained examiner, and wide imprecision related to the variability of microscopic exam; the latter is an invasive method. $UBC^{TM}$ test detects the epitope on specific cytokeratin fragments released from epithelium of bladder cancer by immunoradiometric assay. We compared $UBC^{TM}$ test with urinary cytology for diagnosis of TCC to evaluate the utility of $UBC^{TM}$ test. Materials and Methods: Eighty-four patients with hematuria were included in our study. $UBC^{TM}$ tests (IDL Biotech, Sweden) were assayed in mid-stream urine according to the ordinary assay protocol. Nineteen patients were confirmed as TCC by cystoscopic examination and underwent transurethral resection (Group A). Other patients had various benign urinary tract conditions (Group B). Samples were considered positive as the $UBC^{TM}$ concentration was greater than $12{\mu}g/L$. Results: $UBC^{TM}$ levels were significantly different between group A ($95.9{\pm}166.4\;{\mu}g/L$) and group B ($19.2{\pm}85.6{\mu}g/L$) (P<0.001). Sensitivity for diagnosis of TCC was 89.5% (17/19) in UBC test and 47.4% (9/19) in cytology (p<0.05). Specificity for diagnosis of TCC was 81.5% (53/65) in $UBC^{TM}$ test and 100% (65/65) in cytology. $UBC^{TM}$ test was significantly more sensitive in stage Ta, $T_1$ tumors (84.6 vs 38.5%, p<0.05) and in grade I (83.3% vs 16.7%, p<0.05) than cytology. $UBC^{TM}$ test showed a tendency to be more sensitive as the grade was higher (83.3% in Grade I, 90% in Grade II and 100% in Grade III). Conclusion: $UBC^{TM}$ test could be a useful method in distinguishing TCC from other benign genitourinary diseases. Moreover, $UBC^{TM}$ test could be an especially valuable marker for diagnosis of TCC in patients with early TCC of low grade TCC compared to urinary cytology. Therefore, mbined use of $UBC^{TM}$ test in association with cytology is helpful to overcome the limited sensitivity of cytology.