Cancer Detection and Prevention Volume 22 / Issue 1 (Jan-Feb 1998)

Table of Contents and Editor's Notes

The peer review process occasionally results in approval of controversial publications that do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the editors. Readers of the journal are encouraged to critically review and comment on presented data by submitting a "Letter to the Editor" that may be reprinted in a subsequent issue.

Dna-Binding Activity of Wild-Type p53 Protein is Mediated by the Central Part of the Molecule and Controlled by its C Terminus

Roland Wolkowicz, Amnon Peled, N Barry Elkind, Varda Rotter PhD

The C-terminal part of regularly spliced p53 protein with a negative effect on DNA binding activity was changed into augmented DNA binding. This was accomplished by modifications that generated alternatively spliced C-terminal in RNA or by post-translational modifications that directly altered the C-terminus of the p53 protein. >>>

Association of Chromosome 11 Locus D11s12 with Histology, Stage, and Metastases in Lung Cancer

Gerold Bepler MD PhD, Kwun M Fong MD PhD, Bruce E Johnson MD, Kathy C O'Briant MS, Lee A Daly PA, Paul V Zimmerman M D, Mariano A Garcia-Blanco MD PhD, Bercedis Peterson PhD

In 156 patients D11S12 allele loss was present in 88% of small cell carcinomas in 57% of squamous cell carcinomas and in 40% of adenocarcinomas. D11S12 allele loss and loss of heterozygosity was associated with tumor stage and occurred more frequently in metastasized tumors. No significant correlation was observed between D11S12 loss and survival. >>>

Pilot Evaluation of Cytokine Levels in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy for Brain Tumor

Daila S Gridley PhD, Lilia N Loredo MD, Jerry D Slater MD, John O Archambeau MD FACR, Anitrak A Bedros MD, Melba L Andres BS, James M Slater MD FACR

Interleukin-1beta levels were increased either immediately after treatment or at 2-week follow-up visits. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in many patients was higher than in healthy volunteers, particularly in cases of chondrosarcoma. Lack of TGF-beta decline after radiotherapy was associated with residual disease. Patients with brain tumors had high urinary levels of basic fibroblast growth factor . Cell membrane epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was overexpressed in high-grade gliomas and other primary CNS tumors. >>>

Factors Affecting Participation in a Mammography Screening Program Among Members of anUrban Detroit Health Maintenance Organization

Michael S Simon MD MPH, Phyllis A Gimotty PhD, Jennifer Coombs MPH, Scott McBride MA, Anita Moncrease MD, Robert C Burack MD MPH

The effectiveness of mammography reminder letters was assessed through a telephone survey of 202 women. Most of the women surveyed did not respond to the reminder. Nonrespondents were more likely to be younger and had fewer prior-year physician visits. Respondents tended to be older with more prior visits that nonrespondents. >>>

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Breast in Characterizing Positive Or Uncertain Mammographic Findings

F Sardanelli MD, E Melani MD, C Ottonello MD, RC Parodi MD, A Imperiale MD, T Massa MD, C Parodi MD, G Canavese MD

Mammography resulted in 23 true positives and 15 false positives. Magnetic resonance imaging yielded 22 true positive, 13 true negative, 2 false-positive and 1 false-negative diagnoses. >>>

Immunohistochemical Detection of p53 Protein in Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder in Correlation to DNA Ploidy and Pathohistological Stage and Grade

Hussain AI-Abadi MD, Reinhard Nagel MD, Peter Neuhaus MD

Immunohistochemical detection of p53 expression was found in 57% of 147 tumors with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. There was a positive correlation between p53 expression and pathological stage. No appreciative relationship was found between p53 expression and DNA ploidy. A significant correlation existed between DNA ploidy, tumor stage and histologic grade. >>>

The Effect of 13-cis-Retinoic Acid Chemoprevention on Human Serum Retinol Levels

Scott M Lippman MD, Steven E Benner MD, Herbert A Fritsche Jr MD, Jin Soo Lee MD, Waun Ki Hong MD

Thirty-five of 73 asymptomatic chronic smokers with bronchial squamous metaplasia were treated for 6 months with 13-cis-retinoic acid and 38 with placebo. Administration of 13-cis-retinoic acid did not change mean serum retinol levels in men, but produced a clinically significant reduction in females. >>>

A Predictive Value of Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Draining Venous Blood for Colorectal Cancer Patients with Postoperative Hematogenous Metastases

Yoshiki Tabuchi MD PhD, Takeshi Nakamura MD, Tetsuya Kuniyasu MD

In colorectal adenocarcinoma of 76 patients the predictive value of CEA for postoperative hematogenous metastases was significantly higher in draining venous or portal blood (dCEA) than in peripheral blood (pCEA). >>>

Epidermal Growth Factor-Related Peptides as Targets for Experimental Therapy of Human Colon Carcinoma

Nicola Normanno MD, Antonella De Luca PhD, David S Salomo PhD, Fortunato Ciardiello MDC

Growth of human colon carcinoma cells was significantly inhibited by antisense (AS) S oligonucleotides directed against transforming growth factor-alpha, amphiregulin and CRIPTO, and by use of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor-blocking antibody. A supra-additive effect was observed when combinations of AS S oligonucleotides directed against EGF-related growth factors and the EGF receptor-blocking antibody MoAb528 were employed. >>>

Cancer Chemoprevention: Some Complications and Limitations

M Paolini PhD, R. Mesirca PhD, L Pozzetti PhD, N Gialluca PhD, C Bauer PhD, GL Biagi MD, Cantelli-Forti PhD

This provactive review of chemopreventive agents with carcinogenic and cocarcinogenic effects is supported by examples of CYP enzyme inducers, inducers of phase II metabolizing enzymes, glutathione S transferase and few others. The author is silent on the subject of chemoprevention by use of zinc, betacarotene, vitamin E, selenium, retinoids, ornithine decarboxylase inhibitors, antiinflammatory agents and hormones among others. >>>

Transgenic Mouse Models for Tumor Suppressor Genes

Ganesh S Palapattu MD, Shideng Bao PhD, T Rajendra Kumar PhD, Martin M Matzuk MD PhD

Generation of a mouse model with a genetic defect similar to the human provides important information about the function of a particular gene. Advances in embryonic stem cell technology permitted deletion of specific tumor suppressor genes to study their function in vivo. This methodology has also provided some useful mouse models of inherited cancer susceptibility syndromes. >>>

Herbert E. Nieburgs, MD
Worcester, MA
1998