Cancer Detection and Prevention Volume 25 / Issue 5 (Sep-Oct 2001)

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.

Investigating Breast Symptoms in Primary Care: Enhancing Concordance with Current Best Advice

Jill Cockburn, PhD, Sabrina Pit, MS Helen Zorbas, MBBS, and Sally Redman, PhD

Release of a general practitioner's guide for Investigation of New Breast Symptoms (IBNS) significantly improved physicians' concordance with several recommendations of the INBS. >>>

Reduced Expression of p16 and p27 Proteins in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Yuh Baba, MD, PhD, Mamoru Tsukuda, MD, PhD, Izumi Mochimatsu, MD,PhD, Shigeru Furukawa, MD, PhD, Hiroko Kagata, MD, Shinri Koshika,DDS, PhD, Yukio Nakatani, MD, PhD, Masamichi Hara, MD, PhD, Yasumasa Kato, PhD, and Yoji Nagashima, MD, PhD

Reduction of p27 proteins was seen in all cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with lymph node metastasis (LNM) and in 10 of 14 cases in primary sites. Cyclin D1 was found in 16 cases of NPC and loss of p16 was seen in 6 of 14 cases in primary sites and in 2 of 4 cases in LNM. >>>

Determinants of the Interval Between the Onset of Symptoms and Diagnosis in Patients with Digestive Tract Cancers

Marcial Mariscal, MD, PhD, J. Liorca, MD, D. Prieto, MD, and M. Delgado-Rodriguez, MD

Pain was the only predictor of a shortened period from onset of symptoms to initial consultation. Hemorrhage and number of symptoms shortened the period between consultation and hospital admission and between hospital admission and diagnosis. >>>

Predictors of Advanced Stage Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis: Results of a Population-Based Study

Robert J. Campbell, MD, Jeanne M. Ferrante, MD, Eduardo C. Gonzalez, MD, Richard G. Roetzheim, MD, MSPH, Naazneen Pal, MPH, and Arthur Herold, MD

Odds for advanced stage colorectal diagnosis increased 24% for smokers, 43% for college graduates, and 14% for widowed individuals. Decreased odds were associated with increasing age and with those who were married. A 43% decrease in the odds existed for those with a median income greater than $50,000. Distal colorectal lesions increased with increasing educational levels and decreased with higher income levels. >>>

Expression of L-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 in a Rat Model of Liver Metastasis: Positive Correlation with Tumor Size

Satoru Tamal, MD, Hideki Masuda, MD, Yukimoto Ishii, MD, Shigeru Suzuki, MD, Yoshikatsu Kanal, MD, and Hitoshi Endou, MD

Positive staining of L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) was present in 43 of 90 metastatic nodules. In 51 of 90 areas surrounding the tumor nodules, the hepatocytes showed positive staining of LAT1. The average size of metastatic nodules with positive staining of LAT1 was significantly greater than that of the group with negative staining. >>>

Somatostatin Receptor Expression Profile as a Potential Criterion for Discrimination Between Seminoma and Non-Seminoma Testicular Tumors

Najima Baou, Mourad Bouras, Jean-Pierre Droz, Nicole Dutrieux-Berger, Raymonde Bouvier, Mohamed Benahmed and Slavica Krantic

Assessment of the expression of (sst1-sst5) somatostatin (SRIF) receptor mRNAs in testicular tissues permitted discrimination between normal samples, seminoma and non-seminoma tumors. Normal testicular tissues contained sst3, sst4, and sst5 transcripts, whereas non-seminomas contained sst1, sst3 and sst5 receptor mRNA. Seminomas expressed only sst5 SRIF receptor mRNA. >>>

Novel Human HALR Gene Encodes a Protein Homologous to ALR and to ALL-1 Involved in Leukemia, and Maps to Chromosome 7q36 Associated with Leukemia and Developmental Defects

Y C. Tan, BSc, and Vincent T. K. Chow, MD, PhD

A novel human gene, designated HALR, was identified and characterized containing 46 exons and is located on chromosome region 7q36 for which an open reading frame (ORF) encodes a large nuclear protein, comprising 4,025 KD. This HALR protein exhibited similarity to ALR (acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL]-1 related), ALL -1 myeloid/lymphoid or mixed lineage leukemia that influence differentiation and development. >>>

Anti-Lymphoma Immunity: Relative Efficacy of Peptide and Recombinant DNA Vaccine

So-Yon Lim, BS, Sreenivas Laxmanan, MS, Gary Stuart; BS, and Swapan K. Ghosh, PhD

Mice immunized with synthetic peptides conjugated to KLH (Keyhole limpet hemocyanin) did not provide lasting protection against tumor growth, except VH3-KLH which prolonged survival by over 20%. While single chain variable fragment plasmid alone prolonged survival by 25-40%, coadministration of GM-CSF plasmid permitted about 30% of the challenged mice to remain tumor-free. >>>

Effect of Two Years' Supplementation with Natural Antioxidants on Vitamin and Trace Element Status Biomarkers: Preliminary Data of the Su.Vi.Max Study

Denis J-M Malvy MD, PhD, A lain Favier, PhD, Henri Faure, PhD, Paul Preziosi, MD, Pilar Galan, MD, PhD, Josiane Arnaud, PhD, Anne-Marie Roussel, PhD, Serge Briançon, MD, and Serge Hercberg, MD, PhD

A total of 7,679 women and 5,056 men were given daily supplement of 120 mg vitamin C, 30 mg vitamin E, 6 mg beta-carotene, 100 micrograms selenium and 20 mg zinc. After 2 years, serum concentrations were significantly higher in the supplemented group for all antioxidant vitamins and minerals. >>>

Using Structural Equation Modeling to Examine Factors That Influence Sunburn Frequency and Severity Among Adults Living in Canada

Jean A. Shoveller, PhD, Pamela A. Ratner, PhD, RN, and Joy L. Johnson, PhD, RN

One-third of the survey respondents reported being exposed for more than 2 hours daily between June and August. About 24.5% had been given a diagnosis of skin cancer or a precancerous skin condition or had friends or family members with skin cancer. The survey did not reveal factors associated with sunburn apart from failure to wear protective clothing by nearly half the respondents. >>>

Prognostic Impact of Ets-1 Overexpression in Betel and Tobacco Related Oral Cancer

Prerna Pande, PhD, Shilpi Soni, MS, Nitin Chakravarti, MS Meera Mathur, MD, Nootan K. Shukia, MS, and Ranju Ralhan, PhD

Immunoreactivity of Ets-1 transcription factor, encoded by the protooncogene c-ets-1 was observed in 62% of oral squamous cell carcinomas predominantly in the invasive tumor regions and stroma. The Ets-1 protein was localized in the nucleus of endothelial cells with epithelioid morphology. A significant association was observed between ETS-1 immunopositivity and reduced disease-free survival. >>>

Herbert E. Nieburgs, MD
Worcester, MA
2001