Tuesday, January 17, 2012
open access - PLoS ONE: Identification of a Potential Ovarian Cancer Stem Cell Gene Expression Profile from Advanced Stage Papillary Serous Ovarian Cancer
"...We propose the side population of ascites from women with high-grade advanced stage papillary serous ovarian adenocarcinoma would be enriched for cancer stem-like cells, and would express a gene signature trend for “stemness” in ovarian cancer stem-like cells...."
"Ethics Statement
Fresh ascites was obtained from 10 women with high-grade advanced stage ovarian adenocarcinoma at the time of primary cytoreductive surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA......
".....In summary, an expression profile for SP enriched for cancer stem-like cells from ascites of ovarian cancer patients is reported. The nature of the “stemness” of the SP gene signature was demonstrated by the identification of several stem cell-related genes including an activated Notch signaling pathway. The results were biologically validated using identified SP population from human ovarian cancer cell lines. The SP gene list generated from ovarian cancer patients was also found to be enriched in recurrent tumors from ovarian cancer patients. These results have important implications concerning the tumor recurrence and potential therapeutic approach. The SP cells showed a dose dependent sensitivity towards Notch pathway inhibitor, suggests the Notch signaling pathway may be an important therapeutic target in ovarian cancer."
Controversies in Oncologist-Patient Communication: A Nuanced Approach to Autonomy, Culture, and Paternalism - Cancer Network
"....Several aspects of communication between oncologists and their patients remain contentious:
• Autonomy: To what degree must physicians observe the principle of full disclosure in order to ensure true autonomy and informed decision making on the part of the patient?
• Culture: In caring for patients from different cultures, how should the physician respond to requests of family members who claim that in their culture decision making should be left to the family rather than to the patient?
• Paternalism: How does one balance the need for information with the concern that some patients may be harmed by physicians' honoring requests for either too much or too little information? When should the physician invoke the “therapeutic privilege” of paternalistically overriding a patient request or not seeking the patient's opinion?...."
Rexall Recalls Calcium Vitamin Softgels Lot On Undeclared Shellfish
"The recalled product involves only one lot number 387651-04, and has product number 45211, UPC Code 3 01220 45211 3, and expiration date 08/15."
FDA fines Red Cross $9.6 million - Healthcare business news and research | Modern Healthcare (includes copies of letters FDA and Red Cross)
"....The Red Cross said in a written statement that the fine focuses on one inspection conducted at a donor and client support center in Philadelphia more than a year ago. The not-for-profit also said it is addressing other issues cited by the FDA in the letter.
“We are disappointed that the FDA believed it necessary to issue a fine for an inspection conducted so long ago and it is important to know we have already taken corrective steps to address those matters and that improvements in operations have been made,” the Red Cross said. “We are not aware of any adverse donor reactions or patient issues due to the problems in the FDA report.”
Ovarian cancer susceptibility alleles and risk of ovarian cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers - abstract
Abstract
"Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are associated with increased risks of breast and ovarian cancer. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified six alleles associated with risk of ovarian cancer for women in the general population. We evaluated four of these loci as potential modifiers of ovarian cancer risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers."
"Four SNPs, rs10088218 (at 8q24), rs2665390 (at 3q25), rs717852 (at 2q31) and rs9303542 (at 17q21), were genotyped in 12,599 BRCA1 and 7,132 BRCA2 carriers, including 2,678 ovarian cancer cases."
" The identification of multiple loci modifying ovarian cancer risk may be useful for counselling women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations regarding their risk of ovarian cancer."
"Four SNPs, rs10088218 (at 8q24), rs2665390 (at 3q25), rs717852 (at 2q31) and rs9303542 (at 17q21), were genotyped in 12,599 BRCA1 and 7,132 BRCA2 carriers, including 2,678 ovarian cancer cases."
" The identification of multiple loci modifying ovarian cancer risk may be useful for counselling women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations regarding their risk of ovarian cancer."
Cochrane Summaries website wins plain language award | The Cochrane Collaboration
Cochrane Summaries website wins plain language award
Only recently launched, the Cochrane Summaries website (summaries.cochrane.org) has received global attention, which reached a pinnacle when The Cochrane Collaboration was awarded the runner-up trophy for the best public website by the Plain English Campaign, which has been “fighting for crystal-clear communication since 1979.” David Tovey, the Editor in Chief of the Cochrane Library, explains that "The Cochrane Summaries website aims to deliver the credible, accessible, and impartial information that patients and carers need to improve understanding and promote shared decision making."...
BMC Medical Research Methodology | Full text | Characteristics of meta-analyses and their component studies in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: a cross-sectional, descriptive analysis
Background
Cochrane systematic reviews collate and summarise studies of the effects of healthcare interventions. The characteristics of these reviews and the meta-analyses and individual studies they contain provide insights into the nature of healthcare research and important context for the development of relevant statistical and other methods."Some of the more widely studied medical specialty areas in the CDSR include meta-analyses that are able to draw upon a wealth of studies, the largest containing 294 [15], whilst 1% of meta-analyses contain 28 studies or more. Among the 11 specialty categories we used, cancer had a slightly higher median number of included studies (5) than any of the other categories."
"Study sizes show notable variation across medical specialties. The medians and quartiles are highest in cancer, and high also for meta-analyses in the areas of infectious diseases and gynaecology, pregnancy and birth. Study sizes tend to be lower in the areas of mental health and behavioural conditions and pathological conditions, symptoms and signs."abstract: Combined treatment of L1CAM antibodies and cytostatic drugs improve the therapeutic response of pancreatic and ovarian carcinoma
Abstract: The adhesion molecule L1CAM (CD171) accounts for enhanced motility, invasiveness and chemoresistance of tumor cells and represents a novel marker for various tumor entities including pancreatic and ovarian carcinoma. Recently, we showed that L1CAM inhibition increases the apoptotic response of tumor cells towards cytostatic drugs pointing to the potential of L1CAM to serve as a chemosensitizer in anti-cancer therapy. Thus, the present study evaluated the therapeutic potential of combined treatment with L1CAM antibodies and chemotherapeutic drugs in pancreatic and ovarian carcinoma model systems in vivo.....
abstract: Uterine Serous Carcinoma: Increased Familial Risk for Lynch-Associated Malignancies.
Abstract
Purpose:Serous uterine cancer is not a feature of any known hereditary cancer syndrome. This study evaluated familial risk of cancers for serous uterine carcinoma patients, focusing on Lynch syndrome malignancies.
CONCLUSIONS: We identified an excess of endometrial, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers in relatives of serous cancer patients in a single institution study. Follow-up studies suggest only pancreatic cancers are over-represented in relatives. DNA mismatch repair defects in familial clustering of pancreatic and other Lynch-associated malignancies are unlikely. The excess of pancreatic cancers in relatives may reflect an as yet unidentified hereditary syndrome that includes uterine serous cancers.
Avastin: New Ovarian Cancer Drug Approved By European Medicines Watchdog Gives New Hope To Sufferers | UK News + link to Cancer Drugs Fund in England/UK
"We are delighted that Avastin is now available to women across the country."
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has yet to consider the drugs for routine use by the NHS.
But it is available through the Cancer Drugs Fund in England. Doctors in other parts of the UK can make individual applications for funding.
abstract: Synchronous gynecologic malignancy and preliminary results of Lynch syndrome (Korean women)
METHODS:
Thirty six women with synchronous gynecologic tumors of endometrial and ovarian cancer were identified among patients being treated at our institution.CONCLUSION:
In this study, the frequency of Lynch syndrome associated immunohistochemical staining (MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6) group was estimated as 9% (3/32) among Korean women with synchronous gynecologic tumors.
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