Early markers of treatment response may help in the management of patients by predicting the outcome of a specific therapeutic intervention. Here, we studied the potential value of diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and (18)F-fluorothymidine ((18)F-FLT), markers of cell death and cell proliferation respectively, to predict the response to irradiation. In addition, dose escalation and/or carbogen breathing were used to modulate the response to irradiation. The studies were performed on two hypoxic rat tumor models: rhabdomyosarcoma and 9L-glioma. The rats were imaged using MRI and PET before and two days after the treatment. In both tumor models, changes in ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) and (18)F-FLT SUV (standardized uptake value) were significantly correlated with the tumor growth delay. For both tumor models, the ADC values increased in all irradiated groups two days after the treatment while they decreased in the untreated groups. At the same time, the uptake of (18)F-FLT increased in the untreated groups and decreased in all treated groups. Yet, ADC values were not sensitive enough to predict the added value of dose escalation or carbogen breathing in either model. Change in (18)F-FLT uptake was able to predict the higher tumor response when using increased dose of irradiation, but not when using a carbogen breathing challenge. Our results also emphasize that the magnitude of change in (18)F-FLT uptake was strongly dependent on the tumor model.

The development of drug resistance has largely limited the clinical outcome of anti-cancer treatment. Recent work has highlighted the involvement of non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), in cancer development. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-21 in the development of drug resistance to paclitaxel in gastric cancer cells. Our study found that the expression of miR-21 upregulated in the paclitaxel resistant cell line SGC7901/paclitaxel compared to its parental line SGC7901. Moreover, over-expression of miR-21 significantly decreased antiproliferative effects and apoptosis induced by paclitaxel, while knockdown of miR-21 dramatically increased antiproliferative effects and apoptosis induction by paclitaxel. Moreover, our results demonstrated that miR-21 may modulate the sensitivity to PTX, at least in part, by regulating the expression of P-glycoprotein.

We sought to study the effects of PI3K/Akt pathway and its downstream substrate NF-κB on prostate cancer bone metastatic process. Expression level of active p-Akt in PC3 cells was upregulated by transient expression with constitutively active plasmid CA-Akt or, alternatively, suppressed by dominant negative construct DN-Akt. NF-κB activity was determined by luciferase reporter assays. mRNA and protein expressions of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) were evaluated using RT-PCR and Western blotting. The effect of cross-talk between PC3 and SaOS2 cells on cell proliferation was analyzed using a co-culture system. Stimulation of p-Akt promoted NF-κB activity, and led to an increase in mRNA and protein expressions of RANKL, PTHrP, and BMP-2 in PC3 PCa cells through NF-κB. Co-culturing PC3 and SaOS2 cells significantly increased the expression of p-Akt and the activity of NF-κB, and promoted proliferation of both PC3 and SaOS2 cells. Increasing expression levels of p-Akt by transfection with CA-Akt led to further increase in cells proliferation, whereas NF-κB inhibitor PDTC partially blocked this effect. PI3K/Akt pathway stimulates the expressions of RANKL, PTHrP, and BMP-2 partly through NF-κB, suggesting its importance for bone metastasis of prostate carcinoma. Interaction of prostate cancer cells with bone cells has a stimulatory effect on cell proliferation.

The colorectal cancer (CC) is one of the most widespread type of cancer all over the world. It is confirmed that the screening procedures intended for timely detection of CC and adenomatous polyps, significantly decrease mortality. The colonoscopy and analysis offeces for occult blood are widely applied as screening procedures. However, they have a number of shortcomings. The studies of the last decade revealed number of genetic and epigenetic markers potentially permitting revealing patients with CC at early stages of development of disease. The article analyzes CC-specific microRNA and their possible interactions with different transcriptional factors. These factors, being integrated into the structure of so called network s with direct signal propagation, ensure special stability of all regulatory system. The derangement of functioning of these networks quite often results in pathological alterations.

To conduct a large, population-based study on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in breast cancer (BC) survivors treated in 1989 or later.

In patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, local-regional failure (LF) has been reported to occur in up to 20% of patients following radical cystectomy. The goals of this study were to describe patterns of LF, as well as assess factors associated with LF in a cohort of patients with pT3-4 bladder cancer. This information may have implications towards the use of adjuvant radiation therapy.

To describe radiation therapy cases during which voluntary incident reporting occurred; and identify patient- or treatment-specific factors that place patients at higher risk for incidents.

The novel ideas of fundamental role of mitochondria in the maintenance of viability of malignant cells have been reviewed. The modern state of research is considered in detail, including: mitochondrial control of the cellular redox state, sites of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in inner mitochondrial membrane and antioxidant protection systems. Specificities of the structural-functional mitochondrial remodelling in malignant tumors, the mechanisms of the energy metabolism reprogramming, enhancement of the ROS production and adaptation to the hypoxic conditions and metabolic stress are analyzed. The available data including our research on transplanted tumors indicate that cytotoxic action of sodium dichloroacetate (the inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase) depends on biological properties of tumors and intensity of structural-functional mitochondrial rearrangement. Dichloroacetate turned out to be effective for sarcoma 37, but not for Lewis lung carcinoma.

Diagnostic significance of estimation of the tartratresistent acid phosphatase (bone TRAP--5b) activity was studied for prognosis of occurrence of metastases in bones (MB) in patients with a renal-cell cancer (RCC). The risk of the MB occurrence was determined in patients after surgical treatment. A skeleton affection rate in patients, to whom zolendronic acid was prescribed, was trustworthy bigger, than such while conduction of treatment. So, application of bisphosphonates is recommended, in particular--zolendronic acid in dosage 4 mg every month under control of the bone TRAP--5b activity with objective of prophylaxis of the MB occurrence in patients, suffering RCC. But, we recommend for the MB diagnosis the method of determination of this marker activity as additional one while examining patients together with standard methods, including osteoscintigraphy, computer tomography.

There were observed 30 patients (32 tumors), to whom preoperatively for renal-cell cancer (ROC) a neoadjuvant target therapy (NATTH) was conducted. In 19 (66.7%) of them a pazopanib (800 mg per os once a day through 2 mo) was applied, and in 10 (33.3%)--sunitinib (50 mg per os once a day through 28 days, the gap--14 days, repeated course--28 days). The indications for the NATTH conduction were: in 7 (21.9%) patients--a locally--spread RCC with the objective to localize a tumor and to search a further possibility of radical surgical intervention performance, and in 25 (78.1%)--the tumor reduction and searching possibility of the organpreserving treatment conduction. The NATTH conduction in the patients, suffering RCC, have guaranteed a primary pathological focus reduction in 90% of observations, and a partial regression in accordance to the RECIST criteria--in 28.1%. A tumor reduction by (22.9 ± 17.8)% at average have permitted to perform a renal resection in 75% of observations, concerning localized RCC, when indication of preservation of enough functioning renal parenchyma was secured.

Results of surgical treatment of 18 patients in a thoracic surgery clinic for benign tumors of mediastinum are presented. The symptoms of benign tumors, efficacy of application of welding technologies in operative intervention were analyzed.

The results of treatment of 89 patients, suffering an acute accumulations of liquid (AAL)and postnecrotic pancreatic pseudocysts (PPP) on background of an acute necroticpancreatitis, were studied. The volume of AAL and PPP have constituted from 65 to2750 cm3. The alcohol abuse and alimentary factor--in 63 (70.7%) patients, biliary calculous disease--in 21 (23.6%), and other--in 5 (5.7%) have constituted the diseasecauses. In 33 (37%) patients miniinvasive interventions were performed, and in the rest--the endoscopic. Miniinvasive and endoscopic interventions for PPP were done in 4-8 weeks from the disease beginning.

The risk factors for peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) occurrence after radical surgical treatment of patients, suffering colorectal cancer, were analyzed. Probability of the disease recurrence occurrence have depended upon a patient's age, the invasion depth of primary tumor, its histological type and differentiation degree. Determination of independent predictors gives possibility to prognosticate the PC individually and to diagnose it early.

Results of treatment of 215 patients with colon cancer (CC), whom performed at the clinic radical or palliative intervention were analyzed. In 100 patients (control group) enteral nutrition (EN) began after the restoration of the alimentary canal functions; in 115 (main group)--no later than 12 hours after surgery. For the EN in all patients used a balanced liquid mixture "Frezubin" manufactured by Fresenius Kabi GmbH (Germany). It is proved that early EN is a safe and effective method in the program of the accelerated rehabilitation of patients after surgery for CC.

Abstract Own experience of treatment of patients for biliary calculous disease, coexistent with other abdominal and retroperitoneal organs diseases, was analyzed. The rate of postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCHES) occurrence in such patients was determined, the impact of simultant operative interventions using laparoscopic and laparotomic accesses on the rate of the PCHES occurrence was established. The elaborated diagnostic-treatment algorithm with application of measures, directed on the PCHES prophylaxis, was elaborated. There was established, that performance of simultant operations in accordance to strict indications secures a trustworthy reduction of the PCHES occurrence rate.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMMSCs) represent a crucial component of multiple myeloma (MM) microenvironment supporting its progression and proliferation. Recently, microRNAs have become an important point of interest for research on micro-environmental interactions in MM with some evidence of tumor supportive roles in MM. In this study, we examined the role of miR-223 for MM support in BMMSCs of 56 patients with MM (MM-BMMSCs). miR-223 expression in MM-BMMSCs was reduced by the presence of MM cells in vitro in a cell-contact dependent manner compared to mono-cultured MM-BMMSCs. Co-cultivation of MM cells and MM-BMMSCs induced activation of notch amongst others via jagged-2/notch-2 leading to increased expression of Hes1, Hey2, or Hes5 in both cell types. Cultivation of MM-BMMSCs with increasing levels of recombinant jagged-2 reduced miR-223 and increased Hes1 levels in a concentration-dependent manner. Transient reduction of miR-223 levels increased VEGF and IL-6 expression and secretion by MM-BMMSCs. In addition, reduction of miR-223 degraded the osteogenic differentiation potential of MM-BMMSCs. Inhibition of notch signaling induced apoptosis in both MM cells and MM-BMMSCs. Furthermore, it increased miR-223 levels and reduced expression of VEGF and IL-6 by both cell types. These data provide first evidence that miR-223 participates in different MM supporting pathways in MM-BMMSCs inlcuding regulation of cytokine secretion and expression as well as osteogenic differentiation of MM-BMMSCs. More insights on the role of miR-223 in MM-BMMSCs and in cellular interactions between MM cells and MM-BMMSCs could provide starting points for a more efficient anti-myeloma treatment by targeting of notch signaling. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ocular surface tumors are commonly encountered by ophthalmologists and ophthalmic pathologists. These tumors have varied clinical manifestations. In this article, we discuss the most commonly encountered non-melanocytic and melanocytic ocular surface tumors, with emphasis on their common clinical features, morphologic patterns, and prognostic factors.