We explored the clinical usefulness of serum carbonic anhydrase 9 as a potential biomarker for conventional renal cell cancer.This study included 91 patients with conventional renal cell cancer and 32 healthy individuals. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the carbonic anhydrase 9 level. A followup (median 38 months) was performed to track early recurrence after surgery for patients with localized disease. Recurrence-free survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test.The mean serum carbonic anhydrase 9 level in patients with metastatic conventional renal cell cancer (216.68 +/- 67.02 pg/ml) or localized conventional renal cell cancer (91.65 +/- 13.29 pg/ml) was significantly higher than in healthy individuals (14.59 +/- 6.22 pg/ml, p <0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). The mean serum carbonic anhydrase 9 level in patients with metastatic conventional renal cell cancer was significantly higher than in those with localized disease (p = 0.004). Of patients with localized disease those with recurrence had a significantly higher serum carbonic anhydrase 9 than those without recurrence (p = 0.001). On univariate analysis serum carbonic anhydrase 9, tumor stage, tumor grade and tumor size were associated with recurrence. The recurrence-free survival curve indicates that patients with a high serum carbonic anhydrase 9 level had a significantly higher recurrence rate than those with a low serum carbonic anhydrase 9 (p = 0.001).Our data suggest that serum carbonic anhydrase 9 is increased as the tumor progression occurs. A high carbonic anhydrase 9 level is associated with postoperative recurrence.
Flow cytometry allows quantitative analysis of cancer cells. The aim of this study was to make a quantitative study of antigen expression in malignant and normal renal cells in order to find the efficient monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for labelling renal cancer cells.15 malignant and adjacent normal renal tissues and three renal carcinoma cell lines (ACHN, A704 and CAKI-2) were analyzed. The malignant and normal renal tissues were dissociated mechanically into cell suspension. The mAbs and isotype controls were used for immunochemical labelling. The stained cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.Renal tumor associated antigen G 250 was frequently detected in malignant renal cells but not in normal renal cells. Renal tumor associated antigen gp200 recognized by 66.4.C2 and PN-15 was frequently detected in malignant cells, normal renal cells and also in all three carcinoma cell lines. Epithelial antigens were strongly positive in normal renal cells. Compared with MOC 31, Ber-EP4 and E 29, W-lD9 was mostly reactive to malignant renal cells. VU-1D9 was strongly positive on ACHN and A704. The carbohydrate carcinoma antigens CA 125, DF3 and Sialyl Lewis(a) were detectable in some of the malignant and normal renal cells. Sialyl Lewis(a) could be weakly detected on ACHN and A 704. Pan-cytokeratins and cytokeratin (CK) 8 were strongly expressed in malignant and normal renal cells and in all three cell lines.Our results indicated that G 250, 66.4.Ca, PN-15, VU-1D9, MNF116 and anti-ckg were efficient mAbs for labelling renal cancer cells. Their potential clinical application by flow cytometry should be explored.
Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a soft-tissue neoplasm composed of proliferating capillary pericytes. It has variable and unpredictable malignancy and most commonly occurs in the fifth or sixth decade of life. Diagnosis is based on the histological aspect. HPC is exceedingly rare in childhood. In both adults and children, curative surgery is the most important predictor of survival. The place of chemotherapy in the treatment of HPC is not well established. We describe a case of adult-type metastatic HPC of the thigh in a 13-year-old boy. The response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was excellent, and local control of this initially unresectable tumor was achieved without radiation therapy or mutilating surgery. The child is alive and well and has had 8 years of follow-up after treatment.
Abstract Purpose: Our main goal was to evaluate a panel of molecular markers for the detection of cancer cells in serous effusions and to determine their value as an adjunctive reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) test to cytologic examination. Experimental Design: One hundred fourteen serous effusions from 71 patients with tumors and 43 patients with benign diseases were subjected to RT-PCR for expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM), E-cadherin, mammaglobin, mucin 1 (MUC1) isoforms MUC1/REP, MUC1/Y, and MUC1/Z, calretinin, and Wilms' tumor 1 susceptibility gene. Results: CEA, Ep-CAM, E-cadherin, and mammaglobin were specifically expressed in malignant effusions. The sensitivity of RT-PCR in cytologically negative malignant effusions was 63.1% combining CEA and Ep-CAM (with 100% specificity) and reached 78.9% adding MUC1/Y or MUC1/Z (with 93% specificity). In the whole population of effusions, the combination of cytology with RT-PCR of CEA and Ep-CAM yielded a 90.1% sensitivity, a specificity and a positive predictive value of 100%, and a 86% negative predictive value for malignancy. Adding MUC1/Y or MUC1/Z to the panel, the sensitivity was 94.5% with 93% specificity, 95.7% PPV, and 90.9% negative predictive value. Moreover, CEA and mammaglobin were specifically expressed in epithelial malignancies, and mammaglobin was mainly expressed in effusions from breast carcinoma (97.3% of specificity). Conclusions: A combination of cytology and RT-PCR analysis of CEA and Ep-CAM significantly improved the detection sensitivity of tumor cells in serous effusions. RT-PCR analysis of CEA, Ep-CAM, and mammaglobin in serous effusions could be a beneficial adjunct to cytology for the diagnosis of malignancy.
