Background.Althoughfine-needle aspiration (FNA) is 907 o sensitive in the detection of papillary carcinoma (PC) of the thyroid, its specz@city has been reported as low as 52 %.Consequently, patients who have an FNA suspicious for PC may undergo operation for a benign process.The ribonucleoprotein telomerase has been noted to be activated in a wide variety of carcinomas.We examined 30 PCs for telomerase activity to determine whether this would be a useful adjunct to FNA in the diaposis of lesions suspicious for PC.Methods.Standard telomere repeat amplajiication protocol assays were performed on fresh frozen tissue samples from 30 PCs, 3 benign nodules, and 10 normal thyroids.Results.Telomerase activity was documented in 20 of 30 (67%) of the PCs, 0 of 3 benign nodules, and 0 of 10 normal thyroids.In all, 11 of the 20 PCs had EVA cytology that was nondiagnostic of PC, and 2 of the benign nodules had FNA that was suspicious for PC.Conclusions.The telomerase assay appears useful in the distinction of benign from malignant thyroid lesions that have FNA suspicious for but not diagnostic of PC.On the basis of these findings, a prospective trial examining telomerase activity in FNAs suspicious for thyroid cancer has been initiated.
<div>Abstract<p>Based on the oncogenic role of phosphatidylinositol glycan (PIG) class U in human tumors, we explored the role of two additional subunits of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) transamidase complex in human breast cancer. We found that PIG class T (PIG-T) and GPI anchor attachment 1 (GPAA1) were overexpressed in breast cancer cell lines and primary tumors. Forced expression of PIG-T and GPAA1 transformed NIH3T3 cells <i>in vitro</i> and increased tumorigenicity and invasion of these cells <i>in vivo</i>. Suppression of PIG-T expression in breast cancer cell lines led to inhibition of anchorage-independent growth. Moreover, we found that PIG-T and GPAA1 expression levels positively correlated with paxillin phosphorylation in invasive breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, suppression of PIG-T and GPAA1 expression led to a decrease in paxillin phosphorylation with a concomitant decrease in invasion ability. These results suggest that the GPI transamidase complex is composed of a group of proto-oncogenes that individually or as a group contribute to breast cancer growth. This aberrant growth is mediated, at least partially, by phosphorylation of paxillin, contributing to invasion and progression of breast cancer. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(22): 9829-36) (Cancer Res 2006; 66(20): 9829-36)</p></div>
<p>Supplementary Figure 2 displays the relationship between the week 8 CM level and the change in CM level (Week 8 – baseline). Figure S4B and C use box plots to display the relationship between disease status at first restaging and week 8 CM level or change in CM level (Week 8 – baseline).</p>
