A 47-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a nine-week history of visual disturbance, headache, disorientation and facial nerve palsy. Serial cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed progressive bilateral occipital edema with hemorrhage and meningeal involvement. There were no hints of hereditary or acquired immunodeficiency. Laboratory examination for bacterial and viral causes was negative. Open brain biopsy revealed primary central nervous system lymphoma of the extraordinary rare so-called “peripheral” T-cell type. The further course was fatal; the patient died 10 weeks after the onset of symptoms from tumor progression before planned chemotherapy could be started. Conclusion: If primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is suspected, brain biopsy - either open biopsy or stereotactic biopsy - should be performed straight away to enable a rapid start of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Peripheral T-cell lymphoma was highly aggressive in this case leading to the patient's death within several weeks.
The clinical course of glioblastoma multiforme is characterised by invasive growth and regular recurrence. Many genetic alteration have been identified in the genesis of the disease. However, information about immunohistochemical expression in recurrent lesions is sparse.To determine (1) whether the p53/mdm2/EGFR/msh2 expression pattern differs in initial v recurrent glioblastoma multiforme; (2) whether a possible change in expression correlates with prognostic variables (progression-free survival time, total survival time); and (3) whether chemotherapy in addition to surgery and radiotherapy influences the p53/mdm2/EGFR/msh2 expression profile.27 patients were studied. They met the following criteria: histologically confirmed diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme (WHO IV); total tumour resection at initial craniotomy; at least one re-craniotomy for glioblastoma multiforme recurrence; age 21 years or older. All underwent radiotherapy of at least 54 Gy, and 17 received additional chemotherapy. Immunohistochemical staining of initial tumours and recurrences was done with the following monoclonal antibodies: anti-p53 (DO-1), anti-mdm2 (IF-2), anti-EGFR (H11), and anti-msh2 (AB-1).In comparison with the initial tumour, recurrent lesions were characterised by reduced expression of p53 (p < 0.0001) and msh2 (p = 0.0012), while the numbers of mdm2 (p = 0.02), EGFR (p < 0.0001), and msh2 positive specimens (p < 0.0001) were reduced. Chemotherapy was associated with reduced msh2 expression (p < 0.0001). Immunohistochemical variables were not associated with patient survival.There are significant differences in the p53/mdm2/EGFR/msh2 expression patterns in initial v recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. There may be interactions between chemotherapy and changes in the msh2 expression.
The aim of the present study was to detect differentially expressed genes in human bladder cancer cell lines using a non-radioactive RNA fingerprinting technique (arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction of RNA, RAP-PCR). The two clonal urothelial cancer cell lines, RT4 and J82, show different growth kinetics upon stimulation with EGF. By RAP-PCR we detected changes in band patterns for J82 cells treated with EGF but not for RT4 cells. Polymorphic fragments were further characterized and sequences from two of these gave a perfect match to the coding sequence of the human tropomyosin gene TM30(pl) and the human MAC30 gene, respectively. In accordance with the results of RAP-PCR downregulation in EGF-stimulated J82 cells could be demonstrated by reverse transcription PCR.
20057 Background: Recently our demonstrated that the expression of several Metastasis Suppressor Genes (MSG) is reduced in breast cancer brain metastases. Current data suggest that MSG Maspin (serpin B5) is a promising candidate for further treatment options. So, we examined the mRNA and protein expression of Maspin in normal breast tissue, breast cancer primaries, -brain metastases and breast cancer cell lines. Methods: Maspin mRNA expression was examined by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in fresh frozen samples from normal breast tissue, breast cancer primaries and -brain metastases. Furthermore maspin was examined in poorly invasive and non-metastatic breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, T47-D, in highly invasive and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (231-parental) and in brain- and bone-selective metastatic clones (231-brain, 231-bone). Maspin protein was detected by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded sections from 16 patients with breast cancer primaries and brain metastases using a specific monoclonal mouse antibody. Results: In relation to normal breast tissue, maspin mRNA expression was decreased in primary tumors and again decreased in brain metastases. Normalized ΔCT values were 1 (normal tissue), 0.3 (primary tumors) and 0.13 (brain metastases). Immunohistochemistry revealed the same tendency. 3 of 16 (19%) breast cancer primaries were positive whereas none of the brain metastases showed positive maspin staining. In comparison to poorly invasive breast cancer cell lines, maspin mRNA expression was decreased in 231-parental, increased in 231-brain and not detectable in 231-bone. Conclusions: Maspin expression is reduced in breast cancer brain metastases. It is differentially expressed in brain- and bone-selective metastatic cell lines. These results suggest an important role for maspin in breast cancer brain metastasis. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
