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Biomedical subjects

B H Mayall

Publications and source records attributed to B H Mayall.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Tumor angiogenesis as a prognostic assay for invasive ductal breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Tumor angiogenesis, as assayed by microvessel density, has been proposed as an independent prognostic marker for clinical outcome in breast cancer patients. PURPOSE: The present study evaluated the microvessel density assay and assessed its utility, alone and together with the evaluation of other tumor characteristics, in predicting outcome in patients with invasive ductal carcinomas. METHODS: In a blinded design, cases of invasive ductal carcinoma were selected from a registry containing the records of and tumor specimens from 386 breast cancer patients treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1977 through 1982. After the exclusion of ineligible patients and inadequate specimens, 220 patients were included in the study; their median time of follow-up was 11.5 years. Half of these patients (n = 110) were positive for axillary lymph node metastases. Histologic sections of the tumors were stained immunocytochemically for factor VIII, a coagulation protein expressed by blood vessel endothelium, and for p53 protein. Independently, two analysts counted microvessels in three microscope fields selected from separate vascular regions of the tumor. Variability in microvessel scores between analysts and among different fields of the same tumor was summarized by the coefficient of variation. The kappa statistic tested for agreement between the analysts while correcting for chance agreement. The effects of tumor characteristics on metastasis-free survival and overall survival were tested univariately by the Harrington-Fleming rank test procedure. The effect of multiple factors on survival was tested under a Cox multivariate proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Microvessel count showed considerable variability between the two analysts and among regions within each tumor, with an overall concordance for tumor classification of 73%. Univariate analysis revealed no association between microvessel count and any other tumor or patient characteristic. Multivariate analysis indicated, for these patients, that nodal status and p53 staining predicted metastasis-free survival and that nodal status, estrogen receptor (ER) status and tumor grade predicted overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Microvessel count showed much variation among different regions of each tumor. It did not predict metastasis-free survival or overall survival. Nodal status was the most powerful criterion to stratify these patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast into different survival groups. Only ER status, tumor grade, and p53 staining had additional prognostic utility for these patients after they had been stratified by nodal status.

Analysis of Variance↗

Cell proliferation in hyperplastic and in situ carcinoma lesions of the breast estimated by in vivo labeling with bromodeoxyuridine.

The proliferative activity of normal, benign proliferative, and carcinoma in situ (CIS) breast lesions was studied by in vivo labeling with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in 35 patients with concurrent breast carcinoma. The BrdU-labeled cells were identified on histologic sections by an anti-BrdU monoclonal antibody and an immunoperoxidase reaction. The percentage of BrdU-labeled cells in nonatypical hyperplasia (NAH) was higher (1.15 +/- 1.14%) than normal epithelial cells (0.67 +/- 0.56%, p = 0.066, borderline significance). This difference was very significant in postmenopausal women and disappeared in premenopausal women. No significant difference was found in the fraction of proliferating cells between NAH and atypical hyperplasia (AH): 1.15 +/- 1.14% for NAH versus 1.26 +/- 1.19% for AH. In CIS and in invasive carcinoma (ICA), a significant increase in the percent of BrdU-labeled cells was observed when compared to the normal epithelial cells or NAH (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in the values of BrdU-labeled cells between CIS and ICA (p = 0.29). The percent of BrdU-labeled cells in benign breast lesions, including fibroadenoma, papilloma, and sclerosing adenosis, did not differ from those of the normal epithelial cells. The menopausal status of the patients did not affect the proliferative activity in NAH or CIS. No correlation was found in the fraction of BrdU-labeled cells between the normal and hyperplastic epithelial cells (r2 = 0.012) or between NAH and CIS (r2 = 0.406) or between CIS and ICA (r2 = 0.429).

Adult↗

Comparison of five histopathologic methods to assess cellular proliferation in transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder vary in their biologic potential, which may be correlated with the grade and stage of the tumor. Cellular proliferation may prove to be another measure of predicting tumor biologic potential. We have compared five different methods to assess proliferation in 26 tumors and correlated these results with tumor grade and stage. A portion of each tumor was incubated in vitro with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd). For each tumor this was compared with at least three of the following four other markers of proliferation: mitotic count, silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions, immunohistochemical staining with Ki67, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Statistical correlations were seen between tumor grade and stage and these markers. There were strong correlations between the BrdUrd labeling index (LI) and both the Ki67 LI and proliferating cell nuclear antigen LI. The correlation between the BrdUrd LI and mitotic count was more tenuous; no significant correlation was found between BrdUrd LI and silver-stained nucleolar organizer region count. The correlation between these measurements of proliferation and tumor grade and stage was less strong. Our data suggest that cellular proliferation of transitional cell carcinomas can be reliably assessed with several different markers and that most of these markers can be correlated with tumor grade but not with stage.

Bromodeoxyuridine↗

Cell proliferation in prostatic adenocarcinoma: in vitro measurement by 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression.

We assessed cancer cell proliferation, a marker of the biologic activity of tumor cells, by evaluating bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporation and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression. Prostatic carcinoma specimens (N = 48) were incubated in the presence of BrdUrd to label cells undergoing DNA synthesis, and immunocytochemical staining was performed with monoclonal antibodies to BrdUrd and PCNA and a standard indirect immunoperoxidase technique. The proportion of cells staining positively (labeling index or LI) for BrdUrd and PCNA was determined in 2 ways: by counting only high-power fields with the greatest concentration of stained cells (selected LI); or by counting cells in random fields (random LI). For BrdUrd the mean selected and random LIs were 3.08% and 1.62%, respectively; for PCNA they were 6.02% and 3.47%. Random and selected BrdUrd correlated well (r2 = 0.83), as did random and selected PCNA LIs (r2 = 0.86). However, a weaker correlation was noted when LIs of both techniques were compared, with the PCNA LI usually higher. The LIs of either technique correlated rather poorly with tumor grade and concentration of prostate-specific antigen, but correlated well with clinical stage as assessed by examination and imaging. In addition, either technique discriminated among tumors known to be pathologically confined (stages A and B) and those with extension to seminal vesicles (stage C) or metastatic to regional lymph nodes or bone (p < 0.019).

Adenocarcinoma↗

5-Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and PCNA expression as measures of cell proliferation in transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Cell proliferation in 66 transitional cell carcinomas of the human urinary bladder was evaluated using immunohistochemical detection of in vitro 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporation and of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The labeling index (LI) was defined as percent of labeled nuclei for 2000 tumor nuclei counted. The BrdUrd LI ranged from 0.2% to 38.9%, geometric mean = 8.4% (n = 61), and the PCNA LI ranged from 0.4% to 64.1%, geometric mean = 12.7% (n = 60). For the 55 tumors that were stained by both procedures, the BrdUrd LI showed a highly significant regression on the PCNA LI (BrdUrd LI = 0.74 * PCNA LI, R2 = 0.71, p < 0.0001, coefficient of variation of residual = 17.7%, log transformed data). When compared to clinical and histopathologic criteria, both labeling indices were substantially lower in low grade (Grade 1) versus high grade (Grades 2 and 3) tumors and in Ta tumors versus higher stage T1, T2, and T3 tumors. These studies show that BrdUrd incorporation can be used reliably to measure cell proliferation in fresh bladder tissue, that PCNA labeling is a similar measure of cell proliferation, and that both measures are low in tumors of low histopathologic grade and stage.

Aged↗

Effects of short-term culture on benign and malignant human breast epithelium analyzed by image analysis.

The ability to culture malignant breast cells is crucial to the success of many scientific studies. However, short-term cultures of breast cancers are composed predominantly of DNA diploid cells, leading to doubt regarding the presence of bonafide cancer cells in these cultures. Morphology by conventional light microscopy is not helpful since cultured benign cells take on features usually associated with malignancy. In this study we examined by image analysis both benign and malignant breast cancer cells before and after culture. Consistent changes in both benign and malignant cells were found following culturing. There also were consistent differences distinguishing the cultures derived from benign and malignant specimens. While the features used were not sufficiently powerful to identify individual cells or cultures as benign or malignant, our results strongly suggest that malignant breast cells do indeed grow in short-term cultures.

Adult↗

Accumulation of p53 tumor suppressor gene protein: an independent marker of prognosis in breast cancers.

BACKGROUND: Mutations of the tumor suppressor gene p53 have been identified in breast cancer cell lines, and some breast carcinomas are detectable by immunohistochemical assay because of p53 protein accumulation. PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether p53 protein accumulation in breast cancers correlates with p53 gene mutation, with survival, and with five pathobiologic factors associated with prognosis. METHODS: IgG1 monoclonal antibody to human p53 protein (PAb 1801) and immunohistochemical methods were used to detect p53 protein accumulation in archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, randomly selected carcinomas. We studied 295 invasive ductal carcinomas from the Massachusetts General Hospital; 151 were determined to be sporadic (not hereditary). We also studied 97 invasive ductal carcinomas--21 sporadic and 76 familial (hereditary)--from Creighton University. In addition, we examined 31 archival in situ carcinomas, 15 snap-frozen invasive ductal carcinomas, primary cell cultures from three benign breast tissue samples, and breast carcinoma cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468. RESULTS: Nuclear p53 protein was observed in 16% of the 31 in situ carcinomas, 22% of the 172 sporadic carcinomas, 34% of the 50 tumors from patients with familial breast cancer, 52% of the 23 tumors from patients with the familial breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, and all three tumors from two patients with the Li-Fraumeni syndrome. There was complete concordance between p53 gene mutation and p53 protein accumulation in the 15 snap-frozen carcinomas and in both breast carcinoma cell lines. Statistically significant associations of p53 protein accumulation with estrogen receptor negativity and with high nuclear grade were found. There were statistically significant associations, independent of other prognostic factors, between p53 protein accumulation and metastasis-free and overall survival, for randomly accrued and for both sporadic and familial tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemically detected p53 protein accumulation was an independent marker of shortened survival and was seen more often in familial than in sporadic carcinomas. Our findings also suggest a correlation between p53 protein accumulation and p53 gene mutation.

Age Factors↗

Correlation of Pneumocystis carinii cyst density with mortality in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and pneumocystis pneumonia.

Fifteen percent to 20% of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and pneumocystis pneumonia do poorly despite early intervention. It is not known what distinguishes those who die, despite early intervention and aggressive therapy, from those who readily respond to therapy. We used image analysis to determine the relative abundance of cysts within aggregates of Pneumocystis carinii found in induced sputa (21 patients) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (14 patients) from 35 patients with pneumocystis pneumonia. We calculated a cyst density (number of cysts per area of aggregate) for each aggregate and a mean cyst density for all of the aggregates on the smear. Six patients died within 2 weeks of diagnosis; four of these six patients who had autopsies all had residual P carinii. The mean cyst density for those who died was 9.7 +/- 3.9 (range, 5 to 15 x 10(-3)). The 29 patients who survived beyond 2 weeks had a mean cyst density of 18.4 +/- 8.7 (range, 5 to 35 x 10(-3); P = .01). Mean cyst density was not influenced by the number of aggregates present in the smear, the variation in cyst density among aggregates in a smear, or the episode of pneumocystis pneumonia. Cyst density determinations alone should not be used to predict outcome for individuals with P carinii pneumonia until further study is completed. Nevertheless, the current study suggests that a low cyst density specimen, which may indirectly indicate a greater proportion of trophozoites compared with a high cyst density specimen, may be associated with an unfavorable outcome in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated pneumocystis pneumonia.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

DNA changes in progressive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Cervical intra-epithelial neoplasm (CIN) is treated as a progressive lesion, even though most CIN will not progress to invasive cancer if left untreated. This study focussed on DNA-cytometric analysis of cytologic smears of patients who had developed invasive cancer after initial smears showing CIN. The first part of the study aimed at describing the DNA-cytometric changes in these progressive ('malignant') CIN lesions. In the second part a cluster analysis was performed on 'malignant' CIN III lesions and CIN III lesions, with 'unknown' malignant potential. The results indicated that 'malignant' CIN lesions developed high DNA-index (DI) values during malignant transformation, as demonstrated by increasing mean DI values, a high percentage of DNA-aneuploidy and 2.5c Exceeding Rates. Furthermore, a trend-like pattern of texture feature values occurred in 'malignant' CIN lesions with increasing severity. These findings provide objective quantitative confirmation of the evolution of nuclear changes during malignant transformation. Cluster analysis showed that it was possible, using a set of four cytometric features, to subdivide the 'unknown' CIN III lesions into a cluster of lesions with feature values similar to the vast majority of the 'malignant' CIN III lesions, and a second cluster of lesions with feature values dissimilar to 'malignant' CIN III. It is argued that the profile of 'malignant' CIN has become clearer and that the results of this study may serve as a basis for a more objective cytopathologic subdivision of premalignant CIN. It may be justified to follow up patients whose lesions do not yet fit this 'malignant' profile. Not treating the non-progressive lesion group will avoid putting these patients at risk.

Aneuploidy↗

Centromeric copy number of chromosome 7 is strongly correlated with tumor grade and labeling index in human bladder cancer.

The relationship between interphase cytogenetics and tumor grade, stage, and proliferative activity was investigated in 27 transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization with chromosome-specific DNA probes, the copy number of pericentromeric sequences on chromosomes 7, 9, and 11 was detected within interphase nuclei in touch preparations from tumor biopsies. Monosomy of chromosome 9 was detected in 9 of 22 cases (41%), while tetrasomy for chromosomes 7 and 11 was detected in 10 of 26 (38%) and 6 of 23 (26%) cases, respectively. Copy number of chromosome 7 was the most highly correlated with increasing tumor grade (r2 = 0.616, P less than 0.001, Spearman rank correlation) or increasing pathological stage (r2 = 0.356, P less than 0.002). Copy number for chromosome 9 did not correlate with either grade or stage (P greater than 0.05). Tumor labeling index (LI) was determined after in vitro 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, while proliferating cell nuclear antigen LI was determined immunohistochemically. Increasing LI by either method correlated with increasing copy number for all three chromosomes tested (r2 = 0.473, P less than 0.002 for 7; r2 = 0.384, P less than 0.01 for 11; and r2 = 0.316, P less than 0.05 for 9). Since high tumor grade, stage, and LI are all indicative of more aggressive tumor behavior and worse prognosis, these findings suggest that polysomy, especially for chromosome 7, may be highly predictive for bladder tumor aggressiveness.

Aged↗

Interphase cytogenetics of a male breast cancer.

Direct interphase cytogenetic analysis was performed on nuclei from a male breast tumor using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). DNA probes specific for repetitive pericentromeric regions on chromosomes 1, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 18, X, and Y were used to determine chromosome copy numbers in interphase tumor cells. Copy number distributions varied greatly between chromosomes, showing major tumor populations with on (Y), two (X,9), three (11, 15, 18), and four (1, 7, 17) copies of the pericentromeric targets. The X chromosome was present in two copies in 84.7% of tumor nuclei, with the balance being primarily monosomic. Normal skin fibroblasts cultured from the same patient showed 99% monosomy X. The Y chromosome showed a minor population (12%) with two copies. The DNA index of the tumor was 2.0 as determined by flow cytometry. The proliferative activity of the tumor cells was simultaneously analyzed using detection of in vivo bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. The BrdU labeling index was 13.2%.

Adult↗

Simultaneous analysis of chromosomal aneusomy and 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation in MCF-7 breast tumor cell line.

We describe a new method to determine simultaneously both proliferative status and chromosome copy number within individual interphase cells. The MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line was used as a model system to characterize proliferative activity in karyotypically defined cell subpopulations. Cells were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in vitro and incorporation was monitored with IU4 mouse anti-BrdU. Biotinylated, digoxigenin-labeled, or acetylamino-fluorene-conjugated repetitive sequence DNA probes were hybridized to target interphase nuclei. Three-color fluorescence labeling allowed simultaneous detection of two chromosome pairs and designation of cells undergoing DNA synthesis. This technique may also be used for simultaneous characterization of proliferative and karyotypic heterogeneity in primary human tumors.

Aneuploidy↗

[DNA cytophotometric studies of central giant-cell lesions of the jaw region].

Giant cell nuclear DNA, in 30 giant cell lesions of the jaws, was quantitated by computer-assisted image analysis. DNA content was then used to predict clinical behavior and outcome. Four.nuclei in each of 25 giant cells (total = 100 nuclei) were randomly selected and DNA content was quantitated by the LEITZ Texture-Analysis-System-Plus. DNA in nuclei of normal appearing stromal fibroblasts (n = 20) was similarly measured. DNA index was calculated as the mean nuclear DNA content of giant cells divided by mean DNA content of control fibroblasts. The mean DNA index of aggressive lesions (1.09, S. D. = 0.12) was not significantly different from that of non-aggressive lesions (1.18, S. D. = 0.15) (p = 0.093). The results indicate that nuclear DNA content of giant cells is not useful as a predictor of clinical behavior of giant-cell lesions of the jaws.

Adolescent↗