Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F T Bosman

Publications and source records attributed to F T Bosman.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Recurrence and survival after resection of adenocarcinoma of the gastric cardia. Rotterdam Esophageal Tumor Study Group.

In a retrospective study, the results after resection of carcinoma of the gastric cardia in the era without neoadjuvant therapy or extended lymph node dissection were evaluated. All 184 patients who underwent resection between January 1983 and December 1993 were included. Recurrence of disease, survival and prognostic factors were determined. The overall cumulative 5-year recurrence rate was 71% and the survival rate 23%. Multivariate analysis identified locoregional lymph node and distant metastases as the crucial prognosticators of recurrence of disease and survival. These results were similar to those from a previous study concerning our patients operated during the years 1983-88. The prognosis of a resected cardiacarcinoma has remained unchanged in our hands over the past 10 years. These results stress the importance of exploring new ways, such as the use of new diagnostic tools, to optimize preoperative patient selection and more aggressive treatment regimens to improve final outcome.

Adenocarcinoma↗

The endothelin system in normal human colon.

Endothelin (ET)-1 is a potent vasoconstrictor and mitogenic peptide that has a variety of biological effects in noncardiovascular tissues. The precise cellular distribution of the ET-1 system in the wall of the normal human colon was studied to identify the physiological role of ET in the gut. In situ hybridization revealed ET-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) mRNA in all vessels, the colon epithelium, and macrophages. Prepro-ET-1 (PPET-1) mRNA had a similar distribution except for a scattered signal in mucosal microvessels. ET(A) and ET(B) receptor mRNAs were mainly in the lamina propria, pericryptal myofibroblasts, microvessels, and mononuclear cells, with ET(A) mRNA more abundant than ET(B) mRNA. (125)I-ET-1 binding showed ET(B) along the crypts and in nerve fibers descending from the ganglionic plexus that contained PPET-1, ECE-1, and ET(B) transcripts, whereas glia contained ET(A) receptors. The finding of the entire ET system in the normal mucosa suggests its implication in some characteristic functions of the colon and its secretion as both a neuroactive and a vasoactive peptide.

Adult↗

Nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin is a common and early event during neoplastic progression of Barrett esophagus.

Our aim was to characterize expression and mutation of beta-catenin in the progression of Barrett esophagus to adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical analysis of beta-catenin was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue from 30 cases with adenocarcinomas and premalignant lesions. To determine whether there is a correlation between beta-catenin nuclear accumulation and exon 3 mutation of this gene, mutational analysis by polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism was performed on DNA extracted from the same 30 adenocarcinomas. As a result, the prevalence of reduced expression of beta-catenin on the membrane, with or without nuclear staining, increased significantly from low-grade (LG) to high-grade (HG) dysplasia. Focal nuclear staining for beta-catenin was present in 19 cases of adenocarcinoma, and nuclear staining was associated significantly with progression from metaplasia to LG dysplasia. In addition, in glands with clear histologic transition from metaplasia to LG dysplasia, nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin was found only in the LG dysplastic areas. No mutation in exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene was detected in adenocarcinomas. These results demonstrate that disturbance of the APC/beta-catenin pathway, as indicated by nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin, is a common and early event during neoplastic progression in Barrett esophagus.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Molecular pathology: intersection of morphology, biochemistry and genetics].

Molecular analysis of samples of cells and tissues plays an important part in clinical pathology, as a supplement to classical morphological examination. This holds true without reserve for immunohistochemistry, by now indispensable for clinical pathology. It was only recently that molecular genetic analysis was introduced into the pathological laboratory and it may be expected that this technique will play an important part, especially in cancer diagnostics. Where haemato-oncological malignancies and soft tissue sarcomas are concerned, this is already the case. Molecular tumour analysis will gain momentum due to advanced automated analysis using DNA arrays. Morphological aspects will long remain the foundation of tumour classification, but in the future not without major support from molecular analysis.

Cytogenetic Analysis↗

[From Miescher to molecular DNA technology; a chapter from the medical history of the past century].

Although molecular biology is a young discipline, it originated in the second half of the 19th century with the simultaneous discoveries of the laws of heredity by Mendel and of nucleic acid by Miescher. It was not until about 1950 that the structure of DNA was determined and it was proved that DNA governs the hereditary properties. Subsequently, the developments followed in rapid succession with the unravelling of the hereditary code, the elucidation of the mechanism of the translation of DNA into proteins, the discovery of the structure of genes and the finding of the methods for genetic manipulation. These have proved essential for the evolution of modern biotechnology.

DNA↗

[Quality management in histopathology. "From biopsy to diagnosis"].

UNLABELLED: The University Institute of Pathology (IUP), Lausanne, has established a system designed to continuously document and manage the quality of its diagnostic activity in surgical pathology. To realize the system a few tools were created. Several "free codes" were introduced into the general computer system in order to register and evaluate (1) the quality of frozen section diagnoses, (2) the relevance of the use of this type of examination and (3) the frequency of spontaneous "official" internal consultations in search of a second opinion. Further, an evaluation checklist including all steps leading to the diagnosis (some of which were facultative*) was established. Eleven items were evaluated and registered in this way: quality of slides and staining, reporting time, selection of tissue blocks*, macro- and microscopic descriptions*, appropriateness of special stains and/or techniques and their quality*, final diagnosis, accuracy of codes for invoicing and diagnoses, quality of the final report. The relevance of the furnished clinical data was also evaluated and recorded. RESULTS: Of all registered frozen section examinations (397), 86.6% showed identity of provisional and definitive diagnoses. In 11.6% of cases there was a difference between the two diagnoses without clinical relevance, and in 1.8% the discrepancy was clinically significant. These percentages are comparable with those published in the literature. Internal consultation for second opinion is a current habit in our institution, and 980 cases (4%) were registered as such. Among the 25,249 cases received for histopathological examination during 1998 (each case may concern more than one specimen from the same patient), 495 (2% = 2-3 cases/day) were evaluated in detail by two reviewers throughout the year. The statistical results obtained demonstrate that our diagnostic performance in histopathology is very satisfactory: 43% of the analysed cases bear no deficit and 67.3% present two or less points in deficit; no diagnostic error was evidenced; 70% of the reports are signed-out within 3 days after reception of the material (mean delay < 3 days). CONCLUSIONS: The adopted system represents an excellent tool by which to continuously document and manage the quality of our diagnostic performances. It is reliable, efficient, sensitive and also feasible, as it does not require significant or exaggerated additional investments. The results obtained after one year confirm the high quality of the IUP's diagnostic activity.

Biopsy↗

Frequent methylation silencing of p15(INK4b) (MTS2) and p16(INK4a) (MTS1) in B-cell and T-cell lymphomas.

The methylation status of p15(INK4b) (MTS2), p16(INK4a) (MTS1) and p14(ARF) (p16beta) was analyzed in 56 lymphomas by restriction-enzyme related polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (REP), methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and bisulfite genomic sequencing (BGS). Methylation of the p15 and p16 genes was detected, respectively, in 64% and 32% of the B-cell lymphomas, in 44% and 22% of the T-cell lymphomas, and in none of the 5 reactive lymph nodes analyzed. Both p15 and p16 genes were methylated more often in the high-grade (78% and 50%, respectively) than in the low-grade B-cell lymphomas (55% and 21%, respectively). For 5 cases, mapping of the methylated CpGs of the p16 promoter region confirmed the results of REP and MSP. In addition, a large variation in the methylation patterns of p16 exon 1 was observed, not only from one lymphoma to another, but also within a given tumor. Methylation of p15 and p16 was associated with an absence of gene expression, as assessed by reverse transcription-PCR. The p14 gene was unmethylated and normally expressed in all 56 tumors. We found no mutations of p15, p16, or p14 in any of the 56 lymphomas. Our results suggest a role for p15 and p16 gene methylation during lymphomagenesis and a possible association between p15 and p16 inactivation and aggressive transformation in B-cell and T-cell lymphomas.

Carrier Proteins↗

Telomerase activity and human telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA expression in soft tissue tumors: correlation with grade, histology, and proliferative activity.

Telomerase activity (TA) is detected in most human cancers but, with few exceptions, not in normal somatic cells. Little is known about TA in soft tissue tumors. We have examined a series of benign and malignant soft tissue tumors for TA using the telomerase repeat amplification protocol assay. Analysis of the expression of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase was also carried out using RT-PCR. TA was undetectable in benign lesions (15 of 15) and low-grade sarcomas (6 of 6) and was detectable in 50% (19 of 38) of intermediate-/high-grade sarcomas. Although the presence of TA in soft tissue tumors is synonymous with malignancy, it is neither a reliable method in making the distinction between reactive/benign and malignant (especially low-grade) lesions nor a reliable marker of tumor aggressiveness. Leiomyosarcomas and storiform/pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytomas rarely showed TA, irrespective of their grade. A strong correlation between human telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA expression and TA was observed, supporting the close relationship between both parameters. No significant relationship was observed between proliferative activity (as assessed by MIB-1 immunolabeling) and TA. We verified that the absence of telomerase expression was not due to the presence of telomerase inhibitors and therefore alternative mechanism(s) for cell immortalization, yet to be determined, seem to be involved in the development and/or maintenance of some soft tissue sarcomas.

Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic↗

The hamartoma-adenoma-carcinoma sequence.

Carcinomas develop, although at low frequency, in hamartomatous polyps in the Peutz-Jeghers' syndrome. With the identification of at least one of the genes involved (LKB1/STK11), attempts can be made to unravel the molecular events responsible for this hamartoma-adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Recent data indicate that this sequence is real, that the molecular pathways involved are different from those in other hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, and that, possibly in contrast to the hamartomatous polyps in the juvenile polyposis syndrome, the genetic abnormalities occur in the epithelial compartment of the lesions.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases↗

Prognostic value of p53, bcl-2, and c-erbB-2 protein expression in phaeochromocytomas.

Many studies have tried to discriminate malignant from benign phaeochromocytomas, but until now no widely accepted histological, immunohistochemical, or molecular methods have been available. In this study of 29 malignant and 85 benign phaeochromocytomas from 102 patients, immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies to the tumour suppressor gene product p53 and the proto-oncogene products bcl-2 and c-erbB-2, using the avidin-biotin complex method. Malignant phaeochromocytomas showed a statistically significant higher frequency of p53 (p=0.042) and bcl-2 (p=0.037) protein expression than their benign counterparts. The combination of both markers showed an even higher significance (p=0.004), to which both markers contributed equally. Overexpression of c-erbB-2 was associated with the occurrence of familial phaeochromocytomas (p=0. 001), but no difference was found between benign and malignant cases. In conclusion, p53, bcl-2, and c-erbB-2 all appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of a proportion of phaeochromocytomas. Immunoreactivity to p53 and bcl-2 proteins may help to predict the clinical behaviour of phaeochromocytomas.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Telomerase activation in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Telomerase activity has been detected in germ cells as well as in the developing embryo. Activity is no longer detectable in most somatic cells of the neonate, although low levels of activity persist in regenerative tissues. Telomerase has been found to be reactivated or up-regulated in the majority of cancers. The colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence is one of the best-characterized models of multistep tumourigenesis and is thus suitable for determining at which stage telomerase is activated. Telomerase activity was examined by telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay in 96 cases of colorectal tissues, including 50 carcinomas, 31 adenomas, and 15 normal colonic tissues. For each case, histological diagnosis and telomerase activity were determined on consecutive frozen sections. In order to reduce the chance of a false-negative TRAP assay due to RNA degradation, the integrity of rRNA in the tissues was verified in each case. Twenty-five carcinomas, 30 adenomas, and all of the 15 normal colorectal mucosal samples showed no or only partial rRNA degradation and only in these cases was the TRAP assay interpreted. None of the normal tissues exhibited telomerase activity. In contrast, all of the 25 cancers and 47 per cent (14/30) of the adenomas were positive. In adenomas, telomerase activation was highly significantly related to the grade of dysplasia (p< 0.0001). All adenomas which contained high-grade dysplasia revealed telomerase activity, whereas telomerase activity was detectable in only 20 per cent (4/20) of cases with exclusively low-grade dysplasia. These results indicate that telomerase activation, which may be an obligatory step in colorectal carcinogenesis, occurs in the progression from low-grade to high-grade dysplasia in adenomas. Furthermore, in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, telomerase activation seems to occur later than K- ras mutation but earlier than p53 mutation.

Adenoma↗

The nuclear matrix in pathology.

For a long time the molecular basis of nuclear structure has been a matter of debate rather than an established fact. In the last decade the concept of the nuclear matrix has emerged, and the molecular basis of this nuclear infrastructure, although still incomplete, is gradually being unravelled. In early studies concerning the nuclear structure, autoantibodies derived from patients with collagen disease had a significant role. This matrix, the structure remaining after extraction of membranes, nucleic acids and histones, consists of the nuclear lamina, the nucleolus and a fibrillogranular network. The nuclear lamina is composed of the lamins. The nucleolar matrix contains the proteins involved in rRNA processing. The fibrillogranular network is composed of nuclear matrix proteins, a wide variety of which has been discovered. It has become clear that the nuclear matrix not only provides a structural basis for nuclear architecture but also plays a part in regulating nuclear function. Lamins provide mechanical continuity between cytoskeleton and nuclear interior. Aberrant patterns of lamin expression have been described in cancer; these are not sufficiently specific to be used in histopathological diagnosis, however. Nucleolar size and expression levels of nucleolar proteins have been shown to correlate well with proliferative activity, which may revitalize interest in nucleolar organizing regions as a tool in histological diagnosis of cancer. The fibrillogranular network is involved in functional compartmentalization of replication and transcription. A variety of nuclear matrix proteins has been described, which appear to be specifically expressed in cancer cells. Analysis of expression of these proteins might play a significant role in cancer diagnosis.

Animals↗

Aberrant crypt foci in patients with neoplastic and nonneoplastic colonic disease.

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are putative preneoplastic lesions that might represent the earliest morphological lesion visible in colonic carcinogenesis. However, findings concerning the growth and morphological features of these lesions in human studies suggest that ACF are highly heterogeneous in nature. In this study, we evaluated the morphological features of a large number of ACF in colon mucosa of 26 patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC), four patients with adenoma as well as seven patients with nonneoplastic colonic diseases. By dissecting microscope, 508 ACF were identified, and of these, 378 were sampled for histological examination. The median ACF density (number of ACF/cm2) was significantly higher in the left colon than in the right colon (0.047 v 0.014 ACF/cm2). Unexpectedly, in our series, the overall ACF density was higher in the nonneoplastic colonic diseases than in CRC (0.13 v 0.032 ACF/cm2, P=.0087), cases of nonneoplastic diseases, however, being limited to 7 patients. ACF were significantly larger in colons with CRC or adenoma than in colons with nonneoplastic disease (P < .03). On histological examination, we observed 133 ACF with normal epithelium, 189 ACF with hyperplasia, 27 ACF with atypical hyperplasia, and 29 ACF with dysplasia. We noted a progressive increase of median ACF size from normal mucosa to hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia, and dysplasia. Dysplastic ACF were more frequently observed in patients with CRC or adenoma and showed predominantly elongated crypt orifices (P < .0001). We conclude that ACF are histologically heterogeneous, encompass a spectrum of lesions of which only a subset are associated with dysplasia and then represent an early step in colorectal carcinogenesis. ACF with dysplasia are characterized by larger size, elongated crypt orifices, and an association with CRC.

Adenocarcinoma↗

A comparative evaluation of various invasion assays testing colon carcinoma cell lines.

Various colon carcinoma cell lines were tested in different invasion assays, i.e. invasion into Matrigel, into confluent fibroblast layers and into chicken heart tissue. Furthermore, invasive capacity and metastatic potential were determined in nude mice. The colon carcinoma cells used were the human cell lines Caco-2, SW-480, SW-620 and HT-29, and the murine lines Colon-26 and -38. None of the human colon carcinoma cells migrated through porous membranes coated with Matrigel; of the murine lines, only Colon-26 did. When incubated in a mixture of Matrigel and culture medium non-invading cells formed spheroid cultures, whereas invading cells showed a stellate outgrowth. Only the heterogeneously shaped (epithelioid and stellate) cells of SW-480 and SW-620 and the spindle-shaped cells of Colon-26 invaded clearly confluent skin and colon fibroblasts as well as chicken heart tissue. However, when transplanted into the caecum of nude and syngeneic mice, all the lines tested were invasive with the exception of Caco-2 cells. We conclude that the outcome of in vitro tests measuring the invasive capacity of neoplastic cells is largely dependent on the test system used. Invasive capacity in vitro is strongly correlated with cells having a spindle cell shape, vimentin expression and E-cadherin down regulation. In contrast, HT-29 and Colon-38 cells having an epithelioid phenotype were clearly invasive and metastatic in vivo, but not in vitro.

Animals↗

Evaluation of heterogeneity of DNA ploidy in early gastric cancers.

DNA ploidy has been shown to be a predictive parameter for prognosis in various solid tumours. The prognostic value of DNA-ploidy in gastric cancers is still a matter of controversy. A possible explanation for the discrepant results reported in the literature could be sampling error in tumours with multiple stemlines differing in DNA-ploidy. In order to determine whether or not such heterogeneity exists in early gastric carcinoma, we have performed DNA cytophotometry on multiple samples of a group of 17 early gastric carcinomas, of which 8 were pure intramucosal and 9 were infiltrating into the submucosa. We found an aneuploid DNA-stemline in 8 (47%) early gastric cancers, more often in tumours invading into the submucosa (5/9) than in purely mucosal tumours (3/8). Multiple DNA-stemlines were found more frequently in submucosally infiltrating tumours (4/5). These results confirm the presence of DNA-aneuploid early gastric carcinoma which are frequently heterogeneous and suggest that heterogeneity occurs more frequently in tumours invading the submucosa. This heterogeneity is best detected by analysing multiple samples of tumours for DNA-ploidy.

Adult↗

Molecular pathology of colorectal cancer.

The identification of several types of familial colorectal cancer has led to the discovery of some of the genes involved in these diseases. It was subsequently shown that somatic mutations of these genes (APC, mismatch repair genes, TP53, KRAS, and DCC) also occur in sporadic colorectal cancer. Gradually, this molecular information is being incorporated into the standard histopathological analysis of colorectal cancer and can be used for the characterization of primary tumors. Although attempts have been made to use molecular parameters to better define dysplasia grades, differentiate between adenoma and carcinoma, and subtype carcinomas, histological parameters remain the standard for the classification of primary tumors. Nonetheless, molecular parameters may help define subgroups of colorectal carcinoma differing in prognosis and requiring individualized treatment regimens. Interesting possibilities are predicting the response to chemotherapy or radiotherapy at a molecular level and the search for metastasis by looking for molecular markers in lymph nodes or circulating blood. Other pathological tests being developed include the detection of KRAS, TP53, or APC mutations in stool and plasma. Such approaches will have a significant impact on the clinical management of colorectal cancer.

Adenoma↗

[Molecular pathology of colorectal cancer].

The identification of several types of familial colorectal cancer has led to the discovery of some of the genes involved in these diseases. It was subsequently shown that somatic mutations of these genes (APC, mismatch repair genes, TP53) also occur in sporadic colorectal cancer. Gradually, this molecular information is being incorporated into the standard histopathological analysis of colorectal cancer and can be used for the characterization of primary tumors. Although attempts have been made to use molecular parameters to better define dysplasia grades, differentiate between adenoma and carcinoma, and subtype carcinomas, histological parameters remain the standard for the classification of primary tumors. Nonetheless, molecular parameters may help define subgroups of colorectal carcinoma differing in prognosis and requiring individualized treatment regimens. Interesting possibilities are predicting the response of chemotherapy or radiotherapy at a molecular level and the search for metastasis by looking for molecular markers in lymph nodes or circulating blood. Other pathological tests being developed include the detection of K-ras, TP53 or APC mutations in stool and plasma. Such approaches will have a significant impact on the clinical management of colorectal cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗