Total plasma homocysteine and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism in patients with colorectal carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the behaviour of total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) and its most common genetic determinant defect, the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T (C677TMTHFR) polymorphism in patients with early stage colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: tHcy was quantified by Abbott IMx immunoassay; screening for C677TMTHFR substitution was performed by PCR and restriction analysis. RESULTS: The frequency of the C/T and T/T genotypes of the C677TMTHFR gene polymorphism did not differ between the groups. The mean tHcy was statistically higher in cancer patients than in control subjects carrying the same C/C or C/T genotype, whereas there was no difference in the T/T homozygous carriers of the two groups. tHcy was significantly higher in the T/T homozygous carriers than in C/C and C/T genotype carriers. CONCLUSION: The statistically significant increase of tHcy observed in C/C and C/T genotype carriers among our cancer patients is related to substrate consumption dependent on the tumor cell proliferation rate, whereas the tHcy increase observed in T/T genotype carriers of both groups probably depends on the enzymatic deficit of the homocysteine conversion to methionine and/or on the folate deficiency.

Liver angiogenesis as a risk factor for hepatocellularcarcinoma development in hepatitis C virus cirrhotic patients

AIM: To evaluate the predictive value of hepatocyte proliferation and hepatic angiogenesis for the occurrence of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhotic patients. METHODS: One hundred-five patients (69 males, 36 females; age range, 51-90 year; median 66 year) with biopsy proven HCV cirrhosis were prospectively monitored for HCC occurrence for a median time of 64 mo. Angiogenesis was assessed by using microvessel density (MVD), hepatocyte turnover by MIB1 and PCNA indexes at inclusion in liver biopsies. RESULTS: Forty six patients (43.8%) developed HCC after a median time of 55 (6-120) mo while 59 (56.2%) did not. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median value of each index. The difference between patients with low (median MVD = 3; range 0-20) and high (median MVD = 7; range 1-24) MVD was statistically significant (χ2 = 22.06; P < 0.0001) which was not the case for MIB1 or PCNA (MIB-1: χ2 = 1.41; P = 0.2351; PCNA: χ2 = 1.27; P = 0.2589). The median MVD was higher in patients who developed HCC than in those who did not. HCC-free interval was significantly longer in patients with the MVD ≤ 4 (P = 0.0006). No relationship was found between MIB1 or PCNA and MVD (MIB-1 r2 = 0.00007116, P = 0.9281; PCNA: r2 =0.001950; P = 0.6692). MVD only was able to predict the occurrence of HCC in these patients. Among other known risk factors for HCC, only male sex was statistically associated with an increased risk. CONCLUSION: Liver angiogenesis has a role for in HCV- related liver carcinogenesis and for defining patients at higher risk.

Prevalence of factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A in patients with gastric cancer

瞄准：分析二个最普通的 thrombophilic 变化，第五因子 Leiden 和凝血素 G20210A 的流行，在有胃的癌症的病人。方法：有主要的胃的癌和 130 个健康题目，的 121 个病人可比较好久并且性别，被调查。第五因子 Leiden 被由等位基因特定的 PCR 使用聚合酶链反应和限制酶消化，和凝血素 G20210A 基因变化检测。结果：在 121 个癌症病人之中，第五因子 Leiden 在 4 种情况中被发现(GA 遗传型：3.3%) 并且在 10 种情况中的凝血素 G20210A (GA 遗传型：8.3%) 。130 个控制题目，第五因子 Leiden 在 6 种情况中被检测(GA 遗传型：4.6%) 并且在 8 种情况中的凝血素 G20210A (GA 遗传型：6.1%) 。两个变化的两倍异质接合的搬运人都没在任何一个组被发现。第五因子 Leiden 和凝血素 G20210A 变体的流行不在癌症病人和健康题目之间是统计上不同的。结论：我们的学习建议在胃的癌症， thrombophilic 癌症状态的风险因素在上获得而非在一个基因基础和那凝血素上， G20210A 不似乎是在胃的癌症的一个余因子致病。