EZH2 as a Therapeutic Target in Glioblastoma: A Cellular and Molecular Study

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults and it is currently treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ). Many patients show resistance to TMZ, which is a challenge in the treatment of this type of brain cancer.

New strategies are being tested, like the inhibition of EZH2, a histone methyltransferase which is overexpressed in cancer cells, leading to angiogenesis and metastasis. In this work, the EZH2 inhibitor DZNeP was tested in A172 glioblastoma cells and in A172-TMZ-resistant glioblastoma cells.

Inhibition of cell proliferation, adhesion, colony formation, and migration was noted in control and TMZresistant glioblastoma cells after DZNeP treatment. At the level of EZH2 target gene expression, DZNeP decreased EZH2 expression, and increased the expression of its target genes (E-cadherin and TIMP3), which might probably contribute to inhibiting the development of a cancer metastatic phenotype. 

Quality of Life and Sexual Activity after Stereotactic Hypofractionated Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer Patients

Quality of life (QoL) is an important factor for the cancer patients after treatment. The study aimed to investigate QoL and sexual activity in patients who had undergone stereotactic hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT). Methods: The analysis included 82 prostate cancer patients: 40 patients treated by HRT (33.5 Gy in 5 fractions) and 42 patients treated by standard three-dimensional conformal radiation treatment 3DCRT (70-82 Gy in 35-41 fractions); and 50 healthy men without any type of cancer.

The subjects filled out the questionnaires: EORTC QLQC30 (version 3.0.) and the prostate cancer-specific EORTC QLQ-PR25. The median follow-up was 21 months for HRT patients and 28 months for 3DCRT patients. Results: The tolerance for stereotactic HRT was shown to be good. The QoL and the general health status of HRT patients were higher than of 3DCRT patients and even of healthy men. Most patients treated by HRT felt that they had lost their masculinity.

However, they were still interested in having sex; one third of them were sexually active, most reported satisfaction with their sex life. Conclusions: HRT for prostate cancer patients was an attractive treatment in relation to patients' QoL assessment in the short term analysis.

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Robotic Radical Prostatectomy and Nerve Grafting: Does it Actually Work?

Robotic radical prostatectomy is now the gold standard for patients with localised prostate cancer. In the setting of unfavourable prostate pathology, some men may require resection of one or both cavernous nerves at the time of prostatectomy. Potency rates in this subset of men are expectedly dismal.

With increasing numbers of younger men being diagnosed with prostate cancer and subsequently undergoing radical prostatectomy, there is an increasing focus on quality of life postoperatively, especially potency. Nerve-grafting surgery after resection of neuro-vascular bundles during radical prostatectomy is one of the promising resolutions for dilemma between cancer control and functional preservation.

There have been a number of articles recently on nerve grafting for robotic radical prostatectomy. We aim to review the evidence for whether this actually works and gives a good degree of erectile function.

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Chloroma- Myelosarcoma or Leukemic Nerve Tumor?

Following our review on leukemia and the nervous system we would like to draw your attention to a rare manifestation of leukemia termed historically chloroma (CH) or myelosarcoma, which can rarely affect the cranial nerves and the peripheral nerves.

These rare associations of leukemia and the peripheral nervous system, can occur in all stages of leukemia, as the first manifestation, as recurrence and post bone marrow transplant. Most frequently CH are seen in AML, less frequent CML, but also in OMF.

They can also appear isolated, and leave room for speculations why leukemia can covert from a liquid into a solid tumor, and why the presentation can be in peripheral nerves. Chloromas, myelosarcomas or leukemic tumors are rare and present at many sites of the body. Compared to lymphomas focal nerve lesion in leukemia are rare.

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p53 R72P Alone and in Combination with MDM2 SNP T309G is Associated with Colon Carcinoma Incidence and Survival

Protein p53 is encoded by tumor suppressor TP53, which regulates key cellular functions such as transcription, cell cycle arrest, DNA repair and apoptosis. Murine double minute 2 homolog (MDM2), a p53 transcribed protein, negatively regulates p53.

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 72 of TP53 (R72P, rs rs1042522) alters an amino acid, while an SNP T309G (rs2279744) polymorphism (SNPT309G) in the promoter region of MDM2 has been reported to modulate its transcription. p53 R72P and MDM2 SNPT309G have been reported to associate alone and or in combination with various carcinomas.

In this study, we aimed to determine if p53 R72P and MDM2 SNPT309G polymorphism alone or in combination are associated with colon carcinoma incidence, tumor progression and/or patient survival in Swedish population.

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Lymphangioma in Patients with Pulmonary Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: Results of Sirolimus Treatment

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease caused by abnormal proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells mainly in lungs and axial lymph nodes, that belongs to the group of PEComa tumours.

Chylous pleural and abdominal effusions, lymhangioleiomiomas, angiomyolipomas are noticed in disease course. Sirolimus has been approved for LAM treatment, and also it has been reported to decrease the size of angiomyolipomas, lymphangiooedma, pleural and peritoneal chylous effusion.

The aim of the study was to assess the significance of sirolimus therapy in patients with LAM and lymphangioma in retroperitoneal space. Method: Fourteen women with confirmed diagnosis of LAM (13 with sporadic LAM, and one TSC/LAM) and presence of lymphangioma in abdominal cavity were retrospectively reviewed. Seven patients displayed chyloperitoneum and chylothorax. Mean time of sirolimus exposure was 19 ± 12.99 months.

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Breast-Conserving Therapy Versus Radical Mastectomy for Early Breast Cancer

The aim of this clinical study was to compare breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and radical mastectomy (RM) in the treatment of early breast cancer. Materials and methods: From March 1986 to the end of 1989, 117 women with a breast tumor of up to 2 cm in size were included in this study; 66 women had a quadrantectomy, while 51 had a radical mastectomy.

Full axillary dissection was performed in all patients, while adjuvant chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil was conducted in node-positive patients. Radiation to the remaining breast parenchyma consisted of external-beam therapy, with or without regional irradiation, without boost to the tumor bed. Results: The follow-up of patients in the two treatment groups was limited to 240 months.

The mean period of observation (SD±) was 201.34 months (54.12 ± 226.5) for the patients with breast-conserving therapy (BCT) and 195.84 months (35.1 ± 226.5) for the patients with radical mastectomy.

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