Imatinib mesylate is standard treatment for patients who have advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), but not all patients benefit equally. In previous studies, GIST genotype correlated with treatment outcome and optimal imatinib dosing.

Treatment with cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor, improves overall and progression-free survival and preserves the quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer that has not responded to chemotherapy. The mutation status of the K-ras gene in the tumor may affect the response to cetuximab and have treatment-independent prognostic value.

Interferon (IFN)-alpha is widely used in the treatment of mycosis fungoides (MF) and when used in combination with photochemotherapy (psoralen plus ultraviolet A, PUVA) both improved response and duration of complete remission have been reported. However, in spite of encouraging results of the initial studies, currently there is no information available on specific prognostic factors enabling prediction of patients' resistance to PUVA +/- IFN-alpha treatment.

To evaluate intravesical paclitaxel monotherapy and combined treatment with antiapoptotic bcl-xL antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (AS-ODNs) on urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Novel genetic profiling tests of breast cancer tissue have been shown to be prognostic for overall survival and predictive of local and distant rates of recurrence in breast cancer patients. One of these tests, Oncotype DXtrade mark, is a diagnostic test comprised of a 21-gene assay applied to paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissue, which allows physicians to predict subgroups of hormone-receptor-positive, node-negative patients who may benefit from hormonal therapy alone or require adjuvant chemotherapy to attain the best survival outcome. The results of the assay are converted to a recurrence score (0-100) that has been found to be predictive of 10- and 15-year local and distant recurrence in node-negative, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer patients. Previous studies have shown that patients with high recurrence scores benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, whereas patients with low recurrence scores do not. To evaluate the ability to guide treatment decisions in the group with a mid-range recurrence score, the North American Cooperative Groups developed the Trial Assessing IndiviuaLized Options for Treatment for breast cancer, a randomized trial of chemotherapy followed by hormonal therapy versus hormonal therapy alone on invasive disease-free survival-ductal carcinoma in situ (IDFS-DCIS) survival in women with node-negative, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer with a recurrence score of 11-25. The study was initiated in May 2006 and approximately 4500 patients will be randomized. This article describes the rationale, methodology, statistical ana-lysis and implications of the results on clinical practice.

The Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) performed a detailed analysis of p53 overexpression in previously-untreated women with invasive early or advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Understanding risks is considered to be crucial for informed decision-making. Inaccurate risk perception is a common finding in women with a family history of breast cancer attending genetic counseling. As yet, it is unclear how risks should best be communicated in clinical practice. This study protocol describes the design and methods of the BRISC (Breast cancer RISk Communication) study evaluating the effect of different formats of risk communication on the counsellee's risk perception, psychological well-being and decision-making regarding preventive options for breast cancer.

Defining risk categories in breast cancer is of considerable clinical significance. We have developed a novel risk classification algorithm and compared its prognostic utility to the Web-based tool Adjuvant! and to the St Gallen risk classification.

A Valine residue at position 105 of the GSTP1 protein results in decreased enzyme activity. As nuclear GSTP1 activity decreases irinotecan cytotoxicity, Val-allele carriers may benefit more from irinotecan chemotherapy. Our aim was to investigate the association of GSTP1 genotype with treatment outcome of irinotecan. Progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicity were determined in 267 metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC) patients who were treated with first-line capecitabine (CAP) plus irinotecan (CAPIRI), or CAP single agent in a prospective randomised phase III trial (CAIRO). GSTP1 genotype was determined by Pyrosequencing. Patients receiving CAP showed a PFS of 6.6 (Ile/Ile), 6.0 (Ile/Val) and 6.5 months (Val/Val); compared to 7.0 (Ile/Ile), 8.8 (Ile/Val) and 9.2 months (Val/Val) with CAPIRI. Median PFS was 2.7 months longer in Val-allele carriers treated with CAPIRI compared to CAP (P=0.005). Patients with the Ile/Ile genotype showed similar PFS with CAPIRI and CAP (7.0 compared to 6.6 months, P=0.972). Toxicity did not differ significantly among genotypes. GSTP1 codon 105 polymorphism may be predictive for the response to irinotecan-based chemotherapy in patients with MCRC, with the Val-allele being associated with a better outcome. Ile/Ile genotype patients do not appear to benefit from the addition of irinotecan to CAP.

Decision aids purport to help patients make treatment related choices. Several instruments exist to evaluate decision aids. Our aim is to compare the responsiveness of several instruments.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a key enzyme in folate metabolism. We assessed the association between two common MTHFR variants, 677C>T and 1298A>C, and adenoma recurrence in the context of a randomized double- blind clinical trial of aspirin use and folate supplementation. We used generalized linear regression to estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for recurrence, adjusting for age, sex, clinical center, follow-up time, and treatment status. Neither MTHFR polymorphism was associated with overall or advanced adenoma recurrence. Compared with those with two wild-type alleles, the relative risk for advanced adenoma was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.36-1.55) for the MTHFR 677 TT genotype and 1.16 (95% CI, 0.58-2.33) for the MTHFR 1298 CC genotype. The effect of folate supplementation on recurrence risk did not differ by genotype. Our findings indicate that the MTHFR genotype does not change adenoma risk in a manner similar to its effect on colorectal cancer, and does not modify the effect of folate supplementation on metachronous adenoma risk.

Patients with early breast cancer who receive anthracycline-containing chemotherapy experience improved relapse-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with those who receive non-anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. Such benefit, however, may be restricted to women whose tumors have specific molecular characteristics. We tested the hypothesis that HER2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr)/HER1, HER3, Ki67, and topoisomerase IIalpha expression are predictive of outcome after anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Gender differences in reported family cancer history could reduce the effectiveness of genetic screening for cancer risk.

Folate, other vitamin B cofactors, and genes involved in folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism all may play important roles in colorectal neoplasia. In this study, we examined the associations between dietary and circulating plasma levels of vitamins B(2), B(6), and B(12) and risk colorectal adenomas.

To examine the relationship between p-STAT3 and the clinicopathological parameters of colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRA), we initially conducted immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses on formalin-fixed tissues. A total of 127 invasive CRA, 20 colorectal adenomas and 20 normal mucosae were obtained. To clarify the validity of p-STAT3 as determined by the IHC analysis, quantitative real-time PCR was performed on fresh samples from 51 CRA-4 carcinomas in situ, 47 invasive CRA and on 51 normal mucosae. IHC analyses were conducted after formalin fixation from 51 CRA for comparison. The statistically significant difference of immunoreactivity for p-STAT3 between the CRA and adenoma, and between the CRA and normal mucosae was identified. Among the 174 CRA, p-STAT3 immunoreactivity significantly correlated with the T- and clinical stage. Among the 47 invasive CRA, the expression of STAT3 as determined by real-time PCR significantly correlated with tumor size, M stage and clinical stage. The overall findings of the real-time PCR analyses correlated with the findings of the IHC analyses. These findings suggest that p-STAT3 expression has an important role related to the tumorigenesis and tumor progression of CRAs. Moreover, IHC analysis is a reliable and useful modality of assessing the status of p-STAT3 expression in formalin-fixed samples.

Interest in searching for mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 is high. Knowledge regarding these genes and the advantages and limitations of genetic testing is limited. It is unknown whether increasing knowledge about breast cancer genetic testing alters interest in testing.

Adjuvant! is a standardized validated decision aid that projects outcomes in operable breast cancer based on classical clinicopathologic features and therapy. Genomic classifiers offer the potential to more accurately identify individuals who benefit from chemotherapy than clinicopathologic features.

Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) protein expression carry weak prognostic and moderate predictive utility for the outcome of early breast cancer patients on adjuvant chemohormonotherapy. We sought to study the predictive significance and correlations of transcriptional profiling of the ER, PgR and microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAP-Tau) genes in early breast cancer.

Recently, a marker for predicting metastasis or recurrence precisely in solid cancers has been focused on instead of the identification of isolated tumor cells detected by epithelial genes in circulating system. We identified a candidate marker in gastric cancer by microarray and validated it through a quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay.

Cancer cells treated with the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib show growth inhibition and induced apoptosis. This study was conducted to determine if the same processes are relevant to celecoxib's effects on human colorectal adenocarcinomas treated in vivo. A cohort of 23 patients with primary colorectal adenocarcinomas was randomised to receive a 7-d course of celecoxib (400mg b.i.d.) or no drug prior to surgical resection. Gene expression profiling was performed on resected adenocarcinomas from the cohort of patients. Using fold change (>1.5) and p-value (<0.05) cut-offs, 190 genes were differentially expressed between adenocarcinomas from patients receiving celecoxib and those that did not. The celecoxib pre-treated samples showed decreased expression levels in multiple genes involved in cellular lipid and glutathione metabolism; changes associated with diminished cellular proliferation. Celecoxib pre-treatment for 7 d in vivo is associated with alterations in colorectal adenocarcinoma gene expression which are suggestive of diminished cellular proliferation.