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Biomedical subjects

B N Fahy

Publications and source records attributed to B N Fahy.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

AKT inhibition is associated with chemosensitisation in the pancreatic cancer cell line MIA-PaCa-2.

Activation of the serine/threonine kinase AKT is common in pancreatic cancer; inhibition of which sensitises cells to the apoptotic effect of chemotherapy. Of the various downstream targets of AKT, we examined activation of the NF-kappaB transcription factor and subsequent transcriptional regulation of BCL-2 gene family in pancreatic cancer cells. Inhibition of either phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase or AKT led to a decreased protein level of the antiapoptotic gene BCL-2 and an increased protein level of the proapoptotic gene BAX. Furthermore, inhibition of AKT decreased the function of NF-kappaB, which is capable of transcriptional regulation of the BCL-2 gene. Inhibiting this pathway had little effect on the basal level of apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells, but increased the apoptotic effect of chemotherapy. The antiapoptotic effect of AKT activation in pancreatic cancer cells may involve transcriptional induction of a profile of BCL-2 proteins that confer resistance to apoptosis; alteration of this balance allows sensitisation to the apoptotic effect of chemotherapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Cost-benefit analysis of biopsy methods for suspicious mammographic lesions; discussion 994-5.

HYPOTHESIS: Stereotactic core biopsy (SCB) is more cost-effective than needle-localized biopsy (NLB) for evaluation and treatment of mammographic lesions. DESIGN: A computer-generated mathematical model was developed based on clinical outcome modeling to estimate costs accrued during evaluation and treatment of suspicious mammographic lesions. Total costs were determined for evaluation and subsequent treatment of cancer when either SCB or NLB was used as the initial biopsy method. Cost was estimated by the cumulative work relative value units accrued. The risk of malignancy based on the Breast Imaging Reporting Data System (BIRADS) score and mammographic suspicion of ductal carcinoma in situ were varied to simulate common clinical scenarios. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total cost accumulated during evaluation and subsequent surgical therapy (if required). RESULTS: Evaluation of BIRADS 5 lesions (highly suggestive, risk of malignancy = 90%) resulted in equivalent relative value units for both techniques (SCB, 15.54; NLB, 15.47). Evaluation of lesions highly suspicious for ductal carcinoma in situ yielded similar total treatment relative value units (SCB, 11.49; NLB, 10.17). Only for evaluation of BIRADS 4 lesions (suspicious abnormality, risk of malignancy = 34%) was SCB more cost-effective than NLB (SCB, 7.65 vs. NLB, 15.66). CONCLUSIONS: No difference in cost-benefit was found when lesions highly suggestive of malignancy (BIRADS 5) or those suspicious for ductal carcinoma in situ were evaluated initially with SCB vs. NLB, thereby disproving the hypothesis. Only for intermediate-risk lesions (BIRADS 4) did initial evaluation with SCB yield a greater cost savings than with NLB.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2001

Sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is an emerging surgical technique to improve lymph node staging for breast cancer. Despite the rapid development of this technique, there remain aspects of SLNB that need to be further defined to provide a standardized approach. Variables, including patient selection, technical details for the performance of SLNB, extent of pathologic evaluation of the sentinel lymph node, and the impact of micrometastases, are areas of controversy. This paper reviews the controversies and discusses available data as well as personal experience and opinion.

Aged↗