Biomedical subjects

B Nordenskjöld

Publications and source records attributed to B Nordenskjöld.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Pathology parameters and adjuvant tamoxifen response in a randomised premenopausal breast cancer trial.

BACKGROUND: Subgroups of breast cancer that have an impaired response to endocrine treatment, despite hormone receptor positivity, are still poorly defined. Breast cancer can be subdivided according to standard pathological parameters including histological type, grade, and assessment of proliferation. These parameters are the net result of combinations of genetic alterations effecting tumour behaviour and could potentially reflect subtypes that respond differently to endocrine treatment. AIMS: To investigate the usefulness of these parameters as predictors of the response to tamoxifen in premenopausal women with breast cancer. MATERIALS/METHODS: Clinically established pathological parameters were assessed and related to the tamoxifen response in 500 available tumour specimens from 564 premenopausal patients with breast cancer randomised to either two years of tamoxifen or no treatment with 14 years of follow up. Proliferation was further evaluated by immunohistochemical Ki-67 expression. RESULTS: Oestrogen receptor positive ductal carcinomas responded as expected to tamoxifen, whereas the difference in recurrence free survival between control and tamoxifen treated patients was less apparent in the relatively few lobular carcinomas. For histological grade, there was no obvious difference in treatment response between the groups. The relation between proliferation and tamoxifen response seemed to be more complex, with a clear response in tumours with high and low proliferation, whereas tumours with intermediate proliferation defined by Ki-67 responded more poorly. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically established pathology parameters seem to mirror the endocrine treatment response and could potentially be valuable in future treatment decisions for patients with breast cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Survival after treatment for breast cancer in a geographically defined population.

BACKGROUND: South East Sweden with 976 000 inhabitants is served by nine hospitals with specialized breast surgeons. Population-based mammographic screening was introduced in 1986 for women aged 40-74 years. Patients with primary breast cancer were treated according to a joint management programme. METHODS: All patients were reported to a regional cancer registry from which breast cancer incidence, treatment and survival in this defined population were reported. RESULTS: A total of 7892 women had their first invasive breast cancer diagnosed between 1986 and 1999. The median tumour size was 17 mm and 29.9 per cent had axillary metastases. Some 49.8 per cent of these women had a modified radical mastectomy and 31.9 per cent had a segmental resection with axillary clearance. Postoperative radiotherapy was given to 40.3 per cent of the women after mastectomy and to 87.1 per cent after breast-conserving surgery. Tamoxifen and chemotherapy were used as adjuvant treatment except in low-risk patients. Breast cancer-specific survival rate for all stages was 83.5 per cent at 5 years and 74.0 per cent at 10 years. Respective values were 95.8 and 90.9 per cent for patients with stage T1 N0 M0 tumours, and 77.7 and 62.4 per cent for those with T1-2 N1 M0 tumours. CONCLUSION: Breast specialists treating women with breast cancer according to a joint management programme have achieved very good survival rates.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Incidence and prognosis in early onset breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and prognosis in early onset breast cancer. Age-adjusted incidence and death rate for the 5394 Swedish women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40 between 1960 and 1996 was studied using data from the Swedish Cancer Registry and Swedish Death Cause Registry. A total of 107 consecutive young patients with invasive breast cancer undergoing surgery during 1980-1993 in the Southeast Swedish health care region were retrospectively followed up and their cancers reviewed and graded blindly. The median follow-up time was 11.2 years. The applicability of the Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) as a prognostic tool was investigated. Grade, age, node status, tumour size, S-phase fraction and steroid receptor content were related to survival univariately and multivariately in a Cox proportional hazard analysis. The incidence of early onset breast cancer has increased moderately and the survival rate has not improved during the last 35 years. When young women are diagnosed with breast cancer their tumours are larger, their lymph nodes more often involved, and the median grade higher than in older with 64% having grade 3 tumours. Lymph node status was the strongest sole prognostic indicator but the use of NPI gave more accurate prognostic information than node status alone.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Decreased tumor cell proliferation as an indicator of the effect of preoperative radiotherapy of rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Rectal cancer is a common malignancy, with significant local recurrence and death rates. Preoperative radiotherapy and refined surgical technique can improve local control rates and disease-free survival. PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between the tumor growth fraction in rectal cancer measured with Ki-67 and the outcome, with and without short-term preoperative radiotherapy. METHOD: Ki-67 (MIB-1) immunohistochemistry was used to measure tumor cell proliferation in the preoperative biopsy and the surgical specimen. MATERIALS: Specimens from 152 patients from the Southeast Swedish Health Care region were included in the Swedish rectal cancer trial 1987-1990. RESULTS: Tumors with low proliferation treated with preoperative radiotherapy had a significantly reduced recurrence rate. The influence on death from rectal cancer was shown only in the univariate analysis. Preoperative radiotherapy of tumors with high proliferation did not significantly improve local control and disease-free survival. The interaction between Ki-67 status and the benefit of radiotherapy was significant for the reduced recurrence rate (p = 0.03), with a trend toward improved disease-free survival (p = 0.08). In the surgery-alone group, Ki-67 staining did not significantly correlate with local recurrence or survival rates. CONCLUSION: Many Ki-67 stained tumor cells in the preoperative biopsy predicts an increased treatment failure rate after preoperative radiotherapy of rectal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2001

Common cancer-related symptoms among GP patients. Opportunistic screening in primary health care.

OBJECTIVE: To study the occurrence of symptoms related to the five most common forms of cancer among patients regularly visiting primary care. To estimate the proportion of symptoms needing GP examination, and the number of tumours thus diagnosed. DESIGN: Patients with some form of non-malignant chronic disease received a letter with information about cancer-related symptoms along with an invitation to regular check-up. The letter described the most common symptoms of breast, colorectal, lung, prostate and skin cancers. SETTING: 12 health centres in Kalmar County, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 5200 patients aged over 40 years. RESULTS: One patient in 13 reported cancer-related symptoms to the GP. Women reported more symptoms than men, and almost half of them had had symptoms at previous check-ups. The GP was able to explain 7 out of 10 patients' symptoms directly. When other symptoms were examined, 8 cancers were diagnosed as well as 6 pre-malignant tumours, corresponding to 3 tumour diagnoses per 1000 check-ups. CONCLUSION: While attending regular check-ups, patients may not report symptoms which cause anxiety and sometimes indicate serious diseases. It is possible to widen the perspective and link both primary and secondary prevention of certain cancers to the check-up.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Results of two or five years of adjuvant tamoxifen correlated to steroid receptor and S-phase levels. South Sweden Breast Cancer Group, and South-East Sweden Breast Cancer Group.

A Swedish cooperative trial demonstrated that 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen was more beneficial than 2 years of tamoxifen in the treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER) positive, early stage, invasive breast cancer. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the importance of progesterone receptor (PgR) and ER concentration levels for patients participating in the trial and still distant recurrence free two years after the primary operation. Subgroup analyses revealed that only patients with ER positive and PgR positive breast cancer had improved distant recurrence free survival (DRFS) by prolonged tamoxifen therapy (p = 0.0016). Patients with ER negative and PgR negative as well as ER positive and PgR negative tumors showed no significant effect of prolonged tamoxifen (p = 0.53 and p = 0.80, respectively). The percentage of ER negative and PgR positive breast cancers was too small (2.2%) for any meaningful subgroup analysis. There was a significant positive trend that the concentration level of PgR (high positive vs. low positive vs. negative) decreased the recurrence rate for those with prolonged therapy. No corresponding pattern was found for the ER content. S-phase fraction did not correlate to the recurrence rate of PgR positive breast cancers. Patients recurring during tamoxifen therapy had receptor negative tumors to a greater extent than those recurring after tamoxifen treatment. In conclusion, prolonged tamoxifen therapy for 5 years instead of 2 years was found to be beneficial for patients with ER positive and PgR positive breast cancer, whereas three extra years of tamoxifen had little or no effect for patients with ER positive but PgR negative tumors as well as for steroid receptor negative patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

A comparison between flow cytometric assessment of S-phase fraction and Nottingham histologic grade as prognostic instruments in breast cancer.

Flow cytometric DNA analysis with assessment of S-phase fraction and DNA ploidy was compared to Nottingham histologic grade. The study population consisted of 654 patients who presented between 1987 and 1996 with primary operable breast cancer and whose tumours had been analysed for S-phase fraction and DNA ploidy at the time of surgery. Grade, tumour size, node status, steroid receptor status, age, S-phase fraction and DNA ploidy were analysed univariately and multi-variately in a Cox proportional hazard analysis. In the univariate analyses all parameters were statistically significantly associated with breast cancer mortality during the follow-up period of 2-11 years. The most powerful predictor of death from breast cancer in the multiple regression analysis was grade. Patients with grade 1 tumours have excellent prognosis. We conclude that tumour grade is a strong prognostic indicator applicable to all breast cancer patients, regardless of size and nodal status, and advocate its general use.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

ErbB2 status and the benefit from two or five years of adjuvant tamoxifen in postmenopausal early stage breast cancer.

AIM: We aimed to study the importance of erbB2 status in early stage postmenopausal breast cancer for patients who participated in a trial of five vs. two years of adjuvant tamoxifen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analysed the erbB2 status of the tumours from 577 patients participating in the trial, either by a DNA amplification assay (n = 181) or by measurement of the protein level with flow cytometry (n = 396). RESULTS: ErbB2 was overexpressed or gene amplified in 102 of the patients (18%). Overall, erbB2-positive patients had a significantly lower recurrence-free probability than others, 62% at five years as compared to 83%, and showed a significantly decreased breast cancer survival rate (P = 0.0007). ErbB2 status was significantly associated with recurrence and death in Cox multivariate analysis, adjusting for nodal status, tumour size and estrogen receptor status. The relative risk of recurrence (RR) for five vs. two years of tamoxifen was analysed in relation to erbB2 status for patients still disease-free two years after surgery. Whereas erbB2-negative patients showed significant benefit from prolonged treatment (RR = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.42-0.93), no benefit was evident for erbB2-positive patients (RR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.41-3.2). When the same analysis was restricted to ER-positive patients a similar difference in relative hazard was obtained but the difference was not strictly significant (P = 0.065). CONCLUSIONS: For early stage breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen, overexpression of erbB2 is an independent marker of poor prognosis. The results suggest that overexpression decreases the benefit from prolonged tamoxifen treatment.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Indicators of loco-regional recurrence in breast cancer. The South East Swedish Breast Cancer Group.

AIM: The aim of the investigation was to contribute to the identification of patients who have increased or decreased risk of loco-regional recurrence. METHODS: Six hundred and twenty-nine consecutive patients with primary breast cancer diagnosed between 1988 and 1990 were studied. Two-thirds of the patients underwent mastectomy. Radiotherapy was administered if patients were node positive or breast conserved. The Nottingham histological grading protocol was used and presence of lymphovascular invasion was assessed. Investigated parameters were: age, size, grade, steroid receptor content, surgical radicality, vascular invasion and nodal status. Statistically significant risk factors for loco-regional recurrence using univariate or Cox proportional hazard analysis were grade and lymphovascular invasion. RESULTS: Women with grade 1-2, node-negative tumours without vascular invasion had a very low loco-regional recurrence rate-3.1%. Seventeen percent of patients with grade 3 tumours and vessel invasion had loco-regional recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, and those of others, indicate that the use of adjuvant radiotherapy should be influenced to a greater extent by grade and lymphovascular invasion.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Glutathione S-transferase T1 and M1 genotypes in normal mucosa, transitional mucosa and colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Gene codings for glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) and M1 (GSTM1) are polymorphic in humans with null genotypes present in approximately 20 and 50%, respectively. A significant excess of homozygous null GSTT1 and GSTM1 genotypes has been demonstrated among individuals with certain types of cancers. This finding suggests that GSTT1 and GSTM1 may play a role in tumour susceptibility. However, reports concerning colorectal cancer susceptibility are controversial. In the present study, we used a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach to identify and analyze simultaneously the genotypes of both the genes in 99 patients with colorectal cancer and 109 healthy controls. Compared with the control group, a significant excess of homozygous null genotypes for GSTT1 was found in normal mucosa among the cancer patients, but not for GSTM1. Both genes were more frequently deleted in tumours than in corresponding normal mucosa. Furthermore, GSTT1 null genotype in tumour tissue, was significantly related to old age and to poor differentiation of tumours. GSTM1 null genotype in tumour was more frequent in the rectal tumours compared with tumours of left colon and right colon. Our results suggest that individuals with GSTT1 null genotype may be genetically predisposed for an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Allele loss in tumour tissue, which reflects genetic instability, may be considered as a marker for evaluating clinico-pathological characteristics of the cancer patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

p53 status: an indicator for the effect of preoperative radiotherapy of rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Rectal carcinoma is a common malignancy, with a history of high local recurrence rates following surgery. In recent years. preoperative radiotherapy and refined surgical technique have improved local control rates. AIM: To investigate the relationship between expression of nuclear p53 protein and the outcome in rectal carcinoma, with and without short-term preoperative radiotherapy. MATERIAL: Specimens from 163 patients from the Southeast Swedish Health Care region included in the Swedish rectal cancer trial between 1987-1990. METHOD: New sections from the paraffin blocks of the preoperative biopsy and the surgical specimen were examined immunohistochemically using a p53 antibody (PAb 1801). RESULT: Expression of nuclear p53 protein was seen in 41% of the tumours. The p53 negative patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy had a significant reduction of local failure compared with the non-irradiated p53 negative patients (P = 0.0008). In contrast, p53 positive patients showed no benefit from preoperative radiotherapy. The interaction between p53 status and the benefit of radiotherapy was statistically significant (P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Expression of nuclear p53 protein in rectal carcinoma seems to be a significant predictive factor for local treatment failure after preoperative radiotherapy. Further investigations are necessary to select patients for preoperative treatment based on analysis of the preoperative biopsies.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1999

Applying the Nottingham Prognostic Index to a Swedish breast cancer population. South East Swedish Breast Cancer Study Group.

The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of histopathological grading according to the protocol of Elston/Ellis and the Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) to a defined breast cancer population. The NPI is the sum of the individual scores concerning grade, tumour size, and lymph node status, each weighted according to regression coefficients of a Cox proportional hazard analysis and calculated for each individual breast cancer patient. 630 consecutive patients with invasive breast cancer diagnosed 1988-91 were retrospectively followed up and their tumours reviewed and graded. A Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed. Grade, lymph node status, and tumour size were statistically significant predictors of survival within the follow up period (median 7.2 years). Similar to NPI, a temporary index (Kalmar Prognostic Index, KPI) was derived and normalised to NPI for comparison (KPI(norm)). NPI and KPI(norm) gave similar prognostic power in spite of the differences of the patient populations from which the 2 indices were derived. Patients with NPI 4 or less had 0.66% breast cancer specific mortality during the follow up time. 14% of the patients with NPI 4.1-5 and 32% of those with an index sum 5.1-6 died from breast cancer during this time. Younger patients tended to have higher grade tumours. We advocate the common use of grade and the NPI in order to increase the comparability of groups of patients receiving different therapies.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Expression of the deleted in colorectal cancer gene is related to prognosis in DNA diploid and low proliferative colorectal adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: Whether or not the deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) gene is implicated in metastases or in predicting prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer has not previously been substantiated. Our aims were to investigate DCC expression in primary colorectal cancers and in metastases to identify any prognostic significance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: DCC expression was examined immunohistochemically in 195 primary colorectal adenocarcinomas and in 23 paired primary tumors and lymph node metastases. DNA content and S-phase fraction were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The absence of DCC expression was observed in 55 primary tumors (28%). DCC negativity was significantly related to poor prognosis in patients with DNA diploid tumors (P =.03) and those with a low S-phase fraction (< 5%, P =.02) but not in patients with nondiploid tumors or those with a higher S-phase fraction. Furthermore, DCC expression retained its prognostic significance in the diploid subgroup after adjusting for sex, age, site, stage, growth pattern, and differentiation (P =.01). DCC expression was similar in primary tumors and their metastases. CONCLUSION: The absence of DCC predicted a poor outcome in the patients with diploid tumors and those tumors with a low S-phase fraction. Immunohistochemistry may be considered as a practical test to assess prognosis in this subgroup of patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1998

K-ras mutations in colorectal adenocarcinomas and neighbouring transitional mucosa.

The K-ras gene in codons 12 and 13 was investigated using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction in matched normal mucosa (n = 106), transitional mucosa (n = 69) and tumours (n = 149) from 149 patients with colorectal adenocarcinomas. K-ras mutations in codon 12 were detected in 41/149 (28%) of tumours and 4/69 (6%) of transitional mucosa samples, but not in the normal mucosa. Further, mutation rates were increased in younger patients (P = 0.001) and in mucinous carcinomas (50%) compared with well differentiated (17%), moderately differentiated (26%) or poorly differentiated (24%) tumours. Our findings indicate that mucinous carcinoma may represent a distinct genetic entity.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗

PubMed1998

Overexpression of ras is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal adenocarcinoma.

The expression of ras was investigated by using immunohistochemistry in 245 primary colorectal adenocarcinomas and 49 corresponding metastases in the lymph nodes. One hundred and forty-four (59%) of the primary tumours presented as ras positive and 37 (76%) were positive in metastases. The ras expression was positively related to cell proliferation (p=0.01) and significantly increased in tumours with aneuploidy (68%) compared to tumours with diploidy (51%) and tetraploidy (53%, p=0.01). The frequency of ras expression was increased from Dukes' stage A to stages B-D (41% vs 62%, p=0.01). ras expression was compared in 40 paired primary tumours and their corresponding metastases, and the difference in expression did not reach statistical significance (73% vs 83%, p=0.32). In survival analyses, ras overexpression predicted a poor prognosis independent of Dukes' stage, DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction (p=0.049). We did not find any significant relationship between ras expression and patients' sex, age, tumour location, growth pattern, differentiation, p53 expression or heat shock protein. The results indicate that the alteration of ras expression may be involved in the instability of DNA and cellular overproliferation, but not in the progression to advanced stage and the development of metastases. The expression of ras was an important biological marker for evaluating the prognosis in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1998

Ki-67 antigen expression as a prognostic factor in primary and recurrent astrocytomas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Histological grading is widely used to evaluate the prognosis for patients with astrocytic tumors. Many complimentary methods have been introduced, such as proliferation markers in order to better assess the proliferative potential of these gliomas. METHODS: Archival, paraffin embedded specimens of recurrent astrocytic tumors of varying grades from 22 patients were examined using antibodies against Ki-67 (MIB-1). Labeling indices (LI) were analyzed at the first and second operations and compared with tumor grades, age of the patients and the time between the operations as well as the survival time. RESULTS: There was a progression of malignancy between the operations. Dividing Ki-67 labeling indices in < or = 10% vs. > 10% significantly separated parameters such as the time between the first operation and relapse as well as the cumulative proportion of survival. The proliferation fraction was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Assessment of Ki-67 LI is highly recommended in addition to histology in evaluation of the malignancy potential of astrocytic tumors.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Heat shock protein 72/73 in relation to cytoplasmic p53 expression and prognosis in colorectal adenocarcinomas.

Heat shock proteins (hsp) are molecular chaperones that are increased by various environmental and patho-physiological stimuli. Hsp can bind to mutant/wild-type p53 in tumors and, consequently, could not only regulate p53 accumulation or localization but also modulate its biological effects on cells. However, there is little information available on the significance of hsp expression in colorectal cancer. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship of hsp to p53 expression, clinico-pathological factors and prognosis in a series of 256 patients with colorectal adenocarcinomas, using immuno-histochemistry. Seventy-five cases exhibited hsp expression in the cytoplasm, with 11 presenting both cytoplasmic and nuclear staining. Hsp expression was related positively to cytoplasmic p53 expression but not to nuclear p53 expression. In the subgroup of rectal tumors, hsp over-expression appeared to predict unfavorable survival, though its prognostic value diminished using multivariate analysis. There were no significant relationships of hsp with patient sex or age, tumor site, Duke's stage, growth pattern or differentiation.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1997

Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Thirty-four mucoepidermoid carcinomas were studied retrospectively with regard to histological and clinical parameters. In 28 of the tumors DNA patterns were also assessed using flow cytometry. Twenty-two of the 28 tumors (79%) were DNA diploid and 6 (21%) DNA aneuploid. Two tumors (7%) showed intratumoral DNA as indicated by different stemlines in specimens investigated from different parts of the tumor. DNA ploidy correlated significantly with cervical lymph node status (P < 0.01), but not with tumor size or histological grade. The mean S-phase value was 2.7% and was significantly higher in aneuploid samples than in diploid ones (P < 0.05). The recurrence rate was significantly lower for patients with stage I and II tumor compared with those with stage III and IV disease (P < 0.01). Five aneuploid tumors showed significantly higher recurrence rates (5/6) than the diploid ones (1/22) (P < 0.01). In univariate analysis for survival, only N stage tumor (P < 0.05) and tumor DNA ploidy (P < 0.0003) had significant prognostic influence. Thus, DNA ploidy seems to be a valuable parameter for evaluating the biological behavior of mucoepidermoid carcinomas of the salivary glands.

Adult↗