Biomedical subjects

Daniel C Damin

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel C Damin.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Evidence for an association of TP53 codon 72 polymorphism with breast cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: A common Arg/Pro polymorphism at codon 72 of the TP53 gene has been investigated as a risk factor for cancer in different populations. So far, the results have been controversial. Our purpose was to investigate the association of this polymorphism with breast carcinoma in women from Southern Brazil, a high-risk area for breast cancer. METHODS: Blood samples collected from 118 women with primary breast carcinoma and from 202 female blood donors were analyzed through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The relative frequency of each allele was 0.75 for Arg and 0.25 for Pro in patients with cancer, and 0.62 for Arg and 0.38 for Pro in normal controls (P < 0.001). The Arg/Arg genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk for breast cancer (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.43-3.6; P < 0.002). No correlation between the genotype distribution and specific prognostic predictors for the disease outcome was observed. DISCUSSION: TP53 codon 72 polymorphism might be implicated in breast carcinogenesis, with the Arg/Arg genotype being associated with an increased susceptibility for this malignancy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Sentinel lymph node procedure in patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal: early experience.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of the sentinel lymph node procedure in patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal. METHODS: Between February 2001 and November 2002, 14 patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal and no clinical evidence of inguinal involvement were prospectively enrolled in the study. The sentinel lymph node procedure consisted of a combination of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy with technetium 99m dextran 500 injected around the tumor and intraoperative detection of the sentinel node with a gamma probe. Patent blue V dye was also injected at the periphery of the tumor to facilitate direct identification of the blue-stained lymph node. After removal, the sentinel node was studied by hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry for pancytokeratins (antigen A1 and A3). RESULTS: Detection and removal of sentinel lymph nodes was possible in all patients. There was no correlation between tumor size and pattern of lymphatic drainage to the groin. Tumors located in the midline of the anal canal gave rise to bilateral sentinel nodes in eight of nine cases. In total, 23 sentinel lymph nodes were removed. One patient (7.1 percent) had a node identified as positive for metastatic carcinoma on immunohistochemical staining. Surgical complications were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: The standardized technique was safe and highly effective in sampling inguinal sentinel lymph nodes in carcinoma of the anal canal. It also proved to be useful as an instrument to detect micrometastatic deposits in clinically normal nodes. Our early results suggest the sentinel lymph node procedure may have a role in guiding a more selective approach for patients with anal cancer. Additional studies in a larger patient population to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this method are warranted.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Nuclear chromatin texture in rectal cancer. Relationship to tumor stage.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize, by morphometric and chromatin texture analysis, a series of rectal carcinomas classified according to Dukes staging. STUDY DESIGN: High-resolution imagery of 6,001 nuclei from 51 specimens of rectal carcinoma and 22 specimens of normal rectal tissue was digitally recorded. A set of 93 features descriptive of the spatial and statistical distribution of nuclear chromatin was computed for each nucleus to form a characteristic signature. RESULTS: Rectal carcinomas were significantly different from normal rectum in their digital signature. Eleven karyometric features, such as nuclear area and total optical density, were clearly different between the groups, with significant differences found in analysis of 8 of those features. The most distinctive pattern in lesion signatures in comparison with normal rectal tissue was observed at Dukes' stage D. However, the highest average signature values were seen at Dukes' stage B. The lesion signatures and total optical density observed in cancer specimens deviated markedly from values in the normal group. CONCLUSION: Chromatin texture signature proved to be a useful method of identifying and characterizing nuclear differences between rectal carcinoma and normal rectal tissue.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2003

Nuclear chromatin texture in rectal carcinoma. Prognostic value.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of nuclear features in rectal carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: High-resolution imagery of 3,635 nuclei from 51 patients operated on for rectal cancer at various Dukes' stages was digitally recorded. A set of 93 features descriptive of the spatial and statistical distribution of nuclear chromatin was computed for each nucleus to derive a digital signature. Karyometric features were analyzed for correlation with progression of disease and death. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of main karyometric features in comparison with cancer staging demonstrated that total optical density and clumpness, as well as average nuclear signature, had significant prognostic value in predicting cancer-related death. CONCLUSION: Digital signature seems to have a role as prognostic factor in rectal cancer. The method could be a useful parameter in deciding whether to perform adjuvant therapy in particular subgroups of patients, independently of tumor staging. However, these observations need to be substantiated with additional studies, including larger numbers of patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Perianal basal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: A case of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the perianal region is reported. This tumor is extremely rare in this location and behaves rather innocently. OBJECTIVE: Clinical and histopathologic characteristics of perianal BCC, as well as the choices of treatment, are outlined. CONCLUSION: The tumor should be histologically distinguished from basaloid carcinoma of the anus, which is much more aggressive and metastasizes early, thus requiring a different therapy.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma involving the rectum.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metastatic spread of a distant tumor to the rectum is extremely rare. To our knowledge, there have been no published reports of hematogenic metastasis from a renal cell carcinoma to the rectum. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A patient with a renal cell carcinoma was initially treated by a radical right nephrectomy. RESULTS: Nine months after the surgery he started to have multiple episodes of hematochezia. Colonoscopy showed a nodular lesion located in the distal rectum, and biopsy revealed an undifferentiated carcinoma. The patient then underwent abdominoperineal resection of the rectum, and histological examination showed metastatic renal clear cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: This case represents an exceedingly rare condition, which has never been reported before.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗

PubMed2002

Von Willebrand factor in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a protein that mediates adherence of platelets to subendothelium during primary hemostasis. High vWF plasma concentrations have been reported in patients with various types of cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and the cervix. This effect is associated with tumor-related angiogenesis and the metastatic process. The aim of this study was to determine plasma levels of vWF in a series of patients with colorectal carcinoma and the correlation of these values with specific prognostic predictors for the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: vWF was measured by quantitative immunoelectrophoresis in 75 patients with colorectal carcinoma at various Dukes' stages and compared with results from 88 healthy controls. RESULTS: Cancer patients had significantly higher vWF concentrations than controls. vWF plasma levels were associated with tumor staging, invasion of adjacent organs by the tumor, and presence of distant metastases. There was no significant correlation between vWF values and tumor size, histological grading, or plasma carcinoembryonic antigen levels. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of vWF are elevated in patients with colorectal cancer, and these values tend to increase with tumor progression. Considering that vWF is related to the process of tumor angiogenesis and may contribute to metastatic dissemination of malignant cells, further studies of its potential role as a marker of tumor progression in patients with colorectal cancer are warranted. It should be pointed out, however, that these observations need to be substantiated with additional studies using other methods and, preferably, the determination of vWF levels synthesized in the tumor tissues.

Case-Control Studies↗