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F Bibeau

Publications and source records attributed to F Bibeau.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Genetic profiling of chromosome 1 in breast cancer: mapping of regions of gains and losses and identification of candidate genes on 1q.

Chromosome 1 is involved in quantitative anomalies in 50-60% of breast tumours. However, the structure of these anomalies and the identity of the affected genes remain to be determined. To characterise these anomalies and define their consequences on gene expression, we undertook a study combining array-CGH analysis and expression profiling using specialised arrays. Array-CGH data showed that 1p was predominantly involved in losses and 1q almost exclusively in gains. Noticeably, high magnitude amplification was infrequent. In an attempt to fine map regions of copy number changes, we defined 19 shortest regions of overlap (SROs) for gains (one at 1p and 18 at 1q) and of 20 SROs for losses (all at 1p). These SROs, whose sizes ranged from 170 kb to 3.2 Mb, represented the smallest genomic intervals possible based on the resolution of our array. The elevated incidence of gains at 1q, added to the well-established concordance between DNA copy increase and augmented RNA expression, made us focus on gene expression changes at this chromosomal arm. To identify candidate oncogenes, we studied the RNA expression profiles of 307 genes located at 1q using a home-made built cDNA array. We identified 30 candidate genes showing significant overexpression correlated to copy number increase. In order to substantiate their involvement, RNA expression levels of these candidate genes were measured by quantitative (Q)-RT-PCR in a panel of 25 breast cancer cell lines previously typed by array-CGH. Q-PCR showed that 11 genes were significantly overexpressed in the presence of a genomic gain in these cell lines, and 20 overexpressed when compared to normal breast.

Breast Neoplasms↗

p53 status and response to radiotherapy in rectal cancer: a prospective multilevel analysis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate, in a prospective study, the predictive role of p53 status analysed at four different levels in identifying the response to preoperative radiotherapy in rectal adenocarcinoma. Before treatment, 70 patients were staged and endoscopic forceps biopsies from the tumour area were taken. p53 status was assessed by total cDNA sequencing, allelic loss analysis, immunohistochemistry, and p53 antibodies. Neoadjuvant treatment was based on preoperative radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy. Response to therapy was evaluated after surgery by both pathologic downstaging and histologic tumour regression grade. In all, 35 patients (50.0%) had p53 gene mutations; 44.4% of patients had an allelic loss; nuclear p53 overexpression was observed in 39 patients (55.7%); and p53 antibodies were detected in 11 patients (16.7%). In the multilevel analysis of p53 status, gene mutations correlated with both nuclear protein overexpression (P < 0.0001) and loss of heterozygosity (P = 0.013). In all, 29 patients (41.4%) were downstaged by pathologic analysis, and 19 patients (29.2%) were classified as tumour regression grade 1. Whatever the method of evaluation of treatment response, no correlation between p53 alterations and response to radiotherapy was observed. Our results do not support the use of p53 alterations alone as a predictive marker for response to radiotherapy in rectal carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Primary breast lymphoma.

Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare form of localized extranodal lymphoma. Few reports are available in the literature concerning its treatment and outcome. Of the 34 cases of PBL seen at our institution over a 25-year period, 20 consecutive cases were treated with CHOP or CHOP-like chemotherapy regimen and had adequate biopsy specimens for histological review. All these 20 PBL were of B-cell origin including one case of Burkitt lymphoma, and 2 cases of low-grade histologic type. Sixteen of the 20 patients achieved a complete remission (CR) and 2 achieved a partial remission (PR) (>75% tumor regression). Two patients had progressive disease while on therapy. With a median follow-up period of 80 months, 6 patients relapsed. Median time to relapse from diagnosis was 23 months (range, 3-41 months). Two of the relapses involved the central nervous system (CNS): isolated CNS relapse in one case and associated with other relapse sites in 1 case. The two patients who achieved a PR after chemotherapy also had disease progression to the CNS, 4 and 8 months after the end of CHOP chemotherapy. All 4 patients died of their disease 3, 6, 10 and 13 months after CNS involvement. Of the 16 centroblastic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLCL), 3 had CNS disease at relapse. Three (15%) of our study patients developed a controlateral breast relapse. Twelve of the initial 20 patients were alive, including 11 with a persistent CR, 6 patients died of their lymphoma and 2 of unrelated diseases. In conclusion, we observed a high incidence of CNS relapse in this group of localized extranodal lymphoma, strongly suggesting that CNS prophylaxis should be associated with systemic chemotherapy in localized PLB.

Adult↗

[HER2 gene amplification assay: is CISH an alternative to FISH?].

The HER2 proto-oncogene encodes a transmembrane protein, which is considered to function as a growth factor receptor. Overexpression of this protein found by immunohistochemistry in about 20% of infiltrating breast carcinomas, has a predictive value of response to treatment by trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 humanized monoclonal antibody. Search for HER2 gene amplification is necessary to adapt the immunohistochemical technique quality and also in the cases of delicate analysis or weak overexpression. It is usually carried out by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). A more recent hybridization technique, named CISH because of its chromogenic revelation is an alternative method, which gives highly correlated results with FISH. We present details of this technique, which may be more familiar for the pathologists than FISH, because reading analysis is similar to that of immunohistochemical staining.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Primary breast lymphoma: a report of 20 cases.

Limited data are available concerning treatment and outcome of primary lymphoma of the breast (PLB), especially after CHOP (cyclophosphamide, hydroxydoxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) chemotherapy. We retrospectively reviewed 20 consecutive cases of localized PLB seen at our institution over a 20 year period. All PLB were of B-cell origin: treatment was CHOP or a CHOP-like regimen in all patients. Sixteen of the 20 patients achieved complete remission (CR) and two achieved partial remission (> 75% tumour regression). Two patients had progressive disease on therapy. With a median follow-up of 54 months, six patients relapsed after 8-66 months. Two of the relapses involved the central nervous system (CNS) (isolated in one case, associated with other sites of relapse in the other). The two patients who achieved partial remission also had progression in the CNS, 4 and 8 months after the end of CHOP chemotherapy. All four patients have died as a result of their disease 3, 6, 10 and 13 months after CNS relapse. Of the 16 centroblastic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLCL), three had CNS disease at relapse. We also observed three (15%) controlateral breast relapses. Thirteen of the initial 20 patients are alive in CR, six patients have died as a result of their lymphoma and one of unrelated disease. In conclusion, we observed a high incidence of CNS relapse in this group of localized extranodal lymphoma, strongly suggesting that CNS prophylaxis should be associated with systemic chemotherapy in localized PLB.

Adult↗

[Standards, options and recommendations: practice guidelines for difficult diagnosis in surgical pathology or cytopathology in cancer patients].

CONTEXT: The "Standards, Options and Recommendations" (SOR) project, started in 1993 is a collaboration between the Federation of the French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), the 20 French Cancer Centres and specialists from French Public Universities, General Hospitals and Private Clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and outcome for cancer patients. The methodology is based on literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery. OBJECTIVES: To develop clinical practice guidelines according to the definitions of the Standards, Options and Recommendations project for difficult diagnoses in surgical pathology or cytopathology in cancer patients. METHODS: Data were identified by searching Medline and using the personal reference lists of members of the expert groups. Once the guidelines were defined, the document was submitted for review to 71 independent reviewers. RESULTS: The main recommendations to prevent and reduce the number of difficult diagnoses in surgical pathology or cytopathology are: 1) The development of quality insurance programs with use of written procedures in each pathology laboratory (standard). 2) The knowledge of clinical data in order to explain surgical pathology or cytopathology results (standard). 3) The availability of complementary patient informations (radiologic data . . .) can be useful to explain surgical pathology or cytopathology results (option). The main recommendations to detect lesions associated with difficult diagnosis in surgical pathology or cytopathology are: 1) Tumor types known as potential difficult diagnosis in surgical pathology or cytopathology should be reviewed by a second pathologist. 2) The systematic second reviewing for every case is expensive but has to be done when the difficulty is know (sarcoma, lymphoma . . .) by experienced pathologists. The main recommendations to solve difficult diagnosis in surgical pathology or cytopathology are: 1) Block recuts, use of special techniques (immunocytohistochemistry and molecular biology), additional data from clinicians, second opinion by a local pathologist, or new specimen can be required for establishing the diagnosis (options). 2) Outside second opinion by expert pathologist has to be considered once the other steps did not allow to establish surgical or cytopathology diagnosis (recommendations, expert agreement).

Humans↗

Epstein-Barr virus latent and replicative gene expression in gastric carcinoma.

Recent reports demonstrated the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in about 10% of gastric carcinoma cases, particularly in Asian populations. We carried out a retrospective assessment of the detection rate of EBV gene products in 59 cases of gastric carcinoma of various histological subtypes. In situ hybridization using non-isotopic EBER and BHLF1 oligoprobes, and immunohistochemistry using antibodies to latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) were applied to paraffin-embedded sections. Tumour cells in five out of 59 cases (8.5%) were found to be EBER positive by in situ hybridization, but no staining was observed with LMP-1 antibodies. Four EBER positive cases were lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas and one case was a well differentiated adenocarcinoma, suggesting a stronger association with the former subtype. Among the four EBER positive lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas, BHLF1 transcripts were expressed in one case in a few tumour cells, indicating the possible activation of a lytic cycle. In nine cases (including three EBER positive cases) a few scattered EBV-infected lymphocytes were seen in the normal mucosa but we were unable to detect any EBER positive normal epithelial cells. Our results show that, in a French population, the incidence of EBV-associated gastric carcinoma is similar to that in other geographic areas. The clinical implications of these findings, however, remain unclear.

Adult↗

Optimization of immunohistochemical detection of P-glycoprotein in chronic lymphoid disorders.

To optimize the immunohistochemical detection of the multidrug resistance (MDR)-associated P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in chronic lymphoid disorders, the authors compared the sensitivity of three different monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) directed against P-gp (C219, JSB-1, and MRK 16) by using the APAAP technique on four tissue preparations obtained from lymphoid tumors: Cryostat sections, ModAMEX processed sections, frozen cytospin preparations, and fresh cytospin preparations. Tumor samples were obtained from patients with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (6 cases) or non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma (4 cases). Lymph nodes (n = 9), spleen (n = 3), and blood (n = 5) were analyzed. JSB-1 MoAb detected P-gp in 4 of 12 cases (33.3%) on either frozen sections or ModAMEX processed sections, and in 6 of 17 cases (35.3%) on frozen cytospin preparations. The sensitivity of JSB-1 was significantly improved when fresh cytospin preparations were used with an incidence of P-gp positive samples as high as 70.6% (P < .05). C219 MoAb was unreactive with lymphoid cells whatever the technique used, whereas this antibody stained stromal cells. MRK 16 MoAb was equally reactive to JSB-1 on fresh cytospin preparations, but unreactive when the other preparations were used. The specificity of JSB1 MoAb was confirmed by both Western blot analysis and Rhodamine 123 efflux assay. The authors used JSB-1 MoAb on fresh cytospin smears prepared from 28 CLL patients. Overall incidence of P-gp positive cases was 39.2%. Univariate analysis showed that P-gp expression was correlated with prior therapy, refractoriness to treatment, Rai stratification, and time of tissue storage after diagnosis. The authors recommend the use of JSB-1 on fresh cytospin preparations for the immunocytochemical detection of P-gp in chronic lymphoid disorders.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

[Epstein-Barr virus replication in Hodgkin disease].

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is present in up to 40% of Hodgkin's disease (HD). The viral genomes remain latent within Reed-Sternberg cells (RS cells), but the recent detection of Zebra protein in rare neoplastic cells of a few EBV+ HD cases, suggests an activation of EBV replication. We have studied fifty HD cases containing EBV genomes and expressing LMP1 protein (including five AIDS-related cases), by immunohistochemistry with anti-Zebra antibodies. Four of these cases (all HIV-) showed Zebra+ tumor cells. One of these four cases showed numerous Zebra+ neoplastic cells (approximately 1% of tumor cells) and positive staining for EA-R protein, thus indicating early gene expression. In situ hybridization with biotinylated BamHI W probe revealed in this case, a signal of unusual strength within some Reed-Sternberg cells, probably related to increased number of EBV genomes, thus suggesting EBV replication. Viral replication was finally confirmed in this case, by the detection of BLLF1 transcripts (encoding for the membrane antigen gp 350/220) using reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction. Thus, a very few Zebra+ neoplastic cells are concerned by viral replication, most of them harboring EBV involved in an abortive, instead of a full lytic cycle. EBV replication in RS cells remains an exceptional event, but may provide clues to immunologic mechanisms of control of viral latency. Clinical implications need further investigations.

Adult↗

Assessment of the methods for the detection of Epstein-Barr virus nucleic acids and related gene products in Hodgkin's disease.

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is present in the pathogenic cells of a significant number of cases of Hodgkin's disease, particularly of the mixed cellularity subtype. EBV remains latent and the incidence of detection rate of the genomes and gene products varies greatly with the methods employed. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: From a pool of 137 cases of Hodgkin's disease previously studied by cold in situ hybridization (ISH) for the presence or absence of EBV DNA and the immunohistochemical reactivity with anti-latent membrane protein 1 antibody, we selected 24 cases (12 EBV DNA-positive, 12 EBV DNA-negative) for Southern blotting, as well as for study with nonisotopic EBER and BHLF1 oligonucleotide probes and amplification of DNA by polymerase chain reaction. EBV positive cases were further tested with anti-ZEBRA (BZLF1) antibody. RESULTS: The EBV DNA detection rate was found to be lower with Southern blotting compared to ISH and IHC methods because 8 of the 12 EBV positive cases were positive with BamHI W probe and only 7 (of the 8) with XhoI 1.9 kb probe. These 7 cases contained monoclonal episomal circular EBV genomes. All EBV DNA-positive cases showed EBER gene transcription by ISH. EBER probes also reacted with small lymphocytes in all EBV DNA+ and 9 EBV DNA- cases. These EBER-positive small lymphocytes were detected neither by BamHI W DNA probe nor by immunohistochemical methods with anti-latent membrane protein 1 and anti-EBNA2 antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction produced a positive result in all EBV DNA+ cases and 2 (of the 9) EBV DNA- cases containing EBER+ small lymphocytes. This discrepancy was attributed to amplification of EBV in reactive lymphocytes. Anti-ZEBRA antibody was positive in 2 cases (one BHLF1+) suggesting infrequent viral replication and probable abortive lytic cycle. CONCLUSIONS: ISH and immunohistochemical methods are more sensitive than Southern blot for detecting EBV in Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease. Polymerase chain reaction appears to be very sensitive but is less sensitive and specific (amplification of EBV DNA of non-neoplastic lymphocytes) than ISH with non-isotopic EBER oligoprobes, which often detects and localizes EBV in pathogenic cells even when they are in small numbers and also in a few small lymphocytes. In addition, this method offers the advantage of being applied to routinely processed tissue sections.

Antigens, Viral↗

Reliability and discriminant validity of HER2 gene quantification and chromosome 17 aneusomy analysis by real-time PCR in primary breast cancer.

There is an increasing demand for the evaluation of HER2 status in breast cancer. In this study, sections from fixed tissues and triton extracts of tissue homogenates were obtained from 163 malignant breast tumors and analyzed in parallel using immunohistochemistry combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization, as gold standard tests, and an ELISA test (c-erbB2/c-neu Rapid Format ELISA, Oncogene Research Products, USA). Tumor DNA was employed to evaluate two quantitative PCR methods: the HER2/neu DNA Quantification Kit (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Germany), which uses the gastrin chromosome 17 reference gene, and our recently developed Oncolab qPCR assay, where both a chromosome 17 gene (somatostatin receptor type II (SSTR2)) and a non-chromosome 17 reference gene (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate deshydrogenase (GAPDH)) were used to detect an increase in HER2 gene copy number and to evaluate the aneusomy of chromosome 17, respectively. By IHC/FISH and ELISA, HER2 was overexpressed in 27 (16.6%) and 24 (14.7%) samples, respectively. With the Roche and Oncolab qPCR assays, 29 (17.8%) samples showed a ratio of HER2/gastrin > or = 2.0 and 26 (16.0%) showed a ratio of HER2/SSTR2 > or = 2.0, respectively. In samples presenting HER2/SSTR2 <2.0 and HER2/GAPDH > or = 2.0, which was indicative of a chromosome 17 polysomy, we observed a modest increase in HER2 protein expression. Complete agreement between the four methods for HER2 status determination was obtained for 154 (94.5%) samples. Overall, these results demonstrate that quantitative PCR is a reliable method for analyzing HER2 status and chromosome 17 polysomy.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗