Biomedical subjects

Raluca Balan

Publications and source records attributed to Raluca Balan.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Distinctive gene expression profiles by cDNA microarrays in endometrioid and serous carcinomas of the endometrium.

Endometrial carcinomas are classified by their morphology into two major subtypes. Endometrioid carcinomas (type I) are generally estrogen dependent, well-differentiated, superficially invasive, and have a good outcome. Serous carcinomas (type II) are hormone independent, frequently deeply invasive and widely metastatic, and have a poor prognosis. Microarray technology and analysis allows us to determine if the global gene expression profiles of these two subtypes correlate with their morphologic phenotype. Fresh tissue from 18 endometrial carcinomas was studied: 7 well-, 2 moderately, and one poorly differentiated endometrioid, 4 serous carcinomas, and 4 high-grade mixed endometrioid-serous carcinomas. Labeled cDNA probes were synthesized (Cy5 for tumor, Cy3 for reference) and applied to microarrays containing 18,098 cDNA clones or ESTs. A pool of equal amounts of total RNA from each tumor served as the reference RNA. By unsupervised cluster analysis, the endometrioid carcinomas clustered together and were separate from the serous carcinomas. The high-grade mixed carcinomas clustered with the serous carcinomas. Using a statistical algorithm based on gene expression pattern and conducting a supervised analysis of the two defined groups, we have identified 315 genes that statistically differentiate type I from type II endometrial carcinomas. In addition to corroborating the predicted overexpression of known markers (e.g., ras and catenin in endometrioid carcinomas), the cDNA microarray technique has revealed novel alterations in gene expression relevant to cell cycle, cell adhesion, signal transduction, apoptosis, and tumor progression not previously implicated in endometrial carcinomas. For serous carcinomas, these include aldolase, desmoplakin, integrin-linked kinase, PKC, and metallopeptidase. In conclusion, the gene expression profiles of type I and type II endometrial carcinomas are different. Refinement of these profiles will permit more accurate diagnostic tumor classification and the development of prognosis assays.

Carcinoma, Endometrioid↗

PubMed2002

Expression of COX-2, Ki-67, cyclin D1, and P21 in endometrial endometrioid carcinomas.

COX-2, the isoform of cyclooxygenase inducible by cytokines, mitogens, and growth factors, appears to play an important role in inflammation and carcinogenesis. In the colon, COX-2 overexpression results in cell cycle alterations, and NSAIDs have proven effective in cancer chemoprevention. HNPCC (hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer) is a clinically defined cancer susceptibility syndrome in which women are also at significantly increased risk for the development of endometrial carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate expression of COX-2 in benign and malignant endometrium in the context of other cell cycle and proliferation markers, including Ki-67, cyclin D1, and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21. Immunostains with COX-2, Ki-67, cyclin D1, and p21 antibodies were performed on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 40 cases: 10 benign (5 atrophic and 5 proliferative) endometria, 6 hyperplasias (complex without atypia), and 24 endometrioid carcinomas (9 well, 4 moderately, and 11 poorly differentiated). Ki-67 was positive in all proliferative and neoplastic endometria. Cyclin D1 and p21 were both overexpressed in endometrial hyperplasia and endometrioid carcinomas. COX-2 was negative in the nonneoplastic endometrium, stained minimally in the well-differentiated endometrioid carcinomas, and stained most strongly in the moderately and poorly differentiated endometrioid carcinomas. Because cyclin D1 may function as an oncogene, its effects may dominate the usual inhibitory effect of a rising p21. Alternatively, it has been shown that p21 can promote cell cycle function by stabilizing cell cycle complexes. The overexpression of COX-2 in poorly differentiated endometrioid carcinoma and lack of expression in hyperplasia and well-differentiated carcinoma suggests that in this form of cancer, COX-2 may play a role in tumor progression rather than tumor initiation.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antenatal incomplete rupture of the umbilical cord. A case report.

Intrauterine rupture of the umbilical cord is a rare complications, and it's even less frequent in antenatal situation. We describe such a case, with the prenatal demise of a 33-week male fetus in a 2 parous 31 year old patient. The only risk factors identified were: extremely long umbilical cord, oligoamnios, pericervical umbilical loops and extensive vascular thrombosis. The intraoperative assessment showed an intensively blood-stained amniotic fluid, and a partial rupture of the cord close to the placental insertion. As in short cords, a very long cord might have produced important traction in a low quantity of amniotic fluid environment, and determine the rupture and the severe fetal consequence. In our case they were associated with extensive vein thrombosis, which might have lead to intraamniotic hemorrhage and contribute to the fetal demise.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Aspects of the humoral and cellular immune response in hepatitis associated with cholelithiasis.

AIM: To investigate the immunological reactions of the liver in various gall bladder disease. METHODS: IgG, IgA and IgM were measured in the blood and bile of patients with cholecystectomy. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy techniques were used. RESULTS: The tests showed high blood values of immunoglobulins and their presence in the bile. The immunofluorescence was positive for IgG in the hepatic sinusoids. The electron microscopy showed aspects of "cellular cooperation". CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our results we can affirm that in cholelithiasis there exists an immune response to the persistent antigens, with the release of circulating immune complexes.

Bile↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adenosquamous cervical carcinoma morphological characteristics.

Adenosquamous carcinomas range between 5-25% of cervical cancers and are composed by an admixture of malignant squamous and glandular elements. The aim of our study was to identify some common characteristics and to evaluate the correlation between the degrees of differentiation of the two components. We analyzed 15 cases diagnosed in a 6 years period. The age ranged between 26 years and 67 years (mean age 46.5 years). Paraffin embedding, followed by HE staining were performed. Differential diagnosis with endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the cervix with squamous metaplasia was made. Four cases (26.66%) were subtyped as clear cell adenosquamous carcinomas and 2 cases (13.33%) were subtyped as glassy cell carcinomas, exhibiting finely granular ground glass type cytoplasm. 93.33% of cases exhibited a poorly differentiated squamous component and 66.66% of cases exhibited a well differentiated glandular component. 20% (3 cases) presented prominent lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic inflammatory tumoral infiltrate. Squamous intraepithelial lesions in overlying epithelium was observed in 4 cases (26.66%). One case presented extension to the uterine body. One case, diagnosed as glassy cell subtype, presented regional lymph node metastases. Our study concluded the occurrence of adenosquamous cervical carcinomas at a similar age with squamous cervical carcinomas in the investigated group of patients. As adenosquamous cervical carcinomas are considered expressions of a biphasic differentiation of a single pluripotential sub-columnar reserve cell, a similar degree of differentiation of the two components would be expected. Although, we registered a degree of variability in grading of the two components, with a tendency of squamous component toward poorly differentiated aspect and a slightly dominant aspect of well differentiated glandular pattern.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Diagnostic difficulties in mammary gland adenosis. Case report].

Tumor adenosis represents a rare lesion, which most frequent appears as a palpable mass, with more than the usual dimensions. The paper presents a case of tumor adenosis of the mammary gland of a 16 years girl. Macroscopically, the tumor was well delimited, with gray-white surface and a nodular aspect on section. The tissue was processed by routine technique and stained with hematoxylin-eosine (H&E). There were also performed immunohistochemical (Actin SM, CK, S100) and special stainings (silver impregnation). Microscopically, there were observed several histologic types of adenosis, the most frequent being sclerosing adenosis. Through silver impregnation it was observed that the basement membrane, which surrounded the tubes, was intact. Immunohistochemically, there were evidentiated the epithelial and myoepithelial components of the tubes. The presence of these elements led through the diagnosis of tumor adenosis. The importance of recognition of the tumor adenosis is found in the possibility of wrong interpretation of this with tubular invasive carcinoma, these two entities being often mistaken, mainly at the frozen-section examination.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The use of hysteroscopy in the diagnostic on perimenopausal metrorrhagia. A study of 35 cases].

UNLABELLED: We have retrospectively evaluated the role of hysteroscopy for the diagnostic of the peri-menopausal metrorrhagia. METHODS: The cases included represented patients of more than 45 years, with persistent bleeding, from 2 gynecological hospitals (one public and one private), during one year, that were submitted to hysteroscopy for clarifying the diagnostic. The hysteroscopic endometrium descriptions were categorized as: atrophy, normal, simple or suspect hypertrophy, polyp, and adenocarcinoma, and they were compared to the pathological exam results. RESULTS: The descriptions were distributed among the categories: atrophy (8 cases), simple hypertrophy (17), suspect hypertrophy (3), polypoid (5), endometrial cancer (2) or normal (4). The correlation to pathological results was good, with only 14% of hysteroscopic underestimation of lesions. The sensitivity according to type of pathology, was 50 to 100%, specificity between 84% - 100%. CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopy is better than "blind" curettage in clarifying perimenopausal hemorrhagic endometrial pathology.

Aged↗