BACKGROUND: In multiple lung cancers (MLCs), distinction between intrapulmonary metastases and multiple primary tumors is important for staging and prognosis. In this study, we have investigated histopathologic prognostic factors of patients with MLCs. METHODS: Histologic subtype, size differences, lobar location, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), size of the largest tumor, nodal status, number of tumors, morphology of tumor periphery, and immunohistochemical profiles using eight antibodies, were analyzed in 65 patients with MLCs. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the survivals of patients with multiple primary tumors and intrapulmonary metastases, as determined by the Martini-Melamed criteria (p=0.654). Risk grouping by four histologic parameters, LVI, margin morphology, size differences, and lobar locations of paired tumors were prognostic. The patients with one or two of aforementioned parameters had significantly longer survival than those with three or four parameters (p=0.017). In patients with largest mass (< or =5 cm), the risk grouping was found to be an independent prognostic factor (p=0.022). However, differences in immunohistochemical staining were not related to patients' survival. CONCLUSIONS: A risk grouping of MLC patients by using combinations of histologic parameters can be a useful tool in evaluating the survival of patients with MLCs, and may indicate clonal relationship between multiple tumors.
Antibodies ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

Angiopoietin2( ANGPT2 ) plays an important role in tumor angiopoiesis. ANGPT2 antagonises ANGPT1 resulting in an effect on the stability of blood vessels, which promotes tumor growth, invasion, proliferation as well as relating to tumor vascular density. A lot of researches published papers about anti-ANGPT2 for the treatment of tumor, and have made some progresses. In this review, the role of ANGPT2 in the pathogenesis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), including its effects on proliferation of leukemia cells, bone marrow angiopoiesis, tumor invasion and metastasis are briefly summarised in order to provide the basis for targeted ANGPT2 in treatment of AML.
Angiopoietin-1 ; immunology ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Bone Marrow ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; immunology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Vitiligo is a disease in which melanocytes are selectively destroyed. The disease is thought to be an autoimmune process being there are antibodies to pigment cells in the sera of patients and animals with vitiligo. In the present study, sera from vitiligo patients were examined for reactivity with the human melanoma cell line, SK-Mel-28, by Western blot analysis of solubilized membrane antigens of these cells to identify the pigment cell antigens defined by antibodies in the patients with vitiligo. Antibody reactivity to human melanoma cells (SK-Mel-28) was investigated in 14 patients with vitiligo, and 16 with normal control individuals. Antibodies to the 116-113, 60, 40 KD antigens were associated with vitiligo being present in 79%, 86%, and 43% respectively of the patients with vitiligo, but in only 6%, 38% and 6% of the normal controls. In contrast, antibodies to the 160-155, 78 and 64 KD antigens were equally common in vitiligo and in normal individuals. The results suggest that autoreactivity to pigment cells occurs more commonly in patients with vitiligo than in the normal control and high autoreactivity to pigment cells in the vitiligo sera might be an impertinent epiphemenon to destroyed pigment cell.
Antibodies, Neoplasm/*blood ; Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology ; Autoantibodies/blood ; Blotting, Western ; Human ; Melanoma/*immunology ; Vitiligo/*immunology

Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) have different mechanism and adverse effects compared with cytotoxic agents. The introduction of MoAbs has improved the treatment potency to malignant lymphoma without decreasing the quality of life. However, there are many questions to be answered: What is the profound mechanism of MoAbs? How about their long-term adverse effects? What is the best medication pattern in different disease types?
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; Antibodies, Neoplasm ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Delivery Systems ; methods ; Drug Design ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; therapy ; Radioimmunotherapy ; Rituximab

BACKGROUND: One of the most important prognostic factors in colorectal cancer is lymph node metastasis, which predicts a reduced survival time. Although lymph node metastases were not detected by a conventional hematoxylin-eosin stain technique, 20 to 30 percent of patients fail long-term survival on account of a local or systemic recurrence. Recurrent disease in these patients is believed to develop from occult tumor in lymph nodes. PURPOSE: The authors have conducted an immunohistochemical study with two different antibodies against cytokeratin to identify occult micrometastases in lymph nodes which were diagnosed as tumor negative by conventional histopathology. METHODS: Paraffin blocks of sixty-five patients with colorectal cancer (T2/3, N0, M0) after a curative resection between January 1991 and December 1993 at Kyung-Hee University Hospital were stained with avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique using two monoclonal antibodies (anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and anti-cytokeratin No. 20, DAKO, Hamburg, Germany). To assess the clinical correlation between micrometastasis in lymph node and patients survial, 5-year disease-free survival rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and the significance of the differences was estimated by the log-rank test. P values <0.05 were taken to be significant. RESULTS: Of the sixty-five patients with 1133 lymph nodes, tumor cells detected by anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and anti-cytokeratin No. 20, were 2.4 percent (27/1133) and 3.4 percent (38/1133), respectively. Micrometastases were detected in twenty-six patients (40.0 percent). The histologic stage of four cytokeratin positive cases was upstaged from T2, N0, M0 to T2, N1/2, M0, and twenty-two of T3, N0, M0 to T3, N1/2, M0. Cytokeratin-positive cases showed statistically significant recurrence rate (42.3 percent) compared to that of cytokeratin -negative cases (17.9 percent)(x2 test, p=0.032). With the median follow-up of 62 months, 5-year disease-free survival rates of the micrometastses negative and positive cases were 81.7 percent and 61.3 percent, respectively (p=0.0438). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, immunohistochemical technique to identify the occult micrometastases in lymph nodes overlooked in conventional histopathology is a useful staging method to anticipate a recurrence and a prognosis more precisely.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis* ; Paraffin ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

Matrix metalloproteinase(MMP) is the proteolytic enzyme of the extracellular matrix. MMPs play a role in the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumor, but it is not known whether the expression of MMPs in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is related to the prognostic factors of this tumor. In this study, 32 paraffin-embedded tumor specimens were examined immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies of MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-10 and MMP-13. The possible relationships between the expressions of the MMPs and TNM staging, the differentiation of tumor cells, size of tumor mass and lymph node metastasis were anlaysed statistically. The results were as follows. 1. The expression of MMP-2 increased according to TNM staging (P < 0.05) and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05) and the expression of MMP-2 was not affected by the differentiation of tumor cells or tumor size. 2. The expression of MMP-3 increased with increasing tumor size (P < 0.05). However it was not related to TNM staging, the differentiation of tumor cells or lymph node metastasis. 3. The expression of MMP-10 was unrelated to TNM staging, differentiation of tumor cells, lymph node metastasis or tumor size. 4. The expression of MMP-13 increased as tumor size increased (P < 0.05). However it was not related to TNM staging, the differentiation of tumor cells or lymph node metastasis. We concluded that the expression patterns of MMP-2, MMP-3, and MMP-13 may play a role in the diagnosis, treatment plan and prognostic evaluation of malignant tumors of the tongue.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Extracellular Matrix ; Lymph Nodes ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Tongue*

Mortality associated with human breast carcinoma is almost entirely due to subsequent cancer metastasis, but the molecular basis of this metastasis is not well established. The nm23 gene was originally identified by differential hybridization between two murine melanoma cell sublines which have low and high metastatic potential, and located in chromosome 17q22. This gene has been known to be involved in the metastasis of several cancers and its down-regulation usually associated with metastasis or disease progression in breast cancer. Tumor angiogenesis, the process leading to the formation of new vessels, plays a central role in tumor progression and distant metastasis. It is implicated in the phenomenon of dormant micrometastasis. This study was designed to determine the prognostic value of expression of the nm23 protein and tumor angiogenesis in breast cancer. Also, these two factors were compared with established clinicopathological prognostic factors and hormone receptors. 118 paraffin embedded surgical specimens of breast cancer were obtained from March, 1988 to February, 1994 and were selected for study. The expression of nm23 protein was studied by using immunohistochemical staining with anti-nm23/nuclear diphosphate kinase A. Tumor angiogenesis was quantified under light microscope by counting of the tumor microvessels(MVC) which were highlighted with anti-CD31 antibodies. The patient were allocated into two groups by mean number of MVC, one group was less 42 and the other was over 42. All the patients were female. The nm23 protein expression was positive in 74(63%) cases and was negative in 44(37%) cases. There was a significant correlation between nm23 protein expression and histologic grade(p=0.023). Positive expression of nm23 protein was correlated with positive estrogen(p=0.031) and progesterone receptors(p=0.001). Also Positive expression of nm23 protein was correlated with longer disease free survival(p=0.0026) and overall survival(p=0.0048). The group of MVC<42 showed better survival in overall(p=0.0195) and disease free survival(p=0.0014) than the other group of MVC>42. But the MVC and established clinicopathological prognostic factors did not show any correlation, neither with hormone status. When the nm23 protein and angiogenesis were considered together, 50 cases of negative nm23 protein and MVC<42 showed the best survival in overall(p=0.0111) and disease free survival(p=0.0114) among the four groups of each combination. In conclusion, the expression of nm23 protein and tumor angiogenesis can be used as new prognostic factors in conjunction with established other prognostic factors.
Antibodies ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Disease Progression ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; Paraffin ; Phosphotransferases ; Progesterone

BACKGROUND : Tumor invasion and metastasis are the major causes of morbidity and death for cancer patients. Metastasis is a complex multistep process in which tumor cells must pass through supporting structures. Proteolytic degradation of the structures is an important part of this process, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) has been implicated. The activation and the enzymatic activity of MMP is regulated by the tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase (TIMP). Three distinct TIMP molecules have been isolated. Very little is known about the role of TIMP-2 in tumors. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of TIMP-2 in human colorectal carcinomas. METHODS : The paraffin blocks of 33 colorectal carcinomas were recalled and immunostained with monoclonal antibodies specific for TIMP-2. The rate of stain was estimated, and the relationships between the expression and the stage, the differentiation, and the recurrence were assessed. RESULTS : The expression of TIMP-2 in tumor tissues increased with increasing Dukes's stage (p<0.05) and recurred cases (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS : Our results suggest that increased expression of TIMP-2 may be useful as a marker of biologic aggressiveness.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Humans* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Recurrence ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expression of E-cadherin and cathepsin-B in prostatic carcinomas and correlate with the Gleason grades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expressions of E-cadherin and cathepsin B were examined by the immunohistochemical technic using the antibodies against the E-cadherin and cathepsin B on the paraffin block sections of 56 prostatic carcinomas with evaluation of Gleason grading. RESULTS: E-cadherin expression in normal epithelium was membranous intercellular expression and those of prostate carcinomas were aberrant expressions such as negative expression or cytoplasmic presentation. The expressivity of the E-cadherin according to the progression of the Gleason grading revealed negative membranous expression and tendency of gradual increase of aberrant expression. The normal prostate and BPH revealed expression of cathepsin B mostly in the basal layers of acini as cytoplasmic reaction and the stromal macrophages and microvessel wall also showed positive expression. The prostatic carcinoma showed cytoplasmic positivity in the cancer cells and the expression rate was increased from Gleason grade 2 to Gleason grade 4. But the Gleason grade 5 tissue revealed decreased or negative expression. The Gleason grade 4, especially in the invasive cells and invasive edges, revealed the most intense and frequent expression of cathepsin B and this findings were consistent with the nonnal function of the cathepsin B as a protease degrading the extracellular matrix proteins. CONCLUSION: E-cadherin expression was aberrant after Gleason grade 6 related with high histologic grades. It is suggested that the E-cadherin expression could tell the potential cancer progression as a tumor suppression factor. The cathepsin B was most strongly expressed in basal cells of the benign prostatic acini and the cancer nests of Gleason grade 4, which tells the possibility that cathepsin B could be a marker of basocellular differentiation and of assessing stromal invasion of prostatic carcinomas.
Antibodies ; Cadherins* ; Cathepsin B* ; Cathepsins* ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelium ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Macrophages ; Microvessels ; Neoplasm Grading ; Paraffin ; Prostate

BACKGROUND: To clarify the clinical significance of CEA and CA19-9 in patients with gastric cancer, we evaluated the correlation between tissue expression, the peripheral and the portal levels of these tumor markers, and ten clinicopathological factors, as well as the prognosis. METHODS: Surgical specimens from 40 patients with gastric cancer were examined by using immunohistochemical staining with anti-CEA and anti-CA19-9 monoclonal antibodies. Serum levels of CEA and CA19-9 in the portal and the peripheral blood were measured by using immunoradiometric assays. RESULTS: Positive values of the portal venous CEA were more common in patients with lymph-node metastasis, distant metastasis, and lymphatic invasion than in those without these factors. Curative surgery was performed in 50.5% of the patients with high portal CEA levels and in 90.6% of the patients with low portal CEA levels. Positive values of the peripheral venous CEA were significantly higher in cases with lymph-node metastasis. The positive rate of CA19-9 immunohistochemistry was significantly higher in patients with distant metastasis and in non-curative surgery. The positive rate of peripheral venous CA19-9 was higher in cases with distant metastasis. The three-year survival rate of patients with negative tissue CEA was significantly higher than that of patients with a positive result. The peripheral venous levels of CEA and CA19-9 reflected the portal venous levels accurately. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that immunohistochemical examination of CEA in patients with gastric cancer is useful for the evaluation of the biological aggressiveness and progression of the disease and can be used for making a prognosis.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunoradiometric Assay ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate