OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the validity of two abbreviated protocols (AP) of MRI in breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study in 356 participants with dense breast tissue and negative mammography results. The study was approved by the Nanjing Medical University Ethics Committee. Patients were imaged with a full diagnostic protocol (FDP) of MRI. Two APs (AP-1 consisting of the first post-contrast subtracted [FAST] and maximum-intensity projection [MIP] images, and AP-2 consisting of AP-1 combined with diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI]) and FDP images were analyzed separately, and the sensitivities and specificities of breast cancer detection were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 356 women, 67 lesions were detected in 67 women (18.8%) by standard MR protocol, and histological examination revealed 14 malignant lesions and 53 benign lesions. The average interpretation time of AP-1 and AP-2 were 37 seconds and 54 seconds, respectively, while the average interpretation time of the FDP was 3 minutes and 25 seconds. The sensitivities of the AP-1, AP-2, and FDP were 92.9, 100, and 100%, respectively, and the specificities of the three MR protocols were 86.5, 95.0, and 96.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference among the three MR protocols in the diagnosis of breast cancer (p > 0.05). However, the specificity of AP-1 was significantly lower than that of AP-2 (p = 0.031) and FDP (p = 0.035), while there was no difference between AP-2 and FDP (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The AP may be efficient in the breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. FAST and MIP images combined with DWI of MRI are helpful to improve the specificity of breast cancer detection.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis ; Ethics Committees ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mammography ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transcription Factor AP-1

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of hypoxia-inducible factor-2 (HIF-2α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with radiographic severity in primary osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Expression of these two factors in cartilage samples from OA knee joints was examined at mRNA and protein levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Knee joints were examined using plain radiographs, and OA severity was assessed using the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grading system. Specimens were collected from 29 patients (31 knees) who underwent total knee replacement because of severe medial OA of the knee (KL grades 3 and 4), 16 patients who underwent knee arthroscopy (KL grade 2), and 5 patients with traumatic knees (KL grade 0). HIF-2α and VEGF expression was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. RESULTS: Cartilage degeneration correlated with the radiographic severity grade. OA severity, determined using the Mankin scale, correlated positively with the KL grade (r=0.8790, p<0.01), and HIF-2α and VEGF levels with the radiographic severity of knee OA (r=0.7001, p<0.05; r=0.6647, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In OA cartilage, HIF-2α and VEGF mRNA and protein levels were significantly and positively correlated. The expression of both factors correlated positively with the KL grade. HIF-2α and VEGF, therefore, may serve as biochemical markers as well as potential therapeutic targets in knee OA.
Adult ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Arthroscopy ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/*metabolism ; Biomarkers/*blood ; Cartilage/*metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint/*diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/*blood/diagnostic imaging/physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; Radiography ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Severity of Illness Index ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/*metabolism

The abnormality of serine/threonine kinase Aurora-A is seen in many types of cancers. Although in physiological context it has been shown to play a vital role in cellular mitosis, how this oncogene contributes to tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that Aurora-A overexpression enhances both the expression level and transcriptional activity of c-Myc. The inhibition of c-Myc expression by RNA interference significantly impaired the oncogenic potential of Aurora-A, resulting in attenuated cellular proliferation and transformation rates as well as fewer centrosomal aberrations. Furthermore, downregulation of c-Myc effectively overcame Aurora-A-induced resistance to cisplatin in esophageal cancer cells. Taken together, our results suggest an important role for c-Myc in mediating the oncogenic activity of Aurora-A, which may in turn allow for future targeting of c-Myc as a potential therapeutic strategy for tumors with Aurora-A overexpression.
Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/drug effects/genetics ; Centro ; Chromo ; Cisplatin/pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; E ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects ; Humans ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics/*metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc/genetics/*metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering/genetics ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transgenes/genetics