Day :
Keynote Forum
Wassil Nowicky
"Nowicky Pharmaâ€/ Ukrainian Anti-Cancer Institute, Margareten Street 7, A-1040, Vienna, Austria
Keynote: Selective and immunomodulating properties of the anticancer proton preparation on basis of Greater Celandine Alkaloids NSC631570
Biography:
Dr. Wassil Nowicky — Dipl. Ing., Dr. techn., DDDr. h. c., Director of “Nowicky Pharma” and President of the Ukrainian Anti-Cancer Institute (Vienna, Austria). Has finished his study at the Radiotechnical Faculty of the Technical University of Lviv (Ukraine) with the end of 1955 with graduation to “Diplomingeniueur” in 1960 which title was nostrificated in Austria in 1975. Dr. Wassil Nowicky became the very first scientist in the development of the anticancer protonic therapy and is the inventor of the preparation against cancer with a selective effect on basis of celandine alkaloids “NSC-631570”. He used the factor that cancer cells are more negative charged than normal cells and invented the Celandine alkaloid with a positive charge thanks to which it accumulates in cancer cells very fast. Thus, Dr. Nowicky is invited as an Honorable Speaker to take part in many scientific international congresses and conferences in USA, Australia, Japan, UAE, Europe. Author of over 300 scientific articles dedicated to cancer research. Dr. Wassil Nowicky is a real member of the New York Academy of Sciences, member of the European Union for applied immunology and of the American Association for scientific progress, honorary doctor of the Janka Kupala University in Hrodno, doctor “honoris causa” of the Open international university on complex medicine in Colombo, honorary member of the Austrian Society of a name od Albert Schweizer. He has received the award for merits of National guild of pharmasists of America. the award of Austrian Society of sanitary, hygiene and public health services and others.
Abstract:
One of the most significant problems of cancer therapy is the damaging activity of anticancer drugs against normal body cells. All attempts to develop a therapeutic agent with a selective cytotoxic effect on tumor cells had no much success because of the high degree of biological identity between healthy and malignant cells. The celandine is being used in the medicine over more than 3500 years. The first data concerning the therapeutic effect of the juice of celandine in the patient with malignant melanoma were published in Germany in 1536. From that time drugs based on biologically active substances of celandine are widely used to treat cancer and non-cancer disease. It is well known that tumor cell is more negatively charged as compared to normal cell. We have used this feature of the tumor cell to give NSC631570 a property to selectively interact with it, without endangering healthy cells and tissues. The drug is strongly positively charged. Due to this it has an ability to be selectively accumulated in tumor tissue and to induce tumor cell apoptosis only in tumor cells without harmful effect on normal cells. Potent selective antitumor effect of NSC631570 repeatedly proven by the results of clinical trials. Until now this preparation has been tested on over 100 cancer cell lines and on 12 normal cell lines and the results of the studies carried out in more than 120 universities and research centers (in particular at the National Cancer Institute (the USA)) have shown that the NSC 631570 killed only cancer cells without having damaged the normal cells what confirmed its selective effect.
Session Introduction
Yoshiaki Omura
New York Medical College
Title: Non-invasive, early detection of cancers using 3 different methods and safe, effective, individualized treatment of various cancers & their metastases using optimal dose of Vitamin D3 combined with selective drug uptake enhancement method, thymus gland representation area stimulation
Biography:
Yoshiaki Omura received Oncological Residency training at Cancer Institute of Columbia University & Doctor of Science Degree through research on Pharmaco-Electro-Physiology of Single Cardiac Cells in-vivo and in-vitro from Columbia Uni.. He researched EMF Resonance phenomenon between 2 identical molecules for non-invasive detection of molecules, at Graduate Experimental Physics Dept., Columbia Uni., for which he received U.S. patent. He is also the creator of Bi-Digital O-Ring Test. He published over 270 original research articles, many chapters, & 9 books. He is currently Adjunct Prof. of Family & Community Medicine, New York Medical College; President & Prof. of Int’l College of Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics, NY; Formerly, he was also Adjunct Prof. or Visiting Prof. in Universities in USA, France, Italy, Ukraine, Japan, Korea & China.
Abstract:
In order to make non-invasive, safe, effective, rapid screening & diagnosis of various cancers, the author developed following 3 new methods of screening & diagnosis. 1) Visible & invisible abnormalities appearing on accurate organ representation areas of face including: 1A) Visible Abnormalities include “formation of deep crease(s)”, “pigmentation”, and “protrusion” of specific organ representation areas of face, significant disappearance of hair at different organ representation areas of eyebrows; 1B) Invisible Abnormalities appearing at “Upper & Lower Lips”, “Breast representation areas” & “Alars of nose” of face & entire hands. 2) “Mouth, Hand, & Foot Writing Form” can often be used for diagnosing various cancers & their metastases without any medical knowledge of patient. 3) Detection of various cancers from rapidly changing QRS Complex of ECGs. Condition of development of cancer was evaluated using Integrin α5β1 or Oncogene C-fos Ab2 and aggressiveness of cancer was evaluated by non-invasively & quickly measuring 8-OH-dG which is proportional to DNA mutation & is essential to development of malignancy. 8-OH-dG increases every time cancer is metastasized. Once diagnosis is confirmed by standard lab tests or strong electromagnetic field (EMF) resonance phenomenon between 2 identical molecules or cancers using Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (which received US Patent in 1993 for diagnosis) was detected with specific cancer tissue slide, following individualized, safe, effective treatment was given: 1) individualized optimal dose of Vitamin D3 (based on 10 unique, beneficial effects), 2) “Selective Drug Uptake Enhancement Method”, 3) 50 manual stimulations of Thymus gland representation area of back of hand (which we discovered in late 2017 and these manual stimulations increased Thymosin α1 & Thymosin β4 very significantly). Using this non-invasive, safe, effective treatment, even patients considered terminal, hopeless by major university cancer hospitals often improved significantly. These combined treatments were given every 8 hours. The latter 2 methods were given additional 2 or 3 times in advanced terminal cancer patients.
Changchun Du
YanBian University Medical School, China
Title: MICA immune complex formed with ï¡3 domain-specific antibody activates NK function in Fc-dependent manner
Biography:
Changchun Du earned MD from YanBian University Medical School in China. Following the 3 year resident training in the area of infectious diseases at Beihua University Medical School he went on to the US, and he has been doing research in biotechnology since 1996. His expertise is in hematology/oncology and cancer immunology, he has been employed as senior scientific researcher with Genentech for the past 14 years and published 16 papers in highly cited journals.
Abstract:
One of the mechanisms that tumors evade immune surveillance is the shedding of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain–related sequence A (MICA) and MICB from the tumor cell surface. MICA/B are ligands for the activating receptor NKG2D on NK and CD8+ T cells. MICA/B shedding reduces cell surface MICA/B and impairs NKG2D recognition. Shed MICA/B can also mask NKG2D receptor compromising the immune surveillance activity of NK cells.
Our study shows that soluble MICA (sMICA) suppressed human NK cell cytolytic activity in vitro. The NK suppression was not due to the down-regulation of cell surface NKG2D. In the presence of MICA α3 domain-specific antibody, sMICA-mediated suppression was completely blocked and NK cell cytolytic activity was restored. In contrast, restoration effect was not observed when Fc effectorless mutant antibody was employed. Furthermore, MICA immune complex pre-formed with α3 domain-specific antibody (with wild type Fc) induced significant IFN-γ secretion by NK cells in the absence of tumor cells whereas MICA immune complex pre-formed Fc effectorless antibody failed to induce IFN-γ secretion.
Our results demonstrate that MICA α3 domain-specific antibody can overcome sMICA-mediated suppression of NK cytolytic activity. Furthermore, our data suggest that the MICA immune complex formed with α3-specific antibody can activate NKG2D receptor and restore NK cell function in Fc-dependent manner. The clinical utility of α3 domain-specific MICA/B antibody may hold great promise for immunotherapy of tumors that express and shed MICA/B.
Ola A. Harb
Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
Title: Prognostic and clinic-pathological significances of SCF and COX-2 expression in Prostatic adenocarcinoma
Biography:
Dr Ola A.Harb has completed her PhD from Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. He is the Head of the department of Ptahology, Faculty of medicine. He has published more than 30 papers in reputed journals and has been attend more than 20 conference as a speaker
Abstract:
Background;
Stem cell factor (SCF) is an inflammatory cytokine that specific to the c-KIT receptor which is a tyrosine kinase receptor belonging to the type III receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. COXs are key enzymes responsible for the production of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid.
The aim of our study; is to investigate the prognostic and clinic-pathological significance of SCF and COX-2 expression in prostatic adenocarcinoma and in chronic Prostatitis a trial to emphasize association between chronic prostatitis a risk factor for cancer progression.
Methods: SCF and COX-2 expression were evaluated in tissue biopsies that are retrieved from 50 cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma, 20 cases of chronic prostatitis and 10 cases of nodular prostatic hyperplasia using immunohistochemistry, patients that were followed up for 5 years. The relationship between their levels of expressions, clinicopathological follow up and prognostic criteria were studied.
Results: SCF expression in PC was positively correlated with Advanced patient age (p=<0.001) , high level of PSA (p=0.010), higher Gleason score (p=0.011), recurrence of the tumor after successful therapy, disease free survival and overall survival (p<0.001). COX-2 expression in PC was positively correlated with Advanced patient age (p=<0.001) , high level of PSA (p=0.016), advanced D'Amico risk group (p= 0.038) higher incidence of tumor relapse, worse disease free survival and overall survival (p<0.001).
Conclusion: High levels of expression of SCF and COX-2 are associated with cancer progression and are markers of poor prognosis in PC patients.
Keywords: SCF, COX-2, prostatic adenocarcinoma, immunohistochemistry; prognosis
Biography:
Sergey Suchkov was born in the City of Astrakhan, Russia. In 1980, graduated from Astrakhan State Medical University and was awarded with MD. In 1985, maintained his PhD at the I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy and Inst of Med Enzymology. In 2001, and then his Doctor Degree at the Nat Inst of Immunology in Russia.
From 1989 through 1995, was being a Head of the Lab of Clin Immunology, Helmholtz Eye Research Inst in Moscow. From 1995 through 2004 - a Chair of the Dept for Clin Immunology, Moscow Clin Research Institute (MONIKI). In 1993-1996, was a Secretary-in-Chief of the Editorial Board, Biomedical Science, an international journal published jointly by the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK.
At present, Dr Sergey Suchkov, MD, PhD, is:
â— Professor, Director, Center for Personalized Medicine, Sechenov University and Dept of Clinical Immunology, A.I.Evdokimov Moscow State Medical and Dental University;
â— Professor, Chair, Dept for Translational Medicine, Moscow Engineering Physical Institute (MEPhI), Russia
â— Secretary General, United Cultural Convention (UCC), Cambridge, UK.
Dr Suchkov is a member of the:
â— New York Academy of Sciences, USA
â— American Chemical Society (ACS), USA;
â— American Heart Association (AHA), USA;
â— European Association for Medical Education (AMEE), Dundee, UK;
â— EPMA (European Association for Predictive, Preventive and Personalized Medicine), Brussels, EU;
â— ARVO (American Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology);
â— ISER (International Society for Eye Research);
â— Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC), Washington, DC, USA
Dr Suchkov is a member of the Editorial Boards of “Open Journal of Immunology”, EPMA J., American J. of Cardiovascular Research and “Personalized Medicine Universe”
Abstract:
A new systems approach to diseased states and wellness result in a new branch in the healthcare services, namely, personalized and precision medicine (PPM). To achieve the implementation of PM concept, it is necessary to create a fundamentally new strategy based upon the subclinical recognition of biopredictors of hidden abnormalities long before the disease clinically manifests itself.
Each decision-maker values the impact of their decision to use PPM on their own budget and well-being, which may not necessarily be optimal for society as a whole. It would be extremely useful to integrate data harvesting from different databanks for applications such as prediction and personalization of further treatment to thus provide more tailored measures for the patients resulting in improved patient outcomes, reduced adverse events, and more cost effective use of health care resources. A lack of medical guidelines has been identified by the majority of responders as the predominant barrier for adoption, indicating a need for the development of best practices and guidelines to support the implementation of PPM!
Implementation of PPM requires a lot before the current model “physician-patient” could be gradually displaced by a new model “medical advisor-healthy person-at-risk”. This is the reason for developing global scientific, clinical, social, and educational projects in the area of PPM to elicit the content of the new branch.
Wenjun Pu
The University of Queensland School of Pharmacy, Australia.
Title: Pressure induces glioblastoma invasiveness
Biography:
Wenjun Pu is currently a PhD student in the School of Pharmacy of The University of Queensland. Her studies mainly focus on the effect of both osmotic and hydrostatic pressure on glioblastoma invasiveness. She has developped in vitro pressure models, manipulated the expression of candidate proteins mediating the GBM response to pressure, and is testing her hypotheses using the following end points: matrix protease production in the conditioned medium, mRNA expression of proteases and EMT markers, invasion through basement membrane.
Abstract:
Introduction. Glioblastoma (GBM) is a type of brain tumour with high invasiveness and poor prognosis. Both hydrostatic and osmotic pressures are altered in the GBM tumour microenvironment. We hypothesize that increased hydrostatic and osmotic pressures upregulate glioblastoma invasiveness. Better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms linking pressure increases to GBM invasiveness may help develop innovative therapeutic approaches.
Aims: To evaluate the effect of hydrostatic and osmotic pressure on GBM invasive potential.
Methods: The hydrostatic pressure was increased via air pressure in cell culture flasks to 30 mmHg. The osmotic pressure of GBM cell culture medium was adjusted using sodium chloride or water. Cells were incubated in serum-free medium with varying osmolality (from 260 to 440 mOsm) or under increased hydrostatic pressure (30 mmHg) for 48 hours. Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. The proteolytic profile and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated using in-gel zymography and real-time qPCR. The EMT markers assessed were snail-1, slug, twist, vimentin and N-cadherin. Invasion was investigated in vitro using Transwell™ inserts coated with basement membrane-like protein.
Results: Raised hydrostatic pressure resulted in increased expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and several EMT markers in GBM cell lines U87 and U251. In response to osmotic stress, U87 and U251 cell lines upregulated the expression of uPA and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) well as some of the EMT markers tested.
Discussion. Our findings suggest that GBM respond to two types of pressure stress by increasing matrix-degrading enzyme production, and adopting a gene expression phenotype reminiscent of EMT.
Wassil Nowicky
“Nowicky Pharmaâ€/ Ukrainian Anti-Cancer Institute, Vienna, Austria
Title: Selective and immunomodulating properties of the anticancer proton preparation on basis of Greater Celandine Alkaloids NSC631570
Biography:
Dr. Wassil Nowicky — Dipl. Ing., Dr. techn., DDDr. h. c., Director of “Nowicky Pharma” and President of the Ukrainian Anti-Cancer Institute (Vienna, Austria). Has finished his study at the Radiotechnical Faculty of the Technical University of Lviv (Ukraine) with the end of 1955 with graduation to “Diplomingeniueur” in 1960 which title was nostrificated in Austria in 1975. Dr. Wassil Nowicky became the very first scientist in the development of the anticancer protonic therapy and is the inventor of the preparation against cancer with a selective effect on basis of celandine alkaloids “NSC-631570”. He used the factor that cancer cells are more negative charged than normal cells and invented the Celandine alkaloid with a positive charge thanks to which it accumulates in cancer cells very fast. Thus, Dr. Nowicky is invited as an Honorable Speaker to take part in many scientific international congresses and conferences in USA, Australia, Japan, UAE, Europe. Author of over 300 scientific articles dedicated to cancer research. Dr. Wassil Nowicky is a real member of the New York Academy of Sciences, member of the European Union for applied immunology and of the American Association for scientific progress, honorary doctor of the Janka Kupala University in Hrodno, doctor “honoris causa” of the Open international university on complex medicine in Colombo, honorary member of the Austrian Society of a name od Albert Schweizer. He has received the award for merits of National guild of pharmasists of America. the award of Austrian Society of sanitary, hygiene and public health services and others.
Abstract:
One of the most significant problems of cancer therapy is the damaging activity of anticancer drugs against normal body cells. All attempts to develop a therapeutic agent with a selective cytotoxic effect on tumor cells had no much success because of the high degree of biological identity between healthy and malignant cells. The celandine is being used in the medicine over more than 3500 years. The first data concerning the therapeutic effect of the juice of celandine in the patient with malignant melanoma were published in Germany in 1536. From that time drugs based on biologically active substances of celandine are widely used to treat cancer and non-cancer disease. It is well known that tumor cell is more negatively charged as compared to normal cell. We have used this feature of the tumor cell to give NSC631570 a property to selectively interact with it, without endangering healthy cells and tissues. The drug is strongly positively charged. Due to this it has an ability to be selectively accumulated in tumor tissue and to induce tumor cell apoptosis only in tumor cells without harmful effect on normal cells. Potent selective antitumor effect of NSC631570 repeatedly proven by the results of clinical trials. Until now this preparation has been tested on over 100 cancer cell lines and on 12 normal cell lines and the results of the studies carried out in more than 120 universities and research centers (in particular at the National Cancer Institute (the USA)) have shown that the NSC 631570 killed only cancer cells without having damaged the normal cells what confirmed its selective effect.
Timothy Antaya
Antaya Science and Technology, USA
Title: Next generation accelerators, treatment gantries and tumor irradiation schemes for Proton Beam Beam Therapy
Biography:
Dr. Antaya is a world-wide leader in the development of particle sources for Proton Radiotherapy and Radioisotope Generation, focusing on compact low cost local solutions that enable advanced medicine anywhere, and has been responsible for the designs of the Mevion Proton Therapy cyclotron, the Ionetix PET isotope Cyclotron and the Pronova Superconducting Double Bend Acromat Gantry for Proton Therapy. He holds more than 25 patents in this subject matter in the US and other countries, and has published more than 50 papers in related scientific journals and conference proceedings. He is a member of IEEE, APS, AAAS, NYAS, SSP and SWB.
Abstract:
The next frontier for Proton Beam Radiotherapy (PT) is to move away from large, expensive, and costly regional and national treatment centers that are hard to justify, to truely local, low cost systems with small footprint, advanced fast high precision scanned beam treatment methods, reduced need for custom patient treatment appliances, and significantly lower ownership costs, to enable this treatment modality… anywhere on the planet. We have to do this primaily for humane reasons- people requiring such cancer tretments have families, jobs and other responsibitities, and really need to be treated near their homes. We have to do this for equality- if you believe a treatment has beneficial characteristics, and for PT that would be lower normal tissue morbidity and lower total treatment dose, then everyone should have access to it. And we have to do this for medicine- more long baseline studies of PT versus IMRT are needed to clearly establish the efficasy of PT, and that mean more systems put in the hands of leading researcher to do those comparison studies. With these principles always in mind, we have been in the vanguard of this movement now for nearly 2 decades, and are already partially or wholely responsible for many of the current generation compact systems being used for PT, or that are about to be used for PT. These developments have been hard earned, requiring advances in beam physics, engineering of all types, instrumentation and controls, and serial advances in all of the associated technolgies. But we are not done, and we think that we finally have the right single room PT solution, on parity with X-ray Radiotherapy in footprint, cost and complexity, for which we plan to present the scientific and technical basis of, for critical review, to oncologists, in this talk, at this meeting.
Keywords: Proton beam Radiotherapy
Raye Angeli B. Abella
Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Philippines
Title: ISOLATED CUTANEOUS METASTASIS AS AN INITIAL PRESENTATION OF COLONIC ADENOCARCINOMA IN A 45 YEAR-OLD MALE: A CASE REPORT
Biography:
Dr. Raye Angeli B. Abella is a Bachelor of Science in Biology graduate from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas Cebu College. She completed her medical education at the West Visayas State University College of Medicine at La paz, Iloilo City, Philippines. She also earned a degree in Masters in Public Management- Major in Health Systems and Development at the Development Academy of the Philippines. She is currently a third year resident-in-training of the Department of Internal Medicine at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Bacolod City, Philippines.
Abstract:
SYNOPSIS: Colonic adenocarcinoma frequently metastasizes to the liver, lungs, and bones. Cutaneous metastasis is a rare initial manifestation of colonic adenocarcinoma. This is a case of a 45-year old male diagnosed with Colonic Adenocarcinoma, initially presenting with cutaneous metastasis.
CLINICAL SCENARIO: We report a case of a 45-year old male who came in due to the presence of a mass at the left gluteal area, noted six months prior to admission, which progressively increased in size. Pallor and weight loss were likewise present.
PHYSICAL FINDINGS: Pertinent physical examination findings revealed presence of a gray to dark brown fungating mass, approximately 10cm x 20 cm in size, at the left gluteal area extending up to the medial 3rd of the right gluteal region, with presence of bloody discharge.
COURSE IN THE WARDS: We report a case of a 45 year-old male who presented with a gluteal mass. Initial incision biopsy done revealed findings of Papillary Eccrine Adenocarcinoma vs. Metastatic Adenocarcinoma. On further work-up, no significant findings was seen on chest radiography. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed presence of left gluteal and ischiorectal masses, retroperitoneal and mesenteric lymphadenopathies, suggestive of malignancy. Colonoscopy done revealed no significant findings. Patient underwent excision of gluteal mass with creation of gluteus maximus rotational flap. Frozen section biopsy of the mass showed a malignant neoplasm, consistent that of Adenocarcinoma, moderately-differentiated. Immunohistochemistry studies of the neoplasm show positive (+) cytoplasmic membrane staining for CK20 and negative (-) cytoplasmic membrane staining for CK7. The following immunohistochemistry are consistent with adenocarcinoma of colonic origin. The patient was then advised for chemotherapy, however, was lost to follow-up.
CONCLUSION: Cutaneous metastasis is a very rare initial manifestation of colonic adenocarcinoma. Cutaneous metastases are thought to be associated with poor average survival because of underlying widespread disease, thus physicians should be more aggressive in terms of management.
Keywords: Colonic adenocarcinoma, Metastatic adenocarcinoma, Cutaneous metastasis
Chang Gong
Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
Title: Hsa_circ_001783 regulates breast cancer progression via sponging miR-200c
Biography:
Dr. Chang Gong, MD and PhD, is currently an Associate Professor of Department of Breast Surgery, Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. She started her clinical training and basic research career on breast cancer since 2001 and underwent her post-doctoral training in INSERM, Paris and UK. She has been involved in biomarker-based translational clinical trials on breast cancer since 2007. Dr. Chang Gong also focused on the epigenetic regulation of HDAC and non-coding RNA on drug resistance and metastasis of breast cancer. She published more than 30 papers on Cancer Cell, Nat Commun, Cancer Res, Oncogene, Autophagy, and JBC.
Abstract:
Increasing evidence suggests circRNAs exert vital functions in tumor progression via sponging miRNAs. However, the role of circular RNAs in breast cancer remains mostly unclear. Here we reported the molecular mechanisms of a novel circRNA, hsa_circ_001783 in regulating breast cancer progression and its ability in predicting clinical outcomes by integrating high throughput computation, experimental technologies in vitro and clinical investigation. Our computational pipeline identified hsa_circ_001783 as the one with highest score out of 594 breast cancer-associated circRNA candidates. We found the circRNA was enriched in cytoplasm and overexpressed in breast tumor as compared to paired non-cancerous tissue. High expression of hsa_circ_001783 correlated with higher tumor burden (p=0.047) and poor overall survival (p=0.025) in128 patients. Knock-down of hsa_circ_001783 remarkably inhibited the proliferation and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. We found hsa_circ_001783 increased significantly by 1.5-2 folds while 7 miRNAs, predicted targets of hsa_circ_001783, were remarkably reduced (fold change>1.5) in mRNA expression levels in BT549, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 as compared with MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Among all the targets, miR-200c was the one in the strongest correlation with hsa_circ_001783 in expression levels. Knockdown of hsa_circ_00178 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells suppressed expression of miR-200c-targeted genes ZEB1, ZEB2 and CCNA2. The expression level of hsa_circ_001783in human breast cancer tissues negatively correlated with expression of miR-200c (p=0.0286), but positively correlated with that of ZEB1 (p=0.002), ZEB2 (p=0.0001) and CCNA2 (p=0.005).In a conclusion, hsa_circ_001783 regulates breast cancer progression via sponging miR-200c. The circRNA may serve as a novel predictor of ¬¬clinical outcomes for breast cancer.
Ola A. Harb
Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
Title: Beclin-1 Expression is a Predictor of Clinical Outcome in Patients with Serous Ovarian Carcinoma and Correlated to Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-1α Expression
Biography:
Dr Ola A.Harb has completed her PhD from Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. He is the Head of the department of Ptahology, Faculty of medicine. He has published more than 30 papers in reputed journals and has been attend more than 20 conference as a speaker
Abstract:
In the present study, we examined the relationship between Beclin-1 expression and HIF-1α expression in 60 cases of serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) using immunohistochemistry.
We followed our patients for 3 years, analyzed the relationship between markers expression, clinic-pathological criteria and the prognosis of patients.
Results: the expression of Beclin-1 in SOC was significantly negatively correlated with advanced age of the patients (p=0.003), higher grade (p=0.002)& advanced stage of the tumor, presence of distant metastases (p<0.001), peritoneal implants (p=0.006), L.N metastases (p=0.004), bilaterality (p=0.03) and ascites (p=.005), the expression of HIF-1α in SOC was significantly positively correlated with advanced age of the patients (p=0.002), higher grade of the tumor, presence of peritoneal implants (p=0.006), advanced stage of the tumor (p=0.007), presence of distant metastases (p=0.012), peritoneal implants (p=0.044), L.N metastases (p<0.001), and presence of ascites (p=.036).
High Beclin-1 and Low HIF-1α expression were strongly correlated with better response to therapy (p=0.047& 0.022 respectively), increased Chemosensitivity of the tumor (p=0.043& 0.036 respectively), low incidence of recurrence after therapy (p=0.006 & <0.001 respectively), increased the liability of optimal surgical eradication of the tumor, increased 3-year recurrence free overall survival rates (P <0.001). Beclin-1 expression was negatively correlated with HIF-1α expression r correlation coefficient= -0.762 (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Beclin-1 is a marker of good prognosis, while HIF-1α is a marker of poor prognosis in SOC.
Keywords: Beclin-1; HIF-1α; serous ovarian carcinoma; immunohistochemistry; prognosis
Sourav Taru Saha
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.
Title: Delving KS-01 as a novel therapeutic strategy in treating breast cancer
Biography:
Mr. Sourav Taru Saha is a PhD. student working on Breast cancer at the University of the Witwatersrand. The research group’s main focus is the link between Cholesterol and Breast cancer. Till now, his research has shown promising results and in 2018 the concept would be tested in vivo. Based on the results, this research might lead to a novel drug in treating Breast cancer.
Abstract:
Cancer cells have an increased need for cholesterol, which is required for cell membrane integrity. Cholesterol accumulation has been described in various malignancies including breast cancer. Cholesterol has also been known to be the precursor of estrogen and vitamin D, both of which play a key role in the histology of breast cancer. Thus, depleting the cholesterol levels in cancer cells is a proposed innovative strategy to treat cancer. Therefore, novel cholesterol-depleting compounds are currently being investigated. KS-01 is a cyclic amylose oligomer composed of glucose units. It solubilizes the cholesterol and is proven to be toxicologically benign in humans. This led us to hypothesize that it might deplete cholesterol from cancer cells and may prove to be a clinically useful compound. Our work provides preliminary experimental evidences to support this hypothesis. We identified the potency of KS-01 in vitro against two breast cancer cell lines: MCF-7 (Estrogen positive, ER+), MDA-MB-231(Estrogen negative, ER-) and compared the results against two normal cell lines: MRC-5 (Normal Human Lung Fibroblasts) and HEK-293 (Normal human embryonic kidney cells) using cytotoxic, apoptosis and cholesterol based assays. KS-01 treatment reduced intracellular cholesterol resulting in significant breast cancer cell growth inhibition through apoptosis. The results hold true for both ER+ and ER-. These data suggest that KS-01 can prevent cholesterol accumulation in breast cancer cells and is a promising new anticancer agent.
Wenbin Tan
Jining Medical University, Chinax
Title: BRCA1 gene ultrasensitive spectrophotometric detection on endonuclease assisted target circle and hybridization chain reaction
Biography:
Abstract:
In this work, we demonstrated a ultrasensitive approach for DNA assay base on endonuclease assisted target circle and the hybridization chain reaction (HCR). The dual signal amplification process consists target DNA recognition, nicking enzyme triggered target circle, and hybridization chain reaction. In the presnece of target DNA, the hairpin probe DNA (HP1) was recoginized and partially hybridized with the target to form double-stranded strutures contianing the full recognition sequences for nicking endonuclease. Under the reaction of nicking endonuclease, HP1 was cleavaged into two fragments (trigger DNA and DNA S1) and the target DNA was dissociated from the DNA duplexes. The releasing DNA S1 was able to initiate another endonuclease assisted target circle with the assistance of hairpin probe DNA (HP2). The dissociated target DNA and DNA S1 from the two endonuclease assisted reaction can recognize with other HP1 and HP2 and repeat the hybridiation and cleavage process. Through the ndonuclease assisted cyclical process, a large number of trigger DNA was produced. The resulting trigger DNA can bind to the microplate immobilized capture DNA and the trigger the hybridization chain reaction, resulting in the production of numerous duoble strands DNA with biotin lablling. In the presence of streptavidin conjugated horseradish peroxidase (HRP), the amplified signal can be detected by spectrophotometer via HRP catalyzed substrate 3, 3’ 5, 5’- tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). This proposed signal amplification method provides a detection limit of 0.4 aM, which also exhibits a good linearity ranging from 1 aM to 10 nM.
Nick Kostovic
Kostovic Acupuncture by bio Electron’s Laser, Corp., USA
Title: Delving KS-01 as a novel therapeutic strategy in treating breast cancer
Biography:
I was born on December 6, 1950 in an area now known as region Dalmatia, currently Split Croatia. I graduated from Split Gymnasium in 1969 with an Associate of Arts Degree in Humanities and Science.
I am US citizen. I have strong Italian ties through my father, Ivo Kostovic who has Italian and Asian origins. He was born on the island of Drvenik-Veli when it was part of region Dalmatia, Italy called Zirona. My mother Bosiljka Rodic Kostovic, with Russian roots, was born in city Omis also originally from Dalmatia region, Italy. Dalmatia was part of Italy for many centuries and currently Dalmatia is located in Croatia Europe.
Abstract:
I, Nick Kostovic, for the first time in recorded history have eliminated magnetic from regular electromagnetic electricity. I also created the next six steps described below. I did this by developing a proprietary way of reversed current RC to create what is bio electricity. The device I created is called the Kostovic BioTechnological Energizer, K-BTE Medical Laser Device
First, my center has successfully developed special current circuit and canceled magnetic from electromagnetic.
Second, this device extracts bio electron photons from H2O electric fluid by wire and wirelessly.
Third, while using the K-BTE device therapist has absolute control of speed/frequency of these released and enriched bio electron photons.
Fourth, bio electrons photons are converted into the strength of Micro or Nano amperes allowing the bio electricity to softly penetrate into the brain or any other physical organ with zero harm to the healthy cells.
Fifth, in the process of extracting bio electron photons from the electric fluid it can include transference of hundreds of different natural acids as well as amino acids. Each biological agent BA is capable to transfer 3 to 6 different natural and amino acids, by enriched bio electron photons.
Sixth, these enriched bio electrons photons are wirelessly transferred through and olive oil coating on the skin enabling the bio electricity to softly penetrate / bio electron photons always penetrate softly on the skin surface/ deeply and efficiently targeting the specific ailing human tissue.
This process is always skillfully directed into the body with the very gentle frequencies of Micro and Nano amperes allowing zero risk of negative consequences.
Note: This is a tentative program and subjected to change time to time basing on the confirmation of speakers.
Session Introduction
Ola A. Harb
Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
Title: Prognostic significances of Cox-2, Cyclin D1 and P21 expression in colorectal cancer patients
Biography:
Dr Ola A.Harb has completed her PhD from Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. He is the Head of the department of Ptahology, Faculty of medicine. He has published more than 30 papers in reputed journals and has been attend more than 20 conference as a speaker
Abstract:
Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), play an important role in inflammation and carcinogenesis. Cyclin D1 plays a vital role in cancer cell cycle progression. The activity of cyclin D1 can be blocked by CDK inhibitors, including p21 (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor-1A, CDKN1A, CIP1) that plays a role in regulating cell cycle.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate expression of COX-2, Cyclin D1 and P21 in colorectal cancer patients, analyze the relationship between their expression and the prognosis of patients.
.Methods: expressions of Cox-2, Cyclin D1 and P21were evaluated in 60 paraffin blocks colorectal cancer patients that were followed up for 3 years. The relationship between their level of expressions and prognosis of patients was analyzed.
Results: Cox-2& Cyclin D high expression was positively correlated with higher grade and Duke stage (P=0.000). P21 high expression was negatively correlated with higher grade (p=0.002), presence of distant metastasis and advanced Duke Stage (P=0.001). Cox-2& Cyclin D1 over expression and P21 low expression were associated with higher incidence of tumor recurrence (P=0.04, 0.000 respectively), higher incidence of cancer specific death (p=0.002, 0.004&0.000 respectively) but no significant correlation with response to therapy with all markers.
Conclusion: High levels of expression of Cox-2 & Cyclin D1 are markers of poor prognosis, while high level of expression of P21 is a marker of good prognosis in colon cancer patients
Keywords: Cox-2, Cyclin D1, P21, colon cancer patients, immunohistochemistry, prognosis
Biography:
Dr Nelson has a broad background in training in radiation oncology and palliative care and clinical oncology. She is currently a PGY-II internal medicine resident at the Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and is interested in pursuing a medical oncology fellowship.
Abstract:
Introduction: Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder traditionally seen in bimodal distribution in young women in their 20s-30s or older men in their 60s-70s. Discovery of immunotherapy has brought immense hope in survival outcomes for patients with malignant melanoma, lung, renal and head/neck cancers but it also opens Pandora’s box of immune-related toxicities for which early recognition and appropriate clinical management are paramount. Here we describe a case of immunotherapy induced myasthenia gravis de novo.
Case: A 77-year-old man with HPV+ stage IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue presented with sudden onset orthopnea and dyspnea on exertion for the past day. One week ago, he received his second cycle of nivolumab as part of his neoadjuvant therapy. He was seen at an outside hospital and was found to be acute hypercapnic respiratory failure and placed on BiPAP. Additionally, he was started on empiric treatment for community-acquired pneumonia with levofloxacin and doxycycline and transferred to a tertiary care center for further management. On further evaluation, he endorsed diplopia, blurry vision, fluctuating muscle weakness that is worse at the end of the day, change in voice and proximal muscle weakness. His exam was consistent with bilateral ptosis, weak hip flexion and shoulder abduction, positive sniff test and poor vital capacity and negative inspiratory force values suggestive of impending respiratory and diaphragmatic failure secondary to myasthenic crisis. He was admitted to the ICU and placed on BiPAP and frequent NIF and VC monitoring. He was started on pyridostigmine but showed no clinical improvement on day 1 and hence was initiated on plasmapheresis from day 2 for a total of 10 days. Investigations showed positivity of Ach-R modulating and binding and blocking antibodies with negative voltage gated calcium channel antibodies. EMG revealed decrement of the compound muscle action potential in the repetitive stimulation test indicative of myasthenia gravis. He responded well to the above treatment and underwent successful left partial glossectomy and weaned off mechanical ventilation and has been cancer free so far. He is doing well on maintenance prednisone and pyridostigmine.
Discussion: Literature review show that there is a significant 30.4% MG-specific-related mortality due to immunotherapy alone which this case demonstrates the importance of vigilance and early detection for effective treatment and management as the era of immunotherapy dawns.
Manisha Yadav
Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
Title: Histamine receptor mediates EGFR-independent anti-leukemic activity of an EGFR inhibitor “Gefitinibâ€
Biography:
Dr. Manisha has completed her PhD from Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India. She is currently working as a post-doctoral fellow under the government SERB-NPDF fellowship program at the school of Biotechnology, at JNU, New Delhi. She also worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. She has published 11 papers in reputed journals.
Abstract:
Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor gefitinib (Iressa) is a synthetic anilinoquinazoline, which is extensively used for treating non small cell lung cancer. Apart from its anti-cancer activities against several cancers, gefitinib was also reported to show MAPK dependent anti-leukemic effects in EGFR-deficient acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line HL-60 and patients. However, it is still unclear to how gefitinib induces these effects in cells that lacks its target. Therefore our aim was to decipher the underlying mechanism of action of gefitinib in AML cells. Gefitinib was found to reduce intracellular cyclic AMP and induce cytostatic effects in EGFR-rich and EGFR-deficient cell lines both. As a next logical step, a GPCR profiling study was done that revealed that gefitinib regulates a number of GPCRs. However, the radioligand competition and functional assays suggested that gefitinib inhibits histamine receptors. This was further confirmed by the activation of histamine receptors by pharmacological agonists followed by assessment of gefitinib mediated effects in AML cells, which suggested that histamine receptor inhibition is necessary for gefitinib mediated effects in AML cells. The co-immunoprecipitation studies also validated the interaction of EGFR and Histamine receptor 4. In the end we concluded that our results indicate the involvement of histamine receptors in gefitinib mediated EGFR-independent anti-proliferative effects. Thus our report provides new insights into gefitinib mode of action, and also indicates that other EGFR inhibitors displaying anti-leukemic properties may display similar signaling attributes and can contribute towards gefitinib related non-targeted response.
Diana Alrumhi
Orbsen Therapeutics, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
Title: The effects of Syndecan-2 fragments on TGF-β induced genes in breast cancer cells (BCC)
Biography:
Abstract:
Introduction:
Syndecan-2(Sdc-2) is a transmembrane heparin sulphate proteoglycan that is upregulated in breast tumours. Preliminary data indicates that overexpression of Sdc2 peptides in BCC’s increases their migratory and immunosuppressive properties. Sdc-2 fragments were designed and cloned into a vector to mimic a component of endogenous Sdc-2. Overexpression of TGF-β results in pro-tumorigenic modifications to cells in the tumour microenvironment. Therefore, inhibition of the TGF-β pathway would be a rational approach in breast cancer therapies. Our objective was to determine the role of Sdc-2 on the TGF-β pathway in MDA-MB-231 BCC’s.
Method:
Cultured MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were transfected with Fc empty vector, Sdc-F1 or Sdc-F2. A serum starvation and a TGF-β3 time course were carried out. RNA was harvested from the cells at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6 after TGF- β3 treatment. The RNA was purified and quantified, followed by cDNA synthesis via reverse transcription. qPCR was carried out to determine the effect of Sdc-2 fragments on TGF-β induced genes such as SMAd7, Serpine1 and CTGF.
Results:
Promising data was collected from all three experiments, however due to sensitivity of qPCR the figures were different preventing statistical significance. Throughout all three experiments consistent trends were observed such as SMAD7 and Serpine1 downregulation by Sdc-2-Fc-peptides indicating TGF-β suppression especially at the 6 hour time point.
Conclusions:
Further investigation of Sdc-2-Fc-peptides is imperative since data collected revealed Sdc-2 interaction with TGF-β induced genes.
References:
- Lim H, Multhaupt H, Couchman J. Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans control adhesion and invasion of breast carcinoma cells. 2016.
- Chen L, Klass C, Woods A. Syndecan-2 Regulates Transforming Growth Factor- Signaling. 2016.
Bruno Henrique Rala de Paula
National Cancer Institute – NCI-Brazil
Title: Trastuzumab treatment-related cardiotoxicity: a storm in a teacup?
Biography:
Bruno de Paula has completed his Clinical Oncology formation in NCI-Brazil. He works as Oncology Researcher and Staff in Breast Cancer Hospital at NCI-Brazil, a prestigious mixed assistency and research organization. He is a young oncologist with experience in Phase 1 clinical trials acquired in a Fellowship in Cambridge Reseach Institute UK.
Abstract:
Cardiotoxicity (TC) is the most concerning side effect of Trastuzumab. It remains unclear whether the current arbitrary recommendations provide an adequate balance between preventing heart damage and curtailing a curative treatment. The main objective of this study was to determine the incidence rate and consequences of CT during (neo) adjuvant trastuzumab treatment in a real-world scenario.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of cardiac monitoring during trastuzumab-based neo- and adjuvant breast cancer treatment at a large public medical hospital.
Results: 409 breast cancer patients were treated with (neo)adjuvant-based trastuzumab between 2011 and 2014. The median age was 52 years and the body mass index (BMI) 27.54 kg/m2. The mean number of echo/patient was 5. (Figure 1) Although none of these patients were symptomatic, all of them had their treatment delayed due to the echo findings. Twenty-eight patients (75.6%) recovered their cardiac function and 9 (24.4%) had trastuzumab suspended. There were 14 deaths (6.3%) in the studied sample, being 1 (0.2%) attributed to late CE (4 years after treatment). (Figure 2)
Conclusion: Frequent monitoring of cardiac function during (neo)-adjuvant treatment was associated with 9% asymptomatic CE, mirroring large adjuvant trials results. Despite being transient, LVEF drop lead to frequent treatment delays and occasional suspensions. It remains unclear whether LVEF decline is predictive of late CE and at the same time whether treatment efficacy is compromised. A prospective study is needed to assess the optimal way to monitor which will probably implicate in better allocation of resources.
Biography:
My self, Julie Chessell, mom and registered nurse from Ontario, Canada. My personal interest focuses on pediatric hepatoblastoma, Liver organ transplantation and mindset. I have spoke on behalf of the Canadian Liver Foundation as well as the Organ Project. Our journey has been featured on TSN, SportsNet, The Ottawa Senators, The Organ Project and various news outlets.
Abstract:
In an instant life can change. In a moment, a family can be shattered and what they thought was their norm becomes their most challenging experience. It can either tear families apart or bring them closer. You become a victim or a survivor. Pediatric Gastrointestinal Cancer, or more specifically Hepatoblastoma, is a diagnosis typically found in 0-4 years of age, not in an eleven year old. How do parents view this devastating news? A dream is shattered, and how you handle this frightening information can impact not only your patient, the extended family and but most certainly parental mental capacity. Choosing to succumb is not an option. Selecting to change your mindset for the positive can have a profound impact on treatment and overall outcome. No one care plan is the same. No one is exempt, whether you are in the healthcare arena or not. It takes a village of people to have a hand in allowing a child not to become a statistic. Pediatric Cancer can potentially be a lifelong medical condition, with Hepatoblastoma accounting for only 1% of pediatric cancers. Supporting families and their journey is key to overall health. Hope is that beautiful place between the way things were and the path of the way things are yet to be. There comes a point in life when you realize that nothing will ever be the same. You realize that from that point on, time will be divided into two parts – before this and after this. Our journey is different than the next, but with the passion to give back, anything is possible. Empowering people about determination and resiliency is key. Now it’s our turn to make that difference!!
Mohammed Hassan
University of the Western Cape, South Africa
Title: SURVIVAL ANALYSIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ATP BINDING CASSETTE (ABC) DRUG TRANSPORTERS AND THIER ROLE IN BREAST CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT USING IN-SILICO APPROCH
Biography:
MOHAMMED HASSAN is currently a Masters of Sciencec (MSc) student in Biotechnology at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa. Prior to his MSc, he completed his Honours and his thesis focused on developing of gentyping system for pharmacogenomics profiling cholesterol lowering drugs In 2016, Hassan completed his biotechnology Bachelor of Science (cum laude) at Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan. Hassan is a recipient of the Golden Key International Award, 2017. Hassan's current researcher within the Bioinformatics research group (BRG) in the Biotechnology department focuses on genetic biomarkers using computational methods. Genetics biomarkers in breast cancer treatment is the key to fight the multidrug resistance in chemotherapy treatment. ABC transporter genes as genetic biomarkers are crucial receptors for an effective management of chemotherapy resistance of breast cancer patients being treated with tamoxifen. Therefore, there is a need to understand the genetic diversity of ABC transporters in different populations so that we can give Tamoxifen to the right population group. The chairperson of the group is Dr. Ashley Pretorius. Dr. A. Pretorius is serving as the chairperson of the science faculty assessment committee as well as senate for the same committee he is also serving as Deputy Director at Mintek, NRF funding review panel member, MRC funding review panel member. Him and Dr. Marius they are working together on project for HIV/ADIS and Prostate cancer treatments.
Abstract:
Breast cancer is the most common and invasive solid tumour occurring in women across the world, with 1.67 million new cases reported in 2012, resulting to 324,000 deaths in South Africa (WHO, 2012). The rate of breast cancer patients has highly increased as well as the survival rate. This is due to the improvement of cancer treatments and usage of new technology. Tamoxifen has been widely used for the treatment of breast cancer patient around the world. Previous studies have shown that Tamoxifen is a substrate for ATP-binding cassette transporter proteins (ABC) drug transporters. However, ABC drug transporters in breast cancer treatment with Tamoxifen appears to be associated with poor clinical outcomes insome population groups, thus resistance developed to this medication by these peoples. It demonstrates that ABC transporters are crucial receptors for an effective management of chemotherapy resistance of breast cancer patients being treated with tamoxifen. Therefore, there is a need to understand the genetic diversity of ABC transporters in different populations so that we can give Tamoxifen to the right population group. In this study, we focus on profiling the ABC drug transporters associeted to Tamoxifen resistance and characterise their role in breast cancer treatment poor prognosis, mortality rate and the survival rates using in-silico methods.SurvExpess and Kaplan Meier plot (KM plot) as a bioinformatics tools used for survival analysis in this study to test whether ABC transporters down-regulated or up-regulated after using the chemotherapy treatment. KM plot is freely accessbile database used to study the survival analysis. Therefore, a certain criteria was set to study the reoccurrence free survival (RFS) rate for breast cancer patients. Restrictions for all patients were set as default for all (ER, PR, HER2, lymph node, intrinsic subtype, and TP53 status). Quality control was checked to remove redundant samples and to exclude the biased arrays and the proportional hazard assumption was zero and not selected. Survival analysis ran for number of 3166 samples. Result obtained was showing up-regulation for ABCB10 gene expression and the reoccurrence free survival analysis was calculated by P value of 0.00016. In conclusion, the high expression of ABC genes associated with effluxing of Tamoxifen leading to ineffective therapeutic intervention in breast cancer leading to poor prognosis as well as poor survival rate and increased mortality rates. Gene therapy and gene splicing of ABC transporters it would be possible to down-regulate the gene expression of ABC genes in post treatment thus would be possibility of blocking ABC genes from effluxing of neither chemotherapy nor developing multidrug resistance to chemotherapy.
Ravat Panvichian
Mahidol University, Thailand
Title: Expression of intrahepatic HBsAg in HBV-associated HCC tissues
Biography:
Ravat has completed his MD from Mahidol University. He is Medical Oncologist of Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University. He is interested in hepatocellular carcinoma research.
Abstract:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in men and the ninth in women, as well as the second leading cause of cancer-related death globally. Almost 50% of all cases of HCC are associated with chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Serum hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) is an important diagnostic marker of HBV infection. This study aimed to investigate relationships between serum HBsAg and intrahepatic HBsAg in HBV-associated HCC. Serum HBsAg was detected by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Intrahepatic HBsAg was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues (matched non-cancerous and HCC tissues) from 88 patients, whose serum HBsAg was positive in 56 patients (63.64%). In serum HBsAg-positive group, intrahepatic HBsAg was positive-staining in 73.2% of non-cancerous tissues, but only in 10.7% of HCC tissues. Significant correlation between serum HBsAg and intrahepatic HBsAg was observed in non-cancerous tissues (p<0.001), but not in HCC tissues (p=0.415). We concluded that intrahepatic HBsAg in HBV-associated HCC tissues was detected by IHC at significantly lower frequency than in non-cancerous tissues. This warrants further investigation into other biomarker(s) of HBV infection in HBV-associated HCC tissues, which might provide more information for insight into the development and progression of HBV-associated HCC.
Biography:
Abstract:
Introduction:
Lung cancer sometimes can mimic or present as non-resolving pneumonia. Patients usually present with pneumonia like symptoms not resolving over course of 1-2 weeks despite being treated with antibiotics.
Case:
43-year-old female with an active smoking history of 20 years presented to us with complaints of fever, cough, fatigue, headache, and shortness of breath. One month prior to presentation, she traveled by car for 2 days after spending 2 months in Louisiana. She was recently seen at an outside hospital with similar complaints, where she was treated with a 10-day course of amoxicillin-clavulanate for presumed community acquired pneumonia.
On presentation, patient's vitals were BP 127/87, Pulse 117, Temp 38C, and Oxygen saturation 88%.
On examination, she was noted to have decreased breath sounds on the right lower lung and swelling of the left leg.
Pertinent labs included an elevated white blood cell count (13.4), eosinophils (790), and D-dimer (27,529).
Due to concerns for PE, CT thorax was done, which showed extensive multifocal consolidation of the right and left lungs, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, bilateral pleural effusions more pronounced on the right side, and pericardial effusion. A small PE was also noted on left side. Leg Duplex showed an acute DVT of the left leg.
The patient was started on IV Heparin for the acute DVT and PE. Per pulmonology recommendation, she was started on antibiotics for suspected severe multi-focal community-acquired pneumonia.
She proved refractory to antibiotic treatment. Subsequent work-up for atypical pneumonia included cold agglutinin titer/Mycoplasma titers, Q fever, Chlamydia titers 1:64, Strongyloides, Histoplasma, Fungitell, Cryptococcus, and HIV. All were negative.
Cardiac surgery and pulmonary team were consulted. Patient had pericardial window drained and pleural pig-tail placed. Bronchoscopy was also done. Fluid cytology was positive for adenocarcinoma of lung. Further imaging studies revealed metastases to the brain , left adrenal gland and sacral spine.
Discussion:
Patients presenting with pneumonia like symptoms and not improving despite treatment with antibiotics should undergo further work up to rule out other causes including lung cancer.
High clinical suspicion is required for the early diagnosis as delayed diagnosis can lead to poor prognosis.
Biography:
Dr Ola A.Harb has completed her PhD from Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. He is the Head of the department of Ptahology, Faculty of medicine. He has published more than 30 papers in reputed journals and has been attend more than 20 conference as a speaker
Abstract:
Background;
Recent research is focusing on discovering novel effective targets for therapy of advanced and metastatic cervical cancer. Ezrin that is encoded by EZR gene is an Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERM) family member. Ezrin is a linking protein of the cell membrane and the cytoskeleton that mediates the connection between both of them. E-cadherin is a calcium-dependent glycoprotein which is found in normal epithelial cells. It could mediate cell adhesion.The relation between the expression of Ezrin and E-cad and relations between other clinical and pathological features in cervical cancer patients has not been sufficiently clarified.
Aim of this research was to evaluate Ezrin and E-cadherin expression in cervical cancers patients, to correlate such expression with pathological and clinical data of the patients, to explore their values in cancer progression and prognosis of cervical cancer patients.
Methods; We have assessed Ezrin and E-cadherin expressions in sections from 55 paraffin blocks of cervical cancer, we have followed our patients for 3 years then we correlate expression of both markers with clinic pathological criteria, cancer progression, relapse and survival rates.
Results; Ezrin over expression and E-cadherin down regulation were associated with higher grade, advanced FIGO stage, (p<0.001), presence of distant metastases (p=0.003), poor therapy response, higher relapse rate (p<0.001) and poor DFS& OS rates (p<0.001).
Conclusion; Ezrin over expression is associated with down regulation of E-cadherin and were related to more invasiveness liability, relapse after successive therapy and poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer.
Key words; cervical cancer, Ezrin, E-cadherin, relapse, progression, survival
Abilesh M Gunasekar
Kyvor Genomics, Inc., 300 Delaware Avenue, Suite 210, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, USA
Title: KYVOR’s CANLYTxTM Platform helps Doctors Treat Cancer with Precision
Biography:
An Inspiring life-sciences professional, Abilesh has a decade of experience in Medical informatics. Developed a keen interest in Personalized medicine, Cancer Genomics, drug discovery and earned his Masters degree in Medical informatics from the University of Manchester. He has been working on the technologies to personalize cancer treatments post his studies and went on to start this venture. He also worked on several bioinformatics methodologies and has identified a platform for effective cancer treatment. Abilesh is a go-getter and a creative soul wandering to explore new opportunities.
Abstract:
On a busy day, there was a call from an oncologist asking how our CANLYTx could help a CA endometrium first line therapy treatment negative female patient Mrs. Grace, aged 43 years.
A regular first line therapy with a combination of Platin, Doxorubicin and Paclitaxel was administered post diagnosis. Mrs. Grace was soon given the bad news that she had to undergo further chemotherapy with different chemo agents (chosen by trial and error) after a regular scan was done indicating progression of the tumor.
Two scenarios had risen due to the progression of Tumor for Mrs. Grace and it was at this stage we received the call from her doctor asking about our CANLYTx.
Now, we would like to demonstrate the extraordinary proficiency of whole exome sequencing with CANLYTx in such situations.
The process began with harvesting the DNA from the FFPE tumour block obtained from the diagnostic biopsy sample to perform whole exome assay. The resulting interpretation from this process revealed mutation in ABCB1 gene suggesting the use of Doxorubicin caused reduced drug clearance and hence addition of Imatinib along with the platins, doxorubicin and Paclitaxel would prove effective. Our CANLYTx platform recommends the use of Imatinib as it sensitizes endometrial cancer cells to Platins by targeting CD-117-positive-growth-competent cells and the platin resistance gene were not mutated. In addition, molecular simulation studies were carried out on the above combination to further validate the use of these agents. Our molecular simulation platform calculates a dock score using the concept of binding energy minimization between the agent and the target, the target being the mutant gene or its coding protein.
The database indicates that PARP inhibitors would be ineffective due to the absence of mutations in the associated genes. A routine targeted therapy targeting EGFR, BRAF gene would be ineffective due to the absence of protein coding mutations in the genes.
Next steps for the patient is the follow up for development of additional resistance mutations in the existing genes or newer genes by way of liquid biopsy from circulating tumour DNA or any other NGS technology beyond just testing for limited genes.
Note: This is a tentative program and subjected to change time to time basing on the confirmation of speakers.