| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Alder, Susanna, et al.
(författare)
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Incomplete excision of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia as a predictor of the risk of recurrent disease : a 16-year follow-up study
- 2020
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Ingår i: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. - : Elsevier. - 0002-9378 .- 1097-6868. ; 222:2, s. 172.e1-172.e12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Women treated for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN, grade 2 or 3) are at elevated risk of developing cervical cancer. Suggested factors identifying women at highest risk for recurrence post-therapeutically include incomplete lesion excision, lesion location, size and severity, older age, treatment modality and presence of high-risk human papilloma virus (hrHPV) after treatment. This question has been intensively investigated over decades, but there is still substantial debate as to which of these factors or combination of factors most accurately predict treatment failure.OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examine the long-term risk of residual/recurrent CIN2+ among women previously treated for CIN2 or 3 and how this varies according to margin status (considering also location), as well as comorbidity (conditions assumed to interact with hrHPV acquisition and/or CIN progression), post-treatment presence of hrHPV and other factors.STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study included 991 women with histopathologically-confirmed CIN2/3 who underwent conization in 2000-2007. Information on the primary histopathologic finding, treatment modality, comorbidity, age and hrHPV status during follow-up and residual/recurrent CIN2+ was obtained from the Swedish National Cervical Screening Registry and medical records. Cumulative incidence of residual/recurrent CIN2+ was plotted on Kaplan-Meier curves, with determinants assessed by Cox regression.RESULTS: During a median of 10 years and maximum of 16 years follow-up, 111 patients were diagnosed with residual/recurrent CIN2+. Women with positive/uncertain margins had a higher risk of residual/recurrent CIN2+ than women with negative margins, adjusting for potential confounders (hazard ratio (HR)=2.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.81-3.93). The risk of residual/recurrent CIN2+ varied by anatomical localization of the margins (endocervical: HR=2.72; 95%CI: 1.67-4.41) and both endo- and ectocervical (HR=4.98; 95%CI: 2.85-8.71). The risk did not increase significantly when only ectocervical margins were positive/uncertain. The presence of comorbidity (autoimmune disease, human immunodeficiency viral infection, hepatitis B and/or C, malignancy, diabetes, genetic disorder and/or organ transplant) was also a significant independent predictor of residual/recurrent CIN2+. In women with positive hrHPV findings during follow-up, the HR of positive/uncertain margins for recurrent/residual CIN2+ increased significantly compared to women with hrHPV positive findings but negative margins.CONCLUSIONS: Patients with incompletely excised CIN2/3 are at increased risk of residual/recurrent CIN2+. Margin status combined with hrHPV results and consideration of comorbidity may increase the accuracy for predicting treatment failure.
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| 3. |
- Andersson, Emil, et al.
(författare)
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Low pericyte coverage of endometrial microvessels in heavy menstrual bleeding correlates with the microvessel expression of VEGF-A.
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Molecular Medicine. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1791-244X .- 1107-3756. ; 35:2, s. 433-438
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A prospective clinical study was carried out to investigate whether endometrial microvessels in patients with idiopathic heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) of endometrial origin (HMB-E) are fragile due to low pericyte coverage. Idiopathic HMB-E is characterized by large endothelial cell gaps related to the microvascular overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and VEGF receptors 1-3. A total of 10 women with a normal menstrual cycle and a history of HMB of <5 years, and 17 healthy women with a normal menstrual cycle were recruited from the Karolinska University Hospital. Blood samples were obtained for hormone analysis and coagulation tests. Endometrial biopsies were collected in the proliferative or in the secretory phase. Pericyte coverage was assessed using immunohistochemical staining for smooth muscle actin-α (SMAα) and by image analysis (microvascular density) of endometrial biopsies from 10 patients with HMB-E and 17 healthy ovulating women (control subjects). Previously published data on endothelial cell gap size and the expression of VEGF receptors were used. Although microvascular density did not differ between the patients with HMB-E and the control subjects, the number of SMAα-positive microvessels in the proliferative phase was significantly (P=0.005) lower in the patients with HMB-E than in the control subjects. Moreover, the number of SMAα-positive microvessels in the control subjects was significantly fewer in the secretory (P=0.04) than in the proliferative phase, whereas this number did not differ among the patients with HMB-E regardless of phase. A significant negative correlation was observed between the number of VEGF-A-positive microvessels and microvessels with pericyte coverage (r=0.8; P=0.04). Finally, the endothelial cell layer was significantly thicker in the patients with HMB-E than in the control subjects. Thus, the upregulation of VEGF-A in idiopathic HMB-E is associated with a low pericyte coverage during the proliferative phase of intense angiogenesis, which may confer vessel fragility, possibly leading to excessive blood loss.
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| 4. |
- Andersson, Sonia, et al.
(författare)
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Acceptance of Self-Sampling Among Long-Term Cervical Screening Non-Attenders with HPV-Positive Results : Promising Opportunity for Specific Cancer Education
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Cancer Education. - : Springer. - 0885-8195 .- 1543-0154. ; 36:1, s. 126-133
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aims to investigate acceptance of vaginal self-sampling for high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) among long-term screening non-attenders at increased cervical cancer risk and to identify leverage points to promote screening adherence among these women. Forty-three long-term screening non-attenders performed home vaginal self-sampling for HPV, had positive HPV results, and subsequently attended gynecologic examination. Sixteen (37.2%) had high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2 or 3), and two had invasive cervical cancer. Forty-one of these women completed a questionnaire concerning Specific Knowledge about HPV, CIN, and cervical cancer, potential barriers to screening and views about self-sampling. Results were compared with 479 women treated for CIN2+ who attended gynecologic follow-up and also performed self-sampling. Significant multivariate predictors of long-term non-attender status compared with referents were low Specific Knowledge, high confidence in self-sampling, and potential barriers-refraining from activity to attend gynecologic examination, needing another's help to attend, and long travel time. Non-attenders citing fear/refraining from gynecologic examination as why they preferred self-sampling significantly more often had lowest Specific Knowledge compared with other non-attenders. All non-attenders could envision themselves doing self-sampling again while only 74% of referents endorsed this statement (p = 0.0003). We conclude that HPV self-sampling is an acceptable option for women at increased cervical cancer risk who have been long-term screening non-attenders. Educational outreach to enhance Specific Knowledge about HPV, CIN and cervical cancer is critical. Those non-attenders who explicitly avoid gynecologic examinations need special attention. Trial Registry: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02750124.
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| 5. |
- Andersson, Sonia, et al.
(författare)
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Age, margin status, high-risk human papillomavirus and cytology independently predict recurrent high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia up to 6 years after treatment
- 2021
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Ingår i: Oncology Letters. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1792-1074 .- 1792-1082. ; 22:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study aimed to identify the factors that independently contribute to disease recurrence among women first-time treated for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) during 4-6 years of follow-up. Overall, 529 of 530 eligible patients participated; these patients all attended a 1st follow-up appointment similar to 6 months post-conization, at which time high-risk human-papillomavirus (HPV) testing, liquid-based cytology and colposcopy were performed. Full data on margin excision status, other aspects of initial treatment and comorbidity were obtained. At least one subsequent follow-up was attended by 88% of patients. A total of 22 recurrent cases were detected during follow-up. Detected recurrence was the outcome of focus for multiple logistic regression analysis, with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) computed. Four significant independent risk factors were identified: Age 45 years or above (OR=3.5, 95% CI=1.3-9.9), one or both unclear or uncertain margins (OR=5.3, 95% CI=2.0-14.2), positive HPV at 1st follow-up (OR=5.8, 95% CI=2.0-16.8), and abnormal cytology at 1st follow-up (OR=3.9, 95% CI=1.4-11.0). Bivariate analysis revealed that persistent HPV positivity was associated with recurrence (P<0.01). These findings indicated that incomplete excision of the CIN lesion may warrant more intensive subsequent screening, regardless of early post-conization HPV findings. Although early post-conization positive HPV was a powerful, independent predictor of recurrent high-grade CIN, over one-third of the patients with detected recurrence had a negative early post-conization HPV finding. These patients returned for routine screening, at which time, in most cases, HPV status was positive, thus indicating the need for repeated HPV evaluation. Especially during the on-going pandemic, home vaginal self-sampling is recommended. Particular attention is required for women aged >= 45 years. In addition, although not statistically significant, relevant comorbidities, especially autoimmune conditions, warrant consideration in clinical decision-making. Women who have been treated for high-grade CIN are at risk for recurrent disease and progression to cervical cancer; therefore, they require careful, individualized follow-up to avoid these adverse consequences.
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| 6. |
- Andersson, Sonia, et al.
(författare)
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Results of cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus testing in females with cervical adenocarcinoma in situ
- 2013
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Ingår i: Oncology Letters. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1792-1074 .- 1792-1082. ; 6:1, s. 215-219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The incidence rates of cervical adenocarcinoma have been increasing over the last two decades, contrary to those of squamous cell carcinoma. This trend is particularly evident among females aged <40 years and has occurred despite extensive cytology-based screening programs. The aim of the present retrospective database study was to investigate adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) with respect to previous cytological results, high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and histological results from AIS-adjacent squamous mucosa. Databases were used to identify 32 female patients with AIS treated for various conditions between 2009 and 2012 at the Department of Gynecology, Uppsala University Hospital (Uppsala, Sweden) and previous cytological, HPV and histological results. Of the individuals in the study, 64.3% had a previously recorded cytological result showing squamous cell abnormalities; five had glandular cell abnormalities (18%) and two had AIS (7.1%). Among the patients with available HPV results, 95% were HR-HPV-positive; HPV18/45 predominated (77%), followed by HPV16 (27%). The patients with multiple HPV infections were aged <= 32 years, while patients aged >= 38 years were only infected with HPV18/45. All but three patients had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in the AIS-adjacent squamous mucosa, 79% of which was CIN2 or worse. The present retrospective database study suggests that AIS is detected at screening mainly due to simultaneous squamous precursor lesions and that HPV18/45 infection is an increasing co-factor for AIS in older patients. HPV analyses of glandular precursor lesions aid in the identification of female individuals at risk of progression to invasive disease, and thus have a favorable effect on adenocarcinoma prevention, together with vaccination.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Andersson, Sonia, et al.
(författare)
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Uneven distribution of human papillomavirus 16111 cervical carcinoma in situ and squamous cell carcinoma in older females : A retrospective database study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Oncology Letters. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1792-1074 .- 1792-1082. ; 8:4, s. 1528-1532
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 is the dominant cofactor in cervical cancer development. The present report investigated the age-specific prevalence of HPV16 in cervical carcinoma in situ (CIS) in females attending organised cervical cancer screening. A retrospective observational study was performed based on individual data from two databases. A total of 162 females aged between 20 and 65 years from Uppsala County, Sweden with CIS and an HPV test conducted between 2010 and 2011, preceding or concomitant to CIS diagnosis, were included. Females with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; n=35) were used for comparison. In total, 96% (n=156) of females with CIS were positive for high-risk HPV; HPV16 was the most prevalent (44.5%), followed by HPV33/52/58 (19.5%), HPV31 (13.1%) and HPV18145 (9.5%). HPV16 was most frequently detected in females with CIS aged between 20 and 29 years (73.6%) and least frequently detected in those aged between 50 and 65 years (33.3%), with a statistically significant age-specific difference (P=0.001). Among the HPV16-positive females, multiple infections were most frequent in the younger age groups. The prevalence of HPV16 in females with CIS decreased with age, whereas a high prevalence of HPV16 remained in females with SCC. These results may indicate that HPV16 has increased oncogenic potential in older females.
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| 9. |
- Belkic, Karen, et al.
(författare)
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Imaging surveillance programs for women at high breast cancer risk in Europe : Are women from ethnic minority groups adequately included?
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Oncology. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1019-6439 .- 1791-2423. ; 47:3, s. 817-839
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Women from ethnic minority groups, including immigrants and refugees are reported to have low breast cancer (BC) screening rates. Active, culturally-sensitive outreach is vital for increasing participation of these women in BC screening programs. Women at high BC risk and who belong to an ethnic minority group are of special concern. Such women could benefit from ongoing trials aimed at optimizing screening strategies for early BC detection among those at increased BC risk. Considering the marked disparities in BC survival in Europe and its enormous and dynamic ethnic diversity, these issues are extremely timely for Europe. We systematically reviewed the literature concerning European surveillance studies that had imaging in the protocol and that targeted women at high BC risk. The aim of the present review was thereby to assess the likelihood that women at high BC risk from minority ethnic groups were adequately included in these surveillance programs. Twenty-seven research groups in Europe reported on their imaging surveillance programs for women at increased BC risk. The benefit of strategies such as inclusion of magnetic resonance imaging and/or more intensive screening was clearly documented for the participating women at increased BC risk. However, none of the reports indicated that sufficient outreach was performed to ensure that women at increased BC risk from minority ethnic groups were adequately included in these surveillance programs. On the basis of this systematic review, we conclude that the specific screening needs of ethnic minority women at increased BC risk have not yet been met in Europe. Active, culturally-sensitive outreach is needed to identify minority women at increased BC risk and to facilitate their inclusion in on-going surveillance programs. It is anticipated that these efforts would be most effective if coordinated with the development of European-wide, population-based approaches to BC screening.
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| 10. |
- Belkić, Karen, et al.
(författare)
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Predictors of treatment failure for adenocarcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix : Up to 14 years of recorded follow-up
- 2022
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Ingår i: Oncology Letters. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1792-1074 .- 1792-1082. ; 24:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The incidence of adenocarcinoma-in-situ (AIS) of the uterine cervix is rising, with invasive adenocarcinoma becoming increasingly common relative to squamous cell carcinoma. The present study reviewed a cohort of 84 patients first-time treated by conization for histologically-confirmed AIS from January 2001 to January 2017, to identify risk factors associated with recurrent/persistent AIS as well as progression to invasive cervical cancer. Nearly 80% of the patients were age 40 or younger at conization. Endocervical and ectocervical margins were deemed clear in 42 of the patients. All but two patients had ≥1 follow-up, with post-conization high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) results documented in 52 patients. Altogether, 12 histopathologically-confirmed recurrences (14.3%) were detected; two of these patients had microinvasive or invasive carcinoma. In three other patients cytology showed AIS, but without recorded histopathology. Eight patients underwent hysterectomy for incomplete resection very soon after primary conization; they were not included in bivariate or multivariate analyses. Having ≥1 post-follow-up positive HPV finding yielded the highest sensitivity for histologically-confirmed recurrence: 87.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 47.4-99.7]. Current or historical smoking status provided highest specificity: 94.4 (95% CI 72.7-99.9) and overall accuracy: 88.0 (95% CI 68.8-97.5) for histologically-confirmed recurrence. With multiple logistic regression (MLR), adjusting for age at conization and abnormal follow-up cytology, positive HPV18 was the strongest predictor of histologically-confirmed recurrence (P<0.005). Having ≥2 positive HPV results also predicted recurrence (P<0.02). Any unclear margin yielded an odds ratio 7.21 (95% CI 1.34-38.7) for histologically-confirmed recurrence adjusting for age, but became non-significant when including abnormal cytology in the MLR model. The strong predictive value of HPV, particularly HPV18 and persistent HPV positivity vis-à-vis detected recurrence indicated that regular HPV testing for patients treated for AIS is imperative. In conclusion, furthering a participatory approach, including attention to smoking with encouragement to attend needed long-term follow-up, can better protect these patients at high risk for cervical cancer.
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| 11. |
- Castro Wersäll, Ofra, et al.
(författare)
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Dietary Habits and Daily Routines as Prognostic Factors in Endometrial Cancer : A Machine Learning Approach
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nutrition and Cancer. - : Routledge. - 0163-5581 .- 1532-7914. ; 75:1, s. 310-319
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Endometrial cancer (EC) is becoming more common worldwide, primarily due to an increase in life expectancy and obesity. As several modifiable factors may affect EC incidence and progression, we aimed to elucidate how dietary habits and daily routines influence recurrence and survival among women with EC, using a Random Survival Forest (RSF) approach. 481 women who previously underwent hysterectomy due to EC completed two extensive questionnaires on dietary habits and daily routines, and we used RSF to identify risky or protective variables. Among the 186 variables considered, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fried potatoes increased the risk of EC recurrence and death, while physical activity decreased the risk of death. We conclude that RSF is a suitable approach to study survival in multivariable datasets.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Govorov, Igor, et al.
(författare)
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Blood inflammatory and endothelial markers in women with von Willebrand disease
- 2019
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 14:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: VWD-affected females often experience menorrhagia. Periodical fluctuations of the sex steroids during the menstrual cycle cause changes both in the coagulation and immune system. The aim of the current study was to assess the changes in selected inflammatory and endothelial markers in women with VWD during two phases of the menstrual cycle (follicular and luteal) and to compare it with corresponding data from healthy controls.Materials and methods: The study group included 12 VWD-affected females with regular menstrual cycle, with none of them being prescribed hormone treatment. They were not pregnant or breastfeeding. The control group consisted of 102 healthy females, matched for age and BMI.Results: Within the VWD group, endostatin was higher during the follicular phase, compared to the luteal phase, although the difference was not significant (p = 0.062). sICAM-1 and IL-6 were higher in VWD-affected females, compared to the controls, sVCAM-1, cathepsin S and sP-selectin were lower (p<0.003 for all cases). The pattern was constant throughout the menstrual cycle.Conclusions: Higher levels of endostatin during early follicular phase could potentially predispose women with VWD to the development of heavy menstrual bleeding, due to antiangiogenic properties and ability to suppress several coagulation factors. Lower p-selectin levels in VWD group, compared to controls, may also contribute to the bleeding tendency. Changes in other proteins, involved in angiogenesis are hypothetically related to the formation of angiodysplasia—common complication of VWF deficiency. The latter statement requires confirmation in larger studies.
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| 14. |
- Govorov, Igor, et al.
(författare)
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STK4 protein expression pattern follows different trends in endometrioid and serous endometrial adenocarcinoma upon tumor progression
- 2022
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a previous study, we showed that serine/threonine-protein kinase 4 (STK4) is involved in the control on proliferation and migration of endometrial cancer (EC) cells in vitro. In the present paper, we studied STK4 expression in EC tissues from a large cohort of patients to determine whether STK4 can serve as a marker for the aggressiveness and prognosis of EC. Tissue samples from patients with EC were examined for tumor type, grade, and stage. The STK4 protein expression in EC cells was assessed by immunohistochemistry and related to clinicopathological data of patients, such as progression and patient survival rate. The STK4 mRNA levels and its relation to the survival rate were analyzed also in publicly available databases. The STK4 gene expression was low at both, the mRNA and protein levels in EC, especially in serous tumors. Comparison of STK4 expression with the patient survival rate shows that the higher expression is associated with worse prognosis in serous EC, while no such dependence was found in endometrioid EC. Hence, the determination of the SKT4 expression pattern could be used as a putative prognostic marker for serous EC.
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| 15. |
- Govorov, Igor, et al.
(författare)
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Upregulation of PKN1 as a Prognosis Biomarker for Endometrial Cancer
- 2022
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Ingår i: Cancer Control. - : Sage Publications. - 1073-2748 .- 1526-2359. ; 29
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Several markers of survival among endometrial cancer (EC) patients have been proposed, namely, the oncoprotein stathmin, RAF kinase inhibitor (RKIP), Cyclin A, GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA3), and growth and differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15). Their elevated expression correlated significantly with a high stage, serous papillary/clear cell subtypes, and aneuploidy. In a previous study, we reported the elevated expression of the serine/threonine protein kinase N1 (PKN1) in cancerous cells. In the present paper, we studied PKN1 expression in EC tissues from a large cohort of patients, to determine whether PKN1 can serve as a marker for the aggressiveness and prognosis of EC, and/or as a marker of survival among EC patients.METHODS: Tissue samples from EC patients were examined retrospectively for tumor type, tumor size, FIGO stage and grade, depth of invasion in the myometrium, and presence of lymph node metastasis. The PKN1 protein expression in EC cells was assessed by immunohistochemistry. PKN1 mRNA levels were analyzed in publicly available databases, using bioinformatic tools.RESULTS: We found that expression of PKN1 at the mRNA and proteins levels tended to increase in high-grade EC samples (P = .0001 and P = .06, respectively). In addition, patients with metastatic disease had higher PKN1 mRNA levels (P = .02). Moreover, patients with high PKN1 expression could be characterized by poorer survival.CONCLUSIONS: We have shown a trend of the higher PKN1 expression levels in EC patients with poor prognosis. Therefore, PKN1 might be considered as a candidate prognostic marker for EC.
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| 16. |
- Ha, Chunfang, et al.
(författare)
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Adrenomedullin and its receptor, calcitonin receptor-like receptor, are aberrantly expressed in women with idiopathic menorrhagia
- 2009
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Ingår i: Molecular Medicine Reports. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1791-2997. ; 2:1, s. 7-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The human endometrium undergoes a unique process of benign angiogenesis under the control of ovarian steroids during reproductive life. Aberrant angiogenesis has been implicated in idiopathic menorrhagia, a common gynaecological complaint. One of the key factors involved in endometrial angiogenesis is adrenomedullin (AM), a multifunctional 52-amino acid peptide. AM mediates the activities of endometrial angiogenesis via calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR). The objective of the present study was to compare the endometrial expression of AM and CRL in women with and without idiopathic menorrhagia. Endometrial biopsies were obtained from 9 women with menorrhagia (>= 80 ml per menstruation) and 12 women with normal blood loss (<80 ml per menstruation). Protein and mRNA expression levels of AM and CLR were determined using immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Compared to the controls, patients with menorrhagia exhibited low immunostaining intensity of AM, while high CLR staining was observed in the epithelium (p<0.05). No difference in mRNA expression was observed between the groups. These data suggest that an imbalance in the AM/CLR system might alter endometrial angiogenesis in menorrhagia.
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| 17. |
- Hildenbrand, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Aquaporin 1 is expressed in the human endometrium during normal cycle and increases after mifepristone treatment.
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Journal of Molecular Medicine. - 1107-3756 .- 1791-244X. ; 22:1, s. 49-53
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is involved in the angiogenesis and structural modifications of microvessels and possibly also in the pathogenesis of idiopathic menhorrhagia, where a reduced AQP1 expression is seen in the endometrium. Mifepristone treatment induces reduced menstrual bleeding and amenorrhea and also has a direct effect on endometrial arterioles. Administered with gestagen-only contraceptive methods, antiprogestins improve the bleeding pattern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the AQP1 expression in endometrial blood vessels during normal cycle and after mifepristone treatment. Localization and expression of AQP1 was determined using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 43 biopsies from human endometrium taken during a normal cycle and after mifepristone treatment. AQP1 expression in human endometrial vessels is not cycle dependent and is stronger in capillaries and arteries than in veins. After mifepristone treatment the staining intensity was increased, but not the number of stained vessels. The presence of AQP1 was also confirmed using RT-PCR. The changes in AQP1 expression could contribute to the reduced bleeding seen following mifepristone treatment and could be an effect of either antagonizing progesterone or cortisol.
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| 18. |
- Lomnytska, Marta I, et al.
(författare)
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Diagnostic protein marker patterns in squamous cervicalcancer
- 2010
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Ingår i: Proteomics - Clinical Applications. - Weinheim : WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. - 1862-8346 .- 1862-8354. ; 4:1, s. 17-31
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy of women. Our aim was toidentify additional marker protein patterns for objective diagnosis of squamous cervical cancer(SCC).Experimental design: Collected tissue biopsies of SCC, squamous vaginal cancer (SVC), normalcervical and vaginal mucosa were subjected to 2-DE, SameSpot analysis, MALDI-TOF-MSprotein identification, and analysis of the expression of selected proteins by immunohistochemistry.Results: In 148 protein spots selected by the difference in expression 99 proteins were identified.A differential protein pattern for SCC was, e.g. over-expressed (OE) eukaryotic translationinitiation factor 3-2b, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, annexin A6 (ANXA6), for SVC it was OEcathepsin D, g-catenin, RAB2A, for both cancers it was OE apolipoprotein E, tropomyosin 3,HSPA8, and underexpressed cytokeratin 13, osteoglycin. In SCC nuclear expression ofneutrophil cytosolic factor 2, PRDX2, HSP27 (nine of ten cases), ANXA6 (nine of ten cases) wasobserved while tropomyosin 4 was expressed only in two of ten cases. There was 81.1% (43/53)agreement between the expression of protein spots and the immune expression of proteins(www.proteinatlas.org).Conclusions and clinical relevance: SCC is characterized by specific tissue marker proteinpatterns that allow objective detection of the disease. They can become a basis for objectiveautomated cytology-based screening and improve current diagnostics of SCC.
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| 19. |
- Mints, Miriam
(författare)
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Idiopathic menorrhagia : studies of angiogenesis and surgical therapy
- 2003
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Excessive menstrual bleeding, menorrhagia (i.e. > 80 nil loss of blood) is a com-mon gynecological problem in women of reproductive age, accounting for over 20% of visits to gynecology outpatient clinics. The disorder may not only cause iron deficiency anemia but also considerable social discomfort and reduction in the quality of life. Although commonly associated with fibroids and carcinoma, approximately 50% of patients with menorrhagia do not show any evidence of uterine pathology. This suggests a defect in the cellular processes and regulatory mechanisms of menstruation. Historically, many women with heavy menstrual bleeding were advised to undergo hysterectomy, which was the only way of enduring a "cure". Hysterectomy is an effective treatment of menorrhagia, but it is associated with substantial postoperative morbidity and convalescence. In the early 1990s, endometrial resection or ablation became a well-established outpatient alternative for the surgical treatment of menorrhagia. The aim of this thesis: This work has mainly been focused on two aspects: firstly, the analysis of transcervical resection of the endometrium (TCRE) as a surgical option for treatment of menorrhagia and, secondly, on the involvement of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family in the regulation of anglogenesis in the human endometrium in healthy women and those with idiopathic menorrhagia. In particular, we investigated if the vessel wall anatomy was abnormal and related findings to the expression of VEGF and VEGF receptors in the blood vessels. Results The general clinical outcome in the present studies (papers I and II) showed favorable results with low peroperative and postoperative complication rates: fluid overload occurred in 4% and perforation in 1% of the patients. Most of women who underwent TCRE found this surgery acceptable and approximately 80% of these women have avoided hysterectomy. Second-look hysteroscopy in women after TCRE showed signs of regenerative endometrium. In order to determine why the endometrium regenerates and what regulates this process, we have investigated the expression and distribution of VEGF and its receptors as well as vessel morphology in normal and menorrhagic endometrium (papers III-V). Our data suggest an up-regulation of the agonist-receptor pathway of VEGF in idiopathic menorrhagia: the vascular expression of VEGF-A, VEGFR1, -2, -3 in capillaries was 1.8-, 1.8-, 2.0-, and 1.6-fold higher, respectively, in the menorrhagia group. Since VEGF-A not only stimulates migration and survival of endothelial cells but also induces vascular permeability, we have addressed this aspect by analyzing of vessel morphology. We found that vessels in patients with menorrhagia displayed an unusual morphology with focal regions, gaps. The relative size of the gaps was significantly larger in menorrhagia samples than in controls (P=0.000002). Moreover, the sizes of the gaps correlated positively to the number of endometrial blood vessels expressing VEGF-A (P=0.0002) and VEGFR1 (P=0.03). To our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates the presence of endothelial gaps in menorrhagic endometrium and as a part of a specific disease process. Conclusions: TCRE provides a minimally invasive technique for treatment of menorrhagia with good clinical results: about 80% of women have the possibility of avoiding hysterectomy. Therefore, endometrial resection/ablation should be offered as a surgical option to all women with idiopathic menorrhagia who have completed their families. Normal endometrial angiogenesis is perturbed in idiopathic menorrhagia with an up-regulation of the agonist-receptor pathway of VEGF-A, which leads to anatomical differences in blood vessels, manifested inter alia as gaps. Our novel observations may be of significance in order to explain some of the underlying mechanisms that contribute to idiopathic menorrhagia and will provide novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention in the future.
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| 20. |
- Razumova, Zoia, et al.
(författare)
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Cadmium intake as a prognostic factor in endometrial cancer : a Swedish cohort-based study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nutrition and Cancer. - Stockholm : Karolinska Institutet, Dept of Women's and Children's Health. - 0163-5581 .- 1532-7914.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Metalloendocrinology is a new interdisciplinary field, which was established due to the importance of connections between inorganic chemicals and hormonal mechanisms. The role of cadmium in hormone-related tumors is an excellent example of this connection, as cadmium mimics estrogen in the human body. Since endometrial cancer (EC) is hormonerelated, it is well-suited for assessing the estrogenic effects of cadmium. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the role of dietary cadmium intake in the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in women with EC. Dietary cadmium intake was estimated based on a large cohort of Swedish women (n ¼ 416) with EC. Median dietary cadmium intake was then analyzed in relation to different tumor characteristics and clinical outcomes. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Median daily dietary cadmium intake in the cohort was 13.1 lg (interquartile range 25%-75%¼6.4). High dietary cadmium intake (lg/day) was associated with significantly decreased OS in the study cohort (HR ¼ 0.956, 95% CI ¼ 0.914- 1.001, p ¼ 0.05). Dietary cadmium intake was not associated with PFS (HR ¼ 0.975, 95% CI ¼ 0.924-1.028, p ¼ 0.348). Therefore, our results indicate that high dietary cadmium intake could be associated with poor outcome in women with EC.
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| 21. |
- Razumova, Z., et al.
(författare)
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The prognostic role of LRIG proteins in endometrial cancer
- 2019
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Ingår i: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 1048-891X .- 1525-1438. ; 29, s. A358-A358
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction/Background Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological malignancy in Sweden. The disease has several prognostic factors. Still, the high amount of EC develops into more aggressive forms of cancer, even though being first considered to be non-aggressive. The LRIG proteins are a family of three integral surface proteins that have a similar domain organisation. The current study evaluated the role of LRIG proteins as prognostic biomarkers in EC.Methodology The cohort included 75 women who underwent a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomydue to EC at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska University Hospital Solna between 2007 and 2012. The expression of LRIG1, LRIG2, and LRIG3 in paraffin biopsies was analysed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) with applying specific polyclonal antibodies. Evaluation of immunostainings was performed by two senior pathologists without knowledge of the disease outcome. The percentage of positive cells was divided in two groups with median percentage as cut off to have two groups of equal size included in the statistical analysis. Then the groups were assessedin connection with different tumour characteristics and clinical outcomes of EC.Results The majority of women in the cohort had >50% LRIG1-, LRIG2-, and LRIG3-positive cells. Among 6047 person-months of follow-up a total, of 14 incident cases of relapsed EC were identified. A statistically significant association between high LRIG3 expression and superior overall survival was observed in the cohort (IRR=2.559, 95 CI=1.054–6.210, p=0.038). LRIG1 and LRIG2 expression did not significantly correlate with survival.Conclusion Our results support the hypothesis that LRIG3 expression may have a prognostic role in women with EC. The significance of LRIG1 and LRIG2 expression remains to be clarified.
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| 22. |
- Razumova, Zoia, et al.
(författare)
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The Prognostic Role of LRIG Proteins in Endometrial Cancer
- 2021
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Ingår i: Cancers. - Stockholm : MDPI. - 2072-6694. ; 13:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy in Sweden and it has various prognostic factors. The LRIG family is a group of three integral surface proteins with a similar domain organization. The study aimed to explore LRIG family as prognostic factor proteins in EC. The initial study cohort included 100 women with EC who were treated at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, between 2007 and 2012. We assessed the associations between LRIG protein expression and type, grade, and stage of EC, as well as progression-free and overall survival. Immunohistochemistry results revealed that most women in the analytical sample had >50% LRIG1-, LRIG2- and LRIG3-positive cells. A statistically significant association was observed between having a high number of LRIG3-positive cells and superior overall survival (incidence rate ratio = 0.977; 95% confidence interval: 0.958–0.996, p = 0.019). Moreover, positive LRIG3 staining of the cell membrane was associated with reducing in the risk of death (hazard ratio = 0.23; 95% confidence interval: 0.09–0.57). Our results show that LRIG3 expression might be a prognostic factor in EC. The role of LRIG1 and LRIG2 expression remains to be further investigated.
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| 23. |
- Tzortzatos, Gerasimos, et al.
(författare)
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Screening for germline phosphatase and tensin homolog-mutations in suspected Cowden syndrome and Cowden syndrome-like families among uterine cancer patients
- 2015
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Ingår i: Oncology Letters. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1792-1074 .- 1792-1082. ; 9:4, s. 1782-1786
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cowden syndrome (CS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by multiple hamartomas in the breast, thyroid and endometrium, with a prevalence of 1 per 250,000. Females with CS have a 21-28% lifetime risk of developing uterine cancer. Germline mutations in the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene, a tumor suppressor gene, are responsible for 30-80% of CS cases. PTEN is a nine-exon gene, located on chromosome 10q23.3, which encodes the 403 amino acid PTEN protein. It negatively regulates the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, affecting various cellular processes and signaling pathways. The present study examined whether PTEN mutations are present in CS-like families with uterine cancer (UC). UC patients underwent surgery at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (2008-2012). Pedigrees were analyzed and 54 unrelated CS-like families were identified. CS-like families were defined as having at least one occurrence of uterine cancer and one of breast cancer, as well as at least one additional Cowden-associated tumor (uterine, breast, thyroid, colon or kidney cancer) in the same individual or in first-degree relatives. Genomic DNA was amplified using polymerase chain reaction, and DNA sequencing analysis of all nine exons of the PTEN gene was conducted. No germline PTEN mutations or polymorphisms were identified. Germline PTEN mutations are rare in CS-like families with uterine cancer, therefore, genetic screening must be restricted to patients that meet the strict National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria. Gynecologists must be aware of the CS criteria and identify potential cases of CS in females where uterine cancer is the sentinel cancer.
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| 24. |
- Wersäll, Ofra Castro, et al.
(författare)
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PGC1α and VDAC1 expression in endometrial cancer
- 2021
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Ingår i: Molecular and clinical oncology. - : Spandidos Publications. - 2049-9450 .- 2049-9469. ; 14:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the ten most common gynecological cancers. As in most cancers, EC tumour progression involves alterations in cellular metabolism and can be associated with, for instance, altered levels of glycolytic enzymes. Mitochondrial functions and proteins are known to serve key roles in tumour metabolism and progression. The transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 (PGC1α) is a major regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function, albeit of varying prognostic value in different cancers. The voltage-dependent anion channel type 1 (VDAC1) regulates apoptosis as well as metabolite import and export over the mitochondrial outer membrane, and is often used for comparative quantification of mitochondrial content. Using immunohistochemistry, the present study examined protein expression levels of PGC1α and VDAC1 in tumour and paired benign tissue samples from 148 patients with EC, in order to examine associations with clinical data, such as stage and grade, Ki-67, p53 status, clinical resistance and overall survival. The expression levels of both PGC1α and VDAC1, as well as a PGC1α downstream effector, were significantly lower in tumor tissues than in benign tissues, suggesting altered mitochondrial function in EC. However, Kaplan-Meier, log rank and Spearman's rank correlation tests revealed that their expression was not correlated with survival and clinical data. Therefore, PGC1α and VDAC1 are not of major prognostic value in EC.
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| 25. |
- Wersäll, Ofra Castro, et al.
(författare)
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Which dietary and everyday life habits affect endometrial cancer recurrence? The machine gives the answer
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1048-891X .- 1525-1438. ; 30:Suppl. 4, s. A32-A33
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction/Background: The increased life expectancy and westernization of the lifestyle are considered the major contributors to a sustainable rise in endometrial cancer (EC) rates. The factors predicting EC recurrence include patient age and tumour characteristics, such as type, differentiation, and depth of invasion. At the same time, recent studies testify the impact of meal and exercises on the course of various diseases. What are the food preferences and activities that could influence the ultimate risk of EC relapse and death?Methodology: The study included 481 women who previously underwent a hysterectomy due to EC at Karolinska University Hospital. The participants filled an extensive questionnaire on their dietary habits and everyday routines. Related clinical data was obtained through the National e-health system. It resulted in a large dataset with more than 180 variables, which was processed using the Random Survival Forest (RSF) approach. The latter is applied to a right-censored data and uses a collection of decision trees to rank the variables by their importance for the occurrence of an event. The top-ranked variables were further investigated with the Cox proportional hazards model. Analyzes were performed using the RandomForestSRC package for Python.Results: The consumption of the fried potatoes significantly increased the risk of EC relapse and death [HR=8.62 (2.22–33.56), p=0.002; HR=6.00 (1.06–34.01), p=0.043, respectively), the latter persisted after adjustment for body mass index, age and smoking status. Besides, each additional serving of sweetened soda drinks increased the risk of death [3.262 (1.834–5.800), p=0.0001]. In contrast, physical activity was beneficial with each additional Metabolic Equivalent per day decreasing the risk of death by 7.3% [HR=0.927 (0.892–0.964), p< 0.0001).Conclusion: We hypothesise that the fried potatoes’ detrimental effect may be related to the acrylamide, which is formed in starch-rich foods under high-temperature conditions. It acts as a carcinogen and endocrine disruptor, causing the endometrial hyperplasia and EC in animal studies. Sweetened beverages cause a rise in insulin, which in turn inhibits sex-hormone binding protein. This results in higher levels of circulating free oestrogens. Also, insulin has mitogenic and anti-apoptotic properties, further inducing the endometrium proliferation. The favorable influence of regular physical activity on EC relapse and death is in accordance with previous studies, including recent meta-analysis.Therefore, we encourage women treated for EC to consider reducing sweetened beverages and fried potatoes consumption and increasing physical activity.
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| 26. |
- Östensson, Ellinor, et al.
(författare)
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Self-sampling for high-risk human papillomavirus as a follow-up alternative after treatment of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
- 2021
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Ingår i: Oncology Letters. - : Spandidos Publications. - 1792-1074 .- 1792-1082. ; 21:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Women treated for high-grade cervical-intraepithelial-neoplasia (CIN) require long-term follow-up with high-risk human-papillomavirus (HPV) testing. Self-sampling for HPV is well-accepted among these patients, but its role in follow-up for this group requires investigation. The present study examined how well HPV findings from self-sampled vaginal (VSS) and urine specimens correctly identified women from this cohort with recurrent CIN2+ compared with samples collected by clinicians. At 1st post-conization follow-up, 531 patients (99.8% participation) gave urine samples, performed VSS, underwent colposcopy with punch biopsy of visible lesions and clinician-collected cervical sampling for HPV analysis and liquid-based cytology. A total of 113 patients with positive HPV and/or abnormal cytology at 1st follow-up underwent 2nd follow-up. At 1st follow-up, all patients with recurrent CIN3 had positive HPV results by all methods. Clinician sampling and VSS revealed HPV16 positivity in 50% of recurrent cases and urine sampling revealed HPV16 positivity in 25% of recurrent cases. At 2nd follow-up, all 7 newly-detected CIN2/3 recurrences were associated with HPV positivity on VSS and clinician-samples. Only clinician-collected samples detected HPV positivity for two adenocarcinoma-in-situ recurrences, and both were HPV18 positive. A total of 77 patients had abnormal cytology at 1st follow-up, for which HPV positivity via VSS yielded highest sensitivity. The HPV findings were positive from VSS in 12 patients with high-grade squamous-intraepithelial-lesions (HSIL), and 11 patients with HSIL had positive HPV findings in clinician-collected and urine samples. All methods for assessing HPV presence yielded significant age-adjusted odds ratios for predicting abnormal lesions at 1st follow-up. For overall HPV results, Cohen's kappa revealed substantial agreement between VSS and clinician sampling, and moderate agreement between urine and clinician sampling. Clinician sampling and VSS were highly concordant for HPV16. Insofar as the pathology was squamous (not glandular), VSS appeared as sensitive as clinician sampling for HPV in predicting outcome among the present cohort. Since VSS can be performed at home, this option can maximize participation in the required long-term follow-up for these women at high-risk.
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