| 1. |
- Dahlin, Anna M, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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The role of the CpG island methylator phenotype in colorectal cancer prognosis depends on microsatellite instability screening status
- 2010
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In: Clinical Cancer Research. - 1078-0432 .- 1557-3265. ; 16:6, s. 1845-1855
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to relate the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP; characterized by extensive promoter hypermethylation) to cancer-specific survival in colorectal cancer, taking into consideration relevant clinicopathologic factors, such as microsatellite instability (MSI) screening status and the BRAF V600E mutation. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Archival tumor samples from 190 patients from the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study (NSHDS) and 414 patients from the Colorectal Cancer in Umeå Study (CRUMS), including 574 with cancer-specific survival data, were analyzed for an eight-gene CIMP panel using quantitative real-time PCR (MethyLight). MSI screening status was assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: CIMP-low patients had a shorter cancer-specific survival compared with CIMP-negative patients (multivariate hazard ratio in NSHDS, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-3.37; multivariate hazard ratio in CRUMS, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.22). This result was similar in subgroups based on MSI screening status and was statistically significant in microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors in NSHDS. For CIMP-high patients, a shorter cancer-specific survival compared with CIMP-negative patients was observed in the MSS subgroup. Statistical significance was lost after adjusting for the BRAF mutation, but the main findings were generally unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found a poor prognosis in CIMP-low patients regardless of MSI screening status, and in CIMP-high patients with MSS. Although not consistently statistically significant, these results were consistent in two separate patient groups and emphasize the potential importance of CIMP and MSI status in colorectal cancer research.
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| 2. |
- Eklöf, Vincy, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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Cancer-associated fecal microbial markers in colorectal cancer detection
- 2017
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In: International Journal of Cancer. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 141:12, s. 2528-2536
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the western world. An effective screening program leading to early detection of disease would severely reduce the mortality of CRC. Alterations in the gut microbiota have been linked to CRC, but the potential of microbial markers for use in CRC screening has been largely unstudied. We used a nested case-control study of 238 study subjects to explore the use of microbial markers for clbA+ bacteria harboring the pks pathogenicity island, afa-C+ diffusely adherent Escherichia coli harboring the afa-1 operon, and Fusobacterium nucleatum in stool as potential screening markers for CRC. We found that individual markers for clbA+ bacteria and F. nucleatum were more abundant in stool of patients with CRC, and could predict cancer with a relatively high specificity (81.5% and 76.9%, respectively) and with a sensitivity of 56.4% and 69.2%, respectively. In a combined test of clbA+ bacteria and F. nucleatum, CRC was detected with a specificity of 63.1% and a sensitivity of 84.6%. Our findings support a potential value of microbial factors in stool as putative noninvasive biomarkers for CRC detection. We propose that microbial markers may represent an important future screening strategy for CRC, selecting patients with a "high-risk" microbial pattern to other further diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopy.
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| 5. |
- Eklöf, Vincy, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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The Combined Value of Faecal Haemoglobin andCalprotectin in Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer inSymptomatic Patients Referred to Colonoscopy
- 2019
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In: Academic Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (AJGH). - San Fransisco : Iris Publishers. ; 1:3, s. 1-7
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Aim: To investigate the diagnostic value of a combined analyses of faecal immunological haemoglobin (FIT) and faecal calprotectin (FC) in detection of colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods: Out-patients (n=1440) referred to the endoscopy unit were analysed for FIT and FC in stool samples collected before the colonoscopy bowel preparation. The samples were collected from one defecation by the patients at home. Patients with IBD were excluded leaving stool samples from 1133 patients for further analyses. FIT was analysed using the immunological Analyse F.O.B Test and FC was analysed using the CALPRO® Calprotectin Elisa Test. Sensitivity and specificity to detect CRC was calculated for the individual tests, as well as for combined FIT/FC tests.Results: Out of the included patients, 38 were diagnosed with CRC, 9 with high grade dysplasia (HGD), and 133 with low grade dysplasia (LGD). FIT was analysed in 673 (59.4%), FC in 1021 (90.1%) and both FIT and FC in 561 (49.5%) patients. A ROC curve analysis showed that the most accurate cut-off level for FC in detecting CRC in our study was 105.5 µg/g. The sensitivity for CRC when using FIT, FC (cut-off > 100 µg/g) and the combination of FIT and FC (at least one positive test) was 65.5%, 74.1% and 94.4%, respectively. The corresponding specificity was 84.8%, 74.9% and 68.3%, respectively.Conclusion: Combined analyses of FIT and FC improved sensitivity for detection of CRC. Further studies in larger cohorts are required to find the optimal cut-off levels for different combinations of tests.
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| 6. |
- Eklöf, Vincy, 1984-, et al.
(author)
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The prognostic role of KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and PTEN in colorectal cancer
- 2013
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In: British Journal of Cancer. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0007-0920 .- 1532-1827. ; 108:10, s. 2153-2163
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Mutations in KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and PTEN expression have been in focus to predict the effect of epidermal growth factor receptor-blocking therapy in colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, information on these four aberrations was collected and combined to a Quadruple index and used to evaluate the prognostic role of these factors in CRC. Patients We analysed the mutation status in KRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA and PTEN expression in two separate CRC cohorts, Northern Sweden Health Disease Study (NSHDS; n = 197) and Colorectal Cancer in Umea Study (CRUMS; n = 414). A Quadruple index was created, where Quadruple index positivity specifies cases with any aberration in KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA or PTEN expression. Results Quadruple index positive tumours had a worse prognosis, significant in the NSHDS but not in the CRUMS cohort (NSHDS; P = 0.003 and CRUMS; P = 0.230) in univariate analyses but significance was lost in multivariate analyses. When analysing each gene separately, only BRAF was of prognostic significance in the NSHDS cohort (multivariate HR 2.00, 95% CI: 1.16-3.43) and KRAS was of prognostic significance in the CRUMS cohort (multivariate HR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.02-2.16). Aberrations in PIK3CA and PTEN did not add significant prognostic information. Conclusions Our results suggest that establishment of molecular subgroups based on KRAS and BRAF mutation status is important and should be considered in future prognostic studies in CRC.
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| 7. |
- Eklöf, Vincy, et al.
(author)
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The reduced folate carrier (RFC1) 80G>A and folate hydrolase 1 (FOLH1) 1561C>T polymorphisms and the risk of colorectal cancer : a nested case-referent study
- 2008
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5513 .- 1502-7686. ; 68:5, s. 393-401
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. Polymorphisms in genes involved in folate uptake and metabolism may affect folate status and, thereby, the risk of cancer. In this nested case‐referent study, we related two such polymorphisms, reduced folate carrier (RFC1) 80G>A and folate hydrolase 1 (FOLH1) 1561C>T, to the risk of colorectal cancer, taking into account pre‐diagnostic plasma folate and total homocysteine concentrations and the MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism, which were analysed in a previous study.Material and methods. Subjects were 220 cases and 414 matched referents from the population‐based Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study.Results. The RFC1 80A‐allele was associated with reduced plasma folate and elevated plasma total homocysteine concentrations, but the result was statistically significant only for folate. In contrast, the FOLH1 1561T‐allele was associated with higher plasma folate and reduced plasma total homocysteine concentrations, and the result was statistically significant only for homocysteine. Neither polymorphism was related to the risk of colorectal cancer, either in univariate analysis or after adjusting for body mass index, current smoking, recreational and occupational physical activity and alcohol intake. Further adjustment for folate or homocysteine status or the MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism did not affect risk estimates. Subjects with the RFC1 80AA genotype in combination with low plasma folate concentrations or the MTHFR 677TT genotype had a reduced risk of colorectal cancer of borderline statistical significance.Conclusions. These findings suggest that although the RFC1 80G>A and FOLH1 1561C>T polymorphisms may influence folate status, they are not likely to have a major independent role in the development of colorectal cancer.Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00365510701805431
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| 8. |
- Karling, Pontus, et al.
(author)
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Improved monitoring of inflammatory activity in patients with ulcerative colitis by combination of faecal tests for haemoglobin and calprotectin
- 2019
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0036-5513 .- 1502-7686. ; 79:5, s. 341-346
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Faecal calprotectin (FC) tests and faecal immunological tests (FIT) for haemoglobin have been used to monitor disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) but used alone they have some limitation concerning the predictive ability. We aimed to test if an FC test used in combination with FIT could improve the predictive ability. Consecutive out-patients with UC (n = 93) who were admitted for colonoscopy completed a single faecal sample before the start of bowel preparation. A quantitative CALPRO (R) calprotectin ELISA test and a qualitative FIT (cut-off < 40 ng/mL) were analyzed. An estimated Mayo score and a score of histological inflammation was performed blinded to the result of the faecal tests. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value for endoscopic inflammation (Mayo score > 1) was for FIT 85%, 83%, 96%, 57% and for FC > 186 mu g/g 73%, 87%, 87%, 54%. Corresponding results for FIT*FC > 186 mu g/g (at least one test positive) were 92%, 69%, 97%, 43%. For detecting moderate/severe histological inflammation the results were for FIT 69%, 79%, 92%, 43%, for FC > 75 mu g/g 95%, 62%, 98%, 41%, and for FIT*FC > 75 mu g/g 100%, 60%, 100%, 36%. None of the markers alone or in combination were useful to predict deep remission (Mayo score = 0 and no histological inflammation). We conclude that using the combination of an FC test and FIT shows minor improvement in predictive ability for inflammatory activity and remission in patients with UC.
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| 9. |
- Ling, Agnes, 1976-, et al.
(author)
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The infiltration, and prognostic importance, of Th1 lymphocytes vary in molecular subgroups of colorectal cancer
- 2016
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In: The Journal of Pathology: Clinical Research. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2056-4538. ; 2:1, s. 21-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Giving strong prognostic information, T-cell infiltration is on the verge of becoming an additional component in the routine clinical setting for classification of colorectal cancer (CRC). With a view to further improving the tools for prognostic evaluation, we have studied how Th1 lymphocyte infiltration correlates with prognosis not only by quantity, but also by subsite, within CRCs with different molecular characteristics (microsatellite instability, CpG island methylator phenotype status, and BRAF and KRAS mutational status). We evaluated the Th1 marker T-bet by immunohistochemistry in 418 archival tumour tissue samples from patients who underwent surgical resection for CRC. We found that a high number of infiltrating Th1 lymphocytes is strongly associated with an improved prognosis in patients with CRC, irrespective of intratumoural subsite, and that both extent of infiltration and patient outcome differ according to molecular subgroup. In brief, microsatellite instability, CpG island methylator phenotype-high and BRAF mutated tumours showed increased infiltration of Th1 lymphocytes, and the most pronounced prognostic effect of Th1 infiltration was found in these tumours. Interestingly, BRAF mutated tumours were found to be more highly infiltrated by Th1 lymphocytes than BRAF wild-type tumours whereas the opposite was seen for KRAS mutated tumours. These differences could be explained at least partly by our finding that BRAF mutated, in contrast to KRAS mutated, CRC cell lines and tumour specimens expressed higher levels of the Th1-attracting chemokine CXCL10, and reduced levels of CCL22 and TGFB1, stimulating Th2/Treg recruitment and polarisation. In conclusion, the strong prognostic importance of Th1 lymphocyte infiltration in CRC was found at all subsites evaluated, and it remained significant in multivariable analyses, indicating that T-bet may be a valuable marker in the clinical setting. Our results also indicate that T-bet is of value when analysed in molecular subgroups of CRC, allowing identification of patients with especially poor prognosis who are in need of extended treatment.
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| 10. |
- Lundberg, Ida V., et al.
(author)
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SOX2 expression is associated with a cancer stem cell state and down-regulation of CDX2 in colorectal cancer
- 2016
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In: BMC Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2407. ; 16
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: To improve current treatment strategies for patients with aggressive colorectal cancer (CRC), the molecular understanding of subgroups of CRC with poor prognosis is of vast importance. SOX2 positive tumors have been associated with a poor patient outcome, but the functional role of SOX2 in CRC patient prognosis is still unclear. Methods: An in vitro cell culture model expressing SOX2 was used to investigate the functional role of SOX2 in CRC. In vitro findings were verified using RNA from fresh frozen tumor tissue or immunohistochemistry on formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue from a cohort of 445 CRC patients. Results: Using our in vitro model, we found that SOX2 expressing cells displayed several characteristics of cancer stem cells; such as a decreased proliferative rate, a spheroid growth pattern, and increased expression of stem cell markers CD24 and CD44. Cells expressing SOX2 also showed down-regulated expression of the intestinal epithelial marker CDX2. We next evaluated CDX2 expression in our patient cohort. CDX2 down-regulation was more often found in right sided tumors of high grade and high stage. Furthermore, a decreased expression of CDX2 was closely linked to MSI, CIMP-high as well as BRAF mutated tumors. A decreased expression of CDX2 was also, in a stepwise manner, strongly correlated to a poor patient prognosis. When looking at SOX2 expression in relation to CDX2, we found that SOX2 expressing tumors more often displayed a down-regulated expression of CDX2. In addition, SOX2 expressing tumors with a down-regulated CDX2 expression had a worse patient prognosis compared to those with retained CDX2 expression. Conclusions: Our results indicate that SOX2 expression induces a cellular stem cell state in human CRC with a decreased expression of CDX2. Furthermore, a down-regulated expression of CDX2 results in a poor patient prognosis in CRC and at least part of the prognostic importance of SOX2 is mediated through CDX2 down-regulation.
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