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2. |
- Glimelius, Bengt, et al.
(author)
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U-CAN : a prospective longitudinal collection of biomaterials and clinical information from adult cancer patients in Sweden.
- 2018
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In: Acta Oncologica. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0284-186X .- 1651-226X. ; 57:2, s. 187-194
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Progress in cancer biomarker discovery is dependent on access to high-quality biological materials and high-resolution clinical data from the same cases. To overcome current limitations, a systematic prospective longitudinal sampling of multidisciplinary clinical data, blood and tissue from cancer patients was therefore initiated in 2010 by Uppsala and Umeå Universities and involving their corresponding University Hospitals, which are referral centers for one third of the Swedish population.Material and Methods: Patients with cancer of selected types who are treated at one of the participating hospitals are eligible for inclusion. The healthcare-integrated sampling scheme encompasses clinical data, questionnaires, blood, fresh frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens, diagnostic slides and radiology bioimaging data.Results: In this ongoing effort, 12,265 patients with brain tumors, breast cancers, colorectal cancers, gynecological cancers, hematological malignancies, lung cancers, neuroendocrine tumors or prostate cancers have been included until the end of 2016. From the 6914 patients included during the first five years, 98% were sampled for blood at diagnosis, 83% had paraffin-embedded and 58% had fresh frozen tissues collected. For Uppsala County, 55% of all cancer patients were included in the cohort.Conclusions: Close collaboration between participating hospitals and universities enabled prospective, longitudinal biobanking of blood and tissues and collection of multidisciplinary clinical data from cancer patients in the U-CAN cohort. Here, we summarize the first five years of operations, present U-CAN as a highly valuable cohort that will contribute to enhanced cancer research and describe the procedures to access samples and data.
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3. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(author)
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A prospective study of the immune system activation biomarker neopterin and colorectal cancer risk
- 2015
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In: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. - : Oxford University Press. - 0027-8874 .- 1460-2105. ; 107:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Neopterin may be relevant for colorectal cancer (CRC) development, as a biomarker of cellular immune activity exerting pleiotropic effects on cellular ageing, oxidative stress, and inflammation. So far, the association between prediagnostic neopterin and colon and rectal cancer risk has not been evaluated in human populations. Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort using data on plasma concentrations of total neopterin (T-N, sum of neopterin and 7,8-dihydroneopterin) in 830 incident CRC case patients (561 colon and 269 rectal) matched within risk sets to 830 control participants. A subsequent replication study used data from the Hordaland Health Study, where 173 CRC case patients have been diagnosed among 6594 healthy participants over 12 years of follow-up. Results: After multivariable adjustment for a priori chosen CRC risk factors, a "U-shaped" association of T-N with CRC was revealed. Compared with the second quintile of the T-N distribution, the relative risks for the first, third, fourth, and fifth quintiles were 2.37 (95% CI = 1.66 to 3.39), 1.24 (95% CI = 0.87 to 1.77), 1.55 (95% CI = 1.08 to 2.22), and 2.31 (95% CI = 1.63 to 3.27), respectively. Replication of these associations within the Hordaland Health Study yielded similar results. No differences have been observed when the associations were explored by colon and rectal cancer site (two-sided P-difference = .87) and after excluding case patients diagnosed within the first four follow-up years. Conclusions: These novel findings provide evidence of the role of both suppressed and activated cell-mediated immunity as reflected by prediagnostic T-N concentrations in the development of CRC.
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4. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(author)
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Adiposity, mediating biomarkers and risk of colon cancer in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition study
- 2014
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In: International Journal of Cancer. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 134:3, s. 612-621
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Adiposity is a risk factor for colon cancer, but underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We evaluated the extent to which 11 biomarkers with inflammatory and metabolic actions mediate the association of adiposity measures, waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI), with colon cancer in men and women. We analyzed data from a prospective nested case-control study among 662 incident colon cancer cases matched within risk sets to 662 controls. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using conditional logistic regression. The percent effect change and corresponding CIs were estimated after adjusting for biomarkers shown to be associated with colon cancer risk. After multivariable adjustment, WC was associated with colon cancer risk in men (top vs. bottom tertile RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.06-2.65; ptrend = 0.02) and in women (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.09-2.56; ptrend = 0.03). BMI was associated with risk only in men. The association of WC with colon cancer was accounted mostly for by three biomarkers, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-high-molecular-weight adiponectin and soluble leptin receptor, which in combination explained 46% (95% CI 37-57%) of the association in men and 50% (95% CI 40-65%) of the association in women. Similar results were observed for the associations with BMI in men. These data suggest that alterations in levels of these metabolic biomarkers may represent a primary mechanism of action in the relation of adiposity with colon cancer. Further studies are warranted to determine whether altering their concentrations may reduce colon cancer risk.
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5. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(author)
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Biomarker patterns of inflammatory and metabolic pathways are associated with risk of colorectal cancer : results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)
- 2014
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In: European Journal of Epidemiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0393-2990 .- 1573-7284. ; 29:4, s. 261-275
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A number of biomarkers of inflammatory and metabolic pathways are individually related to higher risk of colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the association between biomarker patterns and CRC incidence has not been previously evaluated. Our study investigates the association of biomarker patterns with CRC in a prospective nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). During median follow-up time of 7.0 (3.7-9.4) years, 1,260 incident CRC cases occurred and were matched to 1,260 controls using risk-set sampling. Pre-diagnostic measurements of C-peptide, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), C-reactive protein (CRP), reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM), insulin-like growth factor 1, adiponectin, leptin and soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R) were used to derive biomarker patterns from principal component analysis (PCA). The relation with CRC incidence was assessed using conditional logistic regression models. We identified four biomarker patterns 'HDL-C/Adiponectin fractions', 'ROM/CRP', 'TG/C-peptide' and 'leptin/sOB-R' to explain 60 % of the overall biomarker variance. In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression, the 'HDL-C/Adiponectin fractions', 'ROM/CRP' and 'leptin/sOB-R' patterns were associated with CRC risk [for the highest quartile vs the lowest, incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.69, 95 % CI 0.51-0.93, P-trend = 0.01; IRR = 1.70, 95 % CI 1.30-2.23, P-trend = 0.002; and IRR = 0.79, 95 % CI 0.58-1.07; P-trend = 0.05, respectively]. In contrast, the 'TG/C-peptide' pattern was not associated with CRC risk (IRR = 0.75, 95 % CI 0.56-1.00, P-trend = 0.24). After cases within the first 2 follow-up years were excluded, the 'ROM/CRP' pattern was no longer associated with CRC risk, suggesting potential influence of preclinical disease on these associations. By application of PCA, the study identified 'HDL-C/Adiponectin fractions', 'ROM/CRP' and 'leptin/sOB-R' as biomarker patterns representing potentially important pathways for CRC development.
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6. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(author)
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Circulating C-reactive protein concentrations and risks of colon and rectal cancer : a nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
- 2010
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In: American Journal of Epidemiology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0002-9262 .- 1476-6256. ; 172:4, s. 407-418
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The authors investigated associations between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and colon and rectal cancer risk in a nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (1992-2003) among 1,096 incident cases and 1,096 controls selected using risk-set sampling and matched on study center, age, sex, time of blood collection, fasting status, menopausal status, menstrual cycle phase, and hormone replacement therapy. In conditional logistic regression with adjustment for education, smoking, nutritional factors, body mass index, and waist circumference, CRP showed a significant nonlinear association with colon cancer risk but not rectal cancer risk. Multivariable-adjusted relative risks for CRP concentrations of > or = 3.0 mg/L versus <1.0 mg/L were 1.36 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00, 1.85; P-trend = 0.01) for colon cancer and 1.02 (95% CI: 0.67, 1.57; P-trend = 0.65) for rectal cancer. Colon cancer risk was significantly increased in men (relative risk = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.73; P-trend = 0.01) but not in women (relative risk = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.67, 1.68; P-trend = 0.13). Additional adjustment for C-peptide, glycated hemoglobin, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol did not attenuate these results. These data provide evidence that elevated CRP concentrations are related to a higher risk of colon cancer but not rectal cancer, predominantly among men and independently of obesity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia.
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7. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(author)
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Leptin and soluble leptin receptor in risk of colorectal cancer in the European prospective investigation into Cancer and nutrition cohort
- 2012
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In: Cancer Research. - Philadelphia, USA : American Association for Cancer Research. - 0008-5472 .- 1538-7445. ; 72:20, s. 5328-5337
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Leptin, a peptide hormone produced primarily by the adipocytes, is hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R) may regulate leptin's physiologic functions; however its relation to CRC risk is unknown. This study explored the association of leptin and sOB-R with risk of CRC in a prospective nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. A total of 1,129 incident CRC cases (713 colon, 416 rectal) were matched within risk sets to 1,129 controls. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). After multivariable adjustment including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and baseline leptin concentrations, sOB-R was strongly inversely associated with CRC (RR comparing the highest quintile vs. the lowest, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.40-0.76; P-trend = 0.0004) and colon cancer (RR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.28-0.63, P-trend = 0.0001); whereas no association was seen for rectal cancer (RR adjusted for BMI and waist circumference, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.48-1.44, P-trend = 0.38). In contrast, leptin was not associated with risk of CRC (RR adjusted for BMI and waist circumference, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.56-1.29, P-trend = 0.23). Additional adjustments for circulating metabolic biomarkers did not attenuate these results. These novel findings suggest a strong inverse association between circulating sOB-R and CRC risk, independent of obesity measures, leptin concentrations, and other metabolic biomarkers. Further research is needed to confirm the potentially important role of sOB-R in CRC pathogenesis. Cancer Res; 72(20); 5328-37. (C) 2012 AACR.
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8. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(author)
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Metabolic syndrome and risks of colon and rectal cancer : the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition study.
- 2011
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In: Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.). - 1940-6215. ; 4:11, s. 1873-83
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is purportedly related to risk of developing colorectal cancer; however, the association of MetS, as defined according to recent international criteria, and colorectal cancer has not been yet evaluated. In particular, it remains unclear to what extent the MetS components individually account for such an association. We addressed these issues in a nested case-control study that included 1,093 incident cases matched (1:1) to controls by using incidence density sampling. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate relative risks (RR) and 95% CIs. MetS was defined according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATPIII), the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and the 2009 harmonized definition. Among individual components, abdominal obesity (RR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.16-1.96) was associated with colon cancer, whereas abnormal glucose metabolism was associated with both colon (RR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.57-2.68) and rectal cancer (RR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.45-2.96). MetS, as defined by each of the definitions, was similarly associated with colon cancer (e.g., RR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.47-2.42 for MetS by NCEP/ATPIII), whereas MetS by NCEP/ATPIII, but not IDF or harmonized definition, was associated with rectal cancer (RR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.02-2.06). Overall, these associations were stronger in women than in men. However, the association between MetS and colorectal cancer was accounted for by abdominal obesity and abnormal glucose metabolism such that MetS did not provide risk information beyond these components (likelihood ratio test P = 0.10 for MetS by NCEP/ATPIII). These data suggest that simple assessment of abnormal glucose metabolism and/or abdominal obesity to identify individuals at colorectal cancer risk may have higher clinical utility than applying more complex MetS definitions. Cancer Prev Res; 4(11); 1873-83. ©2011 AACR.
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9. |
- Aleksandrova, Krasimira, et al.
(author)
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Total and high-molecular-weight adiponectin and risk of colorectal cancer : the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition study
- 2012
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In: Carcinogenesis. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0143-3334 .- 1460-2180. ; 33:6, s. 1211-1218
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Adiponectin - an adipose-tissue-derived protein may provide a molecular link between obesity and colorectal cancer (CRC), but evidence from large prospective studies is limited. In particular, no epidemiological study explored high-molecular-weight (HMW) and non-HMW adiponectin fractions in relation to CRC risk, despite they were hypothesised to have differential biological activities, i.e. regulating insulin sensitivity (HMW-adiponectin) versus inflammatory response (non-HMW-adiponectin). In a prospective nested case-control study we investigated whether pre-diagnostic serum concentrations of total, HMW and non-HMW-adiponectin are associated with risk of CRC, independent of obesity and other known CRC risk factors. A total of 1206 incident cases (755 colon, 451 rectal) were matched to 1206 controls using incidence density sampling. In conditional logistic regression, adjusted for dietary and lifestyle factors, total adiponectin and non-HMW-adiponectin concentrations were inversely associated with risk of CRC [relative risk (RR) comparing highest versus lowest quintile = 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.53-0.95, P (trend)=0.03 for total adiponectin and 0.45, 95%CI=0.34-0.61, P (trend)<0.0001 for non-HMW-adiponectin]. HMW-adiponectin concentrations were not associated with CRC risk (RR=0.91, 95%CI=0.68-1.22, P (trend)=0.55). Non-HMW-adiponectin was associated with CRC risk even after adjustment for body mass index and waist circumference (RR=0.39, 95%CI=0.26-0.60, P (trend)<0.0001); whereas the association with total adiponectin was no longer significant (RR=0.81, 95%CI=0.60-1.09, P (trend)=0.23). When stratified by cancer site, non-HMW-adiponectin was inversely associated with both colon and rectal cancer. These findings suggest an important role of the relative proportion of non-HMW-adiponectin in CRC pathogenesis. Future studies are warranted to confirm these results and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
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10. |
- Araghi, Marzieh, et al.
(author)
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Smokeless tobacco (snus) use and colorectal cancer incidence and survival : Results from nine pooled cohorts
- 2017
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 45:8, s. 741-748
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: Although smoking is considered to be an established risk factor for colorectal cancer, the current evidence on the association between smokeless tobacco and colorectal cancer is scant and inconclusive. We used pooled individual data from the Swedish Collaboration on Health Effects of Snus Use to assess this association.METHODS: A total of 417,872 male participants from nine cohort studies across Sweden were followed up for incidence of colorectal cancer and death. Outcomes were ascertained through linkage to health registers. We used shared frailty models with random effects at the study level to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).RESULTS: During 7,135,504 person-years of observation, 4170 men developed colorectal cancer. There was no clear association between snus use and colorectal cancer overall. Exclusive current snus users, however, had an increased risk of rectal cancer (HR 1.40: 95% CI 1.09, 1.79). There were no statistically significant associations between snus use and either all-cause or colorectal cancer-specific mortality after colorectal cancer diagnosis.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, from a large sample, do not support any strong relationships between snus use and colorectal cancer risk and survival among men. However, the observed increased risk of rectal cancer is noteworthy, and in merit of further attention.
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11. |
- Bamia, Christina, et al.
(author)
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Mediterranean diet and colorectal cancer risk: results from a European cohort
- 2013
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In: European Journal of Epidemiology. - Dordrecht : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-7284 .- 0393-2990. ; 28:4, s. 317-328
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The authors investigated the association of adherence to Mediterranean diet with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition study. Adherence to Mediterranean diet was expressed through two 10-unit scales, the Modified Mediterranean diet score (MMDS) and the Centre-Specific MMDS (CSMMDS). Both scales share the same dietary components but differ in the cut-off values that were used for these components in the construction of the scales. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for the associations of these scales with CRC incidence were estimated. After 5,296,617 person-years of follow-up, 4,355 incident CRC cases were identified. A decreased risk of CRC, of 8 and 11 % was estimated when comparing the highest (scores 6-9) with the lowest (scores 0-3) adherence to CSMMDS and MMDS respectively. For MMDS the HR was 0.89 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.80, 0.99). A 2-unit increment in either Mediterranean scale was associated with a borderline statistically significant 3 to 4 % reduction in CRC risk (HR for MMDS: 0.96; 95 % CI: 0.92, 1.00). These associations were somewhat more evident, among women, were mainly manifested for colon cancer risk and their magnitude was not altered when alcohol was excluded from MMDS. These findings suggest that following a Mediterranean diet may have a modest beneficial effect on CRC risk.
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12. |
- Beilmann-Lehtonen, Ines, et al.
(author)
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The Relationship between the Tissue Expression of TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, and TLR7 and Systemic Inflammatory Responses in Colorectal Cancer Patients
- 2021
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In: Oncology. - : S. Karger. - 0030-2414 .- 1423-0232. ; 99:12, s. 790-801
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy globally. CRC patients with elevated plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels exhibit compromised prognoses. Toll-like receptors (TLRs), activating the innate and adaptive immune systems, may contribute to pro- and antitumorigenic inflammatory responses. We aimed to identify a possible link between local and systemic inflammatory responses in CRC patients by investigating the association between tissue TLRs and plasma CRP.Methods: Tissue expressions of TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, and TLR7 were assessed using immunohistochemistry of tissue microarray slides from 549 CRC patients surgically treated between 1998 and 2005. Blood samples were drawn preoperatively, centrifuged, aliquoted, and stored at −80°C until analysis. Plasma CRP was determined through high-sensitivity time-resolved immunofluorometric assay. We investigated the association of TLRs to clinicopathologic variables, plasma CRP, and survival.Results: High TLR2 expression (hazard ratio [HR] 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41–0.85; p = 0.005), high TLR5 expression (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.45–0.83; p = 0.002), positive TLR7 expression (HR 0.49; 95% CI 0.33–0.72; p < 0.001), and low CRP (HR 1.48; 95% CI 1.08–2.11; p = 0.017) were associated with a better prognosis. A high TLR2 immunoexpression was associated with a better prognosis among low-CRP patients (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.35–0.80; p = 0.002), high TLR4 expression among high-CRP patients (HR 2.04; 95% CI 1.04–4.00; p = 0.038), high TLR5 expression among low-CRP patients (HR 0.059; 95% CI 0.37–0.92; p = 0.021), and positive TLR7 expression among low-CRP patients (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.28–1.00; p = 0.049). In multivariate analyses, no biomarkers emerged as significant independent variables.Conclusions: High tissue TLR2, TLR5, and TLR7 levels were associated with a better prognosis. Among low-CRP patients, those with high TLR2, TLR5, and TLR7 immunoexpressions exhibited a better prognosis. Among high CRP patients, a high TLR4 immunoexpression was associated with a better prognosis.
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13. |
- Berglund, Eva Caroline, et al.
(author)
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A Study Protocol for Validation and Implementation of Whole-Genome and -Transcriptome Sequencing as a Comprehensive Precision Diagnostic Test in Acute Leukemias
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Medicine. - Lausanne, Switzerland : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-858X. ; 9, s. 1-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and whole-transcriptome sequencing (WTS), with the ability to provide comprehensive genomic information, have become the focal point of research interest as novel techniques that can support precision diagnostics in routine clinical care of patients with various cancer types, including hematological malignancies. This national multi-center study, led by Genomic Medicine Sweden, aims to evaluate whether combined application of WGS and WTS (WGTS) is technically feasible and can be implemented as an efficient diagnostic tool in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In addition to clinical impact assessment, a health-economic evaluation of such strategy will be performed. Methods and Analysis: The study comprises four phases (i.e., retrospective, prospective, real-time validation, and follow-up) including approximately 700 adult and pediatric Swedish AML and ALL patients. Results of WGS for tumor (90×) and normal/germline (30×) samples as well as WTS for tumors only will be compared to current standard of care diagnostics. Primary study endpoints are diagnostic efficiency and improved diagnostic yield. Secondary endpoints are technical and clinical feasibility for routine implementation, clinical utility, and health-economic impact. Discussion: Data from this national multi-center study will be used to evaluate clinical performance of the integrated WGTS diagnostic workflow compared with standard of care. The study will also elucidate clinical and health-economic impacts of a combined WGTS strategy when implemented in routine clinical care. Clinical Trial Registration: [https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN66987142], identifier [ISRCTN66987142].
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14. |
- Blad, Nathalie, et al.
(author)
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Pre-diagnostic faecal calprotectin levels in patients with colorectal cancer : a retrospective study
- 2022
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In: BMC Cancer. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2407. ; 22:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Faecal calprotectin (FC) is a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. There is uncertainty if tumor characteristics are associated with FC levels. We investigated how tumor stage and tumor localization influence the extent of FC levels in patients with CRC in clinical practice.Methods: In two cohorts of patients with CRC, we retrospectively analyzed FC tests (CALPRO®) performed within three months prior to diagnosis. One hundred twenty-four patients with CRC were included (mean age 68 years, 44% women).Results: Ninety-eight patients with CRC (79%) had a FC ≥ 50 µg/g. FC correlated positively with tumor stage (UICC based on WHO TNM classification) (rs 0.24; p = 0.007) and with CRP levels (rs 0.31, p = 001), and a negatively with B-haemoglobin (rs -0.21; p = 0.019). The patients with right-sided CRC had significantly more often a FC ≥ 50 µg/g than patients with left-sided CRC (92% vs 74% p = 0.027). In a binary logistic regression analysis, tumor stage III/IV (adjusted OR 3.47; CI 1.27–9.42) and right-sided tumor localization (adjusted OR 3.80; CI 1.01–14.3) were associated with FC ≥ 50 µg/g. Tumor stage III/IV (adjusted OR 2.30; CI 1.04–5.10) and acetylsalicylic use (adjusted OR 3.54; CI 1.03–12.2) were associated with FC ≥ 100 µg/g. In a cox regression analysis, a FC ≥ 100 µg/g was not associated with survival (Hazard OR 0.61; CI 0.24–1.52).Conclusions: Elevated pre-diagnostic FC levels were common in patients with CRC in close proximity to diagnosis. Right-sided localization and tumor stage were significantly associated with a rise in FC levels.
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15. |
- Bodén, Stina, et al.
(author)
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C-reactive Protein and Future Risk of Clinical and Molecular Subtypes of Colorectal Cancer
- 2020
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In: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. - : American Association for Cancer Research. - 1055-9965 .- 1538-7755. ; 29:7, s. 1482-1491
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Inflammation has been implicated in colorectal cancer etiology, but the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and colorectal cancer risk is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between prediagnostic plasma CRP concentrations and the risk of clinical and molecular colorectal cancer subtypes.Methods: We used prospectively collected samples from 1,010 matched colorectal cancer case-control pairs from two population-based cohorts in Northern Sweden, including 259 with repeated samples. Conditional logistic regression and linear mixed models were used to estimate relative risks of colorectal cancer, including subtypes based on BRAF and KRAS mutations, microsatellite instability status, tumor location, stage, lag time, and (using unconditional logistic regression) body mass index.Results: CRP was not associated with colorectal cancer risk, regardless of clinical or molecular colorectal cancer subtype. For participants with advanced tumors and blood samples <5 years before diagnosis, CRP was associated with higher risk [OR per 1 unit increase in natural logarithm (In) transformed CRP, 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.73]. CRP levels increased over time, but average time trajectories were similar for cases and controls (P-interaction = 0.19).Conclusions: Our results do not support intertumoral heterogeneity as an explanation for previous inconsistent findings regarding the role of CRP in colorectal cancer etiology. The possible association in the subgroup with advanced tumors and shorter follow-up likely reflects undiagnosed cancer at baseline. Impact: Future efforts to establish the putative role of chronic, low-grade inflammation in colorectal cancer development will need to address the complex relationship between systemic inflammatory factors and tumor microenvironment, and might consider larger biomarker panels than CRP alone.
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16. |
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17. |
- Bodén, Stina, et al.
(author)
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Plasma concentrations of gut hormones acyl ghrelin and peptide YY and subsequent risk of colorectal cancer and molecular tumor subtypes
- 2023
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In: Cancer Prevention Research. - : American Association for Cancer Research. - 1940-6207 .- 1940-6215. ; 16:2, s. 75-87
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Obesity and metabolic dysfunction are implicated in colorectal cancer development. Appetite-regulating gut hormones might have a role in colorectal cancer risk. We investigated whether circulating levels of the gut hormones ghrelin (analyzed as acyl ghrelin) and Peptide YY (PYY) were associated with subsequent colorectal cancer risk, including clinical and molecular tumor subtypes. We also provide descriptive data on these hormones in relation to background participant characteristics and metabolic biomarkers. This population-based study included 1,010 matched case-control pairs with a median of 12.3 years of follow-up. Acyl ghrelin and PYY were measured by multiplex immunoassay. Data on KRAS and BRAF mutations and microsatellite instability (MSI) status were available for 704 and 708 cases, respectively. Conditional logistic regression models estimated association to colorectal cancer risk. Partial correlation and linear regression were used to investigate relationships between background and metabolic variables and variation in plasma gut hormone concentrations. Acyl ghrelin was not clearly associated with colorectal cancer risk (multivariable OR per 1 SD increase: 1.11; 95% CI, 1.00-1.23). Positive associations were observed for specific subtypes, in particular BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer and right-sided colon cancer, although with nonsignificant heterogeneity. PYY was not related to colorectal cancer risk (multivariable OR per 1 SD: 1.04; 95% CI, 0.95-1.14) or any tumor subtype. In the control participants, ghrelin was inversely correlated with BMI, and PYY was positively correlated with C-peptide and insulin levels. These findings provide limited support for a possible role for ghrelin in colorectal cancer development, primarily in specific anatomical and molecular tumor subtypes.PREVENTION RELEVANCE: The findings of this study do not support a major role for the metabolic gut hormones ghrelin and PYY in colorectal cancer development but suggest the possibility of an involvement for ghrelin in specific tumor subtypes. Elucidating subtype-specific risk factors and mechanisms of carcinogenesis may have implications for precision prevention.
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18. |
- Brown, D. R., et al.
(author)
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Relating phase transition heat capacity to thermal conductivity and effusivity in Cu2Se
- 2016
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In: Physica Status Solidi - Rapid Research Letetrs. - : Wiley. - 1862-6254 .- 1862-6270. ; 10:8, s. 618-621
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Accurate measurement of thermal conductivity is essential to determine the thermoelectric figure-of-merit, zT. Near the phase transition of Cu2Se at 410 K, the transport properties change rapidly with temperature, and there is a concurrent peak in measured heat capacity from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Interpreting the origin as a broad increase in heat capacity or as a transient resulted in a three-fold difference in the reported zT in two recent publications. To resolve this discrepancy, thermal effusivity was deduced from thermal conductivity and diffusivity measurements via the transient plane source (TPS) method and compared with that calculated from thermal diffusivity and the two interpretations of the DSC data for heat capacity. The comparison shows that the DSC measurement gave the heat capacity relevant for calculation of the thermal conductivity of Cu2Se. The thermal conductivity calculated this way follows the electronic contribution to thermal conductivity closely, and hence the main cause of the zT peak is concluded to be the enhanced Seebeck coefficient.
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19. |
- Butt, Julia, et al.
(author)
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Association of Pre-diagnostic Antibody Responses to Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis Toxin Proteins with Colorectal Cancer in a European Cohort
- 2021
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In: Gut microbes. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1949-0976 .- 1949-0984. ; 13:1, s. e1903825-1-e1903825-14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Experimental evidence has implicated genotoxic Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, evidence from epidemiological studies is sparse. We therefore assessed the association of serological markers of E. coli and ETBF exposure with odds of developing CRC in the European Prospective Investigation into Nutrition and Cancer (EPIC) study. Serum samples of incident CRC cases and matched controls (n = 442 pairs) were analyzed for immunoglobulin (Ig) A and G antibody responses to seven E. coli proteins and two isoforms of the ETBF toxin via multiplex serology. Multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of sero-positivity to E. coli and ETBF with CRC. The IgA-positivity of any of the tested E. coli antigens was associated with higher odds of developing CRC (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.05–1.91). Dual-positivity for both IgA and IgG to E. coli and ETBF was associated with >1.7-fold higher odds of developing CRC, with a significant association only for IgG (OR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.94). This association was more pronounced when restricted to the proximal colon cancers (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.09, 6.29) compared to those of the distal colon (OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 0.51, 3.00) (pheterogeneity = 0.095). Sero-positivity to E. coli and ETBF was associated with CRC development, suggesting that co-infection of these bacterial species may contribute to colorectal carcinogenesis. These findings warrant further exploration in larger prospective studies and within different population groups.
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20. |
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21. |
- Cederquist, Kristina, et al.
(author)
-
Two Swedish founder MSH6 mutations, one nonsense and one missense, conferring high cumulative risk of Lynch syndrome.
- 2005
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In: Clinical Genetics. - : Wiley. - 0009-9163 .- 1399-0004. ; 68:6, s. 533-541
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lynch syndrome, or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), is a cancer susceptibility syndrome caused by germline mutations in mismatch-repair genes, predominantly MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6. A majority of the mutations reported are truncating, but for MSH6, missense mutations constitute over one third. Few have been proven pathogenic in functional studies or shown to segregate in families. In this study, we show segregation of the putative pathogenic MSH6 missense mutation c.1346T>C p.Leu449Pro with microsatellite instability-high Lynch syndrome-related tumours lacking MSH6 expression in a large 17th century pedigree. Another large family with the MSH6 nonsense c.2931C>G, p.Tyr977X mutation is similar in tumour spectra, age of onset and cumulative risk. These MSH6 families, despite their late age of onset, have a high lifetime risk of all Lynch syndrome-related cancers, significantly higher in women (89% by age 80) than in men (69%). The gender differences are in part explained by high endometrial (70%) and ovarian (33%) cancer risks added upon the high colorectal cancer risk (60%). The several occurrences of breast cancer are not due to the MSH6 mutations. These findings are of great importance for counselling, management and surveillance of families with MSH6 mutations.
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22. |
- Chuang, Shu-Chun, et al.
(author)
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Cellular immune activity biomarker neopterin is associated hyperlipidemia : results from a large population-based study
- 2016
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In: Immunity & Ageing. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1742-4933. ; 13
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Increased serum neopterin had been described in older age two decades ago. Neopterin is a biomarker of systemic adaptive immune activation that could be potentially implicated in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Measurements of waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin as components of MetS definition, and plasma total neopterin concentrations were performed in 594 participants recruited in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).Results: Higher total neopterin concentrations were associated with reduced HDLC (9.7 %, p < 0.01 for men and 9.2 %, p < 0.01 for women), whereas no association was observed with the rest of the MetS components as well as with MetS overall (per 10 nmol/L: OR = 1.42, 95 % CI = 0.85-2.39 for men and OR = 1.38, 95 % CI = 0.79-2.43).Conclusions: These data suggest that high total neopterin concentrations are cross-sectionally associated with reduced HDLC, but not with overall MetS.
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23. |
- Claesson, Jonas, et al.
(author)
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Evaluation of intestinal preconditioning in a porcine model using classic ischemic preconditioning or lung recruitment maneuvers.
- 2008
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In: Shock. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 1073-2322 .- 1540-0514. ; 21:1, s. 98-103
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To test the hypotheses that repeated brief intestinal ischemic insults would elicit an intestinal preconditioning response to a subsequent intestinal I/R injury and that a similar response would be elicited by repeated lung recruitment maneuvers (RMs). Randomized experimental controlled animal study. University hospital animal laboratory. Eighteen anesthetized pigs. Animals were randomized to one of three groups, with six animals in each group. Control group 75-min superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion followed by 60-min reperfusion. Ischemic preconditioning group, three 5-min-long SMA occlusions preceding 75-min SMA occlusion and 60-min reperfusion. Recruitment maneuver (RM) group, three 2-min-long RMs preceding 75-min SMA occlusion and 60-min reperfusion. We measured systemic and mesenteric hemodynamic parameters, jejunal mucosal perfusion, net mesenteric lactate flux, jejunal tissue oxygen tension, and mesenteric oxygenation. Every 15 min, jejunal microdialysate samples were collected and analyzed for glucose, lactate, and glycerol. Jejunal tissue samples were collected postmortem. After occlusion of SMA, regional parameters in all groups indicated abolished perfusion and gradually increasing intraluminal microdialysate lactate and glycerol levels. At reperfusion, regional parameters indicated mesenteric hyperperfusion, whereas microdialysis markers of mucosal anaerobic metabolism and cell injury decreased, although not reaching baseline. Histological examination revealed severe mucosal injury in all groups. There were no significant differences between groups in the observed parameters. No protective preconditioning response could be observed when performing repeated brief intestinal ischemic insults or repeated lung RMs before an intestinal I/R injury.
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24. |
- Dahlin, Anna M, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Colorectal cancer prognosis depends on T-cell infiltration and molecular characteristics of the tumor
- 2011
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In: Modern Pathology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0893-3952 .- 1530-0285. ; 24, s. 671-682
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study was to relate the density of tumor infiltrating T cells to cancer-specific survival in colorectal cancer, taking into consideration the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) and microsatellite instability (MSI) screening status. The T-cell marker CD3 was stained by immunohistochemistry in 484 archival tumor tissue samples. T-cell density was semiquantitatively estimated and scored 1-4 in the tumor front and center (T cells in stroma), and intraepithelially (T cells infiltrating tumor cell nests). Total CD3 score was calculated as the sum of the three CD3 scores (range 3-12). MSI screening status was assessed by immunohistochemistry. CIMP status was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (MethyLight) using an eight-gene panel. We found that patients whose tumors were highly infiltrated by T cells (total CD3 score ≥7) had longer survival compared with patients with poorly infiltrated tumors (total CD3 score ≤4). This finding was statistically significant in multivariate analyses (multivariate hazard ratio, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-1.00). Importantly, the finding was consistent in rectal cancer patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy. Although microsatellite unstable tumor patients are generally considered to have better prognosis, we found no difference in survival between microsatellite unstable and microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer patients with similar total CD3 scores. Patients with MSS tumors highly infiltrated by T cells had better prognosis compared with intermediately or poorly infiltrated microsatellite unstable tumors (log rank P=0.013). Regarding CIMP status, CIMP-low was associated with particularly poor prognosis in patients with poorly infiltrated tumors (multivariate hazard ratio for CIMP-low versus CIMP-negative, 3.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-6.15). However, some subset analyses suffered from low power and are in need of confirmation by independent studies. In conclusion, patients whose tumors are highly infiltrated by T cells have a beneficial prognosis, regardless of MSI, whereas the role of CIMP status in this context is less clear.
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25. |
- Dahlin, Anna M, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Plasma vitamin B12 concentrations and the risk of colorectal cancer : a nested case-referent study
- 2008
-
In: International Journal of Cancer. - : Wiley. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 32:2, s. 304-314
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this nested case-referent study, we related plasma concentrations of vitamin B12 to the risk of colorectal cancer, taking into consideration prediagnostic plasma folate and total homocysteine concentrations. Subjects were 226 cases and double matched referents from the population-based Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study. Follow-up times from recruitment to diagnosis ranged from 0.1 to 12.7 years, with a median of 4.2 years. Plasma vitamin B12 concentrations were inversely associated with the risk of rectal cancer: univariate odds ratio for the highest versus lowest quintile 0.34 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.13-0.83), p(trend) = 0.004. Risk estimates were attenuated slightly but remained statistically significant after adjustment for body mass index, current smoking, recreational and occupational physical activity, alcohol intake and prediagnostic plasma folate and total homocysteine concentrations: OR 0.30 (95% CI 0.08-0.99), p(trend) = 0.025. The corresponding univariate and fully adjusted odds ratios for colon cancer were 1.25 (CI 0.66-2.36), p(trend) = 0.185 and 1.42 (CI 0.67-3.05), p(trend) = 0.113, respectively. The observed over-risk was attributable to left-sided colon cancer. Interaction analyses including vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine were in line with the results for vitamin B12 alone. In conclusion, these results suggest that increasing levels of plasma vitamin B12, alone or together with other factors involved in one-carbon metabolism, may reduce the risk of rectal cancer, whereas for colon cancer, the association appears to be less clear.
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26. |
- 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
-
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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27. |
- Dahlin, Anna, 1979-
(author)
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The CpG island methylator phenotype in colorectal cancer : studies on risk and prognosis
- 2011
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common malignancy in developed countries. The mortality is high, with nearly half of patients dying from the disease. The primary treatment of CRC is surgery, and decisions about additional treatment with chemotherapy are based mainly on tumor stage. Novel prognostic markers that identify patients at high risk of recurrence and cancer-related death are needed. The development of CRC has been described in terms of two different pathways; the microsatellite instability (MSI) and chromosomal instability (microsatellite stable, MSS) pathway. More recently, the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), characterized by frequent DNA hypermethylation, has been described as an alternative pathway of tumorigenesis. The event of DNA methylation is dependent on one-carbon metabolism, in which folate and vitamin B12 have essential functions. The purpose of this thesis was to study CIMP in CRC. The specific aims were to investigate the potential role of components of one-carbon metabolism as risk factors for this subgroup of tumors, and the prognostic importance of CIMP status, taking into consideration important confounding factors, such as MSI and tumor-infiltrating T cells. Methods CRC cases and referents included in the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study (NSHDS, 226 cases and 437 referents) and CRC cases in the Colorectal Cancer in Umeå Study (CRUMS, n=490) were studied. Prediagnostic plasma concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 were analyzed in NSHDS. In both study groups, CIMP status was determined in archival tumor tissue by real-time quantitative PCR using an eight-gene panel (CDKN2A, MLH1, CACNA1G, NEUROG1, RUNX3, SOCS1, IGF2 and CRABP1). MSI screening status and the density of tumor-infiltrating T cells were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results An inverse association was found between plasma concentrations of vitamin B12 and rectal, but not colon, cancer risk. We also found a reduced risk of CIMP-high and CIMP-low CRC in study subjects with the lowest levels of plasma folate. We found that patients with CIMP-low tumors in both NSHDS and CRUMS had a poorer prognosis compared with CIMP-negative, regardless of MSI screening status. We also found that MSS CIMP-high patients had a poorer prognosis compared with MSS CIMP-negative. The density of tumor-infiltrating T cells and CIMP status were both found to be independent predictors of CRC patient prognosis. A particularly poor prognosis was found in patients with CIMP-low tumors poorly infiltrated by T cells. In addition, the density of T cells appeared to be more important than MSI screening status for predicting CRC patient prognosis. Conclusion Rather than being one disease, CRC is a heterogeneous set of diseases with respect to clinico-pathological and molecular characteristics. We found that the association between risk and plasma concentration of vitamin B12 and folate depends on tumor site and CIMP status, respectively. Patient prognosis was found to be different depending on CIMP and MSI screening status, and the density of tumor-infiltrating T cells.
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28. |
- Danielsson Borssén, Åsa, 1977-, et al.
(author)
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Histological improvement of liver fibrosis in well-treated patients with autoimmune hepatitis : A cohort study
- 2017
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In: Medicine. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 0025-7974 .- 1536-5964. ; 96:34
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic autoimmune liver disease that if left untreated may lead to the development of cirrhosis. Previous studies on AIH patients have suggested that fibrosis and even cirrhosis can be reversed by medical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of medical treatment for protection of developing fibrosis and cirrhosis.A total of 258 liver biopsies from 101 patients (72 women, 29 men) were analyzed by a single pathologist and classified according to the Ishak grading (inflammation) and staging (fibrosis) system. Liver histology was stratified according to the temporal changes of fibrosis stage (increased, decreased, or stable), and groups were compared.Complete or partial response to medical treatment was 94.9%. Reduction of fibrosis stage from the first to the last biopsy was seen in 63 patients (62.4%). We found an association between a reduction in the fibrosis stage and continuous glucocorticoid medication, as well as lowered scores of inflammation at last biopsy. Twenty-one patients had cirrhosis (Ishak stage 6) at least in one of the previous biopsies, but only 5 patients at the last biopsy.Histological improvement is common in AIH patients that respond to medical treatment, and a reduction or stabilization of fibrosis stage occurs in about 2/3 of such patients.
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29. |
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30. |
- DAWODY, JAZAER, 1959, et al.
(author)
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An integrated system for energy-efficient exhaust aftertreatment for heavy-duty vehicles
- 2015
-
In: Renewable Energy in the Service of Mankind. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 9783319177779 - 9783319177762 ; 1, s. 133-143
-
Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. This chapter presents a unique system approach applied in a joint academic- industrial research programme, E4 Mistra, to attain the goals of high energy efficiency and low emissions in an exhaust aftertreatment system for heavy-duty vehicles. The high energy efficiency is achieved by heat recuperation, onboard hydrogen production for NOx reduction, and by finding new solutions for making the aftertreatment system active at low exhaust temperatures. To reach low particulate emissions, a mechanical filter using a sintered metal powder is developed and coated with catalytic material to improve the soot oxidation efficiency. Low NOx emissions are achieved by an efficient NOx reduction catalyst. The integrated E4 Mistra system comprises four technological advances: thermoelectric (TE) materials for heat recuperation, catalytic reduction of NOx over innovative catalyst substrates using either the onboard diesel or biodiesel, H2 from a high-efficiency fuel reformer, and particulate filtration over a porous metal filter. The TE materials are used in a TE generator (TEG) which converts thermal energy into electricity. The TEG is used to recuperate heat from the exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) circuit of heavy-duty trucks and is expected to generate ~1 kW electric power from 20 kW heat in the exhaust gas. The TEG is integrated in a plate heat exchanger (HEX) designed particularly for this application. Apart from the knowledge and experiences in TEG and heat exchange technologies, a thorough fluid dynamics and TE analysis are performed in this project to understand the governing processes and optimize the system accordingly. The components of the E4 Mistra system are explained in the chapter in addition to test results, which show the system's capacity for H2 production, NOx conversion, particulate matter filtration and soot oxidation, and finally electric power generation via heat recuperation from the exhaust gas using the developed TEG-HEX system.
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31. |
- DAWODY, JAZAER, 1959, et al.
(author)
-
E4-Mistra, a research program for the development of an energy efficient low emission exhaust aftertreatment system for heavy duty vehicles
- 2012
-
In: World Renewable Energy Forum, WREF 2012, Including World Renewable Energy Congress XII and Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) Annual Conference. - : American Solar Energy Society. - 9781622760923 ; , s. 4530-4536
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents a unique system approach applied in a joint academic - industrial research program, E4 Mistra, to reach the goals of energy efficiency and low emissions exhaust aftertreatment system for heavy duty vehicles. The high energy efficiency is achieved by heat recuperation, on-board hydrogen production for use in both an auxiliary power unit and for NOx reduction and by finding new solutions for making the after-treatment system active at low exhaust temperatures. To reach low particulate emissions a mechanical filter using a sintered metal filter is developed. Low NOx emissions are achieved by an efficient NOx reduction catalyst. The system is based on four technological advances: Thermoelectric material s for heat recuperation, catalytic reduction of NOx over innovative catalyst substrates using hydrocarbons from the fuel and H2 from a high efficiency fuel reformer, and particulate filtration over a porous metal filter.
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32. |
- Edin, Sofia, et al.
(author)
-
Macrophages : Good guys in colorectal cancer
- 2013
-
In: Oncoimmunology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2162-4011 .- 2162-402X. ; 2:2, s. e23038-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Macrophages play a complex role in tumor progression since they can exert both tumor-preventing (M1 macrophages) and tumor-promoting (M2 macrophages) activities. In colorectal carcinoma (CRC), at odds to many other cancers, macrophage infiltration has been correlated with an improved patient survival. In a recent study, we have evaluated the distribution of M1 and M2 macrophage subtypes in CRC and their impact on patient prognosis.
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33. |
- Edin, Sofia, et al.
(author)
-
Opposing roles by KRAS and BRAF mutation on immune cell infiltration in colorectal cancer : possible implications for immunotherapy
- 2024
-
In: British Journal of Cancer. - : Springer Nature. - 0007-0920 .- 1532-1827. ; 130
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The immune response has important clinical value in colorectal cancer (CRC) in both prognosis and response to immunotherapy. This study aims to explore tumour immune cell infiltration in relation to clinically well-established molecular markers of CRC.Methods: Multiplex immunohistochemistry and multispectral imaging was used to evaluate tumour infiltration of cytotoxic T cells (CD8+), Th1 cells (T-bet+), T regulatory cells (FoxP3+), B cells (CD20+), and macrophages (CD68+) in a cohort of 257 CRC patients.Results: We found the expected association between higher immune-cell infiltration and microsatellite instability. Also, whereas BRAF-mutated tumours displayed increased immune-cell infiltration compared to BRAF wild-type tumours, the opposite was seen for KRAS-mutated tumours, differences that were most prominent for cytotoxic T cells and Th1 cells. The opposing relationships of BRAF and KRAS mutations with tumour infiltration of cytotoxic T cells was validated in an independent cohort of 608 CRC patients. A positive prognostic importance of cytotoxic T cells was found in wild-type as well as KRAS and BRAF-mutated CRCs in both cohorts.Conclusion: A combined evaluation of MSI status, KRAS and BRAF mutational status, and immune infiltration (cytotoxic T cells) may provide important insights to prognosis and response to immunotherapy in CRC.
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34. |
- Edin, Sofia, et al.
(author)
-
Phenotypic skewing of macrophages in vitro by secreted factors from colorectal cancer cells
- 2013
-
In: PLOS ONE. - : PLoS, Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 8:9, s. e74982-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Macrophages are cells with many important functions in both innate and adaptive immune responses and have been shown to play a complex role in tumor progression since they harbour both tumor preventing (M1 macrophages) and tumor promoting (M2 macrophages) activities. In many human cancers, infiltrating macrophages have been associated with a poor patient prognosis, and therefore suggested to be mainly of an M2 phenotype. However, we and others have previously shown that increased macrophage density in colorectal cancer (CRC) instead is correlated with an improved prognosis. It is an intriguing question if the different roles played by macrophages in various cancers could be explained by variations in the balance between M1 and M2 macrophage attributes, driven by tumor- or organ-specific factors in the tumor microenvironment of individual cancers. Here, we utilized an in vitro cell culture system of macrophage differentiation to compare differences and similarities in the phenotype (morphology, antigen-presentation, migration, endocytosis, and expression of cytokine and chemokine genes) between M1/M2 and tumor activated macrophages (TAMs), that could explain the positive role of macrophages in CRC. We found that secreted factors from CRC cells induced TAMs of a "mixed" M1/M2 phenotype, which in turn could contribute to a "good inflammatory response". This suggests that re-education of macrophages might allow for important therapeutic advances in the treatment of human cancer.
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35. |
- Edin, Sofia, et al.
(author)
-
The Distribution of Macrophages with a M1 or M2 Phenotype in Relation to Prognosis and the Molecular Characteristics of Colorectal Cancer
- 2012
-
In: PLOS ONE. - : PLoS One. - 1932-6203. ; 7:10, s. e47045-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High macrophage infiltration has been correlated to improved survival in colorectal cancer (CRC). Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) play complex roles in tumorigenesis since they are believed to hold both tumor preventing (M1 macrophages) and tumor promoting (M2 macrophages) activities. Here we have applied an immunohistochemical approach to determine the degree of infiltrating macrophages with a M1 or M2 phenotype in clinical specimens of CRC in relation to prognosis, both in CRC in general but also in subgroups of CRC defined by microsatellite instability (MSI) screening status and the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP). A total of 485 consecutive CRC specimens were stained for nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) (also denoted iNOS) as a marker for the M1 macrophage phenotype and the scavenger receptor CD163 as a marker for the M2 macrophage phenotype. The average infiltration of NOS2 and CD163 expressing macrophages along the invasive tumor front was semi-quantitatively evaluated using a four-graded scale. Two subtypes of macrophages, displaying M1 (NOS2(+)) or M2 (CD163(+)) phenotypes, were recognized. We observed a significant correlation between the amount of NOS2(+) and CD163(+) cells (P<0.0001). A strong inverse correlation to tumor stage was found for both NOS2 (P<0.0001) and CD163 (P<0.0001) infiltration. Furthermore, patients harbouring tumors highly infiltrated by NOS2+ cells had a significantly better prognosis than those infiltrated by few NOS2+ cells, and this was found to be independent of MSI screening status and CIMP status. No significant difference was found on cancer-specific survival in groups of CRC with different NOS2/CD163 ratios. In conclusion, an increased infiltration of macrophages with a M1 phenotype at the tumor front is accompanied by a concomitant increase in macrophages with a M2 phenotype, and in a stage dependent manner correlated to a better prognosis in patients with CRC.
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36. |
- Edin, Sofia, et al.
(author)
-
The Prognostic Importance of CD20+ B lymphocytes in Colorectal Cancer and the Relation to Other Immune Cell subsets
- 2019
-
In: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 9:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The anti-tumour immune response is critical to patient prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to investigate infiltration of B lymphocytes into CRC tumours, and their clinical relevance, prognostic value and relation to other immune cell subsets. We used multiplexed immunohistochemistry and multispectral imaging to assay the amount of infiltrating CD20+ B lymphocytes along with infiltration of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, FOXP3+ T regulatory cells, CD68+ macrophages and CD66b+ neutrophils, in 316 archival CRC tissue specimens. A higher density of infiltrating CD20+ B lymphocytes was associated with tumours of the right colon (P = 0.025) and of lower stages (P = 0.009). Furthermore, patients whose tumours were highly infiltrated by CD20+ B lymphocytes had a significantly improved disease-specific survival (HR = 0.45, 95% CI 0.28-0.73, P = 0.001), which remained significant in multivariable analysis. CD20+ B lymphocytes were highly and positively associated with CD8+ T lymphocytes (P < 0.001), and part of the prognostic role was found to be a cooperative effect between these lymphocyte subsets. Our results support a favourable prognostic value of tumour-infiltrating CD20+ B lymphocytes in CRC. Furthermore, a cooperative prognostic effect between CD20+ B lymphocytes and CD8+ T lymphocytes is suggested.
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37. |
- Edsjö, Anders, et al.
(author)
-
Molekylär patologi : nyckeln till målinriktad cancerbehandling [Molecular pathology - the key to precision oncology]
- 2021
-
In: Läkartidningen. - : Läkartidningen Förlag AB. - 0023-7205 .- 1652-7518. ; 118
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rapidly expanding knowledge of the molecular landscape of cancers has resulted in the implementation of an increasing number of specific therapies targeted at tumors with specific molecular aberrations. In response to this development, new tools for predictive testing for molecular targets need to be implemented in routine health care. To achieve robust future molecular diagnostic pathology, and equal opportunity for patients to qualify for targeted therapy, the national working group for Solid Tumors in the initiative Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) aims to implement regional and national platforms for comprehensive genomic tumor profiling and linked analysis pipelines. Novel IT-infrastrucutures and recruitment of bioinformaticians and molecular biologists to hospital labotatories are paramount. The infrastructure will allow wider inclusion into clinical trials and supplement the national cancer registries with molecular »real world data« for research and evaluation of implemented cancer therapies and diagnostic procedures.
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38. |
- Edsjö, Anders, et al.
(author)
-
Molekylär patologi – nyckeln till målinriktad cancerbehandling
- 2021
-
In: Lakartidningen. - : Läkartidningen Förlag AB. - 0023-7205 .- 1652-7518. ; 118
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rapidly expanding knowledge of the molecular landscape of cancers has resulted in the implementation of an increasing number of specific therapies targeted at tumors with specific molecular aberrations. In response to this development, new tools for predictive testing for molecular targets need to be implemented in routine health care. To achieve robust future molecular diagnostic pathology, and equal opportunity for patients to qualify for targeted therapy, the national working group for Solid Tumors in the initiative Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) aims to implement regional and national platforms for comprehensive genomic tumor profiling and linked analysis pipelines. Novel IT-infrastrucutures and recruitment of bioinformaticians and molecular biologists to hospital labotatories are paramount. The infrastructure will allow wider inclusion into clinical trials and supplement the national cancer registries with molecular »real world data« for research and evaluation of implemented cancer therapies and diagnostic procedures.
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39. |
- Edsjö, Anders, et al.
(author)
-
Molekylär patologi – nyckeln tillmålinriktad cancerbehandling : Heltäckande molekylär tumörkarakterisering ger möjlighetatt undersöka samtliga behandlingsalternativ med en analys [Molecular pathology - the key to precision oncology]
- 2021
-
In: Läkartidningen. - : Sveriges Läkarförbund. - 0023-7205 .- 1652-7518. ; 118
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rapidly expanding knowledge of the molecular landscape of cancers has resulted in the implementation of an increasing number of specific therapies targeted at tumors with specific molecular aberrations. In response to this development, new tools for predictive testing for molecular targets need to be implemented in routine health care. To achieve robust future molecular diagnostic pathology, and equal opportunity for patients to qualify for targeted therapy, the national working group for Solid Tumors in the initiative Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) aims to implement regional and national platforms for comprehensive genomic tumor profiling and linked analysis pipelines. Novel IT-infrastrucutures and recruitment of bioinformaticians and molecular biologists to hospital labotatories are paramount. The infrastructure will allow wider inclusion into clinical trials and supplement the national cancer registries with molecular »real world data« for research and evaluation of implemented cancer therapies and diagnostic procedures.
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40. |
- Ekblom, Kim, et al.
(author)
-
Iron Biomarkers in Plasma, HFE Genotypes, and the Risk for Colorectal Cancer in a Prospective Setting
- 2012
-
In: Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. - 0012-3706 .- 1530-0358. ; 55:3, s. 337-344
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: High iron levels can increase the formation of noxious oxygen radicals, which are thought to promote carcinogenesis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether iron biomarkers and HFE genotypes, which influence iron regulation, constitute risk factors for colorectal cancer. DESIGN: This is a prospective nested case-referent study. SETTINGS: The study was performed within the population-based Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study. PATIENTS: The study included 226 cases of colorectal cancer and 437 matched referents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Conditional regression analysis was performed. Adjustments for smoking, smoking and BMI, and HFE C282Y and H63D were performed. RESULTS: The highest quintile of total iron-binding capacity showed significantly higher risk for colorectal cancer, unadjusted OR 2.35 (95% CI 1.38-4.02). When stratified by sex, the findings were only present in women (OR 3.34 (95% CI 1.59-7.02)). Ferritin was associated with reduced risk throughout quintiles 2 to 5 both in univariate and multivariate models. LIMITATIONS: Colorectal cancer may influence iron markers because of occult bleeding. Homozygotes for HFE C282Y were too few to make conclusions for this group. The relatively short follow-up time might be insufficient to detect risk of iron biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: High iron levels do not increase the risk of colorectal cancer. HFE genotypes influencing iron uptake had no effect on colorectal cancer risk.
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- 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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- 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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- 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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46. |
- 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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- Eussen, Simone JPM, et al.
(author)
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Plasma folate, related genetic variants, and colorectal cancer risk in EPIC
- 2010
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In: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. - 1055-9965 .- 1538-7755. ; 19:5, s. 1328-1340
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Findings of the present study tend to weaken the evidence that folate plays an important role in CRC carcinogenesis. However, larger sample sizes are needed to adequately address potential gene-environment interactions.
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