Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play role in tumor dissemination and are an independent survival predictor in breast cancer (BC) patients. The aim of this study was to assess correlation between CTCs and tumor MMP1 in BC.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a crucial role in tumor dissemination and are an independent survival predictor in breast cancer (BC) patients. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to assess correlation between CTCs and expression of EMT transcription factors TWIST1 and SLUG in breast tumor tissue. This study included 102 early BC patients treated by primary surgery. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were depleted of hematopoietic cells using RossetteSep™ negative selection kit. RNA extracted from CD45-depleted PBMC was interrogated for expression of EMT (TWIST1, SNAIL1, SLUG, FOXC2 and ZEB1) and epithelial (KRT19) gene transcripts by qRT-PCR. Expression of TWIST1 and SLUG in surgical specimens was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and quantified by multiplicative score. CTCs were detected in 24.5 % patients. CTCs exhibiting only epithelial markers were present in 8.8 % patients, whereas CTCs with only EMT markers were observed in 12.8 % of pts and CTCs co-expressing both markers were detected in 2.9 % pts. We observed lack of correlation between CTCs and expression of TWIST1 and SLUG in breast cancer cells or cancer associated stroma. Lack of correlation was observed for epithelial CTCs as well as for CTCs with EMT. In this translational study, we showed a lack of association between CTCs and expression of EMT-inducing transcription factors, TWIST1 and SLUG, in breast tumor tissue. Despite the fact that EMT is involved in cancer invasion and metastasis our results suggest, that expression of EMT proteins in unselected tumor tissue is not surrogate marker of CTCs with either mesenchymal or epithelial features.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are independent prognostic factors in the primary and metastatic breast cancer patients and play crucial role in hematogenous tumor dissemination. The aim of this study was to correlate the presence of CTCs in peripheral blood with the expression of proteins in tumor tissue that have a putative role in regulation of cell growth and metastatic potential. This prospective study included 203 primary breast cancer patients treated by definitive surgery. CTCs were detected by quantitative real-time PCR for the expression of epithelial (CK19) or epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-inducing transcription factor genes (TWIST1, SNAIL1, SLUG, and ZEB1). Expression of APC, ADAM23, CXCL12, E-cadherin, RASSF1, SYK, TIMP3, BRMS1, and SOCS1 proteins in primary breast tumor tissue was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. CTCs with epithelial markers were found in 17 (9.2%) patients. Their occurrence was associated with inhibition of SOCS1 expression (odds ratio [OR] = 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.13; P < .001). CTCs with positive epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers were detected in 30 (15.8%) patients; however, no association with analyzed protein expressions was found. Overall, CTCs were detected in 44 (22.9%) patients. Presence of any CTC marker was significantly associated with positive CXCL12 expression (OR = 3.08; 95% CI, 1.15-8.26; P = .025) and lack of SOCS1 expression (OR = 0.10; 95% CI, 0.04-0.25; P < .001) in patient's tumor tissues. As both CXCL12 and SOCS1 proteins are involved in cytokine signaling, our results provide support for the hypothesis that aberrant signaling cross talk between cytokine and chemokine responses could have an important role in hematogenous dissemination of tumor cells in breast cancer.

Objective: This short communication demonstrates how short tandem repeat genotyping can identify the origin of gestational choriocarcinoma. Materials and methods The origin of gestational choriocarcinoma in our three cases was determined using the short tandem repeats genotyping technique, which involved quantitative fluorescent PCR and fragmentation analysis. Results: In Case 1 despite no medical history of molar pregnancy , DNA analysis indicated that the choriocarcinoma originated from a homozygous complete hydatidiform mole. We conclude, that the patient's complete abortion 10 years prior to the choriocarcinoma diagnosis was an undiagnosed complete hydatidiform mole. In Case 2 and Case 3 the clinically presumed origin of choriocarcinoma was confirmed. Conclusion: Determining the origin of choriocarcinoma is essential for clinical application, as it affects the FIGO scoring system for gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, which determines the patient's prognosis and treatment approach.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of low vascular ligation on oncological outcomes in upper and middle rectal cancer surgery. Despite significant progress in colorectal surgery, many questions remain unanswered, and there is ongoing debate about optimal management. One of the key issues is the height of vascular ligation of arteria mesenterica inferior (IMA) during rectal resection. Many believe that high vascular ligation is beneficial from an oncological point of view in terms of survival. However, the available data indicate that the height of ligation is not decisive in terms of its oncological impact, as the number of lymph nodes harvested (minimum are 12 lymph nodes) with high vascular ligation is not significantly greater than the number harvested with low vascular ligation. Methods: This study identified and followed all stage I–III/b rectal cancer patients with a tumor in the upper or middle rectum who underwent abdominal surgery with curative intent between 2013 and 2017 at the 3rd Surgical Clinic of Comenius University in Bratislava. In this study we included 96 patient, consisting of 44 females and 52 males and they were subdivided into two groups based on the tumor's distance from the anus: the first group included upper rectal tumors (12-16 cm from the anus), and the second group included middle rectal tumors (6-12 cm from the anus). Preoperative tumor evaluation included a physical examination with a digital rectal exam and anoscopy, serum CEA and CA19-9, total colonoscopy with biopsy, pelvic MRI, and CT. The primary outcome was cancer-specific survival, while the secondary outcomes included overall and relative survival, locoregional and distant recurrence, and lymph node harvest. Results: The study evaluated 96 patients with rectal tumors located in the upper and middle parts of the rectum who underwent MRI examination followed by surgical resection. In all the patients, due to anatomical conditions, a low vascular ligation was performed with subsequent anastomosis. Conclusion: In this study, low ligation did not influence any patient-oriented oncological outcomes in comparison with the literature. The literature suggests that high vascular ligation can harvest more lymph nodes (1-2), but it does not affect survival. Therefore, the height of the ligation should be determined during surgery.