Chrisoula Scopa - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Chrisoula Scopa

Research paper thumbnail of Histopathology of Thyroid Tumors. An Overview

Research paper thumbnail of Papillary serous adenocarcinoma of the endocervix: A rare neoplasm. Immunohistochemical profile

International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of S-100 protein + dendritic cells and CD34 + dendritic interstitial cells in thyroid lesions

Endocrine Pathology, 2002

Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells and mature from precursor CD34+ stromal cells ... more Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells and mature from precursor CD34+ stromal cells (dendritic interstitial cells [DICs]) or monocytes. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the local immune response to various thyroid lesions. We investigated, immunohistochemically, the presence of S-100+ DCs and CD34+ DICs in 13 papillary carcinomas, 10 follicular carcinomas, 7 follicular adenomas, 1

Research paper thumbnail of Prognostic Significance of VEGFC and VEGFR1 mRNA Expression According to HER2 Status in Breast Cancer: A Study of Primary Tumors from Patients with High-risk Early Breast Cancer Participating in a Randomized Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group Trial

Anticancer research, 2015

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (V... more Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) mRNA overexpression has recently been shown to have strong predictive and prognostic value in patients with high-risk early breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. The present study evaluated associations of VEGFC and VEGFR1 with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and their prognostic value dependent on HER2 status. RNA was isolated from 298 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue samples from the HeCOG 10/97 (HE10/97) trial, evaluating adjuvant dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with epirubicin followed by cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil therapy with or without paclitaxel (E-T-CMF vs. E-CMF). A fully-automated method based on magnetic beads was applied for RNA extraction, followed by one-step quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. At 13.3 years of median follow-up, 116 patients (38.9%) had experienced relapse and...

Research paper thumbnail of Variant of BCL3 gene is strongly associated with five-year survival of non-small-cell lung cancer patients

Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Jan 20, 2015

BCL3, a known atypical IκB family member, has been documented to be upregulated in hematological ... more BCL3, a known atypical IκB family member, has been documented to be upregulated in hematological malignancies and in some solid tumors, functioning as a crucial player in tumor development. Recently, rs8100239, a tag-Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) in BCL3 (T>A) has been identified, but there are no data regarding its involvement in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) initiation and progression. To study the possible association of BCL3 with NSCLC, 268 patients and 279 healthy controls were genotyped for rs8100239. Moreover, BCL3 protein expression was also investigated in 112 NSCLC cases through an immunohistochemical analysis. NSCLC patients with AA genotype displayed significantly worse prognosis compared to T allele carriers (P<0.001), who had less frequent intermediate nuclear BCL3 expression (P=0.042). In addition, overexpression of BCL3 was detected in tumor specimens, compared to normal tissue (P<0.001). Furthermore, BCL3 protein levels were associated with five...

Research paper thumbnail of Immunohistochemical Expression of TGF-β1, p21WAF1, p53, Ki67, and Angiogenesis in Gastric Carcinomas: A Clinicopathologic Study

International Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer, 2002

Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-betas) are multifunctional polypeptides with crucial role a... more Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-betas) are multifunctional polypeptides with crucial role as regulators of cellular growth and differentiation. It has been reported that TGF-beta1 plays a biphasic action on tumorigenesis thus inducing or inhibiting malignant properties of the epithelial cells. TGF-beta1 expression was analyzed in 56 patients with gastric carcinoma by immunohistochemical methods and compared with the expression of p21, p53, and Ki67, as well as with angiogenesis. The correlation of these markers with clinicopathological parameters was also evaluated. TGF-beta1 expression was detected in 71% of tumors and was more frequent in adenocarcinomas of the intestinal type (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Positivity of p21WAF1, and p53 was observed in 32% and 51% of the tumors, respectively. A high Ki67 proliferating index was detected in 53.5% of the tumors. TGF-beta1 expression was significantly correlated with p21 expression (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001) and was inversely correlated with microvessel density. p21 expression was also higher in tumors with low proliferating index (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.01). There was no apparent correlation between the expression of these markers and tumor stage, depth of invasion, or lymphnode metastases. The findings show that TGF-beta1 may be involved in the activation of the cdk inhibitor p21WAF1 in gastric adenocarcinomas, suggesting p53-independent induction of p21 in gastric cells. TGF-beta1 does not seem to contribute to the alteration of the angiogenic status of these tumors.

Research paper thumbnail of Intestinal failure in obstructive jaundice

Research paper thumbnail of Experimental obstructive jaundice alters claudin-4 expression in intestinal mucosa: Effect of bombesin and neurotensin

AIM: To investigate the influence of experimental ob- structive jaundice and exogenous bombesin (... more AIM: To investigate the influence of experimental ob- structive jaundice and exogenous bombesin (BBS) and neurotensin (NT) administration on the expression of the tight junction (TJ)-protein claudin-4 in intestinal epithe- lium of rats. METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divid- ed into fi ve groups: I = controls, II = sham operated, III = bile duct ligation (BDL), IV

Research paper thumbnail of Pathophysiology of increased intestinal permeability in obstructive jaundice

Despite advances in preoperative evaluation and postoperative care, intervention, especially surg... more Despite advances in preoperative evaluation and postoperative care, intervention, especially surgery, for relief of obstructive jaundice still carries high morbidity and mortality rates, mainly due to sepsis and renal dysfunction. The key event in the pathophysiology of obstructive jaundice-associated complications is endotoxemia of gut origin because of intestinal barrier failure. This breakage of the gut barrier in obstructive jaundice is

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of bombesin and neurotensin on gut barrier function in partially hepatectomized rats

AIM: To investigate the effect of regulatory,peptides bombesin,(BBS) and,neurotensin,(NT) on inte... more AIM: To investigate the effect of regulatory,peptides bombesin,(BBS) and,neurotensin,(NT) on intestinal barrier function in partially hepatectomized,rats. METHODS: Ninety male,Wistar rats were,randomly divided into five groups: I (n = 10): controls, II (n =

Research paper thumbnail of Expression of Phosphorylated Akt, mTOR and MAPK in Type I Endometrial Carcinoma: Clinical Significance

Anticancer research, 2015

The Akt/mTOR and MAPK pathways are frequently activated in various tumor types but data on endome... more The Akt/mTOR and MAPK pathways are frequently activated in various tumor types but data on endometrial carcinoma are limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of the expression of phosphorylated MAPK, Akt and mTOR (p-MAPK, p-Akt, p-mTOR) in type I endometrial carcinoma. The study comprised of 103 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) type I endometrial carcino ma cases, retrospectively retrieved and assessed by immuno histochemistry for p-MAPK, p-Akt and p-mTOR expression. The expression of these proteins was also studied in non-neoplastic endometrial tissue adjacent to the tumor. The expression patterns of these molecules differed between malignant and non-tumorous tissue specimens. The immuno reactivity for p-Akt was exclusively detected in the neoplastic tissues. Expression levels of p-MAPK were higher in tumors compared to non-neoplastic endometrium (p<0.001), while p-mTOR was found to be over-expressed in non-neo plastic endometrium...

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of tumor angiogenic profile on the outcome of patients with metastatic breast carcinoma treated with weekly docetaxel. A Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) study

Histology and histopathology, Jan 25, 2015

Metronomic taxane administration has putative antiangiogenic properties. Herein, we examined the ... more Metronomic taxane administration has putative antiangiogenic properties. Herein, we examined the baseline tumor angiogenic profile of patients with metastatic breast carcinoma (MBC) in a prospective-retrospective translational research study. The interplay between the angiogenic factors expressed in the tumors and their prognostic value in MBC were investigated. Tumor tissues from patients with MBC treated with weekly docetaxel (n=159) were examined by immunohistochemistry for VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3 and osteopontin (OPN) and by mRNA analysis for expression of VEGF-A, VEGFxxxa, VEGFxxxb, VEGF-C, thrombospondin-1 (THBS-1), hypoxia-inducible factor-1A (HIF-1A) and von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) genes. Associations between these parameters and outcome were statistically analyzed. Statistically significant correlations were identified between almost all biomarkers examined in continuous form, particularly at the mRNA level: VEGF-A with VEGFxxxa (rho=0.70); VEGF-C with VEGFxxx...

Research paper thumbnail of The prognostic role of preoperative serum CA 125 levels in patients with endometrial carcinoma

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Previous studies have shown that elevated preoperative serum CA 125 levels strongly correlate wit... more Previous studies have shown that elevated preoperative serum CA 125 levels strongly correlate with various clinical and pathological variables and prognosis of patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of preoperative serum CA 125 levels in patients with EC. A retrospective study of all EC patients treated at our institution between 1995 and 2010 with available follow-up was conducted. The preoperative serum level of CA 125 was measured in 99 patients and evaluated in relation to various clinical and pathological variables and outcome. We used the cut-off level of 20 U/ml for CA 125 on chi-square test for categorical variables. Survival analysis was performed with the use of Kaplan Meier method, the log rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. In the early stages of disease the mean values of CA 125 were 35 U/ml (SD±70) for stages IA-IB and 21 U/ml (SD±29) for stage IC (Mann-Whitney test for co...

Research paper thumbnail of Involvement of dysadherin and E-cadherin in the development of testicular tumours

British journal of cancer, Jan 12, 2005

Testicular neoplasms are comprised of a variety of histologically different forms, and their path... more Testicular neoplasms are comprised of a variety of histologically different forms, and their pathogenesis has not been elucidated. Dysadherin is a recently described cell membrane glycoprotein, which has an anticell-cell adhesion function and downregulates E-cadherin. In this study, we examined immunohistochemically the expression of E-cadherin and dysadherin in 120 testicular neoplasms (37 seminomas-26 classic, five spermatocytic and six anaplastic-, 45 embryonal carcinomas, 10 mixed germ cell tumours, two yolk sac tumours, 10 mature and eight immature teratomas and eight non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas), clinical stage I. The intensity, the expression pattern and the percentage of neoplastic cell staining was recorded and correlated with the histologic type and vascular/lymphatic invasion. Dysadherin was not expressed in non-neoplastic germ cells, neither in CIS/ITGCNU, but it was highly expressed in all types of germ cell tumours, that demonstrated either embryonic phenotype or soma...

Research paper thumbnail of Potential role of bcl-2 and ki-67 expression and apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma: a clinicopathologic study

Digestive diseases and sciences, 2003

Colorectal cancer is associated with deregulation of apoptotic and proliferative processes. The p... more Colorectal cancer is associated with deregulation of apoptotic and proliferative processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of apoptosis and proliferation in colorectal cancer and evaluate their possible correlation with classic prognostic markers and patients' survival. Tumors from 117 patients, followed for 44-142 months, were studied immunohistochemically using the anti-bcl-2 and anti-Ki-67 antibodies. Apoptotic body index (ABI) was assessed by a standard TUNEL method. The bcl-2 protein was detected in 65% of adenocarcinomas with increased expression in low-grade and early-stage tumors. No association was noted between bcl-2 expression and proliferative activity, ABI, or patients' survival. A positive correlation was observed between ABI and proliferation (P < 0.05). Apoptosis was more frequently observed in advanced tumor stage or high-grade neoplasms. Cox analysis revealed that only tumor stage and grade constituted independent prognostic fa...

Research paper thumbnail of Complications and risk factors related to the extent of surgery in thyroidectomy. Results from 2,043 procedures

HORMONES, 2010

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of complications and the risk factors in relation to the extent o... more OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of complications and the risk factors in relation to the extent of surgery in patients undergoing thyroidectomy in a tertiary university center. DESIGN: Data were collected retrospectively from 2,043 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid surgery for various thyroid diseases at the University Hospital of Patras, Greece, between January 1996 and December 2007. recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (rLNP) and hypoparathyroidism were set as the primary end points, while hematoma and wound infection were set as the secondary endpoints. rESULTS: Total, near-total and subtotal thyroidectomy was performed in 1,149, 777 and 117 patients, respectively. Transient rLNP occurred in 34 (1.6%) and permanent in 19 (0.9%) patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that extended resection (Or-odds ratio-1.6), Graves' disease (Or 2.7), thyroiditis (Or 2.1), recurrent goiter (Or 2.3) and thyroid malignancy (Or 1.7) were all independent risk factors for transient rLNP, whereas Graves' disease (Or 2.2) and recurrent goiter (Or 1.7) emerged as independent risk factors for permanent rLNP. The rates of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism were 27.8% and 4.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis for transient hypoparathyroidism revealed that the extent of surgical resection (Or 2.2), Graves' disease (Or 2.1), recurrent goiter (Or 1.7), female gender (Or 1.5) and specimen weight (Or 1.6) were independent predictors. However, the extent of surgical resection (Or 2.7), Graves' disease (Or 1.8), recurrent goiter (Or 1.5) and malignant disease (Or 1.5) were independent risk factors for permanent hypoparathyroidism. Postoperative wound infection and hematoma occurred in 6 (0.3%) and 27 (1.3%) patients, respectively. No correlation was observed between wound infection or postoperative hemorrhage and the extent of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the higher morbidity, total thyroidectomy is emerging as an attractive surgical option even for benign thyroid disease due to the risk of subclinical (occult) malignancy, the possibility of goiter relapse as well as of the increased risk of complications following reoperation.

Research paper thumbnail of Bacterial translocation, endotoxaemia and apoptosis following Pringle manoeuvre in rats

Injury-international Journal of The Care of The Injured, 2004

Background: Intraoperative occlusion of the hepatoduodenal ligament (Pringle manoeuvre (Pm)) is o... more Background: Intraoperative occlusion of the hepatoduodenal ligament (Pringle manoeuvre (Pm)) is often employed for the reduction of blood loss during liver surgery. No data exist to date on the effects of Pm on mucosal barrier dysfunction, systemic bacterial translocation (BT), endotoxaemia and apoptosis. Materials and methods: Sixty-five male Wistar rats in three groups: I (n=25) controls, II (n=20) sham operation,

Research paper thumbnail of Nonabsorbable Antibiotics Reduce Bacterial and Endotoxin Translocation in Hepatectomised Rats

HPB Surgery, 1997

There is increasing evidence that septic complications, occurring after major hepatectomies, may ... more There is increasing evidence that septic complications, occurring after major hepatectomies, may be caused by gram negative bacteria, translocating from the gut. We investigated in rats, the effect of extended hepatectomy on the structure and morphology of the intestinal mucosa as well as on the translocation of intestinal bacteria and endotoxins. We also examined the effect of nonabsorbable antibiotics on reducing the intestinal flora and consequently the phenomenon of translocation by administering neomycin sulphate and cefazoline. Hepatectomy was found to increase translocation, while administration of nonabsorbable antibiotics decreased it significantly. In addition, hepatectomy increased the aerobic cecal bacterial population, which normalised in the group receiving antibiotics. Among the histological parameters evaluated, villus height demonstrated a significant reduction after hepatectomy, while the number of villi per cm and the number of mitoses per crypt, remained unchanged. Our results indicate that administration of nonabsorbable antibiotics presents a positive effect on bacterial and endotoxin translocation after extended hepatectomy, and this may be related to reduction of colonic bacterial load as an intraluminal effect of antibiotics.

Research paper thumbnail of Expression patterns of dysadherin and E-cadherin in lymph node metastases of colorectal carcinoma

Virchows Archiv, 2006

Reduction/loss of E-cadherin is associated with the development and progression of many epithelia... more Reduction/loss of E-cadherin is associated with the development and progression of many epithelial tumors, while in a limited number of neoplasms, E-cadherin is re-expressed in metastases. Dysadherin, recently characterized by members of our research team, has an anti-cell–cell adhesion function and downregulates E-cadherin in a posttranscriptional manner. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors in the developed

Research paper thumbnail of Expression patterns of SDF1/CXCR4 in human invasive breast carcinoma and adjacent normal stroma: Correlation with tumor clinicopathological parameters and patient survival

Pathology - Research and Practice, 2014

SDF-1/CXCR4 axis is involved in various steps of breast tumorigenesis such as tumor growth, angio... more SDF-1/CXCR4 axis is involved in various steps of breast tumorigenesis such as tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. The goal of the present study is to demonstrate in detail the immunohistochemical distribution of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in invasive breast carcinomas and identify possible correlation of their expression patterns with clinicopathological parameters and patients survival. We investigated the immunoexpression of CXCR4 and SDF1 in 76 invasive breast carcinomas. Both SDF-1 and CXCR4 had statistically significant higher expression in carcinomas compared with adjacent normal breast tissue. Furthermore the expression of CXCR4 in intratumoral fibroblasts had a positive correlation with overall and disease-free survival, while SDF1 membranous immunopositivity in normal breast epithelial cells was a risk factor for relapse. In addition, expression of SDF1 in fibroblasts of normal breast tissue was positively associated with tumor grade. Overall, our results suggest that the differential expression of CXCR4 in intratumoral stroma and SDF1 in adjacent normal mammary cells may predict clinical outcome in breast cancer patients.

Research paper thumbnail of Histopathology of Thyroid Tumors. An Overview

Research paper thumbnail of Papillary serous adenocarcinoma of the endocervix: A rare neoplasm. Immunohistochemical profile

International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of S-100 protein + dendritic cells and CD34 + dendritic interstitial cells in thyroid lesions

Endocrine Pathology, 2002

Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells and mature from precursor CD34+ stromal cells ... more Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells and mature from precursor CD34+ stromal cells (dendritic interstitial cells [DICs]) or monocytes. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the local immune response to various thyroid lesions. We investigated, immunohistochemically, the presence of S-100+ DCs and CD34+ DICs in 13 papillary carcinomas, 10 follicular carcinomas, 7 follicular adenomas, 1

Research paper thumbnail of Prognostic Significance of VEGFC and VEGFR1 mRNA Expression According to HER2 Status in Breast Cancer: A Study of Primary Tumors from Patients with High-risk Early Breast Cancer Participating in a Randomized Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group Trial

Anticancer research, 2015

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (V... more Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) mRNA overexpression has recently been shown to have strong predictive and prognostic value in patients with high-risk early breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. The present study evaluated associations of VEGFC and VEGFR1 with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and their prognostic value dependent on HER2 status. RNA was isolated from 298 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissue samples from the HeCOG 10/97 (HE10/97) trial, evaluating adjuvant dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with epirubicin followed by cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil therapy with or without paclitaxel (E-T-CMF vs. E-CMF). A fully-automated method based on magnetic beads was applied for RNA extraction, followed by one-step quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. At 13.3 years of median follow-up, 116 patients (38.9%) had experienced relapse and...

Research paper thumbnail of Variant of BCL3 gene is strongly associated with five-year survival of non-small-cell lung cancer patients

Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Jan 20, 2015

BCL3, a known atypical IκB family member, has been documented to be upregulated in hematological ... more BCL3, a known atypical IκB family member, has been documented to be upregulated in hematological malignancies and in some solid tumors, functioning as a crucial player in tumor development. Recently, rs8100239, a tag-Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) in BCL3 (T>A) has been identified, but there are no data regarding its involvement in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) initiation and progression. To study the possible association of BCL3 with NSCLC, 268 patients and 279 healthy controls were genotyped for rs8100239. Moreover, BCL3 protein expression was also investigated in 112 NSCLC cases through an immunohistochemical analysis. NSCLC patients with AA genotype displayed significantly worse prognosis compared to T allele carriers (P<0.001), who had less frequent intermediate nuclear BCL3 expression (P=0.042). In addition, overexpression of BCL3 was detected in tumor specimens, compared to normal tissue (P<0.001). Furthermore, BCL3 protein levels were associated with five...

Research paper thumbnail of Immunohistochemical Expression of TGF-β1, p21WAF1, p53, Ki67, and Angiogenesis in Gastric Carcinomas: A Clinicopathologic Study

International Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer, 2002

Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-betas) are multifunctional polypeptides with crucial role a... more Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-betas) are multifunctional polypeptides with crucial role as regulators of cellular growth and differentiation. It has been reported that TGF-beta1 plays a biphasic action on tumorigenesis thus inducing or inhibiting malignant properties of the epithelial cells. TGF-beta1 expression was analyzed in 56 patients with gastric carcinoma by immunohistochemical methods and compared with the expression of p21, p53, and Ki67, as well as with angiogenesis. The correlation of these markers with clinicopathological parameters was also evaluated. TGF-beta1 expression was detected in 71% of tumors and was more frequent in adenocarcinomas of the intestinal type (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Positivity of p21WAF1, and p53 was observed in 32% and 51% of the tumors, respectively. A high Ki67 proliferating index was detected in 53.5% of the tumors. TGF-beta1 expression was significantly correlated with p21 expression (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001) and was inversely correlated with microvessel density. p21 expression was also higher in tumors with low proliferating index (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.01). There was no apparent correlation between the expression of these markers and tumor stage, depth of invasion, or lymphnode metastases. The findings show that TGF-beta1 may be involved in the activation of the cdk inhibitor p21WAF1 in gastric adenocarcinomas, suggesting p53-independent induction of p21 in gastric cells. TGF-beta1 does not seem to contribute to the alteration of the angiogenic status of these tumors.

Research paper thumbnail of Intestinal failure in obstructive jaundice

Research paper thumbnail of Experimental obstructive jaundice alters claudin-4 expression in intestinal mucosa: Effect of bombesin and neurotensin

AIM: To investigate the influence of experimental ob- structive jaundice and exogenous bombesin (... more AIM: To investigate the influence of experimental ob- structive jaundice and exogenous bombesin (BBS) and neurotensin (NT) administration on the expression of the tight junction (TJ)-protein claudin-4 in intestinal epithe- lium of rats. METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divid- ed into fi ve groups: I = controls, II = sham operated, III = bile duct ligation (BDL), IV

Research paper thumbnail of Pathophysiology of increased intestinal permeability in obstructive jaundice

Despite advances in preoperative evaluation and postoperative care, intervention, especially surg... more Despite advances in preoperative evaluation and postoperative care, intervention, especially surgery, for relief of obstructive jaundice still carries high morbidity and mortality rates, mainly due to sepsis and renal dysfunction. The key event in the pathophysiology of obstructive jaundice-associated complications is endotoxemia of gut origin because of intestinal barrier failure. This breakage of the gut barrier in obstructive jaundice is

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of bombesin and neurotensin on gut barrier function in partially hepatectomized rats

AIM: To investigate the effect of regulatory,peptides bombesin,(BBS) and,neurotensin,(NT) on inte... more AIM: To investigate the effect of regulatory,peptides bombesin,(BBS) and,neurotensin,(NT) on intestinal barrier function in partially hepatectomized,rats. METHODS: Ninety male,Wistar rats were,randomly divided into five groups: I (n = 10): controls, II (n =

Research paper thumbnail of Expression of Phosphorylated Akt, mTOR and MAPK in Type I Endometrial Carcinoma: Clinical Significance

Anticancer research, 2015

The Akt/mTOR and MAPK pathways are frequently activated in various tumor types but data on endome... more The Akt/mTOR and MAPK pathways are frequently activated in various tumor types but data on endometrial carcinoma are limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of the expression of phosphorylated MAPK, Akt and mTOR (p-MAPK, p-Akt, p-mTOR) in type I endometrial carcinoma. The study comprised of 103 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) type I endometrial carcino ma cases, retrospectively retrieved and assessed by immuno histochemistry for p-MAPK, p-Akt and p-mTOR expression. The expression of these proteins was also studied in non-neoplastic endometrial tissue adjacent to the tumor. The expression patterns of these molecules differed between malignant and non-tumorous tissue specimens. The immuno reactivity for p-Akt was exclusively detected in the neoplastic tissues. Expression levels of p-MAPK were higher in tumors compared to non-neoplastic endometrium (p<0.001), while p-mTOR was found to be over-expressed in non-neo plastic endometrium...

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of tumor angiogenic profile on the outcome of patients with metastatic breast carcinoma treated with weekly docetaxel. A Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) study

Histology and histopathology, Jan 25, 2015

Metronomic taxane administration has putative antiangiogenic properties. Herein, we examined the ... more Metronomic taxane administration has putative antiangiogenic properties. Herein, we examined the baseline tumor angiogenic profile of patients with metastatic breast carcinoma (MBC) in a prospective-retrospective translational research study. The interplay between the angiogenic factors expressed in the tumors and their prognostic value in MBC were investigated. Tumor tissues from patients with MBC treated with weekly docetaxel (n=159) were examined by immunohistochemistry for VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3 and osteopontin (OPN) and by mRNA analysis for expression of VEGF-A, VEGFxxxa, VEGFxxxb, VEGF-C, thrombospondin-1 (THBS-1), hypoxia-inducible factor-1A (HIF-1A) and von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) genes. Associations between these parameters and outcome were statistically analyzed. Statistically significant correlations were identified between almost all biomarkers examined in continuous form, particularly at the mRNA level: VEGF-A with VEGFxxxa (rho=0.70); VEGF-C with VEGFxxx...

Research paper thumbnail of The prognostic role of preoperative serum CA 125 levels in patients with endometrial carcinoma

Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Previous studies have shown that elevated preoperative serum CA 125 levels strongly correlate wit... more Previous studies have shown that elevated preoperative serum CA 125 levels strongly correlate with various clinical and pathological variables and prognosis of patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of preoperative serum CA 125 levels in patients with EC. A retrospective study of all EC patients treated at our institution between 1995 and 2010 with available follow-up was conducted. The preoperative serum level of CA 125 was measured in 99 patients and evaluated in relation to various clinical and pathological variables and outcome. We used the cut-off level of 20 U/ml for CA 125 on chi-square test for categorical variables. Survival analysis was performed with the use of Kaplan Meier method, the log rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. In the early stages of disease the mean values of CA 125 were 35 U/ml (SD±70) for stages IA-IB and 21 U/ml (SD±29) for stage IC (Mann-Whitney test for co...

Research paper thumbnail of Involvement of dysadherin and E-cadherin in the development of testicular tumours

British journal of cancer, Jan 12, 2005

Testicular neoplasms are comprised of a variety of histologically different forms, and their path... more Testicular neoplasms are comprised of a variety of histologically different forms, and their pathogenesis has not been elucidated. Dysadherin is a recently described cell membrane glycoprotein, which has an anticell-cell adhesion function and downregulates E-cadherin. In this study, we examined immunohistochemically the expression of E-cadherin and dysadherin in 120 testicular neoplasms (37 seminomas-26 classic, five spermatocytic and six anaplastic-, 45 embryonal carcinomas, 10 mixed germ cell tumours, two yolk sac tumours, 10 mature and eight immature teratomas and eight non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas), clinical stage I. The intensity, the expression pattern and the percentage of neoplastic cell staining was recorded and correlated with the histologic type and vascular/lymphatic invasion. Dysadherin was not expressed in non-neoplastic germ cells, neither in CIS/ITGCNU, but it was highly expressed in all types of germ cell tumours, that demonstrated either embryonic phenotype or soma...

Research paper thumbnail of Potential role of bcl-2 and ki-67 expression and apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma: a clinicopathologic study

Digestive diseases and sciences, 2003

Colorectal cancer is associated with deregulation of apoptotic and proliferative processes. The p... more Colorectal cancer is associated with deregulation of apoptotic and proliferative processes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of apoptosis and proliferation in colorectal cancer and evaluate their possible correlation with classic prognostic markers and patients' survival. Tumors from 117 patients, followed for 44-142 months, were studied immunohistochemically using the anti-bcl-2 and anti-Ki-67 antibodies. Apoptotic body index (ABI) was assessed by a standard TUNEL method. The bcl-2 protein was detected in 65% of adenocarcinomas with increased expression in low-grade and early-stage tumors. No association was noted between bcl-2 expression and proliferative activity, ABI, or patients' survival. A positive correlation was observed between ABI and proliferation (P < 0.05). Apoptosis was more frequently observed in advanced tumor stage or high-grade neoplasms. Cox analysis revealed that only tumor stage and grade constituted independent prognostic fa...

Research paper thumbnail of Complications and risk factors related to the extent of surgery in thyroidectomy. Results from 2,043 procedures

HORMONES, 2010

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of complications and the risk factors in relation to the extent o... more OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of complications and the risk factors in relation to the extent of surgery in patients undergoing thyroidectomy in a tertiary university center. DESIGN: Data were collected retrospectively from 2,043 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid surgery for various thyroid diseases at the University Hospital of Patras, Greece, between January 1996 and December 2007. recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (rLNP) and hypoparathyroidism were set as the primary end points, while hematoma and wound infection were set as the secondary endpoints. rESULTS: Total, near-total and subtotal thyroidectomy was performed in 1,149, 777 and 117 patients, respectively. Transient rLNP occurred in 34 (1.6%) and permanent in 19 (0.9%) patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that extended resection (Or-odds ratio-1.6), Graves' disease (Or 2.7), thyroiditis (Or 2.1), recurrent goiter (Or 2.3) and thyroid malignancy (Or 1.7) were all independent risk factors for transient rLNP, whereas Graves' disease (Or 2.2) and recurrent goiter (Or 1.7) emerged as independent risk factors for permanent rLNP. The rates of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism were 27.8% and 4.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis for transient hypoparathyroidism revealed that the extent of surgical resection (Or 2.2), Graves' disease (Or 2.1), recurrent goiter (Or 1.7), female gender (Or 1.5) and specimen weight (Or 1.6) were independent predictors. However, the extent of surgical resection (Or 2.7), Graves' disease (Or 1.8), recurrent goiter (Or 1.5) and malignant disease (Or 1.5) were independent risk factors for permanent hypoparathyroidism. Postoperative wound infection and hematoma occurred in 6 (0.3%) and 27 (1.3%) patients, respectively. No correlation was observed between wound infection or postoperative hemorrhage and the extent of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the higher morbidity, total thyroidectomy is emerging as an attractive surgical option even for benign thyroid disease due to the risk of subclinical (occult) malignancy, the possibility of goiter relapse as well as of the increased risk of complications following reoperation.

Research paper thumbnail of Bacterial translocation, endotoxaemia and apoptosis following Pringle manoeuvre in rats

Injury-international Journal of The Care of The Injured, 2004

Background: Intraoperative occlusion of the hepatoduodenal ligament (Pringle manoeuvre (Pm)) is o... more Background: Intraoperative occlusion of the hepatoduodenal ligament (Pringle manoeuvre (Pm)) is often employed for the reduction of blood loss during liver surgery. No data exist to date on the effects of Pm on mucosal barrier dysfunction, systemic bacterial translocation (BT), endotoxaemia and apoptosis. Materials and methods: Sixty-five male Wistar rats in three groups: I (n=25) controls, II (n=20) sham operation,

Research paper thumbnail of Nonabsorbable Antibiotics Reduce Bacterial and Endotoxin Translocation in Hepatectomised Rats

HPB Surgery, 1997

There is increasing evidence that septic complications, occurring after major hepatectomies, may ... more There is increasing evidence that septic complications, occurring after major hepatectomies, may be caused by gram negative bacteria, translocating from the gut. We investigated in rats, the effect of extended hepatectomy on the structure and morphology of the intestinal mucosa as well as on the translocation of intestinal bacteria and endotoxins. We also examined the effect of nonabsorbable antibiotics on reducing the intestinal flora and consequently the phenomenon of translocation by administering neomycin sulphate and cefazoline. Hepatectomy was found to increase translocation, while administration of nonabsorbable antibiotics decreased it significantly. In addition, hepatectomy increased the aerobic cecal bacterial population, which normalised in the group receiving antibiotics. Among the histological parameters evaluated, villus height demonstrated a significant reduction after hepatectomy, while the number of villi per cm and the number of mitoses per crypt, remained unchanged. Our results indicate that administration of nonabsorbable antibiotics presents a positive effect on bacterial and endotoxin translocation after extended hepatectomy, and this may be related to reduction of colonic bacterial load as an intraluminal effect of antibiotics.

Research paper thumbnail of Expression patterns of dysadherin and E-cadherin in lymph node metastases of colorectal carcinoma

Virchows Archiv, 2006

Reduction/loss of E-cadherin is associated with the development and progression of many epithelia... more Reduction/loss of E-cadherin is associated with the development and progression of many epithelial tumors, while in a limited number of neoplasms, E-cadherin is re-expressed in metastases. Dysadherin, recently characterized by members of our research team, has an anti-cell–cell adhesion function and downregulates E-cadherin in a posttranscriptional manner. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors in the developed

Research paper thumbnail of Expression patterns of SDF1/CXCR4 in human invasive breast carcinoma and adjacent normal stroma: Correlation with tumor clinicopathological parameters and patient survival

Pathology - Research and Practice, 2014

SDF-1/CXCR4 axis is involved in various steps of breast tumorigenesis such as tumor growth, angio... more SDF-1/CXCR4 axis is involved in various steps of breast tumorigenesis such as tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. The goal of the present study is to demonstrate in detail the immunohistochemical distribution of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in invasive breast carcinomas and identify possible correlation of their expression patterns with clinicopathological parameters and patients survival. We investigated the immunoexpression of CXCR4 and SDF1 in 76 invasive breast carcinomas. Both SDF-1 and CXCR4 had statistically significant higher expression in carcinomas compared with adjacent normal breast tissue. Furthermore the expression of CXCR4 in intratumoral fibroblasts had a positive correlation with overall and disease-free survival, while SDF1 membranous immunopositivity in normal breast epithelial cells was a risk factor for relapse. In addition, expression of SDF1 in fibroblasts of normal breast tissue was positively associated with tumor grade. Overall, our results suggest that the differential expression of CXCR4 in intratumoral stroma and SDF1 in adjacent normal mammary cells may predict clinical outcome in breast cancer patients.