#Oncology-Sfakianakis

[cancersfakianakis1]

Faecal Occult Blood Point-of-Care Tests

Abstract

Background

Early detection of colorectal cancer decreases the risk of mortality. Faecal occult blood tests (FOBT) are recognised as a useful tool for colorectal cancer screening. These non-invasive, rapid, and easy-to-carry assays are very often used as a point-of-care test and for self-testing. On the market, there are various types of FOB tests available, including chemical and immunochromatographic tests, which are based on different detection methods and differ in their sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusions

Clinicians should be aware of the causes of false-negative and false-positive test results, which can vary depending on the test. Additionally, stool sampling bias may be a source of error and must be considered by the clinician. The current FOBT methods are subject to various interfering factors; items such as proper preparation of the patient prior to testing or the clinician’s knowledge of testing limitations are key in correct interpreting results. Novel technologies such as FOBT DNA tests, micro RNA tests, and biochips equipped with bacteria can indicate bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract and improve diagnostics process.

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#Oncology-Sfakianakis

[cancersfakianakis1]

Improving cognitive task in kindled rats by using low frequency stimulation during epileptogenesis

Abstract

Numerous studies indicate that one of the bad effects of epilepsy is cognitive impairment. In this study we focused on the effect of LFS as a potential anticonvulsant agent, during epileptogenesis on cognitive impairments induced by amygdala kindling in rat. Twenty-one adult rats were divided into 3 groups including control (n = 7), kindled (n = 7), and Kindled+LFS (KLFS) (n = 7). Animals in the kindled group received kindling stimulation in a rapid kindling manner (a 3 s train of 50 Hz monophasic pulses of 1 ms duration, 12 times a day) in amygdala whereas control animals had no stimulation. Four packages of LFS (each package consisting of 200 monophasic square pulses, 0.1 ms pulse duration at 1 Hz) were applied daily after termination of kindling stimulation in KLFS group. Spatial memory of all animals was tested using radial arm maze after termination of stimulation on acquisition trial days and 14 days after the final acquisition trial test. Epileptogenesis process significantly increased working and reference memory error compared to control groups whereas application of LFS immediately after kindling stimulation prevented this impairment in 8 arm radial maze and there was no significant difference between KLS and control groups. Our results indicated that application of LFS during kindling acquisition suppresses memory impairment in epileptogenesis by kindling stimulation.

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#Oncology-Sfakianakis

[cancersfakianakis1]

Mutational analysis using Sanger and Next Generation Sequencing in sporadic spindle cell hemangiomas: A study of 19 cases

Abstract

Spindle cell hemangioma (SCH) is a distinct vascular soft tissue lesion characterized by cavernous blood vessels and a spindle cell component mainly occurring in the distal extremities of young adults. The majority of cases harbor heterozygous mutations in IDH1/2 sporadically or rarely in association with Maffucci syndrome. However, based on mosaicism and accordingly a low percentage of lesional cells harboring a mutant allele, detection can be challenging. We tested 19 sporadic SCHs by Sanger sequencing, Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA), conventional Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and NGS using a Single Molecule Molecular Inversion Probes (smMIP) based library preparation in order to compare their diagnostic value. Four out of ten cases tested by Sanger sequencing and one of the two cases analyzed using MLPA revealed a mutation in IDH1 (p.R132C). The seven remaining negative cases and additional six cases were investigated using smMIP/NGS, showing hot spot mutations in IDH1 (p.R132C) (eight cases) and IDH2 (three cases; twice p.R172S and once p.R172G, respectively). One case was negative. Due to insufficient DNA quality and insufficient coverage, two cases were excluded. In total, in 16 out of 17 cases successfully tested an IDH1/2 mutation was found. Given that IDH1/2 mutations were absent in 161 other vascular lesions tested by smMIP/NGS, the mutation can be considered as highly specific for SCH. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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#Oncology-Sfakianakis