Monica Rizzo is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine. She is Board Certified by the American College of Surgeons. She did her Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Emory University. She is an academic surgeon and her clinical expertise includes the surgical treatment of breast cancer, melanoma, and soft tissue sarcoma. As a researcher, she has published more than 50 research articles in peer reviewed journals. She is currently serving at many international committees. She is the Chair of the Society of Surgical Oncology Disparity Committee.

Breast conserving surgery (BCS) with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is standard of care for the treatment of early stage breast cancers. The use of a minimally-invasive single incision has not been rigorously compared to multi-incision traditional approach. A tertiary surgical oncology database was retrospectively reviewed over two years study period. The single incision approach used one incision to resect the tumor and the Lymphazurin-tagged axillary SLNs. The multi-incision group used a breast and a separate axillary incision. Patient satisfaction was collected in the first postoperative visit and documented as excellent, good and poor. BCS-SLN accounted for 110 patients with median age 63 years, with 64 (58%) cancers occurring in the upper outer quadrant (UOQ). There were 48 patients in the single incision group. A single incision approach was used in 41 (64%) of UOQ cancers (p<0.001), with a median of two SLNs. The single-incision approach showed no difference in percentage of biopsy clip removal or frequency of tumor-free margins and did not prolong operative time. Overall, eight patients (7.2%) had positive margins; seven underwent to re-excision and no residual disease was found, one patient refused additional surgery. Patient satisfaction was excellent in all patients treated with a single incision. There were no differences in complications or reoperations in the two groups. This study demonstrates that the single incision approach for BCS-SLN is safe and effective. This technique should be considered for upper outer quadrant breast cancers, and has the potential to improve patient satisfaction and cosmetic results.

Javier Camacho has studied ion channels involved in cancer for almost 20 years. Several patents have been filed based on the findings of his group. He focuses his research in finding early tumor markers and novel therapeutic targets for cervical, liver and lung cancer. He studies ion channel gene and protein expression in human cell lines, in vivo cancer models and human biopsies. His group also investigates the effect of ion channel blockers on the proliferation of human cell lines and primary cultures from human biopsies, and the preventive and therapeutic effect of such blockers on tumor development in vivo.

Cervical cancer is a major cause of cancer death in women in developing countries. Thus, novel early markers and therapeutic targets are urgently needed. Ion channels have gained great interest as tumor markers for different malignancies including cervical cancer. Actually, some years ago, we suggested Kv10.1 channels as cervical cancer early markers. Here, we studied the expression of another potassium channel, namely, the calcium-activated potassium channel KCa1.1 (KCNMA1) in cervical cancer models. Transgenic mice expressing the E7 oncogene of human papilloma virus and non-transgenic mice were treated with estradiol pellets during three or six months to induce cervical lesions. Human biopsies from patients with either noncancerous, low- or high-grade intra-epithelium lesions or cervical cancer were also studied. mRNA and protein expression were studied by real-time RT-PCR and immunochemistry, respectively. Cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer were observed only in the transgenic mice treated with estradiol for three and six months, respectively. Estradiol treatment increased KCa1.1 mRNA and protein expression in both transgenic and non-transgenic mice. However, the highest levels were observed in the transgenic mice with cervical cancer. Human biopsies form non-cancerous cervix did not display KCa1.1 protein expression. However, increased KCa1.1 protein expression was observed in the rest of the human biopsies, we observed that the higher the grade of the lesion, the stronger the KCa1.1 immuno staining. These results suggest KCa1.1 channels as potential early cervical cancer markers.

Kamran Mansouri completed his PhD at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. He is the Head of Department of Molecular Medicine at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran. He has published more than 50 papers in reputed journals.

In breast cancer therapy, where reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy is a determinant factor of success especially during pregnancy, modulatory effect of L-arginine on various cancers is still a controversial issue. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the effect of L-arginine combination with 5 fluorouracil (5-FU) on normal and cancer cells. The primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human breast cancer cell line (BT-20) were treated with L-arginine/5- FU to study their effect on cell survival, NO concentration, and glycolytic activity. Moreover, using molecular docking study, L-arginine effect on glycolysis enzymes activity was evaluated. L arginine/5-FU effect on angiogenesis was also assessed in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, L-arginine effect on 5-FU toxicity was assessed by measuring embryo weight. Real-time PCR and zymography were used to evaluate VEGF and MMP2, 9 expression and enzyme activities, respectively. L-arginine/5-FU combination treatment carried out on the primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) increased cells survival while induced cell death in BT-20. Nitric oxide (NO) concentration assays in both cell lines was showed to be increased. An inhibitory effect of L-arginine on glycolysis enzyme, human glucokinase (HG) was affirmed through molecular docking study and further supported by glycolysis experiment showing glucose and lactate levels decrease in cancer cells but not in normal cells. Angiogenesis induction in HUVECs was confirmed through VEGF and MMP-2, 9 up-regulated gene expressions and increased MMP-2, 9 activities. However, a down-regulation of the above mentioned genes expression was observed in BT- 20 treated with each drug alone and in combination. Furthermore, an in vivo increased angiogenesis and decreased embryo toxicity was observed under the treatment with the combination of the drugs. Altogether, findings speculate that L arginine inhibits cell death induced by 5-FU in normal cells by attenuating the adverse effects of 5-FU, while it doesn’t do so in cancer cells (BT-20).

Elie Hadchity has completed his PhD from Claude Bernard University Lyon, France. He is a Professor at Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine of the Lebanese University. He leads a Research team Antitumor Therapeutic Targeting, and his research work focused on the identification of novel therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers. He has several papers in reputed journals and an International Patent.

Lung and larynx cancers are among the prevalent human cancers worldwide and no molecular markers are presently used for predicting prognosis in these cancers. Late detection and lack of standard treatment strategies result in high levels of mortality and poor prognosis. Prognostic stratification of larynx cancer patients based on molecular prognostic tumor biomarkers may lead to more efficient clinical management. Krüppel like factor 4 (KLF4) and Heat Shock Protein 27 (HSP27) are implied in tumorigenesis and are considered promising candidate biomarkers for various cancers. However, their role in larynx and lung carcinomas remains to be elucidated. Immunohistochemical and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses in larynx and lung cancer tissue samples and normal tissue samples revealed a differential expression of KLF4 and HSP27 between normal and tumor tissues. KLF4 was significantly decreased in larynx carcinoma compared with normal tissue, whereas HSP27 was significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues compared with normal tissues, at the protein and mRNA levels. The KLF4 expression decreased gradually with tumor progression whereas HSP27 expression increased. In lung cancer, a significant decrease of KLF4 expression was observed in the Non-Small-Cell Lung-Carcinoma (NSCLC) when compared to normal tissue, while a significant over-expression was detected in the Small Cell-Lung-Carcinoma (SCLC). KLF4 and HSP27 exhibit opposite functions and roles in the carcinogenic process. Their role in larynx or lung cancer initiation and progression highlights their use as potential future targets for prognosis and treatment. KLF4 and HSP27 expression levels may act as potential biomarkers in patients with larynx and lung cancers.

Hana Tomášková graduated Technical University and she has completed her PhD at Medical Faculty, University of Plucky, Czech Republic in the Hygiene, preventive medicine and epidemiology. She is working as a biostatistician and epidemiologist at the Institute of Public Health in Ostrava, and as a lecturer at Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Medical Faculty, Ostrava University. She is involved in occupational and environmental epidemiology. She has published more than 20 papers in ISI journals. She has served as a Research Team Member in two International Projects and 15 National Projects.

The aim of the study was comparison of cancer incidence risk of lungs, stomach, colon, bladder and kidney in ex-miners of black-coal mines and the general male population of the Czech Republic. Two cohorts of ex-miners according presence of coal workers´ pneumoconiosis (CWP) were analyzed. The first cohort included the miners without CWP (N=6,687) and the second cohort included the miners who were compensated for CWP (N=3,476). Personal and occupational data was merged with the data in the National Population Register and the National Oncological Register for the period from 1992 to 2013. Cancer risk in miners in comparison with the general male population of the Czech Republic was evaluated by SIR (Standardized Incidence Ratio) and 95% confidence interval (CI). About twice as high risk of lung cancer was found in miners with CWP (SIR=2.01; 95% CI 1.70–2.36). Lung cancer risk correlated with the severity of CWP (simple CWP SIR=1.99; 95% CI 1.64–2.38, progressive massive fibrosis SIR=3.18; 95% CI 1.79–5.09). No increased risk of lung cancer was found in the exminers without CWP. The risk of malignant neoplasm at the other selected sites was comparable with the risk in general male population of the Czech Republic. This study found increased lung cancer risk in coal miners with CWP, but not without CWP, comparing with the general population. These results confirmed previous analysis that was a basis for the inclusion of lung cancer in association with CWP into a new Czech list of occupational diseases.