Introdução: O tratamento para o derrame pleural maligno recidivado tem caráter paliativo, sendo a pleurodese o método mais utilizado. Contudo, nem todos os procedimentos são efetivos, em parte por um encarceramento do pulmão pela pleura visceral espessada que impede o contato entre os folhetos pleurais e subsequente pleurodese efetiva. A elastância pleural reflete o grau de encarceramento da pleura visceral, contudo sua correlação com a efetividade da pleurodese não é bem conhecido. Objetivo: Analisar a correlação entre a elastância pleural e a efetividade radiológica (quantificada por tomografia de tórax) da pleurodese realizada através de cateteres pleurais. Os objetivos secundários deste estudo são: correlacionar a elastância pleural com a qualidade de vida, graus de dispneia e dor após o procedimento, efetividade clínica, complicações e mortalidade. Correlacionar a posição da extremidade do cateter pleural com o sucesso radiológico e clínico da pleurodese. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo com 131 pacientes candidatos a pleurodese por instilação de nitrato de prata ou talco mineral por cateter pleural. As pressões pleurais foram aferidas através de manômetro hidrostático ou de transdutor eletrônico de pressão vascular durante o esvaziamento do líquido e usadas para calcular a elastância pleural, em cm H2O/L. A efetividade radiológica foi avaliada pelos volumes pleurais medidos por tomografias computadorizadas de tórax logo após a drenagem e 30 dias após a pleurodese. A efetividade clínica foi avaliada conforme a necessidade de procedimentos adicionais para controle de sintomas. A qualidade de vida foi avaliada através do questionário geral da OMS. A avaliação da dor foi feita pela quantificação na Escala Visual Analógica de Dor. A análise da dispneia foi realizada através da quantificação da funcionalidade na escala de dispneia do British Medical Research Council. Todos esses questionários foram aplicados antes da drenagem, 30 dias após pleurodese e, então, trimestralmente. Para a análise da segurança dos procedimentos foram considerados os tempos de internação e de drenagem e a ocorrência de complicações. Todos os pacientes foram seguidos até o óbito ou até o término do estudo, em novembro de 2014, registrando as complicações e as datas do óbito para a construção da curva de sobrevida. Resultados: Avaliamos 87 pacientes de um total de 131 recrutados. Não houve diferença entre os volumes pleurais nas duas tomografias realizadas. A efetividade clínica foi observada em 86,20% dos pacientes. Não houve diferença em nenhum dos domínios da qualidade de vida. Encontramos diferenças entre a dispneia e a dor aferidas 30 dias após a pleurodese e antes da drenagem. Complicações ocorreram em 14,94% dos casos. A mediana da sobrevida global foi de 16 meses. Não foram encontradas correlações entre as elastâncias pleurais em 400 ml, 800 ml e total com nenhum dos desfechos radiológicos, clínicos (efetividade clínica, qualidade de vida, dispneia, dor e complicações) ou com a sobrevida dos pacientes. A posição da ponta do cateter pleural não se correlacionou com o sucesso radiológico ou clínico da pleurodese. Conclusões: A elastância pleural não se mostrou, até o presente momento, capaz de predizer os defechos radiológicos, clínicos e a sobrevida em pacientes submetidos a pleurodese / Background: The treatment of recurrent malignant pleural effusion has a palliative purpose. Pleurodesis is the most used method. However, not all the procedures are effective, in part because of the lung entrapment by the visceral pleura, preventing the contact between the pleural surfaces and subsequente effective pleurodesis. The pleural elastance reflects the degree of entrapment of the visceral pleura, but its correlation with the effectiveness of pleurodesis is not well known. Objetive: To evaluate the correlation between pleural elastance and radiological effectiveness (measured by tomography) of bedside pleurodesis. The secondary objectives of this study are: correlating the pleural elastance with quality of life, degree of dyspnea and pain after the procedure, clinical effectiveness, complications and mortality. Evaluate the role of intrapleural position of the pleural catheter in early lung expansion and success of pleurodesis. Methods: Prospective study including 131 patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusion candidates for treatment with bedside pleurodesis with silver nitrate or mineral talc. Pleural pressures were measured through hydrostatic gauge or electronic pressure transducer during emptying of effusion and used to calculate the pleural elastance in cm H2O/L. Pleural volumes measured by CT scans of the chest after drainage and 30 days after pleurodesis were assess the radiological effectiveness. The clinical effectiveness was evaluated as the need for additional procedures to control symptoms. The quality of life was assessed using the WHO general questionnaire. Quantifying the Visual Analog Scale of Pain did pain assessment. Measuring the functionality in the British Medical Research Council dyspnea scale made the analysis of dyspnea. All these questionnaires were applied prior to drainage, 30 days after pleurodesis and then quarterly. Results: We evaluated 87 patients of a total of 131 recruited. There was no difference between the two pleural volumes CT scans performed. The clinical effectiveness was observed in 86.20% of patients. There was no difference in any of the domains of quality of life. We found differences between dyspnea and pain measured 30 days after pleurodesis and before draining. Complications occurred in 14.94% of cases. The median overall survival was 16 months. No correlations between pleural elastance in 400 ml, 800 ml and complete were found with all the imaging, clinical (clinical effectiveness, quality of life, dyspnea, pain and complications) or with patient survival outcomes. The tip of the pleural catheter was not correlated with the radiological or clinical success of pleurodesis. Conclusions: The pleural elastance was not, so far, able to predict the radiological outcomes, clinical outcomes and survival in patients undergoing bedside pleurodesis

INTRODUÇÃO: O câncer de pulmão é a principal causa de morte por câncer em todo o mundo e muitos pacientes apresentam derrame pleural em um estágio avançado da doença, com alta morbidade e mortalidade. Entretanto, a patogênese do derrame maligno é ainda pouco compreendida e as opções terapêuticas são limitadas. OBJETIVO: 1) Estudar a fisiopatologia do derrame pleural maligno em modelo animal com células de Lewis em diferentes concentrações; 2) Avaliar os efeitos da terapia intrapleural com anti-VEGF e anti-EGFR e a frequência de mutações de EGFR e KRAS neste modelo. MÉTODOS: Foi utilizado modelo de neoplasia pleural com camundongos C57BL/6 e células de Lewis (LLC) dividido em duas etapas: estudo com diferentes concentrações de células LLC (0,1, 0,5 e 1,5x105) e avaliação de terapias-alvo. Após a padronização do modelo, quatro grupos de camundongos receberam tratamento intrapleural com anti-VEGF, anti-EGFR, anti-VEGF+anti-EGFR ou solução fisiológica (não tratados) 3, 7, 10 e 14 dias após a indução da neoplasia pleural com 0,5x105 células LLC. Em vinte animais de cada grupo foi avaliada a curva de sobrevida. 160 animais foram submetidos à eutanásia 7, 10, 14 ou 21 dias após e avaliados peso, mobilidade, volume de líquido pleural, marcadores inflamatórios, imunológicos e bioquímicos no líquido, presença de tumores e alterações histológicas em pleura, pulmão, rim, fígado e baço. Através de imunohistoquimica avaliou-se apoptose, proliferação tumoral, VEGF e EGFR. Analisou-se a expressão gênica do EGFR, VEGF, KRAS e ALK e a frequência de mutações do EGFR e KRAS. Análise estatística: One Way ANOVA, Kaplan-Meier, p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Na etapa de padronização do modelo observamos que a concentração que manteve os parâmetros de neoplasia pleural com maior sobrevida foi de 0,5x105 células LLC. Na segunda etapa do estudo, a carcinomatose pleural foi letal com sobrevida máxima de 25 dias, sem diferença entre os grupos. Redução de peso foi observada em todos os grupos após 21 dias. A mobilidade foi melhor nos grupos que receberam anti-EGFR. O volume de líquido pleural foi maior no grupo não tratado durante todo o estudo. Parâmetros imunológicos e bioquímicos aumentaram temporalmente sendo mais evidentes no grupo sem tratamento. Implantes tumorais na pleura foram mais evidentes no grupo não tratado após 14 dias. A inflamação pulmonar foi mínima em todos os grupos. No grupo não tratado observou-se implantes tumorais no pericárdio e músculo cardíaco após 21 dias, esteatose hepática e renal após 14 dias e hiperplasia de polpa branca do baço no 21º dia. Altos índices de apoptose e menores índices de proliferação tumoral foram observados nos grupos que receberam tratamento com anti-EGFR e anti-VEGF+anti-EGFR. Houve mutação do gene KRAS e superexpressão gênica tumoral do EGFR e do KRAS. CONCLUSÃO: As terapias-alvo reduziram significativamente o derrame pleural, morbidade e parâmetros histológicos, embora sem impacto na sobrevida dos animais neste modelo experimental. Nossos dados indicam que a linhagem tumoral LLC possui um fenótipo tumoral agressivo demonstrado através da mutação do KRAS e superexpressão do EGFR, o que pode estar associado ao pior prognóstico e menor resposta aos inibidores do EGFR / INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is the leading cause of death by cancer in the world. Many patients have pleural effusion in an advanced stage of the disease, with high morbidity and mortality. However, the pathogenesis of malignant pleural effusion is still poorly understood and the treatment options are limited. OBJECTIVE: 1) To study the pathophysiology of malignant pleural effusion in animal model with Lewis cells in different concentrations; 2) Evaluate the effects of the intrapleural therapy with anti-VEGF and anti-EGFR and the frequency of EGFR and KRAS mutations in this model. METHODS: We used pleural neoplasm experimental model with mice C57BL/6 and Lewis cells (LLC) divided into two steps: study with different concentrations of LLC cells (0.1, 0.5 and 1.5x105) and evaluation of targeted therapies. After the standardization of the model, four groups of mice received intrapleural treatment with anti-VEGF, anti-EGFR, anti-VEGF+anti-EGFR or saline (untreated) 3, 7, 10 and 14 days after induction of pleural neoplasm with injection of 0.5x105 LLC cells. In 20 animals of each group was evaluated the survival curve. 160 animals underwent euthanasia 7, 10, 14 or 21 days after and assessed weight, mobility, volume of pleural fluid, inflammatory, immunological and biochemical markers in the liquid, presence of tumor and histological changes in pleura, lung, kidney, liver and spleen. It was evaluated, through immunohistochemistry, tumor apoptosis and proliferation, VEGF and EGFR. Gene expression of EGFR, VEGF, KRAS and ALK and frequency of mutations of EGFR and KRAS were also evaluated. Statistical analysis: One Way ANOVA, Kaplan-Meier, p < 0.05. RESULTS: In the standardization of the model we observed that the concentration that kept parameters of pleural neoplasm with higher survival rate was 0.5x105 LLC cells. In the second stage, target-therapies, pleural carcinomatosis was lethal with maximum survival of 25 days, with no difference between the groups. Weight decrease was observed in all groups after 21 days. Mobility was better in groups that receiving anti-EGFR. Pleural fluid volume was greater in the untreated group throughout the study. Immunological and biochemical parameters have increased temporarily being most evident in the untreated group. Tumor implants in pleura were more apparent in the untreated group after 14 days. The lung inflammation was minimal in all groups. The untreated group showed tumor implants in the pericardium and heart muscle after 21 days, hepatic and renal steatosis after 14 days and spleen white pulp hyperplasia in 21 day. High rates of apoptosis and smaller tumor proliferation indices were observed in groups that received treatment with anti-VEGF and anti-EGFR+anti-EGFR. We also found gene KRAS mutation and tumoral gene overexpression of EGFR and KRAS. CONCLUSION: Targeted therapies reduced significantly the pleural effusion, morbidity and histological parameters, although without an impact on survival rate in this experimental model. Our data indicate that the tumor lineage LLC has an aggressive tumor phenotype shown by KRAS mutation and overexpression of EGFR, which can be associated with a worse prognosis and a lower response to EGFR inhibitors

Les môles hydatiformes sont une prolifération placentaire prétumorale pouvant évolueren tumeur alors traitée par chimiothérapie. Afin de réduire la mortalité et d’optimiser laprise en charge thérapeutique, l’objectif de cette thèse est d’identifier les gènespermettant de prédire la transformation en tumeur post môlaire et la chimiorésistance.Concernant la prédiction de la transformation, l’analyse de l’expression de gènescandidatssur tissu molaire décrit la relocalisation apicale de la Syncytine-1 en cas detransformation maligne, sans modification de transcription de ses récepteurs ni de deuxautres enveloppes rétrovirales placentaires. L’analyse sans à priori du transcriptome par3 méthodes différentes n’a pas permis d’identifier de gène différentiellement expriméselon la transformation. Cela suggère que la variabilité interindividuelle et les diverscritères utilisés pour le diagnostic de tumeur nuisent à l’identification de biomarqueursrobustes.Concernant la prédiction de la chimiorésistance, une approche transcriptomique largespectre sur tissu tumoral de choriocarcinome identifie une réduction de transcriptiond’HLA-G en cas de monochimiorésistance, confirmée au niveau protéique par immunohistochimie. L’analyse en réseaux de l’ensemble des gènes différentiellementexprimés suggère que la monochimiorésistance est associée à une altération de ladifférenciation des lymphocytes T alors que la polychimiorésistance est associée à unealtération de la prolifération des cellules sanguines.In fine, l’objectivation de l’expression trophoblastique du point de contrôle PD-L1 aconduit à évaluer l’efficacité d’un anti PD-L1 chez les patientes chimiorésistantes. Lesrésultats encourageants de cet essai et la possibilité de stratifier les patientes à l’aidedes marqueurs HLA-G et Syncytine-1 incitent à évaluer la place de l’anti PD-L1 associéà une monochimiothérapie en première ligne de traitement des tumeurstrophoblastiques. / Hydatidiform moles are a pretumoral placental proliferation which can turn into a tumorrequiring chemotherapy. In order to reduce mortality and propose an optimal therapeuticmanagement, the aim of this thesis is to identify genes which are predictive of postmolartumor transformation and chemoresistance.Concerning the prediction of transformation, the expression analysis of candidate-geneson molar tissue shows a relocalization of Syncytin-1 at the syncytiotrophoblast apicalborder in moles followed by malignant transformation, without modification oftranscription of its receptors and two other retroviral placental envelopes. A wholetranscriptomeapproach using 3 different microarrays-based methods did not identify anydifferentially expressed gene according to the post molar evolution. This may reflect thatinter-individual variability and the different criteria used for tumor diagnosis impede theidentification of robust biomarkers.Concerning the prediction of chemoresistance, a broad-spectrum transcriptomicapproach on choriocarcinoma tumor tissue identifies a down regulation of HLA-G in case of monochemoresistance, confirmed at the protein level by immunohistochemistry.Pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes suggests thatmonochemoresistance is associated with impaired T-cell differentiation, whereaspolychemoresistance is associated with impaired proliferation of blood cells.Ultimately, the evidence of trophoblastic ubiquitous expression of the PD-L1 immunecheckpoint led us to the evaluation of the efficacy of PD-L1 blockade in chemoresistantpatients. The encouraging results of this trial and the possibility of stratifying patientswith HLA-G and Syncytin-1 markers encourages the assessment of PD-L1 blockadecombined with monochemotherapy as a first line treatment for trophoblastic tumors.

Die Zahl der Kolonkarzinome in den westlichen Industrieländern steigt in den letzten Jahren stetig an. Zu den Verbindungen, die mit der Zubereitung der Nahrung entstehen, mit ihr aufgenommen werden und die Kolonkanzerogenese möglicherweise begünstigen, gehört das heterozyklische aromatische PhIP, das bei der Erhitzung proteinreicher Nahrungsmittel entsteht. Neben zahlreichen Fütterungsversuchen an Nagern existieren auch Zellkulturmodelle zur Untersuchung der molekularen Mechanismen der PhIP-induzierten Kolonkanzerogenese. Die chemische Transformation von Zellen sollte durch wiederholte Exposition gegenüber dem hydroxylierten Metaboliten des Kanzerogens (N2-OH-PhIP) erzielt werden. Es wurden IEC-18-Zellen der Ratte und HCEC-Zellen des Menschen zur Untersuchung verwendet. Die Behandlung der IEC-18-Zellen führt nach 25 Behandlungszyklen mit Konzentrationen von 5 bis 20 µM nicht zur Transformation der Zellen. Die Anwesenheit von N2-OH-PhIP führt zu einer zehnfach erhöhten Induktion der GST-Aktivität, insbesondere der Untereinheiten GST-A1, -A3, -Pi und -T2, die für die effiziente Detoxifizierung des N-Acetoxy-Metaboliten vom N2-OH-PhIP verantwortlich sind. Bereits nach drei Behandlungen mit 1,5 µM N2-OH-PhIP konnte eine maligne Transformation der HCEC-Zellen erzielt werden. Die Zellen zeigten die charakteristischen Zeichen der Transformation: veränderte Wachstumseigenschaften wie klonales dreidimensionales Zellwachstum („pilling up“), Hemmung der Zell-Zell-Kontaktinhibierung, verkürzte Populationsverdopplungszeiten und tumorigene und metastasierende Eigenschaften. Außerdem exprimierten die N2-OH-PhIP-exponierten humanen Kolonzellen mit steigender Anzahl der Behandlungen größere Mengen des trunkierten APC-Proteins. Die bekannten PhIP-spezifischen Mutationen im APC-Gen resultieren in der Expression eines trunkierten Proteinproduktes und werden als frühe Ereignisse in der Kolonkanzerogenese betrachtet. Die zusammenfassende Betrachtung aller Ergebnisse zeigt, dass die IEC-18-Zelllinie zur chemischen Transformation durch N2-OH-PhIP ungeeignet ist. Dagegen wurde erstmalig eine vollständige chemische Transformation von Humandickdarmepithelzellen in vitro durch Exposition der humanen Kolonepithelzelllinie HCEC gegenüber dem Kolonkarzinogen N2-OH-PhIP erzielt. / In the last few years a strong increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer has been observed. As to the specific components in processed food responsible for the induction of colon cancerogenesis / it has been suggested that heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA), e.g. the most abundant HAA 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), which is formed in protein rich food, when it is cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame, might be involved in this process. Whereas a number of in vivo-models to study PhIP-mediated colon carcinogenesis are known, only a limited number of cell culture systems to study the HAA-mediated transformation of intestinal epithelial cells do in fact exist. In the present study IEC-18 cells (rat intestinal epithelial cells) and HCEC cells (human colon epithelial cells) were incubated with N2-OH-PhIP, the N-hydroxylated metabolite of PhIP. The IEC-18 cells could not be transformed despite 25 treatment cycles with 5 to 20 µM N2-OH-PhIP. This might be due to the fact that GST activity as well as the expression of the GST -A1, -A3, -Pi and -T2 units, which are responsible for the detoxication of the N-acetoxy derivative of PhIP were strongly induced by N2-OH-PhIP. In contrast, HCEC cells were malignantly transformed when exposed three times to 1.5 µM N2-OH-PhIP. The chemically-treated cells showed a reduced population doubling time, they lost cell-cell contact inhibition and started pilling up. Furthermore, if HCEC cells were injected subcutaneously into SCID mice tumors developed at the site of injection in all animals tested. The transformed HCEC cells also express high amounts of truncated APC protein, which in vivo appears at an early stage of colon cancerogenesis. Taken together, it has been shown that IEC-18 cells are not suitable for chemical transformation studies with the HAA metabolite N2-OH-PhIP. For the first time it has been shown that the HAA metabolite N2-OH-PhIP is indeed able to malignantly transform human colon epithelial cells in vitro.

The use of positron emission tomography (PET) for imaging in oncology has grown rapidly in recent years. 2-[18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is the most common tracer of PET, although drawbacks exist. Radiolabeled 1-[11C]-acetate (C-AC) is a simple probe for evaluation of perfusion, anabolism (lipogenesis) and catabolism (oxidative metabolism) in all living tissues. This study explored the potential of AC PET in head and neck cancer, benign and malignant lymph nodes in prostate cancer and normal distribution.  In head and neck cancer, C-AC PET detected more primaries and lymph node metastases than FDG PET. The mean primary tumor volumes delineated by C-AC was 51% larger than that of FDG before radiotherapy (RT). Both FDG and C-AC PET tumor volumes must be carefully validated before used in clinical routine. Baseline tumor clearance rate (kmono) was higher in complete responders (CR) than that in partial responders (PR). kmono tended to correlate inversely with FDG SUV at baseline. Radiosensitive tumors might rely predominantly on oxidative metabolism for their biogenetic needs. kmono increased in PR during RT. The potential reversibility of impaired kmono in radioresistant tumors imply that treatment targeting the intermediary metabolism might improve the outcome. Tumor relative perfusion index (rF) and kmono were coupled in CR throughout the RT, but not in PR. Dynamic C-AC PET provides a new non-invasive method to simultaneously evaluate the tumor oxidative metabolism and perfusion which link the RT response in patients by a single tracer injection. In prostate cancer, elevated C-AC accumulation is common in benign inguinal lymph nodes, probably due to increased lipogenesis rather than lymphatic drainage. CT Hounsfield unit of benign nodes was lower than that of metastases, suggesting that density measurement using CT might improve the specificity of nodal staging of prostate cancer. A novel tracer 2-[18F]-fluoroacetate (F-AC) was synthesized and used for dynamic PET-CT imaging in animals. Compared with C-AC PET-CT, F-AC showed prolonged blood retention, no detectable trapping in myocardium and salivary glands, rapid excretion from liver to bile and urine and de-fluorination resulting in intensive skeletal activity. F-AC does not mimic the normal physiologic path of C-AC and appears to be of little use for assessment of perfusion, intermediary metabolism or lipogenesis.

The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has increased dramatically in Caucasians the last few decades, an increase that is partly explained by altered sun exposure habits. For the individual patient, with a localized disease, the tumor thickness of the excised lesion is the most important prognostic factor. However, there is a need to identify characteristics that can place patients in certain risk groups. In this study, the protein expression of multiple proteins in malignant melanoma tumors was studied, with the aim of identifying potential new candidate biomarkers. Representative samples from melanoma tissues were assembled in a tissue microarray format and protein expression was detected using immunohistochemistry. Multiple cohorts were used and for a subset of proteins the expression was also analyzed in melanocytes in normal skin and in benign nevi. The immunohistochemical staining was evaluated manually and for part of the proteins also with an automated algorithm. The protein expression of STX7 was described for the first time in tumors of the melanocytic lineage. Stronger expression of STX7 and SOX10 was seen in superficial spreading melanomas compared with nodular malignant melanomas. An inverse relationship between STX7 expression and T-stage was seen and between SOX10 expression and T-stage and Ki-67, respectively. In a population-based cohort the expression of MITF was analyzed and found to be associated with prognosis. Twenty-one potential biomarkers were analyzed using bioinformatics tools and a protein signature was identified which had a prognostic value independent of T-stage. The protein driving this signature was RBM3, a protein not previously described in malignant melanoma. Other markers included in the signature were MITF, SOX10 and Ki-67. In conclusion, the protein expression of numerous potential biomarkers was extensively studied and a new prognostic protein panel was identified which can be of value for risk stratification.

Les mélanomes malins (MM) constituent le deuxième type de cancer le plus fréquent chez les jeunes adultes canadiens (entre 20 et 44 ans) ainsi qu’un des rares cancers dont l’incidence augmente annuellement. À moins que les MM ne soient excisés à temps par chirurgie, les chances de survie des patients sont pratiquement nulles puisque ce type de tumeur est très réfractaire aux traitements conventionnels. Il est bien connu que l’exposition aux rayons ultraviolets (UV), induisant des photoproduits génotoxiques, est une déterminante majeure dans l’acquisition de MM. À cet effet, la réparation par excision de nucléotides (NER) est la ligne de défense principale contre le développement des mélanomes puisqu’elle est la voie de réparation prépondérante en ce qui a trait aux dits photoproduits. Malgré cela, la contribution potentielle de défauts de la NER au développement des MM dans la population normale n’est toujours pas bien établie. Notre laboratoire a précédemment développé une méthode basée sur la cytométrie de flux qui permet de mesurer la NER en fonction du cycle cellulaire. Cette méthode a déjà mise en évidence qu’une déficience de l’activité de la protéine ATR peut mener à une déficience de la NER exclusive à la phase S dans des fibroblastes humains. Pareillement, nous avons démontré que plusieurs lignées cellulaires cancéreuses modèles comportent une déficience en NER en phase S, suggérant qu’une telle déficience puisse caractériser certains types de cancers. Nous avons voulu savoir si une déficience en NER en phase S pouvait être associée à une proportion significative de mélanomes et si le tout pouvait être attribuable à une diminution de l’activité d’ATR. Nos objectifs ont donc été de : (i) mesurer l’efficacité de la NER en fonction du cycle cellulaire dans les MM en comparaison avec les mélanocytes primaires, (ii) vérifier si le niveau d’activité d’ATR corrèle avec l’efficacité de la NER en phase S dans les lignées de MM et (iii) voir si un gène fréquemment muté dans les mélanomes (tels PTEN et BRAF) pouvait coopérer avec ATR pour réguler la NER en phase S dans les mélanomes. Nous avons démontré que 13 lignées de MM sur 16 ont une capacité grandement diminuée à réparer les photoproduits induits par UV spécifiquement en phase S. De plus, cette déficience corrèle fortement avec une réduction de l’activation d’ATR et, dans plusieurs lignées de MM, avec une phosphorylation d’Akt plus importante. L’utilisation d’ARN interférent ou d’un inhibiteur du suppresseur de tumeurs PTEN, a permis, en plus d’augmenter la phosphorylation d’Akt, de réduire la réparation des photoproduits et l’activation d’ATR dans les cellules en phase S. En addition, (i) l’expression ectopique de la protéine PTEN sauvage dans des lignées déficientes en PTEN (mais pas d’une protéine PTEN sans activité phosphatase) ou (ii) l’inhibition pharmacologique d’Akt a permis d’augmenter la réparation en phase S ainsi que l’activation d’ATR. En somme, cette étude démontre qu’une signalisation d’ATR dépendante de PTEN/Akt amenant à une réparation déficiente des photoproduits génomiques causés par les UV en phase S peut être déterminante dans le développement des mélanomes induits par UV. / Malignant melanoma (MM) is the second most frequent neoplasia among young Canadian adults (aged 20-44); moreover the incidence of this disease continues to rise annually at an alarming rate. Unless primary melanoma is diagnosed early and promptly resected the patient prognosis is dismal since this deadly tumour type metastasizes extremely aggressively and is highly refractory to conventional treatment protocols. It is well established that exposure to UV light, and subsequent induction of genotoxic DNA photoproducts, is a primary determinant in the initiation of MM. Furthermore nucleotide excision repair (NER) clearly represents a critical frontline defence against MM because it is the only human pathway designed to remove the aforementioned DNA photoproducts. Despite this, the potential contribution of NER defects to sporadic MM development in the general population has remained unclear. Our laboratory previously developed a novel flow cytometry-based assay to evaluate the efficiency of NER as a function of cell cycle. This method was employed to demonstrate that functional ATR kinase is strictly required for NER during S phase in primary human fibroblasts. Intriguingly we also reported that many model tumour cell lines are deficient in NER uniquely in S phase populations, raising the possibility that such a defect might be characteristic of certain types of cancers. We therefore hypothesized that a significant proportion of human MM cell lines may exhibit reduced NER capacity specifically during S phase, and that this in turn might be attributeable to reduced ATR signaling. To test this hypothesis, three major specific aims were proposed: (i) To measure the efficiency of NER as a function of cell cycle among a panel of human MM cell lines and in primary melanocytes; (ii) To investigate whether any correlation exists between NER status and ATR activity during S phase in human MM cell lines; (iii) To investigate whether frequently mutated genes in melanoma (eg., PTEN, BRAF) might cooperate with ATR to regulate S phase-specific NER in MM cell lines. We were able to demonstrate that, in fact, 13/16 MM cell lines display remarkably diminished capacity to remove UV-induced DNA photoproducts specifically during S phase. Furthermore this defect correlates strongly with reduced activation of ATR kinase and, for a majority of MM, higher Akt phosphorylation levels. RNAi-mediated knockdown of the PTEN tumour suppressor, while stimulating Akt phosphorylation as expected, also engenders reductions in both photoproducts repair and ATR activation in S phase cells. In addition, (i) ectopic expression in PTEN-null strains of wild type PTEN but not of PTEN variants deficient in phosphatase activity, or (ii) pharmacological inhibition of Akt, significantly rescue S phase-specific repair as well as ATR activation. Our data indicate that reduced PTEN/Akt-dependent ATR signaling leading to defective repair of UV DNA photoproducts uniquely during S phase may represent an heretofore unrecognized major determinant in sunlight-induced melanoma development.

Background: Unlike other cancers, malignant melanoma (MM) is generally visible and can be easily and effectively cured if treated in time. Optimal cure of MM requires early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, which improves prognosis. However, patients as well as the health care organization and its professionals contribute to delayed treatment in various ways. Aims and objectives: The general aim of this PhD thesis was to explore reasons for delay in care seeking, diagnosis, and treatment of malignant melanoma. The specific objectives to be addressed were To explore patients’ decision making about seeking care for malignant melanoma To identify specific patterns in the decision-making process to seek care for suspect melanoma, as narrated by women and men To compare self-reported decision making coping styles between men and women in various ages, who live with or without a partner and are diagnosed with various stages of malignant melanoma in northern Sweden. To describe and compare patients diagnosed with MM, depending on their initial contact with care, and with regard to age, sex, and MM type and thickness, and to explore pathways and time intervals between clinics from the initial contact to diagnosis and treatment. Methods: In studies I and II, 21 and 30 patients, respectively, were interviewed about their decision making to seek care for MM. Study II focused on gender patterns in this decision making. The interviews were analysed using Grounded Theory (I) and qualitative content analysis (II). Study III included 270 people with MM who completed a translated questionnaire (Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire) about coping styles in decision making. In study IV the pathways and time delay in health care for 71 people with MM were explored. Studies I and II were qualitative, whereas studies III and IV were quantitative. Results: In study I, the insights into severity and feelings of fear and existential threat were identified as key motivators for patients to decide to seek care for a suspected melanoma. Results in study II showed that gender constructions influenced the care-seeking behaviour. Women acknowledged the skin changes and attempted self-care first. They delayed care seeking due to family responsibilities. Men seldom acknowledged the suspicious skin change, but sought care immediately after prompting, and most often complied with relatives’ advice to seek care. Study III showed that men generally scored higher in buck-passing, while women and those living without a partner scored higher in hypervigilance. Participants with nodular melanoma (NM), a rapid-growing form of MM, scored higher in vigilance than those diagnosed as in situ melanoma. No correlation was found between tumour thickness and coping styles. Some differences concerning treatment of MM were found in study IV between people who initially had sought care at primary health care centres (PHC) and those who had sought care at dermatological and specialist clinics (Derm). Thicker tumours as well as NM were more common in the PHC group. A larger proportion of patients from PHCs were primarily excided within the primary health care; however, almost all of them were later referred to surgical clinics for wide excision. Patients within the PHC group also had to wait longer for the registered results of histopathological assessments. In general, women waited a shorter time for primary excision, and older people waited longer for wide excision. Conclusions: Time delay of diagnosis and treatment of MM is still common, and crucial to decrease. Future interventions should include gender aspects to influence people to seek care earlier. In health care, time delay could be decreased by facilitating access for patients with suspected skin melanomas, but also by reducing unnecessary referrals. Moreover, organizational changes whereby general practitioners and primary health care nurses are supported in using new technology for faster diagnoses and management of MM in collaboration with specialist clinics should be considered. Easy access and frequently used guidelines for MM could further decrease delay. Lastly, more efficient transfer and registration of laboratory results and referrals could decrease delay and improve patient safety. / Bakgrund: Malignt melanom (MM) är till skillnad från andra cancerformer ofta synlig och kan enkelt och kostnadseffektivt botas om det behandlas i tid. En optimal prognos av MM förutsätter tidig upptäckt, diagnos och behandling. Patienter, samt hälso- och sjukvården, dess organisation och dess personal kan på olika sätt bidra till fördröjning av behandlingen av MM. Syfte: Det övergripande syftet med denna avhandling var att undersöka orsaker till fördröjning att söka vård, diagnosticera och behandla malignt melanom. Specifika delsyften var:   Att utforska patienternas beslutsfattande process att söka vård för MM Att identifiera specifika mönster i beslutsfattande-processen att söka vård för misstänkt MM utifrån kvinnors och mäns egna berättelser  Att jämföra självrapporterade coping-stilar i den beslutsfattande processen mellan män och kvinnor i olika åldrar, boende med eller utan partner, och diagnosticerade med MM i olika stadier från norra Sverige Att beskriva och jämföra patienter med MM utifrån deras primära vårdkontakt samt utifrån ålder, kön, MM-typ och tjocklek. Ytterligare att utforska vård- och remissvägar samt tidsintervaller mellan olika kliniker från första kontakt till diagnos och behandling. Metod: I studie I och II, intervjuades 21 respektive 30 patienter om den beslutsfattande processen att söka vård för MM. Genuskonstruktioner i relation till den beslutsfattande processen var i fokus i studie II. Intervjuerna analyserades med hjälp av Grounded Theory (I) och kvalitativ innehållsanalys (II). I studie III inkluderades 270 patienter med MM som besvarade ett instrument (MDMQ) avseende coping-stilar i beslutsfattande processen. I studie IV undersöktes övergångar mellan olika kliniker och remissvägar för 71 patienter med MM samt eventuell tidsfördröjning inom hälso- och sjukvården. Resultat: I studie I, identifierades insikt i allvarlighetsgrad samt rädsla och existentiellt hot till följd av tillståndet vara nyckel-motivatorer för att bestämma sig för att söka vård för misstänkt hudmelanom. Resultat från studie II påvisade att genuskonstruktioner påverkar hur personer söker vård för MM. Kvinnor upptäckte själv sina melanom och försökte tillämpa egenvård i början. De kunde dröja att söka vård pga. ansvar för familjen. Män upptäckte sällan suspekta melanom själva men följde oftast anhörigas råd att söka vård och sökte vård omedelbart efter påstötning. Resultaten från studie III visade att män i högre grad använde en avvaktande startegi (buck-passing) medan kvinnor och de som bodde utan partner var överdrivet vaksamma (hypervigilance). Deltagare med nodulärt melanom (NM), en snabbt växande form av MM, var mer vaksamma (vigilance) jämfört med de med melanom in situ, en mycket tidig form av melanom. Några korrelationer mellan tumörtjocklek och coping-stilar hittades ej. Vissa skillnader avseende typer av MM samt vårdens handläggning beroende på var patienter initialt sökt vård identifierades i studie IV. Bland patienter som initialt sökt vård på hälsocentralerna var tjockare tumörer vanligare jämfört med dem som hade sökt vård på hud- och andra specialistklinker. Dessa patienter hade också som regel genomgått den primära excisionen på hälsocentralerna och en majoritet blev senare remitterade till kirurgisk klinik för utvidgad excision. Hälsocentralernas patienter fick vänta längre på att det histopatologiska svaret registrerades i journalen än sjukhusklinikernas patienter. Kvinnor fick generellt vänta kortare tid på primär excision och äldre patienter fick vänta längre för utvidgad excision. Slutsatser: Tidsfördröjning av diagnos och behandling av MM är fortfarande vanlig och därför viktig att minska. Framtida interventioner för att påverka människor att söka vård tidigare bör inkludera genusaspekter. Inom hälso- och sjukvården kan tidsfördröjning minskas genom förbättrad tillgänglighet för patienter med misstänkta hudmelanom, men också genom minskning av onödig remittering. En förändrad organisation där sjuksköterskor och primärvårdsläkare i samarbete med specialistkliniker stöttas att använda ny teknologi för snabbare diagnosticering och omhändertagande av MM bör övervägas. Ökad kännedom bland hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal om riktlinjer for MM-vård kan vidare minska fördröjning. Till sist, mer effektiva och förbättrade arbetssätt kring registrering och överföring av laboratoriska svar och remisser skulle kunna minska fördröjning och därmed öka patientsäkerheten.

Bösartiges Katarrhalfieber ist eine unheilbare Virusinfektion bei Paarhufern, die wiederholt in zoologischen Gärten auftrat, ohne dass die erkrankten Fehlwirte Kontakt zu Reservoirwirten hatten. Die BKF-auslösenden Gammaherpesviren sind eng miteinander verwandt und werden von verschiedenen klinisch gesunden Reservoirwirten latent beherbergt und ausgeschieden. Einige dieser Reservoirwirte sind seit längerem bekannt, andere wurden erst kürzlich identifiziert und es wird vermutet, dass es noch weitere unerkannte Reservoirwirte für BKF-Viren gibt. Hervorzuheben ist, dass die Viren normalerweise eng an ihre Reservoirwirte gebunden sind. Es traten in letzter Zeit jedoch immer wieder Fälle auf, in denen auch Fehlwirte zwar infiziert waren, aber nicht erkrankten oder das Virus sogar ausschieden. Der Zusammenhang zwischen dem Verhalten der BKF-Viren bei Fehl- und Reservoirwirten und den ungeklärten BKF-Fällen in zoologischen Gärten wurde in der hier vorliegenden Studie näher untersucht. Es sollte herausgefunden werden, ob Wildwiederkäuer, die bisher nicht als Reservoirwirte für BKF-Viren galten, diese Viren ausscheiden und so möglicherweise für die oben erwähnten BKF-Fälle verantwortlich waren. / Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is an incurable infectious disease in even-toed ungulates, which occurred repeatedly in zoological gardens in Europe without any contact between known hosts and animals with clinical MCF. The causative agents are closely related viruses of the family gamma-herpesviridae, which are latently carried and shed by different clinically healthy ruminant species. Some of the hosts for MCF viruses have been known for many years, while others have been identified only recently. Yet, there are probably still more host species to be discovered. It has to be pointed out that generally MCF viruses are strictly associated with their hosts. However, it has been reported that known susceptible species were infected with MCF viruses without showing any signs of MCF, some of which even excreted the virus. This present study investigates the relationship between the behaviour of MCF viruses in hosts and susceptible species and the nebulous cases of MCF in zoological gardens. The goal was to determine whether wild ruminants, which are normally not known as hosts for MCF, shed these viruses and are possibly responsible for MCF cases mentioned above.

The screening mammography programme has been running succesfully in the Czech republic for 13 years. Due to its ability to uncover earlystages of breast cancer, it helps to fight this serious disease. Although the positive outcome of this programme in the Czech republic has been already proved, there is only approximately 50% of women who have been regularly treated with it.One of the major reasons for this fact is a fear of cancer induction caused by the use of X-rays during the mammography. The main goal of this thesis is to calculate the risk of breast cancer induction caused by the mammography and to compare benefits of the screening programme for a woman who goes for regular checkups and a woman who does not. The measurement of concrete doses was made in one screening centre center located in western bohemia region. The group of observed patients at the age of 45-59 was divided into three categories. The object of measurement was an average dose received during the screening mammography, plus an average dose received during an additional mammography, which may sometimes occure during the examination. These data was studied through a statistic investigation to prove that the received dose is not dependent on the patient´s age. In the theoretical part of this work main principals of the screening mammography programme and mammography itself are repeated. The methods of statistic investigation and the methodology for estimating breast cancer risks based on recommendations of ICRP Publication 103. In the practical part was proved, that the average dose received during the classical mammography does not depend on the age of the patient. This could not be proved for an additional mammography dose, because of not sufficient group of statistic data. The main hypothesis, that regular checkups using the mammographical screening programme is benefical for women , was verified.