Browsing by Author "Bernal, Carolina"

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    DNA methylation profile in diffuse type gastric cancer: evidence for hypermethylation of the BRCA 1 promoter region in early-onset gastric carcinogenesis
    (SOC BIOLGIA CHILE, 2008) Bernal, Carolina; Vargas, Macarena; Ossandon, Francisco; Santibanez, Eudocia; Urrutia, Julio; Luengo, Victor; Zavala, Luis F.; Backhouse, Claudia; Palma, Mariana; Argandona, Jorge; Aguayo, Francisco; Corvalan, Alejandro
    Diffuse type gastric carcinoma is the most aggressive type of gastric cancer. This type Of tumor is not preceded by precancerous changes and is associated with carly-onset and hereditary syndromes. To test the hypothesis that DNA methylation profile Would be useful for molecular classification of the diffuse type gastric carcinoma, DNA methylation patterns of the CpG Island of 17 genes were studied in 104 cases and 47 normal adjacent gastric mucosa by Methylation-specific PCR, Immunohistochemistry and Hierarchical Clustering analysis. The most frequent methylated genes were FHIT, E-cadherin, BRCA1 and APC (>50%), followed by p14, p16, p15, p73, MGMT and SEMA3B (20-49%). Hierarchical clustering analysis reveals four groups with different clinical features. The first was characterized by hypermethylation of BRCA 1 and younger age (<45 years old), and the second by hypermethylation of p14 and p 16 genes, male. predominance and Epstein-Barr virus infection. The third group was characterized by hypermethylation of FHIT and antrum located tumors and the fourth was not associated with any clinical variables. In normal adjacent mucosa only the p73 gene was significantly less methylated in comparison to tumor mucosa. DNA methylation identified subgroups of diffuse type gastric cancer. Hypermethylation of BRCA I associated with Young age suggests a role in early-onset gastric carcinoma.
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    Epstein-Barr virus-associated primary lymphoepitheliomalike carcinoma of the esophagus
    (LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2007) Valbuena, Jose Rafael; Retamal, Yasmina; Bernal, Carolina; Eizuru, Yoshito; Corvalan, Alejandro
    Primary lymphoepitheliomalike carcinomas (LELC) of the esophagus are uncommon, with only 29 previously reported cases in the literature. Primary LELC of the esophagus is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We herein report a 52-year-old man who presented with dysphagia and weight loss and was found to have a polypoid mass in the middle esophagus. Pathologic examination showed LELC. EBV infection was demonstrated by immunohistochemical detection of EBNA-1 in neoplastic cells and polymerase chain reaction amplification for EBNA-3C, BamHI-F, and W1/I1 regions but not by in situ hybridization by EBER-1 transcripts. EBV genotyping analysis demonstrated infection by a novel type "i"/XhoI loss recombinant strain. Although it is accepted that polymorphisms at BamHI-W1/I1 region cosegregate with polymorphisms at XhoI restriction site, this novel recombinant EBV has been identified in healthy donors and in nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma. To our knowledge, this is the first report that describes this recombinant type "i"/XhoI loss EBV strain in a primary LELC of the esophagus.
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    Reprimo as a Potential Biomarker for Early Detection in Gastric Cancer
    (AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH, 2008) Bernal, Carolina; Aguayo, Francisco; Villarroel, Cynthia; Vargas, Macarena; Diaz, Ignacio; Ossandon, Francisco J.; Santibanez, Eudocia; Palma, Mariana; Aravena, Edmundo; Barrientos, Carlos; Corvalan, Alejandro H.
    Purpose: Gastric cancer is a curable disease if diagnosed at early stage. However, most cases are diagnosed at advanced stage because of the lack of screening programs. Therefore, the identification of plasma biomarkers for early detection is necessary.