Cancer cell of origin is difficult to identify by analyzing cells within terminal stage tumors, whose identity could be concealed by the acquired plasticity. Thus, an ideal approach to identify the cell of origin is to analyze proliferative abnormalities in distinct lineages prior to malignancy. Here, we use mosaic analysis with double markers (MADM) in mice to model gliomagenesis by initiating...

•Usual-type VIN is an HPV-associated premalignant condition that can affect immunocompromised patients and may have multifocal, multicentric involvement.•Immunocompromised patients who may be poor surgical candidates, and in whom topical modalities may prove ineffective, treatment remains a challenge.•We present such a patient in whom sinecatechin was successfully used as an alternative to less...

Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are increasingly recognized due to the frequent use of abdominal imaging. It is reported that up to 20% of abdominal cross-sectional scans identify incidental asymptomatic pancreatic cysts. Proper characterization of pancreatic cystic neoplasms is important not only to recognize premalignant lesions that will require surgical resection, but also to allow nonoper...

The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway has a tumor suppressor role in normal and premalignant cells but promotes oncogenesis in advanced cancer cells. Components of the pathway are tightly controlled by ubiquitin modifying enzymes and aberrations in these enzymes are frequently observed to dysregulate the pathway causing diseases such as bone disorders, cancer and metastasis. These en...

The Isaacs cell sampler was tested in 150 women (102 of them postmenopausal) referred for curettage. The results of cytological testing of material obtained with the sampler were compared with histological findings from curettage performed immediately afterwards. Satisfactory aspirates for cytological diagnoses were obtained in 141 patients and satisfactory material for histological diagnosis i...

Müllerianosis is an embryonic Müllerian disease, resulting in the formation of the benign diseases adenomyosis, endometriosis, endosalpingiosis, and endocervicosis. Endocervicosis primarily affects the bladder, and rarely the cervix. Cervical endocervicosis, which is also a pseudoneoplastic glandular lesion, could be misinterpreted as a premalignant or even a malignant lesion. Because the treat...

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a common premalignant plasma cell proliferative disorder with a lifelong risk of progression to multiple myeloma. Because myeloma is an incurable malignancy, strategies to delay or prevent progression in high-risk patients are of considerable importance.

Oral squamous Papillomas appear as pedunculated or sessile, white or normal colored cauliflowerlike projections that arise from the mucosal surface. The most common site is the palateuvula area followed by tongue and lips. The etiology remains unknown. Conservative surgical excision is the treatment of choice with rare recurrence. There is no evidence that papillomas are premalignant.

Because the response of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents depends upon the supporting extracellular matrix (ECM), the response in vivo may not be reproduced in 2-dimensional cell culture. The dose-response to curcumin and two derivatives by bladder cancer cells grown on both normal (SISgel) and cancer-derived ECM (Matrigel) and on plastic were contrasted. Cells grown on Matrigel were resi...

This perspective on the report by Benchekroun et al. in this issue of the journal (beginning on page 800) examines new studies of factors in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) axis (including copy number alterations at the EGFR locus) that potentially predict the development of oral cancer; this work was conducted in a chemoprevention trial cohort of patients with oral premalignant les...