REVIEW ARTICLE

CD44 as a potential diagnostic tumor marker

This review of Baskran focuses on CD44 prevalence in cancer cells. It considers tumorigenic behavior of cells that highly express CD44 as an early marker for neoplastic stem cell proliferation. The author discusses multiple examples of tumor, with an emphasis on 2 solid tumors; namely, breast and colon cancer. Tumors of epithelial origin express CD44 in multiple isoforms called variants; some isoforms are related to specific cancer cells. An increase of CD44 specific isoforms is detected in certain leukemic proliferations. He concludes that CD44 could be a diagnostic marker for specific cancer cells. The CD44 also can be employed as a therapeutic alternative for eradicating or sensitizing cancer cells for chemotherapy.

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ORIGINAL ARTICLES

The effects of probiotics on treatment of Helicobacter pylori eradication in children

In this study, Akcam et al found no evidence in terms of eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), or impact on adverse effects obtained after the addition of probiotics to standard treatment. Larger randomized controlled investigations are needed to clearly understand the effects of probiotics on H. pylori eradication. Helicobacter pylori infection was detected in 64.2% children. Their mean age was 13.9±2.7 years. Helicobacter pylori eradication rate was 68.9% in group 1, and 66.6% in group 2 (p=0.78). No statistically significant difference was observed between the 2 groups in terms of side effects. None of the patients developed serious side effects mandating discontinuation of therapy.

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Study design and characteristics of enrolled children in a study on Helicobacter pylori eradication in Turkey

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Oral steroid treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Chen et al describe the efficacy of long-term oral steroids in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL), and to explore potential prognosis factors, the relationship of hearing recovery outcome, and the recovery time-course in ISSHL. The average pure-tone audiometry (PTA) was 67.8±23.9 dB initially, and was improved between one month (51.6±28.7 dB) and 2 months post treatment (49.7±28.6 dB). The average last-visit PTA was 49.9±29.2 dB. Approximately one third of patients had full recovery in hearing, one third had partial recovery, and approximately one third did not recover from hearing loss.

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CASE REPORT

Successful treatment and follow-up of a case of recurrent pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation

Lei et al describes a case of recurrent pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation of the bladder with a satisfactory clinical course after a 3.5-year follow-up. For the primary lesion, a transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TUR-BT) was performed; for the recurrent lesion, a combination regime of TUR-BT and intravesical mitomycin C proved effective treatment. The patient did not suffer local recurrence or distal metastasis during the 3.5-year follow-up.

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Computed tomography scan of the recurrent lesion with a size of 2.0×1.0-cm, as indicated by the arrow. Perivesical invasion was not seen

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