Introduction
Cancer is a disease that is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The
Prognosis of the diseases in many of the patients is also poor (Adorno & Brownell, 2014). The
Economic cost involved in treating the conditions and other factors serve as an incentive for studies into approaches for the identification of high risk people. The development of brain metastases in patients diagnosed with lung cancer further amplifies the disease burden (Adorno & Brownell, 2014). This paper summarizes two articles in which the authors present content on the use markers in the identification of high risk populations.
Summary of Articles
The article by Huang & Ouyang (2013) based on the knowledge of the bidirectional relationship between lung cancer and brain metastases. Brain metastases are commonly caused by lung cancer. Brain metastases also among the prevalent complications among the patients diagnosed with brain cancer. Huang & Ouyang (2013) also find that even after multimodal therapy has been intensively performed on an individual with brain metastases, the prognosis onwards is still poor and the rate of morbidity is high. This underscores the need to identify the patients who are diagnosed with lung cancer and are predisposed to a high risk of brain metastases.
Huang & Ouyang (2013) reckon that the early identification of the high-risk people can enable the implementation of interventions with an aim of reducing or delaying the occurrence of brain metastases. Huang & Ouyang (2013) explored the use of biochemical-markers to follow the mechanisms of the development of brain metastases in patients. The data used by the authors was collected from various databases including Cochrane databases, Pubmed. The authors also considered other peer-reviewed articles that featured ‘brain metastases’ and ‘lung cancer’ as key words.
Huang & Ouyang (2013) cautioned that the use of biochemical-markers were not replacements for the other methods of assessing brain metastases. Huang & Ouyang (2013) also recommend further research using prospective randomized trial approach in order to determine the effectiveness of biochemical-markers.
Although through a different approach, the article by Shih et al., (2012) lung cancer and brain metastases. The researcher used an analytical approach to identify a kinase on data sets containing gene expression profiles. The identified kinase from the four data sets was the T-LAK Cell-Originated Protein Kinase. Shih et al., (2012) also found that the kinase was the putative gene that was responsible for the promotion of metastases. The article also highlights the efforts of the authors in establishing the role that the kinase played in lung cancer. The overexpression of the kinase not caused the body cells where the expression of the kinase was low and the lung fibro blasts to be invaded.
The researchers analyzed samples drawn from cancerous cells in the lungs using the
immunohistochemical approach. The researchers found a strong correlation between the numbers
of survivors whose lung cancer had gone to remission and the degree of expression of the T-LAK Cell-Originated Protein Kinase. Shih et al., (2012) also found an inverse correlation between the number of survivors whose lung cancer had gone to remission and a combination of a low expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog and a high expression of the T-LAK Cell-Originated Protein Kinase when controlled for pathologic staging factors. The conclusion of the authors is that the T-LAK Cell-Originated Protein Kinase has a therapeutic effect in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. This is achieved by modulating the various signaling pathways. The researchers also concluded that the high expression of the TLAK
Cell-Originated Protein Kinase in itself or when it coincides with the low expression of
phosphatase and tensin homolog can be used as prognostic markers in exploring lung cancer.
The Connection between the Articles
The two articles are connected in that the two sets of authors explore the early identification of the development of cancerous cells through the use of markers. The authors find that markers, whether biochemical or otherwise, can be used to closely monitor the development of cancerous cells. This will enable the identification of the patients who are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer. The markers can also be used to development of brain metastases.
Considering the poor prognosis of brain metastases and the fact that it is associated with high rates of morbidity, the efforts of the two authors point towards a way through which interventions can be implemented early thereby reducing its progression and severity or the likelihood of development.
Conclusion
The researchers in both articles have shown that markers can be used effectively for the early identification of the high risk groups. Whether the use of markers can achieve valid and reliable results, further research is required in order to determine the reliability and validity of this approach. This is the recommendation made by one of the authors.
Articles Summary Revision
In the article, “Predictive Biochemical-markers for the development of brain metastases from Lung Cancer: Clinical Evidence and Future Direction”, Ouyang Xuenong and Qian Huang focuses on a meta-analysis/review of various sources of data. The sources of data selected for this review have been accessed from Cochrane and Pubmed databases. The objective of this review is to understand the relationship between lung cancer and brain metatastases. Besides, Qian and Ouyang through the data review aspire to understand and explicate the relationship between brain metastases and other health-related problems such as morbidity and poor prognosis. According to Qian Huang and Ouyang Xuenong, Brain metastases are frequent challenges experienced by patients suffering from lung cancer (Qian, and Ouyang, 704). In fact, Qian and Ouyang assert that lung cancer is one of the most apparent causes of brain metastases. In this article, the authors also discuss the significance of identifying lung cancer patients, particularly those that are risk of suffering from brain metastases. Also, the article exposes readers to the pertinence of developing intervention measures for patients suffering from lung cancer, especially those who are at risk of brain metastases. The intervention measure recommended by Qian and Ouyang is the application of the concept of effect-intervention to reduce the occurrence of brain metastases. In their discussion, they also recommend the application of biochemical markers to ensure that unmet needs through following patients’ brain metastases mechanisms. The other imperative issue mentioned in the article is the strategy through which Qian and Ouyang applied to access the information. For instance, they indicate that the information was accessed from the Cochrane and Pubmed databases by searching major terms like “brain metastases” and “Lung Cancer”.
Consequently, Qian and Ouyang present the results of their data review, arguing that, clinical results showing circulating and pathological markers including single nucleotide polymorphisms, cancer molecular subtypes, miRNA and other markers have been presented. However, in their conclusion, these markers have not been clinically established as standard assessment for the detection of brain metastases. They also mention in the conclusion that biochemical markers presented in various reports have enabled medical practitioners to identify individuals suffering from lung cancer, especially those who are at risk of developing brain metastases. They finally suggested that further research should be clinical performed to evaluate the efficacy of biochemical-markers. Lung cancer appears to be a major health problem and this is the reason researchers in another article, “TOPK/PBK Promotes Cell Migration via Modulation of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT Pathway and is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Lung Cancer”, M-C Shih, Y-C Wu and B-M Yang et al exposes their readers to discussion concerning a research performed to understand the role of TOPK in Lung Cancer development. The authors begin their discussion by describing the methodologies that were used to understand the manner in which TOPK stimulates the development of lung cancer (Shih, et al, 2390). The article also expounds on the manner in which Non-Small cell lung cancer is a major cause of lung cancer development for over 80 percent of patients suffering from lung cancer. Through an integration of four gene expression data sets, the authors of this article managed to understand the correlation that exist between TOPK and lung cancer development among a significant number of people.
M-C Shih, Y-C Wu and B-M Yang et al in this article provides a comprehensive discussion of their results, mentioning that, the reduction of TOPK-mediated PTEN stimulates the upward migration of PI3K/AKT, hence facilitating the occurrence of lung cancer. Besides, the authors indicate in the results of their study that high levels of TOPK have a positive correlation with a reduced as well as overall health survival. In their conclusion, the authors assert that many healthcare stakeholders focus on TOPK as a therapeutic target in the development of lung cancer because it promotes the rapid migration of AKT/PTEN/PI3K.
Explanation of the Revisions made in the Above Summaries
One of the revisions that have been made in the summaries is that, the revised paper has been presented in a manner that it begins by identifying the major objective of the article. In this revision, I have provided a brief discussion regarding the reasons Qian and Ouyang published the article. This has been achieved by mentioning that the purpose of the article was to explicate the results of a meta-data review performed by the two authors to identify the correlation between Lung Cancer and Brain Metastases. In this revision, I have also included a summary of the techniques that were applied by the authors in the access of the data reviewed, leading to the presentation of their arguments. Besides, the corrected or revised paper has also incorporated information indicating the assertion of the authors that it is imperative to identifying patients suffering from lung cancer, especially those who are at risk of developing brain metastases. Also, the revised summary presents the recommendations that have been made by Qian and Ouyang about the most appropriate strategies that should be applied by future stakeholders in the prevention of Brain Metastases. It is imperative to acknowledge that this information was not provided in the initial articles summary.
The other revision made regarding the summaries is that the relationship between the two articles has been mentioned. That is, it appears that lung cancer is a major health-related problem experienced by patients and medical practitioners. This could be the reason Qian and Ouyang as well as M-C Shih, Y-C Wu and B-M Yang et al in their discussion focus on lung cancer related issues. It short be noted that in the second summary, the objective of the authors in the development of the article has also been mentioned, although this was not captured in the initial summaries. Consequently, I have provided definitions/descriptions of certain major terms that were not defined initially such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, cancer molecular subtypes, and the miRNA.
Works Cited
Huang, Qian, and Xuenong Ouyang. "Predictive biochemical-markers for the development of brain metastases from lung cancer: clinical evidence and future directions." Cancer epidemiology 37.5 (2013): 703-707.
Shih, M. C., et al. "TOPK/PBK promotes cell migration via modulation of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT pathway and is associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer." Oncogene 31.19 (2012): 2389-2400.
