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.
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 number 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 conclusions 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 T-LAK 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.
References
Adorno, G. & Brownell, G. (2014). Understanding Quality-of-Life While Living with Late- Stage Lung Cancer: An Exploratory Study, Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care, 10:2, 127-148
Huang, Q. and Ouyang, X. (2013). Predictive biochemical-markers for the development of brain metastases from lung cancer: Clinical evidence and future directions. Cancer Epidemiology. 37: 703-707.
Shih, M., Chen, J., Wu, Y., Jan, Y., Yang, B., Lu, P., Cjheng, H., Huang, M., Yang, C., Hsiao, M. and Lai, J. (2012). TOPK/PBK promotes cell migration via modulation of the PI3K/PTEN/ AKT pathway and is associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer. Oncogene. 31: 2389-2400.
