Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Metabolomic Effects Of Metformin On Colon Cancer, Jennifer W. Harris

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Metformin is an oral biguanide that is prescribed to over 120 million people worldwide for the treatment of conditions including type II diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and gestational diabetes. This hypoglycemic agent is rapidly emerging as a potential cost-effective anti-oncogenic agent. Over the past decade multiple epidemiologic studies have consistently associated metformin with decreased cancer incidence and cancer-related mortality. More recently numerous preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated anti-cancer effects of metformin, leading to the proposal of numerous clinical trials to better understand this drug and its mechanism of action.

Previously experts believed metformin primarily targeted AMP-activated protein kinase …

Are There Delays In Receipt Of Treatment Among Appalachian Kentucky Women With Breast Cancer, Huong Thi Thanh Luu

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Background: Women living in rural and under-resourced Appalachian Kentucky may experience delays in receiving cancer treatment yet such delays have not been systematically evaluated. In this analysis, we hypothesize that women diagnosed with breast cancer who live in Appalachian Kentucky would be more likely to have a treatment delay compared to those living in other Kentucky regions and adjusting for individual measures of socioeconomic status.

Methods: In this cohort study, women included in the Kentucky Cancer Registry with a diagnosis of an incident, primary breast cancer in the prior 12 months were interviewed by phone (n=1,245; response rate 26.9%). Cox …

Clinical And Pathologic Significance Of Integrin Α6Β4 Expression In Human Malignancies, Rachel L. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Integrins are cellular adhesion molecules that bind cells to the extracellular matrix. The integrin α6β4, a receptor for laminins, is predominantly expressed on epithelial cells where it is present at the basal surface adjacent to the basement membrane. This integrin plays a critical role in maintaining normal cellular functions, yet has also been implicated in promoting invasion and metastasis in human malignancies. While overexpression of the integrin α6β4 has been detected in select human cancers, the clinical significance of integrin α6β4 expression in a number of malignancies has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to examine integrin …