Identification of JAK2V617F in patients with polycythemia is highly correlated with conventional criteria for diagnosis of polycythemia vera.

One hundred and forty four patients with a clinical indication of suspected polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia, or idiopathic myelofibrosis were screened for JAK2(V617F) and the mutation frequency was 47, 51, and 50%, respectively. Previous investigations enabled 42 of 66 patients with suspected PV to be definitively diagnosed either as PV according to WHO criteria or to have this diagnosis excluded. Ninety-six percent of those with PV were JAK2(V617F), whereas all patients without PV did not have the mutation.

The angiogenic switch for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence during colorectal cancer progression.

Angiogenesis is essential for tumour growth and metastasis. It is controlled by angiogenic factors, one of the most important being vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A. Although its role has been demonstrated in many tumour types including colorectal carcinoma (CRC), the importance of the newer family members in adenoma, invasive tumour growth, and progression to a metastatic phenotype has been poorly characterized in CRC.