Functional studies will be worthwhile for investigation of its role in liver cancer recurrence and metastases. To examine the precise molecular mechanism of Pyk2 in liver cancer metastasis www.selleckchem.com/products/Tipifarnib(R115777).html and the possible pathways involved, we are currently conducting a series of in vitro and in vivo studies. Further studies will be needed to explore the potential therapies targeting at Pyk2 in liver cancer recurrence and metastases. Acknowledgments This project was supported by Seed funding for basic research and CERG grant, the University of Hong Kong.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors, formerly classified as leiomyomas or leiomyosarcomas, constitute the most common form of mesenchymal tumor in the gastrointestinal tract, with the stomach being the most common site of origin (1).

The diagnosis of these tumors became feasible through the application of CD117 immunohistochemistry, which allows these neoplasms to be distinguished from leiomyomas or leiomyosarcomas (2). Moreover, the recently developed KIT-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (STI 571, imatinib [Gleevec], Novartis, Basel, Switzerland) has dramatically improved the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (3). The radiologic findings of gastrointestinal stromal tumors were recently described in the radiologic literature (1, 4-8), and are ostensibly similar to those of the previously described leiomyomas or leiomyosarcomas (9). The characteristic features of this disease are its recurrence at the primary site and the presence of metastases, primarily in the liver and the peritoneum (4).

Recently, it was reported that the hepatic metastases in patients treated with imatinib resembled cystic lesions (10-12). In line with these observations, our findings indicate that when gastrointestinal stromal tumors are treated with imatinib, the intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases come to have a homogeneous or almost homogeneous low density, simulating cystic masses or ascites on CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS From May 2001 to December 2003, 11 patients with intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumor were treated with imatinib. Their mean age was 50 years, ranging from 34 to 68 years, and all were men. The mean time between the initial diagnosis of the gastrointestinal stromal tumor and the diagnosis of metastases was 19 months (range, 7-38 months).

The primary sites were the stomach (n=5), the small bowel (n=3), the rectum (n=1), and the mesentery (n=2). In all patients, the primary tumors were removed Anacetrapib by curative surgery. The presence of metastatic lesions was confirmed by biopsy (n=5) or radiologic studies and clinical follow-up (n=6). The criterion for the diagnosis of metastasis was the presence of new lesions detected in the follow-up CT scan, which were not detected in the initial CT scan and which changed in size on the follow-up CT scan after imatinib treatment.