Looking for a Simplified Diagnostic Model to Identify Potentially Lethal Cases of Prostate Cancer at Initial Diagnosis: An ImGO Pilot Study.

The recurrent genetic anomalies used to classify prostate cancer (PC) into distinct molecular subtypes have limited relevance for clinical practice. In consideration of WHO 2016 histological classification, which includes the introduction of Gleason Score 4 for patients with cribriform component and the definition of intraductal carcinoma as a new entity, a retrospective pilot study was conducted to investigate, by histological review, if there were any variations of Gleason Score and the incidence of intraductal carcinoma and cribriform pattern, intended as "phenotypic" markers of potentially lethal PC, among metastatic castration-sensitive PC (mCSPC) and metastatic castration-resistant PC (mCRPC) samples. Potentially predictive factors were also assessed. Among 125 cases, a variation in the Gleason Score was reported in 26% of cases. A cribriform (36%) or intraductal (2%) pattern was reported in a higher percentage. Of them, a primary Gleason pattern 4 was reported in 80% of cases. All patients with intraductal carcinoma present a BRCA2 mutation, also found in 80% of cases with a cribriform pattern. This pilot study documented some hypothesis-generating data, as the evaluation of de novo mCSPC and mCRPC as phenotypic/biologic model to be translated in clinical practice. A cribriform pattern/intraductal carcinoma might be a marker of potentially lethal PC. The high incidence of TP53 and BRCA2 mutations in de novo mCSPC may also have a therapeutic implication.

Efficacy of tigecycline pleurodesis: a comparative experimental study.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether tigecycline (TIGE) is more effective than talc in inducing pleurodesis in rabbits. METHODS: Fifty-six New Zealand rabbits were utilized in a two-phase study: Effects at 14 d (phase I) and at 28 d (phase II) were assessed. Saline solution (SAL n = 3), talc slurry (TALC 200 mg/kg, n = 5), and TIGE at different concentrations (mg/kg): TIGE0.5 (n = 5); TIGE1 (n = 5); TIGE3 (n = 5); TIGE25 (n = 5); TIGE50 (n = 5) were randomly injected, for each phase, through a right chest drainage. TIGE0.5 and TIGE1 were ineffective during phase I and were thus excluded from further investigation. At post mortem examination, pleurodesis was graded grossly and microscopically by three observers blinded to treatment groups. RESULTS: Phase I: pleurodesis was more effective in TIGE25 and TIGE50 (P < 0.001); TALC was better than TIGE0.5 (P < 0.001), and TIGE1 (P = 0.49), macroscopically. Pleural thickness was significantly higher in TIGE25 compared with SAL, TALC, TIGE0.5, TIGE1, and TIGE3 (P < 0.01). No significant differences were evident between TALC and TIGE3, both macroscopically (P = 0.90) and microscopically (inflammation P = 0.99, fibrosis P = 0.96, pleural thickness P = 0.99). Phase II: better effectiveness of TIGE50 compared with all other groups (P < 0.001) except TIGE 25 (P = 0.29); results similar to phase I for TALC and TIGE3 (P = 0.99), macroscopically. Microscopically greater inflammation in TALC compared with TIGE3 (P < 0.05) and in TIGE50 to TIGE3 (P = 0.05). Significant complications occurred in all TIGE50 group. One of TIGE25 and one of TIGE50 died of respiratory distress and of right hemothorax+ascites, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Intrapleural TIGE3 mg/kg is as effective as talc in inducing pleurodesis in rabbits. The intrapleural TIGE toxicity threshold was reached at TIGE25 mg/kg concentration.

[Solid pseudo-papillary tumor of the pancreas: a case of a big abdominal mass in a young woman]. / Tumore solido pseudo-papillare del pancreas: il caso di una giovane donna con una voluminosa massa addominale.

Solid pseudo-papillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare tumor that occurs predominantly in young women. It often presents as a big abdominal mass whose preoperative diagnosis appears to be difficult. It is a low- grade malignancy tumor and surgery is the mainstay of treatment. The Authors report the case of a 40 year-old woman with an abdominal mass supposed to origin from the mesenterium, diagnosed as a solid pseudo-papillary tumor of the pancreas after histological examination and treated by enucleation. Moreover literature data about epidemiology, histogenesis, diagnosis and treatment are analysed.

Molecular biological analysis of the heterogeneous prostate cancer group Gleason score 7.

BACKGROUND: On the basis of a multicolor-FISH test we aimed at verifying whether there is any molecular biological background for the different behavior of Gleason Score 7 prostate cancer (PCa). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Biopsies of 44 patients with histological verified PCa, 20 with Gleason score 3 + 4 (group A) and 24 with 4 + 3 (group B), were analyzed using FISH. RESULTS: In group A, FISH detected a unique gain of 8q24 in 2 patients (10.0%) and a unique loss of 8p22 in 9 patients (45.0%). No concurrent loss and gain of both sites were found in this group. Of group B (4 + 3) a unique loss of 8p22 was observed in 14 patients (58.3%) and a concurrent loss of 8p22 and gain of 8q24 in 6 patients (25.0%). CONCLUSION: Different molecular genetic patterns could explain the different biological behavior of the 2 groups. The analysis of chromosomal aberrations could therefore influence the clinical decision process in the future.