A New Possible Cut-Off of Cytokeratin 19 mRNA Copy Number by OSNA in the Sentinel Node of Breast Cancer Patients to Avoid Unnecessary Axillary Dissection: A 10-Year Experience in a Tertiary Breast Unit.

(1) Background: The main discriminant in breast cancer prognosis is axillary lymph node status. In a select cohort of patients, axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) may be safely spared. This study aimed to determine a new possible cut-off of cytokeratin (CK) 19 mRNA copy number in the SLN to predict cases at high risk of positive ALND. (2) Methods: Clinical records of 1339 patients were retrospectively reviewed and were separated into two groups according to the axillary status (negative: ALNs- and positive ALNs+). Receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify a new optimal cut-off of CK19 mRNA copy number in SLN; (3) Results: Large tumor size and high grade were found mostly in ALNs+. Results from the ROC analyses, with an AUC of 82.1%, identified a new cut-off (9150 CK19 mRNA copies) showing 94% sensitivity, 67.3% specificity, 61.2% positive, and 95.3% negative predictive values; (4) OSNA remains the most-important intra-operative tool to identify patients who can benefit from ALND but with the traditional cut-off, many patients undergo needless ALND. The results of the present study suggest a new cut-off helpful to personalize surgical treatment and avoid unnecessary invasive procedures.

Osteoclast-like stromal giant cells in invasive ductal breast cancer: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: Breast Cancer with osteoclast-like stromal giant cells (OLGCs) is a rare pattern of invasive non-special type ductal carcinoma. The OLGCs are specific type of macrophage and are likely distinct from true osteoclasts. The aim of this case series was to describe the characteristics of this invasive ductal carcinoma rare histotype. PRESENTATION OF CASES: The authors present the cases of two young women that, during national screening, discovered with mammography X-ray a breast lump suspected for malignancy. The core needle biopsy confirmed the malignancy of both nodule and in one patient the histological analysis revealed pre-operative OLGCs. In both cases the sentinel lymph node biopsy was negative therefore a quadrantectomy without axillary lymphadenectomy was done. The definitive histopathological examination was positive for invasive ductal carcinoma with OLGCs and CD 68 marker positivity. After surgery, patients underwent adjuvant therapy and multidisciplinary follow-up. DISCUSSION: The origin and mechanism for developing osteoclast-like giant cells is unknown. The OLGCs directly descend from the precursors of the monocyte-macrophage. The rarity of this entity often promotes a misleading diagnosis, with >50 % of erroneous diagnosis of benign lesion. The prognostic significance of OLGCs in breast cancer is controversial, however it doesn't seem to influence the axillary lymph nodes spread. The presence of preoperative OLGCs didn't modify our surgical and oncological approach. CONCLUSION: Breast Cancer with OLGCs is a rare tumour that has a similar prognosis to other carcinomas of identical grade and stage in most cases. The rarity and characteristics of this neoplasm require personalized treatments, discussed by a multidisciplinary team.

Outcome and risk factors for local recurrence after breast conserving surgery in patients affected by ductal carcinoma in situ.

BACKGROUND: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a tumor with long term survival and low local recurrence rate. Although the progression of these lesions is rare, the current guidelines recommend breast conservating surgery (BCS) with adjuvant radio and/or endocrine therapy, often resulting in an overtreatment for patients. The aim of this single-center study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of the breast conservating surgery of DCIS followed by adjuvant radio and/or endocrine therapy and to identify prognostic factors associated with the risk of recurrence. METHODS: Patients treated for DCIS with BCS and radiation therapy between March 2006 and January 2019 were retrospectively reviewed using a prospectively maintained database. Analysis of the potential risk factors was performed to evaluate the risk of subsequent ipsilateral and contralateral recurrence. RESULTS: Out of 2894 patients, two hundred eighty-eight (10%) patients were treated for DCIS. After a median follow-up of 85 months (IQR 27-124), the incidence of recurrence was 6% (18 patients). Nine of them (3%) had an ipsilateral local recurrence (LR) with a median disease-free survival of 19 months (IQR 12-35). The remaining nine patients had contralateral metachronous breast cancer (CBC) with a median DFS of 29 months (IQR 14-36). Margin status, multifocality, hormone receptor status and Her-2/Basal-like subtype were identified as risk factors for the local recurrence with a OR of 5.58 (1.44-21.54), 7.46(1.89-24.48) 0.25 (0.06-0.96) and 4.86 (1.26-18.71) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DCIS had been confirmed to have long term survival. Margin status, multifocality, hormone receptor status and Her-2/Basal-like subtype could be identified as reliable risk factors for the progression of the disease.

[Isoperistaltic endoluminal drainage (IED) in the surgical treatment of upper digestive tract dehiscence]. / Il drenaggio endoluminale isoperistaltico nel trattamento chirurgico delle deiscenze nel tratto alimentare superiore.

Dehiscence of upper gastrointestinal sutures still remains a severe clinical problem and often requires complex surgical repair. Despite its multifactorial aetiopathogenesis, endoluminal pressure seems to play an important role in the onset and maintenance of this complication. The efficacy of isoperistaltic endoluminal drainage (IED) in the operative treatment or prevention of upper gastrointestinal surgical dehiscence was assessed in a retrospective study. The IED procedure is obtained by means of a two-way nasogastric tube inserted in the proximal jejunum through the abdominal and advanced to the site of the leak in order to achieve low endovisceral pressure, normal intestinal free flow downstream of the lesion and monitoring of the healing process. Over the past decade 31 patients (mean age 62 years; 52.9% male) with postoperative dehiscences of the thoraco-abdominal oesophagus, stomach or duodenum underwent reintervention. During the surgical repair an IED was inserted in 17, while no IED was inserted in 14 (NOIED): the two groups were well matched for age, gender, primary pathology, site and type of leak. The overall operative mortality (30 days) was 16% (12.5% IED vs. 20% NOIED), and morbidity was 45% (37.5% IED vs. 53.3% NOIED). The rate of leak relapse was significantly different: 6% IED vs. 20% NOIED. In the last 5 years the IED procedure has also been used preventively with promising outcomes in another 16 other high-risk upper gastrointestinal suture patients. The results of this retrospective study appear to support the use of the IED procedure to minimize the risk of failure of the suture/anastomosis in upper gastrointestinal surgery. Other studies are needed to validate the efficacy of this supplementation of surgical treatment.

The mckittrick-wheelock syndrome: a rare cause of severe hydroelectrolyte disorders and acute renal failure.

The McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome is a rare cause of severe hydroelectrolyte disorders and fluid depletion as a result of rectal tumor hypersecretion, which can lead to acute renal failure. We report the case of a 70-year-old female who presented with hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypochloremia, and acute renal failure, due to a watery, mucinous diarrhea. A large rectal villous adenoma was discovered on ileocolonoscopy, and definitive management was achieved by removal of the tumor. In conclusion, reversal of the biochemical derangement is the cornerstone of successful management of the McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome. Then, immediate surgical resection of the tumor is the treatment of choice.