Breast Cancer and p16: Role in Proliferation, Malignant Transformation and Progression.

The definition of new molecular biomarkers could provide a more reliable approach in predicting the prognosis of invasive breast cancers (IBC). The aim of this study is to analyze the expression of p16 protein in IBC, as well as its participation in malignant transformation. The study included 147 patients diagnosed with IBC. The presence of non-invasive lesions (NIL) was noted in each IBC and surrounding tissue. p16 expression was determined by reading the percentage of nuclear and/or cytoplasmic expression in epithelial cells of IBC and NIL, but also in stromal fibroblasts. Results showed that expression of p16 increases with the progression of cytological changes in the epithelium; it is significantly higher in IBC compared to NIL (p < 0.0005). Cytoplasmic p16 expression is more prevalent in IBC (76.6%), as opposed to nuclear staining, which is characteristic of most NIL (21.1%). There is a difference in p16 expression between different molecular subtypes of IBC (p = 0.025). In the group of p16 positive tumors, pronounced mononuclear infiltrates (p = 0.047) and increased expression of p16 in stromal fibroblasts (p = 0.044) were noted. In conclusion, p16 protein plays an important role in proliferation, malignant transformation, as well as in progression from NIL to IBC.

Correlation of Clinicopathological Characteristics of Breast Carcinoma and Depression.

The prevalence of depression among women with breast cancer (BC) is extremely variable in research studies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depressive disorder in women suffering from BC as well as to examine its relationship with clinical-pathological and immunophenotypic characteristics of BC. The study included 194 patients with BC who were diagnosed with the disease between 2009 and 2015 in the Clinical Center Kragujevac, Serbia. Pathohistological and immunohistochemical analyses was used on the material obtained after the surgical removal of breast tumors, determining all significant clinical and morphological parameters. The level of depression among the examinees confirmed that the differences in the level of depression between the histological grades were statistically significant. According to the univariate binary logistic regression, the depression of a patient correlates with the category of molecular tumor subtype/Luminal A (p < 0.0005), PR expression (p = 0.050) and lymphatic invasion (p = 0.025). Multivariate binary logistic regression showed that the onset of depression associated with the present molecular subtype of the tumor of a worse prognostic character (p = 0.019). Depression is a common disorder in women with breast cancer. The level of depression is correlates with some of the clinicоmorphological and immunophenotypic characteristics of BC.

Hypercalcemic type of small cell carcinoma of the ovary.

INTRODUCTION: Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma is a rare, prognostically bad tumor category. Primary, it can be localized in every organ, even in the ovary, where, due to its clinical specificities, it represents a challenge in diagnosis, as well as in therapy. Small cell ovarian carcinoma (SCOC) is biologically very aggressive malignant tumor of unknown histogenesis. We presented a rare case of SCOC with hypercalcemia of aggressive course and fatal outcome in a postmenopausal woman at International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Ia stage. CASE REPORT: A 60-year-old woman, Caucasian, came to the doctor because of discomfort in the lower abdomen and pain of greater intensity in last few days. Ultrasound examination and CT scan of the abdomen confirmed the presence of large adnexal masses of cystic-solid appearance with the largest diameter of 13 cm, regular structure of the other gynecological organs, without verifying the existence of metastatic deposits. All the results of laboratory analysis gave normal values, except for calcium, which was elevated. Explorative laparotomy with complete hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, dissection of lymph nodes and omentectomy were conducted. Based on pathohistological analysis of the operative material, SCOC at FIGO Ia stage was diag- nosed. No complications were observed in a postsurgery period and after 10 days the patient was discharged in a good condition and with normal calcemia. The treatment was continued with concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, in spite of overall treatment, the disease progressed, and the patient died of disseminated metastatic disease, 26 months after the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Small cell carcinoma localized in the ovary is generally a tumor category with bad prognosis depending on the stage of the disease.

Dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Dysplasia epphysealis hemimelica, also known as Trevor's disease, is an extremely rare skeletal developmental disorder of unknown etiology, characterized by an osteocartilaginous outgrowth of one or more epiphyses or of a tarsal bone during childhood. CASE REPORT: We presented a sporadic case of dysplasia Epipysealis hemimelica developed in the talus. A 6-year-old boy complained of swelling of his right ankle joint, with painful and reduced movements. Radiographies suggested excessive overgrowth of the dorsomedial aspect of the talus. The tumor was surgically excised and the gross and histological findings were consistent with those of osteochondroma. CONCLUSION: Dysplasia epphysealis hemimelica is diagnosed by clinical, radiographic and histopathological examination. Early diagnosis is important for the condition to be treated before the deformity becomes disabling.

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and microvascular density assessment in different histotypes of basal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor microvascular density (MVD) in different histotypes of basal cell skin carcinoma (BCC). METHODS: We used a total 101 histological archival specimens, including superficial, nodular, cystic, keratinocytic, adenoid infiltrative types and cases of metatypical BCC. Routine hematoxylin/eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemical ABC method with NOT AE1/AE3, anti VEGF anti CD34 antibodies were used. VEGF expression in tumor cells was studied in relation to the BCC histotype and demographic characteristics. For statistical analysis ANOVA (F test), Student's t-test, and Karl Pearson coefficient were used. RESULTS: VEGF expression was significantly lower in the superficial histotype compared to all other types of BCC. No significant difference in VEGF expression between infiltrative, metatypical, adenoid and nodular types was found, but the highest expression of VEGF was seen in the infiltrative and metatypical types. Significantly higher MVD was found in infiltrative, adenoid, metatypical and nodular types. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the angiogenic potential of BCC correlated with tumor histotype, and histological growth pattern BCC enable distinction of the patients with increased risk of recurrence and / or metastasis.