Lutetium 177-DOTA-TATE therapy for esthesioneuroblastoma: A case report.

Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB), also known as olfactory neuroblastoma, is a rare malignant tumor that accounts for 3% of all tumors of the nasal cavity. The incidence of ENB is 0.4 cases per million in the general population, and the most common symptoms are nasal obstruction and epistaxis. Previous studies have indicated the presence of somatostatin receptors in this tumor type. Common treatment strategies for ENB include resection and adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy (combined treatment); however, the rate of recurrence is high. Treatment of neuroendocrine tumors using radionuclides bound to somatostatin analogues is well established in clinical practice. However, a standard and effective therapeutic approach has not been reported for ENB. The current study described the case of a 74-year-old female with numerous recurrences of ENB following multiple treatments and without possibility of resection. The patient was treated with the radiolabeled-somatostatin analogue, 177Lutetium-DOTA-octreotate (177Lu-DOTA-TATE), which successfully controlled the disease. This suggests that 177Lu-DOTA-TATE is a potential treatment for ENB and may represent an effective alternative and novel therapeutic strategy for this disease.

Prognostic significance of monocarboxylate transporter expression in oral cavity tumors.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common type of cancer. The majority of patients present advanced stage disease and has poor survival. Therefore, it is imperative to search for new biomarkers and new alternative and effective treatment options. Most cancer cells rely on aerobic glycolysis to generate energy and metabolic intermediates. This phenotype is a hallmark of cancer, characterized by an increase in glucose consumption and production of high amounts of lactate. Consequently, cancer cells need to up-regulate many proteins and enzymes related with the glycolytic metabolism. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize metabolic phenotype of oral cavity cancers (OCC) by assessing the expression pattern of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) 1, 2 and 4 and other proteins related with the glycolytic phenotype. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of MCT1, MCT4, CD147, GLUT1 and CAIX in 135 human samples of OCC and investigated the correlation with clinicopathological parameters and the possible association with prognosis. RESULTS: We observed that all proteins analyzed presented significantly higher plasma membrane expression in neoplastic compared to non-neoplastic samples. MCT4 was significantly associated with T-stage and advanced tumoral stage, while CD147 was significantly correlated with histologic differentiation. Interestingly, tumors expressing both MCT1 and MCT4 but negative for MCT2 were associated with shorter overall survival. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of MCT1/4, CD147, GLUT1 and CAIX, supports previous findings of metabolic reprograming in OCC, warranting future studies to explore the hyper-glycolytic phenotype of these tumors. Importantly, MCT expression revealed to have a prognostic value in OCC survival.

Antecedentes familiares de primeiro e segundo graus como fatores de risco para o câncer de mama: estudo caso-controle / First and second degree family history as a risk factor for breast cancer: a case-control study

Objetivo: No Brasil, observa-se significativo aumento na incidência do câncer de mama nos últimos anos. A história familiar positiva para câncer de mama é importante fator de risco para desenvolvimento dessa patologia. Conhecer fatores de risco para esse câncer é de grande importância para detecção e orientação precoce de famílias de alto risco. Método: Trata-se de estudo epidemiológico, retrospectivo, caso-controle, abrangendo instituições-referência para tratamento oncológico em Alagoas, Brasil, no período de janeiro de 2002 a abril de 2008. Foram incluídas mulheres entre 25 e 75 anos. A amostra foi constituída de 244 casos com confirmação histológica para câncer de mama e 276 controles com mamografia sem características de malignidade (BI-RADS 1 e 2) ou mamografia inconclusiva (BI-RADS 0) com ultrassonografia complementar e exame clínico normais. Resultados: Neste estudo, história familiar positiva de primeiro e/ou segundo graus de câncer de mama aumentou o risco de desenvolvimento dessa patologia (OR: 2,52; IC 95%: 1,53-4,21; p < 0,01). Dessas mulheres, 39% possuíam história familiar positiva de primeiro grau, 57%, antecedente familiar de segundo grau e 4%, história familiar de primeiro e segundo graus. A história familiar de primeiro grau isolada de câncer de mama aumentou o risco de desenvolvimento dessa patologia (OR: 3,81; IC 95%: 1,72-9,16; p < 0,01), enquanto a análise isolada da história familiar de segundo grau comportou-se como fator de risco, porém de maneira não estatisticamente significativa (OR: 1,89; IC 95%: 1,03-3,51; p = 0,0503). Conclusão: História familiar positiva para câncer de mama aumentou o risco de desenvolvimento dessa doença, entretanto, a história familiar de segundo grau isolada não foi estatisticamente significativa.

Objective: A relevant increase of breast cancer incidence was observed in Brazil in the last few years. An important risk factor for developing breast cancer is a positive family history of this disease. Method: The knowledge of breast cancer risk factors is a big step towards a meaningful preventive intervention. His is an epidemiological, retrospective, case-control study, involving institutions listed as reference for cancer treatment in Alagoas, Brazil during the period between January 2002 and April 2008. Women aged between 25 and 75 years old were included. He sample involved 244 cases with histological confirmation for breast cancer and 276 controls free of malignant characteristics at mammography (BI-RADS 1 and 2) or inconclusive mammography (BI-RADS 0) with normal ultrasound and clinical examination. Results: First and second degree family history of breast cancer increased the risk of breast neoplasm in our study (OR: 2.52; 95% CI 1.53-4.21; P < 0.01). According to our research, 39% of all woman with family history of breast cancer present only first degree family history, 57% only present second degree and 4% present both degrees. An isolated first degree family history increased risk of this cancer (OR: 3.81; 95% CI 1.72-9,16; p < 0.01), but isolated second degree history doesn't behave as a risk factor of this neoplasm (OR: 1.89; 95% IC 1.03-3.51; p = 0.0503). Conclusion: Patient reported of first degree family history of breast cancer increases the risk of developing disease. Isolated second degree history of breast cancer was a risk factor for acquire this neoplasm, but was not statistically significant, in our study.