Overexpression of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 4 (PEBP4) associates with recurrence of meningiomas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Abnormal expression of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 4 (PEBP4) has been identified in various types of malignant tumors. In the present study, we investigated the expression of PEBP4 in meningioma cases and examined whether PEBP4 expression was correlated with outcomes among these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression levels of PEBP4 and Ki-67 in human meningioma tissues from 65 patients were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between PEBP4 immunoreactivity in meningioma samples and patients' clinical outcomes was examined using the Kruskal-Wallis correlation test. The prognostic value of PEBP4 expression in meningiomas patients also was investigated. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed up-regulated PEBP4 expression in both atypical and anaplastic meningiomas compared with classical meningiomas (13.38 ± 4.19% vs. 3.64 ± 2.04%, P < 0.001). PEBP4 immunoreactivity in meningioma samples was closely correlated with that for Ki-67 (Spearman r = 0.7922, P < 0.0001). PEBP4 expression was also associated with tumor differentiation grade and clinical recurrence (P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed with high PEBP4 expression was associated with a longer recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio=0.252, 95% confidence interval: 0.067-0.940, P = 0.040). CONCLUSION: PEBP4 may play an important role in the progression of meningioma, as high PEBP4 expression was associated with a higher pathological grade of meningioma. Moreover, PEBP4 expression may be a meaningful prognostic biomarker in meningioma.

Perigastric Hyaline-Vascular Variant Castleman's Disease.

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare chronic lymphoproliferative disease with unknown etiology and pathogenesis disease. When the lesion is located in the mediastinum, the diagnosis of CD is easy. However, if the lesion presents as a perigastric mass mimicking other subserosal gastric mesenchymal tumors, the diagnosis can be challenging. As few sonographic manifestations of hyaline-vascular variant CD, especially contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging, as well as computed tomography (CT) and histopathological imaging, have been reported in literature, this case may provide a vivid example of a comprehensive CEUS and CT usage in the diagnosis and surgery with regard to CD. This report presents a case of a 50-year-old female diagnosed with hyaline-vascular variant CD in a random physical examination, the ultrasound examination first revealed a 24.3 mm × 15.4 mm hypoechogenic lesion abutting the stomach, esophagus, and liver, which was under the suspicion of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Following a series of medical examinations, including CEUS, CT, postoperative histopathological examination, and immunohistochemical analysis, the patient was diagnosed with hyaline-vascular variant unicentric CD. After the mass was completely excised through laparoscopic surgery, the woman recovered very well without recurrence during a follow-up period of 15 months. Thus, mastering ultrasound and CT-imaging characteristics of CD and applying ultrasound and CT examination together would do help to preoperative diagnosis.

[Superiority of modified method in urine drainage for hypospadias repair: a 20 years' experience with 864 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To explore an ideal urine drainage method and new urethral secretions of hypospadias repair. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed 864 cases of hypospadias undergoing hypospadias repair and different post-operative urine drainages. The patients were divided into 5 groups based on the methods of urine drainage. RESULTS: The rates of such complications as cystospasm, infection of incisional wound and urinary fistula were as follows: modified method group: 2.86%, 3.33%, 1.90%; 3-tube method group: 10.77%, 11.54%, 8.46%; He's method group: 20.89%, 15.04%, 9.75%; traditional method group: 36.25%, 41.25%, 37.50%; 1-tube method group: 56.47%, 58.82%, 48.23%. The modified method was significantly better than all the other four methods (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As an ideal drainage method of urine and new urethral secretions of hypospadias repair, the modified method boosts the success ratio of hypospadias repair.