RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by the accumulation of apparently mature B-type lymphocytes in the lymphohematopoietic organs. Methylation in promoters of tumor suppressor genes is one of the mechanisms that causes blood malignancy. In this study, we evaluated the promoter DNA methylation status of miR-129-2 tumor suppressor gene and its association with clinical and laboratory parameters of patients with CLL. METHODS: We studied the promoter DNA methylation frequency of the miR-129-2 gene in 50 patients with CLL and 50 healthy controls using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction methods. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS-18 software, and a p-value < 0.050 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The frequency of promoter DNA methylation of the miR-129-2 gene was significantly higher in the CLL group compared with control group (38.0% vs. 0.0%, p < 0.001; χ2 = 23.457). The promoter DNA methylation frequency of miR-129-2 gene was not significantly different between the two sexes (p = 0.236). A significant but weak correlation was seen between the methylated state of the miR-129-2 gene and organomegaly (p = 0.019, r = 0.330) as well as hemoglobin levels (p = 0.020, r = -0.233). However, binary logistic regression analysis indicated organomegaly as the only clinical biomarker with a statistically significant association with the hypermethylated miR-129-2 gene state (p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: The high frequency of promoter DNA methylation of the miR-129-2 gene in the CLL group compared to the control group, as well as its significant association with organomegaly, suggests the importance of this epigenetic biomarker in the pathogenesis and prognosis of CLL disease.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is among the most common cancers in the world. Ultrasound evaluations of breast have come into attention as an alternative route. Ultrasound features of benign lesions such as fibroadenoma can be overlapping with those in a malignant tumor. Here, we assessed the reports of breast ultrasound in patients with pathologic diagnosis of fibroadenoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study and enrolled female patients with confirmed histologic diagnosis of fibroadenoma. Ultrasound studies were performed on the participants to see which sonographic patterns are more frequent in such lesions. RESULTS: In 92 patients with 40.4 ± 9.2 years of age, all participants were classified as stage 4 on Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System scale. The mean ± standard deviation of size for the lesions was 167.4 ± 101.4 mm2. Upper outer quadrants in the breasts had the most number of lesions. Almost lesions were round with only 2.2% were oval. When assessed for the margin definition, 57.8% were circumscribed. Noncircumscribed masses were reported in 21.7%. About 91.3% of cases were hypoechoic in the ultrasound evaluation. Lobulated masses were in 28.3% of the cases. 8.7% of the masses were spongy whereas 9.8% and 2.2% of them had calcification and heterogenic appearance, respectively. CONCLUSION: The most frequent features include a hypoechoic mass with a circumscribed border; however, complex presentations that overlap malignant masses are also detectable including noncircumscribed margin, lobulation, presence of a posterior shadow, heterogenicity, and micro calcification.