Overexpression of dopamine receptor D2 promotes colorectal cancer progression by activating the ß-catenin/ZEB1 axis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a recurring cancer that is often resistant to conventional therapies and therefore requires the development of molecular-based therapeutic approaches. Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is associated with the growth of many types of tumors, but its oncogenic role in CRC is unclear. Here, we observed that elevated DRD2 expression was associated with a poor survival rate among patients with CRC. Depletion of DRD2 suppressed CRC cell growth and motility by downregulating ß-catenin/ZEB signaling in vitro and in vivo, whereas overexpression of DRD2 promoted CRC cell progression. Inhibition of DRD2 by the antagonist pimozide inhibited tumor growth and lymph node metastasis in vivo and enhanced the cytotoxic effects of conventional agents in vitro. Taken together, our findings indicate that targeting the DRD2/ß-catenin/ZEB1 signaling axis is a potentially promising therapeutic strategy for patients with CRC.

[Parosteal Chondrolipoma of the Scapula: A Case Report]. / 견갑골의 방골성 ì—°ê³¨ì§€ë°©ì¢ : 증례 ë³´ê³ .

Parosteal lipoma is a rare tumor that occurs very close to the bone, and accounts for approximately 0.3% of all lipomas. Chondrolipoma, a lipoma with cartilaginous metaplasia, is also a rare tumor consisting of mature adipose and cartilage tissues. Therefore, a tumor with characteristics of both parosteal lipoma and chondrolipoma simultaneously is extremely rare. Herein, we report the imaging findings of a parosteal chondrolipoma arising in the right periscapular area, confirmed based on surgical resection and histopathologic examination.

[Isolated Small Bowel Metastasis of Endometrial Carcinoma with Resultant Jejunojejunal Intussusception: A Case Report]. / 자궁내막암의 ë‹¨ë ì†Œìž¥ ì „ì´ë¡œ 인해 ìœ ë°œëœ 공장-공장 장중첩증: 증례 ë³´ê³ .

Endometrial carcinoma is a common gynecologic malignancy; however, metastasis to the small bowel is rare. Metastatic endometrial carcinoma usually occurs through local extension rather than distant metastasis. Isolated small bowel metastasis is extremely rare; further, intussusception with resultant intestinal obstruction is not common. We report the imaging findings of a patient with isolated small bowel metastasis of endometrial carcinoma with resultant jejunojejunal intussusception.

[Osteosarcomatous Transformation in Mazabraud Syndrome: A Case Report]. / Mazabraud 증후군에서 발생한 ê³¨ìœ¡ì¢ ìœ¼ë¡œ ì• ì„± 변환: 증례 ë³´ê³ .

Mazabraud syndrome is a rare benign disease that is accompanied by polyostotic fibrous dysplasia and intramuscular myxoma. Malignant transformation of fibrous dysplasia occurs in approximately 1% of cases. To date, only eight cases of malignant transformation, of fibrous dysplasia to osteosarcoma, in Mazabraud syndrome have been reported worldwide. The authors report the first case of osteosarcomatous transformation in a patient with Mazabraud syndrome in the Republic of Korea, focusing on imaging findings.

Radiation-Induced Overexpression of TGFß and PODXL Contributes to Colorectal Cancer Cell Radioresistance through Enhanced Motility.

The primary cause of colorectal cancer (CRC) recurrence is increased distant metastasis after radiotherapy, so there is a need for targeted therapeutic approaches to reduce the metastatic-relapse risk. Dysregulation of the cell-surface glycoprotein podocalyxin-like protein (PODXL) plays an important role in promoting cancer-cell motility and is associated with poor prognoses for many malignancy types. We found that CRC cells exposed to radiation demonstrated increased TGFß and PODXL expressions, resulting in increased migration and invasiveness due to increased extracellular matrix deposition. In addition, both TGFß and PODXL were highly expressed in tissue samples from radiotherapy-treated CRC patients compared to those from patients without this treatment. However, it is unclear whether TGFß and PODXL interactions are involved in cancer-progression resistance after radiation exposure in CRC. Here, using CRC cells, we showed that silencing PODXL blocked radiation-induced cell migration and invasiveness. Cell treatment with galunisertib (a TGFß-pathway inhibitor) also led to reduced viability and migration, suggesting that its clinical use may enhance the cytotoxic effects of radiation and lead to the effective inhibition of CRC progression. Overall, the results demonstrate that downregulation of TGFß and its-mediated PODXL may provide potential therapeutic targets for patients with radiotherapy-resistant CRC.

Incidental 18F-Florapronol Uptake in Meningioma.

ABSTRACT: A 76-year-old woman underwent 18F-florapronol (18F-FC119S, an amyloid ß imaging PET agent) PET, owing to cognitive impairment. 18F-florapronol PET images revealed an incidental 18F-florapronol uptake in the right frontal lobe. A well-enhancing extra-axial mass in the right frontal lobe was observed on MRI scans, suggesting a meningioma. After excision of the tumor, the biopsy results confirmed it as a meningothelial meningioma.

Advanced Xenograft Model with Cotransplantation of Patient-Derived Organoids and Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells for Precision Medicine.

Preclinical evaluation models have been developed for precision medicine, with patient-derived xenograft models (PDXs) and patient-derived organoids (PDOs) attracting increasing attention. However, each of these models has application limitations. In this study, an advanced xenograft model was established and used for drug screening. PDO and endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) were cotransplanted in NRGA mice (PDOXwE) to prepare the model, which could also be subcultured in Balb/c nude mice. Our DNA sequencing analysis and immunohistochemistry results indicated that PDOXwE maintained patient genetic information and tumor heterogeneity. Moreover, the model enhanced tumor growth more than the PDO-bearing xenograft model (PDOX). The PDO, PDOXwE, and clinical data were also compared in the liver metastasis of a colorectal cancer patient, demonstrating that the chemosensitivity of PDO and PDOXwE coincided with the clinical data. These results suggest that PDOXwE is an improvement of PDOX and is suitable as an evaluation model for precision medicine.

Estrogen-secreting adrenocortical carcinoma.

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare type of endocrine malignancy with an annual incidence of approximately 1-2 cases per million. The majority of these tumors secrete cortisol, and a few secrete aldosterone or androgen. Estrogen-secreting adrenocortical carcinomas are extremely rare, irrespective of the secretion status of other adrenocortical hormones. Here, we report the case of a 53-year-old man with a cortisol and estrogen-secreting adrenocortical carcinoma. The patient presented with gynecomastia and abdominal discomfort. Radiological assessment revealed a tumor measuring 21×15.3×12 cm localized to the retroperitoneum. A hormonal evaluation revealed increased levels of estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and cortisol. The patient underwent a right adrenalectomy, and the pathological examination revealed an adrenocortical carcinoma with a Weiss' score of 6. After surgery, he was treated with adjuvant radiotherapy. Twenty-one months after treatment, the patient remains alive with no evidence of recurrence.

Importance of Individual Ghost Cells in Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology Diagnosis of Pilomatricoma.

BACKGROUND: Although histological diagnosis of pilomatricoma is not difficult because of its unique histological features, cytological diagnosis through fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is often problematic due to misdiagnoses as malignancy. METHODS: We reviewed the cytological features of 14 cases of histologically-proven pilomatricoma from Korea Cancer Center Hospital, with a discussion on the diagnostic pitfalls of FNAC. RESULTS: Among 14 cases of pilomatricoma, 10 (71.4%) were correctly diagnosed through FNAC, and two (14.3%) were misdiagnosed as carcinoma. Cytologically, all cases had easily recognizable clusters of basaloid cells and foreign body-type multinucleated cells. Although ghost cells were also found in all cases, some were inconspicuous and hardly recognizable due to their small numbers. CONCLUSIONS: An accurate diagnosis of pilomatricoma in FNAC is feasible with consideration of clinical information and close examination of ghost cells.

The Significance of TROP2 Expression in Predicting BRAF Mutations in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Trophoblast antigen 2 (TROP2) is a human trophoblast cell-surface glycoprotein that is overexpressed in several types of epithelial cancers, and is suggested to be associated with an unfavorable prognosis. BRAF mutations are the most common genetic alteration in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We evaluated the correlation between TROP2 expression and BRAF mutation in PTC. METHODS: First, we carried out pyrosequencing for BRAF mutations and immunohistochemistry for TROP2 expression with a tissue microarray consisting of 52 PTC cases. Membranous staining in at least 5% of tumor cells was designated as positive staining and we analyzed the relationship between TROP2 expression and diverse clinicopathological factors, including BRAF mutation. Second, we tested TROP2 mRNA expression in three thyroid cancer cell lines with BRAF mutations (BCPAP, SNU790, and 8505C) and a normal thyroid cell line. Additionally, we checked TROP2 protein levels in a normal thyroid cell line after introduction of the BRAF V600E mutation. RESULTS: In this study, 21 of 26 cases with BRAF mutation showed TROP2 immunoreactivity, whereas all 26 cases without BRAF mutation showed no immunoreactivity for TROP2 with a statistically significant difference (p<.001). Upregulation of TROP2 mRNA was observed in all three thyroid cancer cell lines, but not in the normal thyroid cell line. Interestingly, however, the TROP2 expression was increased in the normal thyroid cell line after introduction of the BRAF V600E mutation. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, we concluded that TROP2 expression is significantly associated with BRAF mutation and that TROP2 immunohistochemistry could be used for predicting BRAF mutations or diagnosing papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Cytological Features That Differentiate Follicular Neoplasm from Mimicking Lesions.

BACKGROUND: It is difficult to correctly diagnose follicular neoplasms (FNs) on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) because it shares many cytological features with other mimicking lesions. The aim of this study was to identify the cytological features that differentiate FNs from mimicking lesions. METHODS: We included the cytological slides from 116 cases of thyroid FN diagnosed on FNAC, and included their subsequent histological diagnoses. We evaluated the cytological architectural pattern and nuclear features of the lesions according to their histological groups. RESULTS: The final histological diagnoses of the 116 cases varied, and included 51 FNs (44%), 47 papillary thyroid carcinomas (40%) including follicular variant, and seventeen cellular nodular hyperplasias (15%). Regardless of the final histological diagnosis, microfollicular pattern was observed in most cases. On the other hand, trabecular pattern was identified in 34% of FNs, but not in any other lesions. Additionally, elongated nuclei and ground glass chromatin were found in only some papillary thyroid carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the trabecular pattern is a representative cytological feature of FNs that can be used to distinguish FNs from mimicking lesions. In addition, nuclear shape and chromatin pattern can be used to further confirm the diagnosis of FNs from mimicking lesions through FNAC.