Multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma--a consensus report of the European Society of Endocrine Surgeons (ESES).

BACKGROUND: Multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma (MPTC) has been reported in literature in 18-87 % of cases. This paper aims to review controversies in the molecular pathogenesis, prognosis, and management of MPTC. METHODS: A review of English-language literature focusing on MPTC was carried out, and analyzed in an evidence-based perspective. Results were discussed at the 2013 Workshop of the European Society of Endocrine Surgeons devoted to surgery of thyroid carcinoma. RESULTS: Literature reports no prospective randomized studies; thus, a relatively low level of evidence may be achieved. CONCLUSIONS: MPTC could be the result of either true multicentricity or intrathyroidal metastasis from a single malignant focus. Radiation and familial nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma are conditions at risk of MPTC development. The prognostic importance of multifocal tumor growth in PTC remains controversial. Prognosis might be impaired in clinical MPTC but less or none in MPTC <1 cm. MPTC can be diagnosed preoperatively by FNAB and US, with low sensitivity for MPTC <1 cm. Total or near-total thyroidectomy is indicated to reduce the risk of local recurrence. Prophylactic central node dissection should be considered in patients with total tumor diameter >1 cm, or in cases with high number of cancer foci. Completion thyroidectomy might be necessary when MPTC is diagnosed after less than near-total thyroidectomy. Radioactive iodine ablation should be considered in selected patients with MPTC at increased risk of recurrence or metastatic spread.

Micropapillary pattern in lung adenocarcinoma: aspect on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging.

We diagnosed a non-small cell lung carcinoma in a 49-year-old female patient with the histopathological diagnosis of stage IIIB mixed bronchioloalveolar and papillary adenocarcinoma with extensive micropapillary feature, which was not visualized on the preoperative multimodality imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT). The micropapillary component characterized by a unique growth pattern with particular morphological features can be observed in all subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma. Micropapillary component is increasingly recognized as a distinct entity associated with higher aggressiveness. Even the most modern multimodality PET/CT imaging technology may fail to adequately visualize this important component with highly relevant prognostic implications. Thus, the pathologist needs to consciously look for a micropapillary component in the surgical specimen or in preoperative biopsies or cytology. This may have potential future treatment implications, as adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be of relevance, even in the early stages of the disease.

[Clinical analyses of 70 cases of multiple primary colorectal carcinoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Multiple primary colorectal carcinoma (MPCC) is not rarely seen, but it possesses a unique biological characters. This study was to investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, therapeutic principle and prognosis of MPCC. METHODS: Data of 70 MPCC patients, treated by operation from 1997 to 2003, were analyzed. Of the 70 patients, 61 had synchronous carcinoma (SC) and 9 had metachronous carcinoma (MC). RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were diagnosed by colonoscopy, barium enema or CT scan pre-operationally, while 15 were diagnosed intra-operationally due to the oversized tumor at the distal end of the colon. Thirty-three patients had colorectal carcinoma accompanying with adenoma and multiple polyps. All the patients underwent surgical resection except 3, who received short-circuit operation because of unresectable lesions. Fifty-two patients received radical resection, while 15 received palliative resection due to hepatic or peritoneal metastasis. The overall 3-and 5-year survival rates were 65.7% and 45.7%. In the patients who received radical resection, the 3-and 5-year survival rates were 78.1% and 59.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of MPCC is largely related with adenomas and polyps. The extent of resection should be individually determined by the lesion location, range, the distance of lesions as well as the general condition of the patients. Prognosis of MPCC is relatively good. The patients accompanying with adenoma and multiple polyps should be followed up intensively.

Raised serum chondroitin sulfate epitope level in ovarian epithelial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of serum chondroitin sulfate epitope WF6 and hyaluronan (HA) levels as a biomarker for early detection of ovarian epithelial cancer and other gynecological disorders. METHOD: Serum WF6 CS epitope and HA were measured in 91 patients with ovarian epithelial cancer, 39 patients with non-cancer gynecological disorders and 30 healthy women. Serum chondroitin sulfate (CS) WF6 epitope was determined by a competitive immunoassay with the monoclonal antibodies WF6, which specifically recognizes an epitope in native CS chains. In addition, serum HA concentration was measured by an ELISA-based assay with a biotinylated affinity HA-binding proteins. RESULTS: The serum concentration of CS (WF6) epitope was highly increased in epithelial types of ovarian cancer and at all stages of development (p < 0.005). Serum HA in ovarian cancer patients was significantly higher than normal controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results reflect changes in ECM metabolism in progressive ovarian cancer, which cause an increase in serum CS epitopes and HA. Therefore, serum CS epitopes may provide useful biomarkers for cancers and other disorders of the ovary. Measurement of serum HA provided complementary information, which may be useful as a discriminator between benign ovarian disorders and malignant ovarian diseases.

Carcinoma tubárico primitivo y polimiositis / Primary primitive fallopian tube carcinoma and polymiositis

Los autores aportan un caso de asociación de un carcinoma tubárico primitivo a una polimiositis. Se trata de una paciente de 53 años, que consultó por dolores pelvianos, metrorragias y leucorreas amarillentas, con una masa pelviana de difícil movilización y móvil a la exploración clínica, y una masa laterouterina derecha con hidrosálpinx en la ecografía pelviana. El diagnóstico definitivo lo aportó el examen ana tomoclínico de la pieza de anexectomía derecha. La histerectomía total sin conservación anexial no dejó residuo tumoral. La paciente perdió contacto con nosotros sin tratamiento complementario y reconsultó 3 años después por una impotencia funcional de los miembros superiores, seguida de los inferiores, mialgias, alteraciones de la deglución y aparición de una adenopatía supraclavicular izquierda. Los exámenes clínicos, paraclínicos y anatomopatológicos mostraron que se trataba de un adenocarcinoma tubárico derecho con recaída ganglionar pelviana y metastásica supraclavicular izquierda, con polimiositis paraneoplásica. La paciente se ha beneficiado de 6 sesiones de quimioterapia, después de radioterapia en el hueco subclavicular izquierdo, a la dosis de 45 Gy. La respuesta al tratamiento ha sido excelente, y la paciente está en remisión completa después de un margen de 50 meses tras el diagnóstico. La asociación de cáncer de la trompa con una polimiositis es excepcional, y es necesaria una terapia antineoplásica rápida para tratar el cáncer y la polimiositis paraneoplásica (AU)

We report a case of a primitive fallopian tube carcinoma associated with polymyositis. A 53­year-old woman consulted for pelvic pain, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea. Physical examination revealed a renitent and mobile mass in the pelvis. Ultrasonography showed a right lateral uterine mass with hydrosalpinx. Pathological examination of the right annexectomy specimen provided the definitive diagnosis. No residual tumor was found at total hysterectomy with bilateral annexectomy. The patient was lost to follow-up for 3 years without complementary treatment and then consulted again for functional disability first of the upper limbs and subsequently of the lower limbs with myalgia, swallowing disorders and left supraclavicular node enlargement resulting from pelvic relapse of the right fallopian tube adenocarcinoma and left supraclavicular metastasis with paraneoplastic polymyositis. The patient was given 6 courses of chemotherapy with radiotherapy (45 Gy) centered on the left clavicular region. The patient showed excellent response to treatment, and remains in complete remission 50 months after diagnosis. The association of fallopian tube carcinoma with polymyositis is exceptional, requiring rapid treatment effective against the cancer and paraneoplastic polymyositis (AU)

Diagnostic changes as a reason for the increase in papillary thyroid cancer incidence in Geneva, Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have reported upward incidence trends of papillary thyroid cancer. It is unclear whether these trends reflect a real risk increase, by some attributed to iodine supplementation, or an artificial one, due to increased diagnostic activity or changed histological criteria. This study examines if these artificial factors explain the increased papillary thyroid cancer incidence in the Swiss canton of Geneva. METHODS: All thyroid carcinomas (n = 436) recorded between 1970 and 1998 at the Geneva Cancer Registry were considered. European age-adjusted incidence trends were estimated using linear regression analysis. For papillary cancers we evaluated diagnostic modalities and way of presentation (in particular microcarcinoma < 1 cm or silent carcinoma). In addition, we reviewed the histological slides of follicular carcinomas. RESULTS: Papillary thyroid cancer incidence increased significantly from 0.7 to 1.8/100,000 for men and from 3.1 to 4.3/100,000 for women between 1970-74 and 1995-98. The proportion of microcarcinomas and silent carcinomas increased from 17% to 24% between 1970-79 and 1990-98. At histological review, follicular cancers were more often reclassified as papillary cancer for cases diagnosed between 1970 and 1979 than for cases diagnosed between 1990 and 1998 (45% vs 25%, p = n.s.). CONCLUSIONS: The increasing papillary thyroid cancer incidence seems mainly due to changes in histological diagnostic criteria and, to a lesser extent, to increased diagnostic activity. If confirmed, the results of this study indicate that fears of increasing incidence rates of papillary thyroid cancer should not prevent implementation of adequate programs of iodine supplementation in the many areas where iodine deficiency still prevails.

Multiple primary carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract.

A case of multiple primary Carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract is reported in a man presenting with Carcinomas of the rectum and oesophagus.

Role of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in cancer diagnosis and treatment: 31P, 23Na, and 1H MRS studies of three models of pancreatic cancer.

The role of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in pancreatic cancer diagnosis and its treatment were assessed in three models of pancreatic neoplasms. Perfused MIA PaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cells, s.c. implanted pancreatic tumors in hamsters, and pancreatic tumors induced in situ in rats by direct application of the carcinogen 7,12-dimethyl benzanthracene, were studied by phosphorous ((31)P), sodium ((23)Na), and proton ((1)H) MRS. (31)P spectra of pancreatic cancer were qualitatively similar to those of intact organs. There were, however, variations in peak intensities and ratios. Phosphomonoester signals were prominent in both normal pancreases and tumors, but their levels depended on the proliferation rate and on environmental conditions. Thus, the phosphomonoester:beta-nucleoside triphosphate ratio was 1.15 +/- 0.32 in 90% confluency and 1.31 +/- 0.43 in 70% confluency, and this ratio increased upon lowering the perfusion rate. Total (intra- and extracellular) sodium concentrations, measured in the solid tumors, were 39-40 micromol/g wet weight in normal pancreases. Contrary to a previous hypothesis that malignant transformation is associated with increased sodium content, our (23)Na MRS data showed that there were no significant differences between pancreatic tumors and intact organs. Proton spectra of perchloric acid extracts revealed several differences between tumors and control pancreases. The principal findings were elevated levels of the amino acid taurine, from 1.17 +/- 0.39 micromol/g wet weight in healthy pancreases, to 2.79 +/- 0.71 micromol/g wet weight in pancreatic carcinoma in rats, and lactate levels that increased from 0.92 +/- 0.2 to 6.19 +/- 1.93 micromol/g wet weight, respectively. On the other hand, creatine and glutamate were higher in the normal pancreases. Pancreatic cancer is usually resistant to chemotherapy, and we evaluated the effects of the metabolic inhibitors 2-deoxyglucose and lonidamine on the human pancreatic cancer cells by MRS and cytotoxicity studies. The IC50 of Adriamycin and 2-deoxyglucose were 1.49 +/- 0.18 x 10(6) and 136 +/- 17 microg/ml, respectively. These results were similar to data obtained previously in multidrug-resistant human breast cancer cells, which were highly resistant (33-fold) to Adriamycin but were more susceptible (9-fold) to 2-deoxyglucose than their parental cells.

Thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents.

UNLABELLED: A clinical and pathological study was undertaken to define the prevalence, clinical presentation and outcome of thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents. Clinical records from 48 patients under 20 years of age at diagnosis, out of 372 patients with thyroid cancer examined between 1980 and 1994, were retrospectively reviewed. Female/male ratio was 3.8/1. None had a previous positive history of head and neck irradiation. Patients underwent near-total (44 patients) or partial (4 patients) thyroidectomy followed by 131I ablation of residual thyroid tissue. The mean follow up period was 58.4 months, ranging between 2 and 190 months. Clinically a thyroid mass was present in 41 patients, 28 of whom also showed neck lymph node involvement. Node metastases were present in 50% of the patients and lung metastases in 4.2%. Histological type was papillary in 41, follicular in 6, and medullary in 1 case. Surgical complications were observed in 19 patients (40%). In 3 patients papillary thyroid cancer was associated with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. All patients were treated with 1-thyroxine suppressive therapy. Recurrences of cancer after surgical and radio-iodine treatment was observed only in one patient 8 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our experience demonstrates that thyroid carcinoma in childhood cannot be considered a rare occurrence, since it represents about 13% of all thyroid cancers, and is frequently associated with lymph node but rarely with distant metastases. Nevertheless, the prognosis of thyroid carcinoma in childhood is fairly good.

Thyroid disease: a guide for the head and neck surgeon.

Head and neck surgeons are involved in the diagnosis and therapy of thyroid disease with increasing frequency. The surgical techniques utilized for the management of thyroid disease are well known by most head and neck surgeons and will not be discussed in this paper. It is the head and neck surgeons' knowledge of the physiology, medical disorders, and the proper evaluation of the patient with thyroid disease that is most open to criticism. This paper reviews thyroid physiology, basic tests used to assess thyroid function in health and disease, thyroiditis, thyroid carcinomas, and nodules of the thyroid gland. The signs, symptoms, laboratory findings, and the methods of medical and surgical therapy are discussed for each of these disorders. The supplement is not intended to provide expertise, but will provide a general and basic knowledge of thyroid disease.