Histological Features, p53, c-Kit, and Poliomavirus Status and Impact on Survival in Merkel Cell Carcinoma Patients.

BACKGROUND: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy from neuroendocrine cells in the skin. Despite being one of the most life-threatening of skin cancers, little is known about the potential signaling mechanism that drives carcinogenesis in MCC. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), p53, and c-kit on the histological features and clinical prognosis of MCC treated in our regional hospitals. METHOD: The design was a retrospective study. The specimens were taken between 1993 and 2013 in 2 referral hospitals of Southern Spain. Data were collected retrospectively and analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Thirteen lesions from 13 subjects were included in the study. Positivity for c-kit was associated with the absence of MCPyV viral DNA (P = 0.048) and positivity for p53 (P = 0.002). More rate of mitoses per high-power field was presented significantly in those specimens with: positivity for c-kit (P = 0.046), positivity for p53 (P = 0.05), lesions with infiltrative growth pattern (P = 0.008), and lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.034). We observed an inverse relationship between p53 expression and MCPyV infection (Pearson's coefficient: -0.524; P = 0.046) and between c-kit expression and MCPyV infection (Pearson's coefficient: -0.548; P = 0.05), whereas the relationship was positive between p53 expression and c-kit expression (Pearson's coefficient: 0.884; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We conclude that presence of MCPyV DNA has no effect on overall survival. MCCs with p53 and c-kit expressions are associated with the absence of or low MCPyV DNA showing an inverse relationship. A multifactorial molecular pathogenesis where positivity for p53 and c-kit are associated with other mechanisms different than MCPyV (such as pro-mitotic factors) may lead to aggressive clinical behavior.

Molluscum Contagiosum Infection Involving a Benign Epidermoid Cyst in an Immunocompetent Patient.

A 78-year-old man presented with a round- to oval-shaped nodule on his right eyebrow. The lesion first developed 5 years ago as a small solitary white nodule and subsequently enlarged over the past 2 years. His medical history was unremarkable. Clinical examination revealed a 2-cm round to oval dome-shaped yellowish nodule with a dimple on the top center (Figure 1). No similar lesions were found elsewhere. With a clinical suspicion of sebaceous carcinoma, an excision of the lesion was performed under local anesthesia. The histopathologic analysis showed an epidermal cyst containing molluscum bodies along the keratin inside the cyst (Figure 2). With these findings, the diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum (MC) infection into an epidermoid cyst was made. Neither recurrence nor new similar lesions were observed at follow-up.

The role of accessibility policies and other determinants of health care provision in the initial prognosis of malignant melanoma: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic benefit of health care service provision and delivery policies for patients with malignant melanoma (MM) is not yet clear. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the role of health care provision determinants in the initial prognosis of MM. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted at 14 public hospitals and recruited 3550 patients with MM between 2000 and 2009. The study variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate models to identify their role in the variations observed. RESULTS: In a 10-year period, the number of patients with MM increased by 78.54%, with primary in situ MM (Tis) or MMs with a Breslow thickness <1 mm (T1) representing 51.72% of the total number of MMs in 2000, increasing to 62.23% by the end of the study period (P = .005). Among the variables that explained the variation in MM frequency the year of diagnosis after 2004 (univariate odds ratio [OR], 1.43 [P < .001]; multivariate OR, 1.36 [P = .005]) and diagnosis in centers with specific fast-track referral systems (univariate OR, 1.24 [P = .01]; multivariate OR, 1.59 [P = .025]) were shown to explain the increasing frequency of Tis-T1 MM. LIMITATIONS: The primary potential limitation of this study is its retrospective nature. CONCLUSION: Health care provision policies and interventions aimed at improving accessibility to specialized care appear to explain the increasing frequency of Tis-T1 MM.

Addressing lung cancer screening eligibility in Spain using 2013 and 2021 US Preventive Service Task Force criteria: cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to ascertain the percentage of Spanish lung cancer cases that would fulfil the lung cancer screening inclusion criteria recommended by the United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) in 2013 and 2021. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out. All lung cancer cases registered in the Thoracic Tumor Registry with data on date of birth, date of diagnosis, smoking habit, number of pack-years and time elapsed since smoking cessation were included. Results: The study included 15 006 patients diagnosed with lung cancer in Spain between 2016 and 2022. Eligibility to participate in screening increased from 53.7% to 63.5% (an increase of 9.8%) according to the 2013 and 2021 recommendations, respectively. The percentage of eligible men rose by 9.2 percentage points with the 2021 versus 2013 recommendations, whereas this rise was 11.5 percentage points in women. Under the 2021 recommendations, 36.6% of women and 5.3% of men would not have fulfilled the screening inclusion criteria due to being never-smokers; 14.9% of women and 11.0% of men would not have fulfilled the age criterion; and 27.0% of ex-smokers among women compared to 35.6% among men would not have been eligible due to >15 years having elapsed since smoking cessation. Conclusions: In Spain, over one-third of lung cancer cases could not be detected through screening, by virtue of not meeting the most recent inclusion criteria stated by the USPSTF. The degree of fulfilment in a potential nationwide screening programme should be analysed, with the aim of establishing inclusion criteria in line with each country's context.

Is the long-term mortality similar in COVID-19 and community-acquired pneumonia?

Introduction: There are no data on the association of type of pneumonia and long-term mortality by the type of pneumonia (COVID-19 or community-acquired pneumonia [CAP]) on long-term mortality after an adjustment for potential confounding variables. We aimed to assess the type of pneumonia and risk factors for long-term mortality in patients who were hospitalized in conventional ward and later discharged. Methods: Retrospective analysis of two prospective and multicentre cohorts of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and CAP. The main outcome under study was 1-year mortality in hospitalized patients in conventional ward and later discharged. We adjusted a Bayesian logistic regression model to assess associations between the type of pneumonia and 1-year mortality controlling for confounders. Results: The study included a total of 1,693 and 2,374 discharged patients in the COVID-19 and CAP cohorts, respectively. Of these, 1,525 (90.1%) and 2,249 (95%) patients underwent analysis. Until 1-year follow-up, 69 (4.5%) and 148 (6.6%) patients from the COVID-19 and CAP cohorts, respectively, died (p = 0.008). However, the Bayesian model showed a low probability of effect (PE) of finding relevant differences in long-term mortality between CAP and COVID-19 (odds ratio 1.127, 95% credibility interval 0.862-1.591; PE = 0.774). Conclusion: COVID-19 and CAP have similar long-term mortality after adjusting for potential confounders.

Peritoneal lymphomatosis. A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Involvement of the peritoneum occurs very rarely and is exceptional as an exclusive extranodal presentation of lymphomas. In most cases lymphomas associated with this rare entity are high-grade ones. PL secondary to high-grade nodal lymphoma is more frequent than primary peritoneal lymphoma, and there are only a few cases of the latter described in the literature. DESCRIPTION OF THE CASE: We present the case of a patient with constitutional syndrome and imaging findings suggestive of peritoneal carcinomatosis who was finally diagnosed with a Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) by an ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of peritoneum. The patient received one polychemotherapy cycle; however tumor lysis syndrome occurred with death of the patient in the following days. This case tries to show the existence of a PL without other radiological findings of lymphoma, a fact that is very exceptionally described in the literature. DISCUSSION: The differential diagnosis between PL and others peritoneum diseases such as peritoneal carcinomatosis, malignant primary peritoneal mesotheliomas, tuberculous peritonitis, sarcomatosis, diffuse peritoneal leiomyomatosis or benign splenosis, constitutes a major problem in imaging techniques. An exhaustive analysis of the radiological characteristics as well as a clinical-analytical context allows the differential diagnosis against peritoneal carcinomatosis and the rest of the entities previously referred although the final diagnosis will always be a biopsy. CONCLUSION: PL usually manifests as an aggressive histological subtype of high-grade lymphomas leading to a rapid progression and deterioration of the patient. It is crucial for the radiologist and the clinician to be aware of this rare entity providing the earliest possible diagnosis and optimal treatment to prolong the patient's life.

[Gastric bronchogenic cysts. An unusual location]. / Quistes broncogénicos gástricos. Una localización inhabitual.

Bronchogenic cysts are rare benign lesions that arise during embryogenesis of the primitive proximal intestine and are located primarily in the lung. They are lined with cuboid or columnar pseudostratified and ciliated epithelium and have elastic fibers, smooth muscle, bronchial glands and cartilage in their walls. Gastric bronchogenic cysts are extremely rare with very few reported cases. Symptoms are usually caused by compression. GIST is the main differential diagnosis and the treatment is surgical resection.

Primary giant cell tumor of soft tissue in the finger.

Primary giant cell tumor of soft tissue (GCTST) arising in a finger is a rare event. We report a case of a 54-year-old man with a primary finger giant cell tumor that appeared histologically identical to giant cell tumor of bone. The patient presented with a cystic mass of the finger. The magnetic resonance imaging showed no relation between the nodule and bone, tendons or synovial tissues. The distinction of this entity from other more common primary finger tumors with giant cell morphology is emphasized.

[Dendritic infraclavicular fibromyxolipoma: At the boundary between spindle cell lipoma and solitary fibrous tumour]. / Fibromixolipoma dendrítico infraclavicular: en el límite entre el lipoma de células fusiformes y el tumor fibroso solitario.

Dendritic fibromyxolipoma (DFML) is a rare soft tissue tumor recently described with only 27 cases reported in the literature. None of them have shown recurrence or metastasis after excision. Histologically it is composed of small stellate or spindle cells in a myxoid stroma with abundant collagen bundles mixed with mature adipose tissue. The proliferating cells typically show immunoexpression positive for CD34 and bcl-2. A cytogenetic analysis reveals deletion involving 13q14.3 region. We describe the first reported case to date located in the infraclavicular region. A 69 year old male with a painless mass well circumscribed and 5cm in size of several years of evolution, that after excision (2 years ago) he has not shown signs of recurrence or metastasis. This study reflects the clinicopathological features, differential diagnosis and a review of the literature of the DFML.

Diagnóstico de trombosis de stent de vena cava superior mediante ecobroncoscopia / Diagnosing Superior Vena Cava Stent Thrombosis by Endobronchial Ultrasound

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[Translated article] Diagnosing Superior Vena Cava Stent Thrombosis by Endobronchial Ultrasound / Diagnóstico de trombosis de stent de vena cava superior mediante ecobroncoscopia

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Peritoneal lymphomatosis. A case report

ABSTRACT Introduction: Involvement of the peritoneum occurs very rarely and is exceptional as an exclusive extranodal presentation of lymphomas. In most cases lymphomas associated with this rare entity are high-grade ones. PL secondary to high-grade nodal lymphoma is more frequent than primary peritoneal lymphoma, and there are only a few cases of the latter described in the literature. Description of the case: We present the case of a patient with constitutional syndrome and imaging findings suggestive of peritoneal carcinomatosis who was finally diagnosed with a Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) by an ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of peritoneum. The patient received one polychemotherapy cycle; however tumor lysis syndrome occurred with death of the patient in the following days. This case tries to show the existence of a PL without other radiological findings of lymphoma, a fact that is very exceptionally described in the literature. Discussion: The differential diagnosis between PL and others peritoneum diseases such as peritoneal carcinomatosis, malignant primary peritoneal mesotheliomas, tuberculous peritonitis, sarcomatosis, diffuse peritoneal leiomyomatosis or benign splenosis, constitutes a major problem in imaging techniques. An exhaustive analysis of the radiological characteristics as well as a clinical-analytical context allows the differential diagnosis against peritoneal carcinomatosis and the rest of the entities previously referred although the final diagnosis will always be a biopsy. Conclusion: PL usually manifests as an aggressive histological subtype of high-grade lymphomas leading to a rapid progression and deterioration of the patient. It is crucial for the radiologist and the clinician to be aware of this rare entity providing the earliest possible diagnosis and optimal treatment to prolong the patient's life.

¿Cuáles son las claves de la granulomatosis linfomatoide con afectación extrapulmonar? / Which are the keys of the lymphomatoid granulomatosis with extrapulmonary disease?

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