Determination of the androgen receptor status of circulating tumour cells in metastatic breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic relevance of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients has been confirmed by several clinical trials. However, predictive blood-based biomarkers for stratification of patients for targeted therapy are still lacking. The DETECT studies explore the utility of CTC phenotype for treatment decisions in patients with HER2 negative MBC. Associated with this concept is a plethora of translational projects aiming to identify potential predictive biomarkers. The androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in over 70% of hormone receptor-positive and up-to 45% of triple-negative tumours. Studies has indicated the promising nature of AR as a new therapy target with a clinical benefit rate for anti-AR treatment in MBC patients up to 25% The aim of this analysis was the characterization of CTCs regarding the expression of the AR using immunofluorescence. METHODS: MBC patients were screened for the HER2-status of CTCs in the DETECT studies. In a subset of CTC-positive patients (n = 67) an additional blood sample was used for immunomagnetic enrichment of CTCs using the CellSearch® Profile Kit prior to transfer of the cells onto cytospin slides. Establishment of immunofluorescence staining for the AR was performed using prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP and DU145 as positive and negative control, respectively. Staining of DAPI, pan-cytokeratin (CK) and CD45 was applied to identify nucleated epithelial cells as CTCs and to exclude leucocytes. RESULTS: Co-staining of the AR, CK and CD45 according to the above mentioned workflow has been successfully established using cell lines with known AR expression spiked into the blood samples from healthy donors. For this translational project, samples were analysed from 67 patients participating in the DETECT studies. At least one CTC was detected in 37 out of 67 patients (56%). In 16 of these 37 patients (43%) AR-positive CTCs were detected. In eight out of 25 patients (32%) with more than one CTC, AR-positive and AR-negative CTCs were observed. CONCLUSION: In 43% of the analysed CTC samples from patients with MBC the AR expression has been detected. The predictive value of AR expression in CTCs remains to be evaluated in further trials.

Abnormal T2 mapping cardiovascular magnetic resonance correlates with adverse clinical outcome in patients with suspected acute myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: While most patients recover from suspected acute myocarditis (sAMC) some develop progressive disease with 5-year mortality up to 20%. Recently, parametric Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) approaches, quantifying native T1 and T2 relaxation time, have demonstrated the ability to increase diagnostic accuracy. However, prognostic implications of T2 values in this cohort are unknown. The purpose of the study was to investigate the prognostic relevance of elevated CMR T2 values in patients with sAMC. METHODS AND RESULTS: We carried out a prospective study in 46 patients with sAMC defined by current ESC recommendations. A combined endpoint was defined by the occurrence of at least one major adverse cardiac event (MACE) and hospitalisation for heart failure. Event rate was 24% (n = 11) for 1-year-MACE and hospitalisation. A follow-up after 11 ± 7 months was performed in 98% of the patients. Global T2 values were significantly increased at acute stage of disease compared to controls and decreased over time. During acute disease, elevated global T2 time (odds ratio 6.3, p < 0.02) as well as myocardial fraction with T2 time >80 ms (odds ratio 4.9, p < 0.04) predicted occurrence of the combined endpoint. Patients with clinical recovery revealed significantly decreased T2 relaxation times at follow-up examinations; however, T2 values were still elevated compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Assessment of myocardial T2 relaxation times at initial presentation facilitates CMR-based risk stratification in patients with acute myocarditis. T2 Mapping may emerge as a new tool to monitor inflammatory myocardial injuries during the course of disease.

Cellularity, characteristics of hematopoietic parameters and prognosis in myelodysplastic syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) present with a normo- or hyperplastic bone marrow in most cases. We aimed at a characterization of patients with different types of cellularity. METHODS: We assessed marrow cellularity both by histology and cytology in 1270 patients and analyzed hematologic, cytogenetic, and prognostic parameters accordingly. RESULTS: The concordance of the assessment of cellularity differed dramatically between histology and cytology as only 36.5% were described as hypocellular by both methods (P < 0.0005) (hypocellular 16.4%, normocellular 23.3%, hypercellular 60.3%). There were no major differences with regard to hematopoietic insufficiency. The presence of fibrosis was associated to hypercellular bone marrow. Median survival differed from 38 months in hypocellular, 42 months in normocellular, and 25 months in hypercellular MDS (P < 0.0005). AML progression rates were 33% for hypercellular MDS after 2 yr, whereas hypo- and normocellular had a progression rate of 19% after 2 yr (P = 0.018). IPSS and IPSS-R were able to identify different risk groups within all three cellularity groups. CONCLUSION: Based on our data, hypocellular patients obviously do not present as a separate entity, as there were no striking differences with regard to cytogenetics and WHO types. Assessment of cellularity should be performed by histopathology.

Transplantation of hearts from SARS-CoV-2 positive donors.

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 remains high in the population. Consequently, an increasing percentage of reported organ donors are also SARS-CoV-2 positive. Although donors may not have experienced COVID-19-related symptoms, there is a chance of unnoticed cardiovascular effects associated with this disease. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 donor grafts have been regularly rejected for heart transplantation (HTx) for a long time. We hereby present three consecutive patients receiving grafts from SARS-CoV-2 positive donors (defined by the PCR cycle threshold value < 30). All patients underwent HTx after a previous triple mRNA vaccination (mRNA-BNT162b2 vaccine, Comirnaty) without adverse events and with a regular post-operative course. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance and endomyocardial biopsies confirmed excellent graft function without signs of rejection or viral myocarditis. After a mean follow-up of 135 days after HTx, all patients were in good conditions without heart failure, viral myocarditis, or SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, we conclude that HTx with SARS-CoV-2 positive donors seems safe and feasible.

Malignancy Rate and Malignancy Risk Assessment in Different Lesions of Uncertain Malignant Potential in the Breast (B3 Lesions): An Analysis of 192 Cases from a Single Institution.

Background: The question of how to deal with B3 lesions is of emerging interest. Methods: In the breast diagnostics of 192 patients between 2009 and 2016, a minimally invasive biopsy revealed a B3 lesion with subsequent resection. This study investigates the malignancy rate of different B3 subgroups and the risk factors that play a role in obtaining a malignant finding. Results: The distribution of B3 lesions after minimally invasive biopsy was as follows: atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), 7.3%; flat epithelial atypia (FEA), 7.8%; lobular neoplasia (LN), 7.8%; papilloma (Pa), 49.5%; phylloidal tumour (PT), 8.9%; radial sclerosing scar (RS), 3.1%; mixed findings, 10.4%; and other B3 lesions, 5.2%. Most B3 lesions were detected by stereotactic vacuum-assisted biopsy (44.3%), 36.5% by ultrasound-assisted biopsy, and 19.3% by magnetic resonance imaging-assisted biopsy. Most B3 lesions (55.2%) were verified by surgical resection, whereas 30.7% were downgraded to a benign lesion. About 14.1% of the cases were upgraded to malignant lesions, 9.4% to ductal carcinoma in situ and 4.7% to invasive carcinoma. In relation to individual B3 lesions, the following malignancy rates were found: 28.6% (ADH), 13.3% (FEA), 33.3% (LN), 12.6% (Pa), 5.9% (PT), and 0% (RS). The most important risk factor was increasing age. Postmenopausal status was considered an increased risk for an upgrade (p = 0.015). A known malignancy in the ipsilateral breast was a significant risk factor for a malignant upgrade (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Increasing knowledge about B3 lesions allows us to develop a "lesion-specific" therapy approach in the heterogeneous group of B3 lesions, with follow-up imaging for some lesions with less malignant potential and concordance with imaging or further surgical resection in cases of disconcordance with imaging or higher malignant potential.

Evaluation of Intraoperative Frozen Section Analysis with Final Histopathology Results for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Z0011 Criteria Eligible Versus Ineligible Breast Cancer Patients.

Background Intraoperative frozen section analysis (FSA) of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) declined in the post American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0011 (ACOSOG Z0011) trial era. However, for those patients who do not meet the ACOSOG Z0011 criteria, FSA continues to be a valuable tool in intraoperative decision-making for axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The aim of this study was therefore to retrospectively evaluate the benefit and accuracy of FSA of Z0011 criteria eligible versus ineligible patients and identify possible predictive factors for false negative results. Methods Intraoperative FSA was performed on SLNs of 522 cT1-T3 breast cancer patients between 2008 and 2013. Clinicopathologic characteristics were retrospectively assessed by chart review. Results Overall FSA sensitivity and specificity was 67.8% and 100%. Sensitivity was generally higher for macrometastasis than for micrometastasis. The Z0011 eligible group showed a sensitivity and specificity of 72.7% and 100% versus 62.1% and 100% in the Z0011 ineligible group. Importantly, subgroup analysis of ≤ 2 versus > 2 positive SLNs of the Z0011 eligible group demonstrated both a 100% specificity and sensitivity. Several clinicopathologic factors were associated with a higher rate of false negative results in the Z0011 ineligible patient group. FSA was beneficial for 22.2% of Z0011 ineligible patients and for only 0.6% of Z0011 eligible patients regarding intraoperative decision-making for ALND. Conclusions FSA continues to be especially beneficial in the intraoperative assessment of SLNs in the Z0011 ineligible group to prevent second stage ALND. Despite an overall lower FSA sensitivity in the Z0011 eligible patient group, FSA offers in both groups a comparable high sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for macrometastasis.

Treatment of donor-specific antibody-mediated rejection after heart transplantation by IgM-enriched human immunoglobulin.

Antibody-mediated graft rejection caused by donor-specific antibodies (DSA-MR) remains a serious problem after heart transplantation (HTx). IgM-enriched human intravenous immunoglobulin (IGM-IVIG) consists of 76% IgG, 12% IgM, and 12% IgA and provides a new multifactorial approach for DSA-MR. Between 2017 and 2020, four (P1-4) of 102 patients developed DSA-MR after HTx in our department and were repetitively treated with IGM-IVIG in combination with anti-thymocyte globulin. While in P1 and P4, DSA-MR occurred within the early post-operative interval, P2 and P3 developed DSA-MR approximately 1 year after transplantation. An impairment of ventricular function was observed in three of four patients. Furthermore, P1 and P4 suffered from malign ventricular arrhythmias. After the application of IGM-IVIG, the ventricular function recovered, and all patients could be discharged from the hospital. As part of a multifactorial therapeutic approach, treatment with IGM-IVIG seems to be a safe and effective strategy to address DSA-MR.

Extrahepatic intraductal ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma: bile duct filling defect.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive jaundice caused by an intraductal hepatocellular carcinoma is a rare initial symptom. We report a rare case of an extrahepatic icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: A 75-year-old patient was admitted to our hospital because of obstructive jaundice 3 months after resection of multilocular hepatocellular carcinoma. A postoperative bile leakage was treated by placement of a decompressing stent in the common bile duct. Endoscopic retrograde choledochoscopy showed extended blood clots filling the bile duct system and computed tomography revealed a local swelling in the common extrahepatic bile duct. The level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was only slightly elevated but that of CA19-9 was dramatically increased. Cholangiography showed an intraductal filling defect typical of a cholangiocellular carcinoma. RESULTS: Bile duct brushing cytology showed no cholangiocellular carcinoma but hepatocellular carcinoma cells in the extrahepatic bile duct. An extrahepatic bile duct resection was performed. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of extrahepatic intraductal growth of hepatocellular carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma is a rare but important differentially diagnosed of extrahepatic bile duct filling defect.

Antibody-mediated rejection after cardiac transplant: Treatment with immunoadsorption, intravenous immunoglobulin, and anti-thymocyte globulin.

Antibody-mediated rejection of allograft is a poorly understood problem after cardiac transplantation that complicates the postoperative course and impairs the graft function and overall survival. Although plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulins have been used as standard therapies for years, there is no consensus about antibody-mediated rejection therapy and most transplantation centers have their own protocols. We describe herein a successful treatment for an acute antibody-mediated rejection of cardiac allograft combining immunoadsorption, intravenous immunoglobulins, and anti-thymocyte globulin, which manifested with polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and right ventricular dysfunction.

JAK2V617F mutation status identifies subtypes of refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts associated with marked thrombocytosis.

BACKGROUND: Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts and marked thrombocytosis (RARS-T) was recently shown to be a JAK2-V617F mutation-related disorder. To determine the frequency and the prognostic significance of this mutation, we retrospectively evaluated 23 patients with platelet counts more than 600 x 10(9)/L, 15% ringed sideroblasts or more, and at least erythroid marrow dysplasia. DESIGN AND METHODS: An allele-specific polymerase chain reaction for JAK2-V617F was used to determine the allelic ratio of the mutated JAK2 allele in DNA samples extracted from bone marrow biopsies. Hematologic and survival data of the JAK2-V617F positive vs. the JAK2-V617F negative patients were statistically analyzed. Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction was also used to screen for MPL-W515 mutations. RESULTS: The JAK2-V617F mutation was present in 11 patients (48%) and was associated with significantly higher erythrocyte and white blood cell counts (p=0.009 and 0.011, respectively). In 6/11 RARS-T patients the allelic ratio of JAK2-V617F was above 50%, indicating the presence of cells homozygous for the mutation. In two of these patients a transition from JAK2-V617F heterozygosity to homozygosity was documented and was accompanied by rising platelet counts in sequential samples. The MPL-W515L mutation was detected in one JAK2-V617F negative patient. The relative risk of death was found to be lower in the mutation-positive group than in the mutation-negative group. CONCLUSIONS: RARS-T patients with JAK2-V617F have a more favorable prognosis than those without the JAK2 mutation. The prevalence of homozygous JAK2-V617F mutation in RARS-T suggests that this entity is biologically distinct from essential thrombocythemia.

Paclitaxel (Taxol)-induced apoptosis in human epithelioid sarcoma cell lines is enhanced by upregulation of CD95 ligand (FasL/Apo-1L).

PURPOSE: Metastasizing epithelioid sarcoma (ES) is an extremely aggressive tumor, because conventional chemotherapy and irradiation are largely ineffective. Here, we analyzed the impact of the CD95-mediated drug-induced apoptosis in ES cell lines. METHODS: The effects of paclitaxel (Taxol) and 5-FU were determined by MTT assay. The extent of apoptosis was analyzed by light microscopy and Annexin V staining (flow cytometry). The expression of death receptors and ligands was defined by RT-PCR, Western blotting and flow cytometry. RESULTS: All cell lines expressed CD95, but not the CD95 ligand. The CD95 activation resulted in apoptosis and cell death in all cell lines. Both paclitaxel and 5-FU are able to trigger apoptosis, and furthermore, to upregulate CD95, whereas only paclitaxel increases CD95 ligand expression. Neutralizing antibodies directed against CD95 ligand effectively inhibited paclitaxel-induced cell death, thereby providing evidence for a direct involvement of the CD95 system in paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant upregulation of CD95 receptor and ligand may significantly enhance the response of ES to anticancer drugs. As evident from the differential response of our clonal ES subpopulations to paclitaxel and 5-FU, effective activation of the CD95 system depends on intrinsic properties of both the chemotherapeutic agent and target cell population.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings of high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ of the male breast: A case report.

Ductal carcinoma in situ in men is incredibly rare and detection by conventional mammography and ultrasound is often challenging. We report an unusual case of a 50-year-old male, with no family history of breast cancer, who presented with an 8-year history of left-sided breast pain and recurrent bloody nipple discharge without any significant suspicious imaging features in mammography and targeted high-resolution ultrasound. Breast magnetic resonance imaging was performed as an adjunct modality. Magnetic resonance imaging findings revealed a suspicious retroareolar non-mass abnormality of segmental, linear and dendritic pattern, which was highly suspicious for a ductal carcinoma in situ. Stereotactic guided biopsy and subsequent mastectomy were consistent with pure high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ of the left breast. Overall, this case highlights the challenges in diagnosing ductal carcinoma in situ in men and demonstrates the importance for further investigating clinical suspicions of the male breast.

HFE mutations in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dilated cardiomyopathy is a typical complication of hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). The present study investigated, whether mutations of the hemochromatosis (HFE) gene might be etiologic and disease-modifying factors in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical and biochemical assessment and HFE gene analysis were perfomed in 46 patients with IDCM and 350 healthy controls. Cardiomyopathy was angiographically defined according to the criteria of the Collaborative Research Group of the European Human and Capital Mobility Project of Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy. RESULTS: A higher prevalence of C282Y homozygosity was found among patients with IDCM compared to healthy subjects (4.3% vs. 0.6%; p < 0.02). A total of 6.5% of the patients with IDCM were either C282Y homozygotes or C282Y/H63D compound heterozygotes. The C282Y allele frequency was somewhat higher among patients with IDCM (8.7%) compared to healthy controls (5.4%; p < 0.2), whereas the H63D allele frequency was not increased. No significant differences of serum iron, ferritin or transferrin saturation, cardiac iron loading, NYHA classification, Lown's classification, the history of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, LVEDD (left ventricular end-diastolic diameter), EF (ejection fraction), LADD (left atrial end-diastolic diameter) and CI (cardiac index) were seen between HFE carriers and noncarriers. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that it is worth screening patients with IDCM for iron parameters given the increased prevalence of disease-predisposing HFE constellations. It remains unclear, to what extent iron or immune-mediated processes contribute to the pathomechanism of IDCM.

Septic-Metastasizing Aspergillus-Encephalitis Mimicking Massive Cerebral Infarction in a Heart Transplant Recipient: A Case Report.

Invasive fungal infection after solid-organ transplantation is known as a severe complication and carries with it a high risk of infection-related mortality. Among patients after heart transplant Aspergillus species most often cause atypical pneumonia. The incidence of invasive aspergillosis after heart transplant has been reported from 3% to 14%. It is the opportunistic pathogen with the highest mortality, ranging from 50% to 80%. Prompt antifungal therapy is crucial, but rapid diagnostic procedures with sufficient sensitivity and specificity are lacking at the moment. We present a rare case of a patient with massive metastasizing invasive aspergillosis within 1 month after heart transplant, undetected before death.

Paclitaxel/Taxol sensitivity in human renal cell carcinoma is not determined by the p53 status.

In this study, we analyzed the role of the p53 status for paclitaxel/Taxol sensitivity in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) of the clear cell type. Using immunohistochemistry, nuclear p53 accumulation could not be correlated to the paclitaxel/Taxol sensitivity. DNA sequencing detected a p53 gene mutation in two out of eight RCC cell lines, i.e. in exon 8 (cell line clearCa-6), and in exon 9 (cell line clearCa-5). No correlation, however, was found between the p53 status of our RCC cell lines and their paclitaxel/Taxol sensitivity as indicated by the IC50 values. However, paclitaxel-induced growth inhibition in paclitaxel-sensitive RCC cell lines was accompanied by an increase in apoptosis, irrespective of their p53 status. Although CD95 up-regulation was observed in renal cell carcinoma with wild-type p53 upon paclitaxel treatment, paclitaxel-induced apoptosis itself is triggered independently from the CD95 system. In conclusion, the p53 status cannot predict paclitaxel/Taxol sensitivity in RCC cell lines of the clear cell type.

Tandem high-dose chemotherapy supported by autologous peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation and radiotherapy for recurrent malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a soft-tissue sarcoma created from fibroblast cells and characterized by a high rate of metastasis or recurrence with poor prognosis. We report a case of initially well differentiated (G1) MFH of the trunk in a 33-year-old woman. Two years after primary diagnosis, metastases were found in the lung, trunk, gluteus region, upper extremities and brain. Histopathological findings indicated a stromal tumor consisting of spindle cells, and immunohistochemical examination of resected specimens established the definite diagnosis of poorly differentiated MFH (G3). Initial surgery of several solid tumors on the trunk, lung and extremities was performed. There was a high local recurrence and metastasis rate, and the patient was treated with radiotherapy and conventional chemotherapy followed by tandem high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation. She is currently well seven years after the transplant, with no signs of metastasis and recurrence. We review the clinical picture of the tumor in this patient and discuss its diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment.