Favorable experience of transplant strategy including liver grafts from COVID-19 donors: One-year follow-up results.

BACKGROUND: Since November 2020, Italy was the first country to carry out a protocol and use liver from COVID-19 donors. We aimed to evaluate the medium-term outcome of patients who underwent liver transplant (LT) with those grafts. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled 283 patients who underwent first LT from November 2020 to December 2022 in our Center (follow-up 468 days). Twenty-five of 283 (8.8%, study population) received a graft from donors with previous (4%) or active (96%) SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 258/283 (91.2%, control group) received a graft from COVID-19-negative donors. SARS-CoV-2-RNA was tested on graft tissue of COVID-19 donors and their recipients underwent weekly evaluation of SARS-CoV-2-RNA in nasal swabs for the first month after LT. RESULTS: One-year and 2-year patient survival was 88.5% and 88.5% in study group versus 94.5% and 93.5% in control group, respectively (p = .531). In study population there was no evidence of donor-recipient virus transmission, but three (12%) patients (vs. 7 [2.7%] of control group, p = .048) developed hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT): they were SARS-CoV-2-RNA negative at LT and 1/3 grafts tested SARS-CoV-2-RNA positive on liver tissue. COVID-19 donor was independently associated with HAT (odds ratio (OR) = 4.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-19.15; p = .037). By comparing study population with control group, acute rejection and biliary complication rates were not significantly different (16% vs. 8.1%, p = .26; 16% vs. 16.3% p = .99, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our 1-year results of transplant strategy including liver grafts from COVID-19 donors were favorable. HAT was the only complication with significantly higher rate in patients transplanted with COVID-19 donors compared with control group.

First report of a gallbladder hemangioma coexisting with gallstones: a case report and literature review of a rare finding.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder hemangioma is an exceptionally rare entity, with only ten cases reported in literature hitherto. The here described case is the first report of a gallbladder hemangioma coexisting with gallstones. CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year-old male was hospitalized following repeated episodes of epigastric pain. Patient's medical history included primary hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity and hyperuricemia. Physical examination revealed marked pain in the right hypochondriac region, and laboratory workup was notable for mildly elevated glycemia (125 mg/dL) and pancreatic amylase (60 IU/L). Abdominal ultrasound showed multiple gallstones, a thickened gallbladder wall and mild edema of the perivisceral adipose tissue as well as a hepatic angioma. During surgery, an incidental subserosal nodule of about 1 cm was detected within the gallbladder fundus. After surgery, the clinical course was uneventful and the patient was discharged. Histopathological examination of the subserosal nodule showed multiple dilated vascular channels within a sclerosing matrix, a finding consistent with a cavernous hemangioma. Diffuse chronic cholecystitis was also present. CONCLUSIONS: Gallbladder hemangiomas represent a rare, likely underdiagnosed condition which can be undetected during the preoperative workup.

Impact of Tissue Enolase 1 Protein Overexpression in Esophageal Cancer Progression.

Enolase (ENO) 1 is a key glycolytic enzyme and important player in tumorigenesis. ENO1 overexpression has been correlated with tumor progression and/or worse prognosis in several solid malignancies. However, data concerning the impact of ENO1 in cancer conflict. The study correlated local and circulating ENO1 protein levels in esophageal cancer (EC) with clinicopathological data, to assess its potential clinical value. ENO1 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in paired tumor and non-tumor tissue samples from 40 EC cases and mucosal biopsies from 45 Barrett's esophagus (BE) cases, plus in plasma from these patients and 25 matched healthy controls. ENO1 was abnormally elevated in cancer-cell cytoplasm in both EC types, in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and in adenocarcinoma (EAC), increasing significantly with tumor stage progression and the transition from BE to EAC. EAC patients exhibited significantly lower ENO1 plasma concentrations than normal subjects. Neither local nor systemic ENO1 expression levels were significantly associated with overall survival. These results indicate ENO1 as potential biomarker, delineating a population of patients with Barrett's esophagus at high risk of cancer, and as new therapeutic opportunity in EC patient management. However, further confirmation might be necessary.

How to Preserve Steatotic Liver Grafts for Transplantation.

Liver allograft steatosis is a significant risk factor for postoperative graft dysfunction and has been associated with inferior patient and graft survival, particularly in the case of moderate or severe macrovesicular steatosis. In recent years, the increasing incidence of obesity and fatty liver disease in the population has led to a higher proportion of steatotic liver grafts being used for transplantation, making the optimization of their preservation an urgent necessity. This review discusses the mechanisms behind the increased susceptibility of fatty livers to ischemia-reperfusion injury and provides an overview of the available strategies to improve their utilization for transplantation, with a focus on preclinical and clinical evidence supporting donor interventions, novel preservation solutions, and machine perfusion techniques.

Caveolin-1 expression predicts favourable outcome and correlates with PDGFRA mutations in gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs).

AIMS: Novel prognostic markers are warranted for gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Caveolin-1 is a multifunctional protein that proved to be associated with outcome in multiple tumour types. Aim of this study was to investigate Caveolin-1 expression and prognostic efficacy in a series of gastrointestinal stromal tumours. METHODS: Caveolin-1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in a retrospective series of 66 gastrointestinal stromal tumours representative of the different molecular subtypes. Correlations with clinical, histopathological and molecular features were investigated. Statistical analyses were performed as appropriate. RESULTS: Thirty-five cases out of 66 (53.0%) expressed Caveolin-1. Presence of Caveolin-1 expression correlated with favourable histopathologic and clinical traits, including a lower mitotic count (p=0.003) and lower relapse rate (p=0.005). Caveolin-1 expression also resulted associated with the presence of PDGFRA mutations (p=0.010). Outcome analyses showed a favourable prognostic significance of Caveolin-1 expression in terms of relapse-free survival (HR=0.14; 95% CI=0.03 to 0.63) and overall survival (HR=0.29; 95% CI=0.11 to 0.74), even after adjusting for the mutational subgroup (relapse-free survival: HR=0.14, 95% CI=0.04 to 0.44; overall survival: HR=0.29, 95% CI=0.11 to 0.51) and imatinib treatment (relapse-free survival: HR=0.14, 95% CI=0.02 to 0.81; overall survival: HR=0.29, 95% CI=0.17 to 0.48). CONCLUSION: Caveolin-1 represents a novel prognostic marker in gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Further studies are warranted to validate these results and to explore the mechanisms linking Caveolin-1 expression with the PDGFRA oncogenic pathway.

In vivo evaluation of traumatic and malignant oral ulcers with optical coherence tomography: A comparison between histopathological and ultrastructural findings.

Ulcers in the oral mucosa is a relatively common, although challenging, entity in oral medicine, as it can arise due to a wide range of traumatic, infective, autoimmune, and neoplastic disorders. Although histopathology of lesional and peri­lesional tissues remains the gold standard for persistent oral breaching, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been recently suggested as a potential ally to enhance the early or non-invasive diagnosis of likely causation. The aim of the present study was to provide an in-vivo OCT analysis and description from a sample of 70 patients affected by traumatic or neoplastic-related ulcers, located on the buccal mucosa, tongue or gingiva, and compare the OCT data with those of 20 patients with healthy oral mucosa. OCT dynamic scans revealed clear distinction of epithelial layer (EP), lamina propria (LP) of healthy buccal mucosa, gingiva, and tongue as well as allowing observation of the keratin layer in gingiva, and the subepithelial vascularization of each site. Traumatic lesions had an EP of reduced in thickness, with an irregular, if not disrupted surface. Interestingly, LP seemed to preserve its reflectiveness and vascularization only in the traumatic lesions. Among neoplastic lesions, regardless their site of onset, both EP integrity/homogeneity, and LP reflectiveness/vascularization were lost and unrecognizable when compared to their healthy counterparts. OCT scanning allowed some differentiation between traumatic and malignant ulcers and thus may a useful and non-invasive means of determining the need and/or urgency of histopathological examination of oral lesions.

Evaluation of Graft Fibrosis, Inflammation, and Donor-specific Antibodies at Protocol Liver Biopsies in Pediatric Liver Transplant Patients: A Single-center Experience.

BACKGROUND: The impact of graft fibrosis and inflammation on the natural history of pediatric liver transplants is still debated. Our objectives were to evaluate the evolution of posttransplant fibrosis and inflammation over time at protocol liver biopsies (PLBs), risk factors for fibrosis, presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs), and/or their correlation with graft and recipient factors. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective (2000-2019) cross-sectional study on pediatric liver transplant recipients who had at least 1 PLB, followed by a longitudinal evaluation in those who had at least 2 PLBs, was conducted. Fibrosis was assessed by the Liver Allograft Fibrosis Semiquantitative score, inflammation by the rejection activity index, DSAs by Luminex. RESULTS: A total of 134 PLBs from 94 patients were included. Fibrosis was detected in 87% (30% mild, 45% moderate, and 12% severe), 80% in the portal tracts. There was an increase in fibrosis between the 1-3 and the 4-6 y group (P = 0.01), then it was stable. Inflammation was observed in 44% (30% mild, 13% moderate, and 1% severe), 90% in the portal tracts. Anti-HLA II (IgG) DSAs were detected in 14 of 40 (35%). Portal fibrosis was associated with portal inflammation in the 1-3 y group (P = 0.04). Low immunosuppression levels were correlated with sinusoidal fibrosis (P = 0.04) and DSA positivity (P = 0.006). There was no statistically significant correlation between DSA positivity and the presence of graft fibrosis or inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: This study corroborates the concept of an early evolution of silent graft fibrosis. Suboptimal immunosuppression may play a role in the development of fibrosis and DSAs.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis in the Piedmont Region, Italy: Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has likely affected the most vulnerable groups of patients and those requiring time-critical access to healthcare services, such as patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to use time trend data to assess the impact of COVID-19 on timely diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) in the Italian Piedmont region. Methods: This study was based on two different data sources. First, regional hospital discharge register data were used to identify incident HNC in patients ≥18 years old during the period from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. Interrupted time-series analysis was used to model the long-time trends in monthly incident HNC before COVID-19 while accounting for holiday-related seasonal fluctuations in the HNC admissions. Second, in a population of incident HNC patients eligible for recruitment in an ongoing clinical cohort study (HEADSpAcE) that started before the COVID-19 pandemic, we compared the distribution of early-stage and late-stage diagnoses between the pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 period. Results: There were 4,811 incident HNC admissions in the 5-year period before the COVID-19 outbreak and 832 admissions in 2020, of which 689 occurred after the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. An initial reduction of 28% in admissions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.62-0.84) was largely addressed by the end of 2020 (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.89-1.03) when considering the whole population, although there were some heterogeneities. The gap between observed and expected admissions was particularly evident and had not completely recovered by the end of the year in older (≥75 years) patients (RR: 0.88, 0.76-1.01), patients with a Romano-Charlson comorbidity index below 2 (RR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-1.00), and primary surgically treated patients (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80-0.97). In the subgroup of patients eligible for the ongoing active recruitment, we observed no evidence of a shift toward a more advanced stage at diagnosis in the periods following the first pandemic wave. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected differentially the management of certain groups of incident HNC patients, with more pronounced impact on older patients, those treated primarily surgically, and those with less comorbidities. The missed and delayed diagnoses may translate into worser oncological outcomes in these patients.

The Presence of Metastatic Thoracic Duct Lymph Nodes in Western Esophageal Cancer Patients: A Multinational Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The thoracic lymphadenectomy during an esophagectomy for esophageal cancer includes resection of the thoracic duct (TD) compartment containing the TD lymph nodes (TDLNs). The role of TD compartment resection is still a topic of debate since metastatic TDLNs have only been demonstrated in squamous cell carcinomas in Eastern esophageal cancer patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the presence and metastatic involvement of TDLNs in a Western population, in which adenocarcinoma is the predominant type of esophageal cancer. METHODS: From July 2017 to May 2020, all consecutive patients undergoing an open or robot-assisted transthoracic esophagectomy with concurrent lymphadenectomy and resection of the TD compartment in the University Medical Center Utrecht in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and the Città della Salute e della Scienza University Hospital in Turin, Italy, were included. The TD compartment was resected en bloc and was separated in the operation room by the operating surgeon after which it was macroscopically and microscopically assessed for (metastatic) TDLNs by the pathologist. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients with an adenocarcinoma (73%) or squamous cell carcinoma (27%) of the esophagus were included. In 61 (52%) patients, TDLNs were found, containing metastasis in 9 (15%) patients. No major complications related to TD compartment resection were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the presence of metastatic TDLNs in adenocarcinomas of the esophagus. This result provides a valid argument to routinely extend the thoracic lymphadenectomy with resection of the TD compartment during an esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Expression of p63 is the sole independent marker of aggressiveness in localised (stage I-II) Merkel cell carcinomas.

Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin is a malignant neuroendocrine tumour, whose prognostic criteria are a matter of dispute. Specifically, no predictor is presently available in stage I-II tumours. We collected clinical and follow-up data from 70 Merkel cell carcinomas of the skin. The same cases were studied for p63 expression by immunohistochemistry, by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and TP63 gene status by FISH and for presence of Merkel cell polyomavirus by PCR. Stage emerged as a significant prognostic parameter (P=0.008). p63 expression, detected in 61% (43/70) of cases by immunohistochemistry, was associated with both decreased overall survival (P<0.0001) and disease-free survival (P<0.0001). Variable expression patterns of the different p63 isoforms were found only in cases immunoreactive for p63. In these latter lesions, at least one of the N-terminal p63 isoforms was detected and TAp63α was the most frequently expressed isoform. TP63 gene amplification was observed by FISH in only one case. Presence of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA sequences was detected in 86% (60/70) of Merkel cell carcinomas and did not emerge as a significant prognostic parameter. Merkel cell carcinoma cases at low stage (stage I-II) represented over half (40/70 cases, 57%) of cases, and the clinical course was uneventful in 25 of 40 cases while 15 cases died of tumour (10/40 cases) within 34 months or were alive with disease (5/40 cases) within 20 months. Interestingly, a very strict correlation was found between evolution and p63 expression (P<0.0001). The present data indicate that p63 expression is associated with a worse prognosis in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma, and in localised tumours it represents the single independent predictor of clinical evolution.

Adrenal ganglioneuroma with multifocal retroperitoneal extension: a challenging diagnosis.

A ganglioneuroma (GN) is the rarest and most benign of the neuroblastic tumors and originates from neural crest cells wherever sympathetic nervous tissue exists, such as in the retroperitoneum and adrenal gland. The diagnosis can be very challenging, given the rarity and asymptomatic presentation of this neoplasia, and can be achieved only by means of histological evaluation. Although benign, a few cases of metastatic GNs have been reported in the literature. The prognosis, however, seems to be excellent after surgical resection. We describe a rare case of multifocal retroperitoneal GN, diagnosed incidentally in a 46-year-old woman, with para-aortic and adrenal localizations. After intraoperative pathological diagnosis was made, complete excision of all the visible masses was performed. The postoperative period was uneventful and she was recurrence free 3 months after surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a multifocal retroperitoneal GN. Among the broad differential diagnoses of adrenal incidentalomas, an adrenal location of neuroblastic tumors should not be forgotten.

Clinical and histologic outcomes of calcium sulfate in the treatment of postextraction sockets.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the clinical and histologic outcomes obtained with calcium sulfate (CS) used as a filler material in fresh premolar and molar postextraction sockets. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty premolar or molar postextraction sockets were filled with CS. Among the 60 grafted sockets, after 3 months, 50 underwent implant placement and clinical assessment. The removal of a sample core of newly generated intrasocket tissue was performed in 19 sockets. Collected samples were sent for histologic examination. The percentage of vital bone, nonvital bone, residual CS, amorphous material, and connective areas in every sample was calculated and recorded. RESULTS: Fifty postextraction regenerated sockets that underwent implant placement 3 months after tooth removal were included in this study.A partial postoperative exposition of the graft was observed in 12 of 50 sockets. At the surgical reentry, the augmented extraction sockets were completely filled by a hard material with an adequate alveolar crest in 41 cases. Histologic examination of the cores revealed that 63.16% of the intrasocket tissue was new vital bone, 2.1% was nonvital bone, 4.74% was fibrous tissue, and 30% was amorphous material. No residual CS was identified in bone cores. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that CS is an ideal grafting material. The clinical adequacy aspect of filled sockets at surgical reentry seemed to be indicative of a qualitatively better bone regeneration. Postoperative exposition of graft material after a first intervention seemed to constitute an important risk factor for a worse bone regeneration.

Macrophages expressing TREM-1 are involved in the progression of HPV16-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Many types of research have been performed to improve the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of oropharyngeal carcinomas (OP-SCCs). Since they arise in lymphoid-rich areas and intense lymphocytic infiltration has been related to a better prognosis, a TREM-1 putative function in tumour progression and survival has been hypothesized. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven human papillomavirus (HPV) 16+ OP-SCC specimens have been analyzed to relate TREM-1 expression with histiocytic and lymphocytic markers, HPV presence and patients' outcome. RESULTS: No differences have been shown between intratumoral and stromal CD4+ cells, while intratumoral CD8+ lymphocytes are higher with respect to the tumour stroma (p = .0005). CD68+ cells are more than CD35+ and TREM-1+; their presence is related to CD35± and TREM-1± histiocytes (p = .005 and .026, respectively). Intratumoral CD4+ lymphocytes are higher in p16+ cases (11/27) than in p16- (p = .042); moreover, p16 positivity correlates to a better survival (p = .034). CD4+, CD8+ and CD35+ cells have no impact on survival, while CD68 expression heavily influences progression and bad outcome (p = .037). TREM-1 positivity also leads to worst overall survival (p = .001): peritumoral expression and death-cause relationship are always significant, particularly when the cause is OP-SCC (p = .000). CONCLUSION: While p16 shows to better stratify HPV16+ patients' outcome, TREM-1+ macrophages suggest their key importance in HPV-related OP-SCCs progression.KEY MESSAGESTREM-1 positivity correlates to the worst overall survival of HPV16-positive OPSCCs-affected patients.p16-positive HPV16 related OPSCCs patients have a better prognosis with respect to p16-negative ones.

Androgen receptor expression is a significant prognostic factor in estrogen receptor positive breast cancers.

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the prognostic value of androgen receptor (AR) expression in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, treated with endocrine therapy, with or without the addition of chemotherapy. A consecutive series of 953 patients with ER-positive breast cancer, treated between 1998 and 2003, was selected. Repeated immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of ER in the tumor of 938 patients. AR expression was measured by immunohistochemistry. The Kaplan-Meier method, logrank test and multivariate Cox models were used to explore the impact of AR expression on time to relapse (TTR) and disease specific survival (DSS) in all patients and in subgroups treated with chemo-endocrine therapy or endocrine therapy alone. AR immunoreactivity was assessable in 859 tumors and positive in 609 (70.9%). AR expression was a significant marker of good prognosis for TTR (P = 0.001) and DSS (P < 0.001). This effect was particularly evident in the group of patients receiving chemo-endocrine therapy (TTR (P = 0.015) and DSS (P < 0.001)). Cox models confirmed AR as an independent variable for both TTR (P = 0.003, HR 0.444, 95%CI 0.258-0.765) and DSS (P < 0.001, HR 0.135, 95%CI 0.054-0.337). Thus, we focused on ER-positive luminal B breast cancer that may be selected for chemotherapy because of their more aggressive immunophenotype. In this subset AR expression identified a group of patients with better prognosis for TTR (P = 0.017, HR 0.521, 95%CI 0.306-0.888) and DSS (P = 0.001, HR 0.276, 95% CI 0.130-0.588). AR expression is an independent prognostic factor of better outcome in patients with ER-positive breast cancers.

In-vivo usefulness of optical coherence tomography in atrophic-erosive oral lichen planus: Comparison between histopathological and ultrastructural findings.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common premalignant chronic inflammatory disorder. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) provides a real-time, non-invasive, and in-situ optical signature using light of varying wavelengths to examine tissue. Aim of the present study was to assess the possible role of OCT as diagnostic tool for atrophic-erosive OLP by examining OCT scans of healthy buccal mucosa, and comparing their ultrastructural features with those of a buccal mucosa affected by atrophic-erosive OLP, using their histopathological counterparts as the gold standard. Through grayscale (enface scan) and an application in which the vascularization of the tissue is visible (dynamic scan), it was possible to distinguish the healthy from the lichenoid pattern from 20 controls (12 M; 8 F; mean age: 41.32 years) and 20 patients with histologically confirmed atrophic-erosive OLP (7 M; 13 F; mean age: 64.27 years). In detail, mean width of stratified squamous epithelium (EP) and lamina propria (LP) were evaluated. Among controls, EP and LP showed a mean width of 300 (±50) and of 600 (±50) µm respectively; among cases, disruption of membrane basement prevented from any measurement. Furthermore, a differential pattern of EP and LP emerged between the two groups: a light-grayish, hypo-reflective, homogeneous area of EP recurring in controls turned into a hyper-reflective, non-homogeneous area among cases. Dynamic scan showed a differential profile of LP vascularization, varying from a hypo-reflective red area with small blood vessels in the control group, to a hypo/hyper-reflective area, completely overrun by a denser, wider blood flow amid OLP cases. Although histopathological examination remains the gold standard for OLP diagnosis, OCT could be a potentially helpful tool for the clinician and the pathologist, since it allows analysis of the vascularization of the sample without adversely affecting histological processing.

Caveolin 1 expression independently predicts shorter survival in oligodendrogliomas.

Caveolin 1 (cav-1) is the basic component of the flask-shaped membrane microdomains known as caveolae that are involved in various cell functions. Caveolin 1 can be overexpressed in tumors,suggesting a proneoplastic role, or it can be downregulated. We previously reported that cav-1 expression increases with tumor grade in astrocytomas. Here, we studied cav-1 immunoreactivity in brain umors with an oligodendroglial component to determine the prognostic value of cav-1 expression and to correlate it with 1p/19q deletions. Fifty-four oligodendrogliomas, 26 mixed oligoastrocytomas,and 7 glioblastomas with an oligodendroglial component were assessed for cav-1 expression by immunohistochemistry and for 1p/19q status by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Caveolin-1 was detected in a minority of cases (22%) and was associated mostly with Grade III mixed oligoastrocytomas and glioblastomas with anoligodendroglial component; cav-1 expression was significantly correlated with the absence of a 1p/19q deletion (p = 0.0002). In the 63 cases in which survival data were available, cav-1 expression was also significantly associated with shorter survivals, whereas 1p/19q deletion was associated with longer survivals. Among high-grade tumors, cav-1 expression was the only factor that retained a statistical significance after multivariate analysis for the prediction ofa short survival (p G 0.015). These data are the first evidence that cav-1 immunohistochemistry is an independent prognostic marker in tumors with an oligodendroglial component regardless of the 1p/19q status.

Long-Term Outcome of Veno-Occlusive Disease After Liver Transplant: A Retrospective Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Veno-occlusive disease after liver transplant has been sporadically reported, and significant uncertainty exists concerning the best treatment and the long-term outcomes. Here, we reviewed our experience to evaluate clinical presentation, treatment, and the long-term outcomes of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2000 and 2015, 2165 patients underwent liver transplant at our center. The incidence of veno-occlusive disease was 0.3% (7/2165). RESULTS: Timing of veno-occlusive disease onset (median 4.7 mo; interquartile range, 2.5-11.1 mo) varied widely as did clinical presentation, which was characterized by a variable association of liver failure and portal hypertension and different disease pro-gression rates. In all cases, diagnosis of veno-occlusive disease was confirmed by liver biopsy. Six patients (85.7%) presented with veno-occlusive disease after a previous episode of acute cellular rejection. Three patients died due to veno-occlusive disease (n = 2) or due to hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence (n = 1). Two patients were treated by increasing immunosuppression and with interventional procedures (pleurodesis and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, respectively), and 2 had successful retransplants. 5-year patient and graft survival rates were 57.1% and 28.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A tailored approach based on clinical features and including retransplant can achieve acceptable long-term survival in patients with veno-occlusive disease after liver transplant.

Interaction between inflammation and angiogenesis during different stages of cervical carcinogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the role of angiogenesis and inflammatory cell response in cervical carcinogenesis. METHODS: Formalin-fixed tissue specimens from 58 uterine cervical specimens (8 CIN1, 14 CIN2, 28 CIN3, and 8 SCC), representing the different stages of cervical carcinogenesis, were immunohistochemically analyzed. Normal cervical tissue specimens were also included as controls. The present study assessed the expression of CD31 and CD105 to evaluate microvessel density (MVD), the macrophage marker CD68 and the panleukocyte marker CD45. In addition, expression of iNOS (inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase) was also evaluated. RESULTS: MVD, measured by either CD31 or CD105, increased along the continuum from normal epithelium to squamous cell carcinoma, and a significant correlation between the CD105-MVD and the CD31-MVD was observed (r=0.8735; p<0.0001). Furthermore, the number of infiltrating macrophages was significantly associated with progression to malignancy. Interestingly, there was a close positive correlation between macrophage counts and CD105-MVD (r=0.7525; p<0.0001). In striking contrast to the other angiogenic and inflammatory markers tested, iNOS expression was significantly reduced as cervical lesion grade progressed from low to high. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated a positive correlation between neovascularity and macrophage counts, whereas iNOS expression displayed an inverse relationship with macrophage density and tumor progression. Low iNOS expression may modify the function of tumor-infiltrating macrophages toward a malignant phenotype that promotes tumor progression rather than an anti-tumor response.

Case Report: Sporadic Burkitt lymphoma misdiagnosed as dental abscess in a 15-year-old girl.

Background: Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a non-Hodgkin's B-cell tumor that can be classified into three variants, based on clinical characteristics and epidemiology: endemic, human immunodeficiency-related and sporadic. Oral sporadic BL is quite an unusual entity, with the gastrointestinal trait being often the first site of appearance. Clinical finding: A 15-year-old patient that presented a symptomatic swelling of the right maxilla, unsuccessfully treated as a primary endodontic disease, displaying solid tissue on CT scan, "starry sky" pattern on oral biopsy, multifocal bone and lymph node uptake on PET. Diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes: A diagnosis of stage IV BL was formulated; Rituximab was then administered for three months according to Inter-B-NHL ritux 2010 protocol and CYM (cytarabine and methotrexate) chemotherapy. The patient was followed-up for three years, with no recurrence. Conclusion: It is important for general dental practitioners to suspect a malignancy in the differential diagnosis of unresponsive odontogenic infections in young healthy patients.