Biological and prognostic differences between symptomatic colorectal carcinomas and those detected by screening.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have been conducted to establish the relationship between colorectal cancer screening programmes and survival adjusting by stage and, to determine whether there are differences, at a biological level, between the tumours of asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to evaluate clinical, biological and survival differences between symptomatic colorectal tumours and those detected by screening. STUDY METHOD: A prospective cohort study was performed of patients subjected to surgical intervention during the period 2010-2012, at different hospitals in Spain. In every case, clinical, pathological, biological and survival-related variables were obtained. RESULTS: A total of 2634 patients from the CARESS-CCR cohort were analysed; of these, 220 were diagnosed through screening. The asymptomatic patients were younger, had a higher Body Mass Index (BMI), a lower degree of perineural invasion and a less advanced T stage and nodular stage, and the tumour was frequently located on the right side of the colon. All of these differences were statistically significant. The serum tumour marker carbohydrate antigen 19.9 (CA 19.9) was found more frequently in the symptomatic patients (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found regarding the markers of tumour biology: Ki67 (proliferation), CD105 (angiogenesis) and the Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay (apoptosis). The patients with asymptomatic tumours had a lower mortality at five years than those diagnosed presenting symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The detection method employed influenced the survival of patients with colorectal cancer and there were no significant biological differences between the study groups.

Clinical-pathological characteristics and short-term follow-up associated with proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis in a prospective cohort of patients with colorectal tumours.

We investigate the clinical and pathological features related to variations in colorectal tumour apoptosis, proliferation and angiogenesis and the influence of the latter in short-term mortality (2 years); 551 tumour samples from a prospective cohort of patients with colorectal cancer were examined and tumour biology markers were determined as follows: percentage of apoptotic cells, by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End Labeling technique; Ki-67 antigen, as a cell proliferation marker and density of microvessels (as a marker of angiogenesis). An increase in the percentage of cellular apoptosis is significantly related to the presence of poorly differentiated tumours, with vascular invasion (p < 0.001). The CD105 angiogenesis marker is not related to any clinical-pathological parameter except that of higher frequency in older patients (p = 0.03). Ki-67 is more frequently expressed in tumours with less nervous invasion (p = 0.05). Neither apoptosis nor angiogenesis present any significant association with short-term survival. The only marker clearly related to 2-year survival is Ki-67, which is shown to be a good prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 0.49; 95% confidence interval = 0.27-0.90). Therefore, in a prospective cohort of colorectal cancer patients, only Ki-67 is a marker of good prognosis in short-term follow-up.

Translational pancreatic cancer research: A comparative study on patient-derived xenograft models.

AIM: To assess the viability of orthotopic and heterotopic patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenografts implanted into nude mice. METHODS: This study presents a prospective experimental analytical follow-up of the development of tumours in mice upon implantation of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma samples. Specimens were obtained surgically from patients with a pathological diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Tumour samples from pancreatic cancer patients were transplanted into nude mice in three different locations (intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and pancreatic). Histological analysis (haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining) and immunohistochemical assessment of apoptosis (TUNEL), proliferation (Ki-67), angiogenesis (CD31) and fibrogenesis (α-SMA) were performed. When a tumour xenograft reached the target size, it was re-implanted in a new nude mouse. Three sequential tumour xenograft generations were generated (F1, F2 and F3). RESULTS: The overall tumour engraftment rate was 61.1%. The subcutaneous model was most effective in terms of tissue growth (69.9%), followed by intraperitoneal (57.6%) and pancreatic (55%) models. Tumour development was faster in the subcutaneous model (17.7 ± 2.6 wk) compared with the pancreatic (23.1 ± 2.3 wk) and intraperitoneal (25.0 ± 2.7 wk) models (P = 0.064). There was a progressive increase in the tumour engraftment rate over successive generations for all three models (F1 28.1% vs F2 71.4% vs F3 80.9%, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in tumour xenograft differentiation and cell proliferation between human samples and the three experimental models among the sequential generations of tumour xenografts. However, a progressive decrease in fibrosis, fibrogenesis, tumour vascularisation and apoptosis was observed in the three experimental models compared with the human samples. All three pancreatic patient-derived xenograft models presented similar histological and immunohistochemical characteristics. CONCLUSION: In our experience, the faster development and greatest number of viable xenografts could make the subcutaneous model the best option for experimentation in pancreatic cancer.

Primary extraosseous plasmacytoma of the parotid gland: A case report and literature review.

Extraosseous plasmacytoma (EOP) is an uncommon malignant tumour that is characterised by the monoclonal proliferation of abnormal plasma cells in soft tissue; however, EOP lacks the defining features of multiple myeloma or medullary plasmacytoma. Although the majority of EOP lesions occur in the head and neck, EOP of the parotid gland is extremely uncommon. The present study aimed to explore the clinical features of parotid plasmacytoma, in addition to the diagnostic and therapeutic options for its management. Using the Medline database, a search was conducted for articles published on the topic of 'parotid plasmacytoma' up until the year 2016. A total of 20 cases were evaluated, including 19 clinical cases from the literature and 1 new clinical case from our hospital. Among the 19 previously published cases, the mean age at the time of diagnosis of EOP was 65.1±10.9 years (range, 38-78 years). Plasmacytomas were located unilaterally in all cases: On the right side in 9 patients (47.4%), on the left side in 10 patients (52.6%). Treatment included chemotherapy in 3 cases, radiotherapy in 11 cases and surgical removal in 15 cases. The diagnosis of EOP is based on the presence of a localised tumour comprising monoclonal plasma cells, and EOP is identical to multiple myeloma in this regard; however, EOP, in contrast to multiple myeloma, does not exhibit the signs that are indicative of disseminated disease, such as additional lesions on skeletal radiological examination, plasmacytosis in the bone marrow, and hypercalcaemia, anaemia, or renal failure. Thus, EOP must be considered in the differential diagnosis of parotid gland lesions in order to avoid confusion with other tumoural diseases.

Linfoma B difuso de células grandes primario testicular. Presentación de 3 casos y revisión de la literatura / Primary diffuse testicular large B-cell lymphoma. A report of 3 cases and a review of the literature

Los linfomas testiculares primarios representan aproximadamente el 5% de todas las neoplasias testiculares malignas, el 1% de los linfomas no Hodgkin y el 4% de los linfomas no Hodgkin extranodales. Se trata por tanto de neoplasias infrecuentes aunque muy agresivas en la mayoría de los casos ya que entre el 80% y el 90% de los linfomas testiculares pertenecen al subtipo no Hodgkin B difuso de células grandes. Esta neoplasia constituye el tumor maligno testicular más frecuente en ancianos. La presentación clínica típica es una masa testicular unilateral acompañada a veces de hidrocele y dolor agudo escrotal. A pesar de que existe buena tasa de respuestas a la quimioterapia, sobre todo en estadios tempranos, el porcentaje de recaídas es alto y el pronóstico muy pobre. Presentamos aquí 3 casos y estudiamos la histología y la inmunohistoquímica, y revisamos la literatura en este sentido repasando las nuevas perspectivas terapéuticas (AU)

Primary testicular lymphoma accounts for approximately 5% of malignant tumours of the testis, 1% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas and 4% of extra-nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 80-90% of testicular lymphomas belong to the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma group which is clinically very aggressive. Although infrequent, it is the most common malignant testicular tumour in the elderly. The typical presentation is a unilateral testicular mass sometimes accompanied by acute scrotal pain or a hydrocele. Although the initial response to chemotherapy may be favorable, relapses are frequent and the overall prognosis of this neoplasm is very poor. We present three cases with histopathological and immunohistochemical studies, a review the literature and new therapeutic perspectives (AU)

Preoperative embolization for the treatment of cervical Castleman disease.

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare benign lymphoproliferative disorder commonly described as a hypervascular mass that causes progressive lymph node enlargement. Head and neck involvement occurs only in 15% to 20% of cases. The recommended treatment in solitary CD is radical resection. Few reports have described the use of angiographic study and preoperative embolization to minimize the intraoperative risk of hemorrhage. We report a clinical case of a solitary large painless, slow-growing mass located in the neck of a 34-year-old woman. Contrast-enhanced computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scan demonstrated a well-defined mass with internal calcifications and peripheral vessels located in the posterior cervical space, extending inferiorly to the supraclavicular space, which moderately enhanced after contrast administration. In the preoperative arteriography, a hypervascularized mass was identified, which mainly received an arterial supply from thyrocervical trunk. Successful embolization with polyvinyl alcohol microparticles was performed, resulting in a significant reduction of intraoperative bleeding, allowing a subsequently safe removal of the tumor. Histopathologic examination corresponded to hyaline vascular-type CD.

Miopatía por cloroquina / Chloroquine myopathy

La cloroquina es un antipalúdico de síntesis, también empleado en el tratamiento de diversas enfermedades reumatológicas y dermatológicas. Entre sus efectos secundarios, asociados a uso prolongado, destacan retinopatía, miopatía y cardiomiopatía. Describimos el caso de una mujer de 60 años diagnosticada de artritis reumatoide hace 8 años y tratada desde entonces con cloroquina, que presentó signos de insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva y una tetraparesia de predominio proximal. Se practicó biopsia de músculo esquelético que puso de manifiesto la existencia de una miopatía necrosante-vacuolar, observándose en el estudio ultraestructural fibras musculares muy alteradas con presencia de perfiles curvilíneos como los que se describen en la miopatía causada por cloroquina (AU)

Linfoma NK blástico; presentación de un caso / Blastic natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma: a case report

El linfoma NK ("Natural Killer") blástico es un tipo infrecuente de linfoma, reconocido como entidad independiente dentro de los linfomas de células T y NK en la nueva clasificación de la O.M.S. Sus características clínicas, morfológicas e inmunofenotípicas están relativamente bien definidas, debuta frecuentemente con afectación extraganglionar (fundamentalmente cutánea), cursa a menudo con esplenomegalia y pancitopenia, y responde inicialmente bien al tratamiento quimioterápico, aunque el pronóstico a medio plazo suele ser malo. Inicialmente se consideró originado a partir de linfocitos NK inmaduros, pero en la actualidad se postula su origen en precursores de células dendríticas plasmacitoides (monocitos o células T plasmacitoides). Presentamos las características clínico-patológicas de un nuevo caso de esta rara entidad en un paciente varón de 55 años de edad (AU)

Granulomatosis sarcoidea necrosanteautolimitada / Self limited necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis

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