Diagnosis and treatment of primary thyroid lymphoma from a surgical perspective: a multi-institutional study.

PURPOSE: Surgery of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) has been mostly limited to diagnostic work-up. This study aimed to further study its potential role. METHODS: This was a retrospective study from a multi-institutional registry of PTL patients. Clinical, diagnostic work-up (fine needle aspiration, FNA; core needle biopsy, CoreNB), contribution of surgery (open surgical biopsy, OpenSB; thyroidectomy), histology subtype, and outcome data were evaluated. RESULTS: Some 54 patients were studied. Diagnostic work-up included FNA in 47 patients, CoreNB in 11, and OpenSB in 21. CoreNB yielded the best sensitivity (90.9%). Thyroidectomy was performed in 14 patients with other diagnosis (incidental PTL), in 4 for diagnosis and in 4 for elective treatment of PTL. Incidental PTL was associated with not performed FNA nor CoreNB (OR 52.5; P = 0.008), mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) subtype (OR 24.3; P = 0.012), and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (OR 11.1; P = 0.032). Lymphoma-related death (10 cases) mostly occurred within the first year after diagnosis and was associated with diffuse large B-cell (DLBC) subtype (OR 10.3; P = 0.018) and older patients (OR 1.08 for every 1-year increase; P = 0.010). There was a trend towards lower mortality rate in patients receiving thyroidectomy (2/22 versus 8/32, P = 0.172). CONCLUSION: Incidental PTL accounts for most of thyroid surgery cases and are associated with incomplete diagnostic work-up, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and MALT subtype. CoreNB appears to be the best tool for diagnosis. Most of PTL deaths occurred during the first year after diagnosis and mostly related to systemic treatment. Age and DLBC subtype are poor prognostic factors.

Extension of Prophylactic Surgery in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma. Differences Between Sporadic and Hereditary Tumours According to Calcitonin Levels and Lymph Node Involvement.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, there is no consensus on the indication of prophylactic surgery of the nodal compartments in the treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The aim of our study was to perform a correlation study between preoperative calcitonin (basalCT) values and lymph node involvement to establish a criterion on which to base prophylactic surgery in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, retrospective and multicentre study with 29 hospitals. Patients over 18 years of age with a diagnosis of MTC with a pre-surgical calcitonin registry were included. The minimum surgery in all patients had to have been total thyroidectomy (TT) with central compartment lymph node dissection (CCLND). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to establish basalCT cut-off values as predictors of postoperative lymph node involvement. RESULTS: A total of 244 patients were included. Baseline calcitonin (basalCT) was a good predictor of nodal involvement (AUC 0.718 and 95%CI 0.66-0.978). Heritability was identified as a preoperative factor correlated with baseline tumour CT values (p = 0.000). With a probability of lymph node involvement below 10%, new cut-off points were established. A prophylactic bilateral lateral lymph node dissection in sporadic tumours should be performed at a basalCT > 600 pg/mL; in the case of RET-mutated tumours this value would be 200 pg/mL. CONCLUSION: The baseline CT value is a good predictor of postoperative lymph node involvement in MTC, however, cut-off points should depent on the hereditary nature of the tumour.

Is it always necessary to perform an axillary lymph node dissection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer?

INTRODUCTION: Recent prospective studies support the feasibility of performing sentinel lymph node biopsy following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in initially fine-needle aspiration cytology or ultrasound-guided biopsy-proven node-positive breast cancer. The main aid is to identify preoperative features that help us predict a complete axillary response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in these patients and thus select the candidates for sentinel lymph node biopsy post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy to avoid unnecessary axillary lymphadenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study with a total of 150 patients, biopsy-proven node-positive breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by breast surgery and axillary lymphadenectomy were included and retrospectively analysed. A predictive model was generated by a multivariate logistic regression analysis for pathological complete response-dependent variable. RESULTS: The response of the primary lesion to neoadjuvant chemotherapy according to post-treatment magnetic resonance imaging, Her2/neu overexpression and a low estrogen receptor expression are associated with a higher rate of nodal pathologically complete response. The multivariant model generated a receiver operating characteristic curve with an area under the curve of 0.79 and a confidence interval of 0.72-0.87 at a 95% level of significance. CONCLUSIONS: This model could be a helpful tool for the surgeon to help in predicting which cases have a higher likelihood of achieving a pathologically complete response and therefore selecting those who may benefit from a post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy sentinel lymph node biopsy and avoid unnecessary axillary lymphadenectomy.

Systematic review of the influence of chemotherapy-associated liver injury on outcome after partial hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: The impact of chemotherapy-associated liver injury (CALI) on postoperative outcome in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) remains controversial. The objective of this study was to clarify the effect of CALI (sinusoidal dilatation (SD), steatosis and steatohepatitis) on postoperative morbidity and mortality by investigating a large data set from multiple international centres. METHODS: PubMed and Embase were searched for studies published between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013 with keywords 'chemotherapy', 'liver resection', 'outcome' and 'colorectal metastases' to identify potential collaborating centres. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed using binary logistic regression models, with results presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95 per cent confidence intervals. RESULTS: A consolidated database comprising 788 patients who underwent hepatectomy for CRLM in eight centres was obtained. In multivariable analyses, severe SD was associated with increased major morbidity (Dindo-Clavien grade III-V; OR 1·73, 95 per cent c.i. 1·02 to 2·95; P = 0·043). Severe steatosis was associated with decreased liver surgery-specific complications (OR 0·52, 95 per cent c.i. 0·27 to 1·00; P = 0·049), whereas steatohepatitis was linked to an increase in these complications (OR 2·08, 1·18 to 3·66; P = 0·012). Subgroup analysis showed that lobular inflammation was the sole component associated with increased overall morbidity (OR 2·22, 1·48 to 3·34; P = 0·001) and liver surgery-specific complications (OR 3·35, 2·11 to 5·32; P < 0·001). Finally, oxaliplatin treatment was linked to severe SD (OR 2·74, 1·67 to 4·49; P < 0·001). CONCLUSION: An increase in postoperative major morbidity and liver surgery-specific complications was observed after partial hepatectomy in patients with severe SD and steatohepatitis. Postoperative liver failure occurred more often in patients with severe SD.

Parathyroid adenoma in third pharyngeal pouch cyst as a rare case of primary hyperparathyroidism.

The primitive thymus and inferior parathyroid derive from the third branchial cleft. During embryonic development, these structures descend, reaching their final localisation. Third branchial cleft anomalies present usually as a fistula, abscess or cyst. However, there are no reports on parathyroid adenomas in the literature other than as a morphological possibility. We describe the case of a 47-year-old man, who had been diagnosed with arterial hypertension and who presented with a cervical mass at the edge of the lower third of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. On ultrasonography, the mass had a cystic walled appearance. Laboratory analysis only revealed an intact parathyroid hormone level of 140.5 pg/ml. Sestamibi imaging showed a probable parathyroid adenoma in the anterior mediastinum. During surgery, a tract running from beyond the superior thyroid pedicle to the superior mediastinum was dissected and removed. In the inferior end of the tract, a brown mass was visible. Pathological examination revealed a thymus cyst surrounding a parathyroid adenoma. The primal alteration was the lack of division between the thymus and inferior parathyroid gland, and the prompt prevention of their development. In the case of our patient, a parathyroid adenoma had grown by chance.

Preoperative parathyroid harpoon localisation: a new technique helpful in reoperative patients with persistent hyperparathyroidism.

Surgery for persistent primary hyperparathyroidism remains a major challenge for surgeons and these reoperative procedures require an experienced parathyroid surgeon. The goal of reoperative surgery is to excise the abnormal parathyroid gland(s) and limit exploration to help minimise the potential complications. At least two positive and concordant localising studies should be available before reoperation because the technical difficulties in these cases make an exact localisation necessary before surgery. We describe the placement of a metallic harpoon under ultrasonography guidance as a safe, simple and inexpensive technique for localisation of the enlarged gland prior to conservative surgery.

Castleman's Disease: A Case Report of the Unicentric Type.

Castleman's disease, or angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, is a relatively rare disorder characterized by the benign proliferation of lymphoid tissue related to the chronic human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) infection and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Two clinical entities have been described: a unicentric presentation with the disease confined to a single anatomic lymph node and a multicentric presentation characterized by generalized lymphadenopathy and a more aggressive clinical course. Also, three histopathological subtypes have been described: hyaline-vascular, plasma cell, and a mixed variant. Preoperative diagnosis of hyaline-vascular Castleman's disease is difficult, and the definitive result is based on postoperative pathological findings. The gold standard therapy is the complete surgical excision.

Different role of cAMP dependent protein kinase and CaMKII in H3 receptor regulation of histamine synthesis and release.

Histamine H(3) autoreceptors induce a negative feedback on histamine synthesis and release. While it is known that cAMP/cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA) and Ca(2+)/CaMKII transduction pathways mediate H(3) effects on histamine synthesis, the pathways regulating neuronal histamine release are poorly known. Given the potential use of H(3) ligands in cognitive diseases, we have developed a technique for the determination of H(3) effects on histamine synthesis and release in brain cortical miniprisms. Potassium-induced depolarization effects were impaired by blockade of calcium entry through N and P/Q channels, as well as of CaMKII, but release was not affected by activators or inhibitors of the cAMP/PKA pathway (1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (IBMX), N6,2'-O-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate sodium salt (db-cAMP) or myristoyl PKA inhibitor peptide 14-22 (PKI(14-22)). In contrast, forskolin stimulated histamine release, although independently of PKA. Stimulation of histamine H(3) receptors with the agonist imetit markedly reduced the depolarization increase of histamine release, apparently through P/Q calcium channel inhibition. The H(3) antagonist/inverse agonist thioperamide modestly stimulated histamine release. Thioperamide effect on release was not modified by the PKA inhibitor PKI(14-22), but it was blocked by the CaMKII inhibitor KN-62. These results indicate that H(3) autoreceptors regulate neuronal histamine release (1) independently of the cAMP/PKA cascade, and (2) through modulation of calcium entry and CaMKII activation during depolarization.