Superficial angiomyxoma of the posterior neck

Superficial angiomyxoma (SA) is a rare, benign, cutaneous soft tissue tumor. It is composed of myxoid matrix and blood vessels. Herein, we report a case of a solitary SA on the posterior neck of a 6-year-old boy. An analysis of the biopsied specimen showed a prominent myxoid stroma with thin-walled, branching blood vessels, revealing the presence of an SA. SA especially that originating in the posterior neck, is rarely seen and should be considered as a differential diagnosis for a solitary mass in the posterior neck.

A case of nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the lower eyelid

A marginal zone B-cell lymphoma is a type of B-cell lymphoma which is normally located at the margins of the secondary lymph node follicles. According to 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) classification, there are three main types classified according to the location of invasion: nodal lymphoma in the lymph nodes, splenic lymphoma in the spleen, and extranodal lymphoma in other locations. Recently, we have experienced a rare case of primary nodal marginal zone lymphoma that arose in the lower eyelid. Therefore, we report this case with a review of literature.

Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in a single tumor in the anterior auricular area

The concurrence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a single tumor is rarely encountered. We report a case of BCC and SCC in a single tumor in the anterior auricular area. A 70-year-old woman had been diagnosed with BCC by a punch biopsy performed at a dermatology clinic. We performed wide excision of the tumor with an ulcer in the anterior auricular area. Analysis of the biopsy specimen revealed the presence of both BCC and SCC in the tumor. This case illustrates that it is necessary to establish a precise diagnosis and formulate appropriate surgical and treatment plans considering the possibility that two carcinomas may coexist, although the possibility is low in patients with skin cancer.

Mandibular angle reduction combined with facelift via the premasseter space

Background@#In Asian women who undergo facelift procedures, satisfying results are achieved for facial rhytides, but sometimes there are postoperative complaints concerning the mandibular angle. Unlike Caucasians, Asians generally have a prominent mandibular angle. Accordingly, bone contouring surgery must be considered, since the bones of the face serve as the frame for facelift surgery. We investigated the effects of simultaneously performing mandibular angle reduction and facelift to achieve an oval facial contour and a youthful face. @*Methods@#We evaluated 17 Asian women who simultaneously underwent mandibular angle reduction and facelift between April 2016 and May 2018. The clinical results were assessed based on preoperative and postoperative photographs and the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale. @*Results@#Surgery was successful in all cases. Postoperatively, improvements in facial rhytides and appropriate mandibular contours were achieved. All patients were satisfied with the outcomes. Some patients experienced short-term complications, such as hematoma and numbness of the skin above the incision line; however, these complications improved. Serious long-term complications were not noted. @*Conclusions@#Highly satisfying outcomes can be achieved with combined mandibular angle reduction and facelift for Asian women with a wide and rectangular face.

Reduction malarplasty combined with facelift via the prezygomatic space

Background@#In Asian women who undergo facelift surgery, satisfactory results are typically achieved with regard to facial rhytides, but concerns have been reported regarding the postoperative appearance of the malar prominence region. Anatomically, compared to Caucasians, Asians have thick skin and a wide and short facial geometry. Asians generally exhibit zygomatic protrusion; accordingly, bone contouring surgery, which alters the base frame used in a facelift, should be considered. We aimed to investigate the effects of simultaneous reduction malarplasty and facelift to achieve appropriate malar repositioning and a youthful-looking face. @*Methods@#We assessed 16 Asian women who underwent simultaneous reduction malarplasty and facelift between March 2014 and March 2018. The clinical results were assessed based on preoperative and postoperative photographs and Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale scores. @*Results@#Surgery was successful in all cases. Postoperative improvement with regard to facial rhytides and appropriate malar repositioning were achieved. All patients were satisfied with the outcomes. Some patients experienced short-term complications, but their conditions improved. Serious long-term complications were not noted. @*Conclusions@#Highly satisfactory outcomes can be achieved with combined reduction malarplasty and facelift for Asian women with wide faces.

Metabolic Pathway Signatures Associated with Urinary Metabolite Biomarkers Differentiate Bladder Cancer Patients from Healthy Controls

PURPOSE: Our previous high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry study identified bladder cancer (BCA)-specific urine metabolites, including carnitine, acylcarnitines, and melatonin. The objective of the current study was to determine which metabolic pathways are perturbed in BCA, based on our previously identified urinary metabolome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 135 primary BCA samples and 26 control tissue samples from healthy volunteers were analyzed. The association between specific urinary metabolites and their related encoding genes was analyzed. RESULTS: Significant alterations in the carnitine-acylcarnitine and tryptophan metabolic pathways were detected in urine specimens from BCA patients compared to those of healthy controls. The expression of eight genes involved in the carnitine-acylcarnitine metabolic pathway (CPT1A, CPT1B, CPT1C, CPT2, SLC25A20, and CRAT) or tryptophan metabolism (TPH1 and IDO1) was assessed by RT-PCR in our BCA cohort (n=135). CPT1B, CPT1C, SLC25A20, CRAT, TPH1, and IOD1 were significantly downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal bladder tissues (p<0.05 all) of patients with non-muscle invasive BCA, whereas CPT1B, CPT1C, CRAT, and TPH1 were downregulated in those with muscle invasive BCA (p<0.05), with no changes in IDO1 expression. CONCLUSION: Alterations in the expression of genes associated with the carnitine-acylcarnitine and tryptophan metabolic pathways, which were the most perturbed pathways in BCA, were determined.

Urinary Nucleic Acid TSPAN13-to-S100A9 Ratio as a Diagnostic Marker in Prostate Cancer

The potential use of urinary nucleic acids as diagnostic markers in prostate cancer (PCa) was evaluated. Ninety-five urine samples and 234 prostate tissue samples from patients with PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were analyzed. Micro-array analysis was used to identify candidate genes, which were verified by the two-gene expression ratio and validated in tissue mRNA and urinary nucleic acid cohorts. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to measure urinary nucleic acid levels and tissue mRNA expression. The TSPAN13-to-S100A9 ratio was selected to determine the diagnostic value of urinary nucleic acids in PCa (P = 0.037) and shown to be significantly higher in PCa than in BPH in the mRNA and nucleic acid cohort analyses (P < 0.001 and P = 0.013, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve was 0.898 and 0.676 in tissue mRNA cohort and urinary nucleic acid cohort, respectively. The TSPAN13-to-S100A9 ratio showed a strong potential as a diagnostic marker for PCa. The present results suggest that the analysis of urine supernatant can be used as a simple diagnostic method for PCa that can be adapted to the clinical setting in the future.

Decreased DBC1 Expression Is Associated With Poor Prognosis in Patients With Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

PURPOSE: The deleted in bladder cancer 1 (DBC1) gene is located within chromosome 9 (9q32-33), a chromosomal region that frequently shows loss of heterozygosity in bladder cancer (BC). It is suspected that it acts as a tumor suppressor gene, but its prognostic value remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the value of DBC1 as a prognostic marker in BC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of DBC1 was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis in 344 patients with BC (220 non-muscle-invasive BC [NMIBC] and 124 muscle-invasive BC [MIBC]) and in 34 patients with normal bladder mucosa. The results were compared with clinicopathologic parameters, and the prognostic value of DBC1 was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and a multivariate Cox regression model. RESULTS: DBC1 expression was significantly decreased in patients with MIBC compared with those diagnosed with NMIBC (p=0.010). Patients with aggressive tumor characteristics had lower DBC1 expression levels in NMIBC (each, p<0.05). By multivariate Cox regression analysis, low DBC1 expression was a predictor of progression to MIBC (hazard ratio, 7.104; p=0.013). Kaplan-Meier estimates revealed a significant difference in tumor recurrence, progression to MIBC, and cancer-specific survival depending on the level of DBC1 expression in NMIBC (log-rank test, each, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of DBC1 was associated with tumor aggressiveness, progression to MIBC, and survival in NMIBC. Our results suggest that DBC1 expression can be a useful prognostic marker for patients with NMIBC.