The Effect of Sugammadex on Time of Sciatic Block by Perineural Bupivacaine in Rats.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the effect of sugammadex on the motor, sensory and deep sensory block in the sciatic nerve created by bupivacaine in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 18 Sprague-Dawley adult male rats treated with unilateral sciatic nerve block by bupivacaine (0.2 ml) were randomly divided into three groups. Control group (Group C, n = 6, 1.5 mL saline) perineural sugammadex group (Group PNS, n = 6, 16 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal sugammadex group (Group IPS, n = 6, 16 mg/kg) Motor, sensory, and deep sensory functions were evaluated every 10 minutes by a blind researcher. 6 tissue samples each belonging to the sciatic nerve, 1.5 cm in length and 0.2 cm in diameter, were taken from paraffin blocks. Sections of 3-4 micrometers were stained with Hematoxylin + Eosin, Masson Trichrome dyes and examined under a light microscope. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between 3 groups in terms of the time to return to normal motor, sensory and deep sensory function. There was also no significant difference in edema, extracellular matrix, and myelin. Inflammatory cells were seen in all groups, mainly epineurium, epineurium, and perineurium. CONCLUSION: There are findings of no histological effects or effects on local block of sugammadex in rats undergoing sciatic nerve block.

Correlation of Caveolin-1 Expression with Prognosis in Patients with Gastric Cancer after Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Upregulation of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) expression is correlated with histopathological grade and poor prognosis in several human cancers. However, in gastric cancer, its clinical utility as a useful prognostic molecular marker remains unclear. METHODS: The prognostic importance of Cav-1 expression was retrospectively analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 148 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone radical gastrectomy. RESULTS: Cav-1 expression was positive in 23 (15.5%) patients and negative in 125 (84.5%) patients. Tumor location, tumor grade, lymph node involvement, pT stage, pTNM stage, and the presence of recurrence were found to be significantly associated with Cav-1 expression. The median disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with negative Cav-1 expression was significantly better than that of patients with positive Cav-1 expression (not reached vs. 10.2 months, p < 0.001). Moreover, patients with positive Cav-1 expression had a worse median overall survival (OS) compared to patients with negative Cav-1 expression (14.2 vs. 40.3 months, p = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, Cav-1 expression (positive vs. negative) was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (p < 0.001, hazard ratio (HR) 2.58) and OS (p = 0.031, HR 1.87), as was lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that positive Cav-1 expression is associated with progression and poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients after radical gastrectomy. Targeting Cav-1 would be a potential option for future gastric cancer treatment.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in diagnosing intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis.

AIMS: Patients with suspected tuberculosis without pulmonary lesions and with intrathoracic lymphadenopathy often pose a diagnostic challenge. The aim of this study was to describe the diagnostic utility of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in patients with isoleted intrathoracic lymphadenopathy due to tuberculosis (TB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases with tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBLA) as the final diagnosis were analysed among patients in whom EBUS-TBNA had been performed. All patients underwent routine clinical assessment and a CT scan prior to EBUS-TBNA. Demographic data, pathological findings, and microbiological results were recorded. All patients received 6-month antituberculous treatment, followed-up regularly and recovered both on clinical and radiological basis. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were included. EBUS-TBNA diagnosed TB intrathoracic lympadenopathy in 42 (95.4%) patients. In 2 patients, EBUS-TBNA was not able to confirm a diagnosis and additional procedures were required. Cytopathological findings alone revealed TB in 32 (72.7%) patients. One of the patients (2.2%) was smear positive while microbiological investigations provided a positive culture of TB in 22 (50%) patients. TB culture was positive in 10 of 12 patients in whom cytopathologic evaluation was not able to diagnose. Addition of mycobacterium culture to cytopathologic investigation s improved the diagnostic yield from 72.7% to 95.4%. CONCLUSION: EBUS-TBNA is a safe and effective first line investigation for evaluating isolated intrathoracic tuberculous lympadenopathy. Addition of mycobacterium culture to cytopathologic investigation improves the sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA.

Evaluation of c-kit (CD 117) expression as a prognostic factor in testicular germ cell tumors: an Izmir Oncology Group (IZOG) study.

PURPOSE: Despite the successful use of targeted and molecular therapies in other cancers, little progress has been made in the management of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs). c-kit (CD 117) is a good target for cancer treatment and possesses an impressive role in the current oncological practice. We aimed to evaluate c-kit expression in early stage TGCTs as a prognostic factor. METHODS: Patients with TGCTs who were referred to the Medical Oncology Clinic and underwent curative surgical operation were included in our study before starting chemo- therapy. Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded three-micrometer thick sections with CD 117 Rabbit Anti c-kit in vitro gene kit. Biochemically, we utilized AFP and ß-HCG Immunlite 2000 device with solid phase chemiluminescent immunometric method, and LDH Roche models with the DP-standardized UV method. AFP 0-15 ng/ml, ß-HCG < 0.1 mlu/ml and LDH 240-480 mg/dl were considered as normal values. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were included in our study. Forty-one (63%) patients had non-seminoma tumors (NSGCTs) and 24 (37%) had seminoma. Statistically significant c-kit expression was found in patients with seminoma (p<0.0001). There was no difference between negative or positive c-kit expression in terms of clinicopathological characteristics, including preoperative serum levels of AFP, ß-HCG, LDH, lymph node involvement, distant metastasis, and IGCCCG risk classification. No correlation was found between these parameters and 5-year progression free survival (PFS) rate except for tumor stage, presence of lymph node metastasis and IGCCCG score (p=0.001, p=0.04, and p=0.0001, respectively). Five-year PFS rate of patients with positive CD 117 was 72.2% (95% CI, 54.6-89.8), and 56.6% (95% CI, 31.2-82.1) for those without CD 117 expression involvement (p=0.12). CONCLUSION: So far, there has been no significant breakthrough in the treatment of cisplatin-refractory TGCTs in the era of targeted therapies. No prognostic importance of c-kit expression has been found in our study. However, we believe that c-kit expression, in numerical terms, can be considered as a good prognostic factor for patients with TGCTs. The fact that all seminoma cases displayed positive c-kit expression is what we think has driven this result.

Treatment preferences in stage IA and IB testicular seminoma: multicenter study of Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 75 % of patients with testicular seminoma present with stage I disease, and the probability of long-term survival approaches 100 %. However, the standard adjuvant treatment for stage I seminoma patients remains controversial, and there is no uniform consensus in the literature. The present study was performed to evaluate treatment preference and outcomes for men with stage I testicular seminoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1997 to 2013, 282 patients with histologically confirmed stage IA and IB testicular seminoma who underwent orchiectomy were included. The outcomes of three management options and survivals were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic significance of risk factors for relapse on survival was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis; in addition, the factors predicting relapse were also evaluated by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 282 patients with stage I seminoma, 130 (46.1) received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), 80 (28.4 %) were treated with adjuvant carboplatin, while the remaining 72 patients (25.5 %) underwent surveillance. At the time of analysis, the median follow-up period of 38.5 months; relapses were observed in 16 patients (22.3 %) on surveillance, in one patient (1.2 %) treated with adjuvant carboplatin and in ten patients (%7.7) who received adjuvant RT. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate for patients who underwent surveillance was worse than those of patients treated with adjuvant carboplatin and RT (64.2 vs. 97.7 vs. 91.9 %, respectively; p < 0.001). However, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate for patients on surveillance was similar compared with the adjuvant treatment groups (100 vs. 92.3 vs. 97.4 %, respectively; p = 0.44). Univariate analysis showed that only the treatment approach (surveillance vs. adjuvant carboplatin vs. adjuvant RT) for DFS (p < 0.001), invasion of the rete testis (p = 0.041) and the presence of relapse (p < 0.001) for OS were important prognostic indicators. Multivariate analysis indicated that the treatment strategy for DFS (p < 0.001, HR 0.34) was an independent prognostic factor. Furthermore, a logistic regression analysis showed that adjuvant treatment was found to be an independent factor for predicting relapse (p = 0.004, odds ratio: 0.39). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that adjuvant treatment with carboplatin or RT is associated with improved DFS compared with surveillance for men with stage I testicular seminoma after orchiectomy. Moreover, the treatment strategy is an important prognostic indicator for DFS and a predictive factor for relapse. Although adjuvant treatment, especially carboplatin, seems to be a suitable treatment for patients with risk factors for relapse, surveillance is still feasible and the preferred management option after radical orchiectomy in men with stage I seminoma. More reliable predictive factors are needed to make treatment decisions.

Prevalence of K-Ras mutations in hepatocellular carcinoma: A Turkish Oncology Group pilot study.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common male-predominant type of cancer worldwide. There is no effective treatment regimen available for advanced-stage disease and chemotherapy is generally ineffective in these patients. The number of studies on the prevalence of K-Ras mutations in HCC patients is currently limited. A total of 58 patients from 6 comprehensive cancer centers in 4 metropolitan cities of Turkey were enrolled in this study. Each center committed to enroll approximately 10 random patients whose formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissues were available for K-Ras, exon 2 genotyping. Two methods were applied based on the availability of adequate amounts of tumor DNA. In the first method, the samples were processed using TheraScreen. The genomic DNA was further used to detect the 7 most frequent somatic mutations (35G>A; 35G>C; 35G>T; 34G>A; 34G>C; 34G>T and 38G>A) in codons 12 and 13 in exon 2 of the K-Ras oncogene by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the second method, the genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers specific for K-Ras exon 2 with the GML SeqFinder Sequencing System's KRAS kit. The identified DNA sequence alterations were confirmed by sequencing both DNA strands in two independent experiments with forward and reverse primers. A total of 40 samples had adequate tumor tissue for the mutation analysis. A total of 33 (82.5%) of the investigated samples harbored no mutations in exon 2. All the mutations were identified via a direct sequencing technique, whereas none were identified by TheraScreen. In conclusion, in our patients, HCC exhibited a remarkably low (<20%) K-Ras mutation rate. Patients harboring K-Ras wild-type tumors may be good candidates for treatment with epidermal growth factor inhibitors, such as cetuximab.

Spinal intramedullary metastasis of breast cancer.

Objective. Breast cancer accounts for approximately one-third of all cancers in females. Approximately 8.5 % of all central nervous system metastases are located in the spinal cord. These patients have rapidly progressing neurological deficits and require immediate examination. The aim of surgery is decompression of neural tissue and histological evaluation of the tumor. In this paper, we present a case of breast cancer metastasis in thoracic spinal intramedullary area which had been partially excised and then given adjuvant radiotherapy. Case. A 43-year-old female patient with breast cancer for 8 years was admitted to our hospital with complaints of weakness in both legs. Eight years ago, she received chemotherapy and radiotherapy. On her neurological examination, she had paraparesis (left lower extremity: 2/5, right lower extremity: 3/5) and urinary incontinence. Spinal MRI revealed a gadolinium enhancing intramedullary lesion. Pathologic examination of the lesion was consistent with breast carcinoma metastasis. The patient has been taken into radiotherapy. Conclusion. Spinal intramedullary metastasis of breast cancer is an extremely rare situation, but it has a high morbidity and mortality rate. Microsurgical resection is necessary for preservation or amelioration of neurological state and also for increased life expectancy and quality.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in gastric adenocarcinoma: impact on lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic metastasis is the most important parameter in the spread of gastric carcinomas. Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule that plays an important role in inflammation and carcinogenesis. In this study, the possible link between inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression with lymphangiogenesis and the clinicopathological parameters of gastric carcinomas was investigated. METHODS: In this study, iNOS expression and D2-40 (lymphatic endothelium-specific marker monoclonal antibody) reactivity were examined immunohistochemically in 41 gastric adenocarcinoma and 20 non-neoplastic gastric tissues. iNOS expression was scored semiquantitatively in the tumor parenchyma and stroma. D2-40-positive lymphatic vessels were used in the determination of lymphatic invasion and intratumoral and peritumoral lymphatic vascular density. RESULTS: iNOS expression was higher in gastric carcinoma tissue compared with non-neoplastic tissue. Particularly, iNOS expression in tumor cells was found to be closely related to lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis. The density of lymphatic invasion as well as intratumoral and peritumoral lymphatic vascular density were positively correlated with lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that iNOS-mediated NO formation plays an important role in gastric carcinogenesis, tumor lymphangiogenesis, and the development of lymphatic metastases. Inhibition of the NO pathway may be an alternative treatment of gastric carcinomas. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slides for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1713572940104388.

Association between human papillomavirus and endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Several studies have suggested a possible role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of endometrial carcinoma. The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of HPV DNA in endometrium cancers and nonneoplastic endometrium. Sixty endometrial adenocarcinomas with and without squamous differentiation and the nonneoplastic endometrium tissue of fifty-six of the same patients were analyzed for the presence of family 16 and family 6 HPV DNA by using chromogenic in situ hybridization technique on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded archival samples, and the results were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction method. HPV DNA was not detected either in the endometrial adenocarcinoma with or without squamous differentiation, or in the nonneoplastic endometrium tissue. It appears that HPV does not play any role in the pathogenesis of endometrial carcinoma, since endometrium may not to be a suitable host for HPV replication.

Primary renal carcinoid: treatment and prognosis.

Primary carcinoid tumors of the kidney are very rare, malignant tumors consisting of neuroendocrine cells. The pathogenesis of renal carcinoid is unclear because neuroendocrine cells are not normally found in adult renal parenchyma. Electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, octreotide scan, positron emission tomography along with conventional radiographic imaging techniques are used in diagnosis and follow-up. Presenting symptoms usually include flank pain and haematuria. Early stage disease is treated with surgery only. However, randomized trials are lacking because of the very low number of reported cases. Thus, the role of debulking surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, octreotide and targeted therapy in the management of advanced disease remains an open question. In this article the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of this very rare disease along with treatment outcomes of the reported cases are reviewed. In addition, we report a new case of a metastatic primary renal atypical carcinoid tumor treated with octreotide therapy.

The prognostic value of detecting symptomatic or asymptomatic recurrence in patients with gastric cancer after a curative gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although studies have investigated whether a routine follow-up should be performed after a gastrectomy, no consensus has been reached on the significance of the follow-up or the optimal surveillance protocol. In the present study, we evaluated the significance of the presence or absence of symptoms in the detection of recurrences after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 173 patients with recurrent gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy. We evaluated the prognostic significance of the presence of cancer-related symptoms at the diagnosis of recurrence, and the relationship between the presence of symptoms and other clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: We detected a symptomatic recurrence in 42.2% of patients. The presence of symptoms were significantly correlated with tumor size, pT stage, pN stage, pathologic stage, and short disease-free interval (<12 mo). The median disease-free survival (DFS), post-recurrence survival (PRS), and overall survival (OS) times for patients with asymptomatic recurrence were significantly longer than those of patients with symptomatic recurrence (disease-free survival was corrected as DFS, 11.1 versus 9.3 mo, P < 0.001; PRS, 4.9 versus 3.1 mo, P = 0.02; OS, 18.3 versus 12.3 mo, P = 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of cancer-related symptoms (P = 0.033; hazard ratio [HR], 0.81) was an independent prognostic factor for PRS, as were short disease-free intervals (P < 0.001; HR, 2.42), age (P = 0.02; HR, 1.53), and the presence of chemotherapy in recurrence (P = 0.001; HR, 0.49). In addition, multivariate analysis indicated that the presence of symptoms, short disease-free interval, and age were also independent prognostic indicators for OS. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that symptomatic recurrence is an important prognostic factor for PRS of patients with gastric cancer after a curative gastrectomy. The presence of symptomatic recurrence may be a new and beneficial prognostic marker to evaluate biologic aggressiveness, which is an important determinant of survival at the time of recurrence diagnosis during a follow-up for gastric cancer.

Prognostic significance of high phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 expression in patients with gastric cancer who underwent curative gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although a close correlation between PRL-3 overexpression and lymph node metastasis has been reported in gastric cancer, its clinical utility as a useful prognostic molecular marker remains unclear. METHODS: Prognostic significance of PRL-3 expression was analyzed immunohistochemically in 110 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone curative gastrectomy. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between gender, histology, lymph node metastasis, the presence of recurrence, and the level of PRL-3 expression. Recurrence in patients with high PRL-3 expression was significantly higher than that for patients with low PRL-3 expression (p < 0.001). The median overall survival (OS) time and 2-year OS rate for patients with high or moderate PRL-3 expressed tumors were worse than those of patients with low PRL-3 expressed tumor (p = 0.001). In addition, patients with low PRL-3 expression had a higher DFS rate and the median DFS interval than those of moderate or high PRL-3 expressed patients (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that the rate of PRL-3 expression was an independent prognostic factor, in addition to the already-known important clinicopathological prognostic indicator for both DFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: The potential value of PRL-3 expression as a useful molecular marker in gastric cancer progression should be evaluated comprehensively; it may predict recurrence and poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer after curative resection.

The role of insulin-like growth factor 1 in the development of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the role of IGF-1 in the development of nodular thyroid disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total number of 100 consecutive patients operated for nodular thyroid disease in our institution were included in this prospective study. In addition to classical pathological examinations, nodules and extranodular healthy tissues were sampled and immunochemically stained for IGF-1. The materials were independently evaluated using an Allred Scoring System ranging from 0 to 8. If the score was ≥1, the tissue was accepted as IGF-1 positive. RESULTS: IGF-1 positivity was observed in 88% and 58% of the samples obtained from nodules and extranodular healthy tissues, respectively. Allred 8-unit scores were higher in benign nodules (n=89; 4.1±2.3) and papillary carcinomas (n=7; 6.7±1.3), than in extranodular healthy tissues in the same patients (2.3±2.3 and 3.3±1.9, respectively); and higher in papillary carcinomas than in benign nodules, when the scores were compared to each other (p<0.01 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Allred 8-unit scores for IGF-1 increase in the presence of benign thyroid nodules, papillary cancer. The results of our study support the findings of previous studies demonstrating the role of IGF-1 in the development of thyroidal nodules.

The role of convex probe endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the diagnosis of malignant mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes.

BACKGROUND: In the diagnosis of malignant lymph nodes (LNs) and staging of lung cancer, sampling of mediastinal and hilar LNs is essential. Mediastinoscopy is known as the gold standard. Convex probe (CP) endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is a noninvasive and highly sensitive diagnostic method in mediastinal and hilar LN sampling. OBJECTIVES: Evaluating the role of CP-EBUS-guided TBNA in the diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar LNs suspicious of malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty patients with a known lung malignancy or hilar/mediastinal LNs detected by thoracic computed tomography (CT) and/or positron emission tomography (PET)-CT suspicious for malignancy were included in this prospective study. The procedure was performed by Olympus 7.5 MHz CP endoscope and EU C2000 processor by the oral route under topical anesthesia and conscious sedation. After visualization of LNs, their dimensions were recorded. Aspiration was considered as "insufficient" if there were inadequate lymphocytes on the smears. Diagnosis of "malignancy" on cytologic examination was considered as the "final diagnosis". If diagnosis was negative for malignancy, more invasive procedures were performed to confirm the diagnosis. RESULTS: Twenty four females and 96 male patients (mean age, 57.8 ± 9.1) were included. A total of 177 LN stations were aspirated in 120 patients. In 82 patients, the diagnosis was malignant by EBUS-guided TBNA and in the remaining 38; the diagnosis was established by further invasive procedures. Of the 38 EBUS-guided TBNA negative patients, 28 were diagnosed as non-malignant and 10 were malignant. The sensitivity, diagnostic accuracy and negative predictive value of CP EBUS-guided TBNA were 89.1%, 91.6% and 73.6%, respectively. No major complications were seen. CONCLUSION: As an alternative method to mediastinoscopy, EBUS-guided TBNA is a safe and noninvasive procedure with high sensitivity in the diagnosis of malignant mediastinal LNs.

Sensitivity of convex probe endobronchial sonographically guided transbronchial needle aspiration in the diagnosis of granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenitis.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sensitivity and diagnostic value of convex probe endobronchial sonographically guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the diagnosis of granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenitis. METHODS: Patients clinically and radiologically suspected to have granulomatous mediastinal disease and followed in our clinic between October 2008 and July 2010 were included. Convex probe EBUS with local anesthesia and under conscious sedation and EBUS-TBNA from hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were performed after physical examination, chest radiography, computed tomography of the thorax, and routine biochemical analysis. Detection of noncaseating/caseating granulomas was accepted as sufficient for diagnosis of sarcoidosis/tuberculosis in the presence of clinical and radiologic findings. For patients whose EBUS-TBNA results were nondiagnostic, a definitive diagnosis was reached by invasive procedures. The sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of granulomatous lymphadenitis and diagnostic accuracy in granulomatous hilar/mediastinal lymphadenopathies was calculated. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients were included in study (20 male and 52 female; mean age ± SD, 46.22 ± 13.94 years). In 72 cases, 121 lymph node aspirations were performed. The average lymph node short axis was 1.96 cm. With EBUS-TBNA among the 72 cases, 35 were diagnosed as sarcoidosis and 16 as tuberculous lymphadenitis. A definitive diagnosis could not be reached with EBUS-TBNA in 21 cases. As a result, 9 of these EBUS-TBNA-negative cases were diagnosed as reactive lymphadenitis, 9 as sarcoidosis, and 3 as tuberculosis by invasive procedures. The sensitivity values of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosis of sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, and granulomatous diseases were 79.5%, 84.2%, and 80.9%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA for granulomatous diseases was 83.3%. No major complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In the diagnosis of granulomatous lymphadenitis, EBUS-TBNA, with high sensitivity and a minimum complication rate, is an alternative to mediastinoscopy.

Is subdivision of pT2 tumors superior to lymph node metastasis for predicting survival of patients with gastric cancer? Review of 224 patients from four centers.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic significance of the subclassification of pT2 tumors and the association of these categories with other clinicopathological factors in gastric cancer patients were investigated. METHODS: A total of 224 patients with pT2 gastric cancer who had undergone curative gastrectomy and lymph node dissection were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic role of the subclassification of pT2 tumors was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Of 224 patients, 75 (33.5%) were classified as having pT2a tumors and 149 (66.5%) as having pT2b tumors. The prevalence of large-sized tumors (P < 0.003), lymph node involvement (P < 0.018), and lymphatic (P = 0.016), blood vessel (P = 0.001), and perineural invasion (P = 0.001) was significantly higher for pT2b tumors than for pT2a tumors. The rate of recurrence for pT2a cancers was significantly lower than that for pT2b cancers (P = 0.001).Median overall survival (OS) times and three-year OS of patients with a pT2b tumor were significantly worse than for patients with a pT2a tumor (P < 0.001).When patients were analyzed according to lymph node involvement, the prognosis of patients with pT2aN(1) cancers was significantly better than that of patients with pT2bN(1) (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that the pT2 subdivision was an independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.006), as were pN stage, clinical stage, and recurrence. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that subclassification of pT2 tumors into pT2a or pT2b was an important prognostic indicator for patients with pT2 gastric cancers who underwent curative gastrectomy. In the TNM staging system, subdivision of pT2 tumors should be undertaken routinely to detect gastric cancer patients who have a poor prognosis and to define patients more accurately in terms of their mortality after curative resection in accordance with the new 2010 AJCC TNM staging classification. This may also help as a guide to more appropriate therapy for tumors with subserosal invasion (old pT2b or new pT3).

Paediatric ganglioglioma of the conus medullaris.

Gangliogliomas of the conus medullaris are very rare, with only 12 patients reported so far. We report a 6-year-old male who presented with a painless numbness of the left lower limb and with bladder dysfunction. MRI revealed an intramedullary lesion at the T11-T12 vertebral levels. The tumour was subtotally removed. Histopathological examination demonstrated ganglioglioma.

Investigation of human papillomavirus DNA in colorectal carcinomas and adenomas.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been considered to be an etiological agent for anogenital cancers, such as cervical cancer and possibly a subset of cancers of the aerodigestive tract. The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of human papillomavirus DNA in colorectal carcinomas and adenomas. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded archival tissue samples were used for DNA extraction. One hundred and six colorectal carcinomas and 62 adenomas were screened by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HPV DNA with a control group of 49 cervical tissues with invasive cervical carcinoma and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). In the study group, we did not find HPV DNA positivity in any of all the colorectal carcinomas and adenomas. In the control group with cervical lesions, 34 out of 49 (69.4%) samples were positive for the HPV DNA. These results indicated that there was no correlation between HPV infection and colorectal carcinomas and adenomas.

Role of human papillomavirus in the development of urothelial carcinoma.

It has been estimated that almost 10% of the worldwide cancer burden is linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Although the association between HPV and bladder carcinoma has been extensively investigated, data on the role of HPV in bladder carcinogenesis are controversial. The aim of the study was to assess the possible role of human papillomavirus in the development of urothelial bladder carcinomas. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded archival tissue samples were used for DNA extraction. Seventy urothelial bladder carcinoma tissues were screened by nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HPV DNA with a control group of total 18 cervical tissues with invasive cervical carcinoma and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN III). In the study group, we did not find HPV DNA positivity in any of the urothelial carcinomas. In the control group, 15 out of 18 (83.3%) samples were positive for the HPV DNA. These results indicated that there was no association between HPV infection and urothelial carcinomas.

The effect of tumor size on overall survival in patients with pT3 gastric cancer: experiences from 3 centers.

BACKGROUND: Although a number of studies have investigated whether tumor diameter is a prognostic factor in gastric cancer, no consensus was reached on its clinical importance. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of tumor size on survival in patients with pT3 gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 232 patients with pT3 gastric cancer, who underwent curative gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection, were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that the cutoff value for tumor size was 8 cm. On the basis of this cutoff point, patients were divided into 2 groups: small-size tumors (SST, ≤8 cm) and large-size tumors (LST, >8 cm). The prognostic significance of tumor size and the relationship between tumor size and other prognostic factors were evaluated. RESULTS: LST was detected in 44% of patients. Resection type, tumor site, lymph node metastasis, tumor differentiation, lymphatic vessel invasion, and blood vessel invasion were correlated with tumor size. The median survival of patients with SST was significantly better than that of patients with LST (107 vs. 18.2 months; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that tumor size was an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.001; hazard ratio (HR): 0.43) as were resection type and blood vessel invasion. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that tumor size is an important prognostic indicator in patients with pT3 gastric cancer, who underwent curative gastrectomy, and that the rate of LST increased with aggressiveness and stage of disease. Tumor size may be a useful and reliable prognostic factor for detection and staging in patients with gastric cancer, who have a poor prognosis after curative resection.