Macroscopic tumor dimension, sentinel lymph node outcome, and survival analysis among cutaneous melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous melanoma is characterized by a high risk of metastasis to distant organs and a substantial mortality rate. For planning treatment and assessing outcomes, the Breslow micrometric measurement is critical. The tumor macroscopic dimension is not considered a prognostic parameter in cutaneous melanoma, although there are studies showing that tumor size is an independent prognostic factor for melanoma-specific survival. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the macroscopic dimension of melanoma and other known prognostic factors (i.e., Breslow index, mitoses, regression, and ulceration) as predictors of sentinel lymph node outcome and survival outcome. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of 227 melanoma lesions subjected to sentinel lymph node biopsy at two Brazilian referral centers. RESULTS: On univariate analysis, there was a statistically significant correlation between the largest macroscopic tumor dimension and the sentinel lymph node result (P = 0.001); however, on multivariate analysis considering all evaluated parameters, there was no significant difference between the sentinel lymph node result and the tumor macroscopic dimension (P = 0.2689). Regarding melanoma-specific survival, the macroscopic dimension showed no significant correlation (P = 0.4632) in contrast to Breslow's dimension (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The Breslow thickness was the only significant factor related to both the sentinel lymph node outcome and melanoma specific survival among the evaluated variables.

Carcinoma lobular invasivo de mama com pólipo endometrial metastático / Breast invasive lobular carcinoma with metastatic endometrial polyp

Tumores extragenitais com metástase para o útero são raros, e destes o mais comum é o da mama. O tamoxifeno é uma droga utilizada como terapia adjuvante em mulheres com câncer de mama. Trata-se de droga antiestrogênica; no entanto, no endométrio sua ação é agonista para receptores de estrogênio. Esta descrição de caso relata rara associação do uso do tamoxifeno em paciente com câncer de mama que apresentou metástase para pólipo endometrial. Trata-se de paciente de 70 anos, em hormonioterapia com tamoxifeno há 19 meses, com queixa de sangramento vaginal. Em histeroscopia, evidenciaram-se pólipo endometrial e sua exérese, com diagnóstico de adenocarcinoma metastático, com provável sítio primário em mama. A paciente havia sido submetida à mastectomia radical modificada há três anos, seguida de adjuvância. Pólipos endometriais são achados comuns em mulheres menopausadas e também são complicações da terapia com tamoxifeno. A metástase de carcinoma mamário em pólipo endometrial é rara. Na literatura, foram descritas as seguintes metástases em pólipos endometriais: cinco casos por carcinoma lobular invasivo, três casos por carcinoma ductal e um caso do carcinoma apócrino. Portanto, existe dificuldade em determinar o prognóstico para essas pacientes.

Extragenital tumors metastasizing to the uterine corpus is uncommon; out of those, the most common primary site is the breast. Tamoxifen is used as adjuvant treatment for breast carcinoma. It is an antiestrogenic drug; however has a partial agonist effect on estrogen receptor in the endometrium. This case report relates rare association between the use of tamoxifen in patient with breast cancer which presented metastasis to endometrial polyps. A 10 years old woman received tamoxifen for 19 months after surgery treatment and presented vaginal bleeding. She underwent hysteroscopy with biopsy, which showed endometrial polyp. The polyp was taken out and the pathological diagnosis was metastasis from breast adenocarcinoma. Endometrial polyps are found relatively common in postmenopausal women and they are also related complications to the tamoxifen therapy. Breast carcinoma metastasis to endometrial polyp is rare. There were some descriptions in the literature: five cases of invasive lobular carcinoma, three cases of ductal carcinoma and one case of the apocrine carcinoma. There are few cases shown in the literature and, therefore, there are difficulties in determining the prognosis of these patients.

Evaluation of estrogen receptor alpha and beta and progesterone receptor expression and correlation with clinicopathologic factors and proliferative marker Ki-67 in breast cancers.

To elucidate the molecular profile of hormonal steroid receptor status, we analyzed ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PGR mRNA and protein expression in 80 breast carcinomas using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative RT-PCR, and immunohistochemical analysis. Qualitative analysis revealed positive expression of ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PGR mRNA in 48%, 59%, and 48% of the breast carcinomas, respectively. ER-alpha, ER-beta, and PGR transcript overexpression was observed in 51%, 0%, and 12% of the cases, respectively, whereas moderate or strong protein expression was detected in 68%, 78%, and 49% of the cases, respectively. Tumor grade was negatively correlated with transcript and protein levels of ER-alpha (P = .0169 and P = .0006, respectively) and PGR (P = .0034 and P = .0005, respectively). Similarly, proliferative index Ki-67 was negatively associated with transcript and protein levels of ER-alpha (P = .0006 and P < .0001, respectively) and PGR (P = .0258 and P = .0005, respectively). These findings suggest that ER-alpha and PGR expression are associated with well-differentiated breast tumors and less directly related to cell proliferation. A significant statistical difference was observed between lymph node status and ER-beta protein expression (P = .0208). In ER-alpha-negative tumors, we detected a correlation between ER-beta protein expression and high levels of Ki-67. These data suggest that ER-beta could be a prognostic marker in human breast cancer.

Diretrizes para diagnóstico morfológico em síndromes mielodisplásicas / Guidelines for morphological diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes

As síndromes mielodisplásicas são reconhecidas como doenças que se originam nas células-tronco da medula óssea e que requerem avaliação sistemática e criteriosa de sangue periférico e medula óssea para seu correto diagnóstico. O objetivo deste relato é estabelecer os critérios morfológicos (cito-histológicos) como parâmetros para o diagnóstico de SMD em amostras de sangue periférico e medula óssea, com especial direcionamento aos hematologistas e patologistas clínicos que exercem a hematologia laboratorial na sua rotina de trabalho. Os principais achados morfológicos são listados no final deste relato, na forma de "check-list", objetivando a sistematização sobre estes achados.

Myelodysplastic syndromes require both thorougly and systematic blood smear and bone marrow examinations. The main goal of this report is to establish criteria of the morphological ( cyto-histological) features, as parameters for the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes ( MDS) from peripheral blood smears and bone marrow samples, with especial address to hematology and pathology practitioners. The main features are listed ( checklist) at the end of this report, in order to synthesize them.

Primary renal sarcoma with morphologic and immunohistochemical aspects compatible with synovial sarcoma

Primary synovial sarcoma of the kidney is a rare tumor that is difficult to diagnose. We present one case that was not diagnosed through fine needle aspiration, requiring a morphologic and immunohistochemical analysis of the incision biopsy. Since the tumor was surgically unresectable, chemotherapy was employed previously to definitive radical surgery.

Primary renal sarcoma with morphologic and immunohistochemical aspects compatible with synovial sarcoma.

Primary synovial sarcoma of the kidney is a rare tumor that is difficult to diagnose. We present one case that was not diagnosed through fine needle aspiration, requiring a morphologic and immunohistochemical analysis of the incision biopsy. Since the tumor was surgically unresectable, chemotherapy was employed previously to definitive radical surgery.