Neurotrophin system activation in pleural effusions.

Neurotrophins (NTs) expression was assessed in malignant and non-malignant pleural effusions (inflammatory exudates and transudates). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in malignant exudates from small and non-small cell lung cancer (SCLC and NSCLC), detected nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and their levels are higher as compared with inflammatory and transudative effusions. By immunoblots, in cultured cancer cells coming from malignant pleural effusions, NTs and low- and high-affinity NT receptors were detected in a percentage of SCLC and NSCLC. Proliferation assay demonstrated that BDNF significantly increased cancer cell proliferation in vitro, on the contrary, NT-3 reduced cancer cell growth rate and NGF did not modify cell growth. Moreover, NGF protects cells from death during starvation. These effects are reverted by the addition of NT receptor antagonists. Cultured cancer cells injected into the lung of immunodeficient mice generate lung tumors expressing NTs and NT receptors. These findings suggest that NTs may be able to modulate cancer cell behavior and their growth.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia induced by nasal decongestant.

INTRODUCTION: Lipoid pneumonia is a clinical condition that may be initially asymptomatic or confused with an infectious or malignant lung disease. OBJECTIVES: We report four cases of this pathological condition. METHODS: The first case concerned an 85-year old woman with bilateral confluent pulmonary opacities, ground-glass type. Diagnosis was based on the cytology of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid followed by its ultrastructural examination. The second case was a 47-year-old man with an isolated pulmonary nodule, which was surgically removed; the diagnosis of lipoid pneumonia was formulated on the basis of the histological and electron microscopy examination. The third case concerned a 73-year-old woman, with bilateral hypodense areas at the bases of the lungs where FDG PET/CT scan showed an increased uptake. Diagnosis was formulated by BAL cytology and electron microscopy examination. The fourth case was a 69-year-old man, who performed a virtual colonoscopy for diverticulosis putting in evidence a round mass (3 cm in diameter) with two small peripheral nodules, located in the pulmonary left lower lobe. The histopathological examination of transthoracic biopsy confirmed a lipoid pneumonia. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In all four cases, it was put in evidence a prolonged use of a nasal decongestant containing mineral oils. In literature, the most cases described are characterized by a subclinical evolution and were presented as ground glass opacities which evolve, in the later phases, in an interstitial involvement or in a peripheral mass, simulating a lung tumour.

Cancer Rate of the Indeterminate Lesions at Low or High Risk According to Italian System for Reporting of Thyroid FNA.

Background: Italian consensus for the classification and reporting of thyroid cytology (ICCRTC) has been used in almost all Italian institutions since 2014. High reliability of ICCRTC in classifying low and high risk indeterminate nodules (Tir 3A and Tir 3B, respectively) was demonstrated. Here we reviewed our casuistry of thyroid indeterminate lesions to analyze the histologic outcome. Methods: All lesions undergone FNA and final histology at S. Andrea Hospital of Rome after a cytologic assessment of Tir 3A and Tir 3B, according to ICCRTC, were included in the study. Results: A number of 157 indeterminate FNA was found after the introduction of ICCRTC. Of these, 75 undergone surgery and were finally included for the study. At histology we found a 33.3% of cancers and a 67.7% of benign lesions. Out of the overall series, 25 were classified as Tir 3A and 50 as Tir 3B. Cancer rate observed in Tir 3A (1/25, 4%) was significantly (p = 0.0002) lower than that of Tir 3B (24/50, 48%). No significant difference was found in age and size between the two subcategories. Conclusions: We confirm in our series that Italian consensus for the classification and reporting of thyroid cytology allows to discriminate indeterminate lesions at low and high risk of malignancy.