Distinguishing bowenoid papulosis from Bowen disease in the mouth: A case report.

Bowenoid papulosis (BPap) is an uncommon skin disorder linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and characterized clinically by the presence of scattered papules or small plaques, multiple and pigmented, that involve the stratified squamous epithelium. Bowen disease (BD) is recognized as the main differential diagnosis of BPap. An 80-year old white woman was referred for the evaluation of multiple, brown verrucous papules measuring 3 to 4 mm in diameter on the right maxillary gingiva. Histopathological analysis revealed disturbed epithelial maturation with papillary stratified squamous epithelium, koilocytic dysplasia, parakeratosis, acanthosis, basal double-layer, loss of cellular polarity, nuclear hyperchromatism and pleomorphism, scattered mitosoid bodies, and a high degree of cytologic atypia. An immunohistochemical investigation for p53 and Ki67 showed staining of the basal and suprabasal layer, while p16 was strongly expressed in the nuclei of epithelial cells and Bcl-2 was positive only in mitosoid bodies and the lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate. In situ DNA hybridization was negative for HPV. Oral BPap is an uncommon lesion in which the diagnostic process includes clinical, histopathological, and molecular correlations due to the similarity to aggressive behavior lesions such as BD.

Circulating microRNAs let-7a and miR-16 predict progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential biomarkers for cancer. We examined plasma levels of 2 miRNAs, let-7a and miR-16, in 50 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 76 healthy persons using quantitative real-time PCR. Circulating levels of both miRNAs were similar among healthy controls but were significantly lower in MDS patients (P = .001 and P < .001, respectively). The distributions of these 2 miRNA levels were bimodal in MDS patients, and these levels were significantly associated with their progression-free survival and overall survival (both P < .001 for let-7a; P < .001 and P = .001 for miR-16). This association persisted even after patients were stratified according to the International Prognostic Scoring System. Multivariate analysis revealed that let-7a level was a strong independent predictor for overall survival in this patient cohort. These findings suggest that let-7a and miR-16 plasma levels can serve as noninvasive prognostic markers in MDS patients.

Interim fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET-computed tomography and cell of origin by immunohistochemistry predicts progression-free and overall survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients in the rituximab era.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic value of the interim PET (iPET)-computed tomography (CT) (iPET-CT) after two cycles of immunochemotherapy with the R-CHOP protocol in patients with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with a curative intent in combination with the neoplastic cell origin defined by Hans's immunohistochemstry algorithm followed in a reference center for cancer treatment in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 147 DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP-21 to assess the value of the International Prognostic Index, iPET-CT, and cell of origin by immunohistochemistry as prognostic markers in the rituximab era. Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT was performed after two cycles (iPET-CT) and at the end of treatment in 111 patients. Lymphoma cases were categorized into germinal center (GC) and nongerminal center subtypes by immunohistochemistry according to Hans's algorithm. RESULTS: The median age of GC-DLBCL patients (52.7 years) was lower than that of nongerminal center-DLBCL patients (59.4 years) (P=0.021); in addition, it was lower in patients with negative iPET-CT findings (52.7 years) versus positive findings (59.4 years) (P=0.031). The overall survival at 48 months was 100% for iPET-CT-negative GC-DLBCL patients and 61.2% for iPET-CT-positive GC-DLBCL patients (P=0.002). Progression-free survival at 30 months was 100% for iPET-CT-negative GC-DLBCL patients and 60.3% for iPET-CT-positive GC-DLBCL patients (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: We conclude that iPET-CT associated with cell origin identified a very good prognostic group in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP. Video Abstract: http://links.lww.com/NMC/A59.