Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) represent a rare subtype of neural crest cell-derived soft tissue sarcomas (STS). Standard of care therapy comprises surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiation, and most clinical studies have demonstrated finite survival benefit of radiation and chemotherapy. In metastatic disease, palliative chemotherapy provides very limited efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGastrointestinal (GI) graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection often simulate each other. However, distinction between GVHD and CMV infection is critical in the management of immunosuppression for transplant recipients. This study retrospectively reviewed 16 patients diagnosed with GVHD from 2010 to 2016 and found 4 cases (25%) coinfected with CMV.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer Prev Res (Phila)
December 2016
Colorectal cancer and adenoma adjacent to cancer exhibit distinct microRNA (miRNA) alterations in an apparent mucosa-to-adenocarcinoma sequence. The pattern of microRNAs in screen-detected polyps in relation to histologic features and cancer risk has not been investigated. miRNA expression analysis was performed on normal mucosa (NM), hyperplastic polyps (HP), tubular adenomas (TA), tubulovillous adenomas or high-grade dysplasia (TVHG), and serrated polyps [sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/P) and traditional serrated adenomas (TSA)] in biopsy specimens from 109 patients undergoing screening/surveillance colonoscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Selenium supplementation may help to prevent colorectal cancer; as precursors of colorectal cancer, colorectal adenomas are a surrogate for colorectal cancer. Selenium supplementation may increase risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Methods: The Selenium and Celecoxib (Sel/Cel) Trial was a randomized, placebo controlled trial of selenium 200 µg daily as selenized yeast and celecoxib 400 mg once daily, alone or together, for colorectal adenoma prevention.
Background: Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib were designed to preserve anti-inflammatory activity without inhibiting COX-1. Downregulation of COX-2 inhibits colorectal carcinogenesis.
Methods: The Selenium and Celecoxib Trial was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of once-daily selenium 200 µg and celecoxib 400 mg, alone or together, for colorectal adenoma prevention.
Chronic liver disease is a worldwide health problem, and hepatic fibrosis (HF) is one of the hallmarks of the disease. The current reference standard for diagnosing HF is biopsy followed by pathologist examination; however, this is limited by sampling error and carries a risk of complications. Pathology diagnosis of HF is based on textural change in the liver as a lobular collagen network that develops within portal triads.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The case triage practice workflow model was used to manage incoming cases on a telepathology-enabled surgical pathology quality assurance (QA) service. Maximizing efficiency of workflow and the use of pathologist time requires detailed information on factors that influence telepathologists' decision-making on a surgical pathology QA service, which was gathered and analyzed in this study.
Materials And Methods: Surgical pathology report reviews and telepathology service logs were audited, for 1862 consecutive telepathology QA cases accrued from a single Arizona rural hospital over a 51 month period.
COX inhibitors reduce colorectal adenoma recurrence by up to 45% and selenium supplementation may prevent colorectal cancer. Following colonoscopic adenoma resection, 1,600 men and women, ages 40 to 80 years, were randomized to celecoxib (400 mg daily), a selective COX-2 inhibitor, and/or selenium (200 μg daily as selenized yeast), or double placebo. The trial was initiated in November 2001.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTelepathology, the distant service component of digital pathology, is a growth industry. The word "telepathology" was introduced into the English Language in 1986. Initially, two different, competing imaging modalities were used for telepathology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Expression of the PGE2 receptor, EP4, is up-regulated during colorectal carcinogenesis. However the mechanism leading to deregulation of the EP4 receptor is not known. The present study was conducted to investigate the regulation of EP4 receptor by miRNAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this report, a patient had a previous diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma with an extended cholecystectomy. Three years later, he was evaluated for recurrent ascites. The patient had several large volume paracentesis, without evidence of malignant cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh dietary fat causes increased bile acid secretion into the gastrointestinal tract and is associated with colon cancer. Since the bile acid deoxycholic acid (DOC) is suggested to be important in colon cancer etiology, this study investigated whether DOC, at a high physiologic level, could be a colon carcinogen. Addition of 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorld J Gastrointest Endosc
December 2010
In this report, a patient was exposed to an herbal remedy for hypercholesterolemia. She became acutely jaundiced while taking the remedy and presented for medical care. Endoscopic ultrasound was utilized, and found a distal common bile duct mass.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels are frequently elevated in colorectal carcinomas. PGE₂ is perceived via four transmembrane G protein coupled receptors (EP1-4), among which the EP4 receptor is most relevant. PGE₂/EP4-receptor interaction activates CREB via the ERK/MEK pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K is an essential RNA and DNA binding protein involved in gene expression and signal transduction. The role of hnRNP K in cancer is relatively understudied. However, several cellular functions strongly indicate that hnRNP K is involved in tumorigenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn innovative telemedicine-enabled rapid breast care service is described that bundles telemammography, telepathology, and teleoncology services into a single day process. The service is called the UltraClinics Process. Since the core services are at four different physical locations a challenge has been to obtain STAT second opinion readouts on newly diagnosed breast cancer cases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSerrated polyps of the colorectal mucosa represent a heterogeneous and controversial taxonomic category with variation in histopathological, molecular, and immunohistochemical characteristics and with an incomplete understanding of pathogenesis. A previous study reported that the expression of gastric pyloric-type mucin, MUC6, characterized sessile serrated adenomas. We therefore evaluated the expression of MUC6 in serrated polyps identified among 2502 participants in a Phase III chemoprevention trial within the Arizona Cancer Center Colorectal Cancer Prevention Trials Program and characterized the associated histopathological features and location.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K is an essential RNA and DNA binding protein involved in gene expression and signal transduction including DNA transcription, RNA splicing, RNA stability and translation. The role of hnRNP K in cancer is relatively understudied. However, several cellular functions strongly indicate that hnRNP K is involved in tumorigenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn innovative telemedicine-enabled rapid breast care service is described that bundles telemammography, telepathology, and teleoncology services into a single day process. The service is called the UltraClinics Process. Because the core services are at 4 different physical locations, a challenge has been to obtain stat second opinion readouts on newly diagnosed breast cancer cases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTelepathology, the practice of pathology at a long distance, has advanced continuously since 1986. Today, fourth-generation telepathology systems, so-called virtual slide telepathology systems, are being used for education applications. Both conventional and innovative surgical pathology diagnostic services are being designed and implemented as well.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVirtual slide telepathology is an important potential tool for providing re-review of surgical pathology cases as part of a quality assurance program. The University of Arizona pathology faculty has implemented a quality assurance program between 2 university hospitals located 6 miles apart. The flagship hospital, University Medical Center (UMC), in Tucson, AZ, handles approximately 20 000 surgical pathology specimens per year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Gastroenterol Hepatol
December 2009
Background & Aims: Experimental evidence indicates that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)/aspirin, and statins can protect patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) from developing neoplasias. However, only limited data are available on chemoprevention in patients with BE.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed using data from patients with documented BE.
Esophageal adenocarcinoma risk in Barrett's esophagus (BE) is increased 30- to 125-fold versus the general population. Among all BE patients, however, neoplastic progression occurs only once per 200 patient-years. Molecular biomarkers are therefore needed to risk-stratify patients for more efficient surveillance endoscopy and to improve the early detection of progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Gastroenterol Hepatol
July 2008
Background & Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common disorder seen in pediatric hepatology practice. However, little is known about the clinical, biochemical, and histologic features of the disorder. In addition, there have been no reports of the natural history of NAFLD in the pediatric age group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF