Comparison between two types of needles for Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine aspiration biopsy of pancreatic and upper gastrointestinal masses.

Background: EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has long been the main method for sampling pancreatic lesions. Recently, the method of fine-needle biopsy (FNB) was introduced in practice, allowing for the acquisition of tissue cores while aspirating the lesion. We hereby report our experience with a new FNB needle compared with the standard FNA needle.

Combination of androgen receptor inhibitor and cisplatin, an effective treatment strategy for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Purpose: The role of androgen receptor (AR) signaling in bladder cancer (BCa) is not fully characterized. This study aimed to delineate the role of AR signaling in BCa and to determine whether the combination of AR inhibitor, Enzalutamide (Enz), and Cisplatin (Cis) efficiently inhibit the growth of BCa cells.

Methods: AR expression was determined in 89 human urothelial BCa specimens by immunohistochemistry.

Enhancement of the gut barrier integrity by a microbial metabolite through the Nrf2 pathway.

The importance of gut microbiota in human health and pathophysiology is undisputable. Despite the abundance of metagenomics data, the functional dynamics of gut microbiota in human health and disease remain elusive. Urolithin A (UroA), a major microbial metabolite derived from polyphenolics of berries and pomegranate fruits displays anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-ageing activities.

miR-301a expression: Diagnostic and prognostic marker for prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate-specific antigen screening for prostate cancer (CaP) remains controversial. This study establishes the role of microRNA 301a (miR-301a) as a supplemental biomarker that can distinguish between patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and clinically significant CaP. We evaluate the ability of miR-301a to predict the adverse pathology of CaP.

The chemopreventive effect of withaferin A on spontaneous and inflammation-associated colon carcinogenesis models.

Chemopreventive effects and associated mechanisms of withaferin A (WA) against intestinal and colon carcinogenesis remain unknown. We investigated the chemopreventive effect of WA on transgenic adenomatous polyposis coli (APCMin/+) mouse and chemically induced azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) models of intestinal and colon carcinogenesis. Oral WA administration (4 and 3 mg/kg) inhibited tumor initiation and progression of intestinal polyps formation in APCMin/+ mice and colon carcinogenesis in the AOM/DSS mouse model.

Multipurpose tenofovir disoproxil fumarate electrospun fibers for the prevention of HIV-1 and HSV-2 infections in vitro.

Sexually transmitted infections affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 and -2) and herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) remain incurable, urging the development of new prevention strategies. While current prophylactic technologies are dependent on strict user adherence to achieve efficacy, there is a dearth of delivery vehicles that provide discreet and convenient administration, combined with prolonged-delivery of active agents.

Sellar and Suprasellar Anaplastic Hemangiopericytoma in a 34-Year Old Man.

Central nervous system hemangiopericytomas are rare, representing <1% of all primary central nervous system tumors. Hemangiopericytomas of the sellar region are exceptionally rare. Here we present a case of a sellar/suprasellar anaplastic hemangiopericytoma.

Inhibition of autophagy prevents cadmium-induced prostate carcinogenesis.

Background: Cadmium, an established carcinogen, is a risk factor for prostate cancer. Induction of autophagy is a prerequisite for cadmium-induced transformation and metastasis. The ability of Psoralidin (Pso), a non-toxic, orally bioavailable compound to inhibit cadmium-induced autophagy to prevent prostate cancer was investigated.

Withaferin A Inhibits Prostate Carcinogenesis in a PTEN-deficient Mouse Model of Prostate Cancer.

We recently demonstrated that AKT activation plays a role in prostate cancer progression and inhibits the pro-apoptotic function of FOXO3a and Par-4. AKT inhibition and Par-4 induction suppressed prostate cancer progression in preclinical models. Here, we investigate the chemopreventive effect of the phytonutrient Withaferin A (WA) on AKT-driven prostate tumorigenesis in a Pten conditional knockout (Pten-KO) mouse model of prostate cancer.

Sarcomatous Component in Uterine Carcinosarcomas Correlates With Advanced Stage and Poorer Prognosis.

Uterine carcinosarcomas, also known as malignant-mixed mullerian tumors, are rare and highly aggressive tumors whose prognostic factors remain controversial. The stage at the time of presentation is the most important prognostic factor thus far, but little information exists on the prognostic impact of the sarcomatous component (SC) in these tumors. We reviewed 21 cases of uterine carcinosarcomas and estimated the volume of the SC in each case.

Nephroblastoma Arising from Primary Testicular Germ Cell Tumor: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Adult extrarenal nephroblastoma is a very rare tumor. Nephroblastoma arising from primary testicular germ cell tumor is exceedingly rare. To our knowledge, only three cases have been reported in the English literature.

Targeting aberrant expression of Notch-1 in ALDH cancer stem cells in breast cancer.

We have previously reported that high aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzyme activity in breast cancer cells results in breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) properties by upregualting Notch-1 and epithelial mesenchymal markers. This results in chemoresistance in breast cancer. Here, we examined the functional and clinical significance of ALDH expression by measuring the ALDH levels in breast cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry.

Oral administration of withaferin A inhibits carcinogenesis of prostate in TRAMP model.

We previously reported that withaferin A (WA), a natural compound, deters prostate cancer by inhibiting AKT while inducing apoptosis. In the current study, we examined its chemopreventive efficacy against carcinogenesis in the prostate using the transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. Two distinct sets of experiments were conducted.

miR-301a expression: A prognostic marker for prostate cancer.

Purpose: The diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer (CaP) continues to be challenging, as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) appears to be overly sensitive and biopsy is the only reliable method for confirmation. Hence, the goal of the study is to identify a biomarker that could distinguish malignant cancer from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) during the early diagnosis of the disease.

Materials And Methods: A total of 75 formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) with matching controls, 4 paired metastatic tumors, 6 fresh tumor tissues and BPH (13 cases) with their clinical diagnosis were selected for this study.

Activation of AKT negatively regulates the pro-apoptotic function of death-associated protein kinase 3 (DAPK3) in prostate cancer.

The activation of AKT governs many signaling pathways and promotes cell growth and inhibits apoptosis in human malignancies including prostate cancer (CaP). Here, we investigated the molecular association between AKT activation and the function of death-associated protein kinase 3 (DAPK3) in CaP. An inverse correlation of pAKT and DAPK3 expression was seen in a panel of CaP cell lines.

Cytomorphologic findings and differential diagnosis of pulmonary papillary adenoma: A case report and literature review.

Pulmonary papillary adenoma is a rare tumor of the lung. Some authors refer to it as papillary adenoma of type II pneumocytes. It demonstrates benign behavior, although some references suggest that this tumor may rarely exhibit invasive characteristics.

Strong NFκB Expression is Associated With High-grade Dysplasia in Barrett's Esophagus.

Nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) is a transcription factor that regulates the activation of genes involved in proinflammatory response and growth. In this study, we utilized immunohistochemical stains for 2 of the NFκB molecules (RELA and NFκB-1) to evaluate the expression of NFκB in Barrett's esophagus (BE). Forty-three cases of BE [17 cases with no dysplasia, 16 cases with low-grade dysplasia (LGD), and 10 cases with high-grade dysplasia (HGD)], 10 normal esophageal biopsies, and 9 cases of esophageal adenocarcinoma were evaluated.

Withaferin-A suppress AKT induced tumor growth in colorectal cancer cells.

The oncogenic activation of AKT gene has emerged as a key determinant of the aggressiveness of colorectal cancer (CRC); hence, research has focused on targeting AKT signaling for the treatment of advanced stages of CRC. In this study, we explored the anti-tumorigenic effects of withaferin A (WA) on CRC cells overexpressing AKT in preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) models. Our results indicated that WA, a natural compound, resulted in significant inhibition of AKT activity and led to the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion by downregulating the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in CRC cells overexpressing AKT.

Impact of immediate evaluation of touch imprint cytology from computed tomography guided core needle biopsies of mass lesions: Single institution experience.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) guided core needle biopsy (CT-guided CNB) is a minimally invasive, safe and effective manner of tissue sampling in many organs. The aim of our study is to determine the impact of on-site evaluation of touch imprint cytology (TIC) to minimize the number of passes required to obtain adequate tissue for diagnosis.

Design: A retrospective review of all CT-guided CNBs performed during 4 year period, where pathologists were present for on-site TIC evaluation.

Ependymoma and carcinoid tumor associated with ovarian mature cystic teratoma in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia I.

Ovarian teratomas rarely undergo new neoplastic transformation and account for a small percentage of malignant ovarian germ cell neoplasms. Here we report a case of a 51-year-old woman with multiple endocrine neoplasia type I (MEN I) who was found to have an ependymoma and neuroendocrine tumor (trabecular carcinoid) associated with mature cystic teratoma of her left ovary. The ependymoma component displayed cells with round nuclei and occasional small nucleoli which were focally arranged in perivascular pseudorosettes and true rosettes.

Low-grade central osteosarcoma of the rib: a case report and brief review of the literature.

Low-grade central osteosarcoma is a rare variant of osteosarcoma which comprises less than 1-2% of all osteosarcomas. Most low-grade osteosarcomas involve long bones, most commonly distal femur, and proximal tibia. Histologically this tumor is difficult to diagnose, and an unusual location makes this diagnosis even more challenging.

Parainfluenza virus-3-induced cytopathic effects on lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in a bone marrow transplant recipient: a case report.

Parainfluenza virus type 3(PIV-3) commonly causes respiratory tract infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients. The majority of PIV-3 infections develop in patients who have undergone stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors. From these patients, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and/or lung biopsies are often collected and sent for evaluation of infectious processes.

Tumor-associated primo vascular system is derived from xenograft, not host.

The primo vascular system (PVS), which is composed of very small primo-vessels (PV) and primo-nodes (PN), has recently emerged as a third component of circulatory system. Here, we report the presence of a tumor derived PVS in murine xenografts of human histiocytic lymphoma (U937) in close proximity to the tumor. Within this system, PNs are small (~500-600 μM diameter) membranous sac-like structures which contain numerous small cells which can be demonstrated by DAPI staining.

Renal cell carcinoma with extensive oncocytic features.

Oncocytic features are a hallmark of renal oncocytoma, but can be seen in other renal tumors such as clear cell renal cell carcinoma with granular cells and eosinophilic variant of chromophobe cell tumors. Up to 5% of renal neoplasms are ultimately diagnosed as unclassified renal cell carcinoma with oncocytic features accounting for a significant number of these tumors. Also a recent morphological variant of mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma with oncocytic changes has been described, adding another challenge.