Breast MALT lymphomas: a clinicopathological and cytogenetic study of 9 cases.

Primary breast mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas are uncommon and restricted diagnostic criteria should be used to exclude breast involvement by systemic lymphomas. The molecular pathogenesis of primary breast MALT lymphomas is not clear because of the rarity of the disease. Generally the molecular studies of MALT lymphoma in extranodal sites have shown the presence of different chromosomal aberrations, mutually exclusive with substantial differences in their frequency relatively to topographic localization.

"CXCR4-CXCL12 and VEGF correlate to uveal melanoma progression".

Despite improvements in early diagnosis of uveal melanoma, prognosis is still poor due to metastases development. Neoangiogenesis and migration are requisites to metastasis promotion. Cross-talking between CXCR4-CXCL12 axis and the VEGF pathway was shown to favours tumour progression.

Hepatic angiomyolipoma and intramural small intestinal schwannoma: a coincidence or a relationship?

We report a case of hepatic angiomyolipoma associated to a small bowel schwannoma in a 40-years old woman. Both lesions were asyntomatic. Histologically, hepatic angiomyolipoma showed oncocytic features and scanty adipose tissue, the tumor cells expressed desmin, smooth muscle actin, S-100 protein and HMB45.

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an independent prognostic indicator of worse outcome in gastric cancer patients.

Background: Unlike other human tumors, gastric cancer remains a great therapeutic challenge since no standardized postoperative treatment exists. Knowledge of molecular pathways determining the behavior of individual gastric tumors seems to be crucial for therapeutic decisions, and evaluation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression might be critical for prognosis, assessment, and identification of patients that could be treated with tailored therapies.

Methods: VEGF and EGFR determination was performed in 88 gastric cancer samples as well as 25 normal gastric mucosa specimens from non-cancer patients using a commercially available immunohistochemistry kit.

Concomitant occurrence of facial cutaneous and parotid gland metastases from rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Unusual sites of metastasis to the parotid gland and face are reported in patients with colorectal cancer, but the localization to both sites at the same time has never been described so far.

Case Report: Here, we describe the case of a 76-year-old woman with a T3N1M0 G2 rectal adenocarcinoma, treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy performed at suboptimal dosages due to unacceptable toxicity. At the end of the program, the re-staging demonstrated the presence of metastasis in both the left parotid gland and subcutaneously on the frontal region of her face while the primary locoregional tumour manifestation was radiologically down-staged (reduction in N staging from N1 to N0).

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression is associated with a worse prognosis in gastric cancer patients undergoing curative surgery.

Background: In gastric cancer, the recurrence rate is high even after curative surgery. A relevant issue is the identification of independent prognostic factors to select high-risk patients; such features can be used as predictive factors for tailored therapies. In this study we have investigated the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression as a prognostic marker for predicting cancer behavior and clinical outcome in gastric cancer patients undergoing potentially curative surgery.

CXC chemokine receptor 4 is expressed in uveal malignant melanoma and correlates with the epithelioid-mixed cell type.

Purpose: Although relatively rare, uveal melanoma is the most common ocular tumor of adults. Up to half of uveal melanoma patients die of metastatic disease. CXCR4, a chemokine receptor, is a prognostic factor in cutaneous melanoma involved in angiogenesis and metastasis formation.

Isolated hepatic involvement of cat scratch disease in immunocompetent adults: Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, pathological findings, and molecular analysis--two cases.

Visceral involvement in absence of lymphadenopathy is a rare manifestation in cat scratch disease; hepatic granulomas are rare, representing 0.3% of systemic manifestations of cat scratch disease, and gallbladder extension is a singular case. The present article refers to 2 rare cases of visceral cat scratch disease in immunocompetent adults with hepatic granulomatous inflammation, caused by Bartonella henselae infection, with gallbladder involvement in 1 case and no lymphadenopathy.

Prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor expression in colon cancer patients undergoing curative surgery.

Background: To investigate the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression as a prognostic marker for prediction of cancer behavior and clinical outcomes in colon cancer patients undergoing potentially curative surgery.

Methods: EGFR determination using a commercially available immunohistochemistry kit was performed in tissues from 149 colon cancer patients receiving primary surgical treatment and in 25 normal colon mucosa specimens from noncancer patients. EGFR positivity was correlated in univariate and multivariate analyses with disease recurrence and survival.

p27 downregulation and metallothionein overexpression in gastric cancer patients are associated with a poor survival rate.

Background And Objectives: As a significant number of curatively treated gastric cancer patients will ultimately relapse, there is an urgent need to investigate new prognostic markers for identification of high-risk patients. In this study, we investigated the possible role of molecular markers involved in cell cycle regulation (B1 and D3 cyclins, and p27) and cell protection (metallothionein, MT) in predicting tumor behavior and clinical outcome in gastric cancer patients.

Methods: Analysis of the above indicators was performed by immunohistochemistry on 73 gastric cancer patient samples and 25 normal gastric mucosa specimens.