Plasma Expression Levels of Circulating miR-21 are not Useful for Diagnosing and Monitoring Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs play an important role in cancer diagnostics. We assessed plasma microRNA-21 levels in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) at different stages and in patients with benign polyps.

Methods: Plasma levels of miR-21 were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay in plasma samples of 76 CRC patients and in 20 patients with benign polyps.

Comparison of genetic and epigenetic alterations of primary tumors and matched plasma samples in patients with colorectal cancer.

Background: Although recent advances in circulating DNA analysis allow the prediction of tumor genomes by noninvasive means, some challenges remain, which limit the widespread introduction of cfDNA in cancer diagnostics. We analyzed the status of the two best characterized colorectal cancer (CRC) genetic and epigenetic alterations in a cohort of CRC patients, and then compared the degree to which the two patterns move from tissue to plasma in order to improve our understanding of biology modulating the concordance between tissues and plasma methylation and mutation profiles.

Methods: Plasma and tumor tissues were collected from 85 patients (69±14 years, 56 males).

Lack of an association between circulating adiponectin levels and risk of colorectal adenoma.

Background: The putative association between serum adiponectin levels and colorectal adenomas is actually under debate. The aim of this study was to investigate this association in relation to factors known to influence the levels of adiponectin such as anthropometric, metabolic, inflammatory parameters as well as lifestyle individual characteristics.

Methods: 40 patients with adenomas and 40 controls were enrolled.

The role of resistin in colorectal cancer.

Background: To date the role of resistin in colorectal cancer (CRC) is far from being elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum resistin levels and CRC in relation to known risk/protective factors including anthropometric, metabolic, inflammatory parameters as well as lifestyle individual characteristics.

Methods: 40 CRC patients and 40 controls were enrolled.

Tumor site and perigastric nodal status are the most important predictors of para-aortic nodal involvement in advanced gastric cancer.

Background: This study was designed to identify pathological predictors of para-aortic nodal invasion in advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: Between 1990 and 2007, 294 patients with advanced gastric cancer underwent gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy + para-aortic nodal dissection in Siena and Verona, Italy.

Results: Forty-seven (16%) patients had para-aortic node metastases.

Real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification of free DNA in serum of patients with polyps and colorectal cancers.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent causes of cancer related deaths worldwide. Recently, the use of cell-free DNA as diagnostic tools to identify cancer has been investigated. The aim of this work was to assess whether circulating DNA could be considered a useful marker for detection of early stage CRC and polyps.

A multicentric Western analysis of prognostic factors in advanced, node-negative gastric cancer patients.

Background: The presence of lymph node metastasis is one of the most important prognostic factors in patients with gastric carcinoma. Node-negative patients have a better outcome, nevertheless a subgroup of them experience disease recurrence.

Aim: To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of lymph node-negative advanced gastric carcinoma patients submitted to gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy with a retrieved number of nodes greater than 15, after an actual follow-up of almost 5 years, and to evaluate outcome indicators.

18F-FDG-PET/CT in patients with breast cancer and rising Ca 15-3 with negative conventional imaging: a multicentre study.

Objectives: Breast cancer is the second cause of death in women in Europe and North America. The mortality of this disease can be reduced with effective therapy and regular follow up to detect early recurrence. Tumor markers are sensitive in detecting recurrent or residual disease but imaging is required to customize the therapeutic option.

Mesenteric revascularisation in a young patient with antiphospholipid syndrome and fibromuscular dysplasia: report of a case and review of the literature.

Fibromuscular dysplasia or fibromuscular hyperplasia is a rare non-atherosclerotic and non-inflammatory vascular disease that primarily involves medium-size and small arteries, most commonly the renal and carotid arteries, and less frequently the vertebral, iliac, subclavian or visceral arteries (mesenteric, hepatic, splenic). Antiphospholipid syndrome is one of the most commonly acquired hypercoagulable states, defined by the association of laboratory evidence of anti-phospholipid antibodies with arterial or venous thrombosis or recurrent pregnancy losses. The presence of these antibodies is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic phenomena, including peripheral thrombophlebitis, pulmonary thromboembolism, stroke, retinal artery occlusion, myocardial infarction, placental thrombosis and Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Postoperative variation of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Background: Despite substantial advances in radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, surgical management remains the standard of care, especially in patients with no evidence of distant metastases and who are fit for surgery. It is traditionally known, however, that patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal malignancies suffer from a high rate of infective complications and there is little information on the behavior of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in these patients.

Methods: The study population included 18 consecutive patients with untreated gastric (n = 6) or colorectal (n = 12) carcinoma and 18 control subjects.

Additional value of FDG-PET/CT in management of "solitary" liver metastases: preliminary results of a prospective multicenter study.

Background And Aim: The most common malignancy affecting the liver is metastasis from a wide variety of tumors, particularly those of gastrointestinal origin. Successful surgical removal of a solitary liver metastasis may significantly extend survival and optimal preoperative assessment in this regard is a mandatory prerequisite for proper patient selection. The addition of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) to other more conventional imaging procedures (e.

[Spontaneous rupture of the femoral artery after radiotherapy: a case report].

Radiation-induced arteriopathy is a well-known disease whose incidence is not known and which usually arises chronically many years after radiation therapy. When it arises acutely, spontaneous rupture or, more rarely, thrombosis of the involved vessel may occur. Spontaneous rupture can occur within 4 to 32 weeks of radiotherapy, and usually affects the carotid artery involved in radiotherapy of the neck and head.

Primary aortoduodenal fistula: a challenge to the vascular surgeon.

Primary aortoduodenal fistula is a serious and rare complication of abdominal aortic aneurysms. This life-threatening disease results most commonly from an abdominal aortic aneurysm, with the fistula forming between the aorta and the third or the fourth portions of the duodenum. Diagnosis is often difficult and urgent adequate surgical treatment as soon as possible is the only therapeutic option to save the lives of these patients.

Concomitant pulmonary carcinoma and abdominal aortic aneurysm: therapeutic strategies.

Purpose: A diagnosis of concomitant pulmonary carcinoma and abdominal aortic aneurysm is rare (<1% of treated cases). However, such an association makes the therapeutic decisions critical, especially regarding the priority and timing of treatment. This article reports on our experience of 14 cases of concomitant pulmonary carcinoma and abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for severe acute cholecystitis. A meta-analysis of results.

Objective: The aim of this review was to evaluate surgical outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gangrenous and empyematous acute cholecystitis defined as severe acute cholecystitis.

Background: It is not known to what extent surgical outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for severe acute cholecystitis differ from those for the nonsevere acute form, making it questionable whether urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the best approach even in severe acute cases.

Methods: Literature searches were conducted to identify: (1) comparative studies which reported laparoscopic surgical outcomes separately for severe acute and nonsevere acute cholecystitis; (2) studies comparing such an approach with open cholecystectomy, subtotal laparoscopic cholecystectomy or cholecystostomy in severe acute cholecystitis.

Lymph node involvement in advanced gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

Objective: The prognosis of gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma is unquestionably related to the extent of nodal involvement; nonetheless, few studies deal with the pattern of lymph node spread and specifically analyze the prognostic value of the site of metastasis. The present study was aimed at evaluating these key aspects in advanced gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Of 219 patients consecutively operated on for gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma at the Department of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, University of Siena, and at the Department of General Surgery, University of Verona, 143 pT2-4 tumors not submitted to prior chemoradiation were analyzed according to the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association pN staging system.

Lymph node involvement in gastric cancer for different tumor sites and T stage: Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (IRGGC) experience.

Background: The aim of lymphadenectomy is to clear all the metastatic nodes achieving a complete removal of the tumor; nevertheless, its role in gastric cancer has been very much debated.

Materials And Methods: The frequency of node metastasis in each lymphatic station according to the International Gastric Cancer Association, was studied in 545 patients who underwent D2 or D3 lymphadenectomy from June 1988 to December 2002.

Results: Upper third early cancers have shown an involvement of N2 celiac nodes in 25%.

Chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus with clinical evidence of adjacent organ invasion.

Background: The role of surgery for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with clinical evidence of adjacent organ invasion (cT4) is a debated issue. This study was aimed at analyzing our experience with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery as treatment for non-metastatic cT4 SCC of the thoracic esophagus.

Methods: The results of 51 patients consecutively treated at the First Department of General Surgery, University of Verona, from January 1987 to December 2004 were analyzed.

Intra-thoracic desmoid tumour in a patient with a previous aortocoronary bypass.

Background: Intra-thoracic desmoid tumours with mediastinal invasion are very rare. Although rare they have to be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of a thoracic mass and therapeutic options have to be weighted since surgical treatment may require wide excision.

Case Presentation: A 48-year-old male diabetic, dyslipidaemic, former heavy smoker with psychiatric illness was operated by sternotomy for a triple aorto-coronary bypass 4 years before, presented with complains of recent onset such as constant and oppressive chest pain.