Publications by authors named "Anna de Chiara"

Article Synopsis
  • * Primary renal synovial sarcomas can appear similar to other kidney tumors, like nephroblastoma, and may exhibit distinct features such as myxoid stroma and specific immunohistochemical positivity.
  • * The case discussed highlights the importance of molecular analysis in diagnosis and notes that, despite advanced disease, chemotherapy led to an unexpectedly positive response in the patient.
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Dacarbazine is an important drug in the therapeutic landscape of leiomyosarcoma (LMS). Alkylating agents are subjected to resistance mechanisms based on anti-apoptotic pathways and repair mechanisms, including the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (). In this retrospective study, the methylation status of the promoter in histological tumor samples from patients with LMS, dacarbazine-based regimens-treated, was measured and correlated with clinical outcomes aimed at optimizing the use of dacarbazine in soft tissue sarcomas.

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Background: The international strategic plan for COVID-19 vaccines remains the practical option for the protection of health. However, vaccine hesitancy remains an obstacle to full population vaccination, with rapid developments in COVID-19 vaccines and concerns about efficacy acting as influencing factors.

Aim: The present study investigated the perception of vaccine hesitancy among parents of adolescents in order to explore the reasons and related emotional states.

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Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis in prisoners are higher than the general population and are two public health concerns, especially in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with LTBI among the inmate population detained in three Southern Italian penitentiaries. Tuberculin intradermal reaction skin test was performed on the inmates who agreed to participate in the study.

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Chromosomal rearrangements involving BCL2, BCL6 and MYC are commonly found in the most frequent B cell lymphomas, namely follicular lymphomas (FLs) and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs). Particularly, BCL2-rearrangement represents a diagnostic hallmark in FLs, whereas MYC translocation can occur simultaneously with BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements, defining a specific category of DLBCLs with a poorer prognosis. In this study, we aim to validate the diagnostic performance of multiplex BCL2/BCL6 FISH approach in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded FLs and DBCLs and cytological samples of DLBCL comparing to the classic set of single break-apart probes.

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(1) Background: The emergency linked to the spread of COVID-19 in Italy has led to inevitable consequences on the penitentiary system. The risks of this emergency in prisons is mainly related to the problem of persistent overcrowding that makes social distancing difficult and the isolation of any contagion hard to arrange. The Department of Protection for Adults and Minors of the ASL Salerno Criminal Area has taken steps in order to perform screening operations and minimize the risks for prisoners and operators.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study details the imaging findings and pathology of a rare case of tumoral calcinosis, also known as Teutschlander disease, which had silent symptoms for the first ten years of life.
  • The condition first manifested as recurring lesions in the elbows and later developed into an active growth lesion in the left hip at age seventy.
  • The paper also includes a review of the disease's causes, its clinical progression, and how to differentiate it from other conditions using imaging techniques.
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Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) identify a large family of RNAs that do not encode proteins and represent an important group of tumor biomarkers, directly involved in the process of tumor pathogenesis and progression. Many of them have also been identified in biological fluids of patients with cancer, especially blood, suggesting their role as an emerging class of circulating biomarkers. Many ncRNAs, both miRNAs and lncRNAs, are deregulated in sarcoma tissues, with the most consistent data in osteosarcomas.

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HOX genes are involved with normal development, cell identity, cell differentiation, cell metabolism, apoptosis, autophagy as well as with diseases such as tumor pathogenesis and progression. In particular, the genes belonging to HOX paralogous 13 seem to carry out a relevant role in both tumor development and disease progression. In recent years, several noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) sequences have been identified in HOX loci, including long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and microRNA (miRNA), highly conserved during evolution.

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In normal cell physiology, programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand, PD-L1, play an immunoregulatory role in T-cell activation, tolerance, and immune-mediated tissue damage. The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway also plays a critical role in immune escape of tumor cells and has been demonstrated to correlate with a poor prognosis of patients with several types of cancer. However, recent reports have revealed that the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of the PD-L1 in tumor cells is not uniform for the use of different antibodies clones, with variable specificity, often doubtful topographical localization, and with a score not uniquely defined.

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Morphological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical characteristics of clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of the soft tissue frequently overlap with those of malignant melanoma. Thus, the differential diagnosis between the two lesions represents an important diagnostic dilemma. However, a number of genetic factors can be used to differentiate the two tumors; in particular, the t(12;22)(q13;q12) chromosomal translocation is typical of CCS, resulting in fusion of the gene on chromosome 22q12 and the gene on chromosome 12q13.

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T(1;14) (p22;q32) involving BCL10 and IGH genes is a rare but recurrent chromosomal aberration in MALT-type lymphoma. It is rarely described in ocular adnexa B cell lymphomas, although nuclear BCL10 shuttling seems to be critical for disease progression in this district. We have evaluated the translocations MALT lymphoma-related in a series of 45 ocular adnexa cases, focusing in particular on their relation with BCL10 expression and its cellular topographic distribution.

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Ocular adnexa MALT-lymphomas represent approximatively 5-15% of all extranodal lymphomas. Almost 75% of OAMLs are localized in orbital fat, while 25% of cases involves conjunctive. MALT-lymphomas often recognize specific environmental factors responsible of lymphoma development and progression.

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Background: The polycomb transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) overexpression can be causally implicated in experimental tumor growth and metastasization. To date, there is no clinical evidence of YY1 involvement in outcome of patients with osteosarcoma. Prognosis of osteosarcoma is still severe and only few patients survive beyond five years.

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A 38-year-old man was diagnosed with fibrous dysplasia of the anterolateral segment of the fifth rib by core biopsy. A decision was made to resect the rib by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) taking care to preserve the muscle and overlying myodermal layers. Subsequent reconstruction was done using a straight titanium plate locked in place under thoracoscopic guidance to avoid friction of the plate on the skin and to verify that the transfixed screws would not injure the lung or the pericardium.

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The roles in brain development. Previous studies have shown the association between OTX2 and OTX1 with anaplastic and desmoplastic medulloblastomas, respectively. Here, we investigated OTX1 and OTX2 expression in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma.

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One case of a primary clear cell sarcoma of the sternum (also called soft tissue melanoma) is reported. This neoplasm represents a rare occurrence, and as a rule, differential diagnosis with melanoma often requires detailed immunohistochemistry and cytogenetic analysis (ie, rearrangement of EWS gene localized on 22q12 chromosome). Because wide resection is recommended, chest wall reconstruction may pose challenging technical issues.

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The present study has explored the possible value of sCA-125 as a prognostic factor in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). From August 1992 to June 2005 sCA-125 was measured at presentation and at the end of the treatments in 221 newly diagnosed adult patients with HL. In this study 90/221 (41%) patients showed a value greater than the standard upper limit of 35 U/ml, and 79/90 (88%) with an abnormal sCA-125 were at an advanced stage of the disease.

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The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is known to be present in some human cancer cell lines and its expression correlates with immune-mediated apoptosis. By using Western blot analysis, we have shown that the YY1 protein is strongly expressed in human osteosarcoma cells and localised mainly in the nucleus. Moreover, by using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR techniques, we have analysed the expression of YY1 protein in biopsies from human osteosarcomas.

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Ocular adnexa B-cell lymphomas are a relatively rare group of extranodal lymphomas, marginal-zone B-cell lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphomas) being the most frequent type at this location. As with other nongastrointestinal MALT lymphomas, ocular adnexa MALT lymphomas have distinct characteristics from those of the gastric MALT model, implying specific pathogenic events, which could be of interest in the prediction of clinical behavior and the choice between therapeutic options. In a series of 39 cases of ocular adnexa MALT lymphomas, studied using a tissue microarray, we observed that the most frequent alteration was related to apoptosis regulation.

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Adult soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are a rare group of highly heterogeneous neoplasms arising in different tissues. They are locally aggressive and can produce recurrence and distant metastasis. The most common metastatic sites are lung, lymph nodes, liver, bone and soft tissues.

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Background: The aim of our study was to assess the color-Doppler ultrasound (CDU) pattern in the analysis of neoadjuvant preoperative treatment of patients with locally advanced breast carcinoma, improvement after injection of contrast medium (Levovist) and possible correlations between morphological and vascular aspects of the neoplasm and postoperative histopathological findings.

Materials And Methods: We studied 50 patients affected by locally advanced breast carcinoma (T3a e b-T4), using CDU before and after injection of Levovist, prior to and after neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic treatment.

Results: The use of Levovist for ultrasound examinations prior to treatment revealed a higher number of vascular signals in 94% of the lesions compared to the basic color-Doppler examination; in only 3 cases (6%) were no modifications observed after injection of the contrast medium.

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Purpose: The purpose is to evaluate the expression of CD40, a membrane protein predominantly expressed on B cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages, in a series of adult soft tissue sarcomas and to test its possible prognostic value.

Experimental Design: CD40 expression was studied by immunohistochemistry. Correlations with other baseline characteristics of patients and tumors were analyzed with chi(2) test.

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