Synchronous solid neuroendocrine breast carcinoma and abdominal lymphoma: A case report and review of the literature.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are frequently associated with second primary malignancies (SPMs). Earlier studies have demonstrated that NETs are highly associated with synchronous or metachronous gastrointestinal and genitourinary SPMs. We report, for the first time, a case of pure NE breast carcinoma (NEBC) exhibiting all of the World Health Organization (WHO)-categorized morphological and phenotypic NE features (i.

A diagnostic approach to the mediastinal masses.

Background: Multiple different types of mediastinal masses may be encountered on imaging techniques in symptomatic or asymptomatic patients. The location and composition of these lesions are critical to narrowing the differential diagnosis.

Methods: Radiological compartmentalisation of the mediastinum helps in focusing the diagnosis of masses on the basis of their site.

Albumin-binding MR blood pool contrast agent improves diagnostic performance in human brain tumour: comparison of two contrast agents for glioblastoma.

Objective: We qualitatively and quantitatively compared MRI enhancement obtained with gadofosveset, an albumin-binding blood-pool contrast agent, and with gadobutrol, an extracellular contrast agent, in patients with glioblastoma.

Methods: Thirty-five patients (25 men; 64 ± 14 years) with histologically proven glioblastoma underwent MRI including pre- and post-contrast T1-weighted SE images acquired 5 min after gadobutrol (0.1 mmol/kg) and, 48 h later, images acquired with identical parameters 5 min and 3, 6, and 24 h after gadofosveset (0.

Interferon/STAT1 and neuregulin signaling pathways are exploratory biomarkers of cetuximab (Erbitux®) efficacy in KRAS wild-type squamous carcinomas: a pathway-based analysis of whole human-genome microarray data from cetuximab-adapted tumor cell-line models.

KRAS mutation status is being used as the sole biomarker to predict therapeutic efficacy of cetuximab in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A significant number of mCRC patients with KRAS wild-type (WT) tumors, however, do not benefit from cetuximab. We are also lacking efficacy predictors in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas with an intact KRAS signaling and in non-small cell lung cancer in which KRAS mutations do not predict cetuximab efficacy.

Pathway-focused proteomic signatures in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer with a basal-like phenotype: new insights into de novo resistance to trastuzumab (Herceptin).

Pioneering clinical studies in de novo refractoriness to the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab have suggested that HER2 gene-amplification can take place also in a basal-like molecular background to generate basal/HER2+ tumors intrinsically resistant to trastuzumab. Here, we first investigated the unique histogenesis of the basal/HER2+ phenotype in breast carcinomas. The presence of basal CK5/CK6 cytokeratin expression in HER2+ tumors revealed a significant overlap in the histological features of HER2+/CK5/6+ and basal-like breast carcinomas.

Serine 2481-autophosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) couples with chromosome condensation and segregation during mitosis: confocal microscopy characterization and immunohistochemical validation of PP-mTOR(Ser2481) as a novel high-contrast mitosis marker in breast cancer core biopsies.

The prognostic abilities of breast cancer gene expression signatures are due mostly to the detection of proliferation activity. One of the strongest, yet simple and well-reproducible proliferation-associated prognostic factors is the mitotic activity index (MAI). However: a) counting mitotic figures is regarded by many histopathologists as cumbersome and time-consuming, and b) most available immunohistochemical markers are much weaker predictors than the MAI.

The serine 2481-autophosphorylated form of mammalian Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR) is localized to midzone and midbody in dividing cancer cells.

Using a high-resolution, automated confocal high-content imaging system, we investigated the sub-cellular localization of the Serine 2481-autophosphorylated form of mTOR (PP-mTOR(Ser2481)) during mitosis and cytokinesis in human cancer cells. PP-mTOR(Ser2481) exhibited a punctate nuclear distribution in interphase cancer cells, with the number of PP-mTOR(Ser2481) nuclear speckles positively relating with the proliferative capacity of cancer cells. PP-mTOR(Ser2481) expression dynamically rearranged within the cytoplasm in a close association near and between separating chromosomes during early stages of mitosis.

Mitotic kinase dynamics of the active form of AMPK (phospho-AMPKalphaThr172) in human cancer cells.

When interrogating the activation status of AMP-activated protein kinase-measured as AMPKalpha(Thr172) phosphorylation-in tissue sections of human carcinomas and in cultured human cancer cells, the spatiotemporal dynamics of AMPK activity during the G(1)/S-to-M-phase transition strikingly resembles that of well-characterized "chromosomal passenger" proteins such as Aurora B, INCENP or Histone H3. The mitotic kinase behavior of the active form of AMPK may represent a candidate molecular link through which energy status directly influences tumorigenesis. A definitive elucidation of phospho-AMPKalpha(Thr172) in coordinating the chromosomal and cytoskeletal events of mitosis might radically amend our current perception of other AMPK-related diseases such as obesity, cardiac hypertrophy or accelerated aging syndromes.

Solid neuroendocrine breast carcinomas: incidence, clinico-pathological features and immunohistochemical profiling.

Primary pure neuroendocrine breast carcinomas (NEBC) have been considered special features within conventional breast carcinomas until recently. Indeed, the actual incidence of NEBC in BC populations has remained largely unknown due to the lack of unambiguous diagnostic criteria. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of breast tumors definitely established that the immunohistochemical expression of NE markers in more than 50% of the tumor cell population is the unique requisite for NEBC diagnosis.

Fatal right spontaneous haemothorax in Von Recklinghausen's disease.

Spontaneous massive haemothorax is uncommon and usually occurs as a result of pulmonary infarction, arteriovenous fistula, neoplasm, ruptured aortic aneurysm, rupture of pleural adhesions or pleural endometriosis. Massive haemothorax in Von Recklinghausen's disease occurs rarely but with potentially fatal results in spite of surgery. We present a case of a spontaneous massive exsanguinating haemothorax in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 caused by rupture of a branch of the right subclavian artery.

Population-based incidence and survival of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) in Girona, Spain.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are rare malignancies characterised by their association with KIT oncogene mutations. Until now, population-based reports of the incidence or survival of kit-confirmed GIST have been rare, and none have originated in Southern Europe.

Materials And Methods: We used the Girona Cancer Registry to identify malignant mesenchymal tumours of the digestive tract between 1994 and 2001, and performed c-kit testing in the tumour samples.

[Population-based incidence of lymphoid neoplasms by histological subtypes in Girona (Spain), 1994-2001].

Background And Objective: We aimed to assess the distribution of the lymphoid neoplasms and their histological subtypes in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) classification by calculating their incidences rates in our area.

Patients And Method: From January 1994 to December 2001, 1,288 patients diagnosed with lymphoid neoplasms were recruited in the population-based Cancer Registry of Girona. Former pathological and hematological diagnoses were reviewed and some were prospectively reclassified following the latest WHO classification.

[Gastrointestinal inflammatory fibroid polyps. Clinical characteristics and follow-up in a series of 26 patients].

Introduction: Inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) is a protuberant lesion, located near the muscularis mucosae and composed of a proliferation of fusiform cells and conjunctive fibers surrounding capillaries and a variable inflammatory infiltrate. It is believed to be a poorly controlled inflammatory repair response. Our aim was to study the clinical, pathological and follow-up characteristics of a series of patients with IFP.

[Immunonegative necrotizing glomerulonephritis: an atypical case of lupus nephropathy].

We report here a case of systemic lupus erythematosus with severe, active pauci-immune necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis. This patient had been diagnosed of a lupus nephritis type III previously and treated with steroids and azathioprine. After a renal symptomless period of nine years, she developed heavy proteinuria and hypertension.

Invisible mycosis fungoides: a diagnostic challenge.

We describe a 76-year-old woman who had persistent generalized pruritus as the only cutaneous manifestation of a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides). No cutaneous lesions were observed throughout the patient's course. Skin biopsy specimens obtained from normal-looking pruritic skin revealed a discrete perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate in the upper dermis and focal intraepidermal clusters of atypical lymphoid cells (Pautrier's microabscesses).

Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Cholangiocarcinoma with Lymphoepithelioma-Like Component.

We report the case of a 19-year-old woman who presented with a hepatic mass without cirrhosis. Light microscopy revealed a cholangiocarcinoma having both well-differentiated adenocarcinoma and lymphoepithelioma-like undifferentiated carcinoma components. By immunohistochemistry, the tumor showed strong and diffuse expression for cytokeratin AE1, 5D3, and CK22.

Invisible mycosis fungoides: A diagnostic challenge.

We describe a 76-year-old woman who presented persistent generalized pruritus as the only cutaneous manifestation of a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides). No cutaneous lesions were observed throughout the patient's course. Skin biopsies obtained from normal-looking pruritic skin revealed a discrete perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate in the upper dermis and focal intraepidermal clusters of atypical lymphoid cells (Pautrier's microabscesses).

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of columnar-cell carcinoma of the thyroid: report of two cases with cytohistologic correlation.

The columnar-cell variant of papillary carcinoma is a rare tumor of the thyroid, associated with aggressive behavior, early visceral metastasis, and a rapidly fatal course. In this report we present the fine-needle aspiration cytologic findings of two examples of this variant of papillary carcinoma with cytohistologic correlation. In the smears, clusters, monolayered sheets, and scattered papillary fronds of tumor cells were present.

Massive crystal-storing histiocytosis associated with low-grade malignant B-cell lymphoma of MALT-type of the parotid gland.

Massive crystal deposition is unusual in lymphoproliferative disorders. In this report, a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) low-grade B-cell lymphoma of the parotid gland containing large numbers of crystal-storing histiocytes is described. The patient, an 81-yr-old female, presented with a history of long-standing left parotid gland enlargement.

The Purkinje cell in olivopontocerebellar atrophy. A Golgi and immunocytochemical study.

Purkinje cells were examined in three familial cases of olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) by means of the Golgi method, and neurofilament and calcium-binding protein immunocytochemistry. Reduced dendritic arborizations, as seen with different techniques, early formation of axonal spheroids, and abnormal accumulation of phosphorylated neurofilament epitopes in dendrites, somata and axonal spheroids, together with limited formation of proximal spine-like protrusions were the main changes in Purkinje cells. These lesions are unlikely to be the consequence of anterograde degeneration secondary to olivary atrophy, as postulated by some investigators, but probably represent primary damage to Purkinje cells in patients with OPCA.

[Early diabetic nephropathy in a patient with agenesis of one kidney].

A 24 year old male diagnosed of type II diabetes mellitus of 2 years of known clinical evolution discovered by an episode of hyperglycemic decompensation without ketoacidosis is presented. In the study of possible visceral involvement of the disease agenesis of the left kidney with compensating hypertrophy of the right kidney, increase of glomerular filtrate and proteinuria of 1.8 g/24 hours were observed.

[Churg-Strauss syndrome: 8 cases in the last 10 years].

The clinical and histopathological findings of 8 patients with a diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome seen in our institution in a 10 year period have been reviewed. All patients had asthma and hypereosinophilia (mean eosinophil count 7.64 x 10(9); range: 0.