Performance of clinical risk scores and prediction models to identify pathogenic germline variants in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Purpose: Determining the frequency and distribution of pathogenic germline variants (PGVs) in Austrian prostate cancer (PCa) patients and to assess the accuracy of different clinical risk scores to correctly predict PGVs.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 313 men with advanced PCa. A comprehensive personal and family history was obtained based on predefined questionnaires.

Factors associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase in employees of a German chemical company: results of a large cross-sectional study.

Background: We aimed to determine the prevalence of elevated alanine aminotransferase (eALT) in employees of a German chemical company, and analyze its association with sociodemographic, work- and lifestyle-related factors.

Methods: The cross-sectional study is based on data surveyed from occupational health check-ups between 2013 and 2018 at the site clinic of a chemical company based in Ludwigshafen, Germany. We used logistic regression analyses to assess the association between sociodemographic, work- and lifestyle-related characteristics and eALT.

Cardiovascular care of patients with stroke and high risk of stroke: The need for interdisciplinary action: A consensus report from the European Society of Cardiology Cardiovascular Round Table.

Comprehensive stroke care is an interdisciplinary challenge. Close collaboration of cardiologists and stroke physicians is critical to ensure optimum utilisation of short- and long-term care and preventive measures in patients with stroke. Risk factor management is an important strategy that requires cardiologic involvement for primary and secondary stroke prevention.

Single venom-based immunotherapy effectively protects patients with double positive tests to honey bee and Vespula venom.

Background: Referring to individuals with reactivity to honey bee and Vespula venom in diagnostic tests, the umbrella terms "double sensitization" or "double positivity" cover patients with true clinical double allergy and those allergic to a single venom with asymptomatic sensitization to the other. There is no international consensus on whether immunotherapy regimens should generally include both venoms in double sensitized patients.

Objective: We investigated the long-term outcome of single venom-based immunotherapy with regard to potential risk factors for treatment failure and specifically compared the risk of relapse in mono sensitized and double sensitized patients.

Results after treatment of craniopharyngiomas: further experiences with 73 patients since 1997.

Object: The authors report surgical and endocrinological results of a series of 73 cases of craniopharyngioma that they treated surgically since 1997 to demonstrate their change in treatment strategy and its effect on outcome compared with a previous series and results reported in the literature.

Methods: A total of 73 patients underwent surgery for craniopharyngiomas between May 1997 and January 2005. In patients with poor clinical or neuropsychological condition, even following pretreatment, only stereotactic cyst aspiration took place (8 cases).

Benefit of 1.5-T intraoperative MR imaging in the surgical treatment of craniopharyngiomas.

Background: As low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has very limited significance for intraoperative control of total tumor removal (TTR), we examined the influence of 1.5-T MRI, incorporating higher resolution into the intraoperative strategy of craniopharyngioma surgery.

Methods: Surgery with intraoperative imaging was performed in 25 selected patients in whom tumor resection was anticipated to be difficult according to pre-operative findings.

Hormone receptor expression in craniopharyngiomas: a clinicopathological correlation.

Background: Extensive neurosurgical resection of craniopharyngiomas often requires lifetime hormonal substitution.

Objective: We investigated the effect of the hormone receptor expression of insulinlike growth factor-1, growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor, growth hormone, progesterone, estrogen (ER-1, ER-beta), and leptins (Ra6.4, Ra12.

Target gene activation of the Wnt signaling pathway in nuclear beta-catenin accumulating cells of adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas.

Activating beta-catenin (CTNNB1) mutations can be identified in the majority of adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (adaCP), suggesting an aberrant Wnt signaling pathway in this histopathologically peculiar tumor entity. However, there is no proven evidence that nuclear translocation of beta-catenin is associated with CTNNB1 mutations and target gene activation. We performed a laser-microdissection-based study comparing beta-catenin accumulating vs.

Long-term results after microsurgery for Cushing disease: experience with 426 primary operations over 35 years.

Objectives: The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the long-term results following microsurgery in a single surgeon's continuous series of patients with Cushing disease (CD), to assess the influence of changes in surgical procedures, and to compare the results with those of other treatment modalities. In particular, preoperative diagnosis, tumor size, results of histological examination, and complications were considered.

Methods: Between 1971 and 2004, 426 patients suffering from newly diagnosed CD underwent primary surgery.

Silent ACTH cell adenoma in coincidence with granulomatous hypophysitis--a case report.

A 44-year-old male suffered from an inactive pituitary adenoma measuring 20mm in computed tomography (CT) scan and nuclear magnetic resonance tomography (NMR). The tumor was surgically resected via the transnasal-transsphenoidal route. Surgical specimens revealed a typical, sparsely granulated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) cell adenoma, but also a granulomatous inflammation mostly in the periphery of the tumor, corresponding to a granulomatous hypophysitis.

Nuclear beta-catenin accumulation associates with epithelial morphogenesis in craniopharyngiomas.

Activation of the Wnt/wingless signalling cascade is a key mechanism in developmental morphogenesis, whereas aberrant nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin in adult tissues seems to be associated with neoplastic transformation and tumour progression. Adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas carry activating mutations in exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene, which results in a distinct pattern of nuclear beta-catenin accumulation in up to 95% of respective tumour specimens. To better characterise the impact of nuclear beta-catenin aggregation in these neoplasms, we systematically examined epithelial differentiation and cell cycle-associated molecules in accumulating compared to non-accumulating tumour cell clusters using a cohort of 65 adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas.

Nuclear beta-catenin accumulation as reliable marker for the differentiation between cystic craniopharyngiomas and rathke cleft cysts: a clinico-pathologic approach.

Clinical and histopathologic differentiation of cystic lesions from the sellar region, that is, craniopharyngiomas (CPs) and Rathke cleft cysts (RCCs), is challenging and has paramount importance with respect to variable clinical manifestation and adapted surgical treatment strategies in both entities. Here, we retrospectively evaluated clinico-pathologic findings in 81 patients presenting with a cystic tumor located in the sellar region. All patients underwent transsphenoidal or transcranial resections.

Surgical treatment of recurrent Cushing's disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of transsphenoidal selective adenomectomy alone or in combination with adjuvant therapy in treatment of recurrent Cushing's disease.

Methods: A total of 16 patients with recurrent Cushing's disease underwent reoperation, 15 via a transsphenoidal approach and one via a combined transsphenoidal/transcranial approach. Selective adenomectomies were performed in 13 patients and hemihypophysectomies were performed in three patients.

Treatment of Cushing's disease: a retrospective clinical study of the latest 100 cases.

We evaluate the current role of microsurgery for Cushing's disease (CD) and the efficacy of adjuvant treatment modalities. The standard treatment for primary CD remains transsphenoidal surgery followed by adjuvant therapy in cases with persisting hypercortisolism. Moderately severe cases are treated with radiotherapy, while in the very severe adrenalectomy is performed.

Abundant hypermethylation of SOCS-1 in clinically silent pituitary adenomas.

Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) cascade are required for cytokines, growth factors, G-proteins and hormones (growth hormone and prolactin). Gatekeepers in this pathway are the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) family of proteins. Their expression level is epigenetically regulated by DNA methylation.

Common mutations of beta-catenin in adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas but not in other tumours originating from the sellar region.

Dysregulation of the Wnt signalling pathway contributes to developmental abnormalities and carcinogenesis of solid tumours. Here, we examined beta-catenin and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) by mutational analysis in pituitary adenomas (n=60) and a large series of craniopharyngiomas (n=41). Furthermore, the expression pattern of beta-catenin was immunohistochemically analysed in a cohort of tumours and cysts of the sellar region including pituitary adenomas (n=58), craniopharyngiomas (n=57), arachnoidal cysts (n=8), Rathke's cleft cysts (n=10) and xanthogranulomas (n=6).

Limited benefit of intraoperative low-field magnetic resonance imaging in craniopharyngioma surgery.

Objective: To investigate the benefit of intraoperative low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in craniopharyngioma surgery.

Methods: We used a 0.2-T Magnetom Open scanner (Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany) that was located in a radiofrequency-shielded operating theater for intraoperative MRI.