White blood cell subsets in HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab in relation to clinical outcome.

To examine whether HER2+ breast cancer patients who have decreased immune effector cells could respond well to trastuzumab, we evaluated the alterations in circulating immune system cell subsets: CD16+ and/or CD56+ lymphocytes, lymphocytes and granulocytes in these patients before and after treatment with trastuzumab-based regimens in relation to clinical response to therapy. The study involved 55 patients with HER2+ breast cancer before and 2 months after the initiation of the therapy. Progressive disease was confirmed in nine out of 55 patients (non-responders), while other patients achieved complete or partial response, or stable disease (responders).

Successfully Resected Cardiac Metastatic Melanoma in a Lifesaving Cardiac Surgery: A Case Report.

Introduction: Metastatic tumors are the most frequent tumors of the heart with the melanoma metastasis being the most frequent. In cases of a cardiac tamponade or a low cardiac output syndrome due to the position of the tumor it could lead to an acute life-threatening condition for the patient.

Case Report: We present a case of a successfully treated metastatic cardiac melanoma in a lifesaving cardiac surgery.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in clinically node negative patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Purpose: The incidence of histologically proven lymph node metastases (LNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) reaches 80%. According to different guidelines surgical management in clinically N0 (cN0) patients with PTC remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate if sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNb) using methylene blue dye is accurate in the detection of LNM in the lateral neck compartment in cN0 patients with PTC.

Effect of cytokines on NK cell activity and activating receptor expression in high-risk cutaneous melanoma patients.

Objective: Stage II melanoma patients have high risk for regional and distant metastases and may benefit from novel therapeutic strategies. To clarify the role of NK cells in Stage II melanoma, we characterized the cytotoxic activity of NK cells and the expression of various activating and inhibitory receptors in high-risk cutaneous melanoma patients (Stages IIB and IIC) compared to low-risk patients (Stage IA).

Materials And Methods: Native and cytokine-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used for functional and phenotypical analyses.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in medullary thyroid microcarcinomas.

The aim of this prospective study was to analyze accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy with methylene blue dye for intraoperative detection of lateral metastases in clinically N0M0 medullary microcarcinomas with calcitonin <1,000 pg/mL and selection of true-positive patients for one-time therapeutic lateral dissection. In addition to total thyroidectomy and central neck dissection, all patients had bilateral sentinel biopsy of jugulo-carotid regions after methylene blue injection to decide upon necessity for lateral dissection. If sentinels were benign on frozen section, additional non-sentinels were extirpated, with no further lateral dissection.

AROME-ESO Oncology Consensus Conference: access to cancer care innovations in countries with limited resources. Association of Radiotherapy and Oncology of the Mediterranean Area (AROME-Paris) and European School of Oncology (ESO - Milan).

Purpose: Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Its incidence is still increasing, particularly in developing countries. Recent progresses further strengthen the differences between low/middle and high-income countries.

The influence of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas size on the occurrence of lymph node metastases.

Purpose: Lymph node metastases (LNM) in papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC) are common. PTMC greater than 5 mm are considered to be more aggressive. Tumor greater than 5 mm is predictive factor for occurrence of LNM in PTMC, although there are insufficient data regarding this fact.

The influence of breast cancer subtypes on the response to anthracycline neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer patients.

Purpose: The objective of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is downstaging to achieve resectability. According to the protocol for the treatment of LABC more than 10 years ago, the routine NACT for LABC in Serbia consisted of 4 cycles of FAC (fluorouracil, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide). The aim of this analysis was to assess the influence of biologic subtypes of BC on the response to NACT and on the disease outcome in these patients.

Multifocality as independent prognostic factor in papillary thyroid cancer - A multivariate analysis.

Purpose: The incidence of multifocality of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) ranges from 18 to 87.5% The mechanisms of multifocal spreading, correlation with tumor size, histology variants of PTC, lymph node metastases, and prognostic impact remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the prognostic significance of multifocality on relapse and survival rates of patients with PTC by analyzing the correlation of multifocality with patient age, gender, tumor size, histological variants of PTC, presence of lymph node metastases and extent of surgery.

Treatment outcome in patients with breast conserving surgery after neoadjuvant therapy for breast carcinoma - a single institution experience.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes of breast conserving surgery (BCS) after neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) in comparison to radical mastectomy (RM) after NAT in terms of disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and patients' satisfaction with the esthetic outcomes of surgery.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted at the National Cancer Research Center of Serbia, Belgrade, from January 1st 2011 to December 31st 2015, on breast carcinoma patients receiving NAT. Treatment outcome was assessed by MDAPI (MD Anderson Prognostic Index).

Promoter hypermethylation of p16, BRCA1 and RASSF1A genes in triple-negative breast cancer patients from Serbia.

Purpose: In order to investigate if aberrant promoter methylation of p16, BRCA1 and RASSF1A genes contributes to biological behavior of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), marked as the most aggressive phenotype of breast cancer, we compared the hypermethylation pattern between TNBC and ER+PR+Her2- breast cancer.

Methods: 131 patients with histologically confirmed breast cancers were included - 61 TNBC and 70 ER+PR+Her2- cases. The patients were followed up for 1-87 months (median 78).

Pre-operative and intra-operative detection of axillary lymph node metastases in 108 patients with invasive lobular breast cancer undergoing mastectomy.

Background: Despite the recent changes in the treatment of the axilla in selected breast cancer patient, positive sentinel lymph node (SLN) in patients undergoing mastectomy still necessitates axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). In invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), pre-operative detection of the lymph node metastasis may be demanding due to its unique morphology. The aim of this study was to examine the benefit of preoperative axillary ultrasound (AUS), ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB), and intra-operative imprint cytology (IIC), in order to avoid two-stage axillary surgery in patients with ILC undergoing mastectomy.

In situ preservation of parathyroid glands:advanced surgical tips for prevention of permanent hypoparathyroidism in thyroid surgery.

Hypoparathyroidism (HPT) is one of the most frequentand severe complications of thyroid surgery. It is caused by intraoperative damage, devascularization or accidental removal of the parathyroid glands (PTGs). The incidence of postoperative HPT is directly proportional to surgery extent and surgeon's experience.

Angiogenic and lymphangiogenic profiles in histological variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Introduction: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a well‑differentiated tumor that occurs in several histological variants whose biological behaviors remain unclear. Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are critical processes that enable tumor progression.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the angiogenic and lymphangiogenic phenotypes of PTC, considering the differences between histological variants.

Lymph node metastases in clinically N0 patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas - a single institution experience.

Purpose: To register the frequency of central and lateral lymph node metastases (LNMs) from papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMCs), and to assess whether sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy of the lateral compartment is an accurate technique to select patients with true positive but clinically negative lymph nodes for one-time selective lateral neck dissection (sLND). The correlation between tumor characteristics (size, multifocality, bilaterality, capsular invasion) and LNMs was analyzed.

Methods: During a 10-year-period (2004-2013), 111 clinically N0 patients with PTMCs had total thyroidectomy, central neck dissection and SLN biopsy of the lateral neck compartment in our institution.

Prognostic importance of steroid receptor status for disease free and overall survival after surgical resection of isolated liver metastasis in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women, while isolated operable liver metastases (LMs) from BC are very rare and occur in only 1-5% of the patients. Besides, positive steroid receptor (SR) status for oestrogen and/or progesterone is known as a factor which improves disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The primary aim of this study was to examine the impact of SR status on DFS and OS after liver metastasectomy in female patients with primary BC.

Attenuated in vitro effects of IFN-α, IL-2 and IL-12 on functional and receptor characteristics of peripheral blood lymphocytes in metastatic melanoma patients.

Considering tumor-induced suppression of lymphocytes the aim of this study was to investigate in vitro effects of IFN-α, IL-2, IL-12 and IL-18 as immunomodulating agents on the functional and receptor characteristics of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in metastatic melanoma (MM) patients compared to healthy controls (HC). In HC IFN-α, IL-2 and IL-12 enhanced mRNA level of perforin by inducing pSTAT-1 and pSTAT-5 signaling molecules. Additionally, the expression of NKG2D activating receptor and its DAP10 signaling molecule was upregulated by IL-2.

Beneficial in-vitro effects of interleukin-2, interleukin-12, and their combination on functional and receptor characteristics of natural killer cells in metastatic melanoma patients with normal serum lactate dehydrogenase levels.

Considering tumor-mediated suppression of natural killer (NK) cells, the aim of this study was to investigate the in-vitro effects of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-12, as immunostimulatory cytokines, on the functional and receptor characteristics of NK cells and their subsets in healthy control (HC) and metastatic melanoma (MM) patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 27 HC and 35 MM patients were stimulated in vitro with IL-2, IL-12, and their combination for functional and phenotypic analysis. IL-2, IL-12, and primarily their combination, significantly induced NK cell activity, CD107a degranulation marker, and perforin expression in NK cells and their subsets in HC and MM patients.

Small nonfunctional parathyroid cysts: single institution experience.

Parathyroid cysts (PCs) account for less than 1% of all parathyroid lesions and are most commonly located along thyroid lobes, rarely at ectopic sites. PCs are important because they can pose a differential diagnostic challenge against other cystic formations of the neck. PCs can be functional (elevated serum parathyroid hormone level) and nonfunctional.

Acceptable adverse outcomes after delayed breast reconstruction using abdominal advancement flap - a 15-year experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the adverse outcomes after delayed breast reconstruction (DBR) by abdominal advancement flap (AAF) and permanent prosthesis in patients treated with mastectomy due to unilateral breast carcinoma, as well as to determine which factors are predictive for their occurrence.

Methods: The study included 155 patients operated at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia from 1996 to 2010. All patients had total mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection, followed by specific oncological treatment.

Expression of miRNA and Occurrence of Distant Metastases in Patients with Hürthle Cell Carcinoma.

Background. Hürthle cell thyroid carcinoma (HCTC) is a rare type of thyroid carcinoma. In the present study, we investigated whether the expression of miRNAs of interest is associated with the occurrence of metastases in patients with HCTC.

32nd International Austrian Winter Symposium : Zell am See, the Netherlands. 20-23 January 2016.

A1 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in staging and restaging of Prostate Cancer Patients: comparative study with 18F-Choline PET/CTW Langsteger, A Rezaee, W Loidl, HS Geinitz, F Fitz, M Steinmair, G Broinger, L Pallwien-Prettner, M BeheshtiA2 F18 Choline PET - CT: an accurate diagnostic tool for the detection of parathyroid adenoma?L Imamovic, M Beheshti, G Rendl, D Hackl, O Tsybrovsky, M Steinmair, K Emmanuel, F Moinfar, C Pirich, W LangstegerA3 [18F]Fluoro-DOPA-PET/CT in the primary diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinomaA Bytyqi, G Karanikas, M Mayerhöfer, O Koperek, B Niederle, M HartenbachA4 Variations of clinical PET/MR operations: An international survey on the clinical utilization of PET/MRIT Beyer, K Herrmann, J CzerninA5 Standard Dixon-based attenuation correction in combined PET/MRI: Reproducibility and the possibility of Lean body mass estimationI Rausch, P Rust, MD DiFranco, M Lassen, A Stadlbauer, ME Mayerhöfer, M Hartenbach, M Hacker, T BeyerA6 High resolution digital FDG PET/MRI imaging for assessment of ACL graft viabilityK Binzel, R Magnussen, W Wei, MU Knopp, DC Flanigan, C Kaeding, MV KnoppA7 Using pre-existing hematotoxicity as predictor for severe side effects and number of treatment cycles of Xofigo therapyA Leisser, M Nejabat, M Hartenbach, G Kramer, M Krainer, M Hacker, A HaugA8 QDOSE - comprehensive software solution for internal dose assessmentWencke Lehnert, Karl Schmidt, Sharok Kimiaei, Marcus Bronzel, Andreas KlugeA9 Clinical impact of Time-of-Flight on next-generation digital PET imaging of Yttrium-90 radioactivity following liver radioembolizationCL Wright, K Binzel, J Zhang, Evan Wuthrick, Piotr Maniawski, MV KnoppA10 Snakes in patients! Lessons learned from programming active contours for automated organ segmentationM Blaickner, E Rados, A Huber, M Dulovits, H Kulkarni, S Wiessalla, C Schuchardt, RP Baum, B Knäusl, D GeorgA11 Influence of a genetic polymorphism on brain uptake of the dual ABCB1/ABCG2 substrate [11C]tariquidarM Bauer, B Wulkersdorfer, W Wadsak, C Philippe, H Haslacher, M Zeitlinger, O LangerA12 Outcome prediction of temporal lobe epilepsy surgery from P-glycoprotein activity. Pooled analysis of (R)-[11C]-verapamil PET data from two European centresM Bauer, M Feldmann, R Karch, W Wadsak, M Zeitlinger, MJ Koepp, M-C Asselin, E Pataraia, O LangerA13 In-vitro and in-vivo characterization of [18F]FE@SNAP and derivatives for the visualization of the melanin concentrating hormone receptor 1M Zeilinger, C Philippe, M Dumanic, F Pichler, J Pilz, M Hacker, W Wadsak, M MitterhauserA14 Reducing time in quality control leads to higher specific radioactivity of short-lived radiotracersL Nics, B Steiner, M Hacker, M Mitterhauser, W WadsakA15 In vitro 11C-erlotinib binding experiments in cancer cell lines with epidermal growth factor receptor mutationsA Traxl, Thomas Wanek, Kushtrim Kryeziu, Severin Mairinger, Johann Stanek, Walter Berger, Claudia Kuntner, Oliver LangerA16 7-[11C]methyl-6-bromopurine, a PET tracer to measure brain Mrp1 function: radiosynthesis and first PET evaluation in miceS Mairinger, T Wanek, A Traxl, M Krohn, J Stanek, T Filip, M Sauberer, C Kuntner, J Pahnke, O LangerA17 18F labeled azidoglucose derivatives as "click" agents for pretargeted PET imagingD Svatunek, C Denk, M Wilkovitsch, T Wanek, T Filip, C Kuntner-Hannes, J Fröhlich, H MikulaA18 Bioorthogonal tools for PET imaging: development of radiolabeled 1,2,4,5-TetrazinesC Denk, D Svatunek, T Wanek, S Mairinger, J Stanek, T Filip, J Fröhlich, H Mikula, C Kuntner-HannesA19 Preclinical evaluation of [18F]FE@SUPPY- a new PET-tracer for oncologyT Balber, J Singer, J Fazekas, C Rami-Mark, N Berroterán-Infante, E Jensen-Jarolim, W Wadsak, M Hacker, H Viernstein, M MitterhauserA20 Investigation of Small [18F]-Fluoroalkylazides for Rapid Radiolabeling and In Vivo Click ChemistryC Denk, D Svatunek, B Sohr, H Mikula, J Fröhlich, T Wanek, C Kuntner-Hannes, T FilipA21 Microfluidic 68Ga-radiolabeling of PSMA-HBED-CC using a flow-through reactorS Pfaff, C Philippe, M Mitterhauser, M Hartenbach, M Hacker, W WadsakA22 Influence of 24-nor-ursodeoxycholic acid on hepatic disposition of [18F]ciprofloxacin measured with positron emission tomographyT Wanek, E Halilbasic, M Visentin, S Mairinger, B Stieger, C Kuntner, M Trauner, O LangerA23 Automated 18F-flumazenil production using chemically resistant disposable cassettesP Lam, M Aistleitner, R Eichinger, C ArtnerA24 Similarities and differences in the synthesis and quality control of 177Lu-DOTA-TATE, 177Lu -HA-DOTA-TATE and 177Lu-DOTA-PSMA (PSMA-617)H Eidherr, C Vraka, A Haug, M Mitterhauser, L Nics, M Hartenbach, M Hacker, W WadsakA25 68Ga- and 177Lu-labelling of PSMA-617H Kvaternik, R Müller, D Hausberger, C Zink, RM AignerA26 Radiolabelling of liposomes with 67Ga and biodistribution studies after administration by an aerosol inhalation systemU Cossío, M Asensio, A Montes, S Akhtar, Y te Welscher, R van Nostrum, V Gómez-Vallejo, J LlopA27 Fully automated quantification of DaTscan SPECT: Integration of age and gender differencesF VandeVyver, T Barclay, N Lippens, M TrochA28 Lesion-to-background ratio in co-registered 18F-FET PET/MR imaging - is it a valuable tool to differentiate between low grade and high grade brain tumor?L Hehenwarter, B Egger, J Holzmannhofer, M Rodrigues-Radischat, C PirichA29 [11C]-methionine PET in gliomas - a retrospective data analysis of 166 patientsN Pötsch, I Rausch, D Wilhelm, M Weber, J Furtner, G Karanikas, A Wöhrer, M Mitterhauser, M Hacker, T Traub-WeidingerA30 18F-Fluorocholine versus 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose for PET/CT imaging in patients with relapsed or progressive multiple myeloma: a pilot studyT Cassou-Mounat, S Balogova, V Nataf, M Calzada, V Huchet, K Kerrou, J-Y Devaux, M Mohty, L Garderet, J-N TalbotA31 Prognostic benefit of additional SPECT/CT in sentinel lymph node mapping of breast cancer patientsS Stanzel, G Pregartner, T Schwarz, V Bjelic-Radisic, B Liegl-Atzwanger, R AignerA32 Evaluation of diagnostic value of TOF-18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with suspected pancreatic cancerS Stanzel, F Quehenberger, RM AignerA33 New quantification method for diagnosis of primary hyperpatahyroidism lesions and differential diagnosis vs thyropid nodular disease in dynamic scintigraphyA Koljević Marković, Milica Janković, V Miler Jerković, M Paskaš, G Pupić, R Džodić, D PopovićA34 A rare case of diffuse pancreatic involvement in patient with merkel cell carcinoma detected by 18F-FDGMC Fornito, D FamiliariA35 TSH-stimulated 18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of recurrent/metastatic radioiodine-negative differentiated thyroid carcinomas in patients with various thyroglobuline levelsP Koranda, H Polzerová, I Metelková, L Henzlová, R Formánek, E Buriánková, M KamínekA36 Breast Dose from lactation following I131 treatmentWH Thomson, C LewisA37 A new concept for performing SeHCAT studies with the gamma cameraWH Thomson, J O'Brien, G James, A NotghiA38 Whole body F-18-FDG-PET and tuberculosis: sensitivity compared to x-ray-CTH Huber, I Stelzmüller, R Wunn, M Mandl, F Fellner, B Lamprecht, M GabrielA39 Emerging role 18F-FDG PET-CT in the diagnosis and follow-up of the infection in heartware ventricular assist system (HVAD)MC Fornito, G LeonardiA40 Validation of Poisson resampling softwareWH Thomson, J O'Brien, G JamesA41 Protection of PET nuclear medicine personnel: problems in satisfying dose limit requirementsJ Hudzietzová, J Sabol, M Fülöp.

Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Liberations and Reconstructions: A Single Institution Experience.

Background: Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy rates vary from 0.5 to 10%, even 20% in thyroid cancer surgery. The aim of this paper was to present our experience with RLN liberations and reconstructions after various mechanisms of injury.