Intravenous lipomas of head and neck: an exceptional entity and its clinical implications.

Intravenous lipomas (IVLs) of the head and neck are uncommon benign tumors that develop within the venous walls, often detected incidentally during imaging for unrelated issues. While usually asymptomatic, these IVLs can cause congestive venous symptoms like swelling, paresthesia or pain in the head and neck and upper limbs, or even venous thromboembolism. The precise diagnosis of IVLs is predominantly achieved through computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with CT being the most frequently used method.

The Impact of Expert Pathology Review and Molecular Diagnostics on the Management of Sarcoma Patients: A Prospective Study of the Hellenic Group of Sarcomas and Rare Cancers.

Precise classification of sarcomas is crucial to optimal clinical management. In this prospective, multicenter, observational study within the Hellenic Group of Sarcoma and Rare Cancers (HGSRC), we assessed the effect of expert pathology review, coupled with the application of molecular diagnostics, on the diagnosis and management of sarcoma patients. Newly diagnosed sarcoma patients were addressed by their physicians to one of the two sarcoma pathologists of HGSRC for histopathological diagnostic assessment.

Cocaine-Induced Chronic Bowel Ischemia Manifesting As Small Bowel Obstruction.

Cocaine represents one of the most frequently used recreational drugs worldwide. Cocaine-related disorders mostly affect the nervous and cardiovascular system, although gastrointestinal complications are not negligible and sometimes life-threatening. The most common gastrointestinal manifestations of cocaine abuse are ulceration, infarction, perforation, ischemic enterocolitis, and rarely hemorrhage, with mesenteric ischemia being the underlying pathophysiological mechanism.

Postoperative Bowel Obstruction as a Rare Complication of an Abdominal Drain.

Although routine intra-abdominal drain insertion following surgery represents a common practice worldwide, its utility has been questioned during the last decades. Several comparative studies have failed to document significant benefits from routine draining, and drain insertion has been correlated with various complications as well. Drain-related complications include, but are not limited, to infection, bleeding, and tissue erosion.

Performance of thoracic ultrasonography compared with chest radiography for the detection of rib fractures using computed tomography as a reference standard.

Objective: Although there is growing evidence that ultrasonography is superior to X-ray for rib fractures' detection, X-ray is still indicated as the most appropriate method. This has partially been attributed to a lack of studies using an appropriate reference modality. We aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography and X-ray in the detection of rib fractures, considering CT as the reference standard.

A combined opposite targeting of p110δ PI3K and RhoA abrogates skin cancer.

Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive and deadly skin cancer with an increasing incidence worldwide whereas SCC is the second most common non-melanoma human skin cancer with limited treatment options. Here we show that the development and metastasis of melanoma and SCC cancers can be blocked by a combined opposite targeting of RhoA and p110δ PI3K. We found that a targeted induction of RhoA activity into tumours by deletion of p190RhoGAP-a potent inhibitor of RhoA GTPase-in tumour cells together with adoptive macrophages transfer from δ mice in mice bearing tumours with active RhoA abrogated growth progression of melanoma and SCC tumours.

Retroperitoneal Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Emerging Therapeutic Strategies.

Retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma (RPS) is a rare and heterogenous disease for which surgery is the cornerstone of treatment. However, the local recurrence rate is much higher than in soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities since wide resection is usually unfeasible in RPS due to its large size, indistinct tumour borders, anatomical constraints and the thinness of the overlying peritoneum. Local recurrence is the leading cause of death for low-grade RPS, whereas high-grade tumours are prone to distant metastases.

Performance of Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Acute Colonic Diverticulitis.

Objectives: Computed tomography is regarded as the reference-standard imaging modality for the assessment of acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis (ALCD). However, its utility may be impaired by cost issues, limited availability, radiation exposure, and contrast-related adverse effects. Ultrasonography is increasingly advocated as an alternative technique for evaluating ALCD, although there is variation regarding its accuracy in disease diagnosis and staging and in determining alternative diagnoses.

The impact of sentinel lymph node mapping with hybrid single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography in patients with melanoma. Comparison to planar radioisotopic lymphoscintigraphy.

We studied the diagnostic value of 16 slices of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) in the anatomical localization, image interpretation and extra-sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) detection compared to dynamic and static planar radioisotopic lymphoscintigraphy (PLS) in patients with melanoma. Eighty-two patients with melanoma underwent dynamic PLS, static PLS and SPECT/CT. Data were obtained using a dual head SPECT/CT 16 slices γ-camera.

A Six-Year Retrospective Study of Microbiological Characteristics and Antimicrobial Resistance in Specimens from a Tertiary Hospital's Surgical Ward.

Surgery has revolutionized the practice of medicine by allowing the treatment of conditions amenable to conservative medical management with some of them pathophysiologically involving the prevalence of pathogenic microorganisms. On the other hand, infections such as surgical site infections or urinary tract infections may complicate patients hospitalized in surgical wards leading to considerable morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare-associated costs. The aim of this study was to present the microbiological characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of all isolates identified in microbiological specimens from a surgical ward of a tertiary hospital in Greece during a six-year period.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma-Update on Diagnosis, Management and Future Perspectives.

MCC is a rare but highly aggressive skin cancer. The identification of the driving role of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and ultraviolet-induced DNA damage in the oncogenesis of MCC allowed a better understanding of its biological behavior. The presence of MCPyV-specific T cells and lymphocytes exhibiting an 'exhausted' phenotype in the tumor microenvironment along with the high prevalence of immunosuppression among affected patients are strong indicators of the immunogenic properties of MCC.

Comparative activities of ampicillin and teicoplanin against Enterococcus faecalis isolates.

Background: Enterococcus faecalis remains one of the most common pathogens causing infection in surgical patients. Our goal was to evaluate the antibiotic resistance of E. faecalis, causing infections in a surgical clinic, against two antibacterial drugs, ampicillin and teicoplanin.

The current role of secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer represents worldwide the second most frequent and the most fatal gynecological malignancy, with approximately two thirds of the patients presenting with advanced disease. Cytoreductive surgery, primary or after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy is the standard of care for these patients. Despite the improvement in quality of cytoreductive surgery as well as development of novel drugs and chemotherapy regimens, still most women with ovarian cancer will ultimately develop recurrent disease and die of their disease.

Radiotherapy and Breast Reconstruction: What Is the Ideal Timing? A Narrative Review.

Introduction: Women undergoing mastectomy choose to pursue breast reconstruction (BR) in order to reduce their body image distress.Adjuvant chest wall irradiation is associated with a negative cosmetic outcome. The aim of our review was to identify the optimal timing of BR relating to radiotherapy delivery.

Glycosylation Modulates Plasma Membrane Trafficking of CD24 in Breast Cancer Cells.

In breast cancer, expression of Cluster of Differentiation 24 (CD24), a small GPI-anchored glycoprotein at the cell periphery, is associated with metastasis and immune escape, while its absence is associated with tumor-initiating capacity. Since the mechanism of CD24 sorting is unknown, we investigated the role of glycosylation in the subcellular localization of CD24. Expression and localization of wild type N36- and/or N52-mutated CD24 were analyzed using immunofluorescence in luminal (MCF-7) and basal B (MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T) breast cancer cells lines, as well as HEK293T cells.

Differentiating low from high-grade soft tissue sarcomas using post-processed imaging parameters derived from multiple DWI models.

Purpose: To investigate and histopathologically validate the role of model selection in the design of novel parametric meta-maps towards the discrimination of low from high-grade soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) using multiple Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) models.

Methods: DWI data of 28 patients were quantified using the mono-exponential, bi-exponential, stretched-exponential and the diffusion kurtosis model. Akaike Weights (AW) were calculated from the corrected Akaike Information Criteria (AICc) to select the most suitable model for every pixel within the tumor volume.

A feasibility study of circulating melanoma cells in the perioperative context of hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP) in 20 patients.

Introduction: Hyperthermic Ιsolated Limb Perfusion using melphalan and TNFα (TM-HILP) is a regional chemotherapy method for advanced melanoma.

Purpose: To explore the feasibility of the study of Circulating Melanoma Cells (CMCs) in the context of acute physiological changes induced by TM-HILP and their association with oncological outcomes.

Methods: The study included 20 patients undergoing TM-HILP for unresectable in-transit melanoma of the limbs, stage III(B/C/D).

Hyperthermia During Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy With Paclitaxel or Docetaxel for Ovarian Cancer: Is There Any Benefit?

Background/aim: Intraperitoneal chemotherapy with taxanes provides high locoregional drug concentrations. Regarding their synergy with hyperthermia, results have been inconclusive. In this in vitro study, the thermal enhancement of the effect of paclitaxel and docetaxel on ovarian cancer cells under conditions mimicking those during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is evaluated.

Multiexponential T2 relaxometry of benign and malignant adipocytic tumours.

Background: We investigated a recently proposed multiexponential (Mexp) fitting method applied to T2 relaxometry magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of benign and malignant adipocytic tumours and healthy subcutaneous fat. We studied the T2 distributions of the different tissue types and calculated statistical metrics to differentiate benign and malignant tumours.

Methods: Twenty-four patients with primary benign and malignant adipocytic tumours prospectively underwent 1.

An overview and update of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Introduction: Despite, the strong rationale and evidence of the benefit of postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer, it has not been widely adopted, mainly due to its high morbidity and logistical difficulties. Intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a more tolerable and technically feasible method of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, whereas other potential advantages include homogenous drug distribution, application before tumor regrowth and combination with hyperthermia, which is directly cytotoxic and enhances the efficacy of many drugs.

Areas Covered: In this review, the authors explain the rationale and indications for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and HIPEC in advanced ovarian cancer.

Chronic Stress, Inflammation, and Colon Cancer: A CRH System-Driven Molecular Crosstalk.

Chronic stress is thought to be involved in the occurrence and progression of multiple diseases, via mechanisms that still remain largely unknown. Interestingly, key regulators of the stress response, such as members of the corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH) family of neuropeptides and receptors, are now known to be implicated in the regulation of chronic inflammation, one of the predisposing factors for oncogenesis and disease progression. However, an interrelationship between stress, inflammation, and malignancy, at least at the molecular level, still remains unclear.

Detailed and applied anatomy for improved rectal cancer treatment.

Rectal anatomy is one of the most challenging concepts of visceral anatomy, even though currently there are more than 23,000 papers indexed in PubMed regarding this topic. Nonetheless, even though there is a plethora of information meant to assist clinicians to achieve a better practice, there is no universal understanding of its complexity. This in turn increases the morbidity rates due to iatrogenic causes, as mistakes that could be avoided are repeated.

Platelet-rich Plasma Improves Healing of Pressure Ulcers as Objectively Assessed by Digital Planimetry.

Introduction: The effectiveness of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in chronic wounds remains controversial.

Objective: The aim of this prospective study is to objectively assess the impact of PRP therapy on pressure ulcer (PU) healing utilizing digital planimetry.

Materials And Methods: Eligible patients included those with PUs with a surface area ⟩ 1 cm2 and ⟩ 3 months' duration.

T2, T2 and spin coupling ratio as biomarkers for the study of lipomatous tumors.

Background: Subcutaneous fat may have variable signal intensity on T2w images depending on the choice of imaging parameters. However, fatty components within tumors have a different degree of signal dependence on the acquisition scheme. This study examined the use of T2, T2 relaxometry and spin coupling related signal changes (Spin Coupling ratio, SCr) on two different imaging protocols as clinically relevant descriptors of benign and malignant lipomatous tumors.