Transition from Transbronchial Forceps to Cryobiopsy After Lung Transplantation: A Single-Centre Experience.

The gold standard for histological acute cellular rejection diagnosis is transbronchial forceps biopsy (FB), but in recent years, transbronchial cryobiopsy (CB) has been increasingly used. This study aims to compare the diagnostic rate and safety of FBs and CBs performed in two different periods. We retrospectively reviewed our case history for the two biopsy procedures: 251 FBs (223 for surveillance purposes and 28 for clinical indication) and 218 consecutive CBs (159 for surveillance purposes and 59 for clinical indication).

Liquid biopsy in non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis of state-of-the-art and future perspectives.

To date, tissue biopsy represents the gold standard for characterizing non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, the complex architecture of the disease has introduced the need for new investigative approaches, such as liquid biopsy. Indeed, DNA analyzed in liquid biopsy is much more representative of tumour heterogeneity. We performed a meta-analysis of 17 selected papers, to attest to the diagnostic performance of liquid biopsy in identifying EGFR mutations in NSCLC.

Lung Adenocarcinoma Diagnosed at a Younger Age Is Associated with Advanced Stage, Female Sex, and Ever-Smoker Status, in Patients Treated with Lung Resection.

To date, the factors which affect the age at diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma are not fully understood. In our study, we examined the relationships of age at diagnosis with smoking, pathological stage, sex, and year of diagnosis in a discovery (n = 1694) and validation (n = 1384) series of lung adenocarcinoma patients who had undergone pulmonary resection at hospitals in the Milan area and at Thoraxklinik (Heidelberg), respectively. In the discovery series, younger age at diagnosis was associated with ever-smoker status (OR = 1.

Prediction of Ablation Volume in Percutaneous Lung Microwave Ablation: A Single Centre Retrospective Study.

Background: Percutaneous Microwave Ablation (MWA) of lung malignancies is a procedure with many technical challenges, among them the risk of residual disease. Recently, dedicated software able to predict the volume of the ablated area was introduced. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is the imaging guidance of choice for pulmonary ablation in our institution.

Neoadjuvant Chemo-Immunotherapy for Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Review of the Literature.

Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for approximately 80-85% of all lung cancers and at present represents the main cause of cancer death among both men and women. To date, surgery represents the cornerstone; nevertheless, around 40% of completely resected patients develop disease recurrence. Therefore, combining neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy and surgery might lead to improved survival.

Outcomes of extended surgical resections for locally advanced thymic malignancies: a narrative review.

Background And Objective: Thymic malignancies represent the most common anterior mediastinal neoplasms, as well as rare and challenging tumors. Surgery is the cornerstone in the treatment of thymic malignancies, although a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory, for both, locally advanced or metastatic disease. In our narrative review, we explored the recent literature to investigate clinical and radiological assessment, multimodality approach and outcomes of locally advanced thymic tumors.

CT after Lung Microwave Ablation: Normal Findings and Evolution Patterns of Treated Lesions.

Imaging-guided percutaneous ablative treatments, such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cryoablation and microwave ablation (MWA), have been developed for the treatment of unresectable primary and secondary lung tumors in patients with advanced-stage disease or comorbidities contraindicating surgery. Among these therapies, MWA has recently shown promising results in the treatment of pulmonary neoplasms. The potential advantages of MWA over RFA include faster ablation times, higher intra-tumoral temperatures, larger ablation zones and lower susceptibility to the heat sink effect, resulting in greater efficacy in proximity to vascular structures.

Prognostic Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT Metabolic Parameters in Surgically Treated Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients.

Purpose Of The Report: This article aims to explore the prognostic role of 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters in stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients.

Patients And Methods: One hundred eighty pathological stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients were retrospectively reviewed. Semiquantitative analysis of FDG tumor uptake was performed with TrueD software on the Siemens Leonardo workstation.

Microinvasive Carpal Tunnel Release Using a Retractable Needle-Mounted Blade.

We report 166 microinvasive ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel releases using the MICROi-Blade (Summit Medical Products, Inc, Sandy, UT), a needle-based tool for cutting under ultrasound guidance. The 6-month follow-up of the first 21 cases, including 5 bilateral releases, showed a progressive reduction in median pain scores, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) Symptom Severity Scale scores, and BCTQ Functional Status Scale scores. The median return to work was 7 days.

Distribution of Metastatic Nodes in N0-1 Patients with Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Its Implications for Selective Neck Dissection.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the pattern of neck metastasis in patients with primary tonsillar carcinoma treated by primary surgery and neck dissection. Impact of the extent of neck dissection and level of metastatic nodes on survival were also evaluated.

Methods: We evaluated 163 consecutive patients with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma submitted for neck dissection and staged as cN0-1.

Epstein-Barr virus in tumor-infiltrating B cells of myasthenia gravis thymoma: an innocent bystander or an autoimmunity mediator?

The thymus plays a key role in myasthenia gravis (MG), a B cell-mediated autoimmune disorder affecting neuromuscular junction. Most MG patients have thymic abnormalities, including hyperplasia and thymoma, a neoplasm of thymic epithelial cells. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with autoimmune diseases and tumors.

A novel ABCC6 haplotype is associated with azathioprine drug response in myasthenia gravis.

Objective: We investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters (DMETs) with the response to azathioprine (AZA) in patients affected by myasthenia gravis (MG) to determine possible genotype-phenotype correlations.

Patients And Methods: Genomic DNA from 180 AZA-treated MG patients was screened through the Affymetrix DMET platform, which characterizes 1931 SNPs in 225 genes. The significant SNPs, identified to be involved in AZA response, were subsequently validated by allelic discrimination and direct sequencing.

Torsion of Fatty Appendage of Falciform Ligament: Acute Abdomen in a Child.

Torsion of the fatty appendage of the falciform ligament is an extremely rare condition that leads to severe abdominal pain and raised inflammatory markers. It can be recognised on ultrasound or CT scan. The pathophysiology is the same as that involved in the more common torsion and/or infarction of the greater omentum or epiploic appendages.

Innate immunity in myasthenia gravis thymus: pathogenic effects of Toll-like receptor 4 signaling on autoimmunity.

The thymus is the main site of immune sensitization to AChR in myasthenia gravis (MG). In our previous studies we demonstrated that Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 is over-expressed in MG thymuses, suggesting its involvement in altering the thymic microenvironment and favoring autosensitization and autoimmunity maintenance processes, via an effect on local chemokine/cytokine network. Here, we investigated whether TLR4 signaling may favor abnormal cell recruitment in MG thymus via CCL17 and CCL22, two chemokines known to dictate immune cell trafficking in inflamed organs by binding CCR4.

Outreach surgical consulting services in North East Victoria.

Objective: There is a paucity of data regarding the provision of consultative outreach specialist surgical services to rural areas. This paper aims to describe a model of outreach consultative practice to deliver specialist surgical services to rural communities.

Design: Analysis of prospectively collected data for consultations in a three month period for two surgeons based in Wangaratta.

Type 1 interferons inhibit myotube formation independently of upregulation of interferon-stimulated gene 15.

Introduction: Type 1 interferon (IFN)-inducible genes and their inducible products are upregulated in dermatomyositis muscle. Of these, IFN-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is one of the most upregulated, suggesting its possible involvement in the pathogenesis of this disease. To test this postulate, we developed a model of type 1 IFN mediated myotube toxicity and assessed whether or not downregulation of ISG15 expression prevents this toxicity.

Caseload of general surgeons working in a rural hospital with outreach practice.

Background: There is little published data regarding the caseloads of general surgeons working in rural Australia conducting outreach services as part of their practice. It remains difficult to attract and retain surgeons in rural Australia. This study aims to describe the workload of surgeons working in a rural centre with outreach practices in order to determine the required skills mix for prospective surgeons.

Neck dissection in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx: indication of elective contralateral neck dissection.

Unlabelled: Unilateral or bilateral neck dissection must be considered in the treatment of laryngeal cancer

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of contralateral metastases in larynx cancer and distribution of these metastases according to lymph node levels in the neck.

Method: Retrospective longitudinal study of 272 charts from patients with squamous cell cancer of the larynx treated between 1996 and 2004; and we selected 104 surgical cases submitted to neck dissection. We evaluated the incidence of bilateral or contralateral metastases, according to the location and extension of the primary tumor, considering the anatomical sub-sites and the midline.

Impact of combination therapy on disease free survival in hypopharynx cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the disease-free survival in hypopharyngeal tumors submitted to postoperative radiotherapy.

Methods: we retrospectively studied 174 patients with the following distribution: two cases of stage I, four stage II, 46 stage III and 122 stage IV. Regarding gender, 163 were male and 11 female; mean age was 56 years.

Diagnostic and therapeutic delay in patients with larynx cancer at a reference public hospital.

Unlabelled: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma is very often diagnosed at advanced stages. The time interval between the specialist consultation and the start of treatment may contribute to better outcomes.

Aim: the interval assessment between the first specialist evaluation and the treatment of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Assessment of disease-free survival in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with radiotherapy associated or not with chemotherapy.

Unlabelled: In early stage (I and II) laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, both surgery and radiotherapy results in significant local and regional control. In advanced tumors (III and IV), radiotherapy alone has local-regional control rates of 32-43%.

Aim: To assess disease-free survival in SCC laryngeal carcinoma patients submitted to radiotherapy alone and/or associated with chemotherapy.

Genomics and proteomics approaches to the study of cancer-stroma interactions.

Background: The development and progression of cancer depend on its genetic characteristics as well as on the interactions with its microenvironment. Understanding these interactions may contribute to diagnostic and prognostic evaluations and to the development of new cancer therapies. Aiming to investigate potential mechanisms by which the tumor microenvironment might contribute to a cancer phenotype, we evaluated soluble paracrine factors produced by stromal and neoplastic cells which may influence proliferation and gene and protein expression.

B cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2 protein is the major determinant in bcl-2 adenine-uridine-rich element turnover overcoming HuR activity.

In the 3'-untranslated region, the destabilizing adenine-uridine (AU)-rich elements (AREs) control the expression of several transcripts through interactions with ARE-binding proteins (AUBPs) and RNA degradation machinery. Although the fundamental role for AUBPs and associated factors in eliciting ARE-dependent degradation of cognate mRNAs has been recently highlighted, the molecular mechanisms underlying the specific regulation of individual mRNA turnover have not yet been fully elucidated. Here we focused on the post-transcriptional regulation of bcl-2 mRNA in human cell lines under different conditions and genetic backgrounds.