Expression of the high-affinity fluoropyrimidine-preferring nucleoside transporter hCNT1 correlates with decreased disease-free survival in breast cancer.

Purpose: Nucleoside and nucleobase derivatives are currently used in the treatment of a variety of solid tumors; however, the role of plasma membrane transporters as biomarkers of drug metabolism has not been fully addressed. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine whether the concentrative nucleoside transporter hCNT1 is a predictive marker of therapeutic response.

Methods: We studied a cohort of 90 breast cancer patients who were treated with cyclophosphamide-methotrexate-5-fluorouracil after surgery and then monitored for up to 108 months.

Diagnostic and therapeutic problems in a case of prenatally detected fetal hydrocolpos.

We report on a female fetus with prenatally suspected hydrometrocolpos. Postnatal evaluation additionally revealed ambiguous genitalia, anorectal atresia, vertebral segmentation anomalies and congenital intestinal aganglionosis. Colostomy was performed, but postoperative recovery was complicated by pulmonary hypertension and renal failure, resulting in death at day 18.

Fetal hydrops and hepatosplenomegaly in the second half of pregnancy: a sign of myeloproliferative disorder in fetuses with trisomy 21.

Objective: To demonstrate the relationship between fetal hydrops and/or hepatosplenomegaly in the second half of pregnancy with a myeloproliferative disorder in fetuses with trisomy 21 or mosaic trisomy 21.

Design: A retrospective case series.

Subjects: Cases were selected from 79 cases of trisomy 21 diagnosed in our prenatal unit between 1993 and 1999.

Prenatal diagnosis of umbilical cord aneurysm in a fetus with trisomy 18.

Aneurysm of the umbilical cord is an extremely rare vascular anomaly. We report a case of umbilical cord aneurysm with arteriovenous fistula in a fetus with trisomy 18. At 34 weeks' gestation a fetus with suspected intrauterine growth restriction and oligohydramnios was referred to our institution.

T-cell/natural killer cell lymphoblastic lymphoma with an unusual coexpression of B-cell antigens.

Lymphoblastic lymphomas are usually B- or T-cell neoplasms. There exists a small group of T-cell lymphomas additionally coexpressing cytotoxic or natural killer (NK)-cell markers, supporting the hypothesis of a common T/NK-cell precursor and respective neoplasms. Clinically, lymphatic neoplasms of T/NK-cell phenotype are either extranodal lymphomas or acute leukemias.

Localized Wegener's granulomatosis: predominance of CD26 and IFN-gamma expression.

The immune response in Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) has been characterized as a predominant, potentially pathogenic Th1-like reaction by blood T cells and T-cell clones from diseased tissues. To elucidate further the immunopathogenic mechanisms, this study analysed the phenotypes of inflammatory infiltrates in frozen nasal biopsies with involvement of the upper respiratory tract only (localized or 'initial phase' WG) and with multi-organ involvement, including systemic vasculitis (generalized WG). The expression and production of Th1 and Th2 cytokines were examined in tissue specimens and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of localized and generalized WG.

Deciduoid pleural mesothelioma affecting a young female without prior asbestos exposure.

Pleural mesothelioma is commonly associated to asbestos exposure. A 40-year-old woman is described who presented with shortness of breath. She had a smoking history but no history of asbestos exposure.

[Angiomyolipoma of the lung].

We present a case of a 48 year old man who complained of progressive dyspnoea. Radiograph revealed a large tumor in the left lung. Biopsy was performed and revealed beneath a normal bronchial epithelium polymorph tumor cells admixed with some histiocytes.