Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-neutrophil (PN) index in locally advanced rectal cancer patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: In locally advanced rectal cancers (LARC), tumour node metastasis (TNM) staging is far from optimal. The authors aimed to investigate the value of previously described circulating biomarkers as predictors of prognosis.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 245 LARC patients diagnosed between January 2010 and December 2022, who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery at two centres.

Outcome of Epilepsy Surgery in MRI-Negative Patients Without Histopathologic Abnormalities in the Resected Tissue.

Background And Objective: Patients with presumed nonlesional focal epilepsy-based on either MRI or histopathologic findings-have a lower success rate of epilepsy surgery compared with lesional patients. In this study, we aimed to characterize a large group of patients with focal epilepsy who underwent epilepsy surgery despite a normal MRI and had no lesion on histopathology. Determinants of their postoperative seizure outcomes were further studied.

Focal cortical dysplasia: Updates.

Focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) represent the third most frequent cause of drug-resistant focal epilepsy in adults (after hippocampal sclerosis and tumours) submitted to surgery, and the most common in the pediatric age group. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification of focal cortical dysplasia is still a reference and consists of a three-tiered system: FCD type I refers to isolated abnormalities in cortical layering; FCD type II refers to cases with abnormalities in cortical architecture and dysmorphic neurons with or without balloon cells; and FCD type III refers to abnormalities in cortical layering associated with other lesions. Recent studies have demonstrated that somatic mutations occurring post-zygotically during embryonal development and leading to mosaicism, underlie most brain malformations.

Can pretreatment blood biomarkers predict pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer?

To investigate the value of previously described pretreatment hematological and biochemical biomarkers as predictors of pathological response. The authors performed a retrospective analysis of 191 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent long-course neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy at two Portuguese centers. The authors performed logistic regression analysis to search for predictive markers of pathological complete and good response.

The role of minor salivary glands' biopsy in the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome and other systemic diseases.

Background: The minor salivary glands' biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure used for the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome. Its significance has also been reported in other inflammatory/infiltrative diseases. The objectives are to investigate its use in the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome, as well as to evaluate its role in the diagnosis of amyloidosis and sarcoidosis.

Toward a better definition of focal cortical dysplasia: An iterative histopathological and genetic agreement trial.

Objective: Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a major cause of difficult-to-treat epilepsy in children and young adults, and the diagnosis is currently based on microscopic review of surgical brain tissue using the International League Against Epilepsy classification scheme of 2011. We developed an iterative histopathological agreement trial with genetic testing to identify areas of diagnostic challenges in this widely used classification scheme.

Methods: Four web-based digital pathology trials were completed by 20 neuropathologists from 15 countries using a consecutive series of 196 surgical tissue blocks obtained from 22 epilepsy patients at a single center.

Same same but different: A Web-based deep learning application revealed classifying features for the histopathologic distinction of cortical malformations.

Objective: The microscopic review of hematoxylin-eosin-stained images of focal cortical dysplasia type IIb and cortical tuber of tuberous sclerosis complex remains challenging. Both entities are distinct subtypes of human malformations of cortical development that share histopathological features consisting of neuronal dyslamination with dysmorphic neurons and balloon cells. We trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify both entities and visualize the results.

Sentinel node total tumour load as a predictive factor for non-sentinel node status in early breast cancer patients - The porttle study.

OSNA is a molecular assay for the detection of sentinel node metastasis. TTL emerged as a concept that seems to accurately predict the status of the NSN. Authors tried to confirm this motion.

Loss of SPINT2 expression frequently occurs in glioma, leading to increased growth and invasion via MMP2.

Purpose: High-grade gliomas (HGG) remain one of the most aggressive tumors, which is primarily due to its diffuse infiltrative nature. Serine proteases and metalloproteases are known to play key roles in cellular migration and invasion mechanisms. SPINT2, also known as HAI-2, is an important serine protease inhibitor that can affect MET signaling.

Isomorphic diffuse glioma is a morphologically and molecularly distinct tumour entity with recurrent gene fusions of MYBL1 or MYB and a benign disease course.

The "isomorphic subtype of diffuse astrocytoma" was identified histologically in 2004 as a supratentorial, highly differentiated glioma with low cellularity, low proliferation and focal diffuse brain infiltration. Patients typically had seizures since childhood and all were operated on as adults. To define the position of these lesions among brain tumours, we histologically, molecularly and clinically analysed 26 histologically prototypical isomorphic diffuse gliomas.

Intrathecal rituximab in immunoglobulin G4-hypertrophic pachymeningitis.

We describe the case of a 69-year-old man who presented with symptoms of headache and severe vision loss due to G4 immunoglobulin (IgG4) hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP). The patient was initially responsive to corticotherapy, but vision loss progressed when steroid therapy was first tapered. No improvement was noticed with intravenous rituximab.

Molecular Staging of Patients with Colon Cancer. The C-Closer-II Study: A Multicentre Study in Portugal.

Introduction: Approximately 20% - 30% of histological lymph node-negative patients with colorectal cancer relapse at five years after surgical treatment. This recurrence is likely due to occult nodal disease undetected by standard histopathological practice which has implications in terms of the clinical management of patients.

Material And Methods: Lymph nodes were collected from colectomy specimens.

Review: Challenges in the histopathological classification of ganglioglioma and DNT: microscopic agreement studies and a preliminary genotype-phenotype analysis.

Low-grade epilepsy-associated brain tumours (LEAT) are the second most common cause for drug-resistant, focal epilepsy, that is ganglioglioma (GG) and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumours (DNT). However, molecular pathogenesis, risk factors for malignant progression and their frequent association with drug-resistant focal seizures remain poorly understood. This contrasts recent progress in understanding the molecular-genetic basis and targeted treatment options in diffuse gliomas.

Histopathological Findings in Brain Tissue Obtained during Epilepsy Surgery.

Background: Detailed neuropathological information on the structural brain lesions underlying seizures is valuable for understanding drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

Methods: We report the diagnoses made on the basis of resected brain specimens from 9523 patients who underwent epilepsy surgery for drug-resistant seizures in 36 centers from 12 European countries over 25 years. Histopathological diagnoses were determined through examination of the specimens in local hospitals (41%) or at the German Neuropathology Reference Center for Epilepsy Surgery (59%).

Multinodular and vacuolating neuronal tumors in epilepsy: dysplasia or neoplasia?

Multinodular and vacuolating neuronal tumor (MVNT) is a new pattern of neuronal tumour included in the recently revised WHO 2016 classification of tumors of the CNS. There are 15 reports in the literature to date. They are typically associated with late onset epilepsy and a neoplastic vs.

Low-grade epilepsy-associated neuroepithelial tumours - the 2016 WHO classification.

Rapid developments in molecular genetic technology and research have swiftly advanced our understanding of neuro-oncology. As a consequence, the WHO invited their expert panels to revise the current classification system of brain tumours and to introduce, for the first time, a molecular genetic approach for selected tumour entities, thus setting a new gold standard in histopathology. The revised 5th edition of the 'blue book' was released in May 2016 and will have a major impact in stratifying diagnosis and treatment.

Hypoxia-mediated upregulation of MCT1 expression supports the glycolytic phenotype of glioblastomas.

Background: Glioblastomas (GBM) present a high cellular heterogeneity with conspicuous necrotic regions associated with hypoxia, which is related to tumor aggressiveness. GBM tumors exhibit high glycolytic metabolism with increased lactate production that is extruded to the tumor microenvironment through monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). While hypoxia-mediated regulation of MCT4 has been characterized, the role of MCT1 is still controversial.

The prognostic impact of TERT promoter mutations in glioblastomas is modified by the rs2853669 single nucleotide polymorphism.

Human hotspot TERT promoter (TERTp) mutations have been reported in a wide range of tumours. Several studies have shown that TERTp mutations are associated with clinicopathological features; in some instances, TERTp mutations were considered as biomarkers of poor prognosis. The rs2853669 SNP, located in the TERT promoter region, was reported to modulate the increased TERT expression levels induced by the recurrent somatic mutations.

Thyroid metastasis from renal cell carcinoma-A case report after 9 years.

Introduction: The thyroid gland is a rare site of clinically detectable tumor metastasis. As thyroid tumors are usually assumed to be primary in origin, its recognition as a secondary is difficult.

Presentation Of Case: We report a case of an 80-year old female who was referred to the Department of Surgery for a symptomatic thyroid nodule.

The histopathology of polymicrogyria: a series of 71 brain autopsy studies.

Aim: Polymicrogyria (PMG) is one of the most common forms of cortical malformation yet the mechanism of its development remains unknown. This study describes the histopathological aspects of PMG in a large series including a significant proportion of fetal cases.

Method: We have reviewed the neuropathology and medical records of 44 fetuses and 27 children and adults in whom the cortical architecture was focally or diffusely replaced by one or more festooning bands of neurons.

Prognostic value of intracranial seizure onset patterns for surgical outcome of the treatment of epilepsy.

Objective: To investigate if intracranial EEG patterns at seizure onset can predict surgical outcome.

Methods: Ictal onset patterns from intracranial EEG were analysed in 373 electro-clinical seizures and subclinical seizures from 69 patients. Seizure onset patterns were classified as: (a) Diffuse electrodecremental (DEE); (b) Focal fast activity (FA); (c) Simultaneous onset of fast activity and diffuse electrodecremental event (FA-DEE); (d) Spikes; (e) Spike-wave activity; (f) Sharp waves; (g) Alpha activity; (h) Delta activity.