HER2-low and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in triple-negative breast cancer: Are they connected?

Most patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are not candidates for targeted therapy, leaving chemotherapy as the primary treatment option. Recently, immunotherapy has demonstrated promising results in TNBC, due to its immunogenicity. In addition, a novel antibody-drug conjugate, namely, trastuzumab-deruxtecan, has shown effectiveness in TNBC patients with low-HER2 expression (HER2-low).

Dynamic changes in glioma macrophage populations after radiotherapy reveal CSF-1R inhibition as a strategy to overcome resistance.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and microglia (MG) are potent regulators of glioma development and progression. However, the dynamic alterations of distinct TAM populations during the course of therapeutic intervention, response, and recurrence have not yet been fully explored. Here, we investigated how radiotherapy changes the relative abundance and phenotypes of brain-resident MG and peripherally recruited monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) in glioblastoma.

Feasibility of radioguided occult lesion localization of clip-marked lymph nodes for tailored axillary treatment in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy.

Background: Selective removal of initially tumor-positive axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) improves the accuracy of nodal staging and provides the opportunity for more tailored axillary treatment. This study evaluated whether radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) of clip-marked lymph nodes is feasible in clinical practice.

Methods: Prior to NST, a clip marker was placed inside a proven tumor-positive lymph node in all breast cancer patients (cTis-4N1-3 M0).

EpCAM-based flow cytometry in cerebrospinal fluid greatly improves diagnostic accuracy of leptomeningeal metastases from epithelial tumors.

Background: Moderate diagnostic accuracy of MRI and initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology analysis results in at least 10%-15% false negative diagnoses of leptomeningeal metastases (LM) of solid tumors, thus postponing start of therapy. The aim of this prospective clinical study was to determine the diagnostic value of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-based flow cytometry versus cytology in CSF for the diagnosis of LM in patients with epithelial tumors.

Methods: Patients with a clinical suspicion of LM but a negative or inconclusive MRI in whom a diagnostic lumbar puncture has to be performed were included.

Etiopathogenesis of osteolytic cysts associated with total ankle arthroplasty, a histological study.

Background: Osteolytic cyst formation after total ankle arthroplasty has been identified in recent years and is probably an important problem with longer follow-up. The aim of this study is to describe the outcome of a histological analysis of samples from periprosthetic intra-osseous cysts and joint capsules, retrieved during revision surgery after primary total ankle arthroplasty.

Methods: All samples (n=22) were analyzed and scored using a semi-quantitative grading system.

Cluster-like headache and a cystic hypothalamic tumour as first presentation of sarcoidosis.

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous, multisystem inflammatory disease of unknown cause, which presents with a wide variety of symptoms. We describe a rare case of a newly diagnosed sarcoidosis, with cluster-like headache as a presenting symptom.

Case: A 31-year-old man presented with cluster headache with a cystic lesion in the hypothalamus.

Gene expression signature to improve prognosis prediction of stage II and III colorectal cancer.

Purpose: This study aims to develop a robust gene expression classifier that can predict disease relapse in patients with early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC).

Patients And Methods: Fresh frozen tumor tissue from 188 patients with stage I to IV CRC undergoing surgery was analyzed using Agilent 44K oligonucleotide arrays. Median follow-up time was 65.

Detection of breast cancer by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry tissue and serum protein profiling.

Aim: Novel diagnostic breast cancer markers have been extensively searched for in the proteome, using, among others, surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS). Thus far, the majority of SELDI-TOF MS studies have investigated samples originating from biorepositories, which hampers biomarker discovery as they likely suffer from variable adherence to collection protocols.

Material And Methods: We investigated breast cancer (n=75) and control (n=26) serum and tissue samples, collected prospectively by rigorous adherence to a strictly defined protocol.

Histopathology of liver biopsies from a thiopurine-naïve inflammatory bowel disease cohort: prevalence of nodular regenerative hyperplasia.

Objective: Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) and sinusoidal dilatation have been described in relation to thiopurine use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, there is a dearth of data on the prevalence of these histological abnormalities in general. The aim of our study was to describe the prevalence of these histological liver changes in a thiopurine-naïve IBD cohort.

The prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in paired urine and cervical smear samples of HIV-infected women.

Background: HIV-infected women are at increased risk for cervical dysplasia. Cervical dysplasia is caused by persistent infections with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Conventional testing for genital HPV infections requires cervical cytology.

Genomic profiling of gastric cancer predicts lymph node status and survival.

Gastric carcinogenesis is driven by an accumulation of genetic changes that to a large extent occur at the chromosomal level. We analysed the patterns of chromosomal instability in 35 gastric carcinomas and their clinical correlations. With microarray competitive genomic hybridization, genomewide chromosomal copy number changes can be studied with high resolution and sensitivity.