Atypical Plasma Cell Leukemia Mistaken for Acute Leukemia: A Case Report.

The patient we present here had many clinical, morphological, and laboratory findings characteristic of acute leukemia. During the course of the disease, the diagnosis changed from acute leukemia to chronic small B-cell lymphoproliferative disease, a blastoid variant of mantle cell lymphoma, and finally to atypical plasma cell leukemia. Atypical plasma cell leukemia is a rare condition with aggressive biological behavior.

Immunohistochemical and Histopathological Features of Persistent Gingival Enlargement in Relation to Metal Allergic Sensitisation during Orthodontic Treatment.

This study aimed to analyse the immunohistochemical profile of inflammatory infiltrates in the gingival tissue of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment in relation to patients’ titanium and/or nickel allergy status. Patients with gingival enlargement received initial periodontal therapy, followed by external gingivectomy in the case of persistent gingival enlargement. The sample included 44 patients (22 had metal allergic sensitisation).

Cardiomyocytes calpain 2 expression: Diagnostic forensic marker for sudden cardiac death caused by early myocardial ischemia and an indicator of the duration of myocardial agonal period?

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an unexpected natural death of cardiac etiology and occurs within one hour of the onset of cardiac symptoms in an apparently healthy subject or within 24 h if death is not witnessed. The diagnosis of early myocardial ischemia (EMI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after death is a challenge for forensic pathologists especially when death occurs in a short period of time after the onset of myocardial ischemia. Disorder of cardiomyocytes Ca homeostasis caused by myocardial ischemia during SCD can lead to the activation of calcium-activated non-lysosomal cysteine protease, including calpains.

Osteopontin is associated with decreased apoptosis and αv integrin expression in lung adenocarcinoma.

Osteopontin (OPN) is a glycoprotein involved in invasion, progression and metastasis of many carcinomas. It contains several functional domains including binding sites for αv integrins, cell surface molecules playing a major role in mediating cell migration and adhesion. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of osteopontin in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to determine its possible prognostic significance as well as relation to apoptosis and αv integrin expression.

Osteopontin expression is an independent factor for poor survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma: a computer-assisted analysis on TMA sections.

Introduction: Osteopontin (OPN) is non-collagenous extracellular matrix protein involved in various physiological and pathological events, including tumor progression. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of OPN in normal oral mucosa and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to assess its prognostic significance.

Methods: The expression of OPN was immunohistochemicaly analyzed in 86 OSCC and compared with clinicopathological variable such as tumor size, nodal stage, WHO clinical stage, Ki-67 proliferation index, and patients' outcome.

JAK2-v617F mutation is associated with clinical and laboratory features of myeloproliferative neoplasms.

The aim of this study is to investigate the differences of clinical and laboratory parameters between patients with JAK2-V617F positive myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and JAK2 wild type MPNs. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood granulocytes of 106 patients treated at Rijeka University Hospital Center: 41 with polycythemia vera (PV), 43 with essential thrombocythemia (ET), 9 with primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and 13 with myeloproliferative neoplasm--unclassifiable (MPN-u). The JAK2-V617F mutation was detected using allele specific PCR.

EGFR protein overexpression correlates with chromosome 7 polysomy and poor prognostic parameters in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: The role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) in the pathogenesis and progression of various malignant tumors has long been known, but there is still disagreement concerning prognostic significance of EGFR expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). The present study was designed to analyze more objectively the protein EGFR expression in CCRCC and to compare its value with EGFR gene copy number changes and clinicopathologic characteristics including patient survival.

Methods: The protein EGFR expression was analyzed immunohistochemically on 94 CCRCC, and gene copy number alterations of EGFR by FISH analysis on 41 CCRCC selected according to distinct membrane EGFR staining.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in primary and recurrent breast carcinomas.

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) comprise a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases that are secreted as inactive precursors, which are activated by cleavage of an N-terminal pro-peptide. Their basic mechanisms of action include cancer cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, and the regulation of tumour angiogenesis and immune surveillance. The expression of MMP2 and MMP9 has been associated with high potential of metastasis in several human carcinomas including breast cancer.

Prognostic values of morphological and clinical parameters in pT2-pT3 prostate cancer in elderly people.

Prostate cancer is a disease of elderly men, the incidence of which increases in an age dependent manner. This study presents the correlation of clinical and morphological parameters in locally confined (pT2) and locally advanced (pT3) prostate cancer. We analyzed a group of elderly men treated with radical prostatectomy in the period 1999-2008 in the University Hospital Rijeka.

Osteopontin expression correlates with nuclear factor-κB activation and apoptosis downregulation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Osteopontin (OPN) is a phosphoglycoprotein implicated in tumorigenesis and tumor cell metastasis. Apoptosis inhibition is one of the mechanisms that contribute to development and progression of cancer, and might be initiated by OPN interaction with tumor cells. The aim of this study was to analyze the relation between OPN and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC), as well as their relation to apoptotic activity of tumor cells.

Predicting the likelihood of additional nodal metastases in breast carcinoma patients with positive sentinel node biopsy.

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is an important procedure in the staging of breast cancer patients. However, it is associated with a significant morbidity rate. In addition, using early diagnosis a high number of cases with negative lymph nodes can be identified.

Hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha correlates with vascular endothelial growth factor A and C indicating worse prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: The role of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma is well recognized, however, the influence of tumor cells in this activity has not yet been fully clarified. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha), a regulatory factor of angiogenic switch, in comparison to vascular endothelial growth factor A and C (VEGF-A and VEGF-C), recognized to be involved in blood and lymph vessel neoangiogenesis, with potential association in the prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Methods: Ninety-four patients with diagnosis of clear cell renal cell carcinomas (CCRCC), all clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival were unrolled in this study.

Relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor and nuclear factor-kappaB in renal cell tumors.

Aim: To assess the relationship between protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and subcellular localization of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), proliferation rate of tumor cells, and clinicopathological characteristics of renal cell tumors.

Methods: We analyzed 31 one renal cell tumors - 22 clear cell renal cell carcinomas (CCRCC) and 9 other histologic types (non-CCRCC). VEGF expression and subcellular localization of p65 member of NF-kappaB and Ki67 were immunohistochemically evaluated for the proliferation rate of tumor cells.

Osteopontin expression correlates with angiogenesis and survival in malignant astrocytoma.

Osteopontin (OPN) is a phosphorylated glycoprotein with diverse functions including angiogenesis, cancer development, invasion and metastasis. The aim of the study was to analyze the expression of OPN in human astrocytomas and to correlate it with angiogenesis and patients' outcome. Seventy-six human astrocytomas including eight pilocytic astrocytomas (grade I), 10 diffuse astrocytomas (grade II), 8 anaplastic astrocytomas (grade III) and 50 glioblastomas (grade IV) were immunohistochemically stained for OPN protein.

Prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze and correlate the immunohistochemical pattern of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression with the average of microvessel density (MVD) and other clinicopathologic parameters in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) in order to determine its prognostic significance. Surgical specimens of 93 CCRCC were immunohistochemically analyzed for VEGF expression, MVD with anti-CD31, and Ki 67 proliferative index. VEGF expression was recorded as the percentage of positive tumor cells (<75% and >75%) and as diffuse or perimembranous VEGF expression according to cytoplasmic distribution.