Lymphovascular infiltration in the tumor bed is a useful marker of biological behavior in breast cancer.

Purpose: Tumor cells can metastasize by entering existing vessels or new vessels actively recruited into the primary tumor. Invasion of the lymphatics and blood vessels in the periphery of the tumor seems to be a prerequisite step in the metastatic process. The aim of this study was to correlate peripheral lymphatic vessel infiltration (PLI) and peripheral blood vessel infiltration (PVI) in a cohort of patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with various other prognostic parameters and outcome.

Role of lymphatic vessel density in colorectal cancer: prognostic significance and clinicopathologic correlations.

Backgrounds And Aims: Over the past decades the identification of several molecules that are expressed specifically in the lymphatic endothelial cells has resulted in marked advances in the field of lymphangiogenesis. We aimed to measure LVD in colorectal cancer patients and to compare it with microvascular density (MVD) - a marker of angiogenesis - and patients' clinicopathological parameters and survival, as the measurement of lymphatic vessel density (LVD) has been documented in various tumor types, including colorectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: Fifty one patients who had undergone surgical resection for stage I-III colorectal cancer entered this study.

Enoxaparin-induced spontaneous massive retroperitoneal hematoma with fatal outcome.

Spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma (SRH) is a severe and potentially fatal complication of anticoagulation therapy. We describe a case of fatal spontaneous massive retroperitoneal hematoma in a female patient receiving bridging therapy with enoxaparin for atrial fibrillation. Physicians should be cautious when prescribing enoxaparin in elderly patients, in patients with impaired renal function, and in patients receiving concomitant oral anticoagulants.

Metaplastic changes in chronic cholecystitis: implications for early diagnosis and surgical intervention to prevent the gallbladder metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence.

Background: Metaplastic features of the gallbladder epithelium are considered to be the precursors of gallbladder cancer. Considering the possible role of chronic inflammatory changes in the development of these lesions and the rationale for performing an early prophylactic cholecystectomy, we performed a retrospective study to assess the prevalence of gallbladder metaplasia in patients who underwent cholecystectomy due to underlying cholelithiasis.

Methods: We reviewed the routine histopathology reports of 86 patients with chronic cholecystitis, who underwent elective cholecystectomy, to assess the prevalence of gallbladder metaplasia in the course of chronic cholecystitis.

Prognostic value of EZH2, paxillin expression and DNA ploidy of breast adenocarcinoma: correlation to pathologic predictors.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the association of EZH2 and paxillin expression and DNA ploidy status with pathological parameters of breast cancer, aiming to correlate tumor phenotype with its malignant behavior.

Methods: EZH2 and paxillin expression and DNA ploidy were evaluated in imprint smear samples obtained from 105 breast tumors after surgical removal.

Results: Increased expression of paxillin was associated with p53 expression (p=0.

Procalcitonin in patients with colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Bacterial translocation (BT) is common in colon cancer patients and may be associated with increased occurrence of septic complications as well as with adverse oncologic outcomes. The aim of the present study was to correlate the BT detectable through peritoneal lavage culture or identified by abnormal inflammatory parameters with the clinicopathologic parameters and the short-term prognosis in a prospective series of patients.

Methods: Fifty-four consecutive patients with histologically proven colorectal cancer were included in this prospective study.

Comparative approach to non-traumatic acute abdominal pain between elderly and non-elderly in the emergency department: a study in rural Greece.

Background: Acute abdominal pain is one of the most common symptoms that emergency department physicians encounter during their practice. The difficult task of early diagnosis and management of abdominal pain becomes more complicated when it involves elderly patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of age based differences regarding the management of acute non-traumatic abdominal pain in the Emergency Department.

Liver Biochemistry During the Course of Influenza A/H1N1 Infection.

Despite the multi-systemic effects of influenza A/H1N1 virus, the occurrence of hepatic injury during the natural course of the infection remains a matter of debate. We performed a review of the published clinical studies which assess the above mentioned relationship, reviewing the studies published in PubMed database (English literature), using the key words "H1N1", "influenza A" and "liver". We excluded case reports and clinical studies that referred to pediatric and transplanted patients, pregnants and patients with known history of chronic liver diseases.

Granisetron versus tropisetron in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after total thyroidectomy.

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are frequently encountered after thyroidectomy. For PONV prevention, selective serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists are considered one of the first-line therapy. We report on the efficiency of granisetron and tropisetron, with that of placebo on the prevention of PONV in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy.

Clinical role of HER-2/neu expression in colorectal cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the HER-2/neu expression and its relationship with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: A total of 51 colorectal cancer patients who underwent resection with curative intent from January 2005 to March 2006 were included in this study. Patients were regularly followed up and survival data were obtained as of as April 2011.

Is red cell distribution width a novel biomarker of breast cancer activity? Data from a pilot study.

Background: Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a parameter of the standard full blood count tests, measuring the size variability of erythrocytes. Recently, its elevation has been proven to reliably reflect the extent systematic inflammation, mainly in cardiometabolic diseases. Up to date, its association with solid malignancies has been scarcely investigated.

The significance of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio as a possible marker of underlying papillary microcarcinomas in thyroidal goiters: a pilot study.

Background: Preoperatively elevated neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a negative prognostic factor of survival in various types of cancers. A retrospective study was conducted to examine if preoperative elevation of NLR is associated with higher risk for incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).

Methods: The study sample consisted of 26 patients with benign goiters, 31 patients with incidental PTMC, 26 patients preoperatively diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and 26 healthy controls.

Enhancing the accuracy of platelet to lymphocyte ratio after adjustment for large platelet count: a pilot study in breast cancer patients.

Background. The objective of our study is to investigate the potential effect of adjusting preoperative platelet to lymphocyte ratio, an emerging biomarker of survival in cancer patients, for the fraction of large platelets. Methods.

Adhesive ileus complicating recurrent intestinal pseudo-obstruction in a patient with myasthenia gravis.

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is considered to be one of the most frequent gastrointestinal manifestations of myasthenia gravis, accompanied by the presence of neoplasia of the thymus gland in the vast majority of the cases presented in the international literature. Despite the fact that myasthenia gravis has been implicated to be the cause of recurrent episodes of intestinal pseudo-obstruction, adhesive ileus has never been reported to complicate this - in any sense rare - condition. We present a unique case of a patient with myasthenia gravis, free of thymus neoplasia, who was submitted to emergency surgery due to the presence of extended adhesive ileus as a complication of chronic intestinal functional obstruction.

Association of helicobacter pylori infection and colon cancer.

Background: Gastrin has been shown to exert carcinogenic effect to the epithelium of the colon. This study examines whether hypergastrinemia and H. pylori infection -especially infection by the CagA+ strain- are statistically associated with colorectal cancer and examine possible correlations with the colorectal cancer stage and lymph node metastasis.

Effect of Acute Surgical Stress on Serum Ghrelin Levels.

Background: Ghrelin is an appetite hormone that influences the gastrointestinal function and regulates energy metabolism. Growing evidence also suggests that this hormone plays a central role in immune modulation. Each surgical operation is followed by a series of inflammatory and metabolic changes that constitute the stress response.

Mesentery lymphoma in a patient with Crohn's disease: An extremely rare entity.

Introduction: Lymphoma is a rare complication of long-standing Crohn's disease. We report a rare case of a diffuse, B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the mesentery in a patient receiving treatment for Crohn's disease.

Presentation Of Case: A 52 year-old patient presented with abdominal pain, anorexia and postprandial fullness.

Laparoscopic approach to a large adrenocortical oncocytoma: A case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Adrenocortical oncocytomas are extremely rare tumors, considered to be non-functional and of low malignant potential. Despite the great advance in laparoscopic techniques, there are extremely limited reports of laparoscopic approach of adrenocortical oncocytomas. Herein is presented a challenging case of laparoscopic approach to a large adrenocortical oncocytoma, underlining the safety and feasibility of laparoscopy in the surgical management of these extremely rare adrenal tumors.

Tubular adenoma of the breast: a rare presentation and review of the literature.

Unlabelled: Tubular adenomas, also known as pure adenomas, are rare epithelial tumors of the breast. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature, especially in young women of reproductive age. Postmenopausal women are very rarely affected.