Human papillomavirus infection in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization: effects on embryo development kinetics and live birth rate.

Backgroud: Several studies showed that human papillomavirus (HPV) affects male fertility, but its impact on female fertility and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome is not yet clear.

Methods: Objective of this observational, prospective, cohort study was to evaluate the prevalence of HPV infection in women candidate to IVF, and the effects of HPV infection on the kinetic of embryonic development and on IVF outcome. A total number of 457 women candidate to IVF were submitted to HR-HPV test; among them, 326 underwent their first IVF cycle and were included in the analysis on IVF results.

The impact of malignant nipple discharge cytology (NDc) in surgical management of breast cancer patients.

Background: The role of nipple discharge cytology (NDc) in the surgical management of breast cancer patients is unclear. We aimed: (i) to evaluate the effect of malignant NDc on the surgical approach to the nipple-areola complex, and (ii) to verify the association between malignant NDc and nipple malignancy.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a case series of 139 patients with NDc who underwent breast surgery.

Interobserver reproducibility of cytologic p16 /Ki-67 dual immunostaining in human papillomavirus-positive women.

Background: The accumulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16 ) protein in a cell is associated with neoplastic progression in precancerous cervical lesions. Dual staining for p16 and Ki-67 has been proposed as a triage test in cervical cancer screening for women who test positive for human papillomavirus DNA. In this study, interobserver reproducibility of the interpretation of this test was assessed.

Flexible lab-tailored cut-offs for suitability of formalin-fixed tumor samples for diagnostic mutational analyses.

The selection of proper tissues from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumors before diagnostic molecular testing is responsibility of the pathologist and represents a crucial step to produce reliable test results. The international guidelines suggest two cut-offs, one for the percentage and one for the number of tumor cells, in order to enrich the tumor content before DNA extraction. The aim of the present work was two-fold: to evaluate to what extent a low percentage or absolute number of tumor cells can be qualified for somatic mutation testing; and to determine how assay sensitivities can guide pathologists towards a better definition of morphology-based adequacy cut-offs.

Gene status in HER2 equivocal breast carcinomas: impact of distinct recommendations and contribution of a polymerase chain reaction-based method.

Background: The primary objectives of this study on carcinomas with equivocal HER2 expression were to assess the impact of distinct recommendations with regard to identifying patients eligible for anti-HER2 agents by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and to elucidate whether multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) may be of support in assessing HER2 gene status.

Methods: A cohort of 957 immunohistochemistry-evaluated HER2-equivocal cases was analyzed by dual-color FISH. The results were assessed according to U.

Efficiency of a preoperative axillary ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration cytology to detect patients with extensive axillary lymph node involvement.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) does not affect patient survival, even in those with one or two positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). On the other hand, patients with 3 or more metastatic lymph nodes are eligible for chemotherapy. Therefore, it is crucial to identify a priori patients at risk of having a high number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes for their surgical and/or clinical management.

High-throughput molecular analysis from leftover of fine needle aspiration cytology of mammographically detected breast cancer.

We investigated whether residual material from diagnostic smears of fine needle aspirations (FNAs) of mammographically detected breast lesions can be successfully used to extract RNA for reliable gene expression analysis. Twenty-eight patients underwent FNA of breast lesions under ultrasonographic guidance. After smearing slides for cytology, residual cells were rinsed with TRIzol to recover RNA.

Endoscopic Saphenous harvesting with an Open CO2 System (ESOS) trial for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, arterial conduits are preferred because of more favourable long-term patency and outcome. Anyway the greater saphenous vein continues to be the most commonly used bypass conduit. Minimally invasive endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting is increasingly being investigated in order to reduce the morbidity associated with conventional open vein harvesting, includes postoperative leg wound complications, pain and patient satisfaction.

Reliability of whole sentinel lymph node analysis by one-step nucleic acid amplification for intraoperative diagnosis of breast cancer metastases.

Objective: To assess the reliability of using the One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) assay as a single test on whole sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) as a method of intraoperative diagnosis and staging of SLNs in breast cancer.

Background: Combining histological and molecular assessment of metastasis on the same SLN may not fully reproduce the actual load of cancer cells present in the SLN and create problems in decisions regarding axillary dissection.

Methods: Selection criteria for the whole SLN OSNA test required that the primary tumor expressed CK19 in more than 80% of tumor cells.

Adenosquamous lung carcinomas: a histologic subtype with poor prognosis.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic factors and outcome of patients operated for adenosquamous (ADS) carcinoma of the lung, in comparison with adenocarcinoma (AD) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: a retrospective review of our thoracic cancer surgical database for patients operated for ADS, SCC and AD between January, 1995 and December, 2009 was done.

Results: Forty-eight patients (39 males, 81.

Columnar cell lesions associated with breast calcifications on vacuum-assisted core biopsies: clinical, radiographic, and histological correlations.

Columnar cell lesions of the breast are increasingly recognized at mammography for their tendency to calcify. We studied 392 vacuum-assisted core biopsies performed solely for calcifications to evaluate the frequency of columnar cell lesions, their relationship with radiological risk, appearance of calcifications, and clinical data. Management and follow-up of columnar cell lesions without and with atypia (flat epithelial atypia) was analyzed.

Clinical significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in lung neoplasms.

Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) are considered important in anticancer immunosurveillance, although their role has not been clearly established yet. We examined prevalence, correlations, and prognostic significance of TIL among our patient population of resected lung neoplasms.

Methods: From 1993 to 2006, the presence of TIL was retrospectively evaluated in 1,290 patients operated on for primary lung neoplasms.

Radical resection of a giant, invasive and symptomatic malignant Solitary Fibrous Tumour (SFT) of the pleura.

Solitary Fibrous Tumours (SFTs) of the pleura are rare neoplasms, with unpredictable biological behaviour. Although usually benign, malignant SFTs are described, and they are often associated with large, necrotic and locally invasive tumours. Radical resection represents the treatment of choice in all cases; recurrences are uncommon, and redo-surgery should be considered.

Imatinib inhibits in vitro proliferation of cells derived from a pleural solitary fibrous tumor expressing platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta.

We examined the in vitro effects of imatinib (Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland) as a possible inhibitor of PDGFR pathway on cells derived from a recurrence of a pleural malignant solitary fibrous tumor (SFT). Primary cell culture was characterised by immunofluorescence. SFT-derived cells were treated with imatinib at different time points.

Metastasis of malignant peritoneal epithelioid mesothelioma in endoscopic gastric biopsy: a diagnostic pitfall.

Aim: To describe a case of metastasis of malignant peritoneal epithelioid mesothelioma in gastric antral mucosa in a patient with a cryptogenic liver cirrhosis associated with esophageal varices, abdominal pain and distension, ascites, and weight loss.

Materials And Method: The patient underwent esophageal gastric endoscopy for varices, and a biopsy of a polypoid antral lesion was performed. The latter revealed a proliferation of polygonal cells with moderately atypical nuclei and pale eosinophilic, peripherally condensed cytoplasm infiltrating into the lamina propria between the normal mucosal glands of the antrum.

Technical limits of comparison of step-sectioning,immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR on breast cancer sentinel nodes: a study on methacarn-fixed tissue.

The optimal pathological assessment of sentinel nodes (SLNs) in breast cancer is a matter of debate. Currently, multilevel histological evaluation and immunohistochemistry (IHC) are recommended, but alternative RT-PCR procedures have been developed. To assess the reliability of these different procedures, we devised a step-sectioning protocol at 100 micron-intervals of 74 SLNs using methacarn fixation.

Merits of the PMiT (papillary microtumor) terminology in the definition of a subset of incidental papillary microcarcinomas of the thyroid.

An exponential increase in the detection of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMCs) has been observed in recent times, possibly because of recent improvements in the management of thyroid lesions and extensive histological examination. However, no definitive treatment guideline has been developed for PTMC, resulting in patients undergoing overtreatment. In 2003, the term papillary microtumor of the thyroid (PMiT) was proposed for small (< or =1 cm) intrathyroidal tumors with excellent prognostic prospects along with strict definition criteria.

Gefitinib (ZD1839): therapy in selected patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)?

Purpose: To evaluate response rate, toxicity and epidermal growth factor (EGFR) mutations and gene copy number as outcome predictive factors in Italian patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with gefitinib (Iressa) in an expanded access program (EAP).

Patients And Methods: A total of 137 patients with advanced NSCLC received gefitinib as first line treatment or after failure of chemotherapy. In 43 cases, tissue specimens were available for EGFR status evaluation: immunohistochemical (IHC) for EGFR, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) or Chromogenic in situ hybridisation (CISH)-(ISH) analysis for EGFR and HER2 gene copy number, and PCR-DNA sequencing for mutational analysis of EGFR were performed.

Predicting gefitinib responsiveness in lung cancer by fluorescence in situ hybridization/chromogenic in situ hybridization analysis of EGFR and HER2 in biopsy and cytology specimens.

In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutational analysis is an excellent predictor of responsiveness to treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as gefitinib. In up to 80% of NSCLCs, cytologic samples or endoscopic biopsies are the only specimens available for molecular analysis, but PCR amplification of DNA from small fixed and paraffin-embedded samples may create artifactual mutations. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of EGFR and HER2 has been proposed as an alternative method of analysis.

Late recurrence of Wilms' tumour with exclusive skeletal muscle phenotype 23 years after primary diagnosis.

A late recurrence of Wilms' tumour (WT) 23 years after the primary diagnosis is described. The primary tumour occurred in a 10-month-old girl and showed various degrees of differentiation, including skeletal muscle phenotype. A postoperative chemotherapy was performed.

Routine assessment of prognostic factors in breast cancer using a multicore tissue microarray procedure.

We propose multicore tissue microarray (TMA) as an alternative to whole section for routine assessment of prognostic factors in breast cancer. Since 2004, we introduced the multicore TMA for testing estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR), proliferation activity by Ki67, and HER2 overexpression and amplification in routine work. At least four tumor foci were selected on the whole section, and a dedicated technician used a stereomicroscope for accurate sampling of the selected areas.

Detection procedures for neuroblastoma cells metastatic to blood and bone marrow: blinded comparison of chromogranin A heminested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to tyrosine hydroxylase nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and to anti-GD2 immunocytology.

Specific and sensitive tumor cell detection is becoming increasingly important for diagnosing and staging as well as for the therapeutic management of neuroblastoma patients. We propose a chromogranin A heminested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (CgA hn RT-PCR) procedure for the detection of neuroblastoma minimal residual disease in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples. The results were checked in comparison with the presently available procedures (i.