Solitary fibrous tumours involving the genitourinary tract: a case series in rare locations, highlighting the role of STAT6 immunohistochemistry.

Solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) is a mesenchymal neoplasm with variable behaviour, very rarely involving the genitourinary (GU) tract. Most reported cases correspond to isolated case reports. STAT6 immunohistochemistry is a more recent and reliable diagnostic marker.

Analysis of RPL37A, MTSS1, and HTRA1 expression as potential markers for pathologic complete response and survival.

Background: Non-metastatic locally advanced breast carcinoma (LABC) treatment involves neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT). We evaluated the association of clinical-pathological data and immunoexpression of hormone receptors, HER2 and Ki67, and new biomarkers, RPL37A, MTSS1 and HTRA1, with pathological complete response (PCR) or tumour resistance (stable disease or disease progression), disease-free survival (DFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Methods: This is a retrospective study of 333 patients with LABC who underwent NCT.

External validation of nomogram to predict inguinal lymph node metastasis in patients with penile cancer and clinically negative lymph nodes.

Introduction: Penile cancer (PC) occurs less frequently in Europe and in the United States than in South America and parts of Africa. Lymph node (LN) involvement is the most important prognostic factor, and inguinal LN (ILN) dissection can be curative; however, ILN dissection has high morbidity. A nomogram was previously developed based on clinicopathological features of PC to predict ILN metastases.

Time between diagnosis and surgical treatment on pathological and clinical outcomes in prostate cancer: does it matter?

Introduction: Prostate cancer (PC) most of the time presents with an indolent course. Thus, delays in treatment due to any causes might not affect long-term survival and may not affect cancer cure rates.

Purpose: In this study, we evaluated the effect of delay-time between PC diagnosis and radical prostatectomy regarding oncological outcomes: Gleason score upgrade on surgical specimen, pathologic extracapsular extension (ECE) on surgical specimen, and postoperative biochemical recurrence (BCR) on follow-up.

Detection of ALK fusion transcripts in FFPE lung cancer samples by NanoString technology.

Background: ALK-rearranged lung cancers exhibit specific pathologic and clinical features and are responsive to anti-ALK therapies. Therefore, the detection of ALK-rearrangement is fundamental for personalized lung cancer therapy. Recently, new molecular techniques, such as NanoString nCounter, have been developed to detect ALK fusions with more accuracy and sensitivity.

The role of oncoplastic breast conserving treatment for locally advanced breast tumors. A matching case-control study.

Background: Breast conserving surgery (BCS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is an infrequent procedure. In these patients the association with BCS and oncoplastic surgery (OS) is reported as a possible procedure in case-series, but there are limited case-control studies.

Methods: A matched case-control study evaluated LABC submitted to NC and BCS.

Accuracy of microRNAs as markers for the detection of neck lymph node metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The presence of metastatic disease in cervical lymph nodes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients is a very important determinant in therapy choice and prognosis, with great impact in overall survival. Frequently, routine lymph node staging cannot detect occult metastases and the post-surgical histologic evaluation of resected lymph nodes is not sensitive in detecting small metastatic deposits. Molecular markers based on tissue-specific microRNA expression are alternative accurate diagnostic markers.