Prognostic role of the tumor-associated tissue inflammatory reaction in transitional bladder cell carcinoma.

Many authors have indicated that the presence of an inflammatory response within the tumor may predict not only recurrence and progression but also survival in several tumors, including transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder. Several studies have been performed with a mean follow-up period that is often too limited for predicting patient outcome. The aim of the present study was to define the influence of inflammatory cell infiltrate on recurrence, progression and survival in TCC of the bladder over a long follow-up period.

Pancreatectomy in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1-related gastrinomas and pancreatic endocrine neoplasias.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of pancreatic resection in pancreatic endocrine neoplasias (PENs) in patients affected by multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome.

Background: Since these tumors often show an indolent course, the role of diagnostic procedures and type of surgical approach are controversial. Experience with new diagnostic approaches and more aggressive surgery is still limited.

A comparison of methods for the analysis of low abundance proteins in desmoid tumor cells.

The desmoids are a group of rare clinically diverse, deep-seated fibrous neoplasms. The exact etiology is unknown, but several factors are considered to be positively correlated with their development and growth, i.e.

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction for microsatellite analysis of urine sediment cells: a rapid and inexpensive method for diagnosing and monitoring superficial transitional bladder cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Several urinary markers have been recently introduced in clinical practice for improving the noninvasive diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma. Although microsatellite analysis must be considered the best method in terms of results, its cost and method time are unacceptable for daily use. We validated a more rapid and inexpensive method of determination using rapid DNA extraction and automatic multiplex polymerase chain reaction amplification.

Well-differentiated endocrine tumor of the distal common bile duct: a case study and literature review.

Primary carcinoid tumors of the extrahepatic biliary tree are exceedingly rare, accounting for 0.2-2% of all digestive carcinoids. The authors in this study describe a case of biliary duct primary well-differentiated endocrine tumor in a 30-year-old man with symptoms of biliary obstruction and watery diarrhoea.

Characterization of the functional and growth properties of long-term cell cultures established from a human somatostatinoma.

In somatostatinoma, a rare malignant somatostatin (SST)-secreting neoplasia, tumour regression is rarely observed, implying the need for novel antiproliferative strategies. Here, we characterized a long-term culture (SST-secreting cancer (SS-C cells)) established from a human somatostatinoma. High concentrations of SST and chromogranin A were released by SS-C cells and SST release was stimulated by depolarizing stimuli and inhibited by the SST analogue, octreotide.

Meat intake and risk of stomach and esophageal adenocarcinoma within the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

Background: Dietary factors are thought to have an important role in gastric and esophageal carcinogenesis, but evidence from cohort studies for such a role is lacking. We examined the risks of gastric cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma associated with meat consumption within the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort.

Methods: A total of 521,457 men and women aged 35-70 years in 10 European countries participated in the EPIC cohort.

Intravesical gemcitabine in BCG-refractory T1G3 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: a pilot study.

Objective: The aim of this pilot study is to analyze the safety and short-term efficacy of gemcitabine (GEM) as salvage intravesical therapy in a very selected population of bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-resistant T1G3 patients.

Methods: 9 recurrent BCG-refractory pT1G3 patients, unsuitable for radical treatment, were treated with GEM, and compared with 10 pT1G3 patients previously treated with at least two courses of transurethral resection plus BGC, with further conservative endovesical BCG administration.

Results: Both intravesical administrations of GEM and BCG were generally well tolerated: no severe adverse events were reported.

Enterogenous cyst of the testis.

Enterogenous cyst is a rare congenital lesion generally located in the mediastinum or the abdominal cavity. We reported the first case of testicular enterogenous cyst in a 55-year-old white male presented with testicular pain and a gradually enlarging left scrotal mass with a 2-week duration.

Cancer progression after anterograde radical prostatectomy for pathologic Gleason score 8 to 10 and influence of concomitant variables.

Objectives: To evaluate the outcome in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer and pathologic Gleason score 8 to 10 disease treated by anterograde radical prostatectomy, either alone for node-negative disease or with early hormonal therapy for node-positive disease, and to characterize the prognostic significance of other pathologic variables.

Methods: A total of 729 patients underwent radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer between 1989 and 2003. We identified 116 patients (15.

Gastric glassy cells: a study of 3202 gastrectomy specimens from dwellers of the Atlantic and Pacific basins.

Fifteen years ago we detected gastric cells with glassy cytoplasm (GCs) in the human pyloric antrum. The frequency of these cells was subsequently investigated in sections from gastrectomies carried on in populations dwelling on the rim of the Atlantic and Pacific basins. In this work we compared the results obtained in these disparate geographic regions.

Anal carcinoma occurring in Crohn's disease patients with chronic anal fistula.

This paper reports six patients with perianal Crohn's disease (CD), who developed anal cancer in chronic anal fistulas. Tumors have been often diagnosed at an advanced stage and had a worse prognosis than cancers arising in the general population as tumor symptoms may mimic symptoms of CD, resulting in delay in diagnosis. Patients with perianal CD should undergo a careful surveillance program for ano-rectal carcinoma, including routine biopsy of any suspected lesion.

Prognostic value of static cytometry in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: recurrence rate and survival in a group of patients at 10 years follow-up.

Many studies have indicated that nuclear DNA content evaluation can be used to predict biological behavior of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. Some authors also indicated that static cytometry is more useful in DNA content analysis than flow cytometry. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in TCC of the bladder, performed by using static cytometry with an image analyzer, and monitoring patients at 10 years follow-up.

Extensive intestinal metaplasia in gastric carcinoma and in other lesions requiring surgery: a study of 3,421 gastrectomy specimens from dwellers of the Atlantic and Pacific basins.

Background: Extensive intestinal metaplasia (EIM) has been reported in gastrectomies from patients dwelling in the Pacific and Atlantic basins.

Aims: To compare all the results in an attempt to explain the findings.

Method: All sections from 3,421 gastrectomies were reviewed at various hospitals: 1946 in the Atlantic and 1475 in the Pacific basin.

Immunohistochemistry in the differential diagnosis between primary and secondary intestinal adenocarcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Distinguishing between primary adenocarcinomas and secondary colonic adenocarcinomas of the urinary bladder is often difficult because they appear morphologically similar but invariably require different treatment strategies. The aim of the study was to define the utility of a limited immunohistochemical panel consisting of CDX-2, cytokeratins 7 (CK7) and 20 (CK20), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in differentiating primary from secondary bladder adenocarcinomas. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 8 primary bladder adenocarcinomas and 23 colorectal adenocarcinomas involving the bladder were included in the study.

Gastric duplication cyst in an adult: case report.

Duplication cysts of the stomach are uncommon findings in adult patients and diagnosis is often overlooked. Presenting symptoms are often non-specific, but complications, including chronic infections, ruptures or carcinoma arising in the cyst, are rare. We report a case of a non-communicating cyst of the stomach in a 67-year-old man.

Carcinoma of the breast metastatic to the ureter seven years later.

We present a case of ureteral metastasis from a primary breast cancer where the disease recurred with an episode of renal colic 7 years after diagnosis. A surgical operation was performed to remove the terminal ureter and the perimeatal area of the urinary bladder. Urological and radiological outcome was satisfactory after a 2-year follow up.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma as a primary cardiac tumor.

We describe the case of a malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the heart, presenting with an obstinate cough and clinically misdiagnosed as myxoma, in an 80-year-old woman. Fourteen months after surgical removal, an embolic episode revealed recurrence of the tumor. To plan the best surgical management, MFH, rare as it is, should be borne in mind when evaluating a cardiac intracavitary mass, especially if located in the left atrium.

Nestin expression in normal adrenal gland and adrenocortical tumors.

Human adrenocortical cells have been shown to express cytokeratins and vimentin. Nestin is an intermediate filament protein that is mainly expressed in the developing nervous system and that has been recently reported in rat adrenal gland as well. Using immunohistochemical and biochemical approaches, the present study demonstrates that nestin is constantly expressed in situ in the cortex of normal human adrenal glands.

Phenotype variability of neural crest derived tumours in six Italian families segregating the same founder SDHD mutation Q109X.

Background: Mutations in genes coding for the mitochondrial complex II succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunits cause familial neural crest derived (NCD) tumours.

Methods: Index cases from six apparently unrelated families affected by NCD tumours were analysed for mutations in the SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD genes.

Results: The same nonsense germline heterozygous mutation (Q109X) in exon 4 of the SDHD gene was found in each of the six families.

Annuloaortic ectasia and giant cell arteritis.

Background: Thoracic aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection and aortic valve regurgitation have been widely described in patients with Horton disease, also known as giant cell arteritis. We present our midterm experience with patients with these features.

Methods: A total of 386 cases of ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement performed for thoracic aortic aneurysm and aortic insufficiency between 1998 and 2004 were reviewed.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of angiogenetic factors in transitional cell bladder carcinoma: relationship with clinical course at 10 years follow-up.

Many authors have shown that tumor hypoxia exerts its own influence on malignant progression by inducing angiogenetic factors and new blood vessels inside and around the tumor. This event usually suggests a poor prognosis and/or aggressive tumor behavior. The objective of the present study is to compare molecular analysis of angiogenetic factors with microvessel density (MVD) in bladder carcinoma.