A case of fatal embolization during laser lithotripsy.

Purpose: To report in literature the first case of fatal multi-organ embolization of ureteral stones fragments during laser lithotripsy.

Case Presentation: A tetraplegic 43-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital to undergo laser lithotripsy because of bilateral ureteral stones and right ureteral infected stent. During the removal of the right ureteral stent, the patient developed a sudden severe bradycardia followed by a reduction in the arterial oxygen saturation.

Sudden death by massive systemic embolism from cardiac myxoma. Role of the clinical autopsy and review of literature.

Cardiac myxoma is a rare benign neoplasm of the heart. Historically myxomas were incidental findings during autopsies, however improved imaging techniques made these diagnosis possible in living patients, making the surgical treatment of these neoplasms achievable. Cardiac myxomas may occur both sporadically and in a familial context, often in the clinico-pathological picture of the Carney complex.

Right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm.

Aneurysms in the sinuses of Valsalva (SVA) are the least frequent and occur due to a weakness in the aortic wall that forms part of the sinus. This causes dilatation and the formation of a blind pocket in one of the aortic sinuses (usually he right sinus and less frequently the posterior one). It may be congenital or acquired: in a congenital SVA, the condition is frequently associated with Marfan's syndrome or other connective tissue disorders; instead, acquired forms of sinus of Valsalva aneurysm are associated with infections (syphilis, bacterial endocarditis, and tuberculosis), atherosclerosis and medial cystic necrosis, traumatic and degenerative diseases, abuse of drugs or alcoholism.

ER-/PR+/HER2- breast cancer type shows the highest proliferative activity among all other combined phenotypes and is more common in young patients: Experience with 6643 breast cancer cases.

The characterization of breast cancer according to its proliferative activity and the expression of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 is a laboratory routine that has been adopted worldwide for prognostic and therapeutic purposes. By combining data on the expression of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, it is possible to obtain 8 tumor patterns categorized as triple-negative, nonluminal (i.e.

Fibroblastic connective tissue nevus: Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of 14 cases.

Background: We present herein a series of 14 lesions showing overlapping features with the newly defined benign cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasm labeled as fibroblastic connective tissue nevus (FCTN).

Methods And Results: Total of 8 patients were male and 5 were female, ranging in age from 1 to 56 years. Lesions appeared as isolated nodules or plaques on the trunk (7 cases), the limbs (4 cases) and the neck (2 cases).

Endometriosis-associated clear cell carcinoma arising in caesarean section scar: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Malignant transformation has been reported in approximately 1% of the endometriosis cases; herein, we report a case of clear cell endometrial carcinoma arising from endometriosis foci located within a caesarean section scar.

Case Presentation: In November 2014, a Caucasian, 44-year-old woman was transferred to our institution because of severe respiratory failure due to massive lung embolism and rapid enlargement of a subcutaneous suprapubic mass. Abdomino-pelvic magnetic resonance showed a 10.

HER2 status determination: analyzing the problems to find the solutions.

Misdiagnosis in the evaluation of HER2 status in breast cancer may have consequent negative impact on clinical decision-making. Therefore, it has become ever more important to share procedures and interpretation criteria for HER2 testing among laboratories. Herein, we report an interlaboratory survey among 9 hospitals located in the central-south regions of Italy.

The heme oxygenase/biliverdin reductase system in skin cancers.

The heme oxygenase/biliverdin reductase (HO/BVR) pathway enhances cell stress response by degrading excess heme or producing antioxidant and cytoprotective molecules. Recently, members of the HO/BVR system have been proposed as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of free radical-related diseases. In this study, the presence of both the inducible and constitutive HO isoforms (HO-1 and HO-2, respectively) and BVR was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in human skin cancer samples.

2013 ASCO/CAP updated guidelines for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 testing: Impact on routine practice.

The release of the new ASCO/CAP guideline recommendations for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 testing has led to clearer descriptive definitions for immunohistochemistry categories. As soon as we started to use them we realized that an increase in the number of ISH test was occurring. Herein we report our lab data obtained by comparing the semester after the release of the new guidelines with the same semester of the previous year.

HER2 immunohistochemical assessment with A0485 polyclonal antibody: is it time to refine the scoring criteria for the "2+" category?

Introduction: An accurate determination of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) status in women with breast cancer is mandatory to identify patients who will benefit from trastuzumab-based therapy.

Materials And Methods: Her2 immunohistochemical analysis (IHC) (performed with A0485 polyclonal antibody) on 943 invasive breast cancer cases was evaluated independently and blindly twice by 3 of us (V.A.

Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL): a possible pathogenic role in chronic plaque psoriasis.

Background: Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a cytokine member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family. Its role has been investigated in skin cancers and some inflammatory and/or immune-mediated skin diseases. An involvement of TRAIL in psoriasis pathogenesis has recently been hypothesized.

Strong YB-1 expression predicts liver recurrence following resection for colorectal metastases.

Introduction: The Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) is a multifunctional oncoprotein involved in the proliferation and aggressiveness of cancer cells. The aim of this study was to determine whether strong YB-1 expression in neoplastic cells of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) may have an impact on liver disease-free survival following liver resection.

Materials And Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate YB-1 in 66 patients who underwent liver resection for CRLM.

Thyroglossal duct cyst cancer most likely arises from a thyroid gland remnant.

Thyroglossal duct cancer is a rare entity, occurring in 1.5 % of all thyroglossal duct cysts (TDC). A definitive consensus about its neoplastic origin has not been established as two contrasting theories exist, one proposing an origin in extra-thyroid remnants and the other a metastatic localization of a primary thyroid cancer.

The cytologic category of oncocytic (Hurthle) cell neoplasm mostly includes low-risk lesions at histology: an institutional experience.

Design: The cytological diagnosis of oncocytic/Hurthle cell neoplasms (OCN) represents a challenge with which cytopathologists face up to in their practice. The majority of these lesions undergo surgery for a definitive characterization of the nature mainly due to their more aggressive behavior than other malignant follicular lesions. In this study, we aimed at the evaluation of the effective malignant rate in a large cohort of OCNs.

External Quality Assessment (EQA) program for the preanalytical and analytical immunohistochemical determination of HER2 in breast cancer: an experience on a regional scale.

Background: An External Quality Assessment (EQA) program was developed to investigate the state of the art of HER2 immunohistochemical determination in breast cancer (BC) in 16 Pathology Departments in the Lazio Region (Italy). This program was implemented through two specific steps to evaluate HER2 staining (step 1) and interpretation (step 2) reproducibility among participants.

Methods: The management activities of this EQA program were assigned to the Coordinating Center (CC), the Revising Centers (RCs) and the Participating Centers (PCs).

Haemophagocytic syndrome associated with mucormycosis infection.

Several clinical forms of mucormycosis are recognized. The tendency of mucoraceous zygomycetes to invade the blood vessels often produces a disseminated infection. A case of disseminate mucormycosis complicated by a haemophagocytic syndrome (HS) in a 32-year-old Caucasian male is reported in this article.

Morphological and molecular characteristics of nested melanoma of the elderly (evolved lentiginous melanoma).

We identified a group of melanocytic lesions with an architectural pattern very similar to that of a junctional nevus: cells mostly grouped in distinct nests, more or less of the same size and shape, and regularly distributed along the dermoepidermal junction. In contrast with these nevus-like features, these neoplasms display additional details which are incompatible with a diagnosis of junctional nevus. These include areas of lentiginous array with focal pagetoid spread of melanocytes above the junction; marked cytological atypia, such as nuclear enlargement, hyperchromasia, nuclear membrane thickening and with a mild degree of cellular pleomorphism.