Publications by authors named "Pizem J"

Article Synopsis
  • The Spitz group of melanocytic tumors should ideally include those with specific genomic changes like kinase receptor fusions and HRAS mutations, while traditional melanoma markers like BRAF mutations indicate a different diagnosis.
  • A study involving 70 melanocytic tumors utilized targeted sequencing to differentiate between Spitz and conventional melanomas and clarify their classifications.
  • The findings revealed substantial discrepancies in initial diagnoses, with 34% of cases having differing outcomes after molecular analysis, highlighting the need for genetic testing to improve diagnostic reliability in challenging cases.
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There is an emerging group of distinct vascular neoplasms with NFATC1/2 fusions, involving bones and soft tissues and often displaying focal epithelioid morphology, variable atypia of endothelial cells, predominantly vasoformative and in some cases focal solid growth. Although they may show aggressive local growth and may recur locally, malignant behaviour has not been documented. We present a case of a 35-year-old woman with multiple vascular neoplasms with a EWSR1::NFATC2 fusion involving the lungs, multiple bones (vertebra, femurs, tibia, pelvis) and probably the liver.

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Background: To review the characteristics of all Slovenian patients with ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) in the period of 24 years with the aim of evaluating demographic data, lymphoma location and type, disease stage, treatment modality, local control rate and survival rate.

Patients And Methods: All patients with histologically diagnosed OAL in the main tertiary centre of Slovenia, Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, who were treated at Institute of Oncology Ljubljana were included in the study. Patients' data were collected from October 1995 through April 2019.

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The increasing availability of RNA sequencing data has opened up numerous opportunities to analyze various RNA interactions, including microRNA-target interactions (MTIs). In response to the necessity for a specialized tool to study MTIs in cancer and normal tissues, we developed AmiCa (https://amica.omics.

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Semen cryopreservation has played an important role in medically assisted reproduction for decades. In addition to preserving male fertility, it is sometimes used for overcoming logistical issues. Despite its proven clinical usability and safety, there is a lack of knowledge of how it affects spermatozoa at the molecular level, especially in terms of non-coding RNAs.

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Evaluation of male infertility has been based on semen analysis for years. As this method can be subjective at times, there is a scientific tendency to discover stable and quantifiable biomarkers. This study included 28 couples who underwent an in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycle.

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To report a patient with a very rare variant of iris melanoma that grows in the shape of a ring (ring melanoma). A 65-year-old patient was examined because of a pigmented lesion on the sclera. After a complete ophthalmic and ultrasound examination, a ring melanoma was diagnosed.

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Background: Stem cell therapy is a promising new approach to wound healing. Stromal vascular fraction is a heterogeneous collection of cells, including adipose-derived stem cells, which are traditionally isolated using a manual collagenase-based technique. To our knowledge, this is the first human study that histologically assesses the potential of intraoperative intradermal injection of stromal vascular fraction on skin regeneration.

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Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) and tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) share misleadingly similar names, soft texture and brown color macroscopically, osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells microscopically and localisation in the musculoskeletal system. However, these two tumor types are biologically and clinically two distinct entities with different natural courses of progression and considerably different modes of surgical and medical treatment. In this article, we provide a detailed update on the similarities and the differences between both tumor types.

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Purpose: Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DF) is clonal fibroblastic proliferation that arises in the deep soft tissues, tends to reoccur, and is locally invasive. Desmoid-type fibromatosis of paranasal sinuses with intracranial extension is a rare condition that is even rarer in a small child. We aim to share with the reader our literature review, decision-making, and endoscopic endonasal operation procedure that combined gained us favorable results against this benign tumor with unpredictable natural history and disease course.

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Aims: PRAME (PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma) is a tumour-associated antigen that is preferentially strongly expressed in most cutaneous melanomas but not or only focally in naevi. Our aim was to evaluate PRAME expression in melanocytic lesions of the conjunctiva.

Methods And Results: Surgical specimens of 114 conjunctival melanocytic naevi of different types (including 67 common, 25 combined deep penetrating and 21 inflamed juvenile naevi), 30 invasive melanomas, 10 in-situ melanomas, 23 primary acquired melanoses (PAM) without atypia and 11 PAM with atypia were analysed for PRAME expression by immunohistochemistry.

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Aneurysmal (ABC) and simple bone cysts (SBC) have been traditionally distinguished by radiological and histopathological features. However, there is some radiological and histopathological overlap between ABC and SBC. ABC is characterised by USP6 fusions while, recently, NFATC2 fusions have been found in a large proportion of SBC.

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Fibroma of tendon sheath (FTS) is an uncommon benign myofibroblastic neoplasm that arises in association with tenosynovial tissue. Fusions of the USP6 gene have been recently documented in a proportion of so-called "cellular FTS" but not in "classic FTS". It remains unknown whether FTS can be defined by a USP6 fusion, regardless of cellularity, and what are USP6 fusion-negative "cellular FTS".

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The aim of the paper is to give an update on molecular genetic aberrations in Spitz melanocytic proliferations with special emphasis on their correlation with morphological features and biological behavior. The Spitz group of melanocytic proliferations is defined by a combination of distinctive morphological features and driver molecular genetic events. Morphologically, these neoplasms are characterized by large, oval, polygonal, or spindled melanocytes with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, vesicular nuclei with prominent nucleoli, often in association with epidermal hyperplasia.

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Gelsolin amyloidosis typically presents with corneal lattice dystrophy and is most frequently associated with pathogenic variant p.Asp214Asn. Here we report clinical and histopathological features of gelsolin amyloidosis associated with a novel variant p.

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Intraarticular nodular fasciitis arising in the joint synovium is an uncommon lesion. Most cases have been reported in the knee and rarely in other joints. A USP6 gene fusion has so far been documented in only four cases of intraarticular nodular fasciitis, three were located in the knee and one in the proximal interphalangeal joint.

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A simple bone cyst (SBC) is a benign bone lesion of unknown etiology. It can be differentiated from an aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) by radiologic and histopathologic features, as well as by the absence of fusions of the USP6 gene characteristic of an ABC. In an attempt to differentiate between ABC and SBC in a recurrent bone cyst, we performed targeted RNA sequencing and found an EWSR1-NFATC2 fusion and no fusion of the USP6 gene.

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Myoepithelial tumors of soft tissue are rare, morphologically and biologically heterogeneous tumors. EWSR1 fusion is found in about half of the cases, followed by PLAG1 and FUS fusions. EWSR1-KLF17 fusion has so far been reported in one benign myoepithelial tumor.

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Objectives: To identify dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) and their gene targets in temporal arteries from GCA patients, and determine their association with GCA pathogenesis and related arterial wall remodelling.

Methods: We included 93 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded temporal artery biopsies (TABs) from treatment-naïve patients: 54 positive and 17 negative TABs from clinically proven GCA patients, and 22 negative TABs from non-GCA patients. miRNA expression analysis was performed with miRCURY LNA miRNome Human PCR Panels and quantitative real-time PCR.

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Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a benign but locally aggressive neoplasm, with a tendency for local recurrence. In contrast to other bone tumors with secondary cystic change, ABC is characterized by USP6 gene rearrangement. There is a growing list of known USP6 fusion partners, characterization of which has been enabled with the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS).

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The expression of p16/CDKN2A, the second most commonly inactivated tumour suppressor gene in cancer, is lost in the majority of chordomas. However, the mechanism(s) leading to its inactivation and contribution to disease progression have only been partially addressed using small patient cohorts. We studied 384 chordoma samples from 320 patients by immunohistochemistry and found that p16 protein was lost in 53% of chordomas and was heterogeneously expressed in these tumours.

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Background: Deep penetrating nevus (DPN) is not a widely recognised lesion on the conjunctiva and only a few cases consistent with combined DPN have been reported.

Methods: A review of all excised and histopathologically diagnosed conjunctival melanocytic lesions between 2003 and 2018 was performed in order to identify melanocytic nevi morphologically consistent with DPN.

Results: Thirty-four DPN were identified among 361 histopathologically examined conjunctival nevi (9.

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The aggressive nature of malignant gliomas and their genetic and clinical heterogeneity present a major challenge in their diagnosis and treatment. Development of targeted therapy brought attention on detecting novel gene fusions, since they represent promising therapeutic targets (eg, TRK inhibitors in NTRK fusion-positive tumors). Using targeted next-generation sequencing, we prospectively analyzed 205 primary brain tumors and detected a novel PTPRZ1-ETV1 fusion transcript in 11 of 191 (5.

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Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a benign, expansile, multiloculated and blood-filled cystic lesion most commonly involving bones. We report herein the case of a 78-year-old woman with a dermal ABC located in the skin of the right foot. Histologically, the lesion displayed characteristic features of ABC, including blood-filled cystic spaces lined by loose connective tissue, admixed with solid areas composed of spindle cells and osteoclast-like giant cells, associated with foci of woven bone formation and matrix calcification ("blue bone" formation).

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