Thyroid nodules coexisting with either cystic or solid breast nodules: a new clue for this association between nodules coming from ultrasonography.

Background: Thyroid and breast nodules (BNs) are common, their prevalence varying based mainly on the population (including age, residence in area of different iodine availability) studied and methods used. The coincidence of thyroid and breast diseases remains controversial and the majority of the studies evaluate the association between breast cancer and thyroid disorders. Here we describe our experience of such association in a non-oncological series.

Thyroid function, autoimmunity and nodules in hematological malignancies.

Objective: Hematological malignancies encompass a large spectrum of disease entities whose treatment by chemo/radiotherapy could lead to thyroid complications. To the best of our knowledge, no study has simultaneously addressed thyroid function, autoimmunity and nodularity. Therefore, we decided to conduct one.

Annual increase in the frequency of papillary thyroid carcinoma as diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration at a cytology unit in Sicily.

Objective: An increased frequency of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been reported in the literature, including studies based on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).

Design: To substantiate our own ascertainment of such an increase, we retrieved all the diagnoses of ultrasound-guided FNAC which was performed on 11,389 patients referred for cytological evaluation of a single or dominant thyroid nodule from 1988 to 2010. FNAC yielded 11,258 adequate specimens.

Increased annual frequency of Hashimoto's thyroiditis between years 1988 and 2007 at a cytological unit of Sicily.

Like other auto-immune diseases, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) results from the interaction of genetic with environmental factors. Only few studies have evaluated the year-to-year change in frequency of HT over a wide period of time. The endocrine division of our Hospital has reported a great increase in the annual frequency of HT between 1975 and 2005, and a progressive decrease in both age at presentation and female to male (F/M) ratio starting in the mid-1990s.

Thyroid metastasis of clear cell renal carcinoma: Report of a case.

Renal cell carcinoma can recur many years after diagnosis and nephrectomy metastasizing even in uncommon sites, including thyroid gland. Thyroid metastases are extremely rare, the most frequent site of origin are renal tumors. Metastases in thyroid gland appear as painless nodules or masses, "cold" at scintiscan.

Radiofrequency-assisted liver resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis: preliminary results.

Radiofrequency (RF)-assisted liver resection has been shown to allow virtually bloodless procedures without the need for vascular exclusion maneuvers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of RF-assisted liver resection in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and, moreover, to assess whether the RF-assisted procedure influenced the outcomes in terms of morbidity and mortality. This retrospective study included 39 cirrhotic patients who underwent RF-assisted liver resection for HCC between September 2001 and March 2006.

Radiofrequency-assisted liver resection in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Radio-frequency-assisted liver resection has been shown to allow virtually bloodless procedures without the need for vascular exclusion manoeuvres. Our primary end-point was to evaluate safety and feasibility of RF-assisted liver resection in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Our second end-point was to assess whether the RF-assisted procedure influence the outcome in terms of morbidity and mortality.

Oral vinorelbine as first line chemotherapy in unfit elderly patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is a rapidly progressive disease which produces considerable morbidity and involves mostly men over 70, often comorbid and with poor tolerance to chemotherapy. Low-toxicity chemotherapy is a reasonable option in this setting. Vinorelbine and a corticosteroid show activity and clinical benefit responses in HRPC.

Occult hepatitis B virus in liver tissue of individuals without hepatic disease.

Background/aims: While many data are available concerning occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients with hepatic disorders, there is little information about this cryptic infection in individuals without liver disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of occult HBV in the general population by examining liver specimens from a large series of HBV-surface-antigen negative individuals with no clinical and biochemical evidence of liver disease.

Methods: The presence of HBV DNA was evaluated by testing, through polymerase chain reaction techniques, DNA extracts from 98 liver-disease-free individuals who underwent liver resection or needle biopsy during abdominal surgery.

Ultrasound-guided radiofrequency-assisted segmental arterioportal vascular occlusion in laparoscopic segmental liver resection.

Background: Studies have shown laparoscopic liver resection to be feasible and safe. Segmental hepatectomy is appealing because it allows a reduction of intraoperative blood loss and blood replacement by dividing tissues along the anatomic planes. However, an effective technique that allows the closure of segmental vessels during systematic segmentectomies before resection still is lacking in laparoscopic surgery.

Low utility of plasma Nociceptin/orphanin FQ in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: The utility of serum alpha-fetoprotein (alpha-FP) in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is questionable. Very high circulating levels of nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), a ligand for a novel opioid receptor, have recently been reported in HCC. The aim of this study was to assess the role of plasma N/OFQ in the diagnosis of HCC arising in patients with liver cirrhosis.

[Percutaneous radio frequency thermal ablation of non-resectable lung cancer: state of the art].

Background: Unfortunately, as of yet, most lung cancers are not operable as soon as diagnosis is available; in these situations chemo- and radio-therapy still play a key role, albeit palliative, improving survival rate moderately, but are not lacking in toxic effects, especially in case of concurrent pathology, reduced cardio-respiratory functionality or being advanced in years. Therefore thermal ablation mini-invasive techniques, already employed as ancillary treatments of hepatic cancer or in place of surgery, have been performed for these pathologies.

Aim: Aim of this work is to define the current state of the art for Radio-Frequency Ablation (RFA) to be performed on non-resectable lung cancer, also by means of a thorough review of international literature, from which to infer purposes, suggestions, methodologies, effectiveness, safety, complications and achievements, also in terms of the possible improvement of life quality and/or survival expectancy.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection is associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection frequently occurs in patients with HBV surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative chronic liver disease, and much evidence suggests that it is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. However, to the authors' knowledge, no follow-up study has been performed to date evaluating HCC occurrence over time in chronic hepatitis patients with or without occult HBV infection.

Methods: A cohort of the 380 HBsAg-negative chronic hepatitis patients attending the study institution between 1991-2000 were evaluated and tested for occult HBV DNA by analysis of liver biopsy specimens.

The possible role of radiofrequency as complementary treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer.

Aim: The prognosis of locally advanced gastric cancer (T3-T4) is bad. The presence of lymph nodes (N3-N4) or haematogenous metastases (liver, lung) gets worse the evolution; principally the hepatic malignancies are cause of scarce survival. The possible use of a palliative treatment as radiofrequency ablation (the good results are note about the treatment of hepatic malignancies by colo-rectal cancer) is reported in recent series.

Is weekly docetaxel an active and gentle chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer?

Background: Docetaxel is a very active drug against breast cancer, but at the standard dose causes severe myelosuppression. In order to reduce the toxicity while maintaining the activity, weekly docetaxel administration was tested.

Patients And Methods: We enrolled 30 patients with metastatic breast cancer, who had been treated with intravenous infusion of weekly docetaxel 35 mg/m2 in 100 ml of normal saline over 30 minutes for six weeks, followed by two weeks' rest from docetaxel therapy (one cycle).

The role of ultrasound-guided aspiration biopsy of peripheral pulmonary nodules: our experience.

Background: Peripheral lung lesions are difficult to diagnose with conventional methods: ultrasound-guided aspiration biopsy is an interesting prospect having been reported to have good sensitivity and specificity.

Patients And Methods: From January 1991 to August 2001 we investigated, in 268 patients, the role of ultrasound-guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration for cytological diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions. Nodule sizes ranged from 1 to 10 cm.

[Radiofrequency ablation in primary and secondary liver tumors].

The authors report the preliminary results of a new treatment for primary and secondary hepatic malignancies called radiofrequency ablation. Seven patients undergoing the new radiofrequency ablation procedure (4 M and 3 F; mean age 62 years) were studied. The 3 female patients were suffering from breast cancer metastases (1 case), left colon cancer metastases to the first hepatic segment with caval and portal compression (1 case), and metastases to the eighth hepatic segment from an operated left colon cancer (1 case).

[New perspectives in the treatment of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer: radiofrequency thermal ablation].

Preliminary results of new treatment of metastatic hepatic malignancies from colo-rectal cancer, the radiofrequency ablation (RFA), are reported. The method is limited by few cases treated and short follow-up but it opens new perspectives in metasurgical treatment of these lesions as regards the previous experiences based on wide numbers of patients, recently reported in the literature.

Intralesional sonographically guided injections of lymphokine-activated killer cells and recombinant interleukin-2 for the treatment of liver tumors: a pilot study.

Primary and metastatic liver cancers have a poor prognosis. At present, sonographically guided alcohol injection results in a partial reduction of cancer masses even if severe toxic effects (including pain and bleeding) are always present. For these reasons, a pilot study was started to evaluate the feasibility of an intralesional adoptive immunotherapeutic approach, using lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2).

Cytotoxic effects of high energy shock waves on cancer cells linked to metallic beads vehicled by monoclonal antibodies.

Previous studies have reported that high energy shock waves (HESW), generated by an electrohydraulic lithotriptor, may have some utility as a cancer treatment modality. Furthermore, it has been described that shock waves propagating in a fluid, show demolitive effects at the level of the interface of a solid fragment immersed in the fluid. In this study, we demonstrate that it is possible to enhance the antineoplastic effects of HESW if treated cells or tissues are linked to monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) conjugated with metallic beads (MB) (about 1 mu of diameter) and specific for a cancer cell surface determinant.