Decoding the Role of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 and Its Isoforms in Breast Cancer.

Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) is a crucial mitogenic factor with important functions in the mammary gland, mainly through its interaction with the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R). This interaction activates a complex signaling network that promotes cell proliferation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibits apoptosis. Despite extensive research, the precise molecular pathways and intracellular mechanisms activated by IGF-1, in cancer, remain poorly understood.

Colorectal cancer screening: Modalities and adherence.

In the last decade, several studies have explored various modalities and strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, taking into account epidemiological data, individual characteristics, and socioeconomic factors. In this editorial, we comment further on a retrospective study by Agatsuma published in the recent issue of the . Our focus is on screening trends, particularly in relation to efforts to improve the currently suboptimal uptake among the general population worldwide, aiming to enhance early diagnosis rates of CRC.

Anti-PEc: Development of a novel monoclonal antibody against prostate cancer.

Background: The Ec peptide (PEc) that defines the IGF-1Ec isoform, is associated with prostate cancer progression by inducing proliferation, metastases, and tumour repair. On these grounds, an anti-PEc monoclonal antibody (MAb) was developed. Our objective is to examine the effects of this antibody on prostate cancer and its possible side effects.

SPECT/CT SUV-based metrics: A promising diagnostic tool in classifying patients with suspected transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis among the different Perugini grades?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) standardized uptake value (SUV) metrics in classifying patients with suspected transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) among the different Perugini grades.

Subjects And Methods: One hundred four patients suspected of ATTR-CA underwent planar scintigraphy with bone seeking tracer (Tc pyrophosphate-PYP). Patients were classified according to the Perugini scale, the H/CL, H/Bone and H/Bkg ratios.

The impact of sentinel lymph node mapping with hybrid single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography in patients with melanoma. Comparison to planar radioisotopic lymphoscintigraphy.

We studied the diagnostic value of 16 slices of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) in the anatomical localization, image interpretation and extra-sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) detection compared to dynamic and static planar radioisotopic lymphoscintigraphy (PLS) in patients with melanoma. Eighty-two patients with melanoma underwent dynamic PLS, static PLS and SPECT/CT. Data were obtained using a dual head SPECT/CT 16 slices γ-camera.

Cellular, Molecular and Proteomic Characteristics of Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of primary liver cancers. Early detection/diagnosis is vital for the prognosis of HCC, whereas diagnosis at late stages is associated with very low survival rate. Early diagnosis is based on 6-month surveillance of the patient and the use of at least two imaging modalities.

The clinical utility of SPECT/CT hybrid imaging on bleeding Meckel's diverticulum in adults.

Technetium-99m pertechnetate planar scintigraphy is the procedure of choice to localize ectopic gastric mucosa. However, single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) provides precise landmarks and scintigraphic findings. We report a case of an adult patient with Meckel's diverticulum involving an atypical location, within the pelvic region, next to the right margin of the urinary bladder.

Clinical impact of targeted single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) bone scintigraphy on the assessment of bone metastasis in cancer patients.

Objectives: We investigated the clinical impact of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) bone scintigraphy combined with 16-slice CT on metastatic workup and treatment planning in a large cancer patient series.

Methods: Between January 2019 and January 2020, a total of 600 cancer patients were prospectively evaluated with whole-body planar bone scan (wbPBS) for staging or restaging purposes. 272/600 had equivocal lesions on wbPBS and 265/272 underwent additionally a targeted SPECT/CT bone scintigraphy on designated regions.

Is There Any Clinical Value of Adding 123I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine Myocardial Scintigraphy to 123I-Ioflupane (DaTscan) in the Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonism?

Purpose: The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of myocardial I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) in the diagnosis, clinical management, and differential diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) and non-PD parkinsonism.

Methods: The study enrolled 41 patients with parkinsonism. An initial diagnosis was reached after thorough clinical and imaging evaluation.

Pleuropericardial Cyst Mimicking a Metastasis of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma on Whole-Body Iodine-131 Scan: a Case Report.

Post-therapeutic whole-body scan (WBS) with I-131 has been widely used for the follow-up of patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Although the sensitivity of WBS with I-131 in detection of functioning thyroid tissues is high, its specificity is low. So, a further evaluation is required in cases of unexpected findings.

The role of kisspeptin system in cancer biology.

Kisspeptins are a family of neuropeptides that are known to be critical in puberty initiation and ovulation. Apart from that kisspeptin derived peptides (KPs) are also known for their antimetastatic activities in several malignancies. Herein we report recent evidence of the role of kisspeptins in cancer biology and we examine the prospective of targeting the kisspeptin pathways leading to a better prognosis in patients with malignant diseases.

Does lung perfusion scintigraphy continue to have a role in the clinical management of patients suspected of pulmonary embolism in the CT pulmonary angiography era?

Objective: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disorder with high mortality. A prompt diagnosis and treatment is essential for reducing the mortality rate. The purpose of the study is to evaluate if lung perfusion scintigraphy (LPS) continues to have a role in the clinical management of patients suspected of pulmonary embolism in the CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) era.

IL-6 is associated to IGF-1Ec upregulation and Ec peptide secretion, from prostate tumors.

Background: Ec peptide (PEc), resulting from the proteolytic cleavage of the IGF-1Ec isoform, is involved in prostate cancer progression and metastasis, whereas in muscle tissue, it is associated with the mobilization of satellite cells prior to repair. Our aim is to determine the physiological conditions associated to the IGF-1Ec upregulation and PEc secretion in prostate tumors, as well as, the effect of tumor PEc on tumor repair.

Methods: IGF-1 (mature and isoforms) expression was examined by qRT-PCR, both in prostate cancer cells co-incubated with cells of the immune response (IR) and in tumors.

Screening for Hepatopulmonary Syndrome in Cirrhotic Patients Using Technetium 99m-macroaggregated Albumin Perfusion Lung Scan (Tc-MAA): Diagnostic Approach and Clinical Correlations.

Background And Aims: The aims of this study were to prospectively screen cirrhotic patients with arterial blood gas test and albumin perfusion scan, identify those fulfilling the classic hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) criteria, correlate with clinical parameters, and evaluate the survival of patients with HPS compared with those without HPS in a genetically homogenous Cretan cirrhotic population.

Materials And Methods: Data on consecutive 102 patients within 1 year were collected and analyzed. All patients underwent a technetium 99m-macroaggregated albumin perfusion lung scan (Tc-MAA).

The role of the IGF-1 Ec in myoskeletal system and osteosarcoma pathophysiology.

Growth hormone (GH) regulated mainly liver-produced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a key molecule in embryonic & post embryonic development that is also involved in cancer biology. Herein we review new insights of the role of igf-1 gene products and of the IGF-1Ec isoform in muscle and bone development/repair and its role in osteosarcoma pathophysiology, underlying the possible role of the Ec peptide as a future therapeutic target.

The Benefits of Prone SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Reducing Both Artifact Defects and Patient Radiation Exposure.

Background: Prone imaging has been demonstrated to minimize diaphragmatic and breast tissue attenuation.

Objectives: To determine the role of prone imaging on the reduction of unnecessary rest perfusion studies and coronary angiographies performed, thus decreasing investigation time and radiation exposure.

Methods: We examined 139 patients, 120 with an inferior wall and 19 with an anterior wall perfusion defect that might represented attenuation artifact.

Oncogenic Role of the Ec Peptide of the IGF-1Ec Isoform in Prostate Cancer.

IGF-1 is one of the key molecules in cancer biology; however, little is known about the role of the preferential expression of the premature IGF-1 isoforms in prostate cancer. We have examined the role of the cleaved COO- terminal peptide (PEc) of the third IGF-1 isoform, IGF-1Ec, in prostate cancer. Our evidence suggests that endogenously produced PEc induces cellular proliferation in the human prostate cancer cells (PC-3) in vitro and in vivo, by activating the ERK1/2 pathway in an autocrine/paracrine manner.

Kisspeptin effect on endothelial monocyte activating polypeptide II (EMAP-II)-associated lymphocyte cell death and metastases in colorectal cancer patients.

Kisspeptin is an antimetastatic agent in some cancers that has also been associated with lymphoid cell apoptosis, a phenomenon favoring metastases. Our aim was to determine the association of kisspeptin with lymphocyte apoptosis and the presence of metastases in colorectal cancer patients. Blood was drawn from 69 colon cancer patients and 20 healthy volunteers.

Hybrid cardiac imaging: insights in the dilemma of the appropriate clinical management of patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Aim: To evaluate the potential of SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI)-computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) hybrid fusion imaging to improve the diagnostic performance of cardiac SPECT/MPI and CTCA alone in order to act as more accurate gate keeper to further investigation invasive or not.

Methods And Results: Twenty-five patients were subjected to SPECT/MPI and CTCA within a period of 1 month without any medical treatment modification. A fusion software package was used for cardiac SPECT-CTCA image fusion.

Colovesical fistula demonstrated on renal cortical scintigraphy.

A 70-year-old man with a history of weight loss, changes in bowel habits, and hematochezia had rectal adenocarcinoma. He was palliated with diverting colostomy, followed by radiochemotherapy. Bilateral hydronephrosis was found incidentally on lower abdominal CT scan.

Subdivision of molecularly-classified groups by new gene signatures in breast cancer patients.

Gene expression patterns as well as gene interactions are under investigation for their involvement in tumour heterogeneity. The molecular classification of breast cancer based on hormone receptor expression, grade and HER2 receptor levels, is indicative but not adequate enough to complete the prognostic data. The objectives of this study were to validate the prognostic value of 19 genes, solely, and as parts of classifiers (sets of genes), in breast cancer patients and to determine whether the expression of these genes and classifiers is correlated with breast cancer molecular classification.

Rare presentation of occult medullary carcinoma of the thyroid as a mediastinal mass.

Objective: To describe a rare case of occult (<1 cm in diameter) medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in a 45-year-old woman, presenting as an asymptomatic mediastinal mass.

Design: The diagnostic methodology included laboratory measurements of relevant biochemical and hormonal parameters including calcitonin (CT), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and chromogranin A, and imaging techniques including ultrasound (U/S), computed tomography (C/T), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radio labeled somatostatin analog ((111)In-DTPA-octreotide).

Results: Chest CT revealed a mediastinal mass measuring 5 cm in diameter abutting the right thyroid lobe.

Pelvic hypoplastic kidney in a patient with Williams-Beuren syndrome.

Renal and renovascular abnormalities constitute features of the Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS), one multisystem genetic disorder in childhood, caused by a microdeletion of chromosome 7. We report a 12 years old boy who was diagnosed with WBS and had an ectopic pelvic hypoplastic left kidney, detected by ultrasonography and renal scintigraphy. Dystopic hypoplastic kidney is an infrequent finding in patients with WBS and our report showed the importance of a complete clinical and laboratory study of renal function in WBS.

The role of scintigraphy in the evaluation of brain malignancies.

The gold standard for diagnosis of primary brain tumors is histopathological evaluation of the obtained tissue samples. Nevertheless, anatomical and functional imaging modalities have a determinative role in the precise localization and characterization of these lesions. In this review we focus on the clinical applications and future potentials of nuclear medicine procedures.