Diagnosing molecular subtypes of breast cancer by means of Raman spectroscopy.

Objectives: Raman spectroscopy has been used to discriminate human breast cancer and its different tumor molecular subtypes (luminal A, luminal B, HER2, and triple-negative) from normal tissue in surgical specimens.

Materials And Methods: Breast cancer and normal tissue samples from 31 patients were obtained by surgical resection and submitted for histopathology. Before anatomopathological processing, the samples had been submitted to Raman spectroscopy (830 nm, 25 mW excitation laser parameters).

Assessment of HER-2 status in invasive breast cancer in Brazil.

Objective: To characterize the frequency of HER-2-positive breast cancer in Brazil.

Method: In this prospective observational study, we first ascertained the HER-2 status of invasive breast cancer specimens by automated immunohistochemistry (IHC). For specimens classified as 2+ by IHC, we performed in situ hybridization (ISH).

The use of mesenchymal stem cells in bladder augmentation.

Purpose: To compare integration of bladder acellular matrix (BAM) with the bladder when seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and when MSC are injected intravenously (IV).

Methods: MSCs were isolated from bone marrow of EPM-1 Wistar male rats. Female rats were distributed into: Group A-BAM augmentation; Group B-BAM augmentation and MSCs IV administered; Group C-BAM-MSC seeded augmentation.

Integration of collagen matrices into the urethra when implanted as onlay graft.

Objective: To assess the integration of decellularized heterologous collagen matrices into the urethra, when implanted with no cells or when seeded with autologous smooth muscle cells.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to two groups: Group I (n = 9) - animals undergoing urethral segment resection with interposition of a patch of heterologous collagen matrix seeded with autologous smooth muscle cells; Group II (n = 9) - animals undergoing resection of a urethral segment with interposition of a decellularized heterologous collagen matrix patch. Two animals from each group were sacrificed on postoperative days seven, fourteen and twenty-eight; three animals from each group were sacrificed at the end of three postoperative months.

Low prevalence of HPV in Brazilian children with retinoblastoma.

Retinoblastoma is the most frequent intra-ocular malignant tumor of the childhood, occurring in 1 of 18,000-30,000 live births. Little is known about the causes of sporadic retinoblastoma and only a few authors have investigated the etiologic role of human papillomavirus (HPV), with controversial results. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks containing retinoblastoma were retrieved from the archives of the Department of Pathology at Hospital A C Camargo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Trilateral retinoblastoma.

Background: Trilateral retinoblastoma (TRB) is a syndrome consisting of unilateral or bilateral hereditary retinoblastoma (Rb) associated with an intracranial neuroblastic tumor. Although its incidence is low, the prognosis is very poor. This article reports four cases of TRB and discusses the role of neuroimaging screening for early detection.

[Immunoexpression of c-erbB-2 in intraductal proliferative lesions of the female breast].

Objectives: Genetic modifications are related to genesis and development of cancer. Neoplasias in various organs express the c-erbB-2 oncogene. In intraductal proliferations of the breast it has been assessed as a risk factor for subsequent development of carcinoma.