Node Lesions Research Articles

PET/CT imaging fibroblast activation protein in initial colorectal cancer: compared to 18 F-FDG PET/CT.

In this study, the potential advantage of FAPI over 18 F-labelled deoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) in evaluation of the initial staging colorectal cancer (CRC) was investigated. Thirty-two patients with histopathologically confirmed primary CRC were included in our study. They all underwent both 18 F-FDG and FAPI PET/CT. Lesion detectability and tracer uptakes, mainly quantified by maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and target-to-background ratio (TBR), were compared for paired lesions between both modalities using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t-test. Thirty-five CRC lesions in 32 patients were diagnosed. The sensitivity of FAPI PET/CT in diagnosis of the CRC lesions was 100% while 93.8% of 18 F-FDG PET/CT. FAPI and 18 F-FDG had a similar uptake in CRC lesion (mean SUVmax: 14.3 ± 8.6 vs. 15.4 ± 9.8, P = 0.604), but lesions contained mucus and/or signet-ring cell carcinoma seemed to have a trend of higher FAPI uptake although there was no statistical difference (mean SUVmax: 12.7 ± 5.6 vs. 8.5 ± 4.1, P = 0.152) and higher TBR (13.4 ± 6.2 vs. 4.9 ± 2.2, P = 0.004) than those of 18 F-FDG. For regional lymph node metastases, both FAPI and FDG PET/CTs showed high sensitivity (7/8 vs. 7/8), specificity (7/8 vs. 6/8) and accuracy (14/16 vs. 13/16) (all P > 0.05). For distant metastasis, FAPI PET/CT depicted more positive lesions in distant lymph node (46 vs. 26), liver (13 vs. 7) and peritoneum (107 vs. 45) than 18 F-FDG PET/CT. FAPI PET/CT also had a higher peritoneal cancer index score (median 11 vs 4; P < 0.001) than 18 F-FDG PET/CT in evaluation of peritoneal metastases. FAPI PET/CT showed high sensitivity in detection of primary CRC and superiority to 18 F-FDG PET/CT in detection of metastases to distant lymph node, liver and peritoneum.

Anaplastic Large Cell Transformation of Mycosis Fungoides: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

We report a 48-year-old man with CD30+ large cell transformation of mycosis fungoides (tMF) with distinctive anaplastic morphology. The patient initially presented with folliculotropic and syringotropic mycosis fungoides (MF) manifested as occipital scalp plaque and trunk and extremities patches. Six years later, he progressed to the tumor stage from his scalp lesion and developed cervical lymphadenopathy. Lymph node and scalp biopsies showed diffuse infiltration of CD30+ anaplastic cells with multinucleated, hallmark-like, Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg-like, histiocytoid forms, indistinguishable from anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). T-cell receptor gamma gene (TCRg) rearrangement studies revealed identical clones in the initial MF scalp lesion and nodal anaplastic lesion, confirming the transformation. Ancillary studies showed absence of IRF4/DUSP22 and ALK rearrangements and positive RB1, SMARCA4, SOCS1, and TP53 mutations. The patient achieved partial response with systemic chemotherapy. Our case is an example of tMF presenting as the morphology and phenotype of ALCL. Because clinical behavior and therapeutic options of tMF and primary cutaneous ALCL may be different, it is clinically relevant to differentiate these 2 entities. The proof of clonal relationship may be useful in diagnostically challenging cases with features overlapping between tMF and primary cutaneous ALCL.

Prediction of Response to 177Lu-PSMA Therapy Based on Tumor-to-Kidney Ratio on Pretherapeutic PSMA PET/CT and Posttherapeutic Tumor-Dose Evaluation in mCRPC.

The aim of this study was to analyze the absorbed dose of 177Lu-PSMA in osseous versus lymphatic metastases in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer across therapy cycles and to relate those data to therapeutic success. In addition, pretherapeutic prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT was evaluated for its ability to predict response behavior. Methods: The study comprised 30 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, each receiving at least 3 cycles of 177Lu-PSMA therapy. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values between baseline and 6 wk after the third therapy cycle were used to classify the patients as responders (PSA decline ≥ 50%) or nonresponders (unchanged or increasing PSA level). Quantitative SPECT/CT images were acquired 24, 48, and 168 h after application of 177Lu-PSMA. The absorbed dose for tumor lesions was calculated with dosimetry software. From the pretherapeutic PET/CT scan, the tumor-to-kidney uptake ratio was determined for different SUVs. Results: Regardless of patient response, the kidneys received a mean dose of 0.55 ± 0.20 Gy/GBq per cycle. In the first therapy cycle, the lymph node lesions received a mean dose of 3.73 ± 1.65 Gy/GBq in responders and 1.86 ± 1.25 Gy/GBq in nonresponders (P < 0.01). For bone lesions, the respective mean doses were 3.47 ± 2.00 Gy/GBq and 1.48 ± 0.95 Gy/GBq (P < 0.01). When successive therapy cycles were compared, the mean dose was found to have been reduced from the first to the second cycle by 27% for lymph nodes and by 33% for bone lesions. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the ratio of lymph node and bone lesion uptake to kidney uptake between responders and nonresponders could be deduced from the pretherapeutic PET/CT scan. Conclusion: Significantly higher doses were achieved for lymph node and bone lesions in responders. The highest absorbed dose, for both lymphatic and osseous lesions, was achieved in the first cycle, decreasing in the second therapy cycle thereafter despite unchanged therapy activities. It may be possible to estimate the response to therapy from the ratio of tumor uptake to kidney uptake obtained from the pretherapeutic PSMA PET/CT scans.

Diagnostic role of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in abdominal lymphadenopathy of unknown etiology.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is an established method for the evaluation of abdominal organ lesions. However, there are few studies on EUS-FNA for abdominal lymph node (LN) lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of EUS-FNA in isolated abdominal lymphadenopathy (LAP). A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with isolated abdominal LAP who underwent a EUS-FNA examination. The diagnosis was made based on cytology, histology, and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies. The area under curve (AUC) value, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were calculated. A total of 99 patients were included in this study. The final diagnoses were metastatic tumor (n = 32), lymphoma (n = 32), tuberculosis (n = 17), sarcoidosis (n = 5), castleman's disease (n = 1), and reactive LAP (n = 12). The AUC value, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of EUS-FNA in the diagnosis of malignant LAP were 0.9531, 90.6, 100, 100, 85.4, and 93.9%, respectively. For the diagnosis of lymphoma, the accuracy of EUS-FNA combined with IHC staining was 94.9%. Retroperitoneal LN enlargement is more commonly associated with lymphoma, while hepatic hilar LN enlargement predominantly suggests benign conditions or metastatic tumors. Malignant lymph nodes are more likely to be regular border, circular/quasi-circular, and fusion. Lymphomas are more likely to present with fusion and heterogeneous echogenicity than metastatic tumors. EUS-FNA is a safe and effective method to diagnose isolated abdominal LAP.

A Case of Bing-Neel Syndrome Presenting Like Giant Cell Arteritis.

A 55-year-old woman presented with new-onset headache, scalp tenderness, shoulder arthralgias, night sweats, and loss of appetite. She was diagnosed with giant cell arteritis by her primary care physician and commenced on oral corticosteroids. However, her headache, scalp tenderness, and night sweats persisted. She then developed right Horner syndrome and trigeminal hypoesthesia. Extensive blood work-up revealed mildly elevated inflammatory markers and a paraproteinemia. Subsequent bone marrow biopsy showed lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, with 10% of hemopoiesis, and staging led to the diagnosis of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia without nodal or central nervous system (CNS) lesions. Immunohistochemical staining of a temporal artery biopsy showed perivascular lymphoplasmacytic cells and paraprotein deposits. She was diagnosed with CNS involvement of her macroglobulinemia-Bing-Neel syndrome (BNS). Identification of rare CNS involvement of lymphoma is challenging when a patient is already on steroid immunosuppression. In the absence of clear diagnostic criteria, the rare and heterogenous BNS remains a clinical diagnosis.

Comparison of the pathological outcome and disease progression of two Mycobacterium caprae experimental challenge models in goats: endobronchial inoculation vs. intranasal nebulization.

Goats are natural hosts of tuberculosis (TB) and are a valid animal model to test new vaccines and treatments to control this disease. In this study, a new experimental model of TB in goats based on the intranasal nebulization of Mycobacterium caprae was assessed in comparison with the endobronchial route of infection. Fourteen animals were divided into two groups of seven and challenged through the endobronchial (EB) and intranasal (IN) routes, respectively. Clinical signs, rectal temperature, body weight, and immunological responses from blood samples were followed up throughout the experiment. All goats were euthanized at 9 weeks post-challenge. Gross pathological examination, analysis of lung lesions using computed tomography, and bacterial load quantification in pulmonary lymph nodes (LNs) by qPCR were carried out. The IN-challenged group showed a slower progression of the infection: delayed clinical signs (body weight gain reduction, peak of temperature, and apparition of other TB signs) and delayed immunological responses (IFN-γ peak response and seroconversion). At the end of the experiment, the IN group also showed significantly lower severity and dissemination of lung lesions, lower mycobacterial DNA load and volume of lesions in pulmonary LN, and higher involvement of the nasopharyngeal cavity and volume of the lesions in the retropharyngeal LN. The results indicated that the IN challenge with M. caprae induced pathological features of natural TB in the lungs, respiratory LN, and extrapulmonary organs but extremely exaggerating the nasopharyngeal TB pathological features. On the other hand, the EB route oversized and accelerated the pulmonary TB lesion progression. Our results highlight the need to refine the inoculation routes in the interest of faithfully reproducing the natural TB infection when evaluating new vaccines or treatments against the disease.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin after cardiac transplantation: a clinical case

Background. Solid organ transplantation recipients have a high risk of non-melanoma skin tumors. Patients after heart transplantation are prone to a higher incidence of malignant skin tumors due to intensive immunosuppressive therapy. The most common histological type is squamous cell carcinoma, followed by basal cell carcinoma. These tumors have a more aggressive clinical course, including the frequency of recurrence and metastasis, and a tendency to multifocal lesions.&#x0D; Materials and methods. We present a clinical case of primary multiple squamous cell carcinoma with metastatic lesions of regional lymph nodes in a patient after heart transplantation.&#x0D; Results. A 67-year-old patient underwent an orthotopic heart transplant in September 2018 for ischemic cardiomyopathy. Subsequently, triple immunosuppressive therapy was administered, including tacrolimus combined with mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone. In May 2022, a solid tumor with ulceration occurred on the skin of the right scapular region. After some time, similar tumors appeared on the skin of the temporal region on the left, the posterior surface of the auricle and the parietal region on the left. The patient later found a solid, painless tumor on the left jaw angle. As a part of the examination in the oncology dispensary, a biopsy of the scapular skin tumor, scrapings from tumors, and aspiration biopsy of the submandibular lymph nodes were performed. Histological and cytological studies of all neoplasms showed squamous cell keratinizing cancer with metastases to the submandibular lymph nodes. Additional examination methods showed no signs of progression. The diagnosis was made: primary multiple synchronous skin cancer: right scapular area, stage III, cT3N0M0; left parietal area, stage II, cT2N0M0; occipital area, stage I, cT1N0M0; left auricle, stage IV, cT1N2M0. Considering the localization of tumors, surgical treatment was performed, including of excision of tumors in the scapular and parietal regions. Radiation therapy was performed on lymph nodes with metastases. After 6 months, a tumor recurrence was detected in the irradiation area.&#x0D; Conclusion. After heart transplantation, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is common. Usually, it affects the scalp and neck with metastases to the regional lymph nodes and is prone to recurrence. The primary treatment method is surgical and radiation therapy.

Clinical and morphological features in patients with advanced endometrial cancer treated with immunotargeting therapy

Background. Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most significant oncogynecological problems. The main mortality cause in this disease, as in the case of other malignant neoplasms, is the tumor progression. The presence of mutations associated with mismatch repair-deficient is of great prognostic importance. Immunotargeting therapy (ITT), lenvatinib in combination with pembrolizumab, seems to be the most effective solution in the second line treatment of advanced EC without microsatellite instability. At the same time, the group of such patients is heterogeneous in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) on ITT. So that it determines the continuing need to search for reliable parameters steadily associated with the PFS duration in this type of treatment.Aim. To analyze the clinical and morphological features in patients with advanced EC depending on the PFS duration on ITT. Materials and methods. The study included data on patients (n = 36) with advanced EC who received ITT in oncological dispensaries in Siberia and the Russian Far East. The overall patients’ group was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. PFS was defined as the time from the ITT initiation until progression or death against the background of treatment. The influence of the selected factors (clinical and morphological parameters, treatment features, and adverse events) on PFS was assessed using a log-rank criterion. The study participants were then divided into 2 subgroups (15 women and 9 women) according to median PFS. Mann–Whitney tests for independent samples (quantitative measures), and Fisher’s tests (qualitative measures) were used to identify significant differences in comparison subgroups for the selected factors. Differences were considered statistically significant when the significance level was reached (p &lt;0.05); data at the statistical trend level (p &lt;0.10) were also discussed.Results. In the study group, median PFS on ITT was 9.7 months (cut-off point), which was accepted as a response criterion. Among the 74 parameters reflecting clinical and morphological features in patients with advanced EC, metastatic lesions of pelvic lymph nodes (p = 0.028), para-aortic lymph nodes (p = 0.014), bone metastases (p = 0.080), and degree of estrogen receptor expression in tumor cells (p = 0.071) were associated with PFS. Partial regression as the maximal response to ITT (62.5 % vs 7.14 %, p = 0.011), as well as longer duration of response (median PFS 15.11 ± 1.10 months vs 4.47 ± 0.57 months, p = 0.00007), and the absence of foci in the pelvic/para-aortic lymph nodes (89 % vs 50 %, p = 0.069, and 89 % vs 47 %, p = 0.048, respectively), were more frequently observed in patients with a duration of median PFS ≥9.7 months compared to those with progression before 9.7 months. Stabilization as the maximum response to ITT (78.6 % vs 37.5 %, p = 0.072) was more frequently registered in the subgroup of patients with progression up to 9.7 months.Conclusion. ITT can be considered as a potentially promising therapeutic option in advanced EC. Further research in this direction should be aimed at finding criteria to identify patients with EC who would have most benefit from this type of therapy more accurately.

Prognostic factors and clinical outcomes of breast cancer patients with disease progression during neoadjuvant systemic therapy

Disease progression during neoadjuvant systemic therapy for breast cancer indicates poor prognosis, while predictors of the clinical outcomes of these patients remain unclear. By comparing the clinical outcomes of patients with different patterns of salvage treatment strategies, we try to evaluate the factors predicting distant failure and explore the favourable treatment for them.Patients with disease progression during neoadjuvant systemic therapy for stage I-III breast cancer diagnosed between January 1, 2008 and July 31, 2021 in Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center were enrolled. Disease progression was defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions or the appearance of new breast or nodal lesions. Kaplan-Meier, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regressions were utilized to compare survival outcomes between different salvage treatment strategies.Among 3775 patients treated with NST, 60 (1.6%) patients encountered disease progression. A significant difference between the outcomes of patients receiving direct surgery and other salvage modalities was found (p = 0.007). Triple-negative breast cancer (p = 0.010) and not receiving direct surgery (p = 0.016) were independently associated with distant disease-free survival on multivariate analysis.Predictors of distant failure in patients with disease progression include triple-negative breast cancer and not receiving direct surgery. Direct surgery seems to be more favourable than other treatments for patients with disease progression. For inoperable patients, neoadjuvant radiation can increase their operability but not improve their prognosis.

Prediction of lymphoma response to CAR T cells by deep learning-based image analysis.

Clinical prognostic scoring systems have limited utility for predicting treatment outcomes in lymphomas. We therefore tested the feasibility of a deep-learning (DL)-based image analysis methodology on pre-treatment diagnostic computed tomography (dCT), low-dose CT (lCT), and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) images and rule-based reasoning to predict treatment response to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in B-cell lymphomas. Pre-treatment images of 770 lymph node lesions from 39 adult patients with B-cell lymphomas treated with CD19-directed CAR T-cells were analyzed. Transfer learning using a pre-trained neural network model, then retrained for a specific task, was used to predict lesion-level treatment responses from separate dCT, lCT, and FDG-PET images. Patient-level response analysis was performed by applying rule-based reasoning to lesion-level prediction results. Patient-level response prediction was also compared to prediction based on the international prognostic index (IPI) for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The average accuracy of lesion-level response prediction based on single whole dCT slice-based input was 0.82+0.05 with sensitivity 0.87+0.07, specificity 0.77+0.12, and AUC 0.91+0.03. Patient-level response prediction from dCT, using the "Majority 60%" rule, had accuracy 0.81, sensitivity 0.75, and specificity 0.88 using 12-month post-treatment patient response as the reference standard and outperformed response prediction based on IPI risk factors (accuracy 0.54, sensitivity 0.38, and specificity 0.61 (p = 0.046)). Prediction of treatment outcome in B-cell lymphomas from pre-treatment medical images using DL-based image analysis and rule-based reasoning is feasible. This approach can potentially provide clinically useful prognostic information for decision-making in advance of initiating CAR T-cell therapy.

A stepwise approach to fine needle aspiration cytology of lymph nodes.

The cytological diagnosis of lymph node lesions is extremely challenging because of the diverse diseases that cause lymph node enlargement, including both benign and malignant or metastatic lymphoid lesions. Furthermore, the cytological findings of different lesions often resemble one another. A stepwise diagnostic approach is essential for a comprehensive diagnosis that combines: clinical findings, including age, sex, site, multiplicity, and ultrasonography findings; low-power reactive, metastatic, and lymphoma patterns; high-power population patterns, including two populations of continuous range, small monotonous pattern and large monotonous pattern; and disease-specific diagnostic clues including granulomas and lymphoglandular granules. It is also important to remember the histological features of each diagnostic category that are common in lymph node cytology and to compare them with cytological findings. It is also essential to identify a few categories of diagnostic pitfalls that often resemble lymphomas and easily lead to misdiagnosis, particularly in malignant small round cell tumors, poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas, and nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma. Herein, we review a stepwise approach for fine needle aspiration cytology of lymphoid diseases and suggest a diagnostic algorithm that uses this approach and the Sydney classification system.

Clinico-Cytological Spectrum of Lesions in Lymph Nodes of Patients at a Tertiary Care Centre

Clinico-Cytological Spectrum of Lesions in Lymph Nodes of Patients at a Tertiary Care Centre

Fibroblast Activation Protein and Glycolysis in Lymphoma Diagnosis: Comparison of 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Our objective was to compare the diagnostic performance of 68Ga-labeled fibroblast activation protein (FAP) inhibitor (FAPI) and 18F-labeled FDG PET/CT in diagnosing lymphomas and to characterize the influence of FAP and glycolytic markers on tracer uptake by involved lesions. Methods: Participants with different lymphoma subtypes who were prospectively recruited from May 2020 to December 2021 underwent 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate FAP, hexokinase 2, and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression, and the paired-samples t test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to compare parameters. The correlation between the immunochemistry results and tracer uptake was determined by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: In total, 186 participants (median age, 52 y [interquartile range, 41-64 y]; 95 women) were included. Dual-tracer imaging produced 3 types of imaging profiles. 18F-FDG PET possessed a higher staging accuracy (98.4%) than 68Ga-FAPI PET (86.0%). In 5,980 lymphoma lesions, 18F-FDG PET/CT detected more nodal (4,624 vs. 2,196) and extranodal (1,304 vs. 845) lesions than 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT. Additionally, 52 68Ga-FAPI-positive/18F-FDG-negative lesions and 2,939 68Ga-FAPI-negative/18F-FDG-positive lesions were observed. In many lymphoma subtypes, semiquantitative evaluation revealed no significant differences in SUVmax or target-to-liver ratios between 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT (P > 0.05). Interestingly, GLUT1 and hexokinase 2 were overexpressed both in lymphoma cells and in the tumor microenvironment, whereas FAP was expressed only in stromal cells. FAP and GLUT1 expression correlated positively with 68Ga-FAPI SUVmax (r = 0.622, P = 0.001) and 18F-FDG SUVmax (r = 0.835, P < 0.001), respectively. Conclusion: 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT was inferior to 18F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing lymphomas with low FAP expression. However, the former may supplement the latter and help reveal the molecular profile of lymphomas.

Reversing vemurafenib-resistance in primary melanoma cells by combined romidepsin and type I IFN treatment through blocking of tumorigenic signals and induction of immunogenic effects.

BRAFV600 mutations are the most common oncogenic alterations in melanoma cells, supporting proliferation, invasion, metastasis and immune evasion. In patients, these aberrantly activated cellular pathways are inhibited by BRAFi whose potent antitumor effect and therapeutic potential are dampened by the development of resistance. Here, by using primary melanoma cell lines, generated from lymph node lesions of metastatic patients, we show that the combination of two FDA-approved drugs, the histone deacetylate inhibitor (HDCAi) romidepsin and the immunomodulatory agent IFN-α2b, reduces melanoma proliferation, long-term survival and invasiveness and overcomes acquired resistance to the BRAFi vemurafenib (VEM). Targeted resequencing revealed that each VEM-resistant melanoma cell line and the parental counterpart are characterized by a distinctive and similar genetic fingerprint, shaping the differential and specific antitumor modulation of MAPK/AKT pathways by combined drug treatment. By using RNA-sequencing and functional in vitro assays, we further report that romidepsin-IFN-α2b treatment restores epigenetically silenced immune signals, modulates MITF and AXL expression and induces both apoptosis and necroptosis in sensitive and VEM-resistant primary melanoma cells. Moreover, the immunogenic potential of drug-treated VEM-resistant melanoma cells results significantly enhanced, given the increased phagocytosis rate of these cells by dendritic cells, which in turn exhibit also a selective down-modulation of the immune checkpoint TIM-3. Overall, our results provide evidence that combined epigenetic-immune drugs can overcome VEM resistance of primary melanoma cells by oncogenic and immune pathways reprogramming, and pave the way for rapidly exploiting this combination to improve BRAFi-resistant metastatic melanoma treatment, also via reinforcement of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Evaluation of the Diagnostic Accuracy of FAPI PET/CT in Oncologic Studies: Systematic Review and Metaanalysis.

Fibroblast-activation protein is a promising target for oncologic molecular imaging. Studies show that fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) radiotracers are accurate diagnostics with favorable tumor-to-background ratios across various cancers. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and metaanalysis to assess the diagnostic performance of FAPI PET/CT in comparison with [18F]FDG PET/CT, the most widely used radiotracer in oncology. Methods: We conducted a systematic search in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, relevant trial registries, and bibliographies. The search consisted of combinations of terms for 3 topics: neoplasia, PET/CT, and FAPI. Two authors independently screened retrieved articles using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and extracted the data. Study quality was assessed using the criteria of QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2). For each study, the sensitivity, specificity, and 95% CIs were calculated to determine diagnostic accuracy for primary, nodal, and metastatic lesions. A random-effects metaanalysis was used for pooling the data, and heterogeneity was assessed (I2 index). Results: Thirty-nine studies (1,259 patients) investigating the use of FAPI PET/CT were included. On a patient-based analysis, pooled sensitivity was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-1.0) for the detection of primary lesions. Pooled sensitivity for nodal and distant metastases was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.81-0.96) and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.96-1.0), respectively. On a paired analysis between FAPI and [18F]FDG PET/CT, FAPI had a higher sensitivity in the detection of primary, nodal, and metastatic lesions (all P < 0.001). The differences in sensitivities between FAPI and [18F]FDG were statistically significant. In terms of heterogeneity, analyses on primary lesions were moderately affected, distant metastatic lesions were highly affected, and the nodal metastatic analyses had negligible heterogeneity. Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of FAPI PET/CT is superior to that of [18F]FDG in the detection of primary, nodal, and distant metastases. However, further studies are needed to better evaluate its utility and indication in specific cancer types and clinical settings.

The Genetic Diversity and Antimicrobial Resistance of Pyogenic Pathogens Isolated from Porcine Lymph Nodes

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, pork remains the most consumed meat in the world. Consequently, it is very important to ensure that it is of the highest microbiological quality. Many of the pathogens that cause lymph node lesions in pigs are zoonotic agents, and the most commonly isolated bacteria are Mycobacterium spp., Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Rhodococcus equi (synonymous with Prescottella equi). The prevention and treatment of zoonotic infections caused by these bacteria are mainly based on antimicrobials. However, an overuse of antimicrobials contributes to the emergence and high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant strains, which are becoming a serious challenge in many countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance of the Streptococcus spp. (n = 48), S. aureus (n = 5) and R. equi (n = 17) strains isolated from swine lymph nodes with and without lesions. All isolates of S. dysgalactiae, S. aureus and R. equi were subjected to PFGE analysis, which showed the genetic relatedness of the tested bacteria in the studied pig populations. Additionally, selected tetracycline and macrolide resistance genes in the streptococcal strains were also studied. The results obtained in the present study provide valuable data on the prevalence, diversity, and antimicrobial resistance of the studied bacteria. Numerous isolated bacterial Streptococcus spp. strains presented resistance to doxycycline, and almost half of them carried tetracycline resistance genes. In addition, R. equi and S. aureus bacteria presented a high level of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and to cefotaxime, respectively.

Value of needle confocal laser microendoscopy combined with endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lymph node lesions.

Endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy (EBUS) and needle confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) are techniques for screening benign and malignant lesions of the hilar and mediastinal lymph node (HMLN). This study investigated the diagnostic potential of EBUS, nCLE, and combined EBUS and nCLE in HMLN lesions. We recruited 107 patients with HMLN lesions who were examined by EBUS and nCLE. A pathological examination was performed, and the diagnostic potential of EBUS, nCLE, and combined EBUS-nCLE approach was analyzed according to the results. Among the 107 cases of HMLN lesions, 43 cases were benign and 64 cases were malignant on pathological examination, 41 cases were benign and 66 cases were malignant on EBUS examination; 42 cases were benign and 65 cases were malignant on nCLE examination; 43 cases were benign and 64 cases were malignant on combined EBUS-nCLE examination. The combination approach had 93.8% sensitivity, 90.7% specificity, and 0.922 area under the curve, which was higher than those of EBUS (84.4%, 72.1%, and 0.782, respectively) and nCLE diagnosis (90.6%, 83.7%, and 0.872, respectively). The combination approach had a higher positive predictive value (0.908), negative predictive value (0.881), and positive likelihood ratio (10.09) than that of EBUS (0.813, 0.721, and 3.03, respectively) and nCLE (0.892, 0.857, and 5.56, respectively), whereas, the negative likelihood ratio was lower than that for EBUS (0.22) and nCLE (0.11). No serious complications occurred in patients with HMLN lesions. To summarize, the diagnostic efficacy of nCLE was better than EBUS. The EBUS-nCLE combination is a suitable approach for diagnosing HMLN lesions.

Male breast cancer survival data and clinicopathological characteristics: A single-centre experience.

e18837 Background: Male breast cancer represents an uncommon entity accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancers. Although the understanding of biology, clinical presentation and management are evolving, a large knowledge gap still remains. Due to disease’s rarity, there is a significant paucity of data and most clinicians confront male cases by extrapolating from breast cancer in women. In this study we aim to report our institutional experience across a 17-year period about male breast cancer patients treated at the same centre. Methods: Clinical, histopathological, treatment and survival data of male breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2006 and 2022 at Second Department Medical Oncology in Saint Savvas Anticancer Hospital were identified and analyzed. Results: A total number of 24 male breast cancer patients were detected. The median age at diagnosis was 63 years. All participants had invasive ductal carcinoma. None of them presented with metastatic disease, while the majority had stage II disease (62,5%). All, except two cases, underwent mastectomy with either axillary or sentinel lymph node dissection. Regarding hormone receptors, 96% were ER positive and 25% were PR negative, while 79% were negative for HER-2 overexpression. As far as HER-2 low status is concerned, 42% (10 out of 24) were categorized as low expressors. From genetic point of view, data were available only for 9 cases, 2 of which were BRCA-2 mutant. Adjuvant chemotherapy (anthracycline and taxane based mainly) was administered in 75% (18 out of 24) of patients. At the time of last follow up (January 2023), only 5 participants presented disease progression, with metastatic lesions in bones, liver and lymph nodes. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 48 months. In our cohort 5 deaths were recorded and the median overall survival (OS) was 58,5 months. Conclusions: Male breast cancer is a unique entity that remains understudied. Our institutional data provide a useful overview about this rare disease in Greece. Ongoing effort is required to conduct clinical trials or to include male patients in large, randomized cohorts in order to improve medical care.

Extranodal involvement of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder detected on 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography

A 69-year-old man with a history of kidney transplantation presented with ring-enhancing lesions in the left frontal lobe, thalamus, and right insula (Figure 1a) on magnetic resonance imaging. He was hospitalized with a diagnosis of cytomegalovirus encephalitis and had taken anti-inflammatory therapy. Follow up imaging showed a decrease in lesion size in the left frontal lobe and thalamus; however, the right insular lesion increased in size and new ones were identified in the corpus callosum and periventricular white matter (Figure 1a). The tumor markers CA125, CYFRA21-1, CEA, PSA, and fPSA were all positive on blood testing. Because anti-inflammatory therapy was ineffective and malignant tumor could not be excluded on imaging alone, whole-body 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) was performed (Figure 1b). Body imaging showed multiple hypermetabolic nodular lesions in the thoracic and abdominal superficial soft tissue (maximum standardized uptake value, 13.06), which suggested malignancy. Head imaging showed decreased activity in the brain lesions. A diagnosis of lymphoma was suspected. Punch biopsy of a superficial soft tissue nodule was consistent with B cell-derived posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) (Figure 1c,d). Brain MRI, 18F-FDG PET, and histopathological findings in a 69-year-old male patient with posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. (a) Abnormal signals in T2-flair MRI images within 3 months (solid arrow). (b) 18F-FDG PET/CT images show multiple lesions in superficial soft tissue nodules with hypermetabolism and decreased FDG activity of intracranial lesions (solid arrow). (c) Immunohistochemical staining shows positive CD3. (d) Immunohistochemical staining shows enlarged B cells (solid arrow). 18F-FDG, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose; CT, computed tomography; PET, positron emission tomography. PTLD is a rare group of heterogeneous lymphoproliferative conditions that occur after solid organ or hematopoietic transplantation [1, 2]. With allograft transplantation, the anatomic site of PTLD involvement usually depends on the type of transplant [3]. Reported incidence rates of involvement of the central nervous system range between 10% and 15% [4, 5]. However, simultaneous involvement of the central nervous system [6] and superficial soft tissue [7] are rare. To date, only two cases of PTLD soft tissue nodules have been reported [4]. Characteristics of PTLD on magnetic resonance imaging are not specific; however, PTLD can be detected on 18F-FDG-PET with an overall sensitivity and specificity of approximately 90% [8, 9]. PTLD should be considered when multiple hypermetabolic superficial soft tissue nodules and central nervous system lesions are encountered in transplantation patients. Whole-body18F-FDG-PET/CT is more effective than single-site imaging for diagnosing or staging PTLD. Bojun Wang: Data curation (lead); Writing – original draft (lead). Tianbin Song: Conceptualization (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Chun Zhang: Conceptualization (equal); Supervision (equal). Jie Lu: Supervision (equal). Zhigang Liang: Supervision (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). We thank Dr. Lianghong Teng (Department of Pathology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China) who provided support of pathological picture of this case. All the authors declare that they have no conflict or potential conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the principles of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from the patient and his parents for the anonymous use of his clinical, imaging, and histologic data for publication. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Impact of macroscopic on-site evaluation on the diagnostic outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition is the preferred modality for diagnosing pancreatic lesions and mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes. Rapid on-site cytologic evaluation improves the diagnostic outcome of EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) but is unavailable at many centers. Alternatively, macroscopic on-site evaluation (MOSE) may improve the diagnostic outcome of EUS-FNA, but data are limited. Hence, the present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of MOSE in improving adequacy and accuracy. We retrospectively analyzed data of consecutive patients with pancreatic or lymph nodal lesions undergoing EUS-guided FNA at a tertiary care center from December 2020 to December 2022. The study's primary outcomes were adequacy and diagnostic accuracy of the EUS-guided tissue acquisition, with secondary analysis of predictors of adequacy and accuracy. Data from 124 patients (44.4% male, median age: 54 years) who underwent EUS-FNA were included in the present analysis. The presence of macroscopic visible core (MVC) on MOSE was reported in 93/124 (75%) cases. An adequate sample for histopathological or cytological examination was obtained in 110/124 (88.7%) cases, while the diagnostic accuracy was 85.5%. On multivariate analysis, the absence of MVC on MOSE was found to be the independent negative predictor of both adequacy (OR 0.092, 95% CI: 0.024-0.349) and accuracy (OR 0.175, 95% CI: 0.057-0.536). The presence of MVC on MOSE can be an indicator of specimen adequacy and can improve the diagnostic yield of EUS-FNA.