Postoperative Pathological Analysis Research Articles

Gallbladder Burkitt's Lymphoma: A Literature Review Including a Case Report in a Child Living with HIV.

Malignant lymphoma is an unusual form of gallbladder neoplasm. Almost all these tumors are diffuse large B-cell lymphomas or mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-type lymphomas. Herein, we present a literature review of gallbladder Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cases that includes also an unpublished case in an HIV-infected child, observed by our center. The patient (a five-year-old black female child) attended the Federal Hospital of Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, underwent cholecystectomy, and the postoperative pathological analysis of the gallbladder revealed a diagnosis of BL (EBV-positive). Also, HIV serology was performed and returned positive. She was transferred to the Martagão Gesteira Institute of Pediatrics and Childcare for oncological treatment, dying from sepsis and disease progression about 18 months later. The patient did not undergo ART/cART. Previous cases of gallbladder BL were herein described and analyzed to characterize the clinicopathological features and possible similarities. BL can occur in the gallbladder both in the context of HIV infection and in the pediatric population. A biopsy is mandatory in cases with suggestive findings of lymphoma, and an early diagnosis can change the course of the disease. Furthermore, the case highlights the importance of an early initiation of ART/cART in people living with HIV (PLWH), especially in children.

Report of a giant invasive, wall-penetrating cardiac lipoma

BackgroundCardiac lipoma, a seldom-encountered benign tumor positioned beneath the endocardium, has the potential to impair electrophysiological functions. Diagnosis is principally based on imaging modalities. The uniqueness of this case lies in the tumor’s extension both internally and externally within the right atrium, rendering it of special interest. From a clinical standpoint, surgical removal is commonly advocated, wherein early intervention is pivotal in improving patients’ long-term prognoses.Case presentationA 35-year-old male was admitted to the hospital for treatment subsequent to the identification of a cardiac mass two days prior. Initial diagnostic assessments, encompassing CT scans and echocardiography, identified a space-occupying lesion within the heart. The patient underwent surgical excision of the cardiac tumor, utilizing mild hypothermic extracorporeal circulation via femoral vessel access. Intraoperative findings revealed adipose-like tissue of a “dumbbell-shaped” configuration situated both within and external to the right atrium, measuring approximately 8 cm*9 cm internally and 7 cm*6 cm externally, with the extracardiac mass being marginally larger. Postoperative pathological analysis confirmed a cardiac lipoma diagnosis. A follow-up echocardiogram conducted three months post-surgery exhibited no notable abnormalities. The patient is under continuous observation to monitor for any recurrence or potential long-term complications.ConclusionIn this case report, we detail with precision a rare cardiac pathology manifested by an expansive infiltrative lipoma that pervades the endocardial and epicardial layers of the right atrium. After thorough preoperative diagnostic workup and evaluation, we contend that surgical intervention represents the optimal therapeutic approach for managing such conditions, with the goal of preemptively reducing the likelihood of cardiac compression or intracardiac obstruction.

A case of neoadjuvant targeted therapy with pralsetinib for locally advanced lung adenocarcinoma with RET fusion mutation

This case report details the successful treatment of a 68-year-old male patient with locally advanced RET-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma using neoadjuvant pralsetinib. The patient initially presented with a suspicious right upper lobe nodule, which was later diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma following genetic testing that revealed a RET exon 12 fusion. After 2 months of neoadjuvant treatment with pralsetinib, a significant radiological response was observed, with a reduction in tumor size and metabolic activity. Subsequently, the patient underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic right upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. Postoperative pathological analysis revealed a major pathological response, with only 5% residual tumor cells in the primary lesion and no viable tumor cells in the lymph nodes. Postoperative pathological staging of TNM was ypT1aN0M0, stage IA1(AJCC, 8th edition). The patient recovered well after surgery, demonstrating the potential efficacy of neoadjuvant pralsetinib in locally advanced RET-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma. However, further clinical validation is required to establish the role of neoadjuvant targeted therapy and postoperative adjuvant therapy in this patient population.

Incidental discovery of unilateral hydronephrosis unveiling psoas major desmoid-type fibromatosis in a 24-year-old male: A case report with a 5-year follow-up.

Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF), also known as aggressive fibromatosis, is a rare neoplasm originating from the fascial or musculoaponeurotic tissues. While benign and characterized by slow growth, it exhibits local aggressiveness and lacks specific clinical characteristics. However, in a considerable percentage of patients, it could be asymptomatic and discovered by accident during routine clinical examinations. Only a few cases of DTF arising from the psoas major muscle have been reported in the medical literature. A 24-year-old male, asymptomatic and without significant personal or family medical history, was diagnosed with grade 2 hydronephrosis by abdominal ultrasonography during a routine physical examination. This diagnosis was made 15 days after undergoing uncomplicated open-heart surgery to repair an atrial septal defect. Intravenous pyelogram revealed hydronephrosis with dilation of the pelvicalyceal system. Ureteroscopy ruled out any intrinsic lesions of the ureter. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography identified a 3.5 × 2 × 5.2 cm mass in the retroperitoneum, closely associated with the psoas muscle and enveloping the ureter adjacent to the iliac artery. Postoperative pathological analysis confirmed a definitive diagnosis of sporadic DTF. The patient underwent exploratory abdominal surgery, during which the tumor was resected without any intraoperative complications. After close monitoring over a 5-year follow-up period, which included periodic physical examinations, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography, no local recurrence was detected. Achieving an accurate preoperative diagnosis presents a challenge in cases involving retroperitoneal tumors originating from the psoas major muscle and encasing the ureter. However, the insertion of a double J stent is deemed a crucial step in the surgical process, facilitating the dissection and isolation of the ureter from the tumor while preserving kidney function.

A new, potential and safe neoadjuvant therapy strategy in epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive resectable non-small-cell lung cancer-targeted therapy: a retrospective study.

Studies of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been conducted. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the benefits of osimertinib as neoadjuvant therapy for resectable EGFR-mutated NSCLC. This retrospective study evaluated patients with EGFR mutations in exon 19 or 21 who received targeted therapy with osimertinib (80 mg per day) before surgery between January 2019 and October 2023 in Henan Cancer Hospital. Twenty patients were evaluated, all of whom underwent surgery. The rate of R0 resection was 100% (20/20). The objective response rate was 80% (16/20), and the disease control rate was 95% (19/20). Postoperative pathological analysis showed a 25% (5/20) major pathological response rate and 15% (3/20) pathological complete response rate. In total, 25% (5/20) developed adverse events (AEs), and the rate of grades 3-4 AEs was 10% (2/20). One patient experienced a grade 3 skin rash, and 1 patient experienced grade 3 diarrhea. Osimertinib as neoadjuvant therapy for resectable EGFR-mutated NSCLC is safe and well tolerated. Osimertinib has the potential to improve the radical resection rate and prognosis.

Intracranial solitary fibrous tumor in a 15-year-old girl: illustrative case.

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an infrequent spindle cell tumor derived from mesenchymal tissue, which can manifest in diverse anatomical locations, primarily in the pleural cavity and infrequently in the central nervous system. SFT is predominantly observed in individuals aged between 40 and 50 years old, with a slightly higher occurrence in males than in females. This case report describes a female, age 15, who had migraines for 2 months prior to the diagnosis of an intracranial tumor. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass located in the right parietooccipital region with surrounding edema and a compressed right lateral ventricle. Neurosurgery was utilized to successfully remove the mass, and single intracranial fibrous tumor (grade I) was identified by postoperative pathological analysis. During an 8-month follow-up period, the patient did not experience any recurrences. SFT is often misdiagnosed as meningioma because of their similar imaging characteristics. However, identifying the distinctive features of SFT on magnetic resonance imaging can distinguish it from meningioma and help to select appropriate treatment. The complete preoperative imaging data for this case indicated a highly vascularized tumor. Preoperative vascular embolization treatment reduced any difficulties during the subsequent tumor resection and minimized intraoperative bleeding.

Misdiagnosis of scrotal and retroperitoneal lymphangioma in children

BackgroundScrotal and retroperitoneal lymphangioma (SRL) in children is relatively rare and its clinical symptoms are usually difficult to distinguish from other conditions such as hydrocele and incarcerated inguinal oblique hernia. This study aimed to explore the clinical diagnosis and treatment of abdominal scrotal lymphangioma in children, and thus, to increase our understandings of this disease in clinical practice.MethodThis study enrolled nine boys, aged 1–10, who were admitted to Shanghai Children’s Hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 and who were finally confirmed with lymphangioma in the inguinal area. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of these children were analyzed retrospectively. The length of diagnostic process ranged from 3 weeks to 20 months. We also reviewed other cases of initially misdiagnosed cases of SRL in English publications from 2000 to 2022.ResultsThe nine cases were misdiagnosed as hydrocele, hematoma, or inguinal hernia. Three patients received intracystic injection of bleomycin, three underwent laparoscopic mass resection, and three underwent resection of the inguinal lymphangioma under direct vision. Postoperative pathological analysis of the surgical specimens confirmed the diagnosis of benign cystic lesions and lymphangioma. Meanwhile, among the 14 cases of SRL in literature review, eight were misdiagnosed. Six were initially diagnosed as hydrocele, one as inguinal oblique hernia, and one as testicular tumor, all of which underwent ultrasonography scans. All cases were confirmed as lymphangioma after pathological examination.ConclusionThe non-specific clinical manifestations may contribute to the misdiagnosis of scrotal masses in children. A detailed and accurate medical history, careful physical examination, and imaging findings are important factors contributing to the preoperative differential diagnosis of scrotal lumps in children, but the final diagnosis is based on pathological examination.

Patterns of the lymph node metastasis and the influencing factors in esophagogastric junction cancers.

A retrospective analysis of 214 cases of esophagogastric junction cancers (EGJCs) in Kunming, Yunnan Province, was conducted to investigate the lymph node metastasis (LNM) pattern for EGJCs and its associated risk factors (RFs), as well as the predictive value of common clinical metabolic indicators for it. The clinical data of 214 patients diagnosed with EGJCs by electronic gastroscope and postoperative pathology between 2013 and 2021at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer Hospital, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were retrospectively examined. Preoperative gastroscopy, imaging, biochemical data, and postoperative pathological findings analysis in EGJCs were statistically analyzed to determine the RFs of LNM. At presentation, 92.5% of EGJCs were progressive malignancies, including 68.2% LNMs, 79.5% abdominal lymph nodes (ALN), 20.1% mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN), and 27.1% distal metastases. The ratio of Siewert subtypes was approximately 2:11:7 (type I to type II to type III). In terms of age, disease duration at initial presentation, history, tumor length, pathological biopsy histology, degree of differentiation, depth of infiltration, LNM status, MLN metastasis, and surgical route, the differences between the three Siewert subgroups were statistically significant (p<0.05). Multifactor analysis revealed that the proportion of patients aged <65at the time of consultation was significantly more significant in Siewert II and Siewert III than in Siewert I. Significantly more patients than in Siewert I had <2 months of disease duration at the time of their first consultation. The proportion of patients with tumors <3 Cm in length was significantly higher than in Siewert I. For the RFs analysis of LNM, Siewert staging (type I and type II), depth of infiltration, and distant metastasis were the independent RFs for LNM. The depth of infiltration and family history of the tumor were the independent RFs for ALN metastasis, and the number of lymph nodes cleared in the abdominal and mediastinal regions was a protective factor for ALN metastasis. Siewert staging(type I and type II), infiltration depth, invasion of the esophagus by the tumor, tumor length, and distant metastasis were independent risk factors for MLN metastasis. Among the metabolic variables evaluated, BMI was an independent RF for LNM, fasting glucose was an independent RF for ALN metastasis, and triacylglycerol was a protective factor for MLN metastasis. EGJCs are frequently advanced at presentation, characterized by minimal differentiation and a high incidence of LNM. The Siewert subtype is concentrated near the stomach. Different Siewert subtypes exhibit distinct clinicopathological characteristics. LNM and MLN metastasis risk are considerably higher in type I tumors compared to types II and III. There is a strong correlation between LNM and MLN metastasis and distant metastasis in EGJCs, so Siewert I is more aggressive and associated with a worse prognosis. EGJCs have numerous RFs associated with LNM, and there are similarities and differences in the RFs affecting their LNM, ALN metastases, and MLN metastases, which are related to their unique anatomical features. There is a close relationship between metabolic factors and EGJCs with some predictive value.

Identification of a novel RSRC1-ALK (R6: A20) fusion using next-generation sequencing technique

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion showed promising responses to ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In this study, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), next generation sequencing (NGS) and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify the presence of ALK fusion, to investigate whether the patient may benefit from TKI therapy. Postoperative pathological analysis indicated invasive adenocarcinoma with mainly mucinous type and partial micropapillary type in left lower lung. Minimally invasive adenocarcinoma was seen in left upper lung, with mainly acinar type. NGS detected a novel RSRC1-ALK (R6: A20) fusion in left lower lobe sample, which was presented as the fusion of exon 6 of RSRC1 and exon 20 of ALK gene. Sanger sequencing validated the fusion. Break rearrangement signal of ALK gene was detected in 80% of tumor cells. Immunohistochemistry showed ALK positive expression in lung. For the treatment, the patient received ensartinib hydrochloride with a dose of 225 mg per day. He was in a state of progression-free survival for at least 24 months in follow-up with no complications. NGS can be used for exploring treatment options for NSCLC patients with ALK fusion.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis with the central nervous system involvement as the main manifestation: a case report

BackgroundLymphomatoid granulomatosis (LyG) is a rare extralymphatic lymphoproliferative disease characterized by lymphocytic invasion into vascular walls and damage to blood vessels. The lungs are affected in 90% of LyG cases, followed by the skin, central nervous system (CNS), kidneys and liver.Case presentationHere we report a case of a young woman with LyG, with CNS involvement as the initial clinical manifestation. Computer tomography (CT) scans showed multiple nodular, patchy and flocculent high-density shadows in both lungs without mediastinal lymph node enlargement. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed multiple abnormal signal intensities in the right cerebellar hemisphere, frontal, parietal and temporal lobes, and dorsal brainstem, which became patchy and annular after enhancement. The post-operative pathological analysis of lesion samples confirmed the diagnosis of grade II LyG.ConclusionsLyG should be concerned in young adults showing multiple radiological brain and lung lesions. Resection and postoperative medication of steroid hormones and IFN-α may be effective in the treatment of LyG.

SMALL RENAL CELL CARCINOMA METASTASIS TO THE IPSILATERAL PERIRENAL FAT SYNCHRONOUSLY: A CASE REPORT

Small renal cell carcinoma with metastases is rare; thus, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of synchronous metastasis to the ipsilateral perirenal fat.A 70-year-old man visited our hospital because of early gastric carcinoma. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a right renal tumor and two small nodules in the ipsilateral perirenal fat. The renal tumor was 3 cm in diameter and consistent with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The enhancement pattern of the nodules was similar to that of the renal tumor, we diagnosed cT1aN0M1. Transperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy of the right kidney was performed. Postoperative pathological analysis showed clear cell renal cell carcinoma of the right kidney, pT1a, G2>1, INFa, v0, ly0, and two nodules in ipsilateral perirenal fat had comparable pathological findings. At 11th month of postoperative follow-up, CT revealed multiple nodules in the left pleura. Pembrolizumab plus axitinib was administered every 3 weeks. Multiple pleural metastases disappeared 3 months after the therapy; however, grade 2 (CTCAE v5.0) diarrhea and hoarseness emerged. Owing to the persistence of symptoms despite axitinib cessation, pembrolizumab was also discontinued. After 2 months of withdrawal, the patient's symptoms resolved spontaneously. After consultation with the patient, he was followed up with no further treatment. He is alive with no evidence of recurrence 36 months after surgery.

Effect of Hypertension on EPR effect Induced by Polymer Nanomicelles in Renal Cell Carcinoma in vitro.

To investigate the effect of hypertension on the (enhanced permeability and retention, EPR) effect induced by polymer nanomicelles in renal cell carcinoma in vitro. A total of 80 patients with renal cell carcinoma treated at the Department of Urology Surgery in the Dept. of Urology of the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2020, were analyzed retrospectively. The hypertension group (experimental group) included 40 patients, and the normal blood pressure group (control group) included 40 patients. The diagnosis of renal clear cell carcinoma was confirmed by preoperative auxiliary examinations, such as ultrasonography and CT combined with postoperative pathological analysis. All patients underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. Polymer nanomicelles (loaded with prolonium iodide) were perfused into the resected kidney specimens within the specified time. The iodine enrichment of polymer nanomicelles in renal tumors was assessed by CT scanning. The peak EPR effect and the time to the peak were statistically compared between the two groups. No significant differences were found in age, sex, location of kidney disease, tumor location or tumor size between the two groups (p> 0.05). The peak (χ̄±S) of the EPR effect in experimental group was 3.60±0.95 ug/cm3 and 3.01±0.96 ug/cm3 in control group, respectively. There was significant difference between the two groups (p< 0.05). The time to the peak of the EPR effect was 3.76±0.75 h in experimental group and 3.82±0.93 hour in control group, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found in the time to the peak of the EPR effect between the two groups (p> 0.05). Hypertension has a certain effect on the EPR effect induced by polymer nanomicelles in renal cell carcinoma in vitro.

A metric learning-based method using graph neural network for pancreatic cystic neoplasm classification from CTs.

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs) are relatively rare neoplasms and difficult to be classified preoperatively. Ordinary deep learning methods have great potential to provide support for doctors in PCNs classification but require a quantity of labeled samples and exact segmentation of neoplasm. The proposed metric learning-based method using graph neural network (GNN) aims to overcome the limitations brought by small and imbalanced dataset and get fast and accurate PCNs classification result from computed tomography (CT)images. The proposed framework applies GNN. GNNs perform well in fusing information and modeling relational data and get better results on dataset with small size. Based on metric learning strategy, model learns distance from the data. The similarity-based algorithm enhances the classification performance, and more characteristic information is found. We use a convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract features from given images. Then GNN is used to find the similarity between each two feature vectors and complete the classification. Several subtasks consisting of randomly selected images are established to improve generalization of the model. The experiments are carried out on the dataset provided by Huashan Hospital. The dataset is labeled by postoperative pathological analysis and contains region of interest (ROI) information calibrated by experts. We set two tasks based on the dataset: benign or malignant diagnosis of PCNs and classification of specifictypes. Our model shows good performance on the two tasks with accuracies of 88.926% and 74.497%. The comparison of different methods' F1 scores in the benign or malignant diagnosis shows that the proposed GNN-based method effectively reduces the negative impact brought by imbalanced dataset, which is also verified by the macroaverage comparison in the four-class classificationtask. Compared with existing models, the proposed GNN-based model shows better performance in terms of imbalanced dataset with small size while reducing labeling cost. The result provides a possibility for its application into the computer-aided diagnosis ofPCNs.

Anal Canal Duplication Mimicking Recurrent Abscess: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BackgroundAnal canal duplication (ACD) is a very rare duplication of the gastrointestinal tract and is described as a secondary anal orifice along the posterior side of the normal anal canal. Early surgical removal is advisable, also in asymptomatic patients, because of the risk of inflammatory complications, such as recurrent crissum abscess, and malignant changes.Case presentationA previously healthy 2-year-old boy was evaluated in the emergency department with fever. He complained of anal pain in the absence of incentive. Physical examination and ultrasound confirmed a diagnosis of perianal abscess. He was treated with incision and drainage of the abscess and intravenous antibiotics. Two months after his discharge from the hospital, he developed fever and had intervals discharge pus and pain in the same locations. Colorectal endoscopy revealed that there was no fistula opening at the rectal wall. Intraoperative fistulography showed a fistulous tract that was connected to a subcutaneous cavity. Excision of the fistulous tract and wide drainage of the deep postanal space were performed. The patient was referred to our hospital for further evaluation 6 months later. Physical examination showed a secondary anus that had not been noticed before. MRI showed an anal fistula between 1 and 3 o’clock, and preoperative fistulography revealed a 3-cm-long tubular structure without any connection with the rectum. The diagnosis of ACD was made by intraoperative examination with a metal catheter and the postoperative pathological analysis. The duplicated anal canal was resected completely via a perianal approach without any rectal injury. Histology showed a squamous epithelium in the distal end with some smooth-muscle fibers. After a follow-up of 8 months, the patient has been doing well.ConclusionRecurrent crissum abscess should raise clinical attention to alimentary tract congenital malformations such as ACD. Prompt recognition of these unique presentations of ACD is needed, and complete excision through a perineal approach or posterior sagittal approach is recommended.

Case Report: Molecular Profiling Assists in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer of Unknown Primary

BackgroundFor cancer of unknown primary (CUP), non-selective empiric chemotherapy is usually used. However, patients suffering from CUP are generally assumed to have a dismal prognosis with median overall survival of less than 1 year. Therefore, clinicians eagerly await the establishment of effective strategies for diagnosis and treatment. In recent years, the remarkable advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology have enabled the wide usage of DNA/RNA sequencing to comprehensively analyze the molecular information of individual tumors and identify potential targets for patients’ diagnosis and treatment. Here, we describe a patient of CUP who was successfully diagnosed and treated with targeted therapy directed by comprehensive molecular profiling.Case PresentationA 61-year-old Asian woman with a painless, slow-growing mass lesion in the mesosternum underwent fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography and was found to have malignant metastatic tumors in the mesosternum. Conventional pathological examination of metastatic lesions could not conclude the primary origin of the tumors. The patient was diagnosed with CUP at first. Then, comprehensive molecular profiling was employed to identify the tumor origin and genetic alterations. A gene expression-based tissue origin assay was performed using a tissue biopsy sample. The test result suggested that the lesion tumors might be breast cancer metastasis. Furthermore, liquid biopsy-based circulating tumor DNA profiling detected an ERBB2 copy number amplification. Subsequent surgery and additional postoperative pathology analysis confirmed that the primary tumor site was indeed located in the right outer upper quadrant of the breast. After local surgical resection, the patient received 8 cycles of Docetaxel + Carboplatin + Trastuzumab + Pertuzumab (TCbHP) chemotherapy with subsequent human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted maintenance therapy. Currently, the patient is on regular follow-up and has achieved disease control for up to 6 months.ConclusionOur findings suggest that molecular identification of the tumor origin and the detection of actionable molecular alterations may offer promise for improved diagnostic accuracy and important therapeutic implications for patients with the CUP syndrome.

Stathmin 1 is a biomarker for diagnosis of microvascular invasion to predict prognosis of early hepatocellular carcinoma

Microvascular invasion (MVI) is presently evaluated as a high-risk factor to be directly relative to postoperative prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Up to now, diagnosis of MVI mainly depends on the postoperative pathological analyses with H&E staining assay, based on numbers and distribution characteristics of MVI to classify the risk levels of MVI. However, such pathological analyses lack the specificity to discriminate MVI in HCC specimens, especially in complicated pathological tissues. In addition, the efficiency to precisely define stages of MVI is not satisfied. Thus, any biomarker for both conforming diagnosis of MVI and staging its levels will efficiently and effectively promote the prediction of early postoperative recurrence and metastasis for HCC. Through bioinformatics analysis and clinical sample verification, we discovered that Stathmin 1 (STMN1) gene was significantly up-regulated at the locations of MVI. Combining STMN1 immunostaining with classic H&E staining assays, we established a new protocol for MVI pathological diagnosis. Next, we found that the degrees of MVI risk could be graded according to expression levels of STMN1 for prognosis prediction on recurrence rates and overall survival in early HCC patients. STMN1 affected epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of HCC cells by regulating the dynamic balance of microtubules through signaling of “STMN1-Microtubule-EMT” axis. Inhibition of STMN1 expression in HCC cells reduced their lung metastatic ability in recipients of mouse model, suggesting that STMN1 also could be a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting HCC metastasis. Therefore, we conclude that STMN1 has potentials for clinical applications as a biomarker for both pathological diagnosis and prognostic prediction, as well as a therapeutic target for HCC.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram Model to Predict the Prognosis of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Background: The effective method for predicting prognosis of ICC is still lack. This study aims to establish and verify an effective prognostic nomogram model for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after partial hepatectomy. Materials and Methods: A nomogram model was developed in a cohort of 127 patients from January 2015 to December 2019. General clinical characteristics including preoperative physical examination data and postoperative pathological features were obtained. The independent risk factors identified by univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazards regression models were used to construct nomogram model. Predictive accuracy and discriminative ability were determined using a concordance index and a calibration curve. In addition, the clinical significance of postoperative pathological subtypes was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results: Univariate analysis and multivariate COX regression analysis revealed that CEA, maximum diameter, tumor number, and large duct type ICC was the independent risk factors. These variables were incorporated into the nomogram and the C-index for one year and three year overall survival prediction was 0.765 (95% CI: 0.672–0.814) and 0.695 (95% CI: 0.672–0.814), respectively. Postoperative pathological analysis showed that the large duct ICC had a distinct clinicopathological features and poor outcome. Conclusion: The proposed nomogram enables a prognostic prediction for patients with ICC and postoperative subclassification of ICC is of great significant to the prognosis of ICC.

Association Between Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Characteristics and Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features and molecular subtypes of breast cancer (BC). A total of 116 patients (116 lesions) with pathologically diagnosed BC who received conventional ultrasound and CEUS before surgery were enrolled in this study. BC molecular subtypes were identified by postoperative pathological and immunohistochemical analysis as Luminal A (LA), Luminal B (LB), HER2 (H2) over-expression, and triple-negative (TN). Qualitative and quantitative CEUS characteristics were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (continuous variables) or Pearson's χ2 test or Fisher's exact probability method (categorical variables). There were significant differences in enhancement speed and enhancement degree among the four subtypes (P < .05). The area under the curve (AUC), time to peak (TTP), and peak intensity (PI) differed among the four subtypes (P < .05). The AUC of the LA subtype (305.1 ± 188.4) was significantly smaller compared with the H2 (535.7 ± 222.0, P=.007) and TN subtypes (496.6 ± 254.7, P=.019). In addition, TTP was shorter in the H2 subtype (19.8± 4.9) compared with the other subtypes, and was significantly shorter than in the LA subtype (26.3 ± 7.2, P=.008) and LB subtype (23.1 ± 6.7, P=.036). The PI of the LA subtype (4.7 ± 2.3) was significantly lower than that of the LB (6.6 ± 2.3, P=.027), H2 (7.4 ± 2.2, P=.005), and TN subtypes (6.9 ± 2.6, P=.014). CEUS features differed significantly among different molecular subtypes of BC. The enhancement patterns and parameters may be important predictive features of different subtypes of BC.

Recurrence of carcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation (CASTLE) involving the thyroid gland

BackgroundCarcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation (CASTLE) in the thyroid gland is a rare disease with generally a favorable prognosis. Treatment with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy has been shown to improve local control and long-term survival rates. In this report, we present a case of a recurrent thyroid gland CASTLE and review the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.Case presentationA 60-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with a CASTLE thyroid tumor in 2015, had a total thyroidectomy and was maintained on thyroid hormone replacement (levothyroxine). After 5 years, the patient had a recurrence, in an advanced stage unsuitable for surgery. As the patient declined to undergo radiotherapy, she was followed up without intervention and is currently stable after 15 months.ConclusionsCASTLE is a rare disease, diagnosed based on postoperative pathology and immunohistochemistry analysis, especially upon CD5 marker. In case of relapse, treatment options include surgery and radiotherapy; however conservative management without intervention is an acceptable alternative in some cases.

A case of hepatic paragonimiasis was misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma with rupture and haemorrhage

Paragonimiasis is a disease caused by parasitic infections that mainly involve the lungs. However, it can also produce ectopic infections, such as when the parasites invade the liver, brain and subcutaneous tissue, which then cause different symptoms. This current case report describes a 55-year-old male patient with hepatic paragonimiasis that was misdiagnosed as liver cancer with rupture and haemorrhage. The initial computed tomography findings suggested ruptured liver cancer. The patient underwent laparoscopic right hemihepatectomy. Postoperative pathological analysis resulted in a diagnosis of hepatic paragonimiasis. The patient recovered well postoperatively and was treated with 25 mg/kg praziquantel orally three times a day for 3 days after discharge with good efficacy. In this present case, the rupture and haemorrhage of the liver mass made it difficult for the treating physicians to consider hepatic paragonimiasis, which lead to the initial misdiagnosis of this patient. Although paragonimiasis is very rare, medical staff should be vigilant and have a comprehensive understanding of the different diseases that can cause liver masses so that misdiagnosis can be avoided.