Humoral and cell-mediated immunity in large non-toxic multinodular goitre

Humoral and cell-mediated immunity was investigated in fourteen patients with non-toxic multinodular goitre and ten healthy controls by in vitro methods. These included determination of sheep erythrocyte and complement rosette-forming cells in the peripheral blood, immunoglobulin levels, titres of thyroglobulin and microsomal antibodies and migration inhibition test using thyroid extract and phytohemagglutinin. When compared with controls the patients showed high IgA levels and positive response to thyroid antigen in the leucocyte migration inhibition test. There was no correlation between the leucocyte migration results and the presence of auto-antibodies. These findings indicate a possible role of cell-mediated immunity in non-toxic multinodular goitre.

Rhabdomyomatous carcinoma of the thymus

Myoid cells have been described in the thymus in association with a variety of benign and malignant conditions. The presence of a benign rhabdomyomatous component in a malignant primary thymic epithelial neoplasm, however, is extremely rare. A case of poorly differentiated carcinoma of the thymus arising in the posterior mediastinum containing a prominent rhabdomyomatous component is described. The patient, a 70-year-old woman, was seen for a large posterior mediastinal mass. An open chest biopsy revealed an extensively necrotic tumor composed of islands of atypical cells with vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli with numerous mitotic figures admixed with abortive glandular structures. Interspersed with the malignant epithelial components were islands of large cells containing brightly eosinophilic cytoplasm and small, round, excentrically placed nuclei. Immunohistochemical studies showed strong positivity of the epithelial cells for cytokeratin and strong positivity of the myoid cells for pan-actin, desmin, and myogenin. The possible relationship of the rhabdomyomatous component of this tumor with the myoid cells of the thymus is discussed.

Granular cell tumour (Abrikossoff's tumour): Case series

This case series describes three unreported cases of an uncommon benign neoplasm named Abrikossoff's tumour or granular cell tumour (GCT). This mesenchymal neoplasm apparently arises from neural or Schwann cell origin with benign and malignant forms. All cases presented here were unique nodules on oral mucosa, coming out from the connective tissue, and occurring in women with age ranging from 30 to 42 years. The histological aspects of the GCT showed large granular cells arranged in groups and nests of connective tissue separating pseudoepitheliomatous overlying surface. This feature can possibly be misunderstood with squamous cell carcinoma. The differentiation between malignant and benign GCT is evaluated by the presence of metastases which is considered the only reliable criterion for malignancy. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renal cell carcinoma with cutaneous metastasis in a dog

The present report describes the occurrence of skin metastasis in a dog with primary renal carcinoma. The clinical findings included progressive weight loss, inappetence, palpable abdominal mass and cutaneous nodules. The histopathological examination was carried out after unilateral nephrectomy and was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The immunohistochemical and histopathological findings characterized this case as renal cell carcinoma with skin metastasis.

Unusual presentation of oral squamous cell carcinoma in a young woman

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral malignant neoplasm, mainly affecting individuals over 50 years old with a history of tobacco and alcohol use. The occurrence of this oral cancer in individuals under 40 years old is unusual and, when it does occur, shows a weaker relation to those risk factors and a more aggressive clinical course. Due to the paucity of reports in this population, it is difficult to prove its increasing trend. A case of oral squamous cell carcinoma in a 39-year-old woman with no history of tobacco or alcohol use is reported. Clinical and histopathological findings, aetiology, and treatment are discussed. The increasing trend of oral squamous cell carcinoma in young women without known risk factors highlights the need for clinicians to be prepared to diagnose this lesion quickly and precisely, providing a better prognosis, chance of survival, and quality of life for the patient.

Squamous cell lung carcinoma in a cat

Primary lung neoplasms are rare in small animals and present variable clinical signs. Here we report a case of a 4-year-old male cat which presented with apathy, dyspnea and pleural effusion. The cytological analysis of the pleural effusion revealed massive presence of atypical cells and the histopathological examination of the lung demonstrated tissue infiltration by atypical cells arranged in solid nests. The cytological and histopathological findings were compatible with squamous cell lung carcinoma.

Mathematical analysis and simulations involving chemotherapy and surgery on large human tumours under a suitable cell-kill functional response

Dosage and frequency of treatment schedules are important for successful chemotherapy. However, in this work we argue that cell-kill response and tumoral growth should not be seen as separate and therefore are essential in a mathematical cancer model. This paper presents a mathematical model for sequencing of cancer chemotherapy and surgery. Our purpose is to investigate treatments for large human tumours considering a suitable cell-kill dynamics. We use some biological and pharmacological data in a numerical approach, where drug administration occurs in cycles (periodic infusion) and surgery is performed instantaneously. Moreover, we also present an analysis of stability for a chemotherapeutic model with continuous drug administration. According to Norton & Simon [22], our results indicate that chemotherapy is less eficient in treating tumours that have reached a plateau level of growing and that a combination with surgical treatment can provide better outcomes.

Genomic and phenotypic profiles of two Brazilian breast cancer cell lines derived from primary human tumors

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. Research using breast cancer cell lines derived from primary tumors may provide valuable additional knowledge regarding this type of cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the phenotypic profiles of MACL-1 and MGSO-3, the only Brazilian breast cancer cell lines available for comparative studies. We evaluated the presence of hormone receptors, proliferation, differentiation and stem cell markers, using immunohistochemical staining of the primary tumor, cultured cells and xenografts implanted in immunodeficient mice. We also investigated the ability of the cell lines to form colonies and copy number alterations by array comparative genomic hybridization. Histopathological analysis showed that the invasive primary tumor from which the MACL-1 cell line was derived, was a luminal A subtype carcinoma, while the ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that gave rise to the MGSO-3 cell line was a HER2 subtype tumor, both showing different proliferation levels. The cell lines and the tumor xenografts in mice preserved their high proliferative potential, but did not maintain the expression of the other markers assessed. This shift in expression may be due to the selection of an 'establishment' phenotype in vitro. Whole-genome DNA evaluation showed a large amount of copy number alterations (CNAs) in the two cell lines. These findings render MACL-1 and MGSO-3 the first characterized Brazilian breast cancer cell lines to be potentially used for comparative research. © 2013 Spandidos Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atrophic gastritis: Risk factor for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a Latin-American population

AIM: To study the association between atrophic gastritis (AG) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in a Latin-America population. METHODS: A case-control study was performed at two reference Brazilian hospitals including patients diagnosed with advanced ESCC and dyspeptic patients who had been subjected to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, with biopsies of the gastric antrum and body. All cases with ESCC were reviewed by a single pathologist, who applied standard criteria for the diagnosis of mucosal atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia, all classified as AG. The data on the patients' age, sex, smoking status, and alcohol consumption were collected from clinical records, and any missing information was completed by telephone interview. The association between AG and ESCC was assessed by means of univariate and multiple conditional logistic regressions. RESULTS: Most patients were male, and the median age was 59 years (range: 37-79 years) in both the ESCC and control groups. Univariate analysis showed that an intake of ethanol greater than 32 g/d was an independent risk factor that increased the odds of ESCC 7.57 times (P = 0.014); upon multiple analysis, alcohol intake of ethanol greater than 32 g/d exhibited a risk of 4.54 (P = 0.081), as adjusted for AG and smoking. Smoking was shown to be an independent risk factor that increased the odds of ESCC 14.55 times (P = 0.011) for individuals who smoked 0 to 51 packs/year and 21.40 times (P = 0.006) for those who smoked more than 51 packs/year. Upon multiple analyses, those who smoked up to 51 packs/year exhibited a risk of 7.85 (P = 0.058), and those who smoked more than 51 packs/year had a risk 11.57 times higher (P = 0.04), as adjusted for AG and alcohol consumption. AG proved to be a risk factor that increased the odds of ESCC 5.33 times (95%CI: 1.55-18.30, P = 0.008) according to the results of univariate conditional logistic regression. CONCLUSION: There was an association by univariate conditional logistic regression between AG and ECSS in this sample of Latin-American population. © 2013 Baishideng.

Mesh cancer: long-term mesh infection leading to squamous-cell carcinoma of the abdominal wall

Purpose: It is recognized that chronic inflammation can cause cancer. Even though most of the available synthetic meshes are considered non-carcinogenic, the inflammatory response to an infected mesh plays a constant aggression to the skin. Chronic mesh infection is frequently the result of misuse of mesh, and due to the challenging nature of this condition, patients usually suffer for years until the infected mesh is removed by surgical excision. Methods: We report two cases of squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) of the abdominal wall, arising in patients with long-term mesh infection. Results: In both patients, the degeneration of mesh infection into SCC was presumably caused by the long-term inflammation secondary to infection. Patients presented with advanced SCC behaving just like the Marjolin's ulcers of burns. Radical surgical excision was the treatment of choice. The involvement of the bowel played an additional challenge in case 1, but it was possible to resect the tumor and the involved bowel and reconstruct the abdominal wall using polypropylene mesh as onlay reinforcement, in a single stage operation. He is now under adjuvant chemotherapy. The big gap in the midline after tumor resection in case 2 required mesh bridging to close the defect. The poor prognosis of case 2 who died months after the operation, and the involvement of the armpit, groin and mesenteric nodes in case 1 shows how aggressive this disease can be. Conclusion: Infected mesh must be treated early, by complete excision of the mesh. Long-standing mesh infection can degenerate into aggressive squamous-cell carcinoma of the skin. © 2013 Springer-Verlag France.

Identificação de marcadores moleculares de resposta à quimioterapia neoadjuvante e associação de radioterapia e quimioterapia em pacientes com carcinoma epidermóide de orofaringe

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação da expressão da proteína twist em amostras de carcinoma epidermóide bucal e sua correlação com aspectos clínico-patológicos

Entre as neoplasias malignas que ocorrem na boca, 95% são representadas pelo carcinoma epidermóide de boca (ceb). no brasil, as estimativas para o ano de 2014, segundo o inca, apontam mais de 15.290 novos casos. esses dados mostram que o ceb representa um problema de saúde pública em razão de a morbidade afastar, na maioria dos casos, grande número de cidadãos do mercado de trabalho, além de onerar os custos com a saúde no estado, fruto dos dias de internação e do tratamento aplicado. a patogênese do ceb está relacionada a fatores genéticos além de agentes químicos, como o consumo de tabaco e álcool, físicos e biológicos, considerados carcinogênicos. o fator de transcrição twist foi recentemente apontado como um importante regulador da tem durante a progressão tumoral e metástase e vem se tornando um importante marcador diagnóstico e prognóstico para pacientes devido ao fato de sua sobre-regulação positiva e metilação do gene estarem sendo implicados em vários tipos de câncer. apesar de muitos estudos fornecerem importantes insights sobre a compreensão da biologia dos tumores malignos bem como dos genes envolvidos na tem, os mecanismos de twist na tumorigênese e na transição epitelial-mesenquimal do carcinoma epidermóide bucal ainda precisam ser elucidados. neste estudo nós investigamos o padrão de expressão da proteína twist através da técnica de imuno-histoquímica em 59 amostras carcinoma epidermóide bucal (ceb) provenientes de pacientes usuários do sistema único de saúde do estado do pará e avaliamos a existência de associação dos resultados com características clínico-patológicas dos tumores estudados e com a sobrevida dos pacientes. os resultados mostraram uma associação estatisticamente significante entre o consumo de álcool e os sítios mais afetados pelo ceb, sugerindo que o etanol pode desempenhar um papel potencializador dos agentes do tabaco nos sítios que recebem maior exposição dessas substâncias. a expressão da proteína twist também mostrou uma diminuição na média de sobrevida dos indivíduos. apesar dessa diminuição não ter apresentado significância estatística em nossos estudos, acreditamos que ela deve ser mais amplamente estudada, visando o melhor entendimento do papel desta no carcinoma epidermóide bucal. a positividade de marcação da proteína demonstrou relação com o tabagismo, onde 87,8% dos pacientes fumantes, apresentaram marcação positiva para a proteína, corroborarando o fato de que o fumo pode modular a expressão de marcadores tem incluindo twist. em síntese, os resultados deste estudo evidenciam algumas correlações intrigantes, que no nosso entender merecem especial atenção, no intuito de serem esclarecidas. assim como a localização intracelular da proteína observada neste estudo, que possivelmente está relacionada a algum processo oncogênico ainda não descrito.

Cryptomoschatone D2 from Cryptocarya mandioccana: cytotoxicity against human cervical carcinoma cell lines

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Genetic Instability Persists in Non-Neoplastic Urothelial Cells from Patients with a History of Urothelial Cell Carcinoma

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)