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The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in the expression of ErbBs during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer cells and its association with the expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN). MCF-7-MEK5 cells were used as the experimental model, while MCF-7 cells were used as a control. Tumor cells were implanted into nude mice for in vivo analysis. Cerulenin was used as a FASN inhibitor. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were used to detect expression levels of FASN and ErbB1-4. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of FASN and ErbB1-4 in 58 invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC), as well as their association with clinicopathological characteristics. The expression of FASN and ErbB1-4 in MCF-7-MEK5 cells and tumor tissues increased significantly compared with controls (P<0.001). Inhibition of FASN by cerulenin resulted in a significant decrease in expression of ErbB1, 2 and 4 (P<0.001), whereas there was no evident change in ErbB3. In IDC samples, the expression of FASN and ErbB1-4 increased considerably in lymph node metastases compared with non-lymph node metastases (P<0.05). ErbB2 expression increased in advanced clinical stages (II, III and IV) of IDC and in tumors with larger diameters (P<0.05). The expression of ErbB3 increased in ER-positive tumors (P<0.05). Additionally, a positive association between the expression of FASN and ErbB1, 2 and 4 was observed (P<0.05). FASN activates ErbB1, 2 and 4, and their dimers, which are polymerized via the microstructural domain of the cell membrane. This may initiate EMT and consequentlyincrease the invasion and migration of cancer cells. However, ErbB3 may also affect tumor progression via a FASN-independent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare and malignant form of lung cancer with a poor prognosis for patients. The common sites of metastases are the liver, adrenal glands, bone and brain. LCNEC rarely metastasizes to the small intestine, ovaries, tonsils, mandible, vulva or spine. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports of leptomeningeal metastasis of LCNEC to date. The present case report describes an unusual case of leptomeningeal metastasis from pulmonary LCNEC alongside a review of the literature. Biopsies of pulmonary lesions and cervical lymph nodes confirmed the diagnosis of LCNEC in a 39-year-old male patient. At 2 months after chemotherapy, the patient began to experience hoarseness, epileptic seizures and blurred vision. Furthermore, the patient presented with radiating pain and numbness in his lower left limb. Imaging findings and cytological examination of cerebral spinal fluid supported the diagnosis of leptomeningeal metastasis. The patient's neurological symptoms were markedly alleviated following receipt of radiation and intrathecal chemotherapy. The patient survived for 4.9 months after diagnosis with leptomeningeal metastasis. To the best of our knowledge, the present case report is the first to describe leptomeningeal metastasis from pulmonary LCNEC confirmed by neuroimaging and cerebral spinal fluid cytology. It suggests that leptomeningeal metastasis does occur in this rare disease, and aggressive treatment may result in improved symptoms and possibly survival times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast (MPTB) is rarely encountered in clinical practice. Preoperative diagnosis is challenging due to nonspecific radiological and histological features, and the prognostic factors and optimal treatment remain controversial. The current report describes the case of a middle-aged female with giant MPTB who underwent multidisciplinary intervention, including surgery, postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To date, the disease-free survival (DFS) of the patient has reached 18 months. Furthermore, a related literature review summarize the clinicopathological characteristics and treatment progress regarding MPTB is presented, along with an analysis of the indications for therapeutic strategy in the current case. In the future, multi-center clinical trials must be initiated to identify the criteria for diagnosis and optimal treatment consensus for MPTB. In conclusion, the present case highlights that multidisciplinary management may contribute to DFS following the treatment of giant MPTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports the case of a 53-year-old man with leptomeningeal metastasis from early glottic laryngeal cancer. The patient had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx 9 years previously. The current symptoms included a recurring headache that had persisted for 1 month and vomiting for 1 week. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the head revealed multiple enhancing lesions in the brain and multiple line-like enhancements in the brain fold. Computed tomography scans of the head, neck, chest and abdomen showed no nodular lesions. Cytological examination of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) revealed malignant cells with a scattered distribution pattern. The patient received intra-CSF methotrexate chemotherapy concurrent with whole-brain radiotherapy, which relieved the neurological symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of cytologically-confirmed LM from early glottic laryngeal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of soft tissue is rare, particularly in skeletal muscle. The present study describes a case of diffuse large B cell lymphoma of the right lower extremity and provides a detailed review of the literature associated with this disorder, with the aim of improving the future diagnosis and therapy of extranodal NHL. The present case report was of a 76-year-old woman who presented with a right thigh and calf mass. In view of the tumor's location and the patient's age, soft tissue tumors were considered to be soft tissue sarcoma. Imaging scans were performed to determine the location and size of the tumor, followed by a biopsy of the muscle. Histopathological examination then yielded a diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The patient then underwent 4 cycles of chemotherapy. There was evident relief of pain and swelling in the right extremity; however, positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) determined insufficient treatment efficacy. Chemotherapy was adjusted for 2 cycles; however, the patient suffered an aggravation of edema, so a different chemotherapy regimen of bleomycin, cytarabine, vincristine, cyclosphamide and dexamethasone (BCOAD) was performed for a further 2 cycles. The edema was alleviated and magnetic resonance imaging revealed shrinkage of the lower limb mass and the right thigh mass was undetectable. In conclusion, the present case report demonstrated that PET/CT may help determine the efficacy of chemotherapy treatment and that the BCOAD chemotherapy regimen may be more effective than standard treatments in certain cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary mediastinal extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (EES) is quite rare. To the best of our knowledge, only five cases have been reported. Given the paucity of data, there is consequently no optimal treatment strategy available. The current study presents the case of a 51-year-old female with unresectable EES of the posterior mediastinum. Chemoradiotherapy achieved near complete remission without severe side-effects. The literature associated with EES is also reviewed. The present case highlights the possibility of the diagnosis of EES for a mediastinal mass. Chemoradiotherapy may be a good option for unresectable cases. In the future, large-scale collaborative clinical trials should be initiated to provide an improved understanding of the characteristics of EES and the best treatment strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]