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Basal-like breast cancer, an aggressive subtype associated with high grade, poor prognosis, and younger age, is reported frequently in Africa. We analyzed the expression of the basal cytokeratins (CKs) 5/6 and 17 in a case series from Central Sudan and investigated correlations among basal CK status, ER, PgR, and Her-2/neu, and individual/clinicopathological data. Of 113 primary breast cancers 26 (23%), 38 (34%), and 46 (41%) were, respectively, positive for CK5/6, CK17, and combined basal CKs (CK5/6 and/or CK17). Combined basal CK+ status was associated with higher grade (P < .03) and inversely correlated with ER (P < .002), PgR (P = .004) and combined ER and/or PgR (P < .0002). Two clusters based on all tested markers were generated by hierarchical cluster analysis and k-mean clustering: I: designated "hormone receptors positive/luminal-like" and II: designated "hormone receptors negative", including both basal-like and Her-2/neu+ tumors. The most important factors for dataset variance were ER status, followed by PgR, CK17, and CK5/6 statuses. Overall basal CKs were expressed in a fraction of cases comparable to that reported for East and West African case series. Lack of associations with age and tumor size may represent a special feature of basal-like breast cancer in Sudan.

Urothelial cell carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the bladder is a superficially diffusive and highly discohesive disease. The authors analyzed the expression of some adhesion molecules (e-cadherin and Ep-CAM) and MUC1 in 32 unifocal and multifocal bladder urothelial cell CIS in an attempt to clarify this discohesion. E-cadherin was strongly expressed, in more than 75% of the cases. The presence of methylation of the CDH1 e-cadherin promoter gene was also investigated, but methylation was found in only one case. Ep-CAM was present in all the cases with a heterogeneous staining pattern. Similarly, MUC1/episialin was variously present in 94% of the cases without a polarized staining pattern and was expressed more strongly in cases with multifocal disease. Because loss of MUC1 polarization leads to interference with cell-cell adhesion mechanisms mediated by cadherins, these findings help explain why bladder urothelial cell CIS often shows a discohesive morphology and multifocality despite a strongly expressed adhesion molecule profile. Finally, Ep-CAM expression might provide some support for future target therapy trials.

We performed a technical and cost-effectiveness analysis of quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR) for the assessment of HER2 in breast cancer. We evaluated 44 frozen and 55 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast carcinoma specimens by Q-RT-PCR, immunohistochemical analysis, and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Immunohistochemical and FISH analyses were performed on individual slides and on tissue microarray. Costs of techniques were calculated to study 1 case and 10 or 40 cases. Q-RT-PCR provided reliable data in frozen and FFPE specimens, which were significantly correlated. HER2 messenger RNA levels were significantly stratified in agreement with immunohistochemical data (P < .05). There was complete concordance between Q-RT-PCR and immunohistochemical results for negative and strongly positive (3+) cases. The intermediate immunohistochemical group (2+), including FISH+ and FISH- cancers, could also be stratified by Q-RT-PCR. Cost analysis documented the advantage of Q-RT-PCR in all US Food and Drug Administration-approved assays. Our data support the use of Q-RT-PCR for testing breast cancer specimens to select patients for HER2 inhibitory therapy.

The diagnosis of well differentiated carcinoma (i.e papillary carcinoma and follicular carcinoma) represents one of the most challenging issue in thyroid pathology. Aim of the present review is to discuss new perspective and old problems in this topic. Three main subjects are developed, corresponding to: 1) the role of fine needle aspiration versus frozen section examination in pre- or peri- operative diagnosis; 2) the management of small papillary tumour; 3) pathological classification of those tumours indeterminate for papillary or follicular nature. There is general agreement that fine needle aspiration represent the best pre-operative diagnostic tool for thyroid nodules; foremost limits are represented by "not diagnostic" and 'follicular lesion, NOS". The former should be repeated or, if suspicious for papillary lesion, improved with intra-operative apposition cytology; the latter should be deferred to histology with frozen section evaluation reserved to those institution with daily practice on this issue. The management of papillary micro-carcinoma (i.e. papillary carcinoma smaller than 1 cm.) in the setting of an otherwise benign thyroid disease is a matter of debate, since several clinicians suggest to consider these as incidental findings thus avoiding additional treatment. Recently this attitude has been supported by the proposal to regard these lesion as "tumour" and not carcinoma: available data on follow up seems to sustain and favour this approach. There exist a group of well differentiated tumours of the thyroid lacking the criteria to be diagnosed either as papillary (i.e. nuclear grooves, nuclear pseudo-inclusion and nuclear clearing) or follicular (i.e. capsular or vascular invasion) carcinoma; for these lesion, whose behaviour (nodal or blood metastasis) can not be predicted, it has been suggested the term of well differentiated tumour of uncertain malignant potential. Finally it has to be mentioned the possible role of molecular biology in the diagnosis of well differentiated thyroid carcinoma; indeed markers such as RET/PTC or PAX8/PPARgamma, which to date have been employed mainly in basic research, might represent useful diagnostic (and therapeutic) tools in the future.

Most exocrine pancreatic tumors are of ductal origin, whereas acinar cell adenocarcinomas are unusual (1% to 2% of all exocrine pancreatic neoplasms). We recently found a cystic adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic body whose cells had the characteristics of acinar cells, which we term acinar cell cystadenocarcinoma. Macroscopically, this tumor consists of a large multilocular cystic mass with a pseudocapsule and a spongy appearance on the cut surface. Microscopically, the cysts are lined by a single layer of cuboid/columnar cells. The cytoplasm has the characteristics of acinar cells, with eosinophilic granules in the apex and prominent nucleoli. Immunohistochemically, the cells express alpha1-antitrypsin, trypsin, and lipase in their cytoplasm, thus confirming the acinar origin of the tumor. A review of the literature revealed only 5 other cases of this tumor reported since its first description in 1981. Follow-up data are available for 4 of these; all of the affected patients had metastases at presentation or a few months later, and 2 died of the disease, at 13 and 37 months after diagnosis. Although this variant of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is not prognostically different from the classic solid type (few patients survive more than 5 years), we believe that it is important because of its extreme rarity.

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27, Swiss-Prot accession number P04792) is a component of the large and heterogeneous group of chaperone proteins, and its main functions are inhibition of apoptosis and prevention of aggregation of actin intermediate filament. Modified expression of HSP27 has been described in several cancers including testis, breast, and ovaric cancer. In the present work, 18 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tissues and homologous normal kidney tissues have been investigated for HSP27 expression by combination of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) separation and Western blotting immunodetection. The results showed significant differences either in expression and in HSP27 isoform numbers in RCC compared to normal kidney. The average number of isoforms was 21 in RCC and 15 in normal tissues with 4.5-5.9 pI range and 18-29 kDa M(r) range. The overexpression was also observed by immunohistochemistry on tissue sections. Only two of RCC samples showed less isoforms than homologous normal samples. Two isoforms were not detected using anti-Ser82 phosphorylated HSP27 antibody, neither in normal nor in RCC samples. Five of all the immunodetected isoforms were confirmed by mass spectrometry as HSP27, but no evidence of post-translational modifications was pointed out. The numerous isoforms observed in RCC are not consistent with data reported in the literature so far, and they might be due to different post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and S-thiolation. Since activation of HSP27 seems to be involved in tumor proliferation and drug resistance, it would be crucial to correlate the severity of disease with the different isoforms from RCC samples to generate diagnostic and prognostic markers.

Background: There is only one previous case report of a poorly differentiated carcinoma arising from an adenolymphoma of the parotid gland (Warthin's tumour). The absence of clinical symptoms, and the aspecificity of the radiological pattern make the diagnosis very difficult., Case Presentation: We here report the case of a 73-year-old man with Warthin's tumour who was brought to our attention because of a swelling in the parotid region., Conclusions: In this case with an atypical clinical presentation, the intra-operative examination of a frozen section of the parotid mass allowed us to diagnose the malignant tumour correctly and consequently undertake its radical excision.