We have recently reported the activation of a new oncogene in human papillary thyroid carcinomas. This oncogene, papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), is a novel rearranged version of the ret tyrosine-kinase protooncogene. Thyroid neoplasms include a broad spectrum of malignant tumors, ranging from wel...

Abstract Our previous study utilizing the 2008 NCI six-category system (also known as The Bethesda System) for reporting thyroid fine-needle aspirations (FNA) identified considerable overlap in diagnosis and in assigned malignancy risk estimates for the -follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS)- and -follicular neoplasm (FN)- categories and for the -suspicious for malignancy (Susp)- and -malignant- categories. We proposed a simplified Bethesda System for reporting thyroid FNAs that provided four non-overlapping, statistically significant, and more clinically relevant diagnostic categories: unsatisfactory, benign, FLUS/FN, and Susp/malignant. In the current study, six cytopathologists participated in a blinded retrospective review of 60 thyroid FNAs and kappa statistics were ut...

In an attempt to progress in the understanding of the relationship of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) alterations and thyroid tumorigenesis, we studied the mtDNA in 79 benign and malignant tumors (43 Hürthle and 36 non-Hürthle cell neoplasms) and respective normal parenchyma. The mtDNA common deletion (CD...

Background: Thyroid nodules are relatively common (7% of the population) but are malignant in only 5%???10% of cases. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) to detect cancer can have >90% sensitivity but only 50%???65% specificity because of false-positive results, which necessitates surgical controls. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of immunocytochemistry (ICC) of thyroid FNA to improve its sensitivity and specificity. Methods: We prospectively collected 2038 thyroid FNAs, of which 1397 were FNA biopsies with liquid-based cytology (Thin-Prep-Hologic®). ICC with cytokeratin 19 and HBME1 antibodies (Dako®A/S) was used for all malignant cases and cases of atypical cells of undetermined significance (AUS), follicular neoplasm (FN), and nodules suspicious for malignancy-papillary thyroid ca...

Abstract Background/Objective: The Bethesda 2007 Thyroid Cytology Classification defines atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) as a heterogeneous category of cases that are neither convincingly benign nor sufficiently atypical for a diagnosis of follicular neoplasm or suspicious for malignancy. At our institution, we refer to these cases as `indeterminate' and they are further subclassified into two categories. BRAF mutation occurs in 40-60% of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). In this study, we examined cases in the AUS/FLUS category in correlation with BRAF mutation analysis and surgical pathology outcome. Study Design: Thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology specimens interpreted as `indeterminate' were selected from our fil...

Carcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation (CASTLE) is a rare malignant neoplasm that occurs in the thyroid gland. We report on a case of CASTLE which was difficult to diagnose. A 53-year-old male with hoarseness and dyspnea was referred to our department. Fine needle aspiration biopsy suggested malignant lymphoma of the thyroid gland. Subsequent open biopsy revealed a definite diagnosis of CASTLE. We performed a total thyroidectomy, paratracheal neck dissection and partial resection of the trachea. The patient’s post-operative course was uneventful and there have been no signs of recurrence since surgery.   

CD10?common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen is a membrane-bound zinc metalloproteinase that is expressed by different hematopoietic cell types at unique stages of lymphoid and myeloid differentiation. It was reported to be expressed in various nonlymphoid cells and tissue, as well as in various types of neoplasms. Recently, it has been found to be useful in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant follicular-patterned lesions of the thyroid. In the present study, we evaluated the staining pattern of CD10 in various thyroid lesions, including 14 benign and 61 malignant cases, as well as in adjacent thyroid tissue. CD10 was negative in normal thyroid tissue, adenomatous nodules, minimally invasive follicular carcinoma, and well-differentiated carcinoma. It was expressed in nin...

Female Long-Evans rats were subjected to subtotal thyroidectomy, subtotal thyroidectomy plus injection of 1 mu e of I/sup 131/, subtotal thyroidectomy plus injection of 1 mu c of I/sup 131/ plus feeding of a diet containing desiccated thyroid, subtotal thyroidectomy plus feeding of a diet containing desiccated thyroid, injection of 1 mu c of I/sup 131/, feeding of a diet containing desiccated thyroid, and injection of 1 mu c of I/sup 131/ plus feeding of a diet containing desiccated thyroid. Single and multiple adenomas were found in rats subjected to subtotal thyroidectomy and in those subtotally thyroidectomized and given injections of 1 mu c of I/sup 131/. In rats subjected to these same treatments but, in addition, fed the thyroid-containing diet, significantly fewer adenomas were encountered. Four papillary carcinomas and one follicular carcinoma were found in rats subjected to subtotal thyroidectomy and/or given injections of 1 mu c I/sup 131/. No carcinoma was observed in control rats. Two papillary carcinomas were found in glands following subtotal thyroidectomy alone, a finding suggesting that thyrotropic hormone stimulation may cause the development of both benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms. One papillary and one follicular carcinoma developed in the intact thyroid glands of rats that received only 1 mu c of I/sup 131/. These malignant neoplasms were possibly induced solely by the I/sup 131/ irradiation. One papillary carcinoma developed in a rat that had been subjected to subtotal thyroidectomy, given an injection of 1 mu c of I/sup 131/, and fed the desiccated thyroid-containing diet. This neoplasm appeared to be the result of either prolonged thyrotropic hormone stimulation or I/sup 131/ irradiation. (auth)

Abstract Diagnosis of follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is challenging. In this retrospective review, we evaluated triage efficacy (i.e., potential for triggering surgical intervention) in 44 archived FNA biopsies of surgically confirmed FVPTC obtained between December 2006 and December 2008. We compared the original FNA diagnoses with reclassified diagnoses based on 2007 National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Bethesda recommendations, and reviewed FNA cytologic features. Original FNA diagnoses included colloid nodule (7%, 3/44), atypical follicular cells (5%, 2/44), follicular lesion (11%, 5/44), follicular neoplasm (16%, 7/44), suspicious for malignancy/PTC (27%, 12/44), and papillary thyroid carcinoma (34%, 15/44). Recla...

Thyroid nodules are less frequent in childhood than in adulthood, but are more often malignant. Recent estimates suggest that up to 25% of thyroid nodules in children are malignant, therefore, a more aggressive approach is recommended. In this review, we suggest an approach based on a first-step clinical, laboratory, and sonographic evaluation. A history of irradiation of the neck, cranium or upper thorax, previous thyroid diseases or thyroid neoplasms in the family should alert clinicians as being associated with a greater likelihood of malignant nodules. Signs or symptoms of hyperthyroidism and dysmorphic features should be carefully considered during the physical examination. Palpable firm lymph nodes, found in some 70% of cases, are the most significant clinical finding in children with malignant nodules. Although the routine determination of calcitonin levels is not uniformly practiced, it can help recognize sporadic or familial medullary thyroid neoplasms. Blood TSH, fT4, and fT3 determinations (the latter in case of symptoms of hyperthyroidism) are aimed at identifying the few hyperthyroid patients, for whom the next step should be scintiscan. Hyperthyroid patients usually disclose an increased uptake, and a diagnosis of toxic adenoma is commonly made. Cases with normal thyroid function or hypothyroidism (which is usually subclinical) should be evaluated by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). In eu/hypo-thyroid patients, scintiscan provides poor diagnostic information and should not be routinely employed. Thyroid ultrasonography is used to select cases for FNAB. Although ultrasound cannot reliably discriminate between benign and malignant lesions, it does provide an index of suspicion. Sonographic features that increase the likelihood of malignancy are microcalcifications, lymph node alterations, nodule growth under levothyroxine treatment, and increased intranodular vascularization demonstrated by color Doppler. There is growing evidence that elastography may provide further information on nodule characteristics. FNAB is indicated in all cases with a likelihood of malignancy. FNBA has a diagnostic accuracy of approximately 90% and is used in selection of patients which require surgery. Recently, histological markers and elastography have been introduced to increase the specificity of FNAB and ultrasound, respectively. The pitfall in FNAB cytology is the follicular cytology, in which it is not possible to distinguish between adenoma and carcinoma and therefore thyroidectomy is advised. PMID:23154160

The differential diagnosis of a follicular lesion/neoplasm in thyroid FNA specimens includes hyperplastic/adenomatoid nodule, follicular adenoma and carcinoma, and follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. In our laboratory we separate follicular lesions of thyroid into hyperplastic/adenoma...

To evaluate the lifetime hazards of ionizing radiation exposure, 1680 beagles recieved whole-body, 60-cobalt gamma exposures or sham-exposures during development. Eight groups of 120 dogs each recieved mean doses of 16 or 83 cGy at 8 (preimplantation), 28 (embryonic), or 55 (late fetal) days postcoitus (dpc), or 2 (neonatal) days postpartum (dpp). One group of 120 dogs received 83 cGy at 70 dpp (juvenile), and one group of 240 dogs received 83 cGy at 365 dpp (young adult). Sham-irradiations were delivered to 360 controls. Sexes were equally represented. Young dogs, up to 4 years of age, had an increase in benign and malignant neoplasms after irradiation in the perinatal period at 55 dpc or 2 dpp. Among these, 4 fatal cancers were observed. No malignancies occurred in comparably-aged controls. The increase in both fatal neoplasms and all neoplasms in the perinatally-exposed groups were statistically significant. Over the full lifetime, dogs irradiated in the perinatal period also had the strongest evidence for an increased risk for fatal malignancies of all types. Though not as strong, there was a trend for increased risk for fatal cancer in dogs irradiated at all other ages. The risk of fatal malignancy after irradiation was greater in females than in males. Dogs exposed at 55 dpc had a significant increase in lymphoid neoplasia and dogs exposed at 8 and 55 dpc had increased risk for hemangiosarcoma. There was no evidence for an increased risk for mammary carcinoma in irradiated females. Dogs exposed as juveniles at 70 dpp had a significant increase in all benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms, including fatal thyroid carcinoma. (author) 40 refs.

We report the case of a 26-year-old woman with a 19 cm malignant hepatic neoplasm with morphological features that closely resembled a follicular thyroid carcinoma. Despite this, it was interpreted as a cholangiocarcinoma due to the absence of a primary thyroid tumor and the lack of thyroglobulin and TTF-1 immunoreactivity by the hepatic tumor. The left hepatic lobectomy specimen showed an encapsulated and multinodular gray-white mass with cystic and hemorrhagic areas. Microscopically, it displayed predominant macro and microfolicullar patterns with focal solid, trabecular and insular areas. The small and distended follicles contained a colloid-like secretion and were lined by low cuboidal cells with scant cytoplasm, round or oval hyperchromatic nuclei with fine chromatin. The solid areas, trabecular and insular structures were similar to those of follicular or papillary thyroid carcinomas. In addition, some of the neoplastic cells had clear nuclei with occasional grooves. The tumor was positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7, CK 19 and CD138, and negative for TTF-1, thyroglobulin, Hepar-1, Glypican-3, alpha-fetoprotein and neuroendocrine markers. A thyroid neoplasm was excluded clinically and by ultrasound and computed tomography. Although, the residual hepatic parenchyma was initially not cirrhotic, the patient eventually developed cryptogenic cirrhosis. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and died of metastatic disease 18 months after surgery. The thyroid-like pattern broadens the morphologic spectrum of cholangiocarcinoma.   PMID:23109464

The diagnosis of follicular epithelial neoplasms is an area of controversy. We provide our experience with common problems that practising pathologists face when confronted with follicular epithelial proliferations. One of the major issues is the recognition of the diagnostic nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma and reactive cytologic atypia. We discuss the definitions of capsular invasion, vascular invasion, and extrathyroidal extension and their implications in cancer diagnosis and staging. We propose unified terminology for benign follicular epithelial proliferations in the setting of multinodular goiter. We also review challenges related to oncocytic change, malignant transformation in benign nodules, focal dedifferentiation, and the application of ancillary tools in thyroid pathology. We believe that this review contains comprehensive and up to date information that will be of value to pathologists who practice surgical pathology of thyroid. PMID:23060062

Background: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is the most accurate and cost-effective method for evaluating thyroid nodules. However, FNA induced secondary changes completely replacing thyroid tumors ('vanishing' tumors) may create a novel problem. In this study we highlight the diagnostic and management issues associated with the unintended consequences of ultrasound guided FNA. Methods: Fourteen thyroids glands (11 women:3 men, ages 33-64 years) with 'vanishing tumors' were prospectively identified between 2009-2012 upon surgical resection. Cytology and histopathology slides were reviewed, and second opinions were obtained when necessary. Results: The cytology of the 14 'vanishing tumors' was suspicious/positive for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in 5, indeterminate (atypia of unknown significance, AUS) in 5, benign in 2, follicular neoplasm in 1, and non-diagnostic in 1 nodule. Upon thyroidectomy, the 'vanishing tumors' ranged in size from 0.4 to 3.5 cm (median 0.7 cm). Microscopically, the nodules showed cystic degeneration, organizing hemorrhage, granulation tissue, fibrosis and microcalcifications. In seven tumors a few residual malignant cells (PTC in 5) or residual benign follicles (hemorrhagic cyst in 2) at the periphery of the 'vanishing tumors' helped with the final diagnosis. The remaining seven tumors were completely replaced by FNA induced secondary changes, and had the cytology diagnosis of benign in one, follicular neoplasm in one, and suspicious/positive for PTC in five. Of the latter five, two showed additional separate foci of PTC while three 'vanishing' tumors (0.5 cm, 1.2 cm, 1.6 cm) had no residual malignant cells and no additional carcinoma leading to a final diagnosis of 'negative' for malignancy. Conclusions: Ultrasound guided FNA may lead to complete obliteration of thyroid nodules, rendering final diagnosis upon thyroidectomy difficult or impossible. In these unusual circumstances, the possibility that the surgical pathology may be 'non-representative' should be considered if the cytologic features on FNA are sufficient by themselves to support a definitive diagnosis of PTC. PMID:22928739

AIM: Patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) have long-life expectancy and are at risk for developing a second primary cancer. Aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of DTC in conjunction with other primary neoplasms. It was also aimed to explore the possibility of synchronous or metachronous other malignancies having an impact on clinical course of thyroid carcinoma. MATERIAL & METHODS: Clinical records of 1680 DTC patients treated and followed in our institution over last twenty years were reviewed. Forty-five second primary tumors were found in 42 patients. These patients were classified into 3 groups as antecedent (group I), synchronous (group II) or subsequent (group III) according to the timing of occurrence of non-thyroidal malignancy. The initial characteristics of thyroid neoplasm were compared between patients with DTC plus another tumor and DTC only. Kaplan-Meier Survival Analysis was used to estimate the survival probability for patients with DTC alone and DTC plus another primary tumor. RESULTS: There were 15 synchronous and 30 metachronous tumors in 42 patients. Three of them had triple tumors. The most common second primary was lympho-haematological and upper aero digestive system tumors in group I and II respectively, whereas a variety of tumors were noted in group III. Despite the more common occurrence of unfavourable prognostic factors in patients with multiple cancers than thyroid cancer alone, complete response to radioiodine therapy and recurrence free survival rate was similar in both groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of the current series imply that the occurrence of multiple primary tumors is not uncommon in patients with DTC. Close medical surveillance and the use of advanced screening modalities might lead to the detection of second primary tumors in DTC. However, the presence of second primary seems not to affect the clinical course of DTC.   

BACKGROUND: BRAF mutations are highly specific for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and many cytology specimens with BRAF mutations are expected to demonstrate cytologic features typical of PTC. However, indeterminate thyroid cytology cases are inevitable and understanding the significance of the BRAF mutation within the context of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology would be valuable. METHODS: Thyroid cytology cases submitted for conventional cytomorphologic evaluation and BRAF mutational analyses were selected from the authors' cytopathology files from April 2007 to October 2011. From this group, the diagnostic usefulness of BRAF mutations in indeterminate and malignant cases was assessed and analyses of cytologic and histopathologic features associated with the mutations in this gene were performed. RESULTS: A total of 131 cases with a BRAF mutation were identified. Of these, 119 underwent surgical pathology resection follow-up and demonstrated PTC. Approximately 75% of the cases were cytologically diagnosed as being positive for malignancy and these cases were associated with both the classic and tall cell variants of PTC at the time of resection, a greater likelihood of extrathyroidal extension, and the V600E type of BRAF mutation. In contrast, BRAF-mutated cases with diagnoses of atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) and follicular neoplasm/suspicious for follicular neoplasm were found to be more strongly associated with the follicular variant of PTC, a K601E BRAF mutation, and a lower likelihood of extrathyroidal extension. However, a subset of AUS/FLUS cases with the V600E BRAF mutation appeared to represent sampling variability of the classic or tall cell variants of PTC. CONCLUSIONS: Bethesda thyroid diagnoses in the setting of a BRAF mutation reflect differences in PTC subtypes, the nature of cytology specimens, and molecular characteristics. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society. PMID:22887810

The total number of malignant neoplasms included in this study 53,566 cases(14.1%) among 379,582 patients from 1984 to 1993. On sex, females with 51.3% were much more than males with 48.7%. The highest proportion of cancer patients by age was 35.0% in males and 28.4% in females, respectively for 50-59 age group. The most frequent primary site among males was found to be stomach with 33.2%, followed by liver(15.1%), lung(14.9%), esophagus(5.3%) and larynx(3.3%). In females, the first order was uterine cervix with 37.8%, followed by stomach(16.5%), breast(14.8%), thyroid gland(4.3%) and lung (3.8%). The proportion of malignant neoplasms diagnosed by histology made up 67.0%, whereas 20.2% was diagnosed by clinical investigation(X-ray, CT, MRI etc). Among the cancer patients initially diagnosed in this hospital, the proportion of malignant neoplasms by the extent of disease was 3.7% for patient with carcinoma-in-situ, 58.7% for patients with localized involvement, 18.4% for patients with regional involvement and 11.1% for patients with distant involvement. Among the cancer patients initially treatment in this hospital, the proportion of malignant neoplasms by the method of treatment was 27.5% for surgery, 22.5% for radiotherapy and 30.1% for chemotherapy. The proportion of cancer patients traced to death was only to 3.6%, 1,944 cases. Among them, 72.5% survived for less than 1 year. 17 figs, 7 tabs, 28 refs. (Author).

The majority of familial medullary thyroid neoplasms are associated with germ-line mutations of the RET proto-oncogene, yet very little is known about the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of familial and sporadic nonmedullary thyroid tumors. A subset of thyroid tumors have loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 10q22-23, a region harboring the gene responsible for Cowden disease, an autosomal dominant hamartoma syndrome associated with thyroid and breast tumors. PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1 codes for a dual-specificity phosphatase and is likely a tumor suppressor gene. We sought to determine the PTEN status in a series of epithelial thyroid neoplasms. We studied 95 sporadic thyroid tumors, of which 39 were papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), 12 were follicular carcinomas, 9 were anaplastic carcinomas, 5 were Hürthle cell carcinomas, 21 were nonfunctioning follicular adenomas, and 9 were Hürthle cell adenomas. Direct sequencing of PCR-amplified products was performed for all nine exons of PTEN. Two polymorphic markers, one located in intron 8 and another, a dinucleotide repeat marker, AFMa086wg9, located within intron 2, were analyzed in paired blood-tumor DNA samples to assess hemizygous deletions of PTEN. We found a somatic frameshift mutation in one PTC, which was expected to generate a premature stop codon 2 amino acids downstream. Twenty-six % of informative benign tumors (four follicular adenomas and three Hürthle cell adenomas) and only 3 of 49 (6.1%) informative malignant tumors (one PTC, one follicular carcinoma, and one anaplastic carcinoma) showed evidence of hemizygous deletion of PTEN (P = 0.046). We conclude that a subset of thyroid tumors have somatic deletions of the PTEN gene, predominantly the benign forms, and that small intragenic mutations of PTEN are infrequent in thyroid tumors. We speculate that other mechanisms of PTEN inactivation, rather than small intragenic mutations, might occur in the hemizygously deleted samples and act as the "Knudson second hit." Alternatively, other tumor suppressor genes mapping to chromosome 10q22-23 could be the actual targets for such deletions and thus represent the various hits in the pathway of multistep carcinogenesis. PMID:9354427

Thyroid cancers represent about 1% of all human cancers. Differentiate thyroid carcinomas (DTCs), papillary and follicular cancers, are the most frequent forms, instead Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma (ATC) is estimated to comprise 1–2% of thyroid malignancies and it accounts for 14–39% of thyroid canc...

Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, a malignant neoplasm of para follicular C cells, represent about 5-10% of thyroid tumors. The symptoms are related to local invasion and hormonal secretion. The clinical course is variable, from indolent cases to extremely aggressive. Many radionuclide imaging have been described to locate metastasis of medullary cancer. Tl-201 and Tc-99m (V)DMS A showed to be useful in the evaluation o persistent elevated serum calcitonin levels. On the other hand, the use of the 131 I-Mibg, that is the isotope more used, has not been demonstrating efficiency in identifying metastasis. Our objective is to report a case of a patient with medullary thyroid carcinoma in which the follow-up use DMS A(V) demonstrated a recurrence no identified for other methods. A 34-year-old man had a diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma and has submitted a total thyroidectomy and neck lymph node dissection. He presented elevated serum calcitonin levels and DMS A(V) scintigraphy demonstrated focal area of pathologic uptake at the medline of the neck, but the surgical exploration was negative. He persisted with high calcitonin levels and it was used a new DMS A(V). On this occasion he was submitted to the radio-guided surgery that located the recurrence and it was confirmed with anatomo-pathologic exam. This case allowed to demonstrate that the use of radionuclide associated to the gamma-probe is promising, allowing a precise surgical approach. (author)

Background : Carcinoma showing thymus-like elements (CASTLE) is a rare malignant neoplasm of the thyroid gland, morphologically and immunohistologically similar to thymic carcinoma, whose histogenesis is still debated. Hypotheses include an origin from ectopic thymic tissue, vestige of thymopharyngeal duct, or branchial pouch remnants from which solid cell nests (SC-Nests) originate. The diagnosis of CASTLE may be treacherous due to its rarity and its propensity to mimic other poorly differentiated tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma. Methods : We present a case of CASTLE in a 58-year-old initially diagnosed as a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma both on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and on biopsy, arising in close association with SC-Nests. A thorough literature review, with special emphasis on its diagnosis and histogenesis of CASTLE, was also conducted. Results : Magnetic Resonance images revealed a 4.0-cm cervical mass on the left side of the trachea, involving the lateral middle/inferior portion of the left lobe of the thyroid gland. FNAC was performed with a diagnosis of « malignant cells, consistent with squamous cell carcinoma ». Histological evaluation of the resected specimen revealed a malignant proliferation of cells, focally exhibiting squamoid appearance, which were immunopositive for CD5 and p63. A diagnosis of CASTLE was made. The tumor was located in direct continuity with SC-Nests and the cell morphology of both the SC-Nests and CASTLE was very similar with merging. Moreover, the immunohistochemical expression profiles of most markers useful in the diagnosis of CASTLE were identical in the SC-Nests. Conclusions : The inclusion of CASTLE in the differential diagnosis of poorly differentiated tumors of the thyroid region and the use of ancillary studies are essential in order to diagnose this rare entity associated with a relatively favorable prognosis. The close association of CASTLE with SC-Nests opens the way to a new scenario for studies of its histogenesis. PMID:23078135

The purpose of this study was to identify clinical and ultrasound (US) features of malignancy in patients using cytological results of follicular neoplasm (FN) in the thyroid. We followed 165 patients with cytology diagnosed FN and evaluated the final surgical histopathology outcomes in 114 patients between March 2006 and November 2008. Patient histopathology, age, sex, tumor size, and US characteristics and the color flow pattern of the lesions were analyzed and compared between benign and carcinomas. Twenty five (21.9%) of the 114 FN were found to be follicular carcinomas (FC); 15 minimally invasive FC, 4 widely invasive FC, and 6 FVPTC. Benign included 78 FA, 8 atypical FA, and 3 Hurthle cell adenomas. The incidence of malignancy was 31.8% (7/22) in men and 19.6% (18/92) in women (p=0.253); and it was similar throughout the different age (45) and nodule size groups (2cm, 4cm). The difference of shape, margin, the presence of a halo, internal content, and calcifications was not statistically significant (p value =0.05). In malignancy more frequent internal central color Doppler flow was present (p=0.030). Color Doppler flow pattern of FN with other clinicopathological factors should be carefully considered when predicting the malignant potential of FN.   

Parathyroid gland carcinoma is a rare malignancy. The tumor is mostly functioning, causing severe hyperparathyroidism, with high serum calcium level and severe bone disease. Non-functioning parathyroid carcinomas are extremely rare. We report on a 60-year-old male patient admitted to ENT Department due to a large neck tumor mass compressing the thyroid and trachea. Preoperatively, thyroid hormone, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium serum levels were normal. The following immunohistochemical markers (DAKO, Denmark) were used: bcl-2; CD-10; Chromogranin-A; Cyclin-D1; EMA; Ki-67; Mdm-2; p-53; PGP-9,5; RCC; Synaptophysin; Thyroglobulin; and TTF-1. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated the diagnosis of a primary parathyroid gland carcinoma. Tumor cells showed diffusely positive immunohistochemical staining with chromogranin-A and PGP-9,5, positive staining of variable intensity with synaptophysin, and weakly positive reaction with EMA. Also, the cytoplasm of tumor cells was diffusely positively stained with bcl-2, while the nuclei showed positive reaction with p-53 oncogene and TTF-1. The remaining markers (CD-10, cyclin-D1, Ki-67, Mdm-2, RCC and thyroglobulin) were negative. Four years after the surgery, the patient died from renal carcinoma pulmonary metastases and liver cirrhosis complications. In conclusion, non-functioning parathyroid gland carcinoma is a very rare disease. Detailed immunohistochemical analysis is needed to distinguish it from other thyroid and parathyroid neoplasms and metastatic carcinoma. Surgical treatment is presently the best mode of therapy. PMID:22263388

Abstract Stem-like cells in tumors are capable of self-renewal and pluri-differentiation; they are thought to play important roles in tumor initiation and maintenance. Stem-like cells in malignant glioma express CD133. We examined samples from human pituitary adenoma, a generally benign neoplasm, for CD133 expression using routine immunohistochemical and biochemical methods. Our study of 70 pituitary adenomas (clinically nonfunctioning adenomas and growth hormone-, prolactin-, adrenocorticotropic hormone-, and thyroid-stimulating hormone-producing adenomas) showed that 18 (25.7%) expressed CD133. This rate was higher in clinically nonfunctioning (33.3%) than functioning adenomas (12.0%) (p = 0.085). Real-time PCR assay revealed the expression of CD133 mRNA in samples immunohistochemically ...

Chapter I gives a short introduction in the anatomy and physiology of the thyroid gland. Knowlegde about the regulation of thryroid growth and the transformation into a malignant thyroid tumor is surnmari...

Metastatic neoplasms of the breast are rare. Mammary metastases as the initial presentation are even more infrequent and can simulate a primary malignancy clinically and radiologically. Recognition of metastatic tumors in the breast is important because it would prevent unnecessary mutilating surgery and would lead to appropriate treatment of the primary tumor. There is a broad variety of cytological appearances reported about primary tumors and few reports about secondary breast malignancies, specially diagnosed by FNAC. This study was carried out to examine the clinical and cytomorphologic features of metastatic breast tumors found in 12 de Octubre University Hospital during a period of 20 years. It confirms the utility of FNAC and describes findings that can help in the differential diagnosis that sometimes can be very difficult. Seven cases of nonhematological metastatic neoplasms of the breast were identified from the files of the Department of Pathology of the 12 de Octubre University Hospital from a total of 64,000 aspirates. We included only metastatic tumors from extramammary nonhematological neoplasms. There were nine cases of hematological metastatic neoplasm that were excluded. They were diagnosed with FNAC and confirmed by histopathology, with at least three years of follow up. The breast lump was the first manifestation of malignancy in one case of synovial sarcoma. The other six cases had been previously diagnosed of cancer. These included one malignant melanoma, one alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, one mixed müllerian tumor, one medullary carcinoma of thyroid, one colonic adenocarcinoma, and one gastric adenocarcinoma. The period of time between primary tumor and metastases ranged from one month to eight years. An accurate cytologic diagnosis was made in all the cases. Immunocytochemistry was available but diagnosis could be made with cytomorphology alone in the seven cases. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is an excellent first line diagnostic modality that is particularly informative when clinical previous data are known. If metastatic disease is suspected, the material obtained by FNAC may provide a definitive diagnosis and prevent open surgical biopsy or mastectomy. We concur with previous reports that FNAC is a reliable, rapid, secure, and cost-effective approach to the diagnosis of palpable metastatic breast tumors. PMID:22431317

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are associated with an increased risk of a second malignant neoplasm. after a cancer during childhood. This study specified the dose effect relationship between the local dose of radiation received at the site of the second malignant neoplasm and the risk of a second malignant neoplasm.It also investigated the effect of chemo radiotherapy on the risk of second malignant neoplasm. An European cohort of 4581 patients, treated for a solid cancer during childhood have been included in the study. 153 cases with a second malignant neoplasm, and 442 controls were matched according to sex, age at first cancer, calendar year, type of first cancer and follow-up. The local dose of radiation was estimated at the site of the second malignant neoplasm, for each case and at the same site, for his matched control. In conclusion, radiation was the foremost treatment related risk factor for the occurrence of a second malignant neoplasm. Compared to sequential treatment, concomitant chemo radiotherapy may lead to a higher risk of a second malignant neoplasm. (N.C.)

Mixed medullary-follicular carcinomas (MMFCs) are tumors of the thyroid that display morphological and immunohistochemical features of both medullary and follicular neoplasms. The histogenetic origin and possible molecular mechanisms leading to MMFCs are still unclear. To address these questions, we...

Primary malignant melanoma of the anterior mediastinum is extremely rare, accounting for 0.1-0.5% of all primary malignant neoplasms. These tumors may be mistakenly diagnosed as lymphomas, thymic carcinomas and malignant germ-cell tumors of the mediastinum. We describe two cases of primary malignant melanomas of the anterior mediastinum and report their CT and pathology findings. PMID:19805119

Thyroid MALT lymphoma is an extremely rare malignancy believed to arise against a background of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody directed against B cell specific antigen CD20. Recently, there have been reports that rituximab is effective for autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Graves’ disease as well as for treatment of B cell malignant lymphoma. We present the changes in thyroid autoantibodies in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis after rituximab administration for 3 cases of thyroid MALT lymphoma. Case 1 had been taking levothyroxine and was diagnosed with thyroid MALT lymphoma. She was treated with rituximab monotherapy, and her thyroid enlargement improved. Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) turned negative after rituximab monotherapy, and TSH levels decreased with the same levothyroxine dosage. Case 2 was diagnosed with recurrent thyroid MALT lymphoma after chemotherapy (CHOP). He suffered from leg sensory disturbance because of vincristine sulfate. The patient was treated with rituximab. TPOAb decreased, but did not turn negative. TSH levels were within normal range during the disease course, but TSH levels were low in comparison with before rituximab therapy. Case 3 was diagnosed with thyroid MALT lymphoma after radiation therapy on the neck for laryngeal cancer. Thyroid enlargement improved after rituximab monotherapy, and thyroid autoantibody levels decreased. TSH increased transiently after radiation therapy, but TSH decreased gradually without levothyroxine after rituximab monotherapy. We report 3 cases in which thyroid autoantibody levels in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis decreased after rituximab monotherapy for thyroid MALT lymphoma, but it is controversial whether thyroid dysfunction due to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is restored.   

Functional and nonfunctional neoplasms of the endocrine glands constitute some of the more challenging diagnostic and therapeutic problems in veterinary cancer medicine. This discussion will focus on the clinical signs and syndromes associated with neoplasms of the thyroid, adrenal, and parathyroid glands, and pancreas in companion animals and will concentrate on the mechanisms producing the clinical signs, diagnosis, staging, therapy and prognosis.

The recent World Health Organization classification for tumors of the digestive system defined grossly and histologically hepatic mucinous cystic neoplasms and intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct separately. In this study, the immunohistochemical features of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (19 cases) and hepatic mucinous cystic neoplasm (5 cases) were characterized and compared with those of similar pancreatic lesions, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (12 cases), and pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasm (6 cases) and with those of other biliary cystic lesions, peribiliary cysts (10 cases). Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas frequently expressed cytokeratin 7; mucin core proteins 1, 2, 5AC, and 6; trypsin; and amylase. Hepatic and pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasms frequently expressed cytokeratin 7, mucin core proteins 1 and 5AC, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, trypsin, and amylase. Estrogen and progesterone receptors were expressed in the subepithelial stromal cells. The groups with intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas were different from the groups with hepatic and pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasm with respect to several phenotypes reflecting gastric and intestinal metaplasia and also the lack of expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors. The Ki-67 and p53 labeling indexes increased significantly with the malignant progression of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas. The p16 labeling index decreased and EZH2 labeling index increased significantly with the malignant progression of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas. In conclusion, intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct and hepatic mucinous cystic neoplasm might be regarded as biliary counterparts of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas and pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasm, respectively, and the mucinous cystic neoplasm and intraductal papillary neoplasm groups differed from each other. Labeling indexes of Ki-67, p53, p16, and EZH2 were comparable in intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas along with their malignant progression, suggesting a common carcinogenic process of the tumors. PMID:22705005

The computed tomographic scans (CT) of 84 patients with untreated soft-tissue neoplasms were studied, 75 with primary and nine with secondary lesions. Each scan was evaluated using several criteria: homogeneity and density, presence and type of calcification, presence of bony destruction, involvement of multiple muscle groups, definition of adjacent fat, border definition, and vessel or nerve involvement. CT demonstrated the lesion in all 84 patients and showed excellent anatomic detail in 64 of the 75 patients with primary neoplasms. The CT findings were characteristic enough to suggest the histology of the neoplasm in only 13 lesions (nine lipomas, three hemangiomas, one neurofibroma). No malignant neoplasm had CT characteristics specific enough to differentiate it from any other malignant tumor. However, malignant neoplasms could be differentiated from benign neoplasms in 88% of the cases.

Th primary thyroid lymphoma is a rare neoplasm, above all in children. We present a case of a child with Burkitt's thyroid lymphoma as the only manifestation of this disease, associated to lymphocytic thyroiditis. Clinically, it initiated as a rapidly growing goiter with compressive symptomatology. The X-ray findings are described: hypoechoic and hypodense multiple nodes that affect the right thyroid lobe and isthmus, with extraglandular extension to the vascular space and to the mediastinum. The differential diagnosis is considered with other more frequent thyroid pathologies in this age group. (Author) 14 refs.

Cowden syndrome (CS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by presence of multiple hamartomas, and other benign and malignant abnormalities of the breasts, skin, thyroid, endometrium, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system. Hamartomas are benign, developmentally disorganized tumors that can develop in any of the above mentioned organs. The presence of massive calcifications in the breasts in very young women is an indication to perform a breast MRI to exclude a neoplasm since, like in the current case report, presence of breast calcifications may obscure a neoplasm. Although fibrocystic disease and cooccurrence of fibrocystic disease and breast cancer are much more common than CS, the presence of massive calcifications in the breasts of very young women should elicit the possibility of an underlying genetic disease. Furthermore, breast cancer and macrocephaly are considered major criteria for the diagnosis of CS and the combination of both is enough to establish the clinical diagnosis of this entity. Fibrocystic disease of the breasts and multinodular goiter are minor criteria. Family history is also important for the diagnosis of (any) hereditary disease. PMID:5937601

A liver neoplasm was found in a 63-year-old man with alcoholic liver disease. Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasonography (US) showed that the neoplasm was isoechoic at the early vascular phase and hypoechoic at the post-vascular phase. Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the neoplasm was hypointense at the hepatobiliary phase. We suspected that it was a malignant tumor. By needle biopsy, however, the neoplasm was diagnosed as an inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT). We encountered a rare case of hepatic IPT, the differential diagnosis of which was difficult to distinguish from malignant tumor. Here, we report new US and MRI findings of hepatic IPT.   

Lacrimal gland neoplasms are rare and much of our knowledge of the behavior and molecular pathogenesis of these tumors comes from study of the similar, but more numerous salivary gland neoplasms. After briefly discussing the classification of lacrimal gland neoplasms, I review three areas of emerging knowledge in the pathogenesis of these neoplasms: (1) the concept of adenoid cystic carcinoma with high-grade transformation and the associated cytogenetic changes; (2) recent analysis of the MYB-NFIB gene fusion in adenoid cystic carcinoma, and; (3) overexpression of HER2 in malignant salivary and lacrimal neoplasms.

Confusion still prevails regarding the selection of patients with thyroid nodules for surgical treatment. Classical features of malignancy do not apply to growths of the thyroid gland. Duration, size, presence of calcification, scintiscanning and response to thyroid feeding are not, in themselves, r...

Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is the second most common thyroid cancer (TCs) after papillary carcinoma, but it is ranked first in producing distant metastases among TCs. It accounts for 10 – 20% of all thyroid malignancies and is most often seen in patients over 40 years of age. Distant metasta...

A uniform grading system for bladder cancer will allow for valid comparison of treatment results among different centers. The introduction of the World Health Organization (2004)/International Society of Urological Pathology classification is a welcome step toward standardization of treatment and follow-up regimens. The greatest source of controversy with the World Health Organization (2004)/International Society of Urological Pathology classification system centers on the diagnosis of papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential. Some feel that papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential terminology increases the complexity of histologic grading and does not accurately reflect biologic potential. Papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential is a low-gr...

Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling of S-phase cells, which are DNA- synthesizing cells, was demonstrated in 30 canine and 6 feline neoplasms. Simultaneously, the optimization of the BrdU-labeling method, including tissue fixation, administration dose of BrdU, and the immunohistochemical procedure, was examined. BrdU-incorporated cells in a neoplasm of a dog administered 3 mg/kg of BrdU could be detected. Although BrdU-positive cells could be visualized in 70% ethanol fixed samples, we could satisfactorily demonstrate BrdU-immunoreactivities in samples fixed in 10% buffered formalin and subjected to enzymatic treatment and acid hydrolysis. The BrdU-labeling index (LI) of malignant neoplasms tended to be higher than that of benign neoplasms. The mean BrdU LI of malignant neoplasms was significantly higher than that of benign neoplasms (P<0.05). The present study demonstrated that the BrdU-labeling method may be useful for detecting S-phase cells in canine and feline tissues.   

Hodgkin disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represent a spectrum of malignant neoplasms arising from the lymphoid system with an incidence of around 8% of all malignancies. Although they are generally known as tumors of lymph nodes, 25% to 40% of HD/NHL tumors, especially NHL, arise at extranodal sites along the gastrointestinal tract, head and neck, orbit, central and peripheral nervous system, thorax, bone, skin, breast, testis, thyroid, and genitourinary tract. Extranodal involvement is an important pretreatment prognostic factor for patients with lymphoma and its incidence has increased in the past 2 decades. Imaging plays an important role in the noninvasive pretreatment assessment of patients with extranodal lymphoma. This involvement can be subtle and may be overlooked during computed tomography (CT). Positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) has evolved into an important imaging tool for evaluation of lymphomas, facilitating the detection of affected extranodal sites even when CT shows subtle or no obvious lesions. Familiarity with extranodal manifestations and suggestive PET/CT features in different sites is important for accurate evaluation of lymphoma. This article reviews the extranodal PET/CT imaging findings regarding HD and NHL. PMID:21892025

In a comparative analysis of mortality among atomic bomb survivors versus the non-exposed, both resident in Hiroshima Prefecture, it was found that in addition to leukaemia, malignant lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and cancers of the thyroid gland, breast, lung, esophagus, stomach, urinary organs and salivary gland which have been reported from the past to be elevated in risk among atomic bomb survivors, cancers of the colon, larynx, accessory sinuses, uterus, ovary and testis, diseases of the blood, cirrhosis of liver, hypertensive disease and diabetes mellitus were elevated in risk, but the risk of cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, peptic ulcer, gastroenteritis, senility, and accidents was lower than the non-exposed. The relationship of atomic bomb exposure to the relative risk of cancers of the lung, breast, uterus, and testis could be readily explained, but the relationship between atomic bomb exposure and the relative risk of cancers of many other sites, diseases of the blood, and other causes of death was inconsistent. One of the reasons why the risk of senility was low and the risk of diseases of the blood, malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus, and hypertensive disease was high is considered to be the higher diagnostic accuracy in atomic bomb survivors.

We studied the findings of magnetic resonance imaging in thyroid masses. The study subjects included 44 cases of thyroid disease (16 of follicular adenoma, 16 of adenomatous goiter, 10 of papillary carcinoma, and 2 of follicular carcinoma). We compared 5 variables (irregularity of margin, heterogeneity of tumor, invasion to out of thyroid gland, pseudocapsule, and enhancement effect). The findings suggest that identifying irregularity of margin is the most useful finding in diagnosing a thyroid tumor as malignant. (author)

Abstract in spanish En el 19 al 67%> de la población general se diagnostican nodulos tiroideos mediante ultra-sonografía, dependiendo de la edad, sexo y área geográfica. En más del 80% su naturaleza es benigna y la gran mayoría corresponde a nodulos coloideos. Su punción indiscriminada aumenta costos y genera ansiedad. La correlación ultrasonográfica-histológica de los nodulos tiroideos permitió definir cinco patrones característicos (patrón coloideo típico tipos 1 a 3, patrón (more) neoplásico y patrón maligno). El 33%> de los nodulos coloideos simula la apariencia de nodulos de tipo neoplasia folicular o de aspecto maligno y sólo con punción se puede diferenciar entre ellos. No obstante, el 67%> de los nodulos tiene aspecto típico y corresponden a patrones coloideos Tipo 1, 2 y 3, con una baja asociación con cáncer (0%, 0%y 1,5% en los tres grupos respectivamente), lo que autoriza su seguimiento ultrasonográfico. Al reconocerlos como tal, se puede disminuir en forma significativa las punciones diagnósticas innecesarias Abstract in english Depending on age, sex, and geographic area, 19 to 67% of the general population is found to have thyroid nodules when submitted to ultrasonica-lly-guided diagnostic puncture. Being benign in more than a 80%, most of them corresponds to colloid nodules. Indiscriminate fine-needle aspiration not only increases health costs but also generates anxiety in patients. The echographic-histological correlation of thyroid nodules made it possible to define five typical patterns (col (more) loid patterns 1, 2, 3; neoplastic type, and malignant pattern). Thirty three percent of colloid nodules may appear as follicular neoplasms or malign nodules, being puncture the only means for recognizing and establishing the difference between them. Nevertheless, 67% of nodules presents a typical appearance that corresponds to colloid patterns 1, 2, and 3, which show a weak association to cancer risk(0%, 0% and 1,5%, respectively). On this basis, ultrasound follow-up is advised to recognize them in order to significantly diminish unnecessary diagnostic histological punctures

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is the prototype of a group of vascular tumors characterized by epithelioid or histiocytoid endothelial cells. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of bone is a rare lesion that constitutes fewer than 1% of primary malignant skeletal neoplasms. We describe two cases that illustrate the spectrum of radiographic features seen with this neoplasm, and also present its appearance on magnetic resonance imaging. (orig.).

Abstract According to the new World Health Organization (WHO) classification (2008), chronic myeloid malignancies are divided in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and overlap MDS/MPN cases. From morphological aspects, these categories show overlaps. To eval...

To examine whether prenatal exposure to parental type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes is associated with an increased risk of malignant neoplasm or diseases of the circulatory system in the offspring.

This book is separated in four parts: the first one is devoted to the thyroid nodules. The second part develop the questions relative to the taking charge of the thyroid neoplasm: prognostic, initial treatment, (surgery, iodine 131, external radiotherapy) recurrence and metastases. The following part deals with the effects of radiations on thyroid. There is an analysis about the consequences of Chernobyl accident and gives an information on preventive measures in case of accidental contamination by iodine radioisotopes. The last part is devoted to others thyroid tumors such medullary cancer and anaphasic cancer. (N.C.).

Background: Primary thyroid lymphoma is an uncommon neoplasm frequently associated with lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT). Once the pathologic diagnosis of primary thyroid lymphoma is established, imaging plays an important role in tumor staging and evaluating treatment response. The present case discusses the role of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET)/computed tomography (CT) in this clinical setting along with the potential diagnostic challenges. Patient Findings: A 44-year-old man with a history of LT and hypothyroidism presented with an enlarging goiter. Initial imaging evaluation showed markedly enlarged gland with bilateral cervical and mediastinal adenopathy. Histopathologic evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of primary thyroid lymphoma on a background of LT. A...

Insular carcinoma, once considered a poorly-differentiated thyroid cancer, has been reclassified as a distinct thyroid neoplasm. Since this neoplasm is composed of follicular epithelial cells, it may concentrate radioiodide (131I) making postoperative 131I imaging for detection of metastases and radiotherapy possible. A 20-yr review of 35 cases diagnosed as anaplastic or undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma at this medical center revealed five patients with insular carcinoma. Four patients showed postoperative 131I localization and received therapeutic doses of 131I. Three of the four showed extrathyroidal 131I localization in neoplastic lesions. In one patient, the resolution of metastatic lesions by magnetic resonance and 131I imaging suggests that 131I may have an important therapeutic role in this aggressive neoplasm.

Mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis is a rare neoplasm, typically demonstrating frankly malignant morphology and aggressive behavior. Rare cases of well-differentiated papillary mesotheliomas have also been reported, which, in contrast, demonstrate indolent behavior. There are, however, cases which do not fit into the well-differentiated or diffuse malignant mesothelioma categories and can be considered mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis of "uncertain malignant potential", which is an emerging diagnostic category. A 57-year-old man presented with a neoplasm in a hydrocele sac. The neoplasm was non-invasive, but showed focal complex and solid growth and it was difficult to categorize either as well-differentiated papillary mesotheliomas or malignant mesothelioma. After the initial limited resection, the patient underwent radical orchiectomy with hemiscrotectomy and is alive and without disease progression after 6 years. Documentation of these rare tumors will allow their distinction from true malignant mesotheliomas and will facilitate the development of specific treatment recommendations. PMID:21867523

Objective The most distinctive feature of FDG-PET cancer screening program is the ability to find various kinds of malignant neoplasms in a single test. The aim of this survey is to clarify the range and frequency of various malignant neoplasms detected by FDG-PET cancer screening performed in Japan. Methods ?FDG-PET cancer screening? was defined as FDG-PET or positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) scan with or without other tests performed for cancer screening of healthy subjects. This survey was based on a questionnaire regarding FDG-PET cancer screening. We analyzed the situation of 9 less frequently found malignant neoplasms including malignant lymphoma, malignancy of head and neck, esophagus, hepatobiliary and gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, cervical and uterine,...

Abstract Primary and metastatic pleural neoplasms, and non-neoplastic pleural diseases, can have similar clinical, radiographic and gross features. However, treatments and prognoses of these diverse pleural conditions vary greatly. Accurate diagnosis of pleural disease is therefore extremely important, and histological interpretation of pleural biopsies is vital to rendering an accurate diagnosis. Smaller biopsies contribute to the difficulties in accurately characterizing pleural lesions, and immunostains are frequently employed in their assessment. Diffuse malignant mesothelioma, the most common primary pulmonary neoplasm, is rare; however, other less common primary pleural neoplasms, including solitary fibrous tumour, the most common benign primary pleural neoplasm, occur. These neoplas...

Using right equipment and well trained personnel, ultrasound of the neck can detect a large number of non-palpable thyroid nodules. However, this technique often suffers from subjective interpretations and poor accuracy in the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign thyroid lesions. Therefore, we developed an automated identification system based on knowledge representation techniques for characterizing the intra-nodular vascularization of thyroid lesions. Twenty nodules (10 benign and 10 malignant), taken from 3-D high resolution ultrasound (HRUS) images were used for this work. Malignancy was confirmed using fine needle aspiration biopsy and subsequent histological studies. A combination of discrete wavelet transformation (DWT) and texture algorithms were used to extract relevant ...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the ultrasonography as a screening test for thyroid diseases. For 7 months, thyroid ultrasonography (7.5 MHz linear array) was performed prospectively by radiologists on 1,316 subjects who do not have a history of the thyroid disease. We analyzed the morphological abnormalities of thyroid gland and these were classified as the nodulal, cystic and diffuse types in accordance with the gender and ages of the patients. We performed ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in 21 patients who had sonographic features that were suggestive of malignant thyroid nodules. Physical examination was performed for all subjects by clinicians before the thyroid ultrasonography, and we compared the detectability of thyroid lesions between ultrasonography and physical examination. Thyroidal abnormalities were detected in 94 (7.1%) of 1,316 subjects. Among the 94 patients, 72(5.5%) showed as nodules, 18 (1.4%) showed as cysts and 4 (0.3%) showed as diffuse abnormalities. The result of the ultrasound-guided aspiration on 21 patients showed 4 malignant nodules, 16 benign nodules and 1 undetermined nodule. Physical examination detected abnormalities in only 12 patients (12.8%) of the 94 patients, which were showed as nodules, cysts and the diffuse type by ultrasonography. Thyroid disease of the general population was relatively common and the detection rate with performing physical examination for the thyroid nodule, cyst and the diffuse type was lower than that for ultrasonography. Thyroid ultrasonography is a useful screening modality for detecting thyroid diseases.

The etiology of thyroid tumors is a complex subject, complicated by the fact that these tumors are not one entity, but separate neoplasms with different histology, evolution and prognosis. The recognized etiological factors of thyroid cancer include the iodine content of the diet, the inheritance, racial predispositions, the presence of an autoimmune thyroiditis and mostly, the exposure of the thyroid gland to external radiation following radiotherapy. The role played by these factors varies from one type of tumor to another. Thyroid radiation probably represents the most important factor in the development of a papillary carcinoma, with other factors (iodine-rich diet, inheritance, racial predispositions) having a minor role. The follicular carcinoma is more common in regions with low-iodine diet, therefore suggesting that TSH stimulation could be an etiological factor of these tumors. Thyroid radiation may also be carcinogenic for follicular carcinoma although less than for papillary carcinoma. Anaplastic carcinoma appears to originate from a papillary carcinoma already in the thyroid gland. In medullary carcinoma, inheritance plays a major role (autosomal dominant) and lymphomas occur in thyroids already affected by autoimmune thyroiditis. Recent experimental studies have suggested other possible cellular factors as responsible for the development of thyroid tumors. They include an alteration of the responsivity of TSH cellular receptors and the monoclonal mutation of C-cells. These new factors could provide a new insight on the etiology of thyroid tumors.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm affecting the oral cavity. This article overviews the essential points of oral squamous cell carcinoma, highlighting its risk and genomic factors, the potential malignant disorders and the therapeutic approaches. It also emphasizes the importance of the early diagnosis. PMID:21363868

The thyroid gland is a relatively rare site for secondary malignancy. We describe the case of a 41-year-old woman with a history of bilateral breast cancer, presented with elevated serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 153 level, and ultrasonography revealed the bilateral thyroid lobes and isthmus diffuse distribution of point-like calcifications, no nodules were palpable, total thyroidectomy was performed. A firm diagnosis of metastatic breast carcinoma to the thyroid was established. With this report, we should strengthen the argument that any patient with a thyroid lesion and a history of malignancy should be considered to have a metastasis until proven otherwise, also we conclude that total thyroidectomy for the multifocality of metastases to the thyroid gland is feasible, when metastatic cancer limited to the thyroid. With the combination of comprehensive treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy, the survival of patient can be prolonged. PMID:23104533

To evaluate the prevalence of thyroid FDG-PET/CT incidentalomas and the risk of malignancy in focal findings. A retrospective study of 3,062 PET scans was performed between 05/2006 and 09/2009. Prevalence of thyroid incidentalomas, risk of malignancy and correlation between standard uptake value (SUV) and cancer risk were analysed. The overall prevalence of thyroid incidentalomas was 2.4%. 71% showed a focal and 29% a diffuse uptake. In the focal uptake group, the diagnosis was clarified in 79% with cytology/histology. In 23.8% of the patients with a focal uptake, a malignant lesion was found. Diffuse uptake was predominantly associated with autoimmune thyroiditis. There was no statistically significant difference in the SUVmax between benign and malignant focal lesions (p?=?0.0982). Patie...

Environmental problems associated with the operation of an atomic power plant are describcd. These problems include: the kind of radioactive nuclides and radiation dose; ecological movements of radioactive nuclides and the kind and the degree of radiation exposure (external exposure and internal exposure); biological effects of low-dose (minute amount) radiation; standards for radiation protection and estimation of the degree of radiation hazard; and environmental problems other than radiation. The path of radioaetive nuclides in the environment until they reach the human body through food chain and importance of their concentration in living things during that time are stated. Bodily effects, genetic effects, and the degree of genetic danger from internal exposure and compound pollution are discussed. Delayed bodily effects, such as: malignant neoplasms including leukemia, tumors of various organs in the body (thyroid gland tumor, etc.), opacitas corneae (cataract), genetic abnormality of fetus, and shortening of life are mentioned. Genetic effects were divided into chromosome abnormality and genic mutation from a viewpoint of genetic mechanism. Dominant mutation, recessive mutation, sex-linked mutation, and multigenetic mutation manifestations of mutation are considered. Dose standards, the maximum permissible dose, and limitation of dose recommended by ICRP, and legal regulation in Japan are mentioned. Standards on dose restrictions for reactor installations in Japan, U. S. A., Canada, West Germany, U. S. S. R. and England are compared with each other. The environmental effects of thermal effluents from nuclear power plants, specifically the effects of seawater heating on marine organisms are described. (JA)

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a very aggressive thyroid gland malignancy with very poor prognosis. It is suspected that the Notch signaling pathway, which is not active in ATC, may have a tumor suppressor function in this neoplasm. However, it remains unknown whether activation of Notch can yield therapeutic efficacies in ATC. METHODS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of chrysin, a potential Notch inducer identified via high-throughput screening, on ATC both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Chrysin treatment of ATC cells led to a dose-dependent inhibition of cellular growth. Protein and messenger RNA levels of Notch1 and Hes1 (hairy/enhancer of split 1), a downstream Notch1 effector, were both up-regulated with treatment. Luciferase reporter assays incorporating the C promoter-binding factor 1 (CBF1) binding site also confirmed the functional activity of chrysin-induced Notch1. Oral administration of chrysin suppressed the growth of ATC xenografts by an average of 59% compared with the vehicle control group (P = .002). In addition, calculated median time to tumor progression was 11 days for control mice and 21 days for the chrysin treatment group (P = .008). Analysis of chrysin-treated ATC tumors revealed an increase in the active intracellular domain of Notch1 protein. Activation of Notch1 in vivo was associated with the induction of cleaved Poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) protein, indicating that the growth inhibition was due to apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The novel Notch1 activator chrysin inhibits tumor growth in ATC both in vitro and in vivo. Chrysin could be a promising therapeutic candidate for ATC, and this justifies further clinical studies. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society. PMID:22991264

Since 1981, meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), labeled with (131)I and later (123)I, has become a valuable agent in the diagnosis and therapy of a number of endocrine tumors. Initially, the agent located pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PGLs), both sporadic and familial, in multiple anatomic sites; surgeons were thereby guided to excisional therapies, which were previously difficult and sometimes impossible. The specificity in diagnosis has remained above 95%, but sensitivity has varied with the nature of the tumor: close to 90% for intra-adrenal pheochromocytomas but 70% or less for PGLs. For patients with neuroblastoma, carcinoid tumors, and medullary thyroid carcinoma, imaging with radiolabeled MIBG portrays important diagnostic evidence, but for these neoplasms, use has been primarily as an adjunct to therapy. Although diagnosis by radiolabeled MIBG has been supplemented and sometimes surpassed by newer scintigraphic agents, searches by this radiopharmaceutical remain indispensable for optimal care of some patients. The radiation imparted by concentrations of (131)I-MIBG in malignant pheochromocytomas, PGLs, carcinoid tumors, and medullary thyroid carcinoma has reduced tumor volumes and lessened excretions of symptom-inflicting hormones, but its value as a therapeutic agent is being fulfilled primarily in attacks on neuroblastomas, which are scourges of children. Much promise has been found in tumor disappearance and prolonged survival of treated patients. The experiences with therapeutic (131)I-MIBG have led to development of new tactics and strategies and to well-founded hopes for elimination of cancers. Radiolabeled MIBG is an exemplar of theranostics and remains a worthy agent for both diagnosis and therapy of endocrine tumors. PMID:22475426

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) is a dominantly inherited cancer syndrome that comprises three clinical subtypes: MEN type 2A (MEN-2A), MEN type 2B (MEN-2B), and familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC). Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a malignant tumor arising from calcitonin-secr...

Molecular mechanisms in the development and progression of thyroid carcinomas are still not fully understood. In the present thesis the highly malignant anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) was used to study regulation of apoptosis and tumor interstitial fluid pressure (IFP).Addition of a na...

We report a patient with pulmonary and bony metastases due to follicular carcinoma of the thyroid, occurring 12 years after the initial diagnosis. This was brought to light by worsening diabetic control due to thyrotoxicosis from functioning malignant thyroid tissue. Following radio-active iodine th...

A 50-year-old woman presented with an extremely uncommon case of solitary metastasis from follicular carcinoma of the thyroid, which presented clinically as trigeminal neurinoma. Neuroimaging detected a tumor in the right petrous apex, which was removed surgically. Histological examination showed metastatic follicular carcinoma of the thyroid. However, no primary tumor was detected by various investigations. The tumor recurred twice, and was treated surgically both times. The patient finally agreed to adjuvant therapy for the suspected primary. Radiotherapy was performed followed by complete thyroidectomy. Examination of the gross specimen found the tumor nodule. Clinically significant metastasis can arise from histologically benign and silent follicular thyroid neoplasms.   

The development of molecular biomarkers (BMs) of follicular thyroid carcinoma is aimed at advancing diagnosis of follicular neoplasm, as histological examination of those tumors does not lend itself to definitive diagnosis of carcinoma. We assessed the relative levels of expression of 6 genes: CCND2...

It has been reported that Ga-67 uptake by malignant tumors differs somewhat according to the histologic type. Previously, we reported that uptake of Ga-67 is predictably low in well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the thyroid gland but high in anaplastic carcinoma and malignant lymphoma. We studied the relationship between Ga-67 uptake and nuclear DNA content in four papillary adenocarcinomas, three follicular adenocarcinomas, three anaplastic carcinomas, and five malignant lymphomas of the thyroid gland. In anaplastic carcinoma and malignant lymphoma, the nuclear DNA content and proliferative index were significantly higher than in well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. These results suggest that there is close correlation between Ga-67 uptake and degree of malignancy of thyroid tumor cells.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is an important mechanism of epithelial tumor progression, local invasion and metastasis. The E-cadherin (CDH1) repressor SLUG (SNAI2) and the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor TWIST1 inhibit CDH1 expression in poorly differentiated malignancies as inducers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition has been implicated in progression from well to poorly differentiated/anaplastic thyroid carcinoma but the expression of SNAI2 and TWIST1 proteins and their phenotypic association in human thyroid cancers has not been extensively studied. We examined the expression of SNAI2, TWIST1 and CDH1 by immunohistochemistry in a panel of well-differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancers and by qRT-PCR in thyroid cell lines. Ten normal thyroids, 33 follicular adenomas, 56 papillary thyroid carcinomas including 28 follicular variants, 27 follicular carcinomas and 10 anaplastic thyroid carcinomas were assembled on a tissue microarray and immunostained for SNAI2, TWIST1 and CDH1. Most (8/10) anaplastic thyroid carcinomas demonstrated strong nuclear immunoreactivity for SNAI2 with associated absence of CDH1 in 6/8 cases (75%). TWIST1 was expressed in 5/10 anaplastic thyroid carcinomas with absence of CDH1 in 3/5 (60%) cases. These findings were confirmed in whole sections of all anaplastic thyroid carcinomas and in a separate validation set of 10 additional anaplastic thyroid carcinomas. All normal thyroids, follicular adenomas, papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas were negative for SNAI2 and TWIST1 (Pthyroid, papillary carcinoma and two anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell lines tested, but the highest levels of CDH1 mRNA were detected in the normal thyroid cell line while the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell line demonstrated the highest levels of SNAI2 and TWIST1 mRNA. Our findings support the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the development of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.Modern Pathology advance online publication, 17 August 2012; doi:10.1038/modpathol.2012.137. PMID:22899291

BackgroundVisceral malignancy has been associated with sebaceous neoplasms in patients with Muir-Torre syndrome. However, no large studies have been done to evaluate the frequency of visceral tumors in patients with sebaceous neoplasms and mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression of the sebaceous tumors. ObjectiveWe sought to determine the frequency of visceral tumors in patients with sebaceous neoplasms, MMR protein expression of the sebaceous tumors, and the related surveillance practices of physicians. MethodsWe identified 85 patients with sebaceous neoplasms. Relevant clinical information was obtained via chart review and database searches. MMR protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. ResultsNineteen of the 85 patients had a total of 22 visceral malignancies, of which 4...

Renal angiomyoadenomatous tumour is a rare, recently described neoplasm with a distinctive histological appearance. Although reported in the pathology literature, to our knowledge, no prior reports have described its imaging appearance. We describe the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging features of an incidentally detected renal angiomyoadenomatous tumour that appeared as a well-marginated, solid T2-hypointense enhancing mass, in a 50-year-old woman. It is indistinguishable from a variety of benign and malignant renal neoplasms. PMID:1786936

A case of multiple primary tumors observed in the heart base and in the lung of a 7-year-old intact female, flat-coated retriever was reported. Morphological differences between both tumors and detailed immunohistochemical study revealed that the cardiac neoplasm was as a malignant aortic body tumor and the lung tumor was a pulmonary histiocytic sarcoma. The occurrence of aortic body tumor with other primary neoplasms has been previously reported in animals suggesting that this might be a common presentation in dogs.   

Abstract Children diagnosed with noncentral nervous system solid cancers (NCNSSC) experience several adverse late effects, including second malignant neoplasm. The aim of our study was to assess the risk of specific second malignancies after a childhood NCNSSC. Diagnosis and follow-up data on 10,988 cases of NCNSSC in children (0-14 years) were obtained from 13 registries. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and cumulative incidence of second malignancies were computed. We observed 175 second malignant neoplasms, yielding a SIR of 4.6, 95% CI: 3.9-5.3. When considering second cancers with at least 10 occurrences, highest relative risks were found for second malignant bone tumors (SIR = 26.4, 16.6-40.0), soft tissue sarcomas (SIR = 14.1, 6.7-25.8) and mye...

The epithelial tumours of the thyroid are divided into benign, malignant, and C-cell categories. The malignant tumours are described under the following names: follicular carcinoma, solid and solid—follicular carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and anaplastic carcinoma. The mali...

Malignant thyroid diseases have increased in recent years. The distinction between differentiated and non-differentiated thyroid carcinoma is essential for therapy and follow-up. The frequently diagnosed papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas are differentiated and have a good prognosis. Clinical symptoms are relatively unspecific, however imaging and laboratory testing can often provide evidence for diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma. Therapy typically involves surgery, ablative radioiodine therapy and subsequent suppressive hormone substitution. The pillars of follow-up are diagnostic scintigraphy, sonography and laboratory tests. Redifferentiation or a change of the tracer can make dedifferentiated tumors again susceptible to nuclide therapy. New treatment options have become available with the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. PMID:22878751

Background: Primary peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) of the thyroid gland are exceptionally rare tumors that usually present as asymptomatic neck nodules in adults. This article presents a literature review of these tumors. Summary: PNSTs of the thyroid can be classified into benign and malignant. Only three cases of malignant PNSTs have been reported. Benign PNSTs of the thyroid include neurofibromas and schwannomas. Only two cases of isolated neurofibroma of the thyroid have been reported. Schwannomas are typically benign, slow-growing tumors that originate from neuronal schwann cells, with a clinical picture depending on the anatomic size and site. Pathologically, schwannomas are classified into Antoni A and Antoni B. Only 17 cases of schwannomas of the thyroid exist in literature...

Background: Thyroid nodules found incidentally on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucoseâ??????positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) have been shown to be malignant in 30%â??????50% of cases. The American Thyroid Association recommends performing fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for thyroid nodules showing FDG uptake. On the other hand, the role of FDG-PET in characterizing thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology before surgery is not clear. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in predicting malignancy of thyroid nodules with indeterminate FNAC and to correlate FDG uptake with pathological and ultrasonographic (US) features. Methods: Between November 2006 and October 2009, 55 patients (42 women, mean age: 50 years) planned for surgery for 56 thyr...

Millions of people worldwide suffer goiter, a proliferative disease of the follicular cells of the thyroid that may become neoplastic. Thyroid neoplasms have low proliferative index, low apoptotic index and a high incidence of metastasis. TGF-beta is overexpressed in thyroid follicular tumor cells. To investigate the role of TGF-beta in thyroid tumor progression, we established cultures of human thyrocytes from different proliferative pathologies (Grave's disease, multinodular goiter, follicular adenoma, papillary carcinoma), lymph node metastasis, and a normal thyroid sample. All cultures maintained the thyrocyte phenotype. TGF-beta induced cell-cycle arrest in all cultures, in contrast with results reported for other epithelial tumors. In deprived medium, TGF-beta induced apoptosis in normal thyrocyte cultures and all neoplastic cultures except the metastatic cultures. This apoptosis was mediated by a reduction in p27kip1 levels, inducing cell-cycle initiation. Antisense p27 expression induced apoptosis in the absence of TGF-beta. By contrast, in cells in which p27 was overexpressed, TGF-beta had a survival effect. In growth medium, a net survival effect occurs in neoplastic thyrocytes only, not normal thyrocytes, due to activation of the NF-kappaB survival program. Together, these findings suggest that (a) thyroid neoplasms are due to reduced apoptosis, not increased division, in line with the low proliferative index of these pathologies, and (b) TGF-beta induces apoptosis in normal thyrocytes via p27 reduction, but that in neoplastic thyrocytes this effect is overridden by activation of the NF-kappaB program. PMID:14586408

Thyroid cancer is a rare malignancy with wide inter ethnic and geographic variations. In Germany thyroid carcinoma is the 13. most frequent malignancy (2.7 new cases yearly per 100,000 inhabitants). The overall temporal incidence is increasing slightly in recent years. The most common types of cancer are papillary (60-80%) and follicular cancers (10-20%). The relevant prognostic indicators are tumor stage and distant metastases. The mean survival rates in papillary thyroid cancer usually exceed 90%, whereas in follicular thyroid cancer they amount to approximately 80%. The standard treatment procedure in differentiated papillary and follicular thyroid cancer consists of total thyroidectomy followed by adjuvant ablative therapy with radioiodine. Only in papillary thyroid cancer stage pT{sub 1}N{sub 0}M{sub 0} lobectomy alone is considered to be appropriate. In patients with locally invasive differentiated thyroid cancers stage pT{sub 4} adjuvant percutaneous radiation therapy is a treatment option. Radioiodine therapy has to be performed under the stimulative influence of TSH. Usually TSH suppressive medication with Levothyroxine has to be withdrawn approximately 4 weeks prior to radioiodine therapy. In the future, exogenous stimulation by recombinant TSH may be used instead of thyroid hormone withdrawal. It has been proved by different studies that ablative radioiodine therapy reduces the frequency of recurrences and tumor spread in patients with thyroid cancer significantly. In patients with distant metastases, up to 50% of complete responses may be achieved with radioiodine treatment.

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy and the incidence is rising. Currently, there are no effective treatments for patients with advanced forms of thyroid cancer. Anaplastic thyroid represents the most severe form of the disease with 95% mortality at 6 months. It is therefore critical to better understand the mechanisms involved in thyroid cancer development and progression in order to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. Cell lines derived from thyroid tumors represent a critical tool to understand the oncogenic mechanisms driving thyroid cancer, as well as preclinical tools to study the efficacy of new therapies in vitro and in vivo. For thyroid cancer, the development of new therapies has been hampered by the lack of thyroid cancer cell lines in the widely used NCI-60 panel which has been used to screen over 100,000 anti-cancer drugs. In addition, the recent discovery that ~20 out of 40 existing thyroid cancer cell lines are either redundant or misidentified with cell lines of other tissue lineages has further hampered progress in the field. Of the available cell lines, 23 were identified as unique and presumably of thyroid origin based on the expression of thyroid-specific genes. Thus, there is a great need for validated thyroid cancer cell lines representing different stages of disease in addition to distinct oncogenic mutations. New, authenticated thyroid cancer cell lines are beginning to be developed, adding to the tools available to study genes and pathways important for thyroid cancer pathogenesis. In summary, the use of validated thyroid cancer cell lines that closely recapitulate disease is critical for the discovery of new drug targets and ultimately new therapies. PMID:18549978

Clear cell sarcoma (malignant melanoma of soft tissues) is a very rare soft tissue neoplasm. It generally arises in tendons and aponeuroses. Although metastasis of malignant melanoma to bone is not uncommon, primary clear cell sarcoma of bone is an extremely rare neoplasm. To our knowledge five cases have been reported in the English literature. We present a case of primary clear cell sarcoma of bone in a 28-year-old woman arising in the left ninth rib. We treated the patient with total excision of the mass and postoperative radiotherapy. The patient is alive and well without local recurrence or distant metastasis at 33 months after surgery. (orig.)

This book is divided into ten chapters. The first, an overview of the importance of staging, is followed by separate chapters on computed tomographic (CT) evaluation of lymph node metastases; metastatic disease to the thorax; staging of laryngeal, hypopharyngeal, esophageal, non-small cell lung, and renal carcinoma; and pediatric abdominal malignancies. CT staging of lymphomas is dealt with in a separate chapter. The final chapter summarizes initial experiences with staging of neoplasms by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Other neoplasms, such as pelvic, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal, are not discussed in depth. The book concludes with ten case studies, most of which deal with pelvic and gastrointestinal malignancies.

Background Possible mass lesions identified on ultrasound (US) of the gallbladder may prompt an aggressive surgical intervention due to the possibility of a malignant neoplasm. Aim This study aims to utilize a large modern series of patients with gallbladder lesions identified on US to evaluate imaging characteristics consistent with malignancy. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of gallbladder ultrasound reports and clinicopathologic data of patients with a mass identified on US. Results Approximately 59,271 abdominal ultrasounds and 9,117 cholecystectomies were performed between February 2000 and February 2010. We identified 213 patients with a questionable gallbladder neoplasm on ultrasonography who underwent surgical exploration. Median age was 52?years (range?=?11?87?years) ...

Struma ovary is a mono dermal variant of ovarian teratoma, which predominantly contains thyroid tissue. Malignant transformation and metastasis are very rare. The treatment of malignant struma ovary remains controversial. We report the case of a patient with a recurrent struma ovary, treated 18 years ago. The malignant transformation and metastases were treated with a combination of surgery and {sup 131}I ablation therapy. (authors)

Purpose: To evaluate color-Doppler features predictive of focal Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Materials and methods: A total of 521 patients with 561 thyroid nodules that underwent surgeries or gun biopsies were included in this study. These nodules were divided into three groups: focal Hashimoto's thyroiditis (104 nodules in 101 patients), benignity other than focal Hashimoto's thyroiditis (73 nodules in 70 patients), and malignancy (358 nodules in 350 patients). On color Doppler sonography, four vascularity types were determined as: hypovascularity, marked internal flow, marked peripheral flow and focal thyroid inferno. The ^2 test was performed to seek the potential vascularity type with the predictive ability of certain thyroid pathology. Furthermore, the gray-scale features of each nodule ...

Radioiodine whole-body scintigraphy (WBS), which takes advantage of the high avidity of radioiodine in the functioning thyroid tissues, has been used for detection of differentiated thyroid cancer. Radioiodine is a sensitive marker for detection of thyroid cancer; however, radioiodine uptake is not specific for thyroid tissue. It can also be seen in healthy tissue, including thymus, breast, liver, and gastrointestinal tract, or in benign diseases, such as cysts and inflammation, or in a variety of benign and malignant non-thyroidal tumors, which could be mistaken for thyroid cancer. In order to accurately interpret radioiodine scintigraphy results, one must be familiar with the normal physiologic distribution of the tracer and frequently encountered physiologic and pathologic variants of radioiodine uptake. This article will provide a systematic overview of potential false-positive uptake of radioiodine in the whole body and illustrate how such unexpected findings can be appropriately evaluated.

Various patterns of calcification have been detected in benign and malignant thyroid nodules on ultrasonography (US). Microcalcification has been found to be highly associated with papillary thyroid carcinoma. However, other patterns of calcification have unclear clinical significance. The aim of this study was to evaluate which pattern of calcification could be predictive of malignancy. A total of 1,431 thyroid nodules of 1,078 patients who received preoperative ultrasound examinations and subsequently underwent thyroidectomy were retrospectively reviewed. The types of calcification were defined as follows: microcalcification, annular-like peripheral calcification, crescent-like peripheral calcification, intranodular coarse calcification, and calcified spot. Of these 1,431 nodules, 1,305 (91.1%) were thyroid carcinomas and 126 (8.9%) were benign nodules. Calcifications were detected in 38.6% (552/1,431) of all nodules. Calcifications were found in 40.2% (524/1,305) of malignant nodules and 22.2% (28/126) of benign nodules. Of the 524 malignant nodules with calcification, microcalcification was the most common pattern, occurring in 42.9% (225/524), and annular type was the least common pattern, occurring in 5.9% (31/524). Among the calcification types, only microcalcification and intranodular had a significant association with malignancy (p = 0.001, 0.035), with OR values of 3.5 (95% CI, 1.6-7.7) and 2.4 (95% CI, 1.1-5.6). Though using the patterns of calcification alone for predicting malignancy had limitation, microcalcification and intranodular calcification were significantly associated with malignancy.   

Purpose Atypical fibroxanthoma is a cutaneous dermal malignancy that presents on the sun-damaged skin of elderly people. It requires a definitive diagnosis, from a high-grade sarcoma to a nonmesenchymal neoplasm. The recommended treatment protocol differs from similar histologically related tumors; thus, a diagnosis of atypical fibroxanthoma should fulfill strict histologic and immunohistochemical stain criteria. The use of these standards will exclude other skin malignancies, including malignant fibrous histiocytoma, angiosarcoma, malignant melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. This study was performed with the aim of identifying key immunostains to develop diagnostic criteria. Materials and Methods Forty-two cases were studied retrospectively over a 10-year period using a panel of immun...

In this study, tetrofosmin whole-body scintigraphy was performed in 35 patients with evidence of thyroid diseases. All patients underwent laboratory evaluation of thyroid function as well as {sup 99m}Tc pertechnetate scan, thallium-201 {sup 99m}Tc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) whole-body studies. Thyroid images were semi-quantitatively analysed by a 4-point score: 0=no significant uptake; 1=uptake increased but inferior to normal thyroid tissue; 2=uptake equal to normal thyroid tissue; 3=uptake superior to normal thyroid tissue. A total of 41 thyroid nodules were detected, of which 15 were goitre nodules, 13 adenomas and 13 malignant lesions. In goitre nodules, concordant results of tetrofosmin and pertechnetate uptake (score 1 or 0) were observed in the majority of lesions (87%). In function adenomas both tetrofosmin uptake and pertechnetate uptake were score 3. In non-function adenomas tetrofosmin uptake was score 3, while pertechnetate uptake was score 0. In six malignant lesions, tetrofosmin uptake was score 3, while pertechnetate uptake was score 0; in the other seven lesions, where a prevalence of goitre abnormalities was observed, results of tetrofosmin and pertechnetate uptake were similar (score 0 or 1). In (70%) patients with malignant nodules, whole-body tetrofosmin images showed increased abnormal uptake in a total of 28 extra-thyroid tumour sites, as subsequently confirmed by other techniques. When tetrofosmin images were compared to {sup 201}Tl and {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI scans, concordant results were observed in all cases. In conclusion, tetrofosmin imaging may be particularly useful to characterize and stage patients with malignant thyroid nodules; it shows similar results to thallium but provides better image quality. Comparable findings were observed between tetrofosmin and MIBI studies. Thus, tetrofosmin may be an alternative to thallium and MIBI in the aforementioned patients. (orig.). With 4 figs., 3 tabs.

Purpose Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are at increased risk for colorectal cancer and extracolonic neoplasms. The prevalence of thyroid cancer (TC) and benign thyroid disease in this patient population is unclear, and guidelines for screening for TC in these patients are not well established. The purpose of this study was to report the prevalence of TC and benign thyroid disease in patients with FAP. Methods The prospectively maintained Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Family Registry at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was queried to identify patients with FAP and with TC and/or benign thyroid disease. Results Sixty-six patients with FAP were identified. There were 30 men and 36 women, with a median age of 38.6 years. Four (6.1%) patients had a history of TC. All we...

Abstract Malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMMT) or carcinosarcoma of the female genital tract is a rare neoplasm. Malignant ovarian tumor composed of mullerian epithelial tumor and malignant germ cell tumor is also rare, with most cases composed of endometrioid adenocarcinoma and yolk sac tumor. Ovarian MMMT with malignant neuroectodermal components resembling immature teratoma is extremely rare. We report a case of teratoid carcinosarcoma of the ovary occurring in a 40-year-old female. The resected tumor measuring over 20 cm in diameter consisted of cystic and solid components and was very fragile. Microscopic examination showed a heterogenous mixed tumor composed of malignant epithelial, malignant mesodermal and malignant neuroectodermal components. The cells of ganglioneuroblastoma-like...

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms are a well-recognized pathologic entity of the pancreas that is being reported with increasing frequency. These tumours carry a relatively favourable prognosis and are frequently associated with extrapancreatic malignancies. The combination of advanced age and co-existence of two neoplasms challenges the planning of the best treatment option. A 78-year-old man presented with rectal bleeding which led to the diagnosis of a stenosing adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon. No metastatic lesions were present but a 30 mm intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with mural nodules was detected in the uncinate process of the pancreas. Small diffused dilations of the side branches were present in the body and tail of the gland. A two-stage procedure was planned: an R0 sigmoid resection was undertaken first with an uneventful postoperative course. Forty-five days later a pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed and the postoperative course was again uneventful apart from delayed gastric emptying. Histology showed a combined-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with foci of non-invasive carcinoma. The patient is still alive without evidence of cancer recurrence 33 month after the pancreatico-duodenectomy. The co-existence of a potentially malignant pancreatic tumour with an extra-pancreatic overt malignancy in elderly patients poses difficulties in the attempt to cure the patient with minimal morbidity. In the present case we considered a staged surgical procedure with the aim of reducing the perioperative risk, since the excision of the pancreatic neoplasm required a pancreaticoduodenectomy in an elderly patient. PMID:19694240

Epithelioid angiosarcoma is a rare malignant vascular tumor with poor prognosis. Pleural or pericardial angiosarcomas are usually secondary tumors. We report a unique case of primary epithelioid angiosarcoma of the pleura and the pericardium in a 28-year-old man who was admitted for Pancoast Tobias syndrome. Thoracoscopy revealed a multifocal neoplasm and pleural biopsy showed a malignant tumor which histological and immunophenotypical features were characteristic of epithelioid angiosarcoma.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is increasingly gaining importance in clinical diagnostics settings. Due to the ability of the technique to detect chromosomal abnormalities in samples with low cellularity or containing a mixed population of cells even at a single-cell level, it has become more popular in cancer research and diagnosis. Here, we describe the FISH technique for detection of PAX8-PPAR? translocation in follicular thyroid neoplasms, and the optimal protocol for the detection of this fusion gene using in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) thyroid tissue sections. PMID:23100233

Thymic epithelial neoplasms are rare malignancies with about 250 new incident cases in France every year. The WHO histologic classification distinguishes thymoma and thymic carcinoma which are tumors with different biological and clinical behaviors and outcomes. The Masaoka-Koga staging system is considered as a reference and is also of prognosis value. Diagnosis, multimodal treatment and follow-up of thymic epithelial neoplasms require a multidisciplinary approach where surgery is the cornerstone treatment. A national expert center coordinates thymic epithelial neoplasms management with 12 other regional expert centers through the French organization named RYTHMIC (www.rythmic.org). Patient's files have to be discussed at regional or national multidisciplinary staff. A group of expert pathologists will centrally review tumors when the diagnosis or classification is a matter of controversy. Among its objectives, RYHTMIC has to promote medical education, patient's information and research. This review focuses on RYTHMIC guidelines and data regarding multimodal management and targeted therapies in epithelial thymic neoplasms. PMID:23131309

Extraskeletal Ewing’s sarcoma (EES) is a rare, soft tissue, malignant neoplasm histologically similar to skeletal Ewing’s sarcoma. It occurs mainly in adolescents and young adults, and affects extremities in 36% of cases and central locations (commonly paravertebral regions) in the remainder. The di...

A growth of malignant neoplasm is considered as a fractional transport approach. We suggested that the main process of the tumor development through a lymphatic net is fractional transport of cells. In the framework of this fractional kinetics we were able to show that the mean size of main growth is due to subdiffusion, while the appearance of metaphases is determined by superdiffusion.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm most commonly originating in salivary glands of head and neck region. Here we present a case report of a 50 year old male who was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the right buccal mucosa. The peculiarity of the lesion and the approach we mad...

Salivary gland tumors are relatively rare, constituting 3% of all head and neck neoplasms. In patients with salivary gland malignancies, {sup 18}F-FDG PET is clinically useful in initial staging, histologic grading, and monitoring after treatment. According to clinical research data hitherto, {sup 18}F-FDG PET is expected to be an effective diagnostic tool in the management of salivary gland tumors.

The majority of skin cancers of the head and neck are nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most frequent types of NMSC. Malignant melanoma is an aggressive neoplasm of skin, and the ideal adjuvant therapy has not yet been found, although various o...

Osseous metastases from retinoblastoma, the most common ocular malignant neoplasm of childhood, are reported most commonly in the skull and long bones. However, metastases to forearm bones are very rare. Here we present a case of bilateral retinoblastoma with metastases to right forearm bones four y...

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a rare locally aggressive cutaneous tumor of intermediate malignancy. It is a slow-growing neoplasm with a marked propensity to recur after resection. Head and neck involvement is unusual and distant metastases are quite rare but tend to be more frequent in tumors ...

Adult granulosa cell tumor is often a hormonally active stromal cell neoplasm of the ovary with malignant potential. Intra-operative pathological assessment is a valuable tool in guiding optimal surgical treatment in patients. Of the various intra-operative cytological diagnostic modalities, scrape ...

The neuroradiological findings in four cases of primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the cerebrum are described. These highly malignant neoplasms of childhood present as large, enhancing cerebral masses with extensive neovascularity. Cerebrospinal fluid seeding is common and distant extraneural metastases may occur.

Ten patients with malignant primary neoplasms of the ear and temporal bone were examined with high-resolution computed tomography (CT) and the results correlated with the operative findings. CT was found to be highly accurate in establishing the presence and extent of tumor and is recommended as the procedure of choice for preoperative treatment planning.

Neuroblastoma, a malignant neoplasm that arises in the adrenal medulla or sympathetic ganglion, is one of the most common solid tumors of childhood. Reports that neuroblastomas spontaneously mature to form benign ganglioneuromas have prompted investigations into the efficacy of using agents that ind...

Two patients developed breast cancer after treatment of Hodgkin's disease. Both had received mediastinal irradiation 13 to 15 years, respectively, before the diagnosis of breast carcinoma. One patient had synchronous bilateral breast cancer when the diagnosis was made. Discussed is the risk of mammary carcinoma as a second malignant neoplasm in patients treated for Hodgkin's disease.

Primary ovarian leiomyosarcomas are rare neoplasms of the ovary, particularly in the pediatric population. Their occurrence following radiation therapy for previous malignancy has important implications. We present a case of primary ovarian leiomyosarcoma in an adolescent following therapy for medulloblastoma. (orig.) With 1 fig., 4 refs.

Chronic expanding hematoma is rare and occasionally misdiagnosed as malignant neoplasm. We describe a case in the female pelvis and correlate findings from pathology and magnetic resonance imaging. On diffusion-weighted images (DWI), our patient's hematoma showed 2 different signal intensities, which corresponded to pathological features of fresh and altered blood components. DWI can distinguish between such pathological features of a chronic expanding hematoma.   

Abstract According to several large studies, the surgical pathologist renders a non-neoplastic diagnosis in -20-40% of thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cases reported as follicular neoplasm. This study analyzes the cause of this poor correlation between cytology and histology. Cases consisting of oncocytic (Hurthle) cells were excluded from study. During the study period from January 1996 to April 2010, histologic follow-up was available for 234 of 670 cases (34.9%) reported as follicular neoplasm on ultrasound-guided thyroid FNA. Sonographic and Doppler data were available in all cases and included nodule location, size, echogenicity, and vascularity. Of the 234 aspirates with follow-up, surgical pathology reported 130 cases (55.6%) of follicular adenoma, 15 cases (6.4%) of follicular...

Up to 5% of untreated female Onchocerca volvulus filariae develop potentially fatal pleomorphic neoplasms, whose incidence is increased following ivermectin treatment. We studied the occurrence of 8 filarial proteins and of Wolbachia endobacteria in the tumor cells. Onchocercomas from patients, untreated and treated with antibiotics and anthelminthics, were examined by immunohistology. Neoplasms were diagnosed in 112 of 3587 female and in 2 of 1570 male O. volvulus. The following proteins and other compounds of O. volvulus were expressed in the cells of the neoplasms: glutathione S-transferase 1, lysosomal aspartic protease, cAMP-dependent protein kinase, alpha-enolase, aspartate aminotransferase, ankyrin E1, tropomyosin, heat shock protein 60, transforming growth factor-beta, and prostaglandin E(2). These findings prove the filarial origin of the neoplasms and confirm the pleomorphism of the tumor cells. Signs indicating malignancy of the neoplasms are described. Wolbachia were observed in the hypodermis, oocytes, and embryos of tumor-harbouring filariae using antibodies against Wolbachia surface protein, Wolbachia HtrA-type serine protease, and Wolbachia aspartate aminotransferase. In contrast, Wolbachia were not found in the cells of the neoplasms. Further, neoplasm-containing worms were not observed after more than 10 months after the start of sufficient treatment with doxycycline or doxycycline plus ivermectin. PMID:20199697

Leptin is a multifunctional adipose-derived cytokines that play a critical role in bodyweight homeostasis and energy balance. Recently, leptin and leptin receptor dysreulation have been reported in variety of malignant cells including thyroid. Leptin modulates growth and proliferation of cancer cells via activation of various growth and survival signaling pathways including JAK/STAT, PI3-kinase/AKT and/or Map kinases. In this review, current understanding of leptin's role in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer has been described. PMID:22076163

Human HtrA proteins are serine proteases involved in essential physiological processes. HtrA1 and HtrA3 function as tumor suppressors and inhibitors of the TGF-? signaling pathway. HtrA2 regulates mitochondrial homeostasis and plays a pivotal role in the induction of apoptosis. The aim of the study was to determine whether the HtrA proteins are involved in thyroid carcinogenesis. We used the immunoblotting technique to estimate protein levels of HtrA1, HtrA2, long and short variants of HtrA3 (HtrA3-L and HtrA3-S) and TGF-?1 in tissues of benign and malignant thyroid lesions, and control groups. We found that the levels of HtrA2 and HtrA3-S were higher in thyroid malignant tumors compared to normal tissues and benign tumors. The HtrA3-L level was increased in malignant tumor tissues compared to benign tumor tissues and control tissues from patients with benign lesions, and elevated in normal tissues from patients with thyroid carcinoma compared to normal tissues from patients with benign lesions. We also compared levels of HtrA proteins in follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and found that these types of carcinoma differed in the expression of HtrA3-S and HtrA1. These results indicate the implication of HtrA proteins in thyroid carcinogenesis suggest that HtrA3 variants may play different roles in cancer development, and that the increased HtrA3-L levels in thyroid tissue could be correlated with the development of malignant lesions. The TGF-?1 levels in tumor tissues were not significantly altered compared to control tissues. PMID:22923201

We reviewed nuclear endocrinological examinations of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands that are clinically performed in Japan as well as somatostatin receptor imaging, which is widely used in Europe, the United States, and other countries. 123I thyroid scintigraphy is especially useful in detecting ectopic goiters and differentiating between Basedow's disease and subacute thyroiditis or Plummer's disease, all of which exhibit thyrotoxicosis. 201Tl is useful to detect foci metastasized from well differentiated thyroid cancer and to differentiate malignant from benign tumors. 67Ga-citrate is an agent used for patients suspected of having malignant lymphoma or undifferentiated carcinoma of the thyroid. Radioiodinated MIBG is a specific agent for medullary thyroid carcinoma. 99mTc-MIBI is a good agent for locating hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissues. 131I-adosterol is useful to locate the lesions of primary aldosteronism, Cushing's syndrome, adrenogenital syndrome, and select adenomas among incidental tumors. Radioiodinated MIBG scintigraphy has high diagnostic accuracy in locating pheochromocytomas and neuroblastomas. 111In-labeled octreotide is useful in locating, hormone-producing gastrointestinal and pancreatic tumors including carcinoids, gastrinomas, and insulinomas. Radiolabeled somatostatin receptor analogs are used not only to locate but also to treat malignant somatostatin receptor-positive tumors. We hope that Octreoscan will be available in Japan in the near future. PMID:11155698

We performed this study to evaluate the incidence of thoracic inlet pathologies. We also evaluated the extension of the thoracic inlet lesions to neck and/or mediastinum to determine anatomic connections between neck and mediastinum. We evaluated chest radiographs and CT scans of the 41 patients with various pathologies involving this region. Thyroid lesions and malignant lymphomas were the most common pathologic lesions in this region (54%). Thoracic inlet lesions extending from mediastinum included various pathologies including thymic lesion(n=8) in the anterior mediastinum, neurogenic tumor(n=2) in the posterior mediastinum and malignant lymphoma(n=5) in the multiple compartment. Thoracic inlet lesions extending from the neck(n=9) were mostly thyroid lesions(n=8) arising in the visceral space of the neck. Thoracic inlet lesion(n=11) involving both neck and mediastinum were thyroid lesions, abscesses, thymic lesion, malignant lymphomas and cavernous hemangiomas. Thyroid lesions and cavernous hemangiomas showed remarkable enhancement on post contrast enhanced CT. Teratoma contained fat density and two cases of abscesses contained air density. Thyroid lesions and malignant lymphomas were the most common pathologies in the thoracic inlet. There was anatomic connection between neck and mediastinum through the thoracic inlet. CT was valuable in evaluation of the location, extension. and density of the mass for the differential diagnosis of the thoracic inlet lesions.

Abstract Mixed medullary-follicular carcinoma (MMFC) of thyroid is an extremely rare tumor, characterized by coexistence of morphological and immunohistochemical features of both medullary carcinoma and follicular (or papillary) carcinoma. We herein present fine needle aspiration (FNA) findings of a histology-confirmed MMFC along with a review of literature. The patient was a 64-year-old woman who had a history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and presented with enlargement of preexisting right thyroid nodule. An US-guided FNA of the thyroid nodule was performed and conventional smears were prepared. A cytologic diagnosis of -positive for malignancy, consistent with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)- was rendered based on the presence of features characteristic for MTC, and the absence of compon...

The treatment for some thyroid carcinomas involves surgically removing the thyroid gland and administering the radiopharmaceutical Sodium iodide-{sup 131}I (NaI). A diagnostic dose of NaI is given to the patient to determine if remnant tissue from the gland remains or larger doses are administered in order to treat the malignant tissue. Past research regarding NaI uptake and retention in euthyroid individuals (normal functioning thyroid) reveal that radioiodine concentrates mainly in the thyroid tissue and the remaining material is excreted from the body. The majority of radioiodine in athyroid (without thyroid) individuals is also eliminated from the body; however, there has been recent evidence of a long-term retention phase for individuals with no radioiodine concentrating tissue. The general purpose of this study was to develop a kinetic model and estimate the absorbed dose to athyroid individuals regarding the distribution and retention of NaI.

Dantuluri S, Urs A, Karthik SV. Follicular carcinoma of thyroid following successful liver transplantation - A report. Abstract:- Follicular carcinoma of the thyroid is a relatively rare malignancy in childhood even in paediatric solid organ transplant recipients. The risk of developing de novo malignancies after liver transplantation is higher compared to the general population. We report an 18-yr-old girl who had successfully undergone liver transplantation five-yr earlier for neonatal sclerosing cholangitis complicated by the development of dysplastic nodules. Baseline immunosuppression was with tacrolimus and prednisolone. Mycophenolate mofetil was later added in view of steroid-resistant episodes of graft rejection. She subsequently suffered from marked obesity and essential hypertens...

Activation of ret/PTC-1 has been documented in a minority of papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). In a recent study, the authors' group detected the presence of ret/PTC-1 in association with a background of florid lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT) in 58% of cases of PTC studied, which prompted them to examine the incidence of RET/PTC-1 expression in 27 examples of various forms of nonlymphomatous lymphoid infiltration of the thyroid by using TaqMan RT-PCR. Overall, 21 cases (78%) were found to express the chimeric transcript of ret/PTC-1. Eighteen cases of Hashimoto thyroiditis were positive (95%), and, of these, three had concomitant PTC while the remainder had no histologic evidence of associated malignancy. Three cases of lymphocytic thyroiditis demonstrated activated ret/PTC-1 (43%), two having associated PTC. These data suggest either that ret/PTC-1 is an indicator of follicular thyroid cell activation or that ret/PTC-1 activation is an early event in malignant transformation. If the latter is the case, it may be that, in a defined subset of the cell population, ret/PTC-1 activation elicits an autoimmune response, which, while possibly curtailing the development of PTC in the majority of cases, results in destruction of the thyroid parenchyma. Int J Surg Pathol 8(3):185-189, 2000 PMID:11493988

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the association between common infectious diseases and the risk of hematological malignancies in an adult population. Data were drawn from a population based case-control study that included 165 cases (125 lymphoid and 40 myeloid neoplasms) and 233 controls. Occurrence of childhood diseases (measles, rubella, chickenpox, mumps, pertussis and scarlet fever) was slightly inversely associated with the risk of both malignancies, but statistical significance was not reached. The data of infections occurring after 14 years of age indicated an increasing risk of lymphoid malignancies (OR=2.9, p<0.05).

Abstract Lymphomas are malignant neoplasms affecting the lymphoreticular system and arise from proliferation of lymphoid cells or their precursors. Lymphomas are separated into two subtypes: Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Primary malignant NHL of the mandible is rare. Owing to their low frequency and to their non-specific symptoms, primary malignant NHL of the mandible is often misdiagnosed. We describe a case of a primary large B-cell lymphoma in the left mandible that manifested as an infected dentigerous cyst associated with an unerupted lower left wisdom tooth.

The most frequent malignant salivary gland tumours are the mucoepidermoid tumour, adenoid cystic carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The major salivary glands and the minor glands of the mouth and upper respiratory tract may potentially develop any of these malignant lesions. Malignant lesions most frequently present as a palpable mass and tend to enlarge more rapidly than benign neoplasms. Pain, paresthesia, muscle paralysis and fixation to surrounding tissue are all ominous signs and symptoms. The only reliable means of differential diagnosis of these lesions is biopsy and histologic analysis. Therapy involves surgery or a combination of surgery and radiation therapy. The ultimate prognosis is governed by the intrinsic biologic behaviour of the neoplasms, the extent of disease and adequate clinical therapy.

Dedifferentiation within solitary fibrous tumor is a rare and only recently characterized phenomenon. It differs from malignant solitary fibrous tumor in that there is abrupt transition between classical solitary fibrous tumor and the dedifferentiated component. The latter is a high-grade sarcoma, which can exhibit a number of morphologies, but heterologous differentiation is exceptionally rare. We report a case of dedifferentiated solitary fibrous tumor, with heterologous osteosarcomatous and rhabdomyosarcomatous elements, arising in the deep soft tissue of the thigh of a 59-year-old man. This comprised morphologically and immunohistochemically typical solitary fibrous tumor, juxtaposed to pleomorphic, high-grade malignant neoplasm of 2 distinct lineages. The sharp demarcation between well-differentiated and dedifferentiated components is typical of the dedifferentiation seen in other mesenchymal neoplasms. This expands the range of histopathology of this rare, newly characterized type of malignant progression in solitary fibrous tumor. PMID:23040384

A 59-year-old Japanese woman presented with two sebaceous neoplasms on the chest wall and on the left cheek. The patient had a history of ascending colon cancer, and her mother had died of gastric cancer. The histopathologic features of both sebaceous neoplasms were vaguely in accordance with those of sebaceous adenoma and sebaceoma. Based on these findings, we diagnosed the patient as having Muir-Torre syndrome. The sebaceous neoplasm on the chest wall exhibited features of a sebaceous adenoma with a unique cystic appearance, namely cystic sebaceous adenoma, which has been reported as a specific marker for Muir-Torre syndrome (MTS). However, histopathologically, both the sebaceous adenoma and sebaceoma had relatively large, vesicular or heterochromous and crowded nuclei with some pleomorphism and distinct nucleoli associated with some mitotic figures, casting doubt on their benignancy. We show that some or most benign sebaceous neoplasms in MTS might have a high potential for malignant transformation or may be well-differentiated sebaceous carcinomas with low-grade malignancy, mimicking sebaceous adenoma/sebaceoma. This results in difficulties in classification regarding sebaceous neoplasms in MTS. PMID:10770437

Multiple primary malignancies are relatively rare, but their incidence is increasing in recent decades. This may be the result of progress in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of cancer. We present a new case of metachronous double primary malignancy of thyroid gland and colon in a 53-year-old patient, and we discuss, through a literature review, the various environmental genetic and iatrogenic factors entangled in the genesis of a second primary cancer.

Abstract Metastases to the thyroid gland diagnosed by means of fine needle cytology or by excision have been reported in the literature. To our knowledge, metastatic neoplasms to the parathyroid gland have never been described up to now. In this article, we introduce a rare case of metastatic breast carcinoma to a parathyroid adenoma in a 56-year-old woman, which clinically simulated a left thyroid nodule. The patient had a history of left breast carcinoma; the recent discovery of a palpable mass in the left thyroid area had elicited fine needle cytology sampling for its diagnostic evaluation. The obtained cytopathological sample was cellular but limited to a single Diff-Quik-stained smear; hence, no ancillary studies could be entertained. A cytopathological diagnosis of positive for malig...

Two cases of thyroid carcinoma, appearing 7 and 11 years after therapeutic irradiation for medulloblastoma, are presented. Only 3 additional cases of thyroid cancer following irradiation for cancer were found in the literature, as contrasted to 282 in patients treated for benign conditions. At present, this sequence appears largely limited to children and young adults, but there is histologic evidence that the adult human thyroid is not invulnerable to irradiation. Further search may show irradiation histories to be more common in adult thyroid cancer patients than has so far been demonstrated. The fact that the irradiation was given for benign conditions in nearly all the cases reported to have developed thyroid cancer subsequently is inconclusive in the absence of epidemiologic data on radiation therapy usage. However, analogies to radiation carcinogenesis in animal thyroid glands suggest that differences in irradiation technique, such as dose and time patterns, might play some part. The problems discussed here indicate a need for more diligent search for irradiation histories in cancer patients, more critical examination of irradiated patients for possible neoplasms, and more detailed reporting of radiation factors in cases of suspected radiation injury. (auth)

Hashimoto thyroiditis is now considered the most prevalent autoimmune disease, as well as the most common endocrine disorder. It was initially described in 1912, but only rarely reported until the early 1950's. To celebrate this centennial, we reviewed the surgical pathology archives of the Johns Hopkins hospital for cases of Hashimoto thyroiditis, spanning the period from May 1889 to October 2012. Approximately 15,000 thyroidectomies were performed at this hospital over 124 years. The first surgical case was reported in 1942, 30 years after the original description. Then, 867 cases of Hashimoto thyroiditis were seen from 1942 to 2012, representing 6% of all thyroidectomies. Hashimoto thyroiditis was the sole pathological finding in 462 cases; it accompanied other thyroid pathologies in the remaining 405 cases. The most commonly associated pathology was papillary thyroid cancer, an association that increased significantly during the last two decades. The most common indication for thyroidectomy was a thyroid nodule that was cytologically suspicious for malignancy. Hashimoto thyroiditis remains a widespread, intriguing, and multifaceted disease of unknown etiology one century after its description. Advances in the understanding of its pathogenesis and pre-operative diagnosis will improve recognition and treatment of this disorder, and may one day lead to its prevention. PMID:23151083

Abstract in portuguese OBJETIVO: este trabalho tem por objetivo determinar a freqüência relativa e a distribuição das neoplasias epiteliais benignas e malignas de glândulas salivares. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Coorte histórica. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: registradas no Laboratório de Patologia e Citologia, em Aracaju-SE, no período de janeiro de 1980 a dezembro de 1999, considerando-se as variáveis sexo, idade, tipo racial, localização anatômica e diagnóstico histopatológico. RESULTADO: Dos 162.3 (more) 12 casos registrados, 245 (0,15%) foram de neoplasias epiteliais de glândulas salivares, sendo 187 de natureza benigna (76,33%) e 58 (23,67%) malignas. O adenoma pleomórfico foi o tumor benigno mais identificado (89,94%) e o carcinoma adenóide cístico foi o representante maligno mais prevalente (22,41%). As neoplasias benignas ocorreram principalmente entre as 2º e 3º décadas de vida, exibindo predileção pelo sexo feminino, enquanto as malignas foram diagnosticadas entre as 6º e 7º décadas de vida, sendo as mulheres o principal alvo. CONCLUSÃO: Constatou-se que o padrão epidemiológico das neoplasias estudadas está em consonância com a maioria da literatura pesquisada. Abstract in english AIM: The aim of the present study is to establish the relative frequency and distribution of benign and malignant epithelial neoplasms of salivary glands in the Pathology and Cytology Laboratory, STUDY DESIGN: Historic cohort. MATERIAL AND METHOD: in the state of Sergipe, during the period 1980-1999. The neoplasms were individualized by gender, age, race of the patients, anatomic localization of the lesions and histopathological diagnosis. RESULTS: Out of 162,312 register (more) ed cases, 245 were salivary gland epithelial neoplasms and 187 (76.33%) were benign and 58 (23.67%) were malignant. Pleomorphic adenoma was the most frequent benign neoplasm (89.94%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma represented the most prevalent malignant neoplasm (22.41%). The benign neoplasms occurred mainly between the second and third decades of life and showed preference for female, while malignant neoplasms were diagnosed between the sixth and seventh decades of life and in women. CONCLUSION: The data demonstrated that epidemiology profile of the studied neoplasms corroborated most of the studied literature.

Endodermal sinus tumor, or yolk sac tumor, is the most common malignant neoplasm of germ cell origin and usually occurs in infant testes or ovaries. On rare occasions, the tumor may arise from extragonadal sites, including sacrococcygeal region, uterus, vagina, prostate, retroperitoneum, liver, mediastinum, pineal gland, and third ventricle. The orbit is an unusual location for the primary development of this neoplasm.2,3 We report the case of a girl with primary orbital endodermal sinus tumor who was managed with exenteration and chemotherapy with the result of a disease-free survival of 9 years.

Retroviral induced neoplasms have been key to understanding oncogenesis and are important etiologic agents associated with cancer formation. Cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the feline analogue to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are reported to be at increased incidence of neoplasia. This review highlights reported risk factors and tumor cell phenotypes associated with neoplasias arising in FIV-infected animals, differences in oncogenic disease in natural versus experimental FIV infections, and similarities between FIV- and HIV-related malignancies. The most common type of FIV-associated neoplasm reported in the literature is lymphoma, specifically of B-cell origin, with experimentally infected cats developing neoplastic lesions at an earlier age than their natur...

As 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is becoming a common imaging modality, the number of thyroid incidentalomas identified by FDG-PET (PET incidentaloma) is increasing. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the risk of cancer in focal thyroid PET incidentaloma in healthy subjects of relatively younger age as well as the usefulness of repeated FDG-PET. The study was conducted with an observation period of three years. A total of 1,501 healthy volunteers (mean age, 43.5±9.7 years) underwent the first FDG-PET from August 2003 to July 2004. When focal thyroid PET incidentaloma was found, further diagnostic examination was conducted. When thyroid cancer was suspected, surgical resection was performed with the patient’ s agreement. Patients with PET incidentaloma without surgery were offered annual US and FDG-PET and finally FNAB was performed in the fourth year. Focal thyroid PET incidentaloma was observed in 20 subjects. The final diagnoses in 20 subjects were malignant in 11 (ten papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and one thyroid carcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation), indeterminate in one, and benign in eight subjects. Seven patients not treated surgically at the first examination had annual FDG-PET. One patient with PTC showed increasing SUVmax, but another with a benign nodule exhibited a similar increase. Others (one with PTC, one with an indeterminate nodule, and three with benign nodules) exhibited negligible SUVmax changes. When closely examined, focal thyroid PET incidentaloma in relatively young healthy adults has a high probability of malignancy. Repeated FDG-PET to follow up patients with thyroid nodules is ineffective.   

Thyroid cancer incidence continues to increase, remaining the most common endocrine malignancy. The need for effective systemic therapies combined with high incidence of driver mutations and overexpression of molecular pathways make refractory thyroid cancer an ideal candidate for treatment with novel agents. Multikinase inhibitors have caused a paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with advanced iodine-refractory thyroid cancer. These agents have shown to be the most effective systemic therapy for this disease not only causing prolonged responses but also improving survival. The activity of these agents inhibiting several pathways simultaneously, such as rearranged during transfection protooncogene, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and angiogenesis, can probably explain the effectiveness in controlling the progression of this malignancy. Several of these agents are currently on clinical studies in patients with differentiated and medullary thyroid cancer and most of them are showing promising clinical activity. With the approval of vandetanib for the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer, a new era in the management of this disease has begun. The molecular rationale for the use of these drugs for thyroid cancer is discussed as well as their promising clinical results. PMID:18060344

Sex steroids have been postulated to influence pathophysiology of human skin through various skin appendages. The presence of sex steroid receptors has been also reported in adnexal tumors but its details still remained unknown. Therefore, in this study, we immunolocalized sex steroid receptor protein (estrogen receptor (ER)?, ER?, progesterone receptor (PR)A, PRB and androgen receptor (AR)) in 23 cases of non-pathological skin (male: 10, female: 13) and in 50 cases of skin adnexal tumors (male 24, female 26; 38 benign and 12 malignant). ER? immunoreactivity was detected exclusively in basal cells of sebaceous glands of non-pathological skin. AR and PRB immunoreactivity was detected in both differentiated and basal cells of sebaceous gland. AR and ER? immunoreactivity was also detected in sebaceous and eccrine sweat glands but not in outer root sheath of hair follicles. In sebaceous gland neoplasms, the number of ER? positive cases was significantly lower in skin appendage neoplasms than non-pathological skin. ER? immunoreactivity was not detected in any of sebaceous gland neoplasms examined. There were no significant differences in PRA, PRB and AR immunoreactivity between non-pathological sebaceous gland and its neoplasm. In sweat gland neoplasms, the number of AR positive cases was significantly lower in benign neoplasms than their non-pathological counterpart. Therefore sex steroids are considered to play important roles in regulation of non-pathological skin appendage function and pathogenesis and/or development of its neoplasm. In addition, the status of the great majority of sex steroid hormone receptors was maintained throughout the process of neoplastic transformation of skin appendages, except for AR and ER? in sweat and sebaceous gland neoplasms.   

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an aggressive malignancy in man with stromal fibrosis as one of the main features. Carcinoma cells synthesized no or little collagen I protein. Pro-?1(I) collagen mRNA was expressed by stromal cells throughout the tumor, but expression of procollagen type I p...

BACKGROUND: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) survivors are at increased risk of developing nonsynchronous second primary malignancy (NSPM). This study aims to examine possible risk factors leading to occurrence of NSPM as well as risk factors leading to NSPM-related death in patients with DTC. ME...

Thyroid nodules are common. It would be very helpful if genetic markers that can diagnose malignancy from fine needle aspiration samples were available. Few such markers have been thus identified and none are specific. Large panels of potential markers can be screened by microarray technology. Studi...

Context: Aberrant histone deacetylase activity is seen in a variety of malignancies, and histone deacetylase inhibitors such as vorinostat have been shown to induce cell death and sensitize cells to cytotoxic chemotherapy in thyroid cancer cell lines. This phase II study was undertaken to assess obj...

Patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms, including essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), are at increased risk of new hematologic malignancies, but their risk of nonhematologic malignancies remains unknown. In the present study, we assessed the risk of both types of malignancies after an ET, PV, or CML diagnosis. We linked 2 population-based nationwide registries, the Danish National Registry of Patients, covering all Danish hospitals and the Danish Cancer Registry, and assessed subsequent cancer risk in a cohort of all 7229 patients diagnosed with a chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm during 1977-2008. We compared the incidence of subsequent cancer in this cohort with that expected on the basis of cancer incidence in the general population (standardized incidence ratio). Overall, ET, PV, and CML patients were at increased risk of developing both new hematologic and nonhematologic cancers. The standardized incidence ratio for developing a nonhematologic cancer was 1.2 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]): 1.0-1.4) for patients with ET, 1.4 (95% CI: 1.3-1.5) for patients with PV, and 1.6 (95% CI: 1.3-2.0) for patients with CML. We conclude that patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms are at increased risk of developing a new malignant disease.

Primary malignant melanomas of the esophagus are rare neoplasms with aggressive behavior and tendency to lymphatic and hematogenous spread. We report on a patient affected with a primary amelanotic melanoma of the esophagus synchronous to a squamous cell carcinoma of the epiglottis and treated by subtotal esophagectomy. A 58-year-old woman presented with a three-month history of dysphagia, retrosternal pain and weight loss. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 3 cm, non pigmented, polypoid mass of the middle esophagus and biopsy was consistent with undifferentiated carcinoma. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed a 0.5 cm, polypoid lesion of the right aspect of the epiglottis consistent with a squamous cell carcinoma. The esophageal neoplasm was treated by subtotal esophagectomy while the squamous cell carcinoma of the epiglottis was referred to radiotherapy 1 month after surgery. Microscopy showed diffuse proliferation of anaplastic cells with multiple mitotic figures, marked nuclei and multilobulated nucleoli. The neoplasm stained positive for HBM-45 antigen and S-100 protein. Tumor stage was pT1N0M0. Review of patient's medical history and exploration of skin and mucous membranes failed to reveal malignant lesions and definitive diagnosis was primary amelanotic malignant melanoma of the esophagus. The patient died 16 months after surgery of disseminated disease. In conclusion the present case confirms that primary malignant melanomas of the esophagus have a dismal outcome even in cases of early-stage lesions amenable to surgical resection. PMID:16568022

N-acetyl D-galactosamine specific lectins were isolated from the seeds of Jack Fruit (Artocarpus integrifolia) and Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) and D-galactose specific lectin was isolated from peanut (Arachis hypogaea). These lectins were conjugated to Horse Radish Peroxidase (HRP) and were used to study the lectin binding properties of benign and malignant lesions of the thyroid. For comparison of the results 10 normal fresh autopsy specimens were included in the study. The Peanut lectin (PNL) and Jack fruit lectin (JFL) conjugates showed positive binding with the cells in different lesions, while Winged Bean Lectin (WBL), despite its having a common inhibitory sugar, showed no binding even after neuraminidase treatment. These lectins revealed difference in the composition of glycoconjugates of benign and malignant thyroid cells. The HRP conjugated JFL and PNL may be of use in distinguishing carcinomatous tissues from benign tissues which makes them potential tools in the differential diagnosis of thyroid lesions. PMID:1625034

Ascites caused by hypothyroidism is rare and the pathogenesis is unclear. Several reports have presented cases of progressive ascites with hypothyroidism and elevated tumor markers. We report a 31-year-old female case with massive ascites and elevated serum CA 125 concentrations. The patient had no typical feature of hypothyroidism except an accumulation of ascitic fluid which showed elevated total protein concentration and a high serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG). There was no finding of malignancy. Following thyroid hormone replacement, the ascites was completely resolved accompanied by reduced concentrations of serum CA125. In general, primary hypothyroidism with ascites presents with coexisting massive pericardial or pleural effusion. The massive ascites and increased serum CA125 concentrations may have led us to make the incorrect diagnosis of ovarian malignancy. The evaluation of thyroid function is useful to determine the pathology of high-protein ascites or elevated tumor markers, and ascites may be treatable by thyroid replacement therapy.   

Thyroid neoplasms represent a broad spectrum of tumors with different biologic behaviors. The majority of these tumors can be readily diagnosed by characteristic histopathologic features, but the distinction between follicular adenomas and follicular carcinomas can be difficult. Recent studies with cell cycle proteins such as p27kip1 (p27), a cell cycle inhibitory protein, and Ki-67, a proliferation marker, suggest that these markers might be useful in predicting the behavior of various neoplasms. We analyzed 95 thyroid lesions (16 follicular adenomas, 23 follicular carcinomas, 22 papillary carcinomas, 27 anaplastic carcinomas, plus 7 non-neoplastic thyroids [NNTs], used as a control group) for expression of p27 and Ki-67 by immunostaining. The distribution of immunoreactivity was analyzed by quantifying nuclear staining in each case without knowledge of the diagnosis or outcome. Clinical history and follow-up information were obtained by chart review. There were significant differences in the expression of p27 between follicular adenomas (labeling index [LI] = 47.9+/-5.6) and follicular carcinomas (LI = 15.7+/-2.0). Papillary carcinomas (LI = 11.6+/-3.0) and anaplastic carcinomas (LI = 9.4+/-1.7) had p27 LIs similar to that of follicular carcinomas; the NNT group had the highest p27 LI (74.1+/-4.9). The Ki-67 LI of anaplastic carcinomas (57.6+/-3.8) was more than threefold greater than that of any other group. Logistic regression showed that p27 was effective in distinguishing follicular adenomas from follicular carcinomas (P = .0056) and that Ki-67 could also distinguish follicular adenomas from follicular carcinomas (P = .0060). Analysis of follicular carcinomas with and without metastases showed significantly higher expression of Ki-67 in patients with metastases (P = .0019). These results indicate that antibodies to p27 and Ki-67 might be useful in distinguishing between thyroid neoplasms that are difficult to diagnose by the usual histopathologic criteria. PMID:9504687

Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer; Recurrent Thyroid Cancer; Stage III Follicular Thyroid Cancer; Stage III Papillary Thyroid Cancer; Stage IV Follicular Thyroid Cancer; Stage IVA Follicular Thyroid Cancer; Stage IVA Papillary Thyroid Cancer; Stage IVB Follicular Thyroid Cancer; Stage IVB Papillary Thyroid Cancer; Stage IVC Follicular Thyroid Cancer; Stage IVC Papillary Thyroid Cancer; Thyroid Gland Medullary Carcinoma

Full text. Tetrofosmin, a new lipophilic technetium-phosphine agent, proposed initially for myocardial perfusion imaging in which the precise mechanism of uptake into myocardial cells is likely to be similar to that of sestamibi, demonstrates in experimental data an accumulation in the mitochondria, a phenomenon dependent on the amount of proteins and energetic substrate (J Nucl Med, 35:48 P-47 P, 1994). Studies of biodistribution of Technetium-99 m-Tetrofosmin show early thyroid uptake which rapidly clears from normal thyroid tissue (tracer washout 4 h after injection), but it may be retained longer in malignant tumor lesion. Some reports have been describing localization of metastatic lesions of mixed thyroid cancer ( J Nucl Med, 36:2248-2251, 1995), follicular thyroid carcinoma (Eur J Nucl Med 22:1218-1220, 1995) and medullary thyroid carcinoma (J Nucl Med 38:227-230, 1997), utilizing Tc 99 m-Tetrofosmin and/or Sestamibi. We decided to use Tetrofosmin in our patients, since we hypothesized that its biological features and intracellular uptake mechanisms could justify its clinical applications in the differential of neoplastic diseases before surgery. We describe 2 patients, in a series of 6 who had no significant tracer uptake (cold nodules) with Technetium, that became `hot nodules` with Tc 99-Tetrofosmin, in which histologic findings after fine needle biopsy and thyroidectomy confirmed Hurthle cell Adenoma with Papillary Carcinoma nd the other a Papillary Multicentric Carcinoma. The other four patients are waiting for surgery. In conclusion, besides detecting metastatic lesions enabling us to better evaluation of the extended malignant disease, thyroid scintigraphic studies with Tc 99 m-Tetrofosmin seems to contribute for understanding and predicting of thyroid malignancies pre-surgically

DNA content has been reported to be of prognostic significance in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Since malignant tumors with irradiation as an initiator often contain DNA aberrations, the DNA content of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma in patients with a prior history of low-dose head and neck irradiation was determined and compared with similar nonradiation-associated lesions. The DNA content of thyroid cancers from 53 patients was determined with use of flow cytometry. Sixteen radiation-associated thyroid carcinomas (11 papillary, 3 follicular, and 2 medullary) all were diploid. In a group of 37 nonradiation-associated tumors, 10 were aneuploid (10 of 29 papillary carcinomas and 0 of 2 follicular or 6 medullary carcinomas). This difference in DNA content is significant (p less than 0.02, Fisher's exact test). These findings were unexpected and suggest that if the initiating irradiation causes a DNA aberration, this aberration is not reflected in DNA content as measured by means of flow cytometry.

The majority of thyroid cancers arise from the follicular cells of the thyroid gland, which yield a wide variety of distinct morphotypes, ranging from relatively indolent lesions to the most malignant forms of cancer known. The remaining primary thyroid cancers arise from C cells within the gland and result primarily from mutations of the RET protooncogene, germ line mutations of which give rise to the various forms of multiple endocrine neoplasia. The most common of the follicular cell-derived cancers are papillary carcinomas, (PTC), followed by follicular carcinomas (FTC) and its Hurthle cell variant (HCC) and finally anaplastic carcinomas (ATC). The pathogenesis of many thyroid cancers, of both PTC and FTC morphotype, involves chromosomal translocations. Rearrangements of the RET protoc...

AbstractBackground 131I Metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I MIBG) provides targeted radiotherapy for children with neuroblastoma, a malignancy of the sympathetic nervous system. Dissociated radioactive iodide may concentrate in the thyroid, and 131I MIBG is concentrated in the liver after 131I MIBG therapy. The aim of our study was to analyze the effects of 131I MIBG therapy on thyroid and liver function. Procedure Pre and post therapy thyroid and liver functions were reviewed in a total of 194 neuroblastoma patients treated with 131I MIBG therapy. The cumulative incidence over time was estimated for both thyroid and liver toxicities. The relationship to cumulative dose/kg, number of treatments, time from treatment to follow up, sex, and patient age was examined. Results In patients who presente...

Diseases of the thyroid are common and surgical treatment is often the preferred option. Thyroid surgery is becoming subspecialised and falls within the repertoire of maxillofacial, and head and neck surgeons. Multidisciplinary management of most patients with diseases of the thyroid is key to providing the best care particularly for those with malignancies and retrosternal extension. To reduce postoperative complications a meticulous search for, and protection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands, with an incision along the skin crease in the lower neck, which can be extended for neck dissection, are paramount. Recent advances in thyroid surgery include ultrasound-guided cervical plexus block, use of the Harmonic Scalpel(®) (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., USA), intraoperative nerve stimulation to monitor the recurrent laryngeal nerve, use of TissuePatch™ 3 (Tissuemed Ltd., Leeds, UK) adhesive sealant, and minimal access surgery. PMID:22192610

Context: Germline mutations in PTEN are associated with phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) hamartoma tumor syndrome including Cowden syndrome (CS) and Cowden-like syndrome (CSL) that predisposes to high risks of benign and malignant tumors of thyroid and breast. Objective: The objective of the study was to analyze the subcellular pattern of phosphorylated (P)-AKT expression in nonmedullary thyroid cancers from PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome patients and to investigate whether the lack of PTEN in the nucleus and/or lack of proper PTEN function in the nucleus affect(s) nuclear AKT activity in CS patients. Design: In all, 664 patients with CS/CSL were screened for PTEN germline mutations and nonmedullary thyroid cancers. Twenty-two patients who have both pathogenic PTEN germline mutations and nonmedullary thyroid cancers were selected. Thyroid samples from these patients were stained for PTEN and P-AKT. In our in vitro study, PTEN was knocked down or overexpressed in both thyroid cancer cells and breast cancer cells, and nuclear P-AKT was compared with the control. Results: Loss of PTEN protein was found in thyroid adenomas and carcinomas from all 22 (100%) PTEN(Mut+) CS/CSL patients. AKT activation was identified in 17 of 22 (77.3%) thyroid adenoma/carcinoma specimens, and most patients (63.7%) have activated nuclear AKT. Knockdown of PTEN in cells containing wild-type PTEN enhanced nuclear P-AKT, whereas expression of wild-type PTEN, but not phosphatase-dead mutants (C124S or G129E), markedly reduced nuclear P-AKT in PTEN null cells. We also showed that in breast cancer but not thyroid cancer cells, PTEN suppresses nuclear P-AKT mainly through decreasing P-AKT nuclear translocation by reducing the PIP3/P-AKT reservoir in the cytoplasm. In thyroid cancer cells, PTEN suppresses phosphorylation of AKT already resident in the nucleus. Conclusions: PTEN is necessary and sufficient for inhibiting AKT activation in the nucleus through its intact lipid phosphatase activity and proper subcellular localization. PMID:22962422

Malignant transformation of a mature cystic teratoma (MCT) is an infrequent, often asymptomatic event. We report the first example of a struma ovarii with a focus of follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (a), mucinous adenocarcinoma (b), and strumal carcinoid tumor (c)-all three arising in one mature cystic teratoma of the ovary. From our reviews, we found limited data to guide management when these malignant foci occur within an MCT. Consideration should be given to thyroidectomy followed by total-body scanning and serum studies for foci of thyroid carcinoma and adjuvant therapy with thyroidectomy and radioablation if residual disease is identified (a). Additionally, extrapolating from data for mucinous adenocarcinomas, consideration could be given to adjuvant chemotherapy after appropriate staging (b). Strumal carcinoid tumors should be treated as tumors of low malignant potential. Observation is appropriate if after complete staging, no invasive implants are noted (c). PMID:23029627

Recent advances in ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) have facilitated accurate diagnosis of thyroid carcinomas that require treatment. However, we often encounter nodules evaluated as malignant on ultrasonography but diagnosed as benign on cytology, for which the optimal treatment strategy remains uncertain. A 28-year-old female had solitary and solid thyroid nodule measuring 6 cm in maximal diameter in February 1994. The lesion was cytologically diagnosed as benign. From September 1998, the nodule spontaneously decreased in size but ultrasonographic findings suspicious of malignancy such as peripheral and intra-tumoral calcification, low internal echo and irregular border gradually appeared. In July 2010, the volume of her nodule showed 97% decrease but was evaluated as papillary carcinoma on ultrasonography. FNAB was performed again and the nodule was diagnosed as benign. When we encounter a nodule showing ultrasonographic findings suggestive of malignancy with negative cytology, we should consider the possibility of a benign nodule degenerating over time.   

There are several interactions between thyroid and kidney functions in each other organ's disease states. Thyroid hormones affect renal development and physiology. Thyroid hormones have pre-renal and intrinsic renal effects by which they increase the renal blood flow and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Hypothyroidism is associated with reduced GFR and hyperthyroidism results in increased GFR as well as increased renin – angiotensin – aldosterone activation. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by a low T3 syndrome which is now considered a part of an atypical nonthyroidal illness. CKD patients also have increased incidence of primary hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism. The physiological benefits of a hypothyroid state in CKD, and the risk of CKD progression with hyperthyroidism emphasize on a conservative approach in the treatment of thyroid hormone abnormalities in CKD. Thyroid dysfunction is also associated with glomerulonephritis often by a common autoimmune etiology. Several drugs could affect both thyroid and kidney functions. There are few described interactions between thyroid and renal malignancies. A detailed knowledge of all these interactions is important for both the nephrologists and endocrinologists for optimal management of the patient. PMID:17132884

BACKGROUND: Neoplasms of peripheral nerve in the head and neck region are of common occurrence, but origin in the oral and para-oral tissues is uncommon and they rarely occur centrally within the jaws. Schwannoma is a benign neoplasm originating from the neural sheath of peripheral soft tissues, but its occurrence within the jaw bones is most unusual. Plexiform schwannoma is a unique variant of Schwann cell tumours having plexiform pattern. Literature revealed only one case of plexiform schwannoma of the jaw bones, i.e. involving the mandible. CASE REPORT: In this report, we present the first documented case of intraosseous plexiform schwannoma of the maxilla, an extremely rare benign neurogenic tumour treated surgically. DISCUSSION: Schwannoma is a benign neoplasm originating from the neural sheath of peripheral soft tissues, but to occur within the jaw bones is exceptional. Plexiform schwannoma is a rare variant of Schwann cell tumour having plexiform pattern of intraneural growth with multinodularity. Plexiform schwannoma is a benign neoplasm with no malignant potential, but recurrences are evident if excised incompletely. Plexiform schwannoma has similar clinical and histopathological features as that of plexiform neurofibroma which has high malignant potential; hence, it is imperative to correctly diagnose and differentiate this lesion as treatment modality of these two lesions differs. PMID:22847037

Non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma as a primary testicular neoplasm accounts approximately 9% of all testicular malignant tumours and about 1?2% of all non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma. This neoplasm is the most common malignant tumour of the testis in the elderly. The most common histotype in primary forms is the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, whereas more aggressive histologies such as Burkitt?s lymphoma are principal founded in cases of secondary involvement of the testis. Regarding clinical presentation, the most common sign is a unilateral painless scrotal swelling, sometimes with sharp scrotal pain or hydrocele. In patients with advanced stage, the systematic B symptoms are present in 25?41% of all cases. In 35% of patients, bilateral testicular involvement is detected. In more advanced stages with para-a...

The report supplements the 1991 Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report and contains figures and tables which expand the information provided in the 1991 document. Updated data were included for many of the figures and tables contained in the original report. Data on sex, race, geographic distribution, industry, and occupation extracted from the multiple cause of death data were presented for deaths with mention of asbestosis, malignant neoplasms of the pleura, malignant neoplasms of the peritoneum, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, silicosis, byssinosis, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Additionally, data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey on the number of discharges with silicosis or asbestosis, and data from the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks program on reports of occupational asthma and silicosis were also included.

Primary splenic lymphoma is rare, but malignant lymphoma often produces a lesion in the spleen as part of systemic disease. The frequency of splenic malignant lymphoma in Japan is unknown. We classified 184 specimens of the spleen according to the World Health Organization Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues, 4th edition (2008). Of the 184 specimens, 115 were determined to be lymphoid neoplasm (62.5%). The most common subtype of lymphoid neoplasm was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (46 cases), followed by splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) (28 cases), follicular lymphoma (11 cases), splenic B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable (SBL-U) (6 cases) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (4 cases). In the SBL-U subtype, 5 of 6 cases were splenic...

Radioimmunology was used to measure serum levels of CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) in 108 patients with a variety of different advanced malignant neoplasms and in a control group of 60 healthy subjects. TPA proved more sensitive as a tumour marker than CEA, since increased TPA was found in 76% of the cancer cases compared to 42% for CEA. No significant increase in diagnostic sensitivity was obtained by using both markers rather than PTA alone. PMID:2725935

Malignant melanoma is the neoplasm with highest probability of cardiac metastatization. Cardiac involvement by metastatic melanoma is rarely identified ante-mortem (5-30% of cases) for non-specificity of cardiac symptoms. In fact we show in this case report that abdominal pain can represent the predominant symptom. Furthermore we show the importance of linkage between clinical & anamnestic data which if underestimated can lead to an improper management and to the patient exitus. PMID:22610078