Evaluation of PCA3 and multiparametric MRI's: collective benefits before deciding initial prostate biopsy for patients with PSA level between 3-10ng/mL

ABSTRACT Objective To analyze the contribution of multiparametric MRI and PCA3 assay, pre- decision of initial biopsy in PSA level between 3-10 ng/mL patients with normal digital rectal examination(DRE). Materials and Methods PSA level 3-10 ng/mL ,patients, with normal DRE results and no previous prostate biopsy history, were included in this study. Each patient underwent multiparametric MRI one week before biopsy. Urine sample taking for PCA3 examination preceded the biopsy. Systematic and targeted biopsies were conducted. Patients with high PSA levels were seperated into two groups as: high PCA3 scored and low PCA3 scored. Then each group was divided into two sub-groups as: MRI lesion positive and negative. Tumor incidence, positive predictive values(PPV) and negative predictive values(NPV) were calculated. Results 53 patients were included between February 2013 and March 2014.Mean age 61.22 ± 1.06. Mean PSA value 5.13 ± 0.19 ng / mL. Mean PCA3 score 98.01 ± 23.13 and mean prostate size was 48.96 ± 2.67 grams. Fourty nine patients had both PCA3 score and multiparametric MRI. The PCA3’s PPV value was 58.33%. If multiparametric MRI lesions are added to high PCA3 scores , the PPV appears to elevate to 91.66%. NPV of PCA3 was 96%. NPV was 95% when there was no lesion in the multiparametric MRI with low PCA3 scores. Sensitivity was 91.66% , specificity was 95% respectively. Conclusion Adding multimetric MRI can also support biopsy decision for patients with high PCA3 value. When PCA3 value is low, patients can be survailled without any need to take a MRI.

BRAF, KIT, NRAS, GNAQ and GNA11 mutation analysis in cutaneous melanomas in Turkish population.

Background: KIT and mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade are important for melanomagenesis. In the present study, we analyzed the frequency of BRAF, NRAS, KIT, GNAQ and GNA11 gene mutations and investigated their association with clinicopathological features of melanomas in Turkish population. Materials and Methods: Forty-seven primary cutaneous melanomas were included in our study. Sanger sequencing method was used for mutation analysis in all cases. Results: Mean age was 62.1 (29-101) years. Female:male ratio was 17:30. Among 47 melanomas, 14 (29.8%) BRAF, 10 (21.3%) NRAS, 4 (8.5%) KIT and 1(2.1%) GNAQ gene mutations were detected. Two of the KIT mutations were found in acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM). In the head and neck region, mutation frequency was signifi cantly lower than in other locations (P = 0.035). The only GNAQ gene mutation (p.Q209L) was detected in a melanoma arising from blue nevus located on the scalp. None of the melanomas harbored NRAS exon 2, KIT exon 13/17/18, GNAQ exon 4 and GNA11 exon 4/5 mutations. Overall mutation frequency did not show signifi cant difference between metastatic (8/14, 57.1%) and nonmetastatic (18/33, 54.5%) patients. We did not observe any signifi cant association between mutation status and gender or age of various patients. Conclusions: Our results support that BRAF and NRAS gene mutations are common in cutaneous melanomas. The activating mutations of KIT gene are rare and especially seen in ALM. GNAQ and GNA11 mutations are infrequent in cutaneous melanomas and may be associated only with melanomas arising from blue nevus.

Differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenitis mimicking malignancy due to tularemia: Our experiences.

Background: Tularemia is a disease caused by a Gram-negative coccobaci llus Francisella tularensis. This bacterium may cause different types of clinical pictures owing to acquisition route and entrance site, such as ulceroglandular, oropharyngeal, glandular, pneumonic, typhoid and ocular forms. Oropharyngeal tularemia (OPT) is the most common form of tularemia in some regions. OPT may cause tonsillopharyngitis followed by cervical lymphadenopathies (LAPs). Without treatment LAP may p ersist for several months and may mimic other diseases causing cervical LAPs. Materials and Methods: A total of six cases of OPT, fi ve male and one female, between 21 and 31 years old, diagnosed serologically and clinically recorded in GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital were included in this study. Detailed story including the region they lived for last 6 months, their occupation, family and neighborhood story with similar complaints were obtained. Patient data were also obtained from manually written patients fi les and electronical patient fi le system. Formalin fi xed paraffi n embedded tissue blocks of all biopsy material were submitted for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) study for F. tularensis. Results: A total of six cases with head and neck mass following a story of tonsillopharyngitis admitted to different clinics including infectious diseases, ear-nose-throat and internal medicine in our tertiary care hospital. Physical examination revealed immobile, hard, conglomerated unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy in all cases. Histopathological examination revealed granulomatous infl ammation in four cases. Acute suppurative infl ammatory changes were also seen in two cases. Large necrotic areas mimicking casseifying necrosis were seen in two cases. PCR amplifi cation of F. tularensis genom from isolated deoxyribonucleic acids was successful in fi ve cases. Conclusion: Tularemia should be kept in mind in patients with tonsillopharyngitis not responding to penicillins and beta lactam antibiotics. Furthermore, persisting LAPs mimicking tumor with or without the story of previously experienced sore throat or tonsillopharyngitis in past few days or weeks should be evaluated for glandular or OPT. At this point, easily applicable serological tests such as tularemia micro-agglutination tests will confi rm the diagnosis of OPT. However, if lymph node were already sampled to exclude especially malignancy or T cell lymphoma, tularemia PCR test may be used to make a certain diagnosis.