MicroRNA Expression in Plasma of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Background@#Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have a poor prognosis and there are no effective clinical biomarkers. Recently, stable microRNAs detected in the blood have been suggested as potential biomarkers in various cancers. Therefore, we investigated whether plasma microRNAs could be feasible biomarkers for ESCC. @*Methods@#Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 16 healthy volunteers and 66 ESCC patients before treatment between May 2016 and April 2021. Plasma miR-18b, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-375 expression levels were measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. @*Results@#Compared with those in healthy controls, the expression levels of plasma miR-21 were significantly higher (P = 0.022) and those of plasma miR-31 and miR-375 were significantly lower in ESCC patients (both P < 0.001). Plasma miR-18b expression levels increased in ESCC patients, but the difference was not significant (P = 0.164). The sensitivities and specificities of miR-21, miR-31, and miR-375 for differentiating ESCC patients from healthy controls were 87.5% and 61.9%, 87.5% and 98.4%, and 87.5% and 100%, respectively. There was no difference in expression levels of plasma miR-21, miR-31, and miR-375 according to clinicopathological characteristics of sex, age, tumor size and location, histologic grade, and tumor-node-metastasis stage. @*Conclusion@#Our study demonstrated that plasma miR-21, miR-31, and miR-375 could be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of ESCC. Particularly, plasma miR-31 and miR-375 showed high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating ESCC patients from healthy controls.

A Rare Duodenal Subepithelial Tumor: Duodenal Schwannoma

Schwannomas are uncommon neoplasms that arise from Schwann cells of the neural sheath. Gastrointestinal schwannomas are rare among mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, and only a few cases have been reported to date. Duodenal schwannomas are usually discovered incidentally and achieving a preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Schwannomas can be distinguished from other subepithelial tumors on endoscopic ultrasonography; however, any typical endosonographic features of duodenal schwannomas have not been reported due to the rarity of these tumors. Immunohistochemistry is essential to distinguish schwannomas from gastrointestinal stromal tumors and leiomyomas. We report a case of duodenal schwannoma found incidentally during a health check-up endoscopy. On endoscopic ultrasonography, this tumor was suspected as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor; therefore, the patient underwent laparoscopic wedge resection of the tumor. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed that the duodenal lesion was a benign schwannoma.

Case of an Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Duodenum / 대한소화기학회지

An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare disease that can occur in a variety of locations, including the lung, orbit, parotid, pleura, and stomach. Despite multiple reports in various organs, a duodenal IMT is rare with limited case reports. We encountered a case of a 49-year-old male with a duodenal IMT. The patient underwent a laparoscopic wedge resection under the impression of a duodenal mesenchymal tumor, such as gastrointestinal stromal tumor, but the final diagnosis was a duodenal IMT. The patient was treated successfully with an oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug for the residual lesions. He was free of recurrence during the 12 month follow-up period.

Successful Treatment by Chemotherapy of Pineal Parenchymal Tumor with Intermediate Differentiation: A Case Report / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

A 37-year-old male presented with a mass measuring 2.5 cm in size in the midbrain and obstructive hydrocephalus, which had manifested as a headache and dizziness. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain showed intermediate enhancement on T1-weighted MR imaging and a high intensity of enhancement on T2-weighted MR. Neurosurgeons performed an occipital craniotomy with partial removal of the tumor and the postoperative diagnosis was a pineal parenchymal tumor with intermediate differentiation. He had undergone irradiation with 54 Gy of radiation on 27 fractions for removal of the remaining tumor approximately one month after surgery. However, in follow-up imaging performed four months after radiotherapy, a remnant mass in the superoposterior aspect of the midbrain was found to have extended to the hypothalamus and the third ventricle. He was treated with six cycles of procarbazine, lomustine, vincristine chemotherapy. At five months since the completion of chemotherapy, the brain MR imaging showed no evidence of any remaining tumor and he no longer displayed any of his initial symptoms.

Co-Occurrence of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma in a Patient with Long-Standing Hashimoto Thyroiditis

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a common affliction of the thyroid gland, accounting for 70% to 80% of all thyroid cancers, whereas mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the thyroid gland is uncommon. The simultaneous occurrence of both malignancies is extremely rare. We report the case of a patient with both PTC and MALT lymphoma in the setting of Hashimoto thyroiditis. An 81-year-old female patient was first admitted with goiter and hoarseness, which was attributed to an ultrasonographic thyroid nodule. Subsequent fine-needle aspirate, interpreted as suspicious of papillary thyroid cancer, prompted total thyroidectomy. MALT lymphoma was an incidental postsurgical finding, coexisting with PTC in the setting of Hashimoto thyroiditis. Although the development of MALT lymphoma is very rare, patients with longstanding Hashimoto thyroiditis should undergo careful surveillance for both malignancies.

A Case of Squamous Metaplasia of the Stomach

Intestinal metaplasia of the stomach is a common metaplastic lesion associated with chronic gastritis and mucosal atrophy. However, squamous metaplasia is a comparatively rare condition. On endoscopy, squamous metaplasia is usually observed as a whitish mucosal lesion in the lesser curvature of the cardiac region of the stomach. When Lugol's iodine solution is applied, the lesion stains brown in the same way as normal esophageal mucosa. We report a case of 79-year-old man with a whitish flat lesion in the lesser curvature of the cardiac region on surveillance endoscopy after endoscopic treatment of gastric adenoma. The endoscopic biopsy showed stratified squamous epithelial mucosa.

A Case Report of Pancreatic Arteriovenous Malformation Diagnosed by Endoscopic Ultrasonography / 대한내과학회지

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare, and most cases occur as congenital anomalies. Many patients with AVM are asymptomatic, but occasionally present with abdominal pain or gastrointestinal bleeding. The increased portal vein flow that forms these malformations can lead to portal hypertension and gastrointestinal bleeding in the absence of primary liver pathology. Early diagnosis can lead to successful surgical resection or percutaneous transarterial embolization. We report a case of a patient with pancreatic AVM in the tail of the pancreas, in which endoscopic ultrasonography was helpful. This patient presented with abdominal pain and was subsequently treated with distal pancreatectomy.

A giant fibroepithelial polyp mimicking a subepithelial tumor

No abstract available.