División ganglionar posquirúrgica y su efecto en el recuento ganglionar y la estadificación en pacientes con cáncer gástrico / Postoperative lymph node division and its effect on lymph node count and staging in patients with gastric cancer

Introducción. La gastrectomía y disección ganglionar es el estándar de manejo para los pacientes con cáncer gástrico. Factores como la identificación de ganglios por el patólogo, pueden tener un impacto negativo en la estadificación y el tratamiento. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar el recuento ganglionar de un espécimen quirúrgico después de una gastrectomía completa (grupo A) y de un espécimen con un fraccionamiento por grupos ganglionares (grupo B). Métodos. Estudio de una base de datos retrospectiva de pacientes sometidos a gastrectomía D2 en el Servicio de Cirugía gastrointestinal de la Liga Contra el Cáncer seccional Risaralda, Pereira, Colombia. Se comparó el recuento ganglionar en especímenes quirúrgicos con y sin división ganglionar por regiones anatómicas previo a su envío a patología. Resultados. De los 94 pacientes intervenidos, 65 pertenecían al grupo A y 29 pacientes al grupo B. El promedio de ganglios fue de 24,4±8,6 y 32,4±14,4 respectivamente (p=0,004). El porcentaje de pacientes con más de 15 y de 25 ganglios fue menor en el grupo A que en el grupo B (27 vs 57, p=0,432 y 19 vs 24, p=0,014). El promedio de pacientes con una relación ganglionar menor 0,2 fue mayor en el grupo B (72,4 % vs 55,4 %, p=0,119). Conclusiones. Los resultados de nuestro estudio mostraron que una división por grupos ganglionares previo a la valoración del espécimen por el servicio de patología incrementa el recuento ganglionar y permite establecer de manera certera el pronóstico de los pacientes, teniendo un impacto positivo en su estadificación, para evitar el sobretratamiento

Introduction. A gastrectomy and lymph node dissection is the standard of management for patients with gastric cancer. Factors such as the identification of nodes by the pathologist can have a negative impact on staging and treatment. The objective of this study was to compare the lymph node count of a surgical specimen after a complete gastrectomy (group A) and of a specimen with lymph node by groups (group B). Methods. Study of a retrospective database of patients undergoing D2 gastrectomy in the Risaralda section of the Liga Contra el Cancer Gastrointestinal surgical service, Pereira, Colombia. The lymph node count was compared in surgical specimens with and without lymph node division by anatomical regions, prior to sending them to pathology. Results. Of the 94 patients who underwent surgery, 65 were from group A and 29 patients were from group B. The average number of nodes was 24.4±8.6 and 32.4±14.4, respectively (p=0.004). The percentage of patients with more than 15 and 25 nodes was lower in group A than in group B (27 vs 57, p=0.432 and 19 vs 24, p=0.014). The average number of patients with a nodal ratio less than 0.2 was higher in group B (72.4% vs 55.4%, p=0.119). Conclusions. The results of our study showed that a division by lymph node groups prior to the evaluation of the specimen by the pathology service increases the lymph node count and allows the prognosis of patients to be accurately established, having a positive impact on their staging, to avoid overtreatment.

Influência da terapia neoadjuvante na razão de linfonodos / Influence of neoadjuvant therapy on the ratio of lymph nodes

ABSTRACT Background: To evaluate the relationship between the ratio of affected lymph nodes (LNR) and clinical and anatomopathological variables in patients with rectal adenocarcinoma submitted or not to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Methods: The LNR was determined by dividing the number of compromised LNR by the total number of LNR dissected in the surgical specimen. Patients were divided into two groups: with QRT and without QRT. In each group, the relationship between LNR and the following variables was evaluated: degree of cell differentiation, depth of invasion in the rectal wall, angiolymphatic /perineural invasion, degree of tumor regression and occurrence of metastases. The LNR was evaluated in patients with more than 1, LNR (LNR >12) or less (LNR<12) in the surgical specimen with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The results were expressed as the mean with the respective standard deviation. Qualitative variables were analyzed using Fisher's exact test, while quantitative variables were analyzed using the Kruskal -Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The significance level was 5%. Results: We evaluated 282 patients with QRT and 114 without QRT, between 1995-2011. In the QRT Group, LNR showed a significant association with mucinous tumors (P=0.007) and degree of tumor regression (P=0.003). In both groups, LNR was associated with poorly differentiated tumors (P=0.001, P=0.02), presence of angiolymphatic invasion (P<0.0001 and P=0.01), perineural (P=0.0007, P=0.02), degree of rectal wall invasion (T3>T2; P<0.0001, P=0.02); Compromised LNR (P<0.0001, P<0.01), metastases (P<0.0001, P<0.01). In patients with QRT, LNR<12 was associated with DFS (5.889; 95%CI1.935-19.687; P=0.018) and LNR>12 with DFS and OS (17.984; 95%CI5.931-54.351; P<0.001 and 10.286; 95%CI 2.654-39.854; P=0.007, respectively). Conclusion: LNR was associated with histological aspects of poor prognosis, regardless of the use of QRT. In the occurrence of less than 12 evaluated LNR, the LNR was associated only with the DFS.

RESUMO Contexto: Avaliar a relação entre a razão de linfonodos (RLA) acometidos e variáveis clínicas e anatomopatológicas em portadores de adenocarcinoma de reto submetidos ou não à quimiorradioterapia neoadjuvante. Métodos: A RLA foi determinada dividindo-se o número total de linfonodos (LFNs) dissecados no espécime cirúrgico pelo número de comprometidos. Os doentes foram divididos em dois grupos: com QRT e sem QRT. Em cada grupo foi avaliada a relação entre a RLA e as seguintes variáveis: grau de diferenciação celular, profundidade de invasão na parede retal, invasão angiolinfática/perineural, grau de regressão tumoral e ocorrência de metástases. Avaliou-se a RLA em pacientes com mais do que 12 LFNs (RLA>12) ou menos (RLA<12) na peça cirúrgica com a sobrevida global (SG) e sobrevida livre de doença (SLD). Os resultados foram expressos pela média com o respectivo desvio padrão. As variáveis qualitativas foram analisadas utilizando-se o teste exato de Fisher, enquanto as quantitativas pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis e Mann-Whitney. O nível de significância foi de 5%. Resultados: Foram avaliados 282 pacientes com QRT e 114 sem QRT, entre 1995-2011. No Grupo QRT, RLA mostrou associação significativa com os tumores mucinosos (P=0,007) e grau de regressão tumoral (P=0,003). Nos dois grupos, a RLA associou-se com tumores pouco diferenciados (P=0,001 e P=0,02), presença de invasão angiolinfática (P<0,0001 e P=0,01), perineural (P=0,0007 e P=0,02), grau de invasão da parede retal (T3>T2; P<0,0001 e P=0,02); LFNs comprometidos (P<0,0001 e P<0,01), metástases (P<0,0001 e P<0,01). Nos pacientes com QRT, a RLA <12 associou-se com a SLD (5,889; IC95%1,935-19,687; P=0,018) e a RLA >12 com SLD e SG (17,984; IC95%5,931-54,351; P<0,001 e 10,286; IC95%2,654-39,854; P=0,007, respectivamente). Conclusão: A RLA associou-se a aspectos histológicos de mau prognóstico, independentemente do emprego de QRT. Na ocorrência de menos de 12 LFNs avaliados, a RLA associou-se apenas com a SLD.

Log odds of positive nodes as a prognostic factor for rectal cancer: a retrospective study

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Rectal cancer is an important cause of mortality and morbidity globally. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the log odds of positive nodes system is a better indicator than tumor node metastasis and lymph node ratio systems to determine rectum cancer prognosis, which is an important cause of mortality and morbidity globally. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from the medical records of patients with rectum adenocarcinoma followed at Gazi University Hospital. The clinicopathological data of 128 patients with rectum adenocarcinoma who underwent low anterior resection or abdominoperineal resection between January 2010 and December 2018 was retrospectively reviewed. Patients with rectum adenocarcinoma as the first and only primary diagnosis, which was confirmed by histopathological examination, than those who had undergone complete curative resection via low anterior resection or abdominoperineal resection were included. Those with familial adenomatous polyposis or Lynch syndrome, those under 18 years of age, with a synchronous tumor, peritoneal spread, or metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, and those with <12 lymph nodes dissected from the resection material were excluded from the study. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, age, perineural invasion, tumor node metastasis stage, lymph node ratio stage, and log odds of positive nodes stage were found to be independent prognostic factors (p<0.05). LODDS2 patients' mortality rates were 9.495 times higher than LODDS0 patients [hazard ratio=9.495, (95%CI 4.155-21.694), p<0.001] while LNR2 stage patients' mortality rates were 7.016 times higher than LNR0 stage patients [hazard ratio=7.016, (95%CI 3.123-15.765), p<0.001] and N2 stage patients had a 5.135 times higher risk of mortality than those who were in N0 stage [hazard ratio=5.135 (95%CI 2.451-10.756), p<0.001]. CONCLUSION: Log odds of positive nodes is a more valuable prognostic factor for rectal cancer patients than tumor node metastasis and lymph node ratio systems to determine rectum cancer prognosis.

Enfermedad de Castleman. Reporte de un caso

Fundamento: La enfermedad de Castleman es un proceso poco común y se caracteriza por la proliferación de linfocitos no clonales. Objetivo: Describir la presentación clínica, diagnóstico y tratamiento de un paciente con enfermedad de Castleman. Presentación del caso: Paciente masculino de 53 años de edad, color de la piel blanca, que acudió al servicio de cirugía por presentar una masa en región abdominal. Con la administración de anestesia general se realizó exéresis de la lesión y se diagnosticó por el departamento de Anatomía Patológica una enfermedad de Castleman unicéntrica variedad hialino vascular. Conclusiones: La enfermedad de Castleman es poco frecuente, su sintomatología y tratamiento varían según la presentación clínica; y el diagnóstico definitivo se obtiene del análisis de la biopsia de un ganglio afectado.

Background: Castleman disease is an uncommon process and is characterized by the non-clonal lymphocyte proliferation. Objective: To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment in a patient with Castleman disease. Case presentation: 53 years old male patient, fair skin color, who attended to the surgery service for presenting a mass in the abdominal region. With the general anesthesia administration, the lesion was excised and an unicentric Castleman disease was diagnosed by the Pathological Anatomy department, hyaline vascular variety. Conclusions: Castleman disease is not frequent, its symptomatology and treatment vary according to the clinical presentation; and the definitive diagnosis is obtained by a biopsy analysis of an affected ganglion.

Detection of micro-metastasis using cytokeratins (AE1/AE3) in haematoxylin & eosin-stained N0 lymph nodes of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background & objectives: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignancies affecting the head-and-neck region, regional lymph nodes being an important prognostication factor dictating the survival rate. Despite an array of modalities used, clinically, radiographically and routine histopathologically, the detection of micro-metastasis (2-3 mm tumour cell deposits) in the lymph nodes often escapes identification. The presence of few of these tumour epithelial cells in the lymph nodes drastically increases mortality and alters treatment plan. Hence, the identification of these cells is of major prognostic significance for a patient. Thus, the present study was aimed to evaluate and detect the efficacy of the immunohistochemical (IHC) marker [cytokeratin (CK) AE1/AE3] over routine Hematoxylin & eosin (H & E) staining in detecting micro-metastasis in the lymph nodes of OSCC cases. Methods: Hundred H & E-stained N0 lymph nodes of OSCC cases treated with radical neck dissection were subjected to IHC with marker AE1/AE3 antibody cocktail for detecting micro-metastasis. Results: The IHC marker CK cocktail (AE1/AE3) did not demonstrate any positive reactivity for the target antigen in all the 100 H & E stained lymph node sections evaluated in the present study. Interpretation & conclusions: This study was undertaken to check the efficacy of IHC (CK cocktail AE1/ AE3) in the detection of micro-metastasis in lymph nodes that are found to be negative in routine H&E stained sections. The findings of this study suggest that the IHC marker AE1/AE3 did not prove to be useful to detect micro-metastasis in this study population

Effect of contrast medium on early detection and analysis of mediastinal lymph nodes in computed tomography

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of contrast-to-noise and signal-to-noise ratios created by the contrast medium in detecting lymph nodes. METHODS: In this study, 57 short-axis subcentimeter lymph nodes in 40 cardiac computed tomography patients with noncontrast- and contrast-enhanced phases were evaluated. The contrast-to-noise ratios and signal-to-noise ratios of noncontrast- and contrast-enhanced lymph node-mediastinal fat and aortic-mediastinal fat tissues were determined. In addition, lymph nodes in noncontrast- and contrast-enhanced series were evaluated subjectively. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in lymph node-mediastinal fat signal-to-noise values between the contrast and noncontrast phases (p=0.0002). In the contrast phase, aortic density values were found to be 322.04±18.51 HU, lymph node density values were 76.41±23.41 HU, and mediastinal adipose tissue density values were −65.73±22.96 HU. Aortic-mediastinal fat contrast-to-noise ratio value was 20.23±6.92 and the lymph node-mediastinal fat contrast-to-noise ratio value was 6.43±2.07. A significant and moderate correlation was observed between aortic-mediastinal fat and lymph node-mediastinal fat contrast-to-noise ratio values in the contrast phase (r=0.605; p<0.001). In the contrast-enhanced series, there was a significant increase in the subjective detection of lymph nodes (p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: In the detection of paratracheal lymph nodes, the contrast agent increases the detection of short-axis subcentimeter lymph nodes quantitatively and qualitatively. Contrast enhances and facilitates the detection of paratracheal lymph nodes.

Value of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in Sentinel Lymph Node after Primary Breast Cancer Resection / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of percutaneous and intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasound（P-Ⅳ-CEUS） in sentinel lymph nodes（SLNs） after resection of early-stage primary breast cancer. MethodsA retrospective analysis was done on the clinical and imaging data of 42 early breast cancer patients. Following primary tumor resection， all these patients underwent reoperation in our hospital. SLNs were examined by preoperative P-Ⅳ-CEUS and intraoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy（SLNB） was performed by using Methylene blue as a tracer. Then we analyzed the detection and false-negative rate in CEUS and SLNB respectively. By using the surgical pathological results as the gold standard， the diagnostic efficacy of CEUS for SLNs was explored. ResultsThe detection rate and false negative rate of SLNs in percutaneous contrast-enhanced ultrasound （P-CEUS） were 92.9% （39/42） and 7.1% （3/42）， respectively. The detection rate in methylene blue staining was 100% （41/41） and one patient underwent neoadjuvant therapy due to biopsy-confirmed metastasis. The sensitivity， specificity， positive predictive value， negative predictive value and accuracy of P-Ⅳ-CEUS were 66.7% （2/3）， 100% （37/37）， 100% （2/2）， 97.3% （36/37） and 97.4% （38/39）， respectively. ConclusionsP-Ⅳ-CEUS after resection of early-stage primary breast cancer can accurately detect SLNs and characterize their status， which is a reliable clinical basis for reducing invasive SLNB.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with intra-glandular contrast injection can improve the diagnostic accuracy of central compartment lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the value of lymphatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (LCEUS) with intra-glandular injection of contrast agent for diagnosis of central compartment lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer.@*METHODS@#From November, 2020 to May, 2022, the patients suspected of having thyroid cancer and scheduled for biopsy at our center received both conventional ultrasound and LCEUS examinations of the central compartment lymph nodes before surgery. All the patients underwent surgical dissection of the lymph nodes. The perfusion features in LCEUS were classified as homogeneous enhancement, heterogeneous enhancement, regular/irregular ring, and non-enhancement. With pathological results as the gold standard, we compared the diagnostic ability of conventional ultrasound and LCEUS for identifying metastasis in the central compartment lymph nodes.@*RESULTS@#Forty-nine patients with 60 lymph nodes were included in the final analysis. Pathological examination reported metastasis in 34 of the lymph nodes, and 26 were benign lymph nodes. With ultrasound findings of heterogeneous enhancement, irregular ring and non-enhancement as the criteria for malignant lesions, LCEUS had a diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 97.06%, 92.31% and 95% for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes, respectively, demonstrating its better performance than conventional ultrasound (P < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed that LCEUS had a significantly greater area under the curve than conventional ultrasound for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes (94.7% [0.856-0.988] vs 78.2% [0.656-0.878], P=0.003).@*CONCLUSION@#LCEUS can enhance the display and improve the diagnostic accuracy of the central compartment lymph nodes to provide important clinical evidence for making clinical decisions on treatment of thyroid cancer.

Effect of Calcified Lymph Nodes on Thoracoscopic Lobectomy in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients with Lung Cancer / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To observe the effect of calcified lymph nodes on video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with lung cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the COPD patients with lung cancer who underwent VATS lobectomy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from May 2014 to May 2018.The patients were assigned into a calcified lymph node group and a control group according to the presence or absence of calcified lymph nodes in CT,and the size,morphology,and calcification degree of the lymph nodes were recorded.The operation duration,intraoperative blood loss,chest tube retention time,hospitalization days,and overall complication rate were compared between the two groups. Results The 30 patients in the calcified lymph node group included 17 patients with one calcified lymph node and 13 patients with two or more calcified lymph nodes,and a total of 65 calcified lymph nodes were recorded.The calcified lymph nodes with the size ≤5 mm were the most common (53.8%),and complete calcification was the most common form (55.4%) in lymph node calcification.The mean operation duration had no significant difference between the calcified lymph node group and the control group (t=-1.357,P=0.180).The intraoperative blood loss (t=-2.646,P=0.010),chest tube retention time (t=-2.302,P=0.025),and hospitalization days (t=-2.274,P=0.027) in the calcified lymph node group were higher than those in the control group. Conclusion Calcified lymph nodes increase the difficulty and risk of VATS lobectomy in the COPD patients with lung cancer.The findings of this study are conducive to predicting the perioperative process of VATS lobectomy.

Factores asociados con la recidiva de cáncer de mama en pacientes con cirugía conservadora / Factors associated with breast cancer recurrence in patients with conservative surgery

Resumen OBJETIVO: Identificar los factores asociados con la recidiva de cáncer de mama en pacientes con cirugía conservadora. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio observacional, de cohorte retrospectiva, efectuado a partir de expedientes de pacientes con cáncer de mama en estadios tempranos e intervenidas con cirugía conservadora. Parámetros de estudio: estadio, subtipo histológico, perfil de expresión de receptores hormonales, tiempo de seguimiento, recidiva y periodo libre de enfermedad. La tasa de recidiva, el periodo libre de enfermedad y la identificación de los factores asociados con recidiva se hicieron con análisis estadístico. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 53 pacientes con edad media de 51.0 ± 9.4 años. El subtipo histopatológico más frecuente fue el ductal en 49 de las 53 pacientes; en 48 de ellas los tumores fueron positivos para receptores de progesterona, en 7 de 53 para Her-2 y en 3 de 53 triple negativo. La tasa de recidiva de cáncer de mama fue de 13.2% (es decir: 7 de 53 pacientes). El tiempo libre de enfermedad en quienes recayeron fue de 30.6 ± 24.8 meses. En el análisis bivariado se asociaron significativamente con recidiva: los ganglios linfáticos positivos, la expresión de receptores de progesterona y de estrógenos, los tumores triple negativo y el tratamiento complementario con quimioterapia. En el análisis multivariado solo se asociaron con recidiva: tener un tumor triple negativo (OR = 51.8; IC95%: 4.9- 548.4; p = 0.001) y recibir quimioterapia (OR = 8.0; IC95%: 1.4-46.1; p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Los factores asociados con la recidiva fueron los ganglios linfáticos positivos, la expresión de receptores de progesterona y de estrógenos, tumores triple negativo y recibir quimioterapia.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with breast cancer recurrence in patients undergoing conservative surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational, retrospective cohort study conducted on the records of patients with early-stage breast cancer who underwent conservative surgery. Study parameters: stage, histologic subtype, hormone receptor expression profile, follow-up time, recurrence and disease-free period. Statistical analysis was performed to estimate recurrence rate and disease-free period and to identify factors associated with recurrence. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients with a mean age of 51.0 ± 9.4 years were evaluated. The most common histopathologic subtype was ductal in 49 of 53 patients; tumors were progesterone receptor positive in 48, Her-2 positive in 7 of 53, and triple negative in 3 of 53. The breast cancer recurrence rate was 13.2% (i.e., 7 of 53 patients). Disease-free time in those who relapsed was 30.6 ± 24.8 months. In bivariate analysis, positive lymph nodes, progesterone and estrogen receptor expression, triple-negative tumors, and adjuvant chemotherapy were significantly associated with recurrence. In multivariate analysis, only having a triple-negative tumor (OR = 51.8; 95%CI: 4.9-548.4; p = 0.001) and receiving chemotherapy (OR = 8.0; 95%CI: 1.4-58.4; p = 0.001) were associated with recurrence. CONCLUSION: Factors associated with recurrence were positive lymph nodes, expression of progesterone and estrogen receptors, triple-negative tumors, and receipt of chemotherapy.

Bilateral Virchow nodes: an unusual finding of pulmonary small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma metastasis

ABSTRACT An enlarged left-sided supraclavicular node is a signal node for cancer metastasis. In such a case, the enlarged lymph node is often referred to as a Virchow node. The left-sided nature of the node is due to the drainage of the thoracic duct. So, the enlargement of a Virchow node is typically associated with malignancies, including gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and genitourinary carcinomas, in addition to lymphomas. This report documents a particularly unusual finding: bilateral Virchow nodes, representing metastasis of small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Rosai-Dorfman disease of the oral cavity

ABSTRACT First described by J Rosai and R F Dorfman in 1969, Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a benign, self-limiting histiocytosis of unknown etiology. It is usually seen in the first two decades of life. The most frequent clinical presentation is painless, bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy accompanied by fever, weight loss, and an elevated ESR. However, RDD without nodal involvement is extremely rare, and the most common extranodal location is the head and neck region, mainly affecting the nasal cavity, pharynx, and paranasal sinuses. Oral location of RDD is occasional; according to our knowledge, only 17 cases of oral Rosai-Dorfman disease without lymph node involvement have been found in the literature. Because of the rarity of these isolated oral presentations, the clinical and radiological aspects need to be more studied. This article aims to present a rare case of oral Rosai-Dorfman disease without nodal involvement, detail the clinical and radiological signs, and the treatment strategy used in our patient.

Tumor de células granulares de vulva: un raro tumor genital benigno / Granular cell tumor of vulva: a rare benign genital tumor

Resumen ANTECEDENTES: El tumor de células granulares de la vulva es poco común y de origen neurogénico. Afecta, principalmente, a mujeres entre 60 y 70 años y es más frecuente en la raza negra. CASO CLÍNICO: Paciente de 63 años, con una lesión vulvar indolora y no pruriginosa, en crecimiento. En la exploración se observó una lesión excrecente de 2.5 cm en la región superior del labio mayor izquierdo, dura, vascularizada y con infiltración a 2 cm de profundidad. No se palparon adenopatías sospechosas. Luego del reporte de la biopsia, sugerente de tumor de células granulares, se practicó una escisión completa, con márgenes libres. El estudio inmunohistoquímico se reportó positivo para CD68, S100 y TFE3 lo que confirmó el diagnóstico. Puesto que el índice proliferativo (Ki67) fue inferior al 5% y los márgenes quirúrgicos estaban libres, no se requirió tratamiento adyuvante. La paciente permanece en seguimiento y sin signos de recidiva. CONCLUSIÓN: Si bien los tumores de células granulares de la vulva son poco comunes y casi siempre benignos, deben incluirse en el diagnóstico diferencial de una tumoración vulvar. La inmunohistoquímica es la herramienta más útil para el diagnóstico preciso y su tratamiento de elección es la escisión local amplia, por su tendencia a la recurrencia local.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Granular cell tumor of the vulva is rare and neurogenic in origin. It mainly affects women between 60 and 70 years of age and is more frequent in black women. CLINICAL CASE: A 63-year-old woman with a painless, non-pruritic, growing vulvar lesion. Examination revealed a 2.5 cm excrescent lesion in the upper region of the left labium majus, hard, vascularized and infiltrated to a depth of 2 cm. No suspicious lymph nodes were palpated. After the biopsy report, suggestive of granular cell tumor, complete excision was performed, with free margins. The immunohistochemical study was positive for CD68, S100 and TFE3 which confirming the diagnosis. Since the proliferative index (Ki67) was less than 5% and the surgical margins were clear, adjuvant treatment was not required. The patient remains in follow-up with no signs of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Although granular cell tumors of the vulva are rare and almost always benign, they should be included in the differential diagnosis of a vulvar tumor. Immunohistochemistry is the most useful tool for accurate diagnosis and their treatment of choice is wide local excision because of their tendency for local recurrence.

Metastatic diffuse follicular variant papillary thyroid cancer without cervical lymph node metastasis presenting with symptoms related to hypopituitarism

ABSTRACT In this article, we present a case of diffuse follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma with pituitary metastasis, which is a rare cause of pituitary metastasis. The follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is an uncommon variant of papillary carcinoma. A 74-year-old male was presented with weakness, fatigue, and a decreased appetite. The patient was diagnosed with secondary adrenal and thyroid insufficiencies. Imaging revealed a pituitary mass with suprasellar extension, right cavernous sinus invasion, and optic chiasm compression. Thyroid ultrasonography revealed a nodule with a maximum size of 7.2cm in the right lobe. Cytological examination via fine-needle aspiration suggested papillary thyroid cancer. Total thyroidectomy with central and right lateral neck dissection confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Owing to visual field defects, the patient underwent transsphenoidal surgery. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluations confirmed pituitary metastasis from the papillary thyroid cancer. Radioactive iodine treatment and gamma knife radiotherapy of the pituitary gland were performed. The initiation of sorafenib treatment was deemed appropriate during the follow-up. A significant decrease in the thyroglobulin levels was observed after sorafenib treatment. Pituitary metastasis should be considered in patients diagnosed with hypopituitarism and pituitary lesions at initial evaluation. The presence of visual field defects may be an indication for neurosurgical intervention and guide both diagnosis and treatment. The management of papillary thyroid cancer and the role of treatment modalities in prognosis depend on the biological behavior of the tumor. Early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management are crucial for the treatment of these patients.

The effect of the tumor-to-skin distance on axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Tumor-to-skin distance is known to have an effect on axillary lymph node metastasis but has no clinical use with nomograms. This study aimed to investigate the effect of tumor-to-skin distance on axillary lymph node metastasis alone and in combination with nomogram for clinical use. METHODS: A total of 145 patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer (T1-T2 stage) and whose axillary lymph nodes were evaluated (axillary dissection or sentinel lymph node biopsy) between January 2010 and December 2020 were included in the study. Tumor-to-skin distance and other pathological data of the patients were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 145 patients, 83 (57.2%) had metastatic lymph nodes in the axilla. Tumor-to-skin distance was different in terms of lymph node metastasis (p=0.045). In the receiver operating characteristic curve for tumor-to-skin distance, area under curve was 0.597 (95%CI 0.513-0.678, p=0.046), area under curve of the nomogram was 0.740 (95%CI 0.660-0.809), p<0.001) and nomogram+tumor-to-skin distance was 0.753 (95%CI 0.674-0.820), p<0.001). No statistical difference was found for axillary lymph node metastasis between the nomogram+tumor-to-skin distance and the nomogram alone (p=0.433). CONCLUSION: Although tumor-to-skin distance demonstrated a significant difference in axillary lymph node metastasis, it had a poor association with an area under curve value of 0.597 and did not produce a significant improvement in predicting lymph node metastasis when combined with the nomogram. The tumor-to-skin distance may be unlikely to enter clinical practice.

The effectiveness of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy in detecting lymph node metastases in the axilla in patients with breast cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis to investigate the diagnostic safety and accuracy of Ultrasound-Guided Core Needle Biopsy (US-CNB) Axillary Lymph Nodes (ALNs) region in patients with Breast Cancer (BC). Methods: The authors searched the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science for clinical trials about US-CNB for the detection of ALNs in breast cancer patients. The authors extracted and pooled raw data from the included studies and performed statistical analyses using Meta-DiSc 1.4 and Review Manager 5.3 software. A random effects model was used to calculate the data. At the same time, data from the Ultrasound-guided Fine-Needle Aspiration (US-FNA) were introduced for comparison with the US-CNB. In addition, the subgroup was performed to explore the causes of heterogeneity. (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022369491). Results: In total, 18 articles with 2521 patients were assessed as meeting the study criteria. The overall sensitivity was 0.90 (95% CI [Confidence Interval], 0.87‒0.91; p = 0.00), the overall specificity was 0.99 (95% CI 0.98‒ 1.00; p = 0.62), the overall area under the curve (AUC) was 0.98. Next, in the comparison of US-CNB and US-FNA, US-CNB is better than US-FNA in the diagnosis of ALNs metastases. The sensitivity was 0.88 (95% CI 0.84‒ 0.91; p = 0.12) vs. 0.73 (95% CI 0.69‒0.76; p = 0.91), the specificity was 1.00 (95% CI 0.99‒1.00; p = 1.00) vs. 0.99 (95% CI 0.67‒0.74; p = 0.92), and the AUC was 0.99 vs. 0.98. Subgroup analysis showed that heterogeneity may be related to preoperative Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NAC) treatment, region, size of tumor diameter, and the number of punctures. Conclusion: US-CNB has a satisfactory diagnostic performance with good specificity and sensitivity in the preoperative diagnosis of ALNs in BC patients.

Anti-neurofascin 186 antibody associated acute immune sensory polyradiculopathy: a case report and review of literature / 中华神经科杂志

Objective:To describe the clinical features of a patient of anti-neurofascin 186 (NF186) antibody associated acute immune sensory polyradiculopathy (AISP), and enhance understanding of AISP/chronic immune sensory polyradiculopathy (CISP).Methods:The clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of a domestic AISP patient with NF186 antibody positive admitted to the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University in December 2021 were summarized, and the previously reported cases of AISP/CISP were systematically reviewed.Results:The patient was a 62-year-old male with acute onset. The clinical manifestations included severe sensory ataxia, increased protein in cerebrospinal fluid, no response to stimulation of the central segment of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP), normal sensory and motor nerve conduction, and positive serum anti-NF186 antibody (1∶32). After glucocorticoid treatment, the clinical symptoms and SEP were significantly improved. The drug was stopped for 2 months, and there was no recurrence. There were 23 cases of AISP and CISP with complete data reported in the literature (including this patient). The age of onset was (54.7±17.7) years, and the ratio of male to female was 1.88. Three patients with acute onset were classified as AISP. A total of 95.7% (22/23) of patients showed sensory ataxia without limb weakness, 95.0% (19/20) of patients showed prolonged cortical potential latency or even no response, and 95.5% (21/22) of patients showed increased cerebrospinal fluid protein in varying degrees, and nerve root thickening or abnormal enhancement was not common. All 10 patients receiving immunotherapy responded to corticosteroids or intravenous immune globulin. Only 6 AISP/CISP articles reported screening for anti-ganglioside antibodies or Ranvier′s node-paranodal region-related antibodies, and no positive NF186 antibodies were reported. All the 3 patients with AISP had some characteristics of CISP/chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, and there was no significant difference between AISP and CISP patients in clinical features except the mode of onset.Conclusions:NF186 antibody could cause AISP, which presents as acute onset sensory ataxia. AISP is responsive to glucocorticoid therapy. Except for the mode of onset, AISP and CISP are difficult to distinguish from clinical, electrophysiological, pathological aspects and pathogenic antibodies, so they may be two different manifestations of the same disease.

Indocyanine green and nanocarbon lymph node tracing in laparoscopic radical resection for right colon cancer / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective:To compare the lymph node tracing of indocyanine green (ICG) and nanocarbon in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy.Methods:Fifty-two patients with right colon cancer were randomly divided into two groups: ICG group and nanocarbon group at Peking University International Hospital between Oct 2020 and Jul 2022. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping and standard oncologic resection was performed. The micrometastasis was to detect when the routine SLN pathological test was negative.Results:In ICG group, the detection rate of SLN was 100%, the sensitivity was 93%, the false negative rate was 7%, and the accuracy was 96%,which were better than nanocarbon group (92%,57%,43%,77%). The number of SLN and positive SLN detected in ICG group were significantly higher than nanocarbon group [(3.2±0.7) vs. (2.6±1.1), t=4.424, P=0.020; (1.2±1.2) vs.(0.5±0.8), t=15.176, P=0.013]. The SLN biopsy accuracy of patients with BMI ≥24 kg/m 2 and tumor diameter ≥3 cm in ICG group was significantly higher than nanocarbon group (90% vs. 44%, χ 2=7.935, P=0.005; 90% vs.57%, χ 2=4.309, P=0.038). The detection rate of micrometastasis in SLN of ICG group was significantly different from nanocarbon group (35% vs. 15%, χ 2=5.853, P=0.016). Conclusion:ICG fluorescence imaging is superior to nanocarbon in SLN biopsy during laparoscopic radical right hemicolectomy, especially when patients' BMI ≥24 kg/m 2 and tumor diameter ≥3 cm.

Predictive value of pre-surgical 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters for mediastinal lymph node metastasis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective:To investigate predictive value of model based on pre-surgical 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters for mediastinal lymph node metastasis (LNM) in lung adenocarcinoma. Methods:A total of 288 patients with lung adenocarcinoma (135 males, 153 females, age (61.6±8.5) years) who diagnosed and treated in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2016 to February 2021 were enrolled retrospectively. All patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT examination within 1 month before operation, and underwent complete resection of primary lung tumor and standard lymph node dissection. PET/CT parameters were extracted (PET metabolic parameters: minimum SUV(SUV min), SUV max, SUV mean, SUV standard deviation (SUV std), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG); CT parameters: minimum CT value (HU min), maximum CT value (HU max), mean CT value (HU mean), CT value standard deviation (HU std)). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used for screening parameters and establishing model to predict LNM. ROC curves analyses were used to evaluate the predictive performance of models. Results:Among 288 patients, 90 had LNM, and 361 metastatic lymph nodes (N1: 186, N2: 175) were reported by pathology. SUV min (odds ratio ( OR)=1.859, 95% CI: 1.074-3.220, P=0.027), SUV max ( OR=2.255, 95% CI: 1.306-3.893, P=0.004), SUV mean ( OR=0.277, 95% CI: 0.115-0.665, P=0.004) were predictors of LNM. The AUC of PET/CT model was 0.849 (95% CI: 0.804-0.893), and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values were 87.8%(79/90), 72.2%(143/198), 77.1%(222/288), 59.0%(79/134) and 92.9%(143/154), respectively. Conclusion:The model based on 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters can improve the accuracy of pre-surgical N-staging in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Application value of psTg combined with lymph node ratio in prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer patients treated with 131I / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective:To explore the value of pre-ablation stimulated thyroglobulin (psTg) before 131I treatment combined with lymph node ratio (LNR) in predicting 131I treatment response in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Methods:From January 2016 to December 2018, 178 PTC patients (47 males, 131 females; age (43.2±12.6) years) treated with 131I in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University were retrospectively analyzed. According to 131I treatment response, patients were divided into excellent response (ER) group and non-ER group. The clinical data of the two groups were compared by χ2 test, independent-sample t test and Mann-Whitney U test. The cut-off values and AUCs of psTg and LNR to predict treatment response were calculated according to the ROC curve. Factors affecting 131I treatment response were analyzed by logistic multivariate regression analysis. Results:There were 118 patients (66.3%, 118/178) in ER group and 60 patients (33.7%, 60/178) in non-ER group, and there were significant differences in N stage ( χ2=11.15, P=0.004), 131I treatment dose ( χ2=12.65, P<0.001), American Thyroid Association (ATA) initial risk stratification ( χ2=15.25, P<0.001), number of metastatic lymph nodes ( χ2=22.63, P<0.001), LNR ( U=1 506.00, P<0.001) and psTg ( U=919.00, P<0.001) between the two groups. The cut-off values of psTg and LNR predicting ER were 3.97 μg/L and 0.29, with the AUC of 0.870 and 0.787 respectively. PsTg (odds ratio ( OR)=10.88, 95% CI: 4.67-25.36, P<0.001) and LNR ( OR=5.30, 95% CI: 1.85-15.23, P=0.002) were independent factors to predict 131I treatment response in PTC patients. When psTg≥3.97 μg/L, LNR ( OR=9.40, 95% CI: 2.06-42.92, P=0.004) was an independent factor affecting 131I treatment response in PTC patients. Conclusions:PsTg and LNR are independent factors affecting 131I treatment response in PTC patients. When psTg≥3.97 μg/L, LNR can be used as a supplementary factor to predict 131I treatment response. The combination of psTg and LNR can better predict 131I treatment response in PTC patients.