The Potential Roles of MELF-Pattern, Microvessel Density, and VEGF Expression in Survival of Patients with Endometrioid Endometrial Carcinoma: A Morphometrical and Immunohistochemical Analysis of 100 Cases

BACKGROUND: In this study, we hypothesized that microcystic, elongated, fragmented (MELF)-pattern, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression by cancer cells and microvessel density of cancer stroma may be associated with progression of endometrioid adenocarcinoma. METHODS: The study used data from the Belarus Cancer Registry and archival histological material of 100 patients with retrospectively known good (survival) and poor (disease progression and death) outcomes. All cases were immunohistochemically stained for CD34 and VEGF. Two independent samples were compared for the characteristics of signs, and obtained results were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, χ² test (Yates correction), and Mantel-Cox test. Multivariate Cox hazard analysis and Spearman correlation test were used. A p-value of less than .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The observed survival rate of patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma was significantly lower (p = .002) in MELF-pattern positive patients when compared with MELF-pattern negative patients. The overall survival rate of patients whose tumors had more than 114 vessels/mm² of tissue was significantly low (p < .001). Interestingly, a similar observation was found in patients with increased vessel area, evidenced by VEGF expression in the glandular tumor component. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests, for the first time, that these criteria may be used as risk factors of endometrioid adenocarcinoma progression during 5 years after radical surgical treatment. However, a large independent cohort of samples should be considered in the future to validate our findings.

Risk factors for mortality in patients with bloodstream infections during the pre-engraftment period after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND: Bloodstream infections (BSI) remain a frequent complication during the pre-engraftment period after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), resulting in high mortality rates. This study evaluated risk factors for mortality in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with BSI in the pre-engraftment period. METHODS: This prospective case control study was performed at the Center of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation in Minsk, Republic of Belarus. Data relating to patient age and gender, date and type of transplantation, conditioning chemotherapy regimen, microorganisms isolated from blood, and antibacterial therapy were prospectively collected from all hematopoietic stem cell recipients with microbiologically proven cases of BSI in the pre-engraftment period. The primary outcome was all-cause 30-day mortality after onset of febrile neutropenia. RESULTS: A total of 135 adult patients with microbiologically proven BSI after HSCT were studied, with 65.2% of cases caused by gram-negative microorganisms and 21.5% by non-fermenting bacteria. Inadequate empiric antibacterial therapy and isolation of carbapenem-resistant non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were independently associated with increased all-cause 30-day mortality in these patients. CONCLUSION: The risk factors for mortality in adult patients with BSI in the pre-engraftment period after HSCT were inadequacy of empirical antibacterial therapy and isolation of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii or P. aeruginosa.

Detection of mutation in isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from tuberculosis patients in Belarus.

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, location and type of katG mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from patients in Belarus. Forty two isoniazid-resistant isolates were identified from sputum of 163 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Drug susceptibility testing was determined by using CDC standard conventional proportional method and BACTEC system. Standard PCR method for detection of isoniazid resistance associated mutations was performed by katG gene amplification and DNA sequencing. Most mutations were found in katG gene codons 315, 316 and 309. Four types of mutations were identified in codon 315: AGC-->ACC (n=36) 85%, AGC-->AGG (n=1) 2.3%, AGC-->AAC (n=2) 4.7%, AGC-->GGC (n=1) 2.3%. One type of mutation was found in codon 316: GGC-->AGC (n=18) 41.4%, four types of mutations were detected in codon 309: GGT-->GGT (n=7) 16.1%, GGT-->GCT (n=4) 9.2%, GGT-->GTC (n=3)6.9%, GGT-->GGG (n=1) 2.7%. The highest frequency of mutations sharing between primary and secondary infections was found in codon 315.