ABSTRACT
Desmoplastic stroma (DS) and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) play a key role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression. To date, however, the combined expression of DS and EMT markers, and their association with variations in survival within each clinical stage and degree of tumor differentiation is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between expression of DS and EMT markers and survival variability in patients diagnosed with PDAC. We examined the expression levels of DS markers alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin, and vimentin, and the EMT markers epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EPCAM), pan-cytokeratin, and vimentin, by immunohistochemistry using a tissue microarray of a retrospective cohort of 25 patients with PDAC. The results were examined for association with survival by clinical stage and by degree of tumor differentiation. High DS markers expression -α-SMA, fibronectin, and vimentin- was associated with decreased survival at intermediate and advanced clinical stages (p=0.006-0.03), as well as with both poorly and moderately differentiated tumor grades (p=0.01-0.02). Interestingly, the same pattern was observed for EMT markers, i.e., EPCAM, pan-cytokeratin, and vimentin (p=0.00008-0.03). High expression of DS and EMT markers within each clinical stage and degree of tumor differentiation was associated with lower PDAC survival. Evaluation of these markers may have a prognostic impact on survival time variation in patients with PDAC.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal , Pancreatic Neoplasms , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/metabolism , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/pathology , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/physiology , Humans , Pancreatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology , Prognosis , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are considered as extragonadal if there is no evidence of a primary tumor in the testes or ovaries. GCTs can be classified as seminomas, non-seminomatous, mature teratomas, and immature teratomas based upon histology. Mature teratomas are generally found in prepuberal children. Less than 1% of them have been reported in the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Liver teratomas are extremely rare. There are only 11 cases reported in adults up to 2018. Isolated liver metastasis of ovarian teratoma is also very rare. We present a case of a late metachronous recurrence of liver cystic teratoma with gliosis peritonei in a female adult treated by a right extended hepatectomy along with a literature review.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patients under 45 years with gastric cancer are associated with a poor prognosis. Recent studies report that the 5-year survival is better in younger patients after curative resection. OBJECTIVE: To determine if prognostic factors such as age under 45 years old, anaemia, weight loss, tumour differentiation, histological sub-type, depth of invasion, and lymph node involvement, reduce the survival of patients with resectable advanced gastric adenocarcinoma undergoing gastrectomy with limited and extended lymphadenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included a cohort of consecutive cases treated in the Sarcomas Department of the Oncology Hospital of the Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, during the period between January 2000 and December 2006. RESULTS: Of the total of 588 patients evaluated, 112 (19%) were under 45 years, 43% classified as Borrmann IV, and 36% as Borrmann III. Metastatic disease was present in 39.3%, localised diffuse in 12.5%; lower resectability 52.7 vs. 61.3% in older than 45 years. At the end of the study 29.5% of patients under 45 years were alive; no recurrence in 26.8%, with an overall survival of 58.6±4.3 months, compared with 18.3% of patients alive over 45 years, 17.9% disease-free, and with overall survival 35.2±4.3 months resectable disease. CONCLUSIONS: Patients under 45 years have a better survival after a two-year disease-free period.
