[Management of a tracheal adenoid cystic medico-surgical carcinoma]. / Prise en charge médico-chirurgicale d'un carcinome adénoïde kystique trachéal : l'union fait la force.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma or cylindroma is a rare tumor of the trachea which arises from mucous secreting cells. Its evolution and growth are slow but it is often fatal in the absence of radical treatment. The latter relies on a surgical sleeve resection of the pathological area, with a tracheo-tracheal anastomosis. Therapeutic bronchoscopy plays a crucial role in the clinical improvement of patients before surgery which will be performed under better conditions. For inoperable patients, radiotherapy has proved its efficacy, unlike conventional chemotherapy. The finding of biomarkers expressed by tumor cells could lead to target therapies. This case report illustrates the efficient combination of therapeutic bronchoscopy and surgery for the treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma affecting central airways.

[Differential diagnosis between keloid and hypertrophic scars: a new approach by full-field optical coherence tomography]. / Diagnostic différentiel entre cicatrices chéloïdes et hypertrophiques : une nouvelle approche en tomographie par cohérence optique plein-champ.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of full-field optical coherence tomography to differentiate hypertrophic and keloid scars on ex-vivo tissues. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who underwent resection of pathological scar from November 2012 to September 2013 were analyzed. The scars were fixed in formalin and analyzed by conventional histology and full-field optical coherence tomography. The criteria for evaluation were: presence of dermal nodules, presence of cells and hyalinization of collagen. RESULTS: Nineteen pathological scars were analyzed. Histology found 7 keloid scars, 7 mixed and 3 hypertrophic scars. The sensitivity of optical coherence tomography for the detection of dermal nodules was 100%. This technology was not helpful for detection of cells and hyalinized collagen. CONCLUSION: In the present state of technology, optical coherence tomography did not identify the presence of cells, which makes the differential diagnosis difficult in the case of hypertrophic and keloid scars.

Triple negative breast carcinoma EGFR amplification is not associated with EGFR, Kras or ALK mutations.

BACKGROUND: The amplification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in triple negative breast carcinomas (TNBC) suggests its potential therapeutic application, as for HER-2, using standardised methods of measurement. In this regard, we aimed to compare several methods for evaluating EGFR amplification along with potential mutations for suitability in clinical practice. METHODS: Tissue sections of 138 TNBCs were used (1) to compare EGFR amplification and expression by silver in situ hybridisation (SISH) to qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) and (2) to search for EGFR mutations, along with Kras, PI3K, Braf and HER-2 mutations and echinoderm microtubule associated protein like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK) translocation. RESULTS: (1) Amplification of EGFR was observed in well-characterised TNBCs (up to 92%); (2) qPCR correlated with SISH with 94% specificity and 75.6% sensitivity; (3) IHC correlated with SISH with 97% sensitivity and 78% specificity; (4) no EGFR, Kras mutations or EML4-ALK translocations were found, but PI3K and Braf mutations were observed in 26% of cases; and (5) small, acentric circular extrachromosomal DNA similar to 'double minutes' in glioblastomas was observed in 18% of SISH sections. CONCLUSIONS: SISH and IHC are methods that are suitable in clinical practice to screen for EGFR amplification and overexpression, which are frequently observed in TNBC. Patients with TNBC are potential candidates for EGFR-targeted therapy combined with PI3K and Braf inhibitors.

[Dorsi elastofibroma. About 14 cases, and review of the literature]. / Élastofibrome dorsal. À propos de 14 cas, et revue de la littérature.

Elastofibroma dorsi is a benign tumor which usually occurs at the inferior angle of the scapula. We retrospectively reviewed 14 cases of elastofibroma dorsi, in nine patients. The patients were hospitalized in the departments of plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery or visceral surgery. Mean age was 67 years. The location of the lesions (bilateral in five patients) was typical, in the thoracoscapular region. Nine lesions were removed surgically, six shoulders were asymptomatic after surgery. Elastofibroma is a rare, slow-growing lesion. It occurs in connective tissue of the infrascapular region of elderly patients. The pathogenesis of the lesion still remains unclear. MRI and computed tomography are useful for assessment of elastofibroma dorsi, and can potentially help avoid the need for unnecessary biopsy and surgery, especially in the asymptomatic patient. It should be surgically removed only in symptomatic patients.