Mutation Status and Immunohistochemical Correlation of EGFR Mutations in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors.

Being one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide and their resistance to conventional treatment methods, made gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) one of the hot topics in medical research areas in the past decade. To investigate molecular alterations underlying the tumor is of great importance to be able to develop new, targeted treatment options. In this study, GIST samples obtained from 40 Turkish patients were analyzed for actionable epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations that are related to treatment regimes in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to understand whether EGFR expression is altered in GISTs. Established alterations in EGFR can make the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors possible, which are currently used in cancer therapy, especially in NSCLC. Our results indicated that EGFR mutations are rare in GISTs. Further research is needed to sequence whole coding regions of the gene to investigate new actionable mutations in EGFR in an increased sample size.

Effects of claritromycin on inflammatory parameters and clinical conditions in children with bronchiectasis.

BACKGROUND: The effects of the macrolides cannot be ascribed to their antibacterial action alone. Their immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory functions are significant too. They are frequently used in the treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis and cystic fibrosis (CF). AIM: To evaluate the effects of a macrolide antibiotic [clarithromycin (CAM)] on the process of inflammation [by measuring IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-10 levels and cell profiles in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid], pulmonary function and sputum production in children with steady-state bronchiectasis, secondary to causes other than CF or primary immunodeficiencies. METHODS: Seventeen patients randomized to the treatment group received CAM and supportive therapies for 3 months and 17 patients in the control group were given supportive therapies only. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the treatment group showed a significant decrease in IL-8 levels, total cell count, neutrophil ratios in BAL fluid and daily sputum production at the end of the third month. There was also a significant increase in the treatment group's BAL fluid macrophage ratios. The differences in pulmonary function test parameters were not significant. CONCLUSION: Use of CAM in children with steady-state bronchiectasis results in laboratory improvement by reducing the inflammatory processes in the lungs. No corresponding clinical improvement could be shown but although this is possible with long-term use, trial validation is necessary.

Atypical methotrexate dermatitis and vasculitis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis.

Reports of histologically proven low-dose methotrexate (MTX)-induced vasculitis are uncommon and mostly found for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Herein we present a patient with ankylosing spondylitis who developed large atypical erythematopurpuric cutaneous lesions after the second oral dose of 7.5 mg MTX therapy. The histological findings of a cutaneous lesion were consistent with vasculitis. The skin lesions regressed significantly after the discontinuation of MTX therapy. As the clinical picture of the patient's rheumatological condition became progressively severe, prednisolone therapy was initiated 8 days later and the skin rash resolved completely in a couple of weeks.

Histological and densitometric analysis of the effects of exogeneous heparin on rat pulp tissues.

In this study, the effects of heparin on dentinal resorption was investigated in rats. Animals were injected with 2 x 2 IU/g Na-Heparin subcutaneously for 33 days. Histopathological examination of the anterior teeth revealed capillary proliferation, congestion, and fibrosis in the pulp in addition to resorptive lacunae and degenerative bone spiculae in the peripheral bone tissue. Development of fibrosis in the pulp tissue was verified by densitometric analysis, which revealed a 30% increases in mean density after heparin administration. No resorption at all, however, was seen in dentin.

Primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube: a study of 8 cases.

Eight patients with primary tubal carcinoma of the fallopian tube are presented. These patients constituted 0.3% of all gynecological malignancies encountered during the period the study was conducted. The most common symptom was abnormal vaginal bleeding (4 patients). All patients but one had extra tubal disease at the time of surgery. No patient was operated with a preoperative diagnosis of tubal cancer. All patients were subjected to primary surgical therapy. As adjuvant therapy, radiotherapy (3 patients) and chemotherapy (5 patients) were given. Only three patients are living with a mean survival of 30 months.

Ossified adamantinous type craniopharyngiomas. A series of 13 patients.

Thirteen patients admitted to hospital mainly with visual disturbances (100%), retarded growth (39%) and diabetes insipidus (23%) were all diagnosed as ossified adamantinous craniopharyngioma. Tumour size was found to be large in all patients. Localization displayed a heterogenous dissemination; 8% intra-suprasellar, 69% suprasellar-extraventricular, 15% extra-intraventricular, and 8% in the suprasellar region extending bilaterally to the frontal and temporal lobes. During the early postoperative period, four patients died with hypothalamic deterioration. Three patients underwent a second operation in view of recurrence, and one died from an infection. Thus, the postoperative survival rate was 62%. All the patients who survived continued to have visual disturbances, but only one deteriorated. Five patients exhibited diabetes insipidus during the postoperative period, among them 4 after surgical intervention and 5 patients displayed panhypothyroidism, three of them after surgery. Consequently, it is confirmed by the present review that craniopharyngiomas still offer a potential dilemma in their management. Difficulties caused by adhesion or invasion of ossified craniopharyngiomas and thus the increase in morbidity and mortality during surgical intervention and in the postoperative period are discussed.

Scintigraphic visualization of acute pancreatitis in cats with 99Tcm-citrate.

The accumulation of 99Tcm-citrate in abscesses and arthritic joints has previously been demonstrated. In the present study its usefulness was evaluated in 10 mongrel cats with acute pancreatitis induced by metronidazole infusion. Five cats, used as normal controls, were given physiological saline. All 15 cats were injected intravenously with 185 MBq 99Tcm-citrate. Scintigrams were obtained at 30 min intervals up to 2 h after injection by a gamma camera. The cats were then sacrificed. Tissue samples were obtained, weighed and counted against a 1/1000 dilution of the injected dose. In normal cats the kidneys and the urinary bladder were the only organs that could be visualized. In acute pancreatitis the pancreas and its exudate in the abdomen were also evident on the images. The pancreas to other neighbouring organ ratios increased 2.3-9.7 fold in acute pancreatitis compared to normal controls. Gross autoradiograms showed localization of radioactivity in the lobules of pancreas. Histologic examination of sections of pancreas demonstrated oedema, haemorrhage and some fat necrosis in pancreatic parenchyma, confirming acute pancreatitis. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that acute pancreatitis in cats can be visualized scintigraphically with 99Tcm-citrate.