Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of TMEFF2, SMOC-2, and SOX17 expression in endometrial carcinoma.

Background there is a need for novel biomarkers and targeting therapies for predicting Endometrial carcinoma (EC) progression and recurrence. TMEFF2 is a gene that was found to play a role in EMT. SMOC-2 is expressed in embryogenesis and it was identified as a recent stem cell-related gene that has a role in cancer progression. SRY-box 17 (SOX17) is a member of the SRY-related HMG-box (SOX) family of transcription factors. Dysregulation or downregulation of SOX17 expression was found in many cancer tissues. AIM: In the present study, we aimed to assess the tissue protein expressions of TMEFF2, SMOC-2, and SOX17 in EC using immunohistochemistry to evaluate their clinicopathological values and prognostic roles in EC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is prospective cohort study included 120 patients with EC. Sections from 120 paraffin blocks were retrieved and stained with TMEFF2, SMOC-2, and SOX17 using immunohistochemistry, the expression of markers in all tissue samples was assessed, analyzed and correlation of pathological parameters with the levels of expression was done. All patients were followed up till death or till the last known alive data for about 50 months (range from 25 to 60). RESULTS: TMEFF2, SMOC-2 expression was correlated with the presence of lymph node metastases (p = 0.023), distant metastasis (p = 0.039) recurrence of the tumor after successful therapy, overall survival, and disease-free survival (p < 0.001). SOX17 positive expression was positively correlated with low grade (p = 0.019), absence of lymph node metastasis (p = 0.001), absence of distant metastasis (p = 0.013), low stage (p = 0.03), and its negative expression was positively correlated with recurrence of the tumor after successful therapy, overall survival and disease-free survival (p = 0.001). In conclusion, we demonstrated that both TMEFF2 and SMOC-2 were highly expressed in EC and were associated with a shortened survival rate, dismal outcome, and poor prognosis in EC patients. While SOX17 expression was related to a favorable outcome and its down-regulation was associated with dismal EC patient's survival.

Clinico-pathological and prognostic implications of Srx, Nrf2, and PROX1 expression in gastric cancer and adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa - an immunohistochemical study.

INTRODUCTION: Sulfiredoxin (Srx), which is an endogenous antioxidant substance which could, regulate the signaling pathways of reactive oxygen species. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is Cap-N-collar (CNC) transcription factors family member that have essential roles in regulation of antioxidant response. The transcription factor PROX1 is a transcription factor and a key regulatory protein in cancer development. AIM OF THE STUDY: To analyze levels of tissue expression of Srx, Nrf2, and PROX1 in gastric cancer and adjacent non-neoplastic gastric mucosa to clarify the relationship between their expression levels, clinical, pathological parameters and patients' outcome. The results might lead to discovering novel targeted therapies to gastric cancers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 70 paraffin-embedded samples: 50 specimens from gastric carcinomas and 20 specimens from adjacent non-neoplastic gastric mucosa. All samples are stained with Srx, Nrf2, and PROX1 using immunohistochemistry, correlated their expression with clinicopathological and prognostic parameters of patients. RESULTS: High levels of Srx and Nrf2 expression were positively associated with higher cancer grade (p = 0.006, 0.031 respectively), advanced stage (p < 0.001, 0.02 respectively), higher incidence of distant metastases (p = 0.029, 0.03 respectively) and dismal outcome (p < 0.001). High levels of PROX1 expression were associated with lower cancer grade (p = 0.005), absence of lymph nodes metastases (p = 0.023), early stage (p = 0.003), absence of relapse (p = 0.004), and favorable outcome (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Srx and Nrf2 expression increase gastric cancer invasiveness, suggesting their utility as poor prognostic markers, but PROX1 serves as a favorable prognostic marker of gastric cancer patients.

The Diagnostic Value of Arginase-1, FTCD, and MOC-31 Expression in Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and in Differentiation Between HCC and Metastatic Adenocarcinoma to the Liver.

BACKGROUND: Early detection of small HCC and differentiation between HCC from AC metastatic to the liver is very essential for surgical pathologists, due to different treatment modalities. Immunohistochemistry plays a very important role in such conditions. In our study, we aimed to identify the diagnostic benefits of Arginase-1, FTCD& MOC-31 in the early detection of HCC in normal or cirrhotic liver, differentiation between HCC and metastatic ACs to the liver, and for early detection of small micro-metastases from ACs to liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 20 samples from liver cirrhosis, 10 samples from normal liver tissue, 30 samples from primary HCCs in the liver, and 30 samples from metastatic ACs to the liver. We have evaluated Arginase-1, FTCD, and MOC-31 expression using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The sensitivity of Arginase-1 expression in differentiation between HCC and metastatic carcinoma was 93.3% and the specificity was 93.3%. The sensitivity of FTCD expression in differentiation between HCC and normal or cirrhotic liver and early detection of well-differentiated HCC was 90% and the specificity was 86.7%. The sensitivity of MOC-31 expression in differentiation between HCC and metastatic carcinoma was 90% and the specificity was 90%. The sensitivity of combination of panel of Arginase 1 + FTCD + MOC 31 expression in differentiation between HCC, metastatic carcinoma, and normal and cirrhotic liver was 93.3% and the specificity was 93.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of Arginase 1 + FTCD + MOC 31 expression was helpful in diagnosing most cases of HCC and metastatic carcinoma with high sensitivity and specificity.

Primary diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the breast-A case report and review of the literature.

Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is considered a rare clinical entity forming about 0.4%-0.5% of all breast tumors. In this report we have presented a case of PBL in a 56-year-old female complaining of a mass in the upper medial quadrant of the breast. PBL suspicion of our case was made by breast radiology and the sure diagnosis was reached by the immunohistochemistry results; CD (cluster of differentiation) 20: was diffusely positive; Pan-CK (pan-cytokeratin): was diffusely negative in tumor cells. Hence, the case was finally diagnosed as a primary breast a primary breast diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of lymphoma. The management and outcome of PBL and carcinoma are totally different. Accurate diagnosis of PBL by true cut needle biopsy and immunocytochemistry is important to avoid unnecessary mastectomies.