Ameloblastic carcinoma of the maxilla: A case report and an updated review of the literature.

Ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) is an uncommon malignant odontogenic tumor that can be difficult to differentiate from ameloblastoma and can arise directly as an undifferentiated lesion or from a pre-existing benign lesion. The current study presents a novel case of primary maxillary AC and review the literature on AC of the maxilla. The review of the literature indicates that secondary tumors and posterior localization are associated with a higher tendency for recurrence and, often, multiple recurrences. Surgical therapy, eventually followed by radiotherapy, is the treatment modality most frequently applied, while the role of chemotherapy remains unclear. Several new cases of maxillary AC have been recently described in literature, making this pathology more frequent than previously considered; this is perhaps an indication of an increased diagnostic sensibility, rather than a real increase in the incidence of the disease itself.

Use of 18F-choline positron emission tomography/CT in high-risk prostate cancer: a case of solitary adrenal metastasis.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging detected an isolated adrenal lesion in an elderly man with high-risk prostate cancer who was undergoing radiotherapy (RT) and hormonal therapy (HT). When prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was 31.66 ng/mL, the lesion was not identified as a metastasis by 18F-choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-choline-PET/CT). When PSA was over 100 ng/mL, 18F-choline-PET/CT diagnosed the malignancy. After adrenalectomy, PSA returned to normal, and stable disease remission was obtained. This case suggests that atypical metastasis may be underdiagnosed.

Schwannoma of the colon: A case report.

Schwannomas are rare tumors originating from the Schwann cells, which form the neural sheath. These tumors occur most frequently in the head, neck, arms and limbs. Primary schwannomas of the colon and rectum are extremely rare; they are usually benign, but in extremely rare cases (2%), they can present with malignant degeneration if not surgically removed. The current study presents the case of a 65-year-old male with blood in the feces who underwent a colonoscopy that revealed an oval-shaped mass covered by ulcerated mucosa. A standard biopsy examination indicated a gelatinous carcinoma, and the patient consequently underwent a laparoscopic resection of the left colon. Histological examination revealed a schwannoma. Immunohistochemistry showed the tumor to be positive for S100 and vimentin, but negative for cluster of differentiation (CD)117, cytokeratin (CK)7, CK20, chromogranin, actin and synaptophysin, with a Ki-67 proliferative index of 3%. Lymph nodes were not involved. Overall, pre-operative biopsy examinations may be difficult for schwannomas, and immunohistochemistry is necessary for the correct diagnosis of this condition. In contrast to gastrointestinal stromal tumors, schwannomas are negative for CD117 and positive for S100 protein and vimentin. A Ki-67 index of ≥5% is strictly correlated with greater tumor aggressiveness. Therefore, the gold standard treatment for schwannomas is oncological radical surgical resection.