Treatment of parathormone-dependent hypercalcaemia in the third-trimester of pregnancy.

Not required for Clinical Vignette.

Parathormone concentration in the fluid of fine-needle parathyroid biopsy for assessing the effectiveness of surgical treatment of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the work was to evaluate the usefulness of intraoperative determination of parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration in the fluid of fine-needle biopsy lesions of pathologically parathyroid glands for their identification and evaluation of the effectiveness of surgical treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group comprised 75 patients: 65 women and 10 men, aged 33-78 years (mean 57.5), operated in the years 2019-2020 due to PHP. Seventy-nine biopsies of fine-needle aspiration lesions were assessed intraoperatively as pathological parathyroid glands were collected, and the concentration of PTH was determined in their lavage fluid. The results were compared with a control group of 20 patients operated at that time for various forms of goitre, without concomitant parathyroid disease. RESULTS: In 79 biopsies, the presence of the parathyroid gland was confirmed 72 times. The concentration of PTH in the biopsy fluid exceeded the value of 5000 pg/mL 70 times, 1 was 3733 pg/mL, and 1 was 1985 pg/mL. Seven times (8.9%), the biopsy was for a colloidal nodule instead of the parathyroid gland. The concentration of PTH in the fluids of these biopsies was low and ranged from 5.3 to 500 pg/mL. In the control group, the concentration of PTH in postoperative thyroid biopsies was low and did not exceed the reference value range of up to 64 pg/mL. Comparison of the results of the study group with the control group shows significantly higher PTH values in parathyroid biopsies compared to biopsies of thyroid specimens (p = 0.017), with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of nearly 93%. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative determination of PTH concentration in the fluid of fine-needle biopsy lesions with diseased parathyroid glands allows for their identification and evaluation of the effectiveness of surgical treatment of PHP. Testing the concentration of PTH in the biopsy fluid of dissected parathyroid glands is characterized by high sensitivity and specificity of the method. The value of PTH concentration in fluid from parathyroid biopsies does not depend on the cause of PHP.

Multiglandular Parathyroid Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Multiglandular parathyroid disease (MGD) is an uncommon cause of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) and has been reported in the literature in 8-33% of patients with pHPT. The aim of our study was to review the clinical characteristics and management of MGD and evaluation of surgical treatment failures. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 163 patients with pHPT undergoing parathyroidectomy (PTX) at the Department of General and Endocrine Surgery between 1983 and 2018. All these patients were diagnosed with MGD. This group of patients was compared with a group of 856 patients with solitary disease operated for pHPT in the same period. RESULTS: Among 163 patients-127 (79%) of them had two lesions, 28 (16%) had three, and 8 (5%) four. They were prevalently women over the age of 50. The diagnosis was based on PTH and ionized calcium studies and used sestamibi technetium-99m scintigraphy (MIBI) as well for us. Treatment was surgical. CONCLUSIONS: Parathyroidectomy (PTX) for multiglandular parathyroid disease (MGD) is associated with a higher operative risk of failure compared to solitary disease. Preoperative diagnosis and localization of the parathyroid glands is an extremely important element of treatment. Diagnosis is based on PTH and calcium levels. Ultrasonography (USG), MRI, and scintigraphy are very helpful in diagnosis. Mediastinal multiglandular parathyroid disease (MGD) is associated with increased surgical treatment failures. The treatment is surgical and consists of the removal of the masses or complete parathyroidectomy. Based on this study, we support the existence of multiple adenomas and advocate the removal of only macroscopically enlarged parathyroid glands in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Parathyroid carcinoma - a study of 29 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare condition and accounts for < 1% of cases of sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism. It accounts for 0.005% of all cancers. Often the differentiation between adenoma and carcinoma is challenging and requires multidisciplinary cooperation. Complete surgical resection is the treatment of choice. We present a retrospective analysis of 29 patients who were surgically treated for parathyroid cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between the years 1983 and 2018, 71 (7.0%) patients were treated for suspicion of parathyroid cancer among a group of 1019 operated for primary hyperparathyroidism. RESULTS: We confirmed the diagnosis of parathyroid cancer in 29 (2.8%) patients, 12 men and 17 women, aged 27 to 77 years, mean 55.1 years. That constituted 43.9% of the 71 patients with initial suspicion of cancer diagnosis. All operated patients were under long-term observation. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma should always be considered during surgery in patients diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism, especially in patients with severe hypercalcaemia, significantly enlarged neck circumference, and concomitant diseases of the renal and skeletal system. Parathyroid carcinoma is rarely definitively diagnosed preoperatively or even intraoperatively, and the final diagnosis can be made exclusively after operation. The optimal treatment is a complete surgical resection at a reference centre - specialized in parathyroid surgery - to improve outcomes and provide the best chance of recovery.

Flow cytometric DNA analysis of parathyroid benign lesions.

INTRODUCTION: It is difficult to differentiate benign and malignant lesions just by histopathological evaluation due to lack of clear criteria of diagnosis. Moreover, the group of benign pathologies of parathyroids is not homogenous, and recurrence of symptoms of hyperparathyroidism after surgical management was also noted in this group. This complication is not always due to inappropriate surgical technique. The goal of this work was to find the relationship between cellular ploidy and proliferative activity of adenomas and hyperplasia of parathyroids and preoperative levels of calcium and parathormone in the serum of patients surgically treated for primary hyperparathyroidism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 98 parathyroid glands were tested, of which 81 (82.7%) were from female patients and 17 (17.3%) from male; the age of the patients was from 22 to 82 years, with an average of 58 years. RESULTS: In resected glands pathological evaluation showed the following results: in 53 (54.1%) adenoma was present, and in 45 (45.9%) there was hyperplasia. Sixty-seven of the samples (68.4%) were characterised as diploid and 31 (31.6%) as aneuploid. There is important positive correlation (r = 0.34595; p = 0.011) between the percentage of S-phase cells (% SPF) and calcium levels measured prior to surgical resection of adenoma. The further analysis of patients with adenoma characterised by aneuploidy proved a statistically valid, positive correlation between %SPF and ionised calcium levels in blood serum of patients both before (r = 0.7189; p = 0.003) and after the surgical treatment (r = 0.6313; p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: 1. Benign lesions of parathyroid with ploidy indicates their heterogeneity. 2. In aneuploid benign adenomas of parathyroid glands an increased percentage of cells in S phase (% SPF) correlates with a high level of calcium in serum pre- and post-parathyroidectomy.

Surgical Management of Primary Hyperparathyroidism-Clinicopathologic Study of 1019 Cases from a Single Institution.

BACKGROUND: Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is an endocrine disorder characterized by hypercalcemia and caused by the presence of disordered parathyroid glands. Parathyroidectomy is the only curative therapy for pHPT, but despite its high cure rate of 95-98%, there are still cases where hypercalcemia persists after this surgical procedure. The aim of this study was to present the results of a surgical treatment of patients due to primary hyperparathyroidism and failures related to the thoracic location of the affected glands. METHODS: We present a retrospective analysis of 1019 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy in our department in the period 1983-2018. RESULTS: Among the group of 1019 operated-on patients, treatment failed in 19 cases (1.9%). In 16 (84.2%) of them, the repeated operation was successful. In total, 1016 patients returned to normocalcemia. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that parathyreoidectomy is the treatment of choice for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. The ectopic position of the parathyroid gland in the mediastinum is associated with an increased risk of surgical failure. Most parathyroid lesions in the mediastinum can be safely removed from the cervical access.

Primary hyperparathyroidism.

Primary hyperparathyroidism is an endocrine disorder that results in overproduction of parathyroid hormone by overactivated parathyroid gland leading to a significant rise in blood serum calcium. It results in hypercalcaemia, which has a significant impact mainly on the kidneys and bones and results in a variety of signs and symptoms. Primary hyperparathyroidism should be treated because, if left without any therapy, it can lead even to death. Surgery is considered as the best and only successful therapy, with very low risk of recurrence and relatively low complication rate. The aim of this review is to present clinical basis, aetiology, diagnostic possibilities, and treatment opportunities.

Surgical treatment of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism with a risk of hypercalcaemic crisis.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the work was to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment in patients with a high risk of hypercalcaemic crisis due to primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and to determine the best time to undergo surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2019, 627 patients underwent surgery due to PHPT. Sixty-two patients (9.9%) (47 women and 15 men, aged 28-79 years, average 53.7 years) faced the threat of a parathyroid crisis. In these patients, the average parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were 774.02 pg/mL (95% CI: 203-1246 pg/mL) and ionised calcium (iCa2+) 1.91 mmol/L (95% CI: 1.70-2.2 mmol/L). The PTH postoperative concentration averaged at 37.86 pg/mL (95% CI: 9.91-42.7 pg/mL) and iCa2 + 1.11 mmol/L (95% CI: 1.07-1.21 mmol/L). Bilateral neck exploration was performed in all patients with the removal of the affected parathyroid gland and biopsies of other parts. Histopathological examination revealed adenoma in 42 cases (67.7%), hyperplasia in 16 (25.7%), and parathyroid cancer in four of the patients (6.6%). Comparison of tests before and after surgery showed a statistically significant decrease in PTH (p < 0.001) and iCa (p < 0.001) in blood serum. CONCLUSIONS: A developing hypercalcaemic crisis in the course of hyperparathyroidism is an indication for preoperative intensive medical therapy, along with urgent surgical intervention and removal of diseased parathyroid glands. This type of surgery should be performed as soon as possible, even if there are no imaging tests, only based on an assessment of the general condition of the patient and their serum calcium levels.

Telomerase activity in non-small cell lung cancer.

INTRODUCTION: High telomerase activity has been detected in the majority of malignant neoplasms including lung cancer. The purpose of the study was to attempt to use telomerase activity as a prognostic factor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Telomerase activity was analyzed in 47 tissue specimens taken from patients with NSCLC. The control group consisted of 30 specimens of non-cancerous lung parenchyma. Telomerase activity was measured by means of the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP). RESULTS: Telomerase activity in the neoplastic tissue was significantly higher than in the lung parenchyma that was free from neoplastic infiltration. There was no significant association between telomerase activity and age, gender, tobacco smoking, histological type of the tumor, or staging (pTNM). No association was found between the level of telomerase activity in NSCLC specimens and the two-year survival rate of patients (p = 0.326). A higher level of telomerase activity in poorly differentiated tumors (G3) as compared to moderately differentiated tumors (G2) was detected (p = 0.008). A positive association was identified between telomerase activity in pulmonary parenchyma free from tumor infiltration and the presence of leukocyte infiltration (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: No association was found between the level of telomerase activity in NSCLC specimens and the two-year survival rate of patients. The study has revealed a positive association between telomerase activity and the grade of differentiation (G) in NSCLC.

[The influence of postgraduate studies in Berlin on the research activity of Wladyslaw Bieganski]. / Wplyw berlinskich studiów doskonalacych Wladyslawa Bieganskiego na jego twórczosc naukowa.

The authors showed that Wladyslaw Bieganski's postgraduate studies in Berlin played a significant rule in his scientific activity. They also presented the impact of lectures of F.T. Frerichs, S. Henoch, F.K. Westphal and R. Virchow. His stay in Berlin was for Bieganski an advantage, giving him the opportunity to improve his medical knowledge, encouraged him to scientific works and made him aware of significance of problems connected with the theory of medical studies.