Clinicopathological features of mammary Paget's disease: a single-center experience in Turkey

Background/aim: Paget's disease (PD) of the breast is a very rare presentation of breast malignancy, accounting for 1%­3% of all primary breast tumors. We aimed to evaluate and compare the clinicopathological features and clinical outcome of PD accompanied by in situ carcinoma and invasive cancer. Materials and methods: We used the archive of our pathology laboratory retrospectively for age, sex, history of surgery, histopathological findings, treatment modalities, and follow-up information. We used the Kaplan­Meier method for survival analysis. Results: There were 46 female patients diagnosed with PD. In 39 (84.7%) patients, invasive carcinoma accompanied PD, while 7 (15.3%) patients had ductal carcinoma in situ. The median age at diagnosis was 53.5 years. The median follow-up period was 47 months. Of the 39 invasive carcinoma, 10 (25.6%) died during the follow-up period. Invasive ductal carcinoma group had a mean overall survival of rate of 57.8 ± 6.6 months. According to univariate analysis, only the tumor type was found to impact overall survival (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The current study displayed the tumor type as the only parameter affecting overall survival in the invasive carcinoma group. Although it was not statistically significant, breast cancers accompanied by PD were found to be predominantly advanced stage tumors, high grade, hormone receptor negative, and HER2 positive.

Endoscopic and surgical management of iatrogenic biliary tract injuries.

BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic biliary tract injury (BTI) is a rare complication but has high risks of morbidity and mortality when it is not early noticed. Although the treatment varies depending on the size of injury and the time until the injury is noticed, endoscopic and percutaneous interventions are usually sufficient. However, it should be remembered that these interventions may cause major complications in the following years, such as biliary stricture, recurrent episodes of cholangitis and even cirrhosis. In this paper, we aimed to present our approach to BTI following cholecystectomy and our treatment management in the light of the literature. METHODS: The medical records of 105 patients who were treated for BTI between January 2015 and July 2019 were evaluated retrospectively. The majority of the patients consisted of the patients who underwent cholecystectomy at an external medical center and were referred to our clinic due to biliary leakage (BL). Patients were grouped according to Strasberg classification determined by the place of leakage. RESULTS: Among 105 patients included in this study, 55 were male, and 50 were female. Mean age was 55.2±16.26 years (range, 21-93 years). According to Strasberg classification, type A, B, C, D and E injuries were detected in 57, 1, 3, 29 and 15 patients, respectively. Eighty-five patients were successfully treated with endoscopic and percutaneous interventions, while 20 patients underwent surgery. CONCLUSION: In all patients with suspected BTI, a detailed screening and appropriate treatment provide a significant decline in morbidity and mortality. Therefore, early diagnosis is very important for both early and late outcomes.

Portal vein thrombosis as a rare cause of abdominal pain: When to consider?

Extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare condition that is characterized by the presence of thrombus within any segment of the portal vein, including the right and left intrahepatic branches. It may also extend to the splenic or superior mesenteric veins. Portal vein thrombosis may be related to cirrhosis or liver malignancy as well as to local inflammatory conditions in the abdomen and genetic or acquired thrombophilic diseases. Currently, PVT is being increasingly diagnosed due to advances in modern imaging techniques. The clinical presentation has a wide range, from an asymptomatic lesion to a potentially life-threatening situation. In this study, we present three patients with PVT. The diagnosis was made by radiologic and clinical findings. In the first patient, genetic testing revealed factor V Leiden mutation as the cause of PVT. The second patient was diagnosed with lupus anticoagulant syndrome as the cause of PVT. Portal vein thrombosis was associated with intra abdominal infection due to anastomotic leakage in the third patient. Two patients were successfully treated with anticoagulant therapy. This report emphasizes that even though PVT is a rare cause of abdominal pain, timely diagnosis and appropriate management is vital due to its lethal complications such as mesenteric ischemia and mesenteric infarct.

Management of perforation after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-related perforation is an infrequent complication. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The present study is an evaluation of experience with management and outcomes of ERCP-related perforations and a review of relevant literature. METHODS: Between January 2008 and January 2015, a total of 9383 ERCPs were performed in endoscopy unit. A total of 29 perforations (0.33%) were identified and retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 29 patients, 18 were female and 11 patients were male, with mean age of 70.5 years (range 33-99 years). According to Stapfer's classification, the 29 patients with ERCP related perforations included 5 type 1 perforations, 14 type 2 perforations, 7 type 3 perforations, and 3 cases of type 4 perforation. In total, 15 of 29 patients with ERCP perforation were operated on. Nine (60%) of those who underwent surgery were discharged uneventful, but 6 (40%) patients died due to postoperative complications and/or associated comorbidities. Seven (24.1%) of 29 patients had undergone endoscopic treatment and 5 of the 7 were discharged from the hospital without any problems; however, peritonitis occurred in 2 patients whose initial endoscopic treatment failed. The first of these 2 patients underwent surgery and was discharged uneventfully, but second patient, who refused surgery, died due to sepsis. Six patients were successfully treated with conservative management. Surgery could not be performed in the remaining 2 patients, who died of sepsis following peritonitis; 1 refused surgery, the other had sudden cardiopulmonary arrest during induction of general anesthesia. Mean hospital stay was 13.2 days (range: 2-57 days). In all, 9 (31%) patients died during period of the study. CONCLUSION: ERCP-related perforation is uncommon complication, but an extremely serious condition. Early diagnosis and prompt management are most important to reduce associated significant morbidity and mortality rates. The most appropriate treatment course should be determined on case-by-case basis.

How to approach phyllodes tumors of the breast?

OBJECTIVE: Phyllodes tumor of the breast is a rare fibroepithelial breast tumor that comprise 0.3-0.9% of primary breast neoplasms. In this study, we aimed to present clinicopathologic symptoms of our patients along with their treatment modality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinicopathologic properties and treatment modality of 20 phyllodes tumor patients who underwent surgery between January 2008 and January 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: Median patient age was 47 years (22-75). Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was applied to 19 patients. Biopsy results were reported as suspicious in four, malignant in three, benign in 11, and as non-diagnostic in one patient. Final histopathology reports revealed two benign, one malignant and one borderline tumor out of the four patients with suspicious findings on fine needle aspiration biopsy; all patients with malignant cytology had malignancy. There were two borderline and nine benign lesions within the benign biopsy group. Sixteen patients underwent segmental mastectomy, four patients underwent mastectomy with/without axillary dissection. The median tumor size was 6 (1-13) cm. Histopathologically, 11 (55%) tumors were benign, 5 (25%) were borderline, and 4 (20%) were malignant. Two of the four patients with malignancy underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and one patient only received chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment. CONCLUSION: Phyllodes tumors are rare, mix-type breast tumors. Due to high rates of local recurrence and potential for malignancy, preoperative diagnosis and accurate management are important.

Single-cell protein as an alternative food for zebrafish, Danio rerio: a toxicological assessment.

Single-cell protein (SCP) refers to the dried cells of microorganisms. The aim of this research was to evaluate the nutrional characteristics and possible toxic effects of the SCP of Trichoderma harzianum. First, T. harzianum was grown on whey filtrate agar medium and the obtained SCP was analysed. It was rich in both total protein (34.21%) and ash (4.78%). Furthermore, the biomass contained all the essential amino acids, and the amino acid concentrations were very close to the FAO reference protein levels. Second, we exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos to diluted SCP at various concentrations for 96 hours postfertilization (hpf). Compared with the control group, we did not observe any developmental abnormalities, delayed hatching, and lethal effects on zebrafish embryos (96 hpf) found in the SCP group. To test diet effects on spawning success and growth of embryos, adult zebrafish were fed on SCP and flake feed diets for 10 weeks. The number of laid eggs, wet weight and diameter of eggs, and the percentages of hatched eggs from fish fed the flake diet and SCP diet were not significantly different from each other. Also, larval length and weight were not significantly affected by diets. Finally, SCP did not cause any toxic effect on zebrafish adults and their offsprings and could be useful as fish food or food additive.

Multiglandular parathyroid carcinoma: case report and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: To report the fifth case of multiglandular parathyroid carcinoma and highlight the necessity of bilateral neck exploration in some circumstances. METHODS: We report a case of simultaneous bilateral and multiglandular parathyroid carcinoma in a 48-year-old woman presenting with primary hyperparathyroidism. Ultrasonography revealed a 24- by 24- by 34-mm nodule on the right lobe of the thyroid and a 20- by 20- by 32-mm parathyroid gland inferior to the left thyroid lobe. Technetium Tc 99m sestamibi scan revealed bilateral increased uptake consistent with the parathyroid glands. She was treated with bilateral neck exploration and parathyroidectomy with en bloc resection of the adjacent thyroid lobe in the right lower gland and parathyroidectomy with resection of surrounding soft tissue in the left lower gland. RESULTS: The presence of a thick fibrous capsule, invasion of surrounding tissues, trabecular and solid growth pattern without necrotic foci, and vascular invasion on pathology slides enabled the diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma of both glands. Her calcium and parathyroid hormone levels were within normal limits during a follow-up period of 4 years. CONCLUSION: Since surgical resection offers the only curative treatment and initial operation may be the determinant of survival, a high index of suspicion for carcinoma both clinically and intraoperatively is vital. We aim to reemphasize that bilateral neck exploration in select cases of parathyroid carcinoma should be considered if there is concrete evidence of a second tumor, since parathyroid carcinoma can coexist with hyperplasia, adenoma, or even carcinoma of other parathyroid glands.

[Glomus tumor of the stomach: a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding]. / Nadir bir gastrointestinal kanama nedeni: Midenin glomus tümörü

Glomus tumors are benign soft tissue neoplasms that usually arise in the skin of the extremities; however, those tumors are sometimes located in other sites such as gastrointestinal (GIS), respiratory, and genital tracts. Gastrointestinal glomus tumors are mostly located in the gastric antrum. The most are small (<4 cm), but a few can be enormous. Herein, we report a case of a glomus tumor of the stomach in a 31-year-old female patient who presented with intermittent nausea, vomiting, hematemesis and melena for 2 months. On upper GIS endoscopy, submucosal lesion with ulceration was found in the prepyloric area. Partial gastrectomy including the lesion was performed. Immunohistochemical examination showed the glomus tumor. Since the glomus tumor is essentially benign and does not need a radical surgical procedure, the most important aspect of this tumor is its histologic identification and differentiation from more common gastric lesions, especially from malignant tumors.

Results of modified Sugiura operation in variceal bleeding in cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Esophageal variceal bleeding is a major complication of portal hypertension and the optimal therapeutic modality for each individual patient differs. We reviewed the results of modified Sugiura procedure in patients with variceal bleeding of esophagus. METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 13 patients who were subjected to modified Sugiura procedure (transabdominal esophagogastric devascularization + esophageal stapled transection + splenectomy) for bleeding esophageal varices between 1996 and 2001. Three patients disappeared from routine follow-up and were excluded from the study. Survival, rebleeding and encephalopathy were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age was 46 (18-56). The etiology of portal hypertension was cirrhosis of liver in six (60%) and portal vein thrombosis in four (40%). One patient had Child-Pugh's Class A, two had Class B and three had Class C cirrhosis. Previous variceal bleeding were confirmed by endoscopy in all patients who had recurrent variceal bleeding despite treatment with beta-blockers (three patients) or endoscopic sclerotherapy +/- band ligation (seven patients). Two were subjected to emergency surgery while the remaining eight were operated on electively. No postoperative mortality was seen. The bleeders were stopped immediately in the emergent cases. During a mean follow-up of 27 (4-53) months, one (10%) patient suffered from encephalopathy and one (10%) from rebleeding at 20th and 28th months after the operation respectively. Three (30%) patients with Child C cirrhosis died due to bleeding (one) and hepatic failure (two) at 4, 25, and 28 months after the surgery. The prognoses of other patients are well at the present time. CONCLUSIONS: In our small number of patients, modified Sugiura procedure was found to be a safe and effective procedure for urgent and long-term control of bleeding varices in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis and noncirrhotic etiology. The outcomes are encouraging in noncirrhotic patients and cirrhotic patients with good liver functions.