CALCITONIN REVISITED IN 2020.

Calcitonin (CT) is a polypeptidic hormone specifically secreted by the thyroid parafollicular cells (C cells) and tangentially involved in human phosphocalcic and bone metabolism. CT from other species (e.g. salmon) is more potent than human CT and has limited therapeutic applications. The neoplastic proliferation of C cells leads to medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) generally characterized by an increase of CT secretion. Serum CT is therefore the ideal marker for MTC and can confirm its presence at an early stage, as well as the follow up of its remission or progression/relapse/survival after surgery. There are, however, controversies such as the necessity of CT screening in patients with thyroid nodules, or particular situations causing false positive or false negative results. Our minireview also deals with an up-to-date of surgical procedures for MTC, as well as with non-surgical therapy.

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY, A NONINVASIVE MARKER OF STEATOHEPATITIS IN PATIENTS WITH OBESITY AND BIOPSY PROVEN NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE.

CONTEXT: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes simple steatosis, steatohepatitis (NASH) which can evolve with progressive fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. As liver biopsy cannot be used as a screening method, noninvasive markers are needed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test if there is a significant association between vitamin D deficit and the severity of NAFLD. DESIGN: The patients were divided into two groups (vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency) and statistical analyses were performed on the correlation of clinical and biochemical characteristics with histopathological hepatic changes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 64 obese patients referred for bariatric surgery between 2014 and 2016 to our Surgical Unit. Anthropometric, clinical measurements, general and specific biological balance were noted. NAFLD diagnosis and activity score (NAS) were evaluated on liver biopsies. RESULTS: Increased serum fibrinogen was correlated with NASH (p=0.005) and higher NAS grade. T2DM was positively correlated with liver fibrosis (p=0.002). 84.37% of the patients had vitamin D deficit and 15.62% were vitamin D insufficient. Lobular inflammation correlated with vitamin D deficit (p=0.040). Fibrosis (p=0.050) and steatohepatitis (p=0.032) were independent predictors of low vitamin D concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D status in conjunction with other parameters - such as T2DM - or serum biomarkers - namely fibrinogen level and PCR level - may point out the aggressive forms of NAFLD and the need for liver biopsy for appropriate management.

Subcutaneous metastasis--the first sign of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic virus C hepatitis patient--Case report.

Hepatocellular carcinomas make up 90% of primary liver cancers. The association between the hepatic carcinoma and virus B and C infection has been already proven. Hepatocellular carcinoma develops, in most cases, on a background of cirrhosis and rarely in hepatitis. The case we have chosen to report distinguishes itself due to the unusual extra-hepatic metastatic location of a hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient with Chronic HCV hepatitis.

[Breast cancer in the male]. / Cancerul mamar la barbat.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study is to point out the late diagnosis and initiation of treatment in male with breast cancer. At the same time, to show the importance of the correlation between different markers in assessing the prognostic, as well as the treatment for the patient. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study on a group of 15 males with breast cancer, out of 1043 patients with the disease, in a period of 10 years. Eight patients were stage III of disease, 2 were stage II, one was stage I, and in other 3 cases the evaluation of the tumor and of the axillary lymph nodes was performed only by echography, considered stage II. RESULTS: All patients underwent radically modified Madden mastectomy; 4 patients needed a partial resection of the great pectoralis muscle. Adjuvant chemotherapy was performed in 9 patients, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 2 cases. Three patients refused the chemotherapy, and one patient chose an alternative paramedical treatment. The treatment with Tamoxifen was done in 11 patients with high values of Progesterone and Estrogen Receptors (PR, ER). At the date of our study, 8 patients were alive, without clinical signs of disease (free of disease), while in 3 patients, alive, clinical signs of disease were detected (recurrence). Survival rate couldn't be evaluated in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer in male is usually discovered in locally advanced stages, although most of the patients are regularly screened for chronic hepatitis. Use of biological markers allows a more accurate evaluation of the aggressiveness of the tumor, as well as a more specific treatment for each patient. Modified radical mastectomy type Madden remains the preferred surgical approach. Surgical approach should be considered even in locally advanced cases, as well as in elder patients.