Soft Tissue Masses of the Hand: A Review of Clinical Presentation and Imaging Features.

More than 15% of all soft-tissue tumors arise in the hand. Because of the location of these tumors, even small abnormalities may be alarming to patients on presentation. Although the majority of lesions are benign and can be diagnosed solely by history and physical examination, additional imaging workup may be required to confirm a diagnosis or define anatomic extent of involvement. This paper aims to review the basic epidemiology, clinical presentation, imaging findings, and treatment options of the more common soft-tissue tumors of the hand.

Clinical Characteristics Associated with Detected Respiratory Microorganism Employing Multiplex Nested PCR in Patients with Presumptive COVID-19 but Negative Molecular Results in Lima, Peru.

The COVID-19 pandemic circumstances have varied the pathogens related to acute respiratory infections (ARI), and most specialists have ignored them due to SARS-CoV-2's similar symptomatology. We identify respiratory pathogens with multiplex PCR in samples with presumptive SARS-CoV-2 but negative RT-qPCR results. We performed a retrospective transversal study employing clinical data and nasopharyngeal swab samples from patients with suspected clinical SARS-CoV-2 infection and a negative PCR result in a private laboratory in Lima, Peru. The samples were analyzed using the FilmArray™ respiratory panel. Of 342 samples, we detected at least one pathogen in 50% of the samples. The main ones were rhinovirus (54.38%), influenza A(H3N2) (22.80%), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (14.04%). The clinical characteristics were sore throat (70.18%), cough (58.48%), nasal congestion (56.43%), and fever (40.06%). Only 41.46% and 48.78% of patients with influenza met the definition of influenza-like illness (ILI) by the World Health Organization (WHO) (characterized by cough and fever) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (characterized by fever and cough and sore throat), respectively. A higher prevalence of influenza was associated with ILI by WHO (aPR: 2.331) and ILI by CDC (aPR: 1.892), which was not observed with other respiratory viruses. The clinical characteristic associated with the increased prevalence of rhinovirus was nasal congestion (aPR: 1.84). For patients with ARI and negative PCR results, the leading respiratory pathogens detected were rhinovirus, influenza, and RSV. Less than half of patients with influenza presented ILI, although its presence was specific to the disease.

Pathologic Response Rates after Neoadjuvant Therapy for Sarcoma: A Single Institution Study.

(1) Background: Pathologic necrosis of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) has been used to determine treatment response, but its relationship to neoadjuvant treatments remains indeterminate. In this retrospective, single institution study, we hypothesized that neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NA-CRT) yields higher rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) than neoadjuvant radiation (NA-XRT) or chemotherapy (NA-CT) alone. (2) Methods: Patients with extremity STS between 2011-2020 who received neoadjuvant treatment were included. pCR was defined as percent necrosis of the surgical specimen greater than or equal to 90%. (3) Results: 79 patients were analyzed. 51.9% of the population were male with a mean age of 58.4 years. 49.4% identified as Non-Hispanic White. Twenty-six (32.9%) patients achieved pCR while 53 (67.1%) did not. NA-CT (OR 15.82, 95% CI = 2.58-96.9, p = 0.003 in univariate (UVA) and OR 24.7, 95% CI = 2.88-211.2, p = 0.003 in multivariate (MVA), respectively) and NA-XRT (OR 5.73, 95% CI = 1.51-21.8, p = 0.010 in UVA and OR 7.95, 95% CI = 1.87-33.7, p = 0.005 in MVA, respectively) was significantly associated with non- pCR when compared to NA-CRT. The analysis also demonstrated that grade 3 tumors, when using grade 2 as reference, also had significantly higher odds of achieving pCR (OR 0.23, 95% CI = 0.06-0.80, p = 0.022 in UVA and OR 0.16, 95% CI = 0.04-0.70, p = 0.015 in MVA, respectively). (4) Conclusion: NA-CRT yields superior pCR compared to other neoadjuvant regimens. This extends to higher grade tumors.

Proline­rich polypeptide­1 decreases cancer stem cell population by targeting BAFF chromatin­remodeling complexes in human chondrosarcoma JJ012 cells.

Chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary malignant bone tumor and is resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. Inadequate treatment response and poor prognosis requires novel therapeutic approaches. Proline­rich polypeptide­1 (PRP­1), synthesized by brain neurosecretory cells, has demonstrated antitumor properties in JJ012­cells; however, its underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the epigenetic regulation by which PRP­1 inhibits chondrosarcoma cancer stem cell (CSC) proliferation and to elucidate additional CSC biomarkers in human chondrosarcoma other than ALDH1A1. Human chondrosarcoma JJ012­cells were treated with PRP­1 prior to performing an Aldefluor™ assay and fluorescence­activated cell sorting in order to determine aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) expression levels and isolate ALDHhigh and ALDHlow cell populations. ALDH is an established marker of CSCs in several neoplasms, including chondrosarcoma. The cells were collected and lysed for gel electrophoresis, followed by western blot analysis. The Aldefluor™ assay was used to assess the expression levels of well­established CSC biomarkers, including CD133, CD4, CD10, CD144, CD177, CD221, CD271, leucine­rich repeat­containing G protein­coupled receptor 5, SOX2 and B lymphoma Mo­MLV insertion region 1 homolog (BMI­1), within the ALDHhigh population of JJ012 cells. The results confirmed that ALDHA1 was the biomarker for chondrosarcoma CSCs. PRP­1 was demonstrated to inhibit the ALDHhigh population colony and sarcosphere formation; 5 µg/ml PRP­1 was indicated to be the optimum concentration in eliminating colonies formed by JJ012 cells (92%, P<0.001) and by the ALDHhigh CSC­population (80.5%, P<0.001) in the clonogenic dose­response assay. Spheroid growth unequivocally decreased with an increase in PRP­1 dose. In order to determine the molecular mechanism by which PRP­1 decreased the CSC population, the regulation of the mammalian Switch/sucrose non­fermenting (SWI/SNF) complex, also referred to as BRG1­associated factor (BAF) complex, which either activates or represses transcription, thus acting as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in human cells, was analyzed. PRP­1 was demonstrated to decrease the expression levels of BRG, BAF170 and BRM; therefore, in JJ012 cells, these key players of the SWI/SNF (BAF) complex served an oncogenic role. The results of the present study demonstrated that PRP­1 targets chromatin­remodeling complexes; therefore, future efforts will be directed towards determining the interconnection between CSC maintenance, self­renewal capacity and BAF complexes.

[Cancer genetic counseling.] / Asesoría genética en cáncer.

La asesoría genética en cáncer permite reducir la morbimortalidad en pacientes con cáncer hereditario y sus familiares mediante un manejo multidisciplinario que establezca medidas preventivas, detección precoz y control de riesgos.

Estado mutacional de los exones 19 y 21 de EGFR en adenocarcinoma de pulmón: Estudio en 122 pacientes peruanos y revisión de la evidencia de eficacia del inhibidor tirosina kinasa erlotinib / Mutational status of EGFR exons 19 and 21 in lung adenocarcinoma: Study in 122 peruvian patients and review of the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib

Introducción: El cáncer de pulmón tiene altas tasas de incidencia y mortalidad, tanto en el país como en el mundo. El conocimiento de las alteraciones moleculares en esta neoplasia ha permitido desarrollar tratamientos individualizados, observándose resultados terapéuticos muy alentadores. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la frecuencia de mutaciones en los exones 19 y 21 en adenocarcinoma de pulmón en nuestra población y realizar una revisión de la evidencia de eficacia de erlotinib en pacientes con cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas. Métodos: Se recibieron 133 muestras consecutivas de adenocarcinoma de pulmón entre enero y octubre de 2011. El estado mutacional en el exón 19 de EGFR se realizó por el método de PCR convencional, con la técnica de enriquecimiento del alelo mutado. El estado mutacional en el exón 21 fue determinado mediante el análisis de la curva de desnaturalización por PCR en tiempo real. Resultados: El estado mutacional del exón 19 fue determinado en 122 muestras (11 muestras fueron no evaluables para este análisis, debido a falta de amplificación) y del exón 21 en 104 muestras (29 no fueron evaluables). La frecuencia de mutaciones en cualquiera de los exones fue del 39,3% (48 casos), en el exón 19 fue del 32% (39 casos), en el exón 21 fue de 8,7% (9 casos) y, simultáneamente, en ambos exones, en el 1,9% (2 casos). Conclusiones: Se detectaron una incidencia de mutaciones similares a otras poblaciones latinoamericanas. La evidencia clínica revisada de los estudios OPTIMAL y EURTAC muestra resultados alentadores.

Introduction: Lung cancer has a high incidence and mortality rates in this country as other countries. The knowledge of molecular disruptions in this neoplasm has permitted to develop individual treatments, observing therapeutic results very encouraging. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of mutations of exons 19 and 21 in lung adenocarcinoma of our population and to make a review of the evidence of erlotinib’s efficacy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: One hundred and thirty three consecutive samples of lung adenocarcinoma were received between January and October of 2011. The mutate state in the exon 19 of EGFR was made by the PCR conventional method with the enrichment technique of the mutated allele. The mutational state in exon 21 was set through the analysis of the melting curve by PCR in real time. Results: The mutational status of exon 19 was set in 122 samples (11 samples were non-evaluated for this analysis, due to the lack of amplification) and exon 21 in 104 samples (29 were non-evaluated). The frequency of mutations in any of the exons were 39.3% (48 cases), in the exon 19 was 32% (39 cases), in the exon 21 was 8.7% (9 cases) and simultaneity in both exons were 1.9% (2 cases). Conclusions: There was detected an incidence of mutation similar to other Latin American populations. Clinic evidence reviewed of studies Optimal and EURTAC show encouraged results.

[Clinical characteristics of patients admitted to hospital "Cesar Garayar García", Iquitos during the dengue epidemic, January-February 2011]. / Características clínicas de pacientes internados en el Hospital de Apoyo de Iquitos "César Garayar García" durante la epidemia de dengue, enero-febrero de 2011.

We conducted a clinical description of confirmed dengue cases admitted to the Hospital " César Garayar García" in Iquitos from January 25 to February 5, 2011. According to current WHO classification, major warning signs leading to hospitalization were: abdominal pain (28/28) and persistent vomiting (15/28), the causes of severity were: hypotension (9 / 13), severe bleeding (6 / 13) and plasma extravasation with respiratory distress (4 / 13). The median patient age was 22 years, however, 8 / 13 patients classified as severe dengue were under 16 years. In conclusion, unlike previous epidemics, we found a high involvement of young people and severity in the clinical presentation predominating a high frequency of shock (hypotension) and vascular leakage, which could be related to the circulation of an emerging variant DENV-2 which is more virulent.

Características clínicas de pacientes internados en el Hospital de Apoyo de Iquitos "César Garayar García" durante la epidemia de dengue, enero-febrero de 2011 / Clinical characteristics of patients admitted to hospital "Cesar Garayar García", Iquitos during the dengue epidemic, January-February 2011

Se realizó una descripción clínica de pacientes con dengue confirmado internados en el Hospital de Apoyo de Iquitos "César Garayar García" desde el 25 de enero al 05 de febrero de 2011. Según la actual clasificación de la OMS, los principales signos de alarma que motivaron hospitalización fueron: dolor abdominal (28/28) y vómitos persistentes (15/28); las causas de gravedad fueron: hipotensión (9/13), sangrado grave (6/13) y extravasación de plasma con dificultad respiratoria (4/13). La mediana de edad de los pacientes fue 22 años, sin embargo, 8/13 pacientes clasificados como dengue grave fueron menores de 16 años. En conclusión, se evidencia una mayor afectación de la población joven y gravedad en la presentación clínica a diferencia de epidemias anteriores, predominando el shock (hipotensión) por extravasación vascular, lo cual podría estar relacionado con la circulación de una variante emergente del DENV-2 con mayor virulencia.

We conducted a clinical description of confirmed dengue cases admitted to the Hospital " César Garayar García" in Iquitos from January 25 to February 5, 2011. According to current WHO classification, major warning signs leading to hospitalization were: abdominal pain (28/28) and persistent vomiting (15/28), the causes of severity were: hypotension (9 / 13), severe bleeding (6 / 13) and plasma extravasation with respiratory distress (4 / 13). The median patient age was 22 years, however, 8 / 13 patients classified as severe dengue were under 16 years. In conclusion, unlike previous epidemics, we found a high involvement of young people and severity in the clinical presentation predominating a high frequency of shock (hypotension) and vascular leakage, which could be related to the circulation of an emerging variant DENV-2 which is more virulent.

Isolated distal radial metaphyseal fractures with an intact ulna: risk factors for loss of reduction.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors for loss of reduction in patients with an isolated distal radius fracture and intact ulna. METHODS: Outpatient records and initial, post-reduction, and follow-up radiographs of children with displaced distal radial metaphyseal fractures and intact ulnas that required closed reduction and casting at our institution were reviewed for demographic factors, body mass index (BMI), initial fracture displacement, residual displacement after reduction, and 3-point cast index. Loss of reduction was defined as angulation ≥15° in the coronal plane for all ages and/or angulation ≥20° in the sagittal plane for patients ≥11 years of age and ≥30° for children <11 years of age. Additionally, all patients who were remanipulated and/or pinned were considered to have lost reduction. RESULTS: Thirty-five of the 76 patients in our series met the criteria for loss of reduction (46%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that initial angulation in the coronal plane and post-reduction translation in the coronal plane were independent predictors for loss of reduction. Patients with >11° of initial angulation in the coronal plane were 6.3 times as likely to lose reduction (confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-28.3, P = 0.015) and those with any amount of residual translation in the coronal plane after closed reduction were 7.8 times as likely to lose reduction (CI: 2.5-24.0, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study, the largest dedicated series of distal radial metaphyseal fractures with intact ulnas, indicates that loss of reduction is common, and that risk factors include initial angulation in the coronal plane and post-reduction translation in the coronal plane.

Joint effect of MCP-1 genotype GG and MMP-1 genotype 2G/2G increases the likelihood of developing pulmonary tuberculosis in BCG-vaccinated individuals.

We previously reported that the -2518 MCP-1 genotype GG increases the likelihood of developing tuberculosis (TB) in non-BCG-vaccinated Mexicans and Koreans. Here, we tested the hypothesis that this genotype, alone or together with the -1607 MMP-1 functional polymorphism, increases the likelihood of developing TB in BCG-vaccinated individuals. We conducted population-based case-control studies of BCG-vaccinated individuals in Mexico and Peru that included 193 TB cases and 243 healthy tuberculin-positive controls from Mexico and 701 TB cases and 796 controls from Peru. We also performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of lymph nodes from carriers of relevant two-locus genotypes and in vitro studies to determine how these variants may operate to increase the risk of developing active disease. We report that a joint effect between the -2518 MCP-1 genotype GG and the -1607 MMP-1 genotype 2G/2G consistently increases the odds of developing TB 3.59-fold in Mexicans and 3.9-fold in Peruvians. IHC analysis of lymph nodes indicated that carriers of the two-locus genotype MCP-1 GG MMP-1 2G/2G express the highest levels of both MCP-1 and MMP-1. Carriers of these susceptibility genotypes might be at increased risk of developing TB because they produce high levels of MCP-1, which enhances the induction of MMP-1 production by M. tuberculosis-sonicate antigens to higher levels than in carriers of the other two-locus MCP-1 MMP-1 genotypes studied. This notion was supported by in vitro experiments and luciferase based promoter activity assay. MMP-1 may destabilize granuloma formation and promote tissue damage and disease progression early in the infection. Our findings may foster the development of new and personalized therapeutic approaches targeting MCP-1 and/or MMP-1.

Treatment of pathological humeral shaft fractures with intramedullary nailing. A retrospective study.

A consecutive series of 22 pathological fractures of the humeral shaft in 21 patients treated at one institution were included in this retrospective study. Patients were treated with anterograde locked intramedullary nailing. Mean follow-up was 22.7 months (range 3-60). Mean VAS score improved from 89.5 (range 80-100) to 14.5 (range 0-40). In most patients there was a satisfactory return to daily activities within six weeks of surgery. Seventeen of 19 patients reported to be satisfied. Mean duration of hospitalization after surgery was 4.3 days (range 2-15). There were no complications related to the implants. There were no operative complications and the average operation time was 48 minutes (range 35-160). The consolidation rate was 80%. We emphasize that suspicion of fracture and interdisciplinary work between oncologists and orthopaedic surgeons are of crucial importance for survival time and individual treatment.

Distal fascia lata lengthening: an alternative surgical technique for recalcitrant trochanteric bursitis.

This article presents a simple technique for fascia lata lengthening that is less aggressive, can be performed under local anaesthetic with little morbidity and disability, and has excellent results. Eleven patients (13 hips) were enrolled in this study. Mean age was 54.6 years, there was one man and ten women. Outcomes were assessed by using a visual analog pain scale, Harris hip score and Lickert scale (satisfaction). There was a mean follow-up time of 43 months (range 15-84). All patients were scored by the Harris hip scale with a mean improvement from 61 (range 48-77) to 91 (range 76-95) after surgery. The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) score improved from 83 (range 60-99) to 13 (range 0-70). We had 12 of 13 patients reporting a good result. Mean surgical time was 15 min, and only one seroma was reported as a complication. No inpatient management was needed. In conclusion, distal "Z" lengthening of the fascia lata appears to be a good alternative for treatment of this condition.