Investigation of melanoma-associated antigen A4 cancer/testis antigen clinical relevance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is considered as the seventh most common cancer worldwide, and the second prevalent malignancy in the north of Iran. A subfamily group of tumor-specific antigens, commonly specified as cancer/testis antigens (CTAs), are expressed restrictedly in testis, ovary, and placenta. Melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGEA4) as a CTA is overexpressed in a variety of cancers. Expressional analysis of MAGEA4 protein in ESCC may be useful to investigate its clinical relevance leading to effective improvements in ESCC diagnosis and treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six ESCC patients with no preoperative therapeutic circumstance such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy were analyzed to explore the protein expression level of MAGEA4 using immunohistochemistry assay. RESULTS: MAGEA4 overexpression was detected in 66% of ESCC samples showing strong nuclear and cytoplasmic staining compared to the normal epithelium. There were significant correlations between MAGEA4 protein expression and depth of tumor invasion (P = 0.019), and the number of involved lymph nodes (P = 0.045). CONCLUSION: Because of the significant correlation of MAGEA4 and indices of poor prognosis, the role of this CTA may be confirmed in ESCC aggressiveness and metastasis. Therefore, MAGEA4 may be a promising therapeutic candidate for suppressing ESCC aggressiveness.

Contribution of MAML1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tumorigenesis.

BACKGROUND: Notch signaling pathway is involved in different cellular and developmental processes including cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Mastermind like1 (MAML1) is a critical key transcription coactivator of this pathway. In this study, we aimed to examine MAML1 protein expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and reveal its association with clinicopathological variables of the patients. METHODS: Tumoral and their margin normal tissues from 56 ESCC patients were recruited for protein expression analysis using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, MAML1 expression was analyzed in ESCC cell line KYSE-30 using immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: Overexpression of MAML1 was detected in 59% of tumor samples. It was significantly associated with different indices of poor prognosis including depth of tumor invasion (P=0.026), grade of tumor differentiation (P=0.002), stage of tumor progression (P=0.004) and sex (P=0.027). CONCLUSION: Beside the appearing evidences explaining MAML1 role in different cellular processes and its deviations in different malignancies and also based on its correlation with different clinicopathological variables of ESCC, MAML1 can be proposed as potentially novel molecular marker for ESCC progression and tumorigenesis as well as therapeutic target to inhibit and reverse progression and development of the disease.

Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus (PSCEC) Associated with Paraneoplastic Sweating Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: Primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus (PSCEC) associated with paraneoplastic sweating syndrome is a rare disease characterized with rapid growth rate, metastasis at the time of diagnosis, and poor prognosis. The lung is the most common site for small cell carcinoma but this malignancy includes 0.1% to 1% of all gastrointestinal and 0.8% to 2.7% of esophageal malignancies. So far more than 200 cases of PSCEC have been reported in literature. CASE REPORT: The patient is a 54-year-old female from the Golestan province who presented with dysphagia, 19 kg-weight loss (from 105 kgs to 86 kgs), and excessive sweating. She was admitted in the thoracic surgery ward, at Ghaem Hospital, in the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, with a pathological diagnosis of small cell carcinoma. She underwent transhiatal total esophagectomy. Excessive sweating was eradicated after surgery and she was discharged after 13 days without any complication. She received chemotherapy and at her 5-year follow up, she showed no recurrence or metastasis. CONCLUSION: PSCEC usually requires chemotherapy with or without surgery. A favorable outcome, with total resection of the lesion combined with chemotherapy, was obtained. However, due to the rarity of the disease there is no definitive choice of treatment.

Gestational throphoblastic diseases in North East of Iran: 10 years (2001-2010) prospective epidemiological and clinicopathological study.

BACKGROUND: Many aspects of epidemiological and clinicopathological features of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), one of the important subject in gynecology oncology, needs to be defined so as to recommend the best approach and management toward it. In the present study, we evaluated 10-years incidence of throphoblastic diseases in north east of Iran in prospective epidemiological and clinicopathological study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the registered histopathology database archive (120 records) related to throphoblastic diseases of the Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from 2001 to 2010. RESULTS: Evaluation of the pathological reports revealed 5 (4.2%) choriocarcinom and 115 (95.8%) of hydatidiform mole (HM), with complete and partial HM diagnosis in 29 (25.2%) and 86 (74.8%) patients, respectively. The pregnancy rate of HM patients (2.72 ± 1.86) and choriocarcinoma patients (3.56 ± 2.8) was not significantly different (P = 0.61). There was no statistical significant difference between the number of pregnancies in HM (2.90 ± 3.13) and choriocarcinoma (3.84 ± 3.80) patients (P = 0.46). The ratio of complete to partial mole increased with age, although this correlation was not significant. Most patients in both the groups had no history of abortion. O positive was the predominant blood group among the studied patients. CONCLUSION: Throphoblastic diseases occur during the fertility age mostly, and there is an increased risk with more previous pregnancies; ultrasound sonography is a useful method for primary diagnosis of this disease. Further pathological studies are needed to define the mole type.

Spontaneous uterine perforation caused by pyometra: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Pyometra is an accumulation of purulent material or pus in the uterine cavity. Spontaneous perforation of uterus by pyometra is rare. This is a clinical presentation and management of a spontaneous perforation of uterine caused by pyometra. CASE PRESENTATION: This is a case report on spontaneously perforated associated with pyometra secondary to cervical malignancy. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous rupture of pyometra duo to cervical cancer in cases of acute abdomen in elderly patients should be considered.

Study of the Association between Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Infection and Lichen Planus.

OBJECTIVE(S): Lichen Planus is a common disease with unknown etiology which affects the skin and mucosa. Recent studies have focused on the possible role of the virus in the pathogenesis of Lichen Planus. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 and Lichen Planus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case control study was conducted on a total of 200 patients. The case group consisted of 100 patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of lichen planus disease, and the control group consisted of 100 healthy blood donors without any signs or symptoms of skin diseases, and who were similar in age and sex to the case group. Blood samples of both participants in the case and control groups were examined for the presence of anti -HTLV-I antibodies using the ELISA method. The polymerase chain reaction for human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 was conducted in cases in which the findings for antihuman T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 antibody test was positive, and statistical analysis was conducted on the obtain results. RESULTS: One case in the case group was infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1; however, no infection was observed in the control group. The difference was not statistically significant (P = 1). CONCLUSION: Based on the obtained results, no association was observed between the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 infection and Lichen Planus.