[Comparison of plasma matrix metalloproteases 2, 3, 9 in breast carcinomas and fibroadenomas]. / Confronto dei valori plasmatici delle metalloproteasi della matrice 2, 3, 9 in pazienti con carcinomi e fibroadenomi mammari.

Tumor cell infiltration causes the remodelling of peritumoral tissues, determined by an increased lytic activity of extracellular matrix exerted by the neoplastic invasive phenotype. Among the principal lytic enzymes produced by tumor cells and mainly involved in invasion process there are the matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). The Authors compared the plasmatic values of MMPs 2, 3, 9 from patients with breast carcinomas and fibroadenomas in order to evaluate whether there was a significant difference between the two groups of patients. MMPs 2, 3, 9 values were quantified by ELISA test from plasma collected 24 hours before surgery in 50 breast carcinomas and 30 fibroadenomas. MMP2 mean value from the patients with carcinomas resulted significantly higher as compared to that from the patients with fibroadenomas; while for MMP 3 and 9 mean values was not possible to find a significant difference between the two groups of malignant and benign breast tumors. These data confirm the main role played by MMPs during the tumor invasion process. Therefore, it is possible to propose the future inclusion of MMP2 test, together to other biological and clinical data, for prognostic evaluation of neoplastic breast lesions.

[Double ileo-ileal and ileo-cecocolic intussusception due to submucous lipoma: case report]. / Doppia invaginazione ileo-ileale e ileo-ciecocolica da lipoma sottomucoso del tenue: case report.

Intestinal intussusception is a rare pathology in adults and counts for approximately 5-16% of all invaginations, according to literature. We report the case of a 54 years-old male affected by a double ileo-ileal and ileocecocolic invagination secondary to a submucosal intestinal lipoma. Because of a bowel obstruction symptomathology, the diagnosis was based on abdomen X-rays, abdominal ultrasound and multislice CT scan that showed a probable pre-operative diagnosis of intestinal intussusception. The diagnosis of double invagination was confirmed intraoperatively and was therefore performed a right colectomy extended to a long tract of ileum. Opening the specimen demonstrated the evidence of a submucosal lipoma on the head of the intussusceptum. After the description of this case, we proceed with review of the literature of adult intestinal invagination.

[Modern orientation in parotid surgery]. / Moderni orientamenti nella chirurgia della parotide.

The choice of the surgical approach is very relevant in parotid surgery because of the extreme anatomic variability of the parotideal district and the functional importance of the branches of facial nerve. The aim of this paper is to prove how an accurate knowledge of the anatomy and a careful execution of surgery permit radicality in case of tumors and respect of nerves and other structures of the region. We studied anatomy of the different intra- and periparotideal structures to compare two different approaches in parotidectomy, proving how the orthograde technique is safer and more effective in preventing hyatrogenous nerve injuries and other major complications.