Coupled Analysis of In Vitro and Histology Tissue Samples to Quantify Structure-Function Relationship

The structure/function relationship is fundamental to our understanding of biological systems at all levels, and drives most, if not all, techniques for detecting, diagnosing, and treating disease. However, at the tissue level of biological complexity we encounter a gap in the structure/function relationship: having accumulated an extraordinary amount of detailed information about biological tissues at the cellular and subcellular level, we cannot assemble it in a way that explains the correspondingly complex biological functions these structures perform. To help close this information gap we define here several quantitative temperospatial features that link tissue structure to its corresponding biological function. Both histological images of human tissue samples and fluorescence images of three-dimensional cultures of human cells are used to compare the accuracy of in vitro culture models with their corresponding human tissues. To the best of our knowledge, there is no prior work on a quantitative comparison of histology and in vitro samples. Features are calculated from graph theoretical representations of tissue structures and the data are analyzed in the form of matrices and higher-order tensors using matrix and tensor factorization methods, with a goal of differentiating between cancerous and healthy states of brain, breast, and bone tissues. We also show that our techniques can differentiate between the structural organization of native tissues and their corresponding in vitro engineered cell culture models

Advanced keratinocyte skin cancer is a tumor with considerable disease burden and aggressiveness

In a 2013 study published in this Journal, Dacosta Byfield et al. used MediCare data to extract reliable estimations of the incidence (I = 6.16) and prevalence (P = 10.31) rates of advanced keratinocyte skin cancer (aKSC) per 100,000 US population. These data unmask a considerable disease burden of aKSC (tumor stages ≥ 3) compared to the corresponding projected SEER predictions in 2019 of all invasive cases (tumor stages ≥ 1). According to its incidence, aKSC ranks 19th out of 29 major SEER registered neoplasms and has an average disease duration of 1.67 years, which is the second shortest disease duration next only to pancreatic carcinoma. Furthermore, in support of the high disease aggressiveness of aKSC and using a calibration approach, we calculated a mortality estimate of 4.64 per 100,000 and a 5-year survival rate of 21.8% for this tumor, which corresponds to positions of 13th and 5th out of 29 cancers among the SEER tracked malignancies, respectively. Taken together, these data indicate a considerable disease burden and biologic aggressiveness of aKSC

Ganglion Cysts of the Proximal Tibiofibular Joint: Low Risk of Recurrence After Total Cyst Excision

BACKGROUND: Peroneal nerve neuropathy due to compression from tumors or tumor-like lesions such as ganglion cysts is rare. Few case series have been published and reported local recurrence rates are high, while secondary procedures are frequently employed. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What are the demographics of patients with ganglion cysts of the proximal tibiofibular joint, and what proportion of them present with intraneural cysts and peroneal nerve palsy? (2) What Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scores do patients with this condition achieve after decompression surgery with removal of the ganglion cyst, but no arthrodesis of the tibiofibular joint? (3) What proportion of patients experience local recurrence after surgery? METHODS: Between 2009 to 2018, 30 patients (29 primary cases) were treated for chronic peroneal palsy or neuropathy due to ganglion cysts of the proximal tibiofibular joint at two tertiary orthopaedic medical centers with total resection of the cystic lesion. MRI with contrast and electromyography (EMG) were performed preoperatively in all patients. The minimum follow-up for this series was 1 year (median 48 months, range 13 to 120); 14% (4 of 29) were lost to follow-up before that time. The MSTS score was recorded preoperatively, at 6 weeks postoperatively, and at most-recent follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 90% of the patients were male (26 of 29 patients) and the median age was 67 years (range 20 to 76). In all, 17% (5 of 29) were treated due to intraneural ganglia. Twenty-eight percent (8 of 29) presented with complete peroneal palsy (foot drop). The mean MSTS score improved from 67 ± 12% before surgery to 89 ± 12% at 6 weeks postoperative (p < 0.001) and to 92 ± 9% at final follow up (p = 0.003, comparison with 6 weeks postop). All patients improved their scores. A total of 8% (2 of 25 patients) experienced local recurrence after surgery. CONCLUSION: Ganglion cysts of the proximal tibiofibular joint occurred more often as extraneural lesions in older male patients in this small series. Total excision was associated with improved functional outcome and low risk of neurologic damage and local recurrence, and we did not use any more complex reconstructive procedures. Tendon transfers may be performed simultaneously in older patients to stabilize the ankle joint, while younger patients may recover after decompression alone, although larger randomized studies are needed to confirm our preliminary observations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic study. Copyright © 2020 by the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons