Clinicopathologic features of two rare cases of mesenchymal metastatic tumors in the pancreas: Review of the literature

OBJECTIVES: A clinicopathologic presentation of 2 unusual cases of metastatic mesenchymal neoplasms in the pancreas. METHODS: The first case concerns a 26-year-old man with a history of intracranial mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (since the age of 17), 2 left lung operations, and 3 right thigh operations. Distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy was performed because of suspicious mass in the pancreas. The second case concerns a 66-year-old woman with a history of uterus leiomyosarcoma (10 years ago) with left axillary and right femoral metastases. She underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy because of suspicious mass measuring 4 × 4 cm, in the pancreatic body. RESULTS: In the first case, the pathological examination revealed a tumor measuring 3.8 × 3.5 cm and histologically compatible with mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, developing in a vessel lumen and invading into the pancreatic parenchyma. In the second case, the pathological examination showed metastatic leiomyosarcoma of high-grade malignancy. The incidence of metastatic pancreatic tumors has been reported to be only 1.6% to 3%. Most of these tumors were of epithelial origin, and the most common sites of the primary lesions were the lung, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract. CONCLUSIONS: The cases of metastatic uterus leiomyosarcoma and the metastatic intracranial chondrosarcoma are, to our knowledge, the first to be described. Copyright © 2006 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Refractive changes after intravitreal ranibizumab injections for diabetic macular oedema

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate refractive changes after intravitreal ranibizumab injections for the treatment of diabetic macular oedema. Methods: Participants in this retrospective study were 35 patients (35 eyes) with diabetic macular oedema, who received intravitreal ranibizumab injections. Spherical equivalent refractive power was evaluated before treatment and at least one month after the last injection where no fluid existed. Demographic characteristics, visual acuity, central retinal thickness and the number of injections were recorded and analysed. Results: The spherical equivalent refractive power did not differ significantly pre- or post-injections. Changes in visual acuity and central retinal thickness were statistically significant before and after injections. Conclusions: Intravitreal ranibizumab injections did not seem to affect the refractive power of patients with diabetic macular oedema. Therefore, appropriate spectacle correction can be prescribed any time during ongoing treatment with ranibizumab injections. © 2017 Optometry Australi

CD56 as a useful marker in the regenerative process of the histological progression of primary biliary cirrhosis

Objective Owing to recent contradicting results in the study of the regenerative process after hepatic injury in primary biliary cirrhosis, we investigated the use of CD56 in tissue repair during the histological progression of primary biliary cirrhosis. Methods Fifty-three specimens were classified into Ludwig's stages (1-4) as follows: 14 specimens as stage 1, 23 as stage 2, 14 as stage 3, and two as stage 4. Immunohistochemical stain was performed for CD56. The cell types expressing the marker were morphologically analyzed to determine their origin. Results In normal liver biliary epithelial cells (including the epithelium of terminal bile ducts and bile ductules), hepatocytes, and intermediate cells (features between hepatocytes and biliary cells, distributed in interface between hepatic parenchyma and portal tract) were CD56-. In primary biliary cirrhosis specimens, biliary epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and intermediate cells were CD56+ distributed as 10 out of 14 cases as stage 1 (71.43%), 18 out of 23 as stage 2 (78.26%), nine out of 14 as stage 3 (64.28%), and two out of two as stage 4 (100%). The total positive cases were 39 of 53 (73.58%). CD56 was expressed equally in all three types of cells. Conclusion These findings indicate that the consistent and uniform expression of CD56 in biliary epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and intermediate cells during hepatic injury in primary biliary cirrhosis is probably related to cellular damage and may be important in tissue regeneration. Furthermore, we cannot distinguish a specific cell type from the three above mentioned ones (biliary epithelial cells, hepatocytes, intermediate cells) as a putative stem cell in primary biliary cirrhosis. © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Needle tract seeding after vacuum-assisted breast biopsy

Background: A matter of substantial concern regarding all needle biopsy techniques is seeding along the biopsy needle tract. Purpose: To assess cell seeding along the needle tract of vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB). Material and Methods: The study included 21 patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 10 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) diagnosed by VABB for nonpalpable mammographic lesions. VABB (11G, on a Fischer table) was performed, and the duration of the procedure was measured. After surgery, the whole needle tract was embedded in paraffin blocks, stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and examined by a pathologist. Results: Cases with dissemination of cancer cells in the needle tract were not observed (one-sided 97.5% CI 010.0%). In 2/31 (6.5%) cases (95% CI 0.821.4%), benign epithelial cell displacement was observed, and the duration of VABB was significantly longer in these two cases (52.5±3.5min vs. 42.0±4.4min for cases without benign cell displacement; P = 0.018, Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test for independent samples). Conclusion: No displacement of malignant cells within the 11G needle tract was documented. Benign cell displacement was associated with longer VABB duration. The phenomenon of tumor cell dissemination along the needle tract is of questionable clinical significance when the treatment guidelines are followed. © 2008 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved