Factors predicting survival in patients with proximal gastric carcinoma involving the esophagus

AIM:To investigate the clinicopathologic features which predict surgical overall survival in patients with proximal gastric carcinoma involving the esophagus (PGCE).METHODS:Electronic pathology database established in the Department of Pathology of the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital was searched for consecutive resection cases of proximal gastric carcinoma over the period from May 2004 through July 2009.Each retrieved pathology report was reviewed and the cases with tumors crossing the gastroesophageal junction line were selected as PGCE.Each tumor was re-staged,following the guidelines on esophageal adenocarcinoma,according to the 7th edition of the American Joint Commission on Cancer Staging Manual.All histology slides were studied along with the pathology report for a retrospective analysis of 13 clinicopathologic features,i.e.,age,gender,Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori ) infection,surgical modality,Siewert type,tumor Bormann's type,size,differentiation,histology type,surgical margin,lymphovascular and perineural invasion,and pathologic stage in relation to survival after surgical resection.Prognostic factors for overall survival were assessed with uniand multi-variate analyses.RESULTS:Patients' mean age was 65 years (range:47-90 years).The male:female ratio was 3.3.The 1-,3and 5-year overall survival rates were 87%,61% and 32%,respectively.By univariate analysis,age,male gender,H.pylori ,tumor Bormann's type,size,histology type,surgical modality,positive surgical margin,lymphovascular invasion,and pT stage were not predictive for overall survival;in contrast,perineural invasion (P = 0.003),poor differentiation (P = 0.0003),> 15 total lymph nodes retrieved (P = 0.008),positive lymph nodes (P = 0.001),and distant metastasis (P = 0.005) predicted poor post-operative overall survival.Celiac axis nodal metastasis was associated with significantly worse overall survival (P = 0.007).By multivariate analysis,≥ 16 positive nodes (P = 0.018),lymph node ratio > 0.2 (P = 0.003),and overall pathologic stage (P = 0.002) were independent predictors for poor overall survival after resection.CONCLUSION:Patients with PGCE showed worse overall survival in elderly,high nodal burden and advanced pathologic stage.This cancer may be more accurately staged as gastric,than esophageal,cancer.

Differences in HER2 over-expression between proximal and distal gastric cancers in the Chinese population

AIM: To investigate HER2 expression and its correlation with clinicopathological variables between proximal and distal gastric cancers (GC) in the Chinese population. METHODS: Immunostaining of HER2 was performed and scored on a scale of 0-3 in 957 consecutive GC cases, according to the revised scoring criteria of HercepTest TM as used in the ToGA trial. Correlations between HER2 expression and clinicopathologic variables of proximal (n = 513) and distal (n = 444) GC were investigated. RESULTS: Our results showed that HER2 expression was significantly higher in the proximal than in distal GC (P < 0.05). Overall, HER2 expression was significantly higher in male patients (P < 0.01), the Lauren intestinal type (P < 0.001), low-grade (P < 0.001) and pM1 (P < 0.01) diseases, respectively. There was a significant difference in HER2 expression among some pTNM stages (P < 0.05). In contrast, HER2 expression in the distal GC was significantly higher in male patients (P < 0.001), low-grade histology (P < 0.001), the Lauren intestinal type(P < 0.001), and pM1 (P < 0.001). In the proximal GC, however, higher HER2 expression scores were observed only in tumors with low-grade histology (P < 0.001) and the Lauren intestinal type (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: HER2 over-expression in GC of Chinese patients was significantly more common in proximal than in distal GC, and significantly correlated with the Lauren intestinal type and low-grade histology in both proximal and distal GC, and with pM1 disease and male gender in distal GC.

Mixed serous-neuroendocrine neoplasm of the pancreas: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Pancreatic mixed serous-neuroendocrine neoplasms(MSNNs)are mixed tumors containing two components with different pathologies,namely,pancreatic serous cystic neoplasm(PSCN)and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor(PanNET).For MSNNs,diffuse PSCN involving the whole pancreas is extremely rare,with only eight previous case reports.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old Chinese woman,with a free previous medical history and no obvious symptoms,was found to have a pancreatic neoplasm and admitted to our hospital for further diagnosis in March 2018.Abdominal palpation revealed a painless,mobile mass in the epigastrium,and no abnormalities were observed in an examination of the nervous system and ocular system.A computed tomography scan showed multiple cystic lesions involving the whole pancreas ranging in diameter from 0.4 to 2 cm and also revealed an enhanced mass,2.2 cm in diameter,in the head of the pancreas.Moreover,multiple cysts were found in the kidneys bilaterally,and the right lobe of the liver contained a small cyst.A Whipple operation with total pancreatectomy and splenectomy was performed.A diagnosis of pancreatic MSNN was established,consisting of diffuse serous microcystic cystadenoma with a concomitant grade 2 PanNET.Of note,the patient had no personal or family history of Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome or other disease.CONCLUSION We report the first case of MSNN with a diffuse PSCN component involving the entire pancreas in a Chinese woman.It is important to be aware of its relationship with VHL syndrome,and close clinical follow-up is recommended.

Radial Probe Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Lung Biopsy for Histopathological Diagnosis of Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia

INTRODUCTIONCryptogenic organizing pneumonia （COP） is a distinct type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia with a response rate of 65 85% on corticosteroid therapy. The difficulty of COP diagnosis is that the clinical features and the radiological findings are nonspecific. The pathological hallmark of organizing pneumonia （OP） needs to be confirmed. It can also occur in a variety of other interstitial pneumonia, infectious diseases, vasculitis, and so on. To increase the pathological reliability, larger and more tissue samples are required. According to the current classification of interstitial lung disease and guidelines, the surgical lung biopsy is recommended and is considered to be the best way of obtaining a representative lung specimen However, the invasive diagnostic procedures require general anesthesia and also increase the morbidity and mortality risks; therefore, only few patients undergo such biopsy. Thus, safer and more acceptable methods for identifying COP are urgently needed.

A Tuberous Sclerosis Family with TSC1 （c.1030-1G〉A） Mutation Found through a Female Presenting as Multiple Ground Glass Nodules in Chest Computed Tomography Incidentally

Chest computed tomography （CT） screening is becoming more popular in China. Therefore, more and more rare diseases and early stages of lung diseases were found. Here, we reported a case who presented as multiple ground glass nodules incidentally found in chest CT scan who had been suspected as synchronous multiple primary lung cancer （SMPLC） and/or metastatic cancer. She was finally diagnosed as tuberous sclerosis complex （TSC）, an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by the fort-nation of hanaartomatous lesions in the skin, eyes, kidney, and central nervous system. Tuberous sclerosis complex 1 （TSC1） gene mutation （c.1030-1G〉A） was found in her and her family members. This is a very rare report in China.