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Background Malignant extrarenal rhabdoid tumor of the gastrointestinal tract is rarely reported in the literature. It is characterized by poor prognosis and aggressive metastatic features. A literature review evidenced only 19 cases, with poor outcome. Case presentation We report a case of a colonic “pure” malignant extrarenal rhabdoid tumor with metastatic nodes in a 65-year-old Caucasian man. He was treated surgically with no recurrence, no adjuvant chemotherapy, and with 4-year survival without disease at the time of the submission of this article. Conclusions We present an extraordinary case of long-term survival due to the extended surgical treatment. We believe that the absence of organ metastasis at presentation is a positive prognostic factor, although pathology confirmed node involvement (13/38 positive) on microscopy.

The near-infrared-IIb (NIR-IIb) (1,500–1,700 nm) window is ideal for deep-tissue optical imaging in mammals, but lacks bright and biocompatible probes. Here, we developed biocompatible cubic-phase (α-phase) erbium-based rare-earth nanoparticles (ErNPs) exhibiting bright downconversion luminescence at ~1,600 nm for dynamic imaging of cancer immunotherapy in mice. We used ErNPs functionalized with cross-linked hydrophilic polymer layers attached to anti-PD-L1 (programmed cell death-1 ligand-1) antibody for molecular imaging of PD-L1 in a mouse model of colon cancer and achieved tumor-to-normal tissue signal ratios of ~40. The long luminescence lifetime of ErNPs (~4.6 ms) enabled simultaneous imaging of ErNPs and lead sulfide quantum dots emitting in the same ~1,600 nm window. In vivo NIR-IIb molecular imaging of PD-L1 and CD8 revealed cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment in response to immunotherapy, and altered CD8 signals in tumor and spleen due to immune activation. The cross-linked functionalization layer facilitated 90% ErNP excretion within 2 weeks without detectable toxicity in mice.

Collision tumors are rare neoplasms which consist of two or more distinct neoplasms that develop adjacent to one another and coexist with no or minimal intermingling between them. Their diagnosis is often incidental and their behavior remains widely unknown. Several theories have been proposed regarding their pathogenesis. The objective of this study was the evaluation of current evidence on collision tumors of the gastrointestinal tract regarding their pathology, biological behavior and treatment approach. The PubMed and Cochrane bibliographical databases were searched from January 1997 to July 2018 (last search: July 5th, 2018) for studies reporting on collision tumors of the gastrointestinal tract that also included a therapeutic approach. Forty-seven studies reporting on collision tumors of the gastrointestinal tract were identified. They reported collectively on 53 cases (43 males, 10 females) with collision tumors of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. The vast majority (96.2%) of tumors consisted of two distinct histological components and only two cases involved a greater number of histological subtypes. Fifty-one patients underwent a surgical or endoscopic tumor resection, accompanied in 22 cases by adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy. The remaining two patients underwent palliative operations. In total, three patients experienced immediate postoperative complications. Collision tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, despite their rare nature, constitute a quite interesting field of study. This review offers a thorough insight into the clinicopathological characteristics and biological behavior of these rare tumors.

Background Explosive tumor growth is characterized by rapid tumor growth in a short time period. Currently, there is no precise scientific definition for the condition, which is often accompanied with a poor clinical prognosis. Herein, we presented a study of a young patient with colon cancer who experienced explosive tumor growth. A clinical multidisciplinary team (MDT) collaborated with bioinformaticians to provide precise treatment and elucidate the biological mechanisms underpinning this growth. Methods A 28-year-old male patient diagnosed with colon cancer experienced explosive tumor growth. Peripheral bloods (PB) during immunotherapy were collected for immune cytokine analyses and flow cytometry assays on immune cell subsets. To further examine the underlying mechanisms of this explosive-growth, we conducted whole exome sequencing (WES) and RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) of samples taken at different time points. Results The patient was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome. We implemented an immunotherapy and performed PB immune cytokine assays before, during, and after this therapy. Our observations suggested that immunotherapy may remodel interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) signaling and enhance T cell-mediated immune responses. By exploring explosive tumor growth mechanisms, we observed that tumors had significantly less insertion and deletion (INDEL) mutations and INDEL-derived neoantigens. Additionally, they had deficient antigen presentation functions as characterized by decreased IFN-γ signaling activity. Conclusions Neoantigen loss and decreased IFN-γ signaling activity contributed to explosive tumor growth in this patient. Recovered IFN-γ signaling may lead to effective immunotherapy outcomes.

Osteosarcoma is a primary bone tumor. Although it is a rare disease in general, it is the most common primary bone tumor among children. Despite the significant advances made in the field of osteosarcoma treatment, the outcomes of this disease are still unfavorable. Besides, there is still no targeted therapy for osteosarcoma that can be used in clinical settings. Quercetin is a member of the phytochemical family which is used for different diseases including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Its anti-cancer effects are examined in many types of cancer including breast, colon, lung, prostate, and pancreatic cancers and have shown promising results. Herein, the studies dealing with the antitumor roles of quercetin in osteosarcoma are reviewed in this article. We take a look into quercetin’s ability to affect proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and chemo-resistance of the osteosarcoma cells through regulating protein expression and signaling pathways.

Background NTRK -rearranged spindle cell neoplasms constitute a novel, heterogeneous group of mesenchymal neoplasms originally described predominantly in soft tissue locations. They are commonly characterized by co-expression of S100 and CD34 immunostains and presence of NTRK fusions. While exceedingly rare, there are increasing reports of this lesion involving the gastrointestinal tract, presenting predominantly as large masses of the stomach, small bowel and colorectum. Case presentation We present a case of a 37-year-old male who on colonoscopy was found to have a one cm polyp of the sigmoid colon which was removed by hot snare polypectomy. Histologic examination revealed haphazardly arranged bland spindle cells with diffuse CD34 and S100 co-expression. A targeted Next-Generation RNA Fusion Assay identified a TPR :: NTRK1 fusion, confirming the diagnosis of low-grade NTRK -rearranged spindle cell neoplasm. The mucosal and deep margins were free of tumor. In contrast to the previously reported cases, the patient was managed with polypectomy and active surveillance, and remained disease-free at 14 months follow up. Conclusion This case contributes to the limited body of literature on gastrointestinal low-grade NTRK -rearranged spindle cell neoplasms and raises the possibility of endoscopic treatment consideration for carefully selected patients.

This study used a sonochemical synthesis method to prepare (La, Sm)-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The effect of incorporating these lanthanide elements on the structural, optical, and morphological properties of ZnO-NPs was analyzed. The cytotoxicity and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity of ZnO-NPs were evaluated against breast (MCF7) and colon (HT29) cancer cell lines. Their antioxidant activity was analyzed using a DPPH assay, and their toxicity towards Artemia salina nauplii was also evaluated. The results revealed that treatment with NPs resulted in the death of 10.559–42.546% and 18.230–38.643% of MCF7 and HT29 cells, respectively. This effect was attributed to the ability of NPs to downregulate ROS formation within the two cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. In the DPPH assay, treatment with (La, Sm)-doped ZnO-NPs inhibited the generation of free radicals at IC50 values ranging from 3.898 to 126.948 μg/mL. Against A. salina nauplii, the synthesized NPs did not cause death nor induce morphological changes at the tested concentrations. A series of machine learning (ML) models were used to predict the biological performance of (La, Sm)-doped ZnO-NPs. Among the designed ML models, the gradient boosting model resulted in the greatest mean absolute error (MAE) (MAE 9.027, R2 = 0.86). The data generated in this work provide innovative insights into the influence of La and Sm on the structural arrangement and chemical features of ZnO-NPs, together with their cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, and in vivo toxicity.

A 43-year-old man with sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma (low-grade, moderately) developed multiple pulmonary metastases, presenting an unusual immunohistochemical profile. Histologically, resected lung nodules showed metastatic adenocarcinoma consistent with colorectal origin, yet the tumor cells paradoxically expressed thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) – a marker typically specific to primary lung adenocarcinoma. Immunophenotyping demonstrated TTF-1 nuclear positivity in the metastatic tumor alongside a classic colorectal profile: cytokeratin 7 (CK7) negativity, cytokeratin 20 (CK20) positivity, strong caudal-type homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2) and special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) nuclear expression, and absence of Napsin A. The patient underwent surgical resection of the primary sigmoid colon tumor and received 16 cycles of capecitabine plus bevacizumab chemotherapy. Molecular testing revealed a KRAS c.35G > T (p.G12V) mutation in the tumor. This case highlights a potential diagnostic pitfall in metastatic colorectal cancer: aberrant TTF-1 expression can mimic a primary lung tumor. We discuss how the comprehensive immunohistochemical panel and genetic findings confirmed the colorectal origin of the lung lesions, emphasizing that combined marker profiles (TTF-1 +/CK7 –/CK20 +/CDX2 +/SATB2 +/Napsin A –) are more consistent with metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma rather than an enteric-type adenocarcinoma of the lung, primary. The report reviews relevant literature and underscores the importance of correlating clinical history with pathology to avoid misdiagnosis.

Background Individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) harbor numerous polyps with inevitable early progression to colon cancer. Complex microbiotic-tumor microenvironment perturbations suggest a dysbiotic relationship between polyp and microbiome. In this study, we performed comprehensive analyses of stool and tissue microbiome of pediatric FAP subjects and compared with unaffected cohabiting relatives through 16S V4 region amplicon sequencing and machine learning platforms. Results Within our FAP and control patient population, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the predominant phyla in the tissue and stool samples, while Proteobacteria dominated the polyp/non-polyp mucosa. A decline in Faecalibacterium in polyps contrasted with a decline in Bacteroides in the FAP stool. The alpha- and beta-diversity indices differed significantly within the polyp/non-polyp groups, with a concurrent shift towards lower diversity in polyps. In a limited 3-year longitudinal study, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria was higher in polyps compared to non-polyp and stool specimens over time. Through machine learning, we discovered that Archaeon_enrichment_culture_clone_A13 , Micrococcus_luteus, and Eubacterium_hallii in stool and PL-11B10, S1-80, and Blastocatellaceae in tissues were significantly different between patients with and without polyps. Conclusions Detection of certain bacterial concentrations within stool or biopsied polyps could serve as adjuncts to current screening modalities to help identify higher-risk patients.

Dedifferentiated liposarcomas are rare; localization of these tumors in the descending colon is extremely uncommon. We describe the case of a 75-year-old man with a dedifferentiated liposarcoma originating from the descending colon that manifested as partial bowel obstruction. The very uncommon presentation of this rare disease contributed to a challenging diagnostic process. The patient was successfully treated by surgical resection of the mass through left hemicolectomy. Although exceptionally unusual, soft tissue sarcomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis for bowel obstruction. Currently, radical resection of the mass is considered to be the first-line treatment.