Shiho Asaka

Tumor Size and Computed Tomography Attenuation of Pulmonary Pure Ground-Glass Nodules Are Useful for Predicting Pathological Invasiveness

Objectives Pulmonary ground-glass nodules (GGNs) are occasionally diagnosed as invasive adenocarcinomas. This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological features of patients with pulmonary GGNs to identify factors predictive of pathological invasion. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 101 pulmonary GGNs resected between July 2006 and November 2013 and pathologically classified them as adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS; n = 47), minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA; n = 30), or invasive adenocarcinoma (I-ADC; n = 24). The age, sex, smoking history, tumor size, and computed tomography (CT) attenuation of the 3 groups were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to identify factors that could predict the presence of pathologically invasive adenocarcinomas. Results Tumor size was significantly larger in the MIA and I-ADC groups than in the AIS group. CT attenuation was significantly greater in the I-ADC group than in the AIS and MIA groups. In ROC curve analyses, the sensitivity and specificity of tumor size (cutoff, 11 mm) were 95.8% and 46.8%, respectively, and those for CT attenuation (cutoff, −680 HU) were 95.8% and 35.1%, respectively; the areas under the curve (AUC) were 0.75 and 0.77, respectively. A combination of tumor size and CT attenuation (cutoffs of 11 mm and −680 HU for tumor size and CT attenuation, respectively) yielded in a sensitivity and specificity of 91.7% and 71.4%, respectively, with an AUC of 0.82. Conclusions Tumor size and CT attenuation were predictive factors of pathological invasiveness for pulmonary GGNs. Use of a combination of tumor size and CT attenuation facilitated more accurate prediction of invasive adenocarcinoma than the use of these factors independently.

A case of MUC5AC-positive intraductal neoplasm of the pancreas classified as an intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm?

This report describes a unique case of intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm (ITPN) of the pancreas in order to clarify its oncogenesis and more precisely classify pancreatic intraductal neoplasms. A 74-year-old man visited our institution for follow-up of acute pancreatitis. Imaging examinations revealed a hypovascular intraductal mass in the head of the pancreas with progressive dilation of the pancreatic duct, atrophy of the pancreatic parenchyma, and a non-mucinous appearance. A pancreatoduodenectomy was performed to identify this pancreatic intraductal neoplasm. Macroscopically, the tumor was a solid nodular mass with no visibly secreted mucin obstructing the dilated ducts. Histologically, it had a homogeneous appearance with nodules of back-to-back tubular glands and occasional papillary elements, and there were no apparent transitions to areas with less marked cytoarchitectural atypia. Although the intraductal neoplastic growth corresponded to an ITPN, immunohistochemical staining revealed partial positivity for MUC5AC, for which ITPNs are characteristically negative. Somatic mutations in KRAS, GNAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA were not detected. A loss of MUC5AC expression and mutations in KRAS and GNAS are key elements in the diagnosis of ITPN. Thus, it was difficult to distinguish the present case as a pancreatobiliary-type (PB-type) intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) or a phenotypic variant of ITPN. As it is possible that some cases of PB-type IPMN and ITPN overlap, the precise classification of these rare lesions may require re-evaluation.

Clinical significance of preoperative serum albumin level for prognosis in surgically resected patients with non-small cell lung cancer: Comparative study of normal lung, emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis

OBJECTIVES This study was performed to clarify whether preoperative serum albumin level is related to the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing surgical resection, and the relationships between serum albumin level and clinicopathological characteristics of lung cancer patients with emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 556 patients that underwent surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer. The correlation between preoperative serum albumin level and survival was evaluated. Patients were divided into three groups according to the findings on chest high-resolution computed tomography (normal lung, emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis), and the relationships between serum albumin level and clinicopathological characteristics, including prognosis, were evaluated. RESULTS The cut-off value of serum albumin level was set at 4.2g/dL. Patients with low albumin levels (albumin <4.2) had significantly poorer prognosis than those with high albumin levels (albumin ≥4.2) with regard to both overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Serum albumin levels in the emphysema group (n=48) and pulmonary fibrosis group (n=45) were significantly lower than that in the normal lung group (n=463) (p=0.009 and <0.001, respectively). Low serum albumin level was a risk factor in normal lung and pulmonary fibrosis groups, but not in the emphysema group. CONCLUSION Preoperative serum albumin level was an important prognostic factor for overall survival and recurrence-free survival in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer. Divided into normal lung, emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis groups, serum albumin level showed no influence only in patients in the emphysema group.

Two patients with TAFRO syndrome exhibiting strikingly similar anterior mediastinal lesions with predominantly fat attenuation on chest computed tomography

We herein report on two middle-aged men with TAFRO (thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis or renal failure, and organomegaly) syndrome, a unique clinicopathological variant of multicentric Castleman׳s disease recently proposed in Japan. Strikingly similar anterior mediastinal fat swellings with soft tissue density were observed in the patients on chest computed tomography. In TAFRO syndrome, bilateral pleural effusion and slight lymph node swelling are common in the thoracic region; however, anterior mediastinal lesions have not been previously observed. Although the mechanisms of anterior mediastinal lesions have not been defined, these lesions seem to have a close relationship with TAFRO syndrome.

The Preoperative Composite Physiologic Index May Predict Mortality in Lung Cancer Patients with Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema

Background: It remains unclear whether the preoperative pulmonary function parameters and prognostic indices that are indicative of nutritional and immunological status are associated with prognosis in lung cancer patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) who have undergone surgery. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify prognostic determinants in these patients. Methods: The medical records of all patients with lung cancer associated with CPFE who had undergone surgery at Shinshu University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed to obtain clinical data, including the results of preoperative pulmonary function tests and laboratory examinations, chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and survival. Results: Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that a high pathological stage of the lung cancer, a higher preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level, and a higher preoperative composite physiologic index (CPI) were associated with a high risk of death. Multivariate analysis showed that a high pathological stage of the lung cancer (HR: 1.579; p = 0.0305) and a higher preoperative CPI (HR: 1.034; p = 0.0174) were independently associated with a high risk of death. In contrast, the severity of fibrosis or emphysema on chest HRCT, the individual pulmonary function parameters, the prognostic nutritional index, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were not associated with prognosis. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the log-rank test showed significant differences in survival between the high-CPI and the low-CPI group (p = 0.0234). Conclusion: The preoperative CPI may predict mortality and provide more powerful prognostic information than individual pulmonary function parameters in lung cancer patients with CPFE who have undergone surgery.

The histological characteristics and clinical outcomes of lung cancer in patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema

Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) is an important risk factor for lung cancer (LC), because most patients with CPFE are smokers. However, the histological characteristics of LC in patients with CPFE (LC‐CPFE) remain unclear. We conducted this study to explore the clinicopathological characteristics of LC‐CPFE. We retrospectively reviewed data from 985 patients who underwent resection for primary LC, and compared the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with LC‐CPFE and non‐CPFE LC. We identified 72 cases of LC‐CPFE, which were significantly associated with squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) histology (n = 46, P < 0.001) and higher tumor grade (n = 44, P < 0.001), compared to non‐CPFE LC. Most LC‐CPFE lesions were contiguous with fibrotic areas around the tumor (n = 59, 81.9%), and this association was independent of tumor location. Furthermore, dysplastic epithelium was identified in the fibrotic area for 31 (52.5%) LC‐CPFE lesions. Moreover, compared to patients with pulmonary fibrosis alone in the non‐CPFE group (n = 31), patients with CPFE were predominantly male (P = 0.008) and smokers (P < 0.001), with LC‐CPFE predominantly exhibiting SqCC histology (P = 0.010) and being contiguous with the tumor‐associated fibrotic areas (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that CPFE was an independent predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.734; 95% confidence interval: 1.060–2.791; P = 0.028). Our results indicate that LC‐CPFE has a distinct histological phenotype, can arise from the dysplastic epithelium in the fibrotic area around the tumor, and is associated with poor survival outcomes.

Structural Valve Deterioration of Porcine Bioprosthesis Soon after Mitral Valve Repair and Replacement

An 81-year-old woman, who had undergone mitral valve replacement (MVR) with a porcine bioprosthesis after mitral valve repair, presented with hemolysis 4 years and 6 months after MVR. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed trivial mitral regurgitation, which was diagnosed based on the observed perivalvular leakage. Hemolysis gradually increased, and she developed dyspnea and edema 2 years after the appearance of mitral regurgitation. We performed a reoperation. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) after intubation showed no perivalvular leakage of the mitral prosthesis, but transvalvular leakage through a leaflet perforation was present. The leaflets of the bioprosthesis had slit-shaped perforations at their hinges. There was no sign of infection on the leaflet or annulus. We implanted a new bioprosthesis after removal of the deteriorated valve. The postoperative course was uneventful. Microscopic examination verified collagen degeneration, histiocyte infiltration, and hyalinization. It is important to perform TEE to rule out structural valve deterioration (SVD) even when regurgitation occurs soon after valve replacement.

Utility of bronchial lavage fluids for epithelial growth factor receptor mutation assay in lung cancer patients: Comparison between cell pellets, cell blocks and matching tissue specimens

The detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations is necessary for the selection of suitable patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Cytology specimens are known to be suitable for EGFR mutation detection, although tissue specimens should be prioritized; however, there are limited studies that examine the utility of bronchial lavage fluid (BLF) in mutation detection. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the utility of BLF specimens for the detection of EGFR mutations using a conventional quantitative EGFR polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Initially, quantification cycle (Cq) values of cell pellets, cell-free supernatants and cell blocks obtained from three series of 1% EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer cell line samples were compared for mutation detection. In addition, PCR analysis of BLF specimens obtained from 77 consecutive NSCLC patients, detecting EGFR mutations was validated, and these results were compared with those for the corresponding formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens obtained by surgical resection or biopsy of 49 of these patients. The Cq values for mutation detection were significantly lower in the cell pellet group (average, 29.58) compared with the other groups, followed by those in cell-free supernatants (average, 34.15) and in cell blocks (average, 37.12) for all three series (P<0.05). Mutational status was successfully analyzed in 77 BLF specimens, and the results obtained were concordant with those of the 49 matching FFPE tissue specimens. Notably, EGFR mutations were even detected in 10 cytological specimens that contained insufficient tumor cells. EGFR mutation testing with BLF specimens is therefore a useful and reliable method, particularly when sufficient cancer cells are not obtained.

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma Associated with IgA Nephropathy

Few cases of IgA nephropathy with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) have been reported. We herein present the case of a 79-year-old Japanese man with AITL and IgA nephropathy. The patient presented with generalized edema, fatigue, and fever. Laboratory investigations revealed polyclonal gammopathy with a high level of IgA, microscopic hematuria, proteinuria, and some other immunological abnormalities. Computed tomography revealed generalized lymphadenopathy. A diagnosis of AITL and IgA nephropathy was made based on inguinal lymph node and renal biopsies. Following chemotherapy for AITL, the patients edema, microscopic hematuria, and proteinuria were alleviated. These findings indicate that IgA nephropathy may occur in AITL patients.

A case of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium infection in an immunocompetent patient who showed a huge consolidation with a high FDG uptake on PET/CT.

We encountered a middle-aged afebrile immunocompetent woman with a slight cough. Positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) revealed a broad left upper-lobe consolidation without cavity lesions, small nodules, or bronchiectasis showing a positive fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake with a maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of 26.9. Percutaneous needle lung biopsy specimens showed caseous granulomas without atypical cells and Mycobacterium avium was cultured from left pleural effusion, which developed after the biopsy. The consolidation significantly decreased following combination chemotherapy for approximately 2 years. Clinicians should remember that pulmonary M. avium infection could result in a large consolidation without other typical radiological findings.