BACKGROUND: The clinicopathologic features of thymic epithelial tumors are inadequate as predictors of the progression of these tumors because of their heterogeneous histology and varied biological behavior. We attempted to detect the expression of tyrosine kinase receptors and oncogenic markers to determine the correlation between these markers and the WHO classification of the tumors. METHODS: Forty-three surgically resected thymic epithelial tumors (37 thymomas and 6 thymic carcinomas) were immunohistochemically assessed on tissue arrays for c-KIT, her-2/neu, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), p53. bcl-2 and Ki-67. RESULTS: The Ki-67 labeling index was significantly increased in thymic carcinoma (p<0.05). The overexpression of p53 protein was observed exclusively in type B3 thymoma (67%) and thymic carcinoma (83%). Bcl-2 was expressed in type A and AB thymomas as well as in thymic carcinoma. C-KIT was only present in thymic carcinoma (p<0.05), whereas the EGFR expression was significantly high in all types of thymomas, except for thymic carcinomas. Her-2/neu was not identified in any type of thymoma. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the Ki-67 LI, bcl-2, p53, c-KIT, and EGFR protein expression may be useful markers for the subclassification of thymic epithelial tumors according to WHO schema and WHO classification correlated with the tumor staging. The overexpression of c-KIT in thymic carcinoma reveals that these patients would likely benefit from an anti-c-KIT treatment.
Neoplasm Staging

Accurate staging of esophageal cancer is very important to achieving optimal treatment outcomes. The AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) first published TNM esophageal cancer staging recommendations in the first edition of their staging manual in 1977. Thereafter, the staging of esophageal cancer was changed many times over the years. This article reviews the current status of staging of esophageal cancer.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Joints ; Neoplasm Staging

Primary tumor resection (PTR) is currently recommended for patients with unresectable stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) who present symptoms related to their primary tumor (eg, obstruction, perforation, significant bleeding). The role of PTR in asymptomatic patients remains controversial. This article will review the role of PTR in incurable stage IV CRC, including the advantages and risks, with emphasis on identifying patients who may benefit from this palliative intervention.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognosis of breast carcinoma by comparison with X-ray mammographic findings, nuclear and histologic grade, and TNM staging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 114 cases(113 patients) of breast carcinoma, analysing X-ray mammographic findings of all cases with regard to mass, calcification, and spiculation. In 80 cases of scirrhous invasive ductal breast carcinoma, Black's nuclear and Bloom-Richardson's histologic grade were also evaluated. Mammographic findings and nuclear and histologic grade were compared with TNM staging which might suggest the prognosis of breast carcinoma. RESULTS: X-ray mammographic findings (mass, calcification and spiculation) did not significantly correlate with T staging, but the clinical staging of the spiculation was advanced. These X-ray findings did not significantly correlate with the nuclear grading and the histologic grading. Nuclear grade did not correlate with T and M staging, but correlated significantly with N staging and clinical stage(p<0.05). Histologic grade did not significantly correlate with TNM staging. CONCLUSION: The clinical staging of spiculation was advanced and nuclear grade correlated significantly with N stage and clinical staging. X-ray mammographic findings did not directly correlate with nuclear and histologic grading, but combined studies of the evaluation of mammographic findings and nuclear and histologic grade were useful for prognosing breast carcinoma.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Neoplasm Staging* ; Prognosis

Colon cancer may invade the adjacent organ in the absence of distant metastasis, which is called stage T4bM0 colon cancer according to the 7th edition of TNM staging system. It is not rare in clinical setting, and usually recognized intraoperatively. How to deal with this situation is a big challenge for the surgeons. It is difficult to distinguish between dense adhesion and cancerous invasion. Intraoperative biopsy should be avoided because of the risk of tumor cell dissemination and frozen often gives false-negative results. After evaluating the resectability of the tumor sufficiently, the surgeon should make every effort to do an en bloc multivisceral resection and to achieve a margin-free (R0) resection if there is no absolute contraindication. This effort will bring long-term prognosis benefit for the patients with stage cT4bM0 colon cancer.
Colonic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging

Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; classification ; Neoplasm Staging

OBJECTIVETo investigate expression of Her-2/neu (c-erbB-2) and its significance in ovarian epithelial tumors.

METHODS106 specimens and clinical history of ovarian epithelial tumors were collected including 54 cases of malignant, 33 cases of borderline and 19 benign cases. There were 19 cases of stages I and II and 35 cases of stages III and IV in ovarian carcinoma and all borderline malignant cases were stage I according to FIGO's standard. Immunohistochemical staining for Her-2/neu was performed by LSAB method.

RESULTSThe positives rates of Her-2/neu of benign, borderline and malignant tumors were 47.4% (9/19), 84.8% (28/33,), and 85.2% (46/54), respectively. Both borderline and malignant cases were found to have higher expression of Her-2/neu than those of benign cases (P < 0.02 and P < 0.01) respectively. Overexpression of Her-2/neu showed in 14/54 (25.9%) of malignant cases, 3/33 (9.1%) of borderline, and none of benign cases. Overexpression of Her-2/neu in malignant tumors cases with metastasis was higher than those without metastasis (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONOverexpression of Her-2/neu is associated with biological aggressiveness of ovarian cancer.

The concept of "diagnosis priority using the normalized methods" is the foundation for individualized treatment. A multidisciplinary team, including colorectal surgeons, radiologists and pathologists, should be established for the patients of mid-low rectal cancer. In order to ensure the scientific treatment strategies, reasonable methods of clinical imaging should be arranged to obtain precise clinical TNM staging of pre-therapy. Preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy should be performed for the patients of middle-low rectal cancer, whose cancer staging is cT3-4 or cN1-2. The emphasis of the seventh edition of AJCC TNM staging in rectal cancer is to determine what T3 carcinoma is. The basic principle of normalization of mid-low rectal cancer is to achieve R0 resection according to preoperative staging, and to administer comprehensive adjuvant therapy with the evaluation of pathological staging.
Humans ; Neoplasm Staging ; Rectal Neoplasms ; pathology

Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging

Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging