Cardiac tumor biopsy under the guidance of intracardiac echocardiography. (1/17)

Transthoracic echocardiography or transesophageal echocardiography is sometimes useful in intracardiac tumor biopsy. Intracardiac echocardiography was used as an alternative to either of these for performing a biopsy of a right cardiac tumor in a 79-year-old woman. The procedure was well tolerated and no complications occurred. Histopathological findings and immunohistological staining were compatible with the diagnosis of neurogenic sarcoma.  (+info)

Case report of schwannoma of the rectum--clinical and pathological contribution. (2/17)

The case of benign schwannoma of the rectum primarily misdiagnosed as myogenic (neurogenic?) sarcoma is presented. A large tumor of 8 cm in diameter of the anterior rectal wall was removed with wide margins and an artificial anus was constructed. During 12 years of follow-up neither local recurrence nor distant metastases were observed. The patient is still alive and free of the disease. For that reason a surgery specimen of the tumor was pathologically reanalyzed and it showed features of type Antoni A and B tissues. These findings, together with strong reactivity for S-100 protein, Vimentin and negative for Actin supported the diagnosis of benign schwannoma. Because the localization of the tumor in the rectum is extremely rare, clinical and pathological features are presented and discussed.  (+info)

Malignant schwannoma of the sciatic nerve originating in a spinal plexiform neurofibroma associated with neurofibromatosis type 1--case report. (3/17)

A 26-year-old man with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) presented with a giant malignant schwannoma of the sciatic nerve. The differential diagnosis of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) was based on clinical, radiological, and histological evidence. The tumor apparently originated in a spinal plexiform neurofibroma. The lesion was resected totally without neural damage to the sciatic nerve. However, the tumor recurred within 2 months. The patient died of unknown factors probably associated with the spinal involvement. MPNST associated with NF1 has a poor prognosis due to recurrence or metastasis despite complete macroscopic removal.  (+info)

Metastatic disease of the proximal femur. (4/17)

Since January 1999, ten patients had undergone surgical treatment for metastatic bony lesions of proximal femur at this centre. Seven of these patients were treated for complete pathological fractures, one for impending fracture and one for revision of internal fixation and loosening of hemiarthroplasty. Primary malignancies were located in breast in four cases, prostate in three and one in lung, thyroid and neurofibrosarcoma. Two patients had died within six months after surgery, four after 1 year while the remaining four were still alive. The mean duration of survival was eleven months. Nine patients had been ambulating pain free and there were no failure of reconstruction.  (+info)

A study of the influence of newly synthesized acyclonucleosides and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives on deoxythymidine and deoxycytidine kinase activities in human neurofibrosarcoma and ovarian cancer. (5/17)

The influence of nine newly synthesized uracil acyclonucleosides, and 36 derivatives of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline on the activity of enzymes catalysing dTMP and dGMP synthesis, on the content of dTTP and dGTP in acid soluble fraction and on the incorporation of [14C]dThd and [14C ]dGuo into DNA in tumour homogenates was studied. The influence of the compounds was studied in the cytosol from intraoperatively excised human tumours - neurofibrosarcoma and ovarian cancer. It was shown that dTMP and dGMP synthesis is inhibited competitively by 34.1+/-4.0% in both types of tumours by 0.2 mM 1-N-(3'-hydroxypropyl)-6-methyluracil (1) and 0.2 mM 1-N-(3'-hydroxypropyl)- 5,6- tetramethyleneuracil (2). The mentioned acyclonucleosides reduced the content of dTTP and dGTP in the acid soluble fraction of tumours (59.7+/-3.1% of control). 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy- 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (3), 1-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (4) and 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (5) at 0.2 mM concentration caused a mixed type inhibition of the synthesis of dTMP and dGMP by, on average, 33.2+/-4.4%, and reduced the content of dTTP and dGTP in the acid soluble fraction (52.6+/-3.7% of control) but were active only in the cytosol of neurofibrosarcoma. While acyclonucleosides undergo phosphorylation in the cytosol by cellular kinases, with their triphosphates being active acyclonucleoside metabolites, active 1,3,4,5-tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives (compounds not containing a deoxyribose moiety), cannot be phosphorylated. ACN and THI derivatives which inhibit dThd and dCyd kinase activities, inhibit also the incorporation of [14C]dThd and [14C]dGuo (ACN - 50.2+/-2.7%, THI - 53.4+/-3.9% of incorporation inhibition) into tumour DNA. The obtained results point to the mechanism of uracil acyclonucleosides and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline biological activity consisting in inhibiting the synthesis of DNA components.  (+info)

Diagnosis, classification, and management of soft tissue sarcomas. (6/17)

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue sarcomas are challenging to oncologists due to their unique character, the infrequency of their occurrence, and the difficulties in predicting outcomes. Advances in imaging, as well as improvements in surgical techniques and adjunctive treatment methods, have improved care for patients with these unusual disorders. METHODS: The various types of soft tissue tumors are defined, and the statistics for the Orthopaedic Oncology Group in relation to them are reviewed and compared with literature references. RESULTS: The overall survival rate for 1,220 tumors treated at our institute from June 1972 to June of 2001 was 72%, with a wide range. Patients with leiomyosarcomas, clear cell sarcomas, and malignant fibrous histiocytomas had a poorer survival rate, while those with fibrosarcomas, liposarcomas, and neurofibrosarcomas fared better. Outcome was affected by patient age, tumor anatomic site, tumor stage, and a history of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Competent imaging, predictive immunological and genetic studies, improved surgery, and newer methods of adjunctive and neoadjunctive treatment should result in improvements in outcomes for patients with these tumors.  (+info)

Soft-tissue sarcomas in children and adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1. (7/17)

BACKGROUND: Patients affected by neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are at higher risk of developing soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) than the general population. The clinical findings and outcome in 43 children and adolescents with NF1 treated for STS in the Italian protocols between 1988 and 2004 are reported. METHODS: The study included 37 patients with neurogenic sarcomas (36 malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors [MPNST], 1 triton tumor) and 6 cases of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). The prevalence of NF1 observed during the study period was 43% in the MPNST population and 1% in the RMS group. RESULTS: Most patients with neurogenic sarcomas had large, invasive tumors. Five-year event-free and overall survival rates were 19% and 28%, respectively. Two of 16 patients with evaluable disease responded to chemotherapy. All 6 RMS patients were +info)

Could an osteoinductor result in degeneration of a neurofibroma in NF1? (8/17)

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