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JPGN Reports Feb 2024Filiform polyposis (FP) is a morphologic variant of pseudopolyposis associated with inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, namely, inflammatory bowel...
Filiform polyposis (FP) is a morphologic variant of pseudopolyposis associated with inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, namely, inflammatory bowel disease. Pediatric cases are uncommon in the literature. Here, we present a pediatric patient with FP arising from ulcerative colitis (UC). He initially presented at 7 years of age for an acute UC flare and was found to have classical pseudopolyposis. A follow-up colonoscopy at age 9 showed the evolution of classical pseudopolyposis to FP. The patient clinically improved with sulfasalazine monotherapy and remained in remission based on consistent pediatric ulcerative colitis activity index scores of zero and normal-range inflammatory markers. Repeat surveillance colonoscopy at age 14 showed persistent and diffuse FP in the background of healthy colonic mucosa. This case documents the development of FP from classical pseudopolyps in the setting of an asymptomatic patient in clinical remission.
PubMed: 38545267
DOI: 10.1002/jpr3.12020 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024This is a multicentric investigation involving two Italian centers that examined the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients receiving biological therapy targeting type...
This is a multicentric investigation involving two Italian centers that examined the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients receiving biological therapy targeting type 2 inflammation and those not receiving biologicals. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the management of respiratory and allergic disorders and the potential impact of biological therapy in the most severe forms has been a point of uncertainty. Our multicentric investigation aimed to compare the clinical course of COVID-19 and the impact of vaccination in an Italian cohort of patients with atopic disorders caused by a type 2 inflammation, such as eosinophilic asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), atopic dermatitis (AD), and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). A questionnaire was given to patients coming to our outpatient clinic for the first evaluation or follow-up visit, asking for the clinical characteristics of the infection, the ongoing therapy during the infection, any relevant change, and the patient's vaccination status. We enrolled 132 atopic patients from two Italian centers; 62 patients were on biological therapy at the time of infection (omalizumab 31%, mepolizumab 26%, benralizumab 19%, and dupilumab 24%). The median age was 56 (IQR 22.8) for patients on biologicals and 48 (IQR 26.5) for those not on biologicals ( = 0.028). The two groups were comparable in terms of sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, and systemic oral corticosteroid use (OCS). There were no significant differences in non-biological therapy and comorbidity between the two groups. The patients not on biological therapy had a prevalence of 87% for asthma, 52% for CRSwNP, 10% for CSU, and 6% for AD. The patients on biologicals had a prevalence of 93% for asthma, 17% for CRSwNP, and 10% for CSU. In our work, we observed that mAbs targeting type 2 inflammation in patients with COVID-19 appeared to be safe, with no worsening of symptoms, prolongation of infection, or increase in hospitalizations. Between the two groups, there were no significant differences in the duration of swab positivity ( = 0.45) and duration of symptoms ( = 0.38). During COVID-19, patients on biologicals experienced a significant increase in common cold-like symptoms ( = 0.038), dyspnea ( = 0.016), and more, but not significant, asthma exacerbations, with no significant differences between the different biologicals. Regarding the vaccination status, we observed that there was an increased number of hospitalizations among unvaccinated patients in both groups, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. No patients on biologicals reported safety issues or adverse effects associated with the use of biological treatments during COVID-19. Our investigation showed that mAbs against type 2 inflammation given during Coronavirus Disease 2019 are safe and do not impact the clinical course or main outcomes. Therefore, we found no signals suggesting that anti-Th2 biological therapy should be discontinued during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Controlled studies and analysis, including data from registries and real-life studies, are required to draw firm conclusions regarding the safety or possible advantages that anti-type 2 mAbs could offer in particular clinical contexts, such as infections.
PubMed: 38541703
DOI: 10.3390/life14030378 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Mar 2024: Real-life data on the efficacy of biologic agents (BAs) on asthma-comorbid CRSwNP are needed. Our primary goal is to investigate the effects of BAs on CRSwNP symptoms,...
: Real-life data on the efficacy of biologic agents (BAs) on asthma-comorbid CRSwNP are needed. Our primary goal is to investigate the effects of BAs on CRSwNP symptoms, as well as endoscopic and tomography scores. Our secondary goal is to show a reduction in the frequency of acute sinusitis exacerbations and the need for surgery. : We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, real-life study. We screened the patients with asthma-comorbid CRSwNP treated with omalizumab or mepolizumab. A total of 69 patients (40 F/29 M; omalizumab n = 55, mepolizumab n = 14) were enrolled. We compared the visual analog scale (VAS), sinonasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22), nasal congestion score (NCS), Lund-Mackay computed tomography score (LMS), and total endoscopic polyp scores (TPS) before and after BAs. We evaluated the endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis (AECRS) frequencies separately, according to the BAs. The overall median (min-max) age was 43 (21-69) years. The median (min-max) of biologic therapy duration was 35 (4-113) months for omalizumab and 13.5 (6-32) for mepolizumab. Significant improvements were seen in VAS, SNOT-22, and NCS with omalizumab and mepolizumab. A significant decrease was observed in TPS with omalizumab [95% CI: 0-4] ( < 0.001), but not with mepolizumab [95% CI: -0.5-2] ( = 0.335). The frequency of ESS and AECRS were significantly reduced with omalizumab [95% CI: 2-3] ( < 0.001) and [95% CI: 2-5] ( < 0.001); and mepolizumab [95% CI: 0-2] ( = 0.002) and [95% CI: 2-8.5] ( < 0.001), respectively. There was no significant difference in LMS with either of the BAs. Omalizumab and mepolizumab can provide a significant improvement in the sinonasal symptom scores. BAs are promising agents for CRSwNP patients with frequent exacerbations and multiple surgeries.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Humans; Middle Aged; Asthma; Chronic Disease; Nasal Polyps; Omalizumab; Retrospective Studies; Rhinosinusitis; Sinusitis; Turkey; Male; Female; Young Adult
PubMed: 38541174
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60030448 -
Dermatopathology (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024This case report describes a case of a patient with MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP), who presented with multiple sebaceomas in a Muir-Torre-like phenotype. MAP is...
This case report describes a case of a patient with MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP), who presented with multiple sebaceomas in a Muir-Torre-like phenotype. MAP is caused by mutations in MUTYH, a base excision repair gene responsible for detecting and repairing the 8-oxo-G:A transversion caused by reactive oxygen species. MAP is associated with an increased risk of developing adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer. Muir-Torre syndrome is a clinical phenotype of Lynch syndrome, which presents with multiple cutaneous sebaceous neoplasms. Lynch syndrome, like MAP, increases the likelihood of developing colorectal cancer but with a different pathogenesis and mode of inheritance. This case demonstrates that in a patient presenting with multiple sebaceous neoplasms, further workup and genetic testing may be indicated, not only for Muir-Torre and Lynch syndrome but also for MAP.
PubMed: 38534264
DOI: 10.3390/dermatopathology11010011 -
European Annals of Allergy and Clinical... Mar 2024Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory disease that affects the nasal mucosa and the paranasal sinuses. CRS can be associated by nasal polyposis (CRSwNP...
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory disease that affects the nasal mucosa and the paranasal sinuses. CRS can be associated by nasal polyposis (CRSwNP phenotype) in up to 30% of patients and it is frequently associated with bronchial asthma. CRSwNP shows predominantly an underlying activation of type 2 inflammatory pathways with the involvement of eosinophils, IgE, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13. Biological drugs that target these inflammatory cytokines are currently a therapeutic option recognized by guidelines for the treatment of uncontrolled form of the disease. As part of the activity of the "ARIA-Italy" working group, a panel of 255 Italian Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists, pneumologists and immuno-allergologists actively participated in this national survey and answered a series of questions geared toward understanding the main criteria for patient characterization and therapeutic decision, highlighting multidisciplinarity, and the implementation of the management of CRSwNP patients, as a part of the precision medicine concept and the appropriate use of the biologicals. Two hundred and fifty-five experts and specialists participated in the survey. The results of this survey obtained from an extensive number of active specialists throughout Italy allow some important concluding remarks to be drawn. The main points of agreement were that multidisciplinary care teams provide many benefits but that, once the team is established, meetings and communication between members must be coordinated. Finally, the dissemination of national disease registries and the continuous updating of guidelines and position papers related to CRSwNP and comorbidities should be encouraged.
PubMed: 38534135
DOI: 10.23822/EurAnnACI.1764-1489.338 -
Hereditary Cancer in Clinical Practice Mar 2024Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) are two rare types of adrenal gland malignancies. Regarding hereditary tumors, some patients... (Review)
Review
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) are two rare types of adrenal gland malignancies. Regarding hereditary tumors, some patients with ACC are associated with with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), and those with PPGL with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. Recent studies have expanded this spectrum to include other types of hereditary tumors, such as Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis. Individuals harboring germline TP53 pathogenic variants that cause LFS have heterogeneous phenotypes depending on the respective variant type. As an example, R337H variant found in Brazilian is known as low penetrant. While 50-80% of pediatric ACC patients harbored a LFS, such a strong causal relationship is not observed in adult patients, which suggests different pathophysiologies between the two populations. As for PPGL, because multiple driver genes, such as succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-related genes, RET, NF1, and VHL have been identified, universal multi-gene germline panel testing is warranted as a comprehensive and cost-effective approach. PPGL pathogenesis is divided into three molecular pathways (pseudohypoxia, Wnt signaling, and kinase signaling), and this classification is expected to result in personalized medicine based on genomic profiles. It remains unknown whether clinical characteristics differ between cases derived from genetic predisposition syndromes and sporadic cases, or whether the surveillance strategy should be changed depending on the genetic background or whether it should be uniform. Close cooperation among medical genomics experts, endocrinologists, oncologists, and early investigators is indispensable for improving the clinical management for multifaceted ACC and PPGL.
PubMed: 38532453
DOI: 10.1186/s13053-024-00276-6 -
Journal of Medical Genetics Jun 2024Mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) is a characteristic feature of cancers linked to Lynch syndrome. However, in most cases, it results from sporadic somatic events rather...
BACKGROUND
Mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) is a characteristic feature of cancers linked to Lynch syndrome. However, in most cases, it results from sporadic somatic events rather than hereditary factors. The term 'Lynch-like syndrome' (LLS) has been used to guide colorectal cancer surveillance for relatives of individuals with a dMMR tumour when somatic and germline genomic testing is uninformative. As the assessment of mismatch repair through immunohistochemistry and/or microsatellite instability is increasingly applied across various tumour types for treatment planning, dMMR is increasingly detected in tumours where suspicion of hereditary aetiology is low. Our objective was to establish current practices and develop national guidance for investigating, and managing relatives of, patients with cancers demonstrating unexplained dMMR.
METHODS
This was achieved through a virtual consensus meeting involving key stakeholders from the UK, through premeeting surveys, structured discussions and in-meeting polling to formulate best practice guidance.
RESULTS
We identified variability in the availability of diagnostic technologies across specialist centres. It was agreed that equitable access to baseline testing is required, acknowledging the need for a pragmatic approach to investigating dMMR cancers not traditionally associated with Lynch syndrome. Factors such as family history, age, tumour type, protein loss pattern and extent of the investigation were deemed crucial in guiding family management. The term 'unexplained dMMR' was recommended over LLS.
CONCLUSION
Decisions regarding investigations and future cancer risk management in patients and relatives should be nuanced, considering factors like clinical suspicion of hereditary predisposition to allocate limited resources efficiently and avoid unnecessary investigations in low-suspicion families.
Topics: Humans; United Kingdom; DNA Mismatch Repair; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis; Consensus; Colorectal Neoplasms; Microsatellite Instability; Genetic Testing; Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Brain Neoplasms
PubMed: 38531626
DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2024-109886 -
Zhonghua Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi = Zhonghua... Jan 2024To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of duodenal-type follicular lymphoma (D-FL), and to deepen the understanding of Duodenal-type follicular...
To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of duodenal-type follicular lymphoma (D-FL), and to deepen the understanding of Duodenal-type follicular lymphoma. The clinical symptoms, endoscopic features, pathologic features, immunophenotype, molecular pathological features and treatment follow-up of 18 D-FL patients diagnosed in Department of Pathology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University between January 2020 and July 2023 were summarized. A total of 18 patients with D-FL were included, including 10 males and 8 females. The median age was 49 (32-69) years respectively. Most of the patients were found during gastroenteroscopy or presented with the common gastrointestinal symptoms of stomach pain, acid reflux, vomiting and diarrhea. Most endoscopic findings were multiple small gray and white polyposis. In the pathological morphology, the mucous layer and submucous layer showed lymphoid follicular structures with full and strained follicles. The immunophenotype showed that the tumor cells strongly expressed CD20 and BCL2 and had low proliferation activity. Immunoglobulin clonal analysis of 1 case showed IgK monoclonal rearrangement (1/1). FISH showed 1 case of BCL2 gene rearrangement (1/3). All patients did not receive targeted chemotherapy and adopted a wait-and-see strategy. Median follow-up was 12 (2-34) months. This study shows that D-FL is an indolent lymphoma, which tends to occur in the duodenum and has a good prognosis.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Lymphoma, Follicular; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
PubMed: 38527846
DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121090-20230915-00125 -
AACE Clinical Case Reports 2024Cribriform-morular thyroid carcinoma (CMTC) was considered a variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) but is a separate entity in the 2022 World Health Organization...
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE
Cribriform-morular thyroid carcinoma (CMTC) was considered a variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) but is a separate entity in the 2022 World Health Organization classification. CMTC has an association with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Our objective is to report a case of CMTC who was subsequently diagnosed with FAP, to highlight these associated entities and implications for management.
CASE REPORT
A 15-year-old female with a history of iron-deficiency anemia and alpha-gal syndrome presented with several years of goiter and dysphagia. She also noted unintentional weight loss, abdominal pain, melena and hematochezia, and symptomatic anemia. Physical examination was significant for multiple thyroid nodules. Laboratory results revealed normal thyroid function and iron deficiency. Multiple nodules were visualized on thyroid ultrasound, and fine needle aspiration biopsy was consistent with PTC. Total thyroidectomy was performed with a revised diagnosis of multifocal CMTC, with administration of adjuvant radioactive iodine due to persistent disease. Genetic testing confirmed FAP and she was referred for upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and an evaluation for colectomy.
DISCUSSION
There are no best practice guidelines for management of CMTC. Management of CMTC is guided by FAP status; sporadic cases can be managed with hemithyroidectomy, while FAP-associated cases are better managed with total thyroidectomy. Recurrence is usually managed with surgical resection. The decision to treat with adjuvant radioactive iodine is often extrapolated from management of classic PTC.
CONCLUSION
Thyroid carcinoma in the setting of extensive family history of colorectal carcinoma should arouse suspicion for CMTC. Patients with CMTC should receive a referral for colonoscopy and genetic testing for FAP.
PubMed: 38523848
DOI: 10.1016/j.aace.2024.01.002 -
Seizure Mar 2024The APC2 gene, encoding adenomatous polyposis coli protein-2, is involved in cytoskeletal regulation in neurons responding to endogenous extracellular signals and plays...
OBJECTIVES
The APC2 gene, encoding adenomatous polyposis coli protein-2, is involved in cytoskeletal regulation in neurons responding to endogenous extracellular signals and plays an important role in brain development. Previously, the APC2 variants have been reported to be associated with cortical dysplasia and intellectual disability. This study aims to explore the association between APC2 variants and epilepsy.
METHODS
Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed in cases (trios) with epilepsies of unknown causes. The damaging effects of variants were predicted by protein modeling and in silico tools. Previously reported APC2 variants were reviewed to analyze the genotype-phenotype correlations.
RESULTS
Four pairs of compound heterozygous missense variants were identified in four unrelated patients with epilepsy without brain malformation/intellectual disability. All variants presented no or low allele frequencies in the controls. The missense variants were predicted to be damaging by silico tools, and affect hydrogen bonding with surrounding amino acids or decreased protein stability. Patients with variants that resulted in significant changes in protein stability exhibited more severe and intractable epilepsy, whereas patients with variants that had minor effect on protein stability exhibited relatively mild phenotypes. The previously reported APC2 variants in patients with complex cortical dysplasia with other brain malformations-10 (CDCBM10; MIM: 618677) were all truncating variants; in contrast, the variants identified in epilepsy in this study were all missense variants, suggesting a potential genotype-phenotype correlation.
SIGNIFICANCE
This study suggests that APC2 is potentially associated with epilepsy without brain malformation/intellectual disability. The genotype-phenotype correlation helps to understand the underlying mechanisms of phenotypic heterogeneity.
Topics: Humans; Intellectual Disability; Epilepsy; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mutation, Missense; Phenotype; Malformations of Cortical Development; Cytoskeletal Proteins
PubMed: 38523034
DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2024.03.006