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Capezzone M, Rossi M, Macerola E, Cantara S, Pepe F, Morabito EM, Dalmazio G, Bardi S, Ognibene A, Alessandri M, Materazzi G, De Napoli L, Cirianni M, Torregrossa L. Identification of a Novel Non-V600E BRAF Mutation in Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Case Rep Endocrinol 2024; 2024:6621510. [PMID: 38532782 PMCID: PMC10965284 DOI: 10.1155/2024/6621510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a common endocrine malignancy, and its incidence is reported to be constantly increasing. BRAF mutation is detected in approximately 44% of PTCs, and the most common BRAF mutation is thymine (T) to adenine (A) missense mutation in nucleotide 1796 (T1796A, V600E). Although BRAFV600E represents 95% of all BRAF mutations, uncommon BRAF mutations have been reported in thyroid carcinomas and represent an alternative mechanism of BRAF activation with unclear clinical significance. We report a novel non-V600E mutation (c.1799_1812delinsAT, p.V600_W604delinsD), identified preoperatively with next-generation sequencing (NGS) on the material obtained with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) performed on a thyroid nodule cytologically suspicious for malignancy in a 35-year-old male patient. The presence of this new variant of BRAF mutation was subsequently confirmed in the postoperative phase by direct Sanger sequencing. In conclusion, we report a new non-V600E variant previously undetected in papillary thyroid cancer. In addition, this case report shows that the NGS technique on cytological tissue allows to detect the presence of rare mutations, thus increasing the diagnostic specificity of molecular analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Capezzone
- UOSD of Endocrinology, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto 58100, Italy
| | - Maja Rossi
- UOS Molecular Pathology, Hospital Misericordia, Grosseto 58100, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Silvia Cantara
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Francesco Pepe
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Gilda Dalmazio
- UOSD of Endocrinology, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto 58100, Italy
| | - Sara Bardi
- UOS Molecular Pathology, Hospital Misericordia, Grosseto 58100, Italy
| | - Agostino Ognibene
- UOS Molecular Pathology, Hospital Misericordia, Grosseto 58100, Italy
| | | | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Division of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Luigi De Napoli
- Division of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Michele Cirianni
- UOS Molecular Pathology, Hospital Misericordia, Grosseto 58100, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
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Campennì A, Torregrossa L, Ruggeri RM, Ovčariček PP, Siracusa M, Giovanella L. Nodal metastasis in noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP). Endocrine 2024:10.1007/s12020-024-03719-1. [PMID: 38340243 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-024-03719-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The term noninvasive tumor with a follicular growth pattern and nuclear features of papillary thyroid cancer (NIFTP) is used to describe a tumor currently considered as a pre-malignant lesion for which a conservative therapeutic approach (i.e., lobectomy without radioiodine therapy) is strongly suggested. However, some patients with NIFTP and loco-regional or distant metastases have been already reported. We present an adult male patient with a final histological diagnosis of NIFTP and lymph node metastasis noted at post-therapy whole-body scintigraphy performed some days after radioiodine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Campennì
- Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rosaria Maddalena Ruggeri
- Department of Human Pathology of Adulthood and Childhood DETEV "G. Barresi", Endocrinology Unit, University of Messina, 98125, Messina, Italy
| | - Petra Petranović Ovčariček
- Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Massimiliano Siracusa
- Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luca Giovanella
- Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Cetani F, Pardi E, Torregrossa L, Borsari S, Pierotti L, Dinoi E, Marcocci C. Approach to the Patient With Parathyroid Carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023; 109:256-268. [PMID: 37531615 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is usually associated with severe symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and accounts for less than 1% of all cases of PHPT and approximately 0.005% of all cancers. PC most commonly occurs as a sporadic disease and somatic CDC73 mutations can be detected in up to 80% of cases. Approximately 30% of patients harbor a germline mutation of the CDC73 gene. Preoperative diagnosis of PC is difficult because no disease-specific markers are available, and PC should be suspected in patients with severe hypercalcemia and end-organ complications. The diagnosis is based on the evidence of invasive tumor growth at histology and/or metastases. En bloc resection of the tumor, together with the ipsilateral thyroid lobe and adjacent structures, should be performed by an experienced surgeon when PC is suspected. This surgical approach reduces the risk of recurrence and metastasis and offers the highest chance of cure. Nonetheless, PC has a recurrence rate of 40% to 60% and, if feasible, multiple surgical procedures should be performed. When surgery is no longer an option, medical treatment is aimed to reduce hypercalcemia and target organ complications. Targeted agents have been effectively used in a few cases. We describe herein a patient with severe PHPT due to PC and provide a systematic diagnostic and treatment approach. A thorough review of the medical history, a typical clinical and biochemical phenotype and, in some cases, the revision of the histological examination provide the clues for the diagnosis of PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filomena Cetani
- Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Elena Pardi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Simona Borsari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Pierotti
- Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Dinoi
- Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Marcocci
- Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Gambale C, Prete A, Contartese L, Torregrossa L, Bianchi F, Molinaro E, Materazzi G, Elisei R, Matrone A. Usefulness of second 131I treatment in biochemical persistent differentiated thyroid cancer patients. Eur Thyroid J 2023; 12:e230052. [PMID: 37855417 PMCID: PMC10620453 DOI: 10.1530/etj-23-0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Second 131I treatment is commonly performed in clinical practice in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer and biochemical incomplete or indeterminate response (BiR/InR) after initial treatment. Objective The objective of the is study is to evaluate the clinical impact of the second 131I treatment in BiR/InR patients and analyze the predictive factors for structural incomplete response (SiR). Patients and methods One hundred fifty-three BiR/InR patients after initial treatment who received a second 131I treatment were included in the study. The clinical response in a short- and medium- long-term follow-up was evaluated. Results After the second 131I treatment (median 8 months), 11.8% patients showed excellent response (ER), 17% SiR, while BiR/InR persisted in 71.2%. Less than half (38.5%) of SiR patients had radioiodine-avid metastases. Patients who, following the second 131I treatment, experienced SiR had larger tumor size and more frequently aggressive histology and vascular invasion than those experienced BiR/InR and ER. Also, the median values of thyroglobulin on levothyroxine therapy (LT4-Tg), Tg peak after recombinant human TSH stimulation (rhTSH-Tg) and thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) were significantly higher in patients who developed SiR. At last evaluation (median: 9.9 years), BiR/InR persisted in 57.5%, while 26.2% and 16.3% of the patients showed ER and SiR, respectively. About half of BiR/InR patients (71/153 (46.4%)) received further treatments after the second 131I treatment. Conclusions Radioiodine-avid metastatic disease detected by the second 131I is an infrequent finding in patients with BiR/InR after initial treatment. However, specific pathologic and biochemical features allow to better identify those cases with higher probability of developing SiR, thus improving the clinical effectiveness of performing a second 131I treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Gambale
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Lea Contartese
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Bianchi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Molinaro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Matrone A, Citro F, Gambale C, Prete A, Minaldi E, Ciampi R, Ramone T, Materazzi G, Torregrossa L, Elisei R. BRAF K601E Mutation in Oncocytic Carcinoma of the Thyroid: A Case Report and Literature Review. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6970. [PMID: 38002585 PMCID: PMC10672186 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12226970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common endocrine cancer, with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) being the most common subtype. BRAF and RAS oncogene were characterized as the most frequently altered genes in PTC, with a strong association between genotype and histotype. The most common mutation in BRAF gene is V600E and is prevalent in classic and aggressive variants of PTC, while BRAF K601E mutation is the most common among the other rare BRAF mutations. BRAF K601E mutated thyroid carcinomas are usually characterized by low aggressiveness, except for anecdotal cases of poorly differentiated TC. CASE PRESENTATION We described a case of oncocytic carcinoma of the thyroid (OCA) with an aggressive clinical course, including widespread metastasis and resistance to radioiodine treatment. Molecular analysis revealed the exclusive presence of the BRAF K601E mutation in both primary tumor and metastatic lesions. Accordingly, a revision of the literature about aggressive TC cases carrying BRAF K601E mutation was performed. CONCLUSION Although rare, this case emphasizes the relevance of considering BRAF K601E mutation in advanced non-PTC thyroid carcinomas, since it can be considered an actionable mutation for target therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Matrone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
| | - Fabrizia Citro
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
| | - Carla Gambale
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
| | - Elisa Minaldi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Endocrine Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pisa University Hospital, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, Pisa University Hospital, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University Hospital, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (R.E.)
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Sgrò D, Brancatella A, Greco G, Torregrossa L, Piaggi P, Viola N, Rago T, Basolo F, Giannini R, Materazzi G, Elisei R, Santini F, Latrofa F. Cytological and Ultrasound Features of Thyroid Nodules Correlate With Histotypes and Variants of Thyroid Carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023; 108:e1186-e1192. [PMID: 37265229 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Prognosis is excellent for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasia with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFT-P), and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) but is poor for poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). Among PTCs, the prognosis is more favorable for follicular (FV-PTC) and classic (CV-PTC) than for tall cell (TCV-PTC), and solid (SV-PTC) variants. OBJECTIVE To associate histotypes and variants of thyroid carcinoma with ultrasound and cytological features. METHODS Histology of 1018 benign tumors and 514 PTC (249 CV, 167 FV, 49 TC, 34 SV, and 15 other variants), 52 NIFT-P, 50 FTC, 11 PDTC, and 3 ATC was correlated with fine-needle aspiration biopsy categories (Italian classification: TIR1, TIR2, TIR3A, TIR3B, TIR4, and TIR5) and ultrasound features at the Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa. In total, 1117 patients with thyroid nodule(s) who underwent thyroidectomy were included. RESULTS Of PTC, 36.3% had indeterminate cytology (TIR3A or TIR3B), 56.6% were suspicious for malignancy or malignant (TIR4 or TIR5); 84.0% FTC and 69.3% NIFT-P were TIR3A or TIR3B; 72.5% FV-PTC and 73.6% SV-PTC were TIR3A or TIR3B; 79.9% CV-PTC and 95.9% TCV-PTC were TIR4 or TIR5. The association of a hypoechoic pattern, irregular margins, and no microcalcifications was more frequent in TCV-PTC than in CV-PTC (P = .02, positive predictive value = 38.9%; negative predictive value = 85.5%). CONCLUSION At cytology, most FTC, NIFT-P, FV-PTC, and SV-PTC were indeterminate, most CV-PTC and TCV-PTC were suspicious for malignancy or malignant. Ultrasound can be helpful in ruling out TCV-PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Sgrò
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Brancatella
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Greco
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Nicola Viola
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Rago
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Riccardo Giannini
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Latrofa
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Matrone A, Gambale C, Pieroni E, De Napoli L, Torregrossa L, Materazzi G, Elisei R. Ultrasound features and risk stratification system in NIFT-P and other follicular-patterned thyroid tumors. Eur J Endocrinol 2023; 189:175-182. [PMID: 37530386 DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvad095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFT-P) is an encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with nonaggressive clinical behavior. However, since its diagnosis is exclusively possible after surgery, it represents a clinical challenge. Neck ultrasound (US) shows good sensitivity and specificity in suggesting malignancy in thyroid nodules. However, little information is available about its ability in identifying NIFT-P. DESIGN The aim of this study was to evaluate the US features of NIFT-P, comparing them with other follicular-patterned thyroid tumors, and to test the ability of the main US risk stratification system (RSS) in identifying NIFT-P. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 403 consecutive patients submitted to thyroid surgery, with positive histology for at least 1 nodule being NIFT-P, follicular variant of PTC (FV-PTC), follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), or follicular adenoma (FA). RESULTS The US features of NIFT-P (n = 116), FV-PTC (n = 170), FTC (n = 76), and FA (n = 90) were reported. Follicular variant of PTC and FTC more frequently showed irregular margins, presence of calcifications, "taller than wide" shape, and the absence of halo compared with NIFT-P. Furthermore, FTC and also FA were larger and more frequently hypoechoic than NIFT-P. Most cases (77%) showed an indeterminate cytology. Regardless of the US RSS considered, NIFT-P and FA were less frequently classified in the high-suspicious category compared with FV-PTC and FTC. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound features of NIFT-P are frequently superimposable to those of nodules with low suspicion of malignancy. The NIFT-P is almost never classified in the high-suspicious category according to the main US RSS. Therefore, although the preoperative identification of NIFT-P remains a challenge, neck US can be integrated in the algorithm of management of nodules with indeterminate cytology, suggesting a possible conservative approach in those with low-suspicious features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Carla Gambale
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Erica Pieroni
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Luigi De Napoli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa 56124, Italy
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Ramone T, Romei C, Ciampi R, Casalini R, Valetto A, Bertini V, Raimondi F, Onoja A, Prete A, Matrone A, Gambale C, Piaggi P, Torregrossa L, Ugolini C, Elisei R. Chromosomal alterations in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma and correlation with outcome. Endocr Relat Cancer 2023:ERC-22-0251. [PMID: 37343157 DOI: 10.1530/erc-22-0251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Somatic Copy Number Alterations (SCNA) involving either a whole chromosome or just one of the arms, or even smaller parts have been described in about 88% of human tumors. This study investigated the SCNA profile in 40 well-characterized sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas by comparative genomic hybridization array. We found that 26/40(65%) cases had at least one SCNA. The prevalence of SCNA, and in particular of chromosome 3 and 10, was significantly higher in cases with a RET somatic mutation. Similarly, SCNA of chromosomes 3, 9, 10 and 16 were more frequent in cases with a worse outcome and an advanced disease. By the pathway enrichment analysis, we found a mutually exclusive distribution of biological pathways in metastatic, biochemically persistent and cured patients. In particular, we found gain of regions involved in the intracellular signaling and loss of regions involved in DNA repair and TP53 pathways in the group of metastatic patients. Gain of regions involved in cell cycle and senescence were observed in patients with biochemical disease. Finally, gain of regions associated to the immune system and loss of regions involved in the apoptosis pathway were observed in cured patients suggesting a role of specific SCNA and corresponding altered pathways in the outcome of sporadic MTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Ramone
- T Ramone, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Romei
- C Romei, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- R Ciampi, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberta Casalini
- R Casalini, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Angelo Valetto
- A Valetto, Section of Cytogenetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Veronica Bertini
- V Bertini, Section of Cytogenetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Raimondi
- F Raimondi, Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anthony Onoja
- A Onoja, Laboratorio di Biologia Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Prete
- A Prete, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- A Matrone, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Gambale
- C Gambale, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- P Piaggi, Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- L Torregrossa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- C Ugolini, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- R Elisei, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Ciampi R, Ramone T, Romei C, Casalini R, Matrone A, Prete A, Gambale C, Minardi SP, Caparezza G, Pierotti MA, Torregrossa L, Ugolini C, Materazzi G, Elisei R. NF1 Gene Inactivation Acts as Tumor Driver in RET/RAS Negative Medullary Thyroid Carcinomas. Eur J Endocrinol 2023:7175219. [PMID: 37216402 DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvad051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE 20% of sporadic MTC has no RET/RAS somatic alterations or other known gene alterations. Aim of this study was to investigate RET/RAS negative MTC for the presence of NF1 alterations. METHODS we studied 18 sporadic RET/RAS negative MTC cases: Next generation sequencing of tumoral and blood DNA was performed using a custom panel including the entire coding region of the NF1 gene. The effect of NF1 alterations on the transcripts were characterized by RT-PCR and the loss of heterozygosity of the other NF1 allele was investigated with Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification. RESULTS Two cases showed bi-allelic inactivation of NF1 with a prevalence of about 11% of RET/RAS negative cases. In a patient affected by neurofibromatosis there was a somatic intronic point mutation determining the transcript alteration in one allele and a germline loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the other. In the other case described both the point mutation and the LOH were somatic events; this latter finding shows, for the first time, a driver role of NF1 inactivation in MTC independent of RET/RAS alterations and the presence of neurofibromatosis. CONCLUSIONS About 11% of our series of sporadic RET/RAS negative MTC harbor biallelic inactivation of NF1 suppressor gene also regardless neurofibromatosis status. According to our results, NF1 alterations should be searched in all RET/RAS negative MTC as possible driver. Moreover, this finding reduces the number of negative sporadic MTCs and may have important clinical implications in the management of these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Ciampi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Romei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberta Casalini
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Gambale
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Simone Paolo Minardi
- Cogentech Ltd Benefit Corporation with a Sole Shareholder, via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Caparezza
- Cogentech Ltd Benefit Corporation with a Sole Shareholder, via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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10
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Rossi L, Ambrosini CE, Torregrossa L, de Santi MM, Guazzo R, Simoncini T, Bacca A, Gjeloshi B, Pignatelli F, Iachini M, Loguercio E, Becucci C, Materazzi G. An adrenal cortical adenoma with neuroendocrine-type granules mimicking pheochromocytoma. Ultrastruct Pathol 2023; 47:236-240. [PMID: 37040538 DOI: 10.1080/01913123.2023.2201314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Clinical and biochemical presentation of adrenal tumors may rarely conflict with their histologic features. In the present report, we describe a rare case of adrenal neoplasm clinically and biochemically labeled as pheochromocytoma which at histologic examination resulted adrenal cortical tumor. The neoplasm was examined with the electron microscope which revealed the presence of electron-dense neuroendocrine-type granules next to intracytoplasmic lipid droplets. The patient underwent laparoscopic left adrenalectomy which leads to normalization of 24 h urinary metanephrine and normetanephrine. This exceptional entity should be taken into consideration when the clinical and laboratory features conflict with the histological examination. The pathologist can clarify the mixed nature of the tumor by means of the identification of neuroendocrine granules at the electron microscope examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Rossi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carlo Enrico Ambrosini
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Raffaella Guazzo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Italy
| | - Tommaso Simoncini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bacca
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Benard Gjeloshi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Pignatelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mattia Iachini
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Loguercio
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Becucci
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Proietti A, Signorini F, Giannini R, Poma AM, Macerola E, Torregrossa L, Materazzi G, Basolo A, Santini F, Elisei R, Viola D, Basolo F, Ugolini C. Outcomes of the Tall-Cell Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Patients with Different Ages: A 17-Year Mono-Institutional Experience. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15072152. [PMID: 37046812 PMCID: PMC10093087 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The tall-cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (TCPTC) is the most common aggressive variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and typically occurs in older patients. In this study, we analyzed retrospectively the largest mono-institutional series of PTCs with tall-cell features (989 patients) over a 17-year period, re-evaluating tumors based on age at presentation and outcomes in different age groups. We divided patients into three age groups following different criteria (the criterion from the American Joint Committee on Cancer Tumor Node Metastasis (AJCC TNM) guidelines, criterion for the statistical division into tertiles and adolescent/post-adolescent criterion) to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics in different age groups, especially in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS). We obtained three main results: 1. the population is distributed among the different age groups, and therefore, this type of cancer is not exclusively found among those of an older age; 2. in the RFS analysis, we can see a higher probability of local recurrence in the younger and older groups and, unexpectedly, a lower probability of local recurrence in the “median age” group; and 3. in the DRFS analysis, we can observe a higher probability of distant recurrence in older patients. From a molecular perspective, no significant differences in the mutational status of BRAF were detected according to different age groups, while mutations in the TERT promoter were exclusively present in older patients of all age groups, highlighting the potential prognostic implications of TERT promoter mutations in PTCs. In conclusion, the results of this series confirm that TC morphology alone in PTCs does not have the same negative prognostic significance in the younger population as in the older population. The reason for these different outcomes remains unclear and needs further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Proietti
- Section of Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Signorini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Riccardo Giannini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - David Viola
- Section of Endocrinology, Versilia Hospital, 55041 Camaiore, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Basolo F, Macerola E, Poma AM, Torregrossa L. The 5 th edition of WHO classification of tumors of endocrine organs: changes in the diagnosis of follicular-derived thyroid carcinoma. Endocrine 2023; 80:470-476. [PMID: 36964880 PMCID: PMC10199828 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03336-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
The 5th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of endocrine tumors was released in 2022. Several novelties have been introduced concerning the nomenclature and histopathological diagnosis of follicular-derived thyroid neoplasms. Tumor types have been sharply classified according to prognostic risk categories into benign tumors, low-risk neoplasms and malignant neoplasms. A grading system for differentiated thyroid carcinomas has been implemented with the aim of improving the stratification of tumors. Particular attention has been paid to the molecular profile of well-differentiated histotypes. In this review, the main changes introduced by the latest edition of the WHO system are presented. The practical effects on the diagnostic pathology of thyroid tumors, along with the clinical implications expected with the new classification scheme, are critically discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - University of Pisa, via Savi 10, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - University of Pisa, via Savi 10, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - University of Pisa, via Savi 10, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - University of Pisa, via Savi 10, Pisa, 56126, Italy
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13
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Basolo A, Poma AM, Macerola E, Bonuccelli D, Proietti A, Salvetti A, Vignali P, Torregrossa L, Evangelisti L, Sparavelli R, Giannini R, Ugolini C, Basolo F, Santini F, Toniolo A. Autopsy Study of Testicles in COVID-19: Upregulation of Immune-Related Genes and Downregulation of Testis-Specific Genes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023; 108:950-961. [PMID: 36260523 PMCID: PMC9620766 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Infection by SARS-CoV-2 may be associated with testicular dysfunction that could affect male fertility. OBJECTIVE Testicles of fatal COVID-19 cases were investigated to detect virus in tissue and to evaluate histopathological and transcriptomic changes. METHODS Three groups were compared: (a) uninfected controls (subjects dying of trauma or sudden cardiac death; n = 10); (b) subjects dying of COVID-19 (virus-negative in testes; n = 15); (c) subjects dying of COVID-19 (virus-positive in testes; n = 9). SARS-CoV-2 genome and nucleocapsid antigen were probed using RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Infiltrating leukocytes were typed by IHC. mRNA transcripts of immune-related and testis-specific genes were quantified using the nCounter method. RESULTS SARS-CoV-2 was detected in testis tissue of 9/24 (37%) COVID-19 cases accompanied by scattered T-cell and macrophage infiltrates. Size of testicles and counts of spermatogenic cells were not significantly different among groups. Analysis of mRNA transcripts showed that in virus-positive testes immune processes were activated (interferon-alpha and -gamma pathways). By contrast, transcription of 12 testis-specific genes was downregulated, independently of virus positivity in tissue. By IHC, expression of the luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor was enhanced in virus-positive compared to virus-negative testicles, while expression of receptors for androgens and the follicle-stimulating hormone were not significantly different among groups. CONCLUSION In lethal COVID-19 cases, infection of testicular cells is not uncommon. Viral infection associates with activation of interferon pathways and downregulation of testis-specific genes involved in spermatogenesis. Due to the exceedingly high numbers of infected people in the pandemic, the impact of virus on fertility should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Basolo
- Corresponding author: Alessio Basolo, MD, Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124, Pisa, Italy, Telephone number: +39-050-997334,
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Diana Bonuccelli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Azienda USL Toscana Nordovest, Lucca, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Salvetti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Evangelisti
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Azienda USL Toscana Nordovest, Lucca, Italy
| | - Rebecca Sparavelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Riccardo Giannini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Toniolo
- Global Virus Network, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
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14
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Brancatella A, Torregrossa L, Viola N, Sgrò D, Casula M, Basolo F, Materazzi G, Marinò M, Marcocci C, Santini F, Latrofa F. In Graves' disease, thyroid autoantibodies and ultrasound features correlate with distinctive histological features. J Endocrinol Invest 2023:10.1007/s40618-023-02044-0. [PMID: 36840841 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02044-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Laboratory, imaging, and pathological features of Graves' disease (GD), although well characterized, have been barely correlated each other. Aim of the study was to link laboratory and ultrasound characteristics of GD with its pathological features. METHODS We correlated laboratory and ultrasound data at the time of diagnosis in 28 consecutive GD patients who underwent thyroidectomy with their pathological features, i.e., lymphocytic infiltration and follicular hyperplasia (both classified as mild or severe). RESULTS Thyroid volume correlated positively with the levels of FT4 (P = 0.002, r2 = 0.42), FT3 (P = 0.011, r2 = 0.22), autoantibodies to thyroglobulin (TgAbs) (P = 0.016, r2 = 0.32), autoantibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPOAbs) (P = 0.011, r2 = 0.34) and the extent of lymphocytic infiltration (P = 0.006 comparing mild to severe lymphocytic infiltration) but not with the levels of autoantibodies to the thyrotropin receptor (TRAbs) and to follicular hyperplasia. Compared to subjects with mild lymphocytic infiltration, those with severe lymphocytic infiltration showed higher levels of TgAbs (316 vs 0.0 IU/mL, P < 0.0001) and TPOAbs (295 IU/mL vs 14 IU/mL, P < 0.0001) and similar levels of TRAbs (7.5 vs 13 IU/mL, P = 0.68). Compared to patients with mild, those with severe follicular hyperplasia had similar levels of TgAbs (76 vs 30 IU/mL, P = 0.31) and TPOAbs (251 IU/mL vs 45 IU/mL, P = 0.26) but higher levels of TRAbs (39 vs 7.2 IU/mL, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION In GD, TgAbs and TPOAbs levels correlate with the extent of lymphocytic infiltration, TRAbs levels with the degree of follicular hyperplasia. Thyroid volume, the main factor influencing the severity of hyperthyroidism, is related to lymphocytic infiltration and not to follicular hyperplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Brancatella
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - L Torregrossa
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - N Viola
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - D Sgrò
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Casula
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Basolo
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Materazzi
- Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Marinò
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - C Marcocci
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Santini
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Latrofa
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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15
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Macerola E, Poma AM, Vignali P, Proietti A, Torregrossa L, Ugolini C, Basolo A, Matrone A, Elisei R, Santini F, Basolo F. MicroRNA expression profiling of RAS-mutant thyroid tumors with follicular architecture: microRNA signatures to discriminate benign from malignant lesions. J Endocrinol Invest 2023:10.1007/s40618-023-02023-5. [PMID: 36749451 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02023-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE RAS mutations represent common driver alterations in thyroid cancer. They can be found in benign, low-risk and malignant thyroid tumors with follicular architecture, which are often diagnosed as indeterminate nodules on preoperative cytology. Therefore, the detection of RAS mutations in preoperative setting has a suboptimal predictive value for malignancy. In this study, we investigated differentially expressed microRNA (miRNA) in benign and malignant thyroid tumors with follicular architecture carrying mutations in RAS genes. METHODS Total RNA was purified from 60 RAS-mutant follicular-patterned thyroid tumors, including follicular adenoma (FA), noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP), papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma cases (PTC, FTC); 22 RAS-negative FAs were used as controls. The expression analysis of 798 miRNAs was performed by digital counting (nCounter nanoString platform). RESULTS Comparing RAS-mutant and RAS-negative FAs, 12 miRNAs showed significant deregulation, which was likely related to the oncogenic effects of RAS mutations. Twenty-two miRNAs were differentially expressed in RAS-mutant benign versus malignant tumors. Considering the tumor type, 24 miRNAs were deregulated in PTC, 19 in NIFTP, and seven in FTC and compared to FA group; among these, miR-146b-5p, miR-144-3p, and miR-451a showed consistent deregulation in all the comparisons with the highest fold change. CONCLUSIONS The miRNA expression analysis of follicular-patterned thyroid tumors demonstrated that RAS mutations influences miRNA profile in benign tumors. In addition, several miRNAs showed a histotype-specific deregulation and could discriminate between RAS-mutant benign and RAS-mutant malignant thyroid lesions, thus deserving further investigation as potential diagnostic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - A M Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - P Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - L Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - C Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - R Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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16
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Prete A, Gambale C, Torregrossa L, Ciampi R, Romei C, Ramone T, Agate L, Bottici V, Cappagli V, Molinaro E, Materazzi G, Elisei R, Matrone A. Clinical evolution of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma with biochemical incomplete response after initial treatment. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2023:7018799. [PMID: 36722192 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The clinical response after surgery is a determinant in the management of patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). In case of excellent or structural incomplete response, the follow-up strategies are well designed. Conversely, in case of biochemical incomplete response (BiR) the management is not clearly defined. PURPOSE To evaluate the overall and per-site prevalence of structural disease detection in sporadic MTC patients with BiR and to assess the predictive value of various clinical, biochemical, and genetics features. METHODS We evaluated data of 599 consecutive patients surgically treated for sporadic MTC (2000-2018) and followed-up at Endocrine Unit of the University Hospital of Pisa. RESULTS After a median of 5 months from surgery, 145/599 (24.2%) patients were classified as BiR. Structural disease was detected in 64/145 (44.1%), after a median time of 3.3 years. In 73.6% structural disease was detected at a single site, prevalently cervical lymph nodes. Among several others, at the time of first evaluation after surgery, only basal calcitonin (bCTN) and stage IVa/b were independent predictive factors. Also, structural disease was more frequent in patients with shorter CTN doubling time and somatic RET mutation. CONCLUSIONS In sporadic MTC patients with BiR the risk of detection of structural disease was about 50% at 10 years. Higher bCTN levels and staging predicted the risk of detecting structural disease. According to these findings, a stricter follow-up should be reserved to MTC with BiR and elevated values of bCTN and to those with an advanced stage. Long follow-up should anyway be considered for all BiR patients since 50% of them develop structural disease within 10 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Prete
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Gambale
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Romei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Agate
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Valeria Bottici
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Virginia Cappagli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Molinaro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
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Torregrossa L, Poma AM, Macerola E, Rago T, Vignali P, Romani R, Proietti A, Di Stefano I, Scuotri G, Ugolini C, Basolo A, Antonelli A, Materazzi G, Santini F, Basolo F. The Italian Consensus for the Classification and Reporting of Thyroid Cytology: Cytohistologic and molecular correlations on 37,371 nodules from a single institution. Cancer Cytopathol 2022; 130:899-912. [PMID: 35789118 PMCID: PMC9796474 DOI: 10.1002/cncy.22618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Italian Consensus for the Classification and Reporting of Thyroid Cytology (ICCRTC) includes six diagnostic categories (TIR 1/1C, TIR 2, TIR 3A, TIR 3B, TIR 4, and TIR 5), each indicating a different risk of malignancy. The objective of this monocentric retrospective study was to evaluate the distribution of the ICCRTC classes at the authors' institution and assess their cytohistologic correlations. METHODS The authors retrospectively collected 37,371 consecutive cytologic reports of thyroid nodules and described the clinical-pathologic features of the different cytologic categories. The cytologic diagnoses also were compared with histologic outcomes in a subset of patients. RESULTS The cytologic classes were distributed as follows: nondiagnostic, 15.6%; benign, 66.5%; low-risk indeterminate, 10% (TIR 3A); high-risk indeterminate, 3.5% (TIR 3B); suspicious, 1.7%; and malignant, 2.6%. According to histology, the risk of malignancy was very high in the nondiagnostic category (29.8%), with young male patients more exposed to malignancy, and it was relatively high among benign (7.8%) and indeterminate nodules (32.5% in TIR 3A; 52.1% in TIR 3B), mainly because of the high prevalence of follicular architecture in malignant tumors. On histology, the malignancy rates were 92.4% and 99.3% for the suspicious and malignant categories, respectively; aggressive variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma were mostly diagnosed in these categories. CONCLUSIONS In this series, nondiagnostic nodules showed high prevalence and, surprisingly, high malignancy rates. Malignant tumors with follicular architecture represented a diagnostic pitfall in benign and indeterminate nodules. The suspicious and malignant categories had high specificity for malignancy. Importantly, the ICCRTC had high reliability for identifying preoperatively aggressive histotypes of thyroid carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Teresa Rago
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Rossana Romani
- Section of PathologyUniversity Hospital of PisaPisaItaly
| | | | - Iosè Di Stefano
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | | | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Alessandro Antonelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical AreaUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
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De Napoli L, Matrone A, Ambrosini CE, Becucci C, Pieroni E, Vagelli F, Taddei G, Gjeloshi B, Torregrossa L, Elisei R, Spinelli C, Materazzi G. Impact of energy-based devices in pediatric thyroid surgery. J Pediatr Surg 2022; 57:740-745. [PMID: 35469657 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Energy-based devices are surgical devices increasingly utilized for thyroid surgery, owing to a reduction of operative time and surgical related complications. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether the use of energy-based devices could improve the complication rate in pediatric thyroid surgery. METHODS This is a retrospective observational study. We identified 177 consecutive pediatric patients (Group A) with thyroid diseases, surgically treated by energy-based devices and 237 patients (Group B) treated by conventional clamp and tie technique and matched for sex, age and indication for surgery. Transient and permanent complications rate, operative time and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. RESULTS Patients of Group A experienced a lower complication rate compared to Group B. Particularly, transient (11.3 vs. 19% p < 0.05) and permanent post operative hypoparathyroidism (1.7 vs. 5.5%, p < 0.05) were lower in Group A. Moreover, operative time was also shorter in Group A compared to Group B and this difference was statistically significant in patients who performed total thyroidectomy alone and total thyroidectomy associated with central compartment neck dissection (p < 0.05). Length of hospital stay was lower in Group A than in Group B, but this difference was statistically significant only for microfollicular lesion (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The use of energy-based devices has a key role in reducing surgical related complications, particularly transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism, operative time and length of hospital stay in pediatric patients treated with thyroid surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III. TYPE OF STUDY Retrospective comparative study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi De Napoli
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carlo Enrico Ambrosini
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Becucci
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Erica Pieroni
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Vagelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giacomo Taddei
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Benard Gjeloshi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Spinelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Latrofa F, Rago T, Santini F, Sgrò D, Greco G, Brancatella A, Viola N, Casula M, Torregrossa L. PSAT382 Characterization of Ultrasound and Cytological Features Identifying Thyroid Nodules with Aggressive Behavior: From Histology to Clinic. J Endocr Soc 2022. [PMCID: PMC9629268 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvac150.1751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) guides surgical treatment of thyroid nodules which, according to the Italian classification, are classified as TIR 1/1C, TIR 2, TIR 3A, TIR3B, TIR4 or TIR5, which correspond to Thy I, Thy II, Thy III, Thy IV, Thy V and Thy VI categories of the Bethesda System. TIR 3 identifies the follicular pattern, which is typical of both benign and malignant lesions. Surgery is usually recommended for TIR 3B, TIR 4 and TIR 5 nodules. The latest histopathological classifications of thyroid cancers have introduced significant changes. While the follicular (FV-PTC) and classical variants (CV-PTC) of papillary thyroid carcinoma and the minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) are characterized by a good prognosis and require a less aggressive treatment, the poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC), the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), the tall cell (TC-PTC) and the solid variants (SV-PTC) and other variants have a worse prognosis. In addition, thyroid ultrasound often identifies thyroid nodules <1 cm, which are usually characterized by an indolent behavior and active surveillance may be advised. We retrospectively analyzed consecutive histopathological records of 1117 patients (for a total of 1668 nodules, of which 650 malignant) who underwent surgery in 2017, and who had previously undergone FNAB and thyroid ultrasound (available for 390 nodules), in order to characterize echographic and cytological features useful to identified aggressive variants among TIR4-5 nodules and malignant lesions among TIR3B nodules. Of the 566 PTC, 18.7% were TIR3A, 20.7% TIR 3B and 51.6% TIR4-5, while of 50 FTC 42.0% were TIR3A, 42.0% TIR3B and 6.0% TIR4-5. Of the 11 PDTC 54.5% had been diagnosed as TIR 3B. Of the 249 classic variant of PTC, 0.8% had resulted TIR3A, 14.1% TIR3B and 79.9% TIR4-5. Among 49 tall cell variant, none had resulted TIR3A, 2% had been diagnosed as TIR3B and 95.9% as TIR4-5. Of the 219 follicular variant of PTC 42.0% had resulted TIR3A, 39.7% TIR3B and 12,3% TIR4-5. Among 34 SV-PTC, 32.4% had been diagnosed as TIR3A, 41.2% TIR3B and 0.6% TIR4-5. Blurred margins were the only feature associated with malignancy (p=0.034) in TIR3B nodules. The coexistence of hypoechogenicity and blurred margins in absence of microcalcifications were more common in tall cell variant (7/28) compared to classic variant (10/120) of PTC (p= 0.021). A significant number of PDTC and SV-PTC were diagnosed as TIR3. Among TIR3B nodules, irregular margins correlate with malignancy. Coexistence of irregular margins with a hypoechoic pattern in absence of microcalcifications is helpful in identifying TIR4/TIR5 nodule which turn out TC-PTC. In conclusion, among TIR3B, TIR4 and TIR5 nodules, ultrasound helps to identify aggressive variants and therefore to choose the extent of surgical treatment and, when <1 cm, to confidently advise active surveillance. Presentation: Saturday, June 11, 2022 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Ciampi R, Romei C, Ramone T, Matrone A, Prete A, Gambale C, Materazzi G, De Napoli L, Torregrossa L, Basolo F, Castagna MG, Brilli L, Ferretti E, Elisei R. Pre- and Post-operative Circulating Tumoral DNA in Patients With Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e3420-e3427. [PMID: 35470851 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Measurement of driver mutations in circulating tumoral DNA (ctDNA) obtained by liquid biopsy has been shown to be a sensitive biomarker in several human tumors. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical relevance of pre- and post-operative ctDNA in sporadic medullary thyroid cancer (sMTC). METHODS We studied pre- and post-operative ctDNA in 26 and 23 sMTC patients, respectively. ctDNA results were correlated to serum calcitonin (Ct), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and other clinical/pathological features. RESULTS Twenty-six of 29 (89.7%) sMTCs were mutated either for RET or RAS and 3/29 (10.3%) were negative. Four of 26 (15.4%) cases showed positive pre-operative ctDNA with a significantly higher presence of RET M918T mutation (P = 0.0468). Patients with positive pre-operative ctDNA showed a higher variation allele frequency value of the somatic driver mutation (P = 0.0434) and a higher frequency of persistent disease (P = 0.0221). Post-operative ctDNA was positive only in 3/23 (13%) sMTCs and no one was positive for pre-operative ctDNA. Higher values of both Ct (P = 0.0307) and CEA (P = 0.0013) were found in positive ctDNA cases. Finally, the 7 cases harboring either pre- or post-operative positive ctDNA had a persistent disease (P = 0.0005) showing a higher post-operative serum Ct when compared with cases with negative ctDNA (P = 0.0092). CONCLUSIONS Pre-operative ctDNA in medullary thyroid cancer is not useful for diagnostic purposes, but it can be useful for predicting the outcome of the disease. In our series, post-operative ctDNA showed a potential for monitoring the response to therapies, but further studies are required to confirm our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Ciampi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Romei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Gambale
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luigi De Napoli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Castagna
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Lucia Brilli
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Ferretti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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21
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Elisei R, Ciampi R, Matrone A, Prete A, Gambale C, Ramone T, Simeakis G, Materazzi G, Torregrossa L, Ugolini C, Romei C. Somatic RET Indels in Sporadic Medullary Thyroid Cancer: Prevalence and Response to Selpercatinib. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:2195-2202. [PMID: 35616103 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Although the majority of RET alterations are single nucleotide variants (SNV), small deletions and/or insertions have been reported at variable prevalence. No information about the efficacy of RET-specific inhibitors in patients harboring RET indels has been provided. OBJECTIVE We present an update on the prevalence of RET indels in medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and describe the efficacy of selpercatinib in patients with advanced MTC with RET indels. METHODS The MTC tissues of 287 patients were analyzed using an Ion S5 targeted sequencing. The functional role of the reported indels have been evaluated by MutationTaster. Clinical and pathological data of MTC patients harboring a RET indel were collected and analyzed. Two patients with a RET indel were treated with selpercatinib. RESULTS Among 178 RET-positive cases, 147 (82.6%) harbored a SNV and 31 (17.4%) a RET in-frame indel. Nine indels were not previously reported and were found to be disease causing by MutationTaster. Patients harboring an indel were found to have an aggressive disease and 2 of them were treated with selpercatinib, experiencing a good response to the treatment. CONCLUSION These data show that RET indels are not infrequent and correlate with an aggressive disease. Two RET indel-positive patients showed a partial response to the treatment with a highly selective RET inhibitor; thus, these RET indels can be considered actionable mutations. In order to not miss these alterations, the analysis of the full gene is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Elisei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Gambale
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - George Simeakis
- Endocrine Dept., 401 General Military Hospital of Athens, Athens 11525, Greece
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Romei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University-Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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22
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Macerola E, Poma AM, Proietti A, Rago T, Romani R, Vignali P, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Basolo A, Santini F, Basolo F. Down-regulation of miR-7-5p and miR-548ar-5p predicts malignancy in indeterminate thyroid nodules negative for BRAF and RAS mutations. Endocrine 2022; 76:677-686. [PMID: 35347579 PMCID: PMC9156468 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-022-03034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The value of molecular markers in refining preoperative risk assessment of indeterminate thyroid nodules is being widely investigated. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are emerging as promising biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. The aim of this study is to identify miRNAs specifically deregulated in mutation-negative indeterminate thyroid nodules. METHODS Ninety-eight nodules preoperatively diagnosed as TIR 3A or TIR 3B with available histological diagnosis of follicular adenoma (FA), noninvasive follicular neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP), and follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma (FV-PTC) have been retrospectively selected. Mutations in BRAF and RAS genes have been tested in all samples by real-time PCR; miRNAs were purified from cytology slides of 60 samples; expression analysis of 798 miRNAs was measured by the nCounter system. RESULTS Point mutations in BRAF and RAS genes were detected in 32 out of 98 nodules (32.7%), the majority of which in FV-PTCs. Differential expression of miRNA in wild-type nodules highlighted that two miRNAs, namely miR-7-5p and miR-548ar-5p, were downregulated in FV-PTCs compared to FAs. The combined expression of these miRNAs, tested by ROC analysis, showed an area under the curve of 0.79. Sensitivity and negative predictive value were high both in wild-type (93% and 92%, respectively) and in mutated nodules (94% and 85%, respectively). CONCLUSION The analysis of miR-7-5p and miR-548ar-5p expression in indeterminate thyroid nodules demonstrated a promising value in ruling out malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Macerola
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Rago
- University of Pisa, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossana Romani
- University Hospital of Pisa - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Basolo
- University of Pisa, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- University of Pisa, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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Macerola E, Poma AM, Vignali P, Proietti A, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Basolo A, Elisei R, Santini F, Basolo F. Predictive Biomarkers in Thyroid Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:901004. [PMID: 35600349 PMCID: PMC9120826 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.901004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In molecular pathology, predictive biomarkers identify which patients are likely to respond to targeted drugs. These therapeutic agents block specific molecules directly involved in cancer growth, dedifferentiation and progression. Until few years ago, the only targeted drugs available for advanced thyroid cancer included multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mainly targeting the MAPK pathway and the angiogenic signaling. The administration of these drugs does not necessarily require a molecular characterization of tumors to assess the presence of predictive alterations. However, the availability of new selective targeted drugs for thyroid cancer patients is changing the diagnostic strategies for the molecular characterization of these tumors. The search for targetable alterations can be performed directly on tumor tissue by using a variety of methodologies, depending also on the number and type of alterations to test (i.e. single nucleotide variation or gene rearrangement). Herein, a comprehensive review of the currently available targeted treatments for thyroid cancer, related predictive markers and testing methodologies is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- *Correspondence: Fulvio Basolo,
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Cappellani D, Torregrossa L, Papini P, Poma AM, Ambrosini E, De Napoli L, Materazzi G, Basolo F, Bogazzi F. Salvage total thyroidectomy for amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis in a SARS-CoV-2 positive patient: results of the viral genome research on the pathology sample of this destructive thyroiditis. Endocrine 2022; 76:495-498. [PMID: 35278173 PMCID: PMC8917325 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-022-03028-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Cappellani
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Piermarco Papini
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Enrico Ambrosini
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luigi De Napoli
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fausto Bogazzi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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25
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Basolo A, Poma AM, Bonuccelli D, Proietti A, Macerola E, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Giannini R, Vignali P, Basolo F, Santini F, Toniolo A. Adipose tissue in COVID-19: detection of SARS-CoV-2 in adipocytes and activation of the interferon-alpha response. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:1021-1029. [PMID: 35169984 PMCID: PMC8852916 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-022-01742-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Obesity is a recognized risk factor for the progression to severe forms of COVID-19, yet the mechanisms of the association are unclear. METHODS Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue specimens of subjects deceased from COVID-19 (n = 23) were compared to those of controls dying abruptly from causes other than infectious (accidental trauma, sudden cardiac death). Alterations of lung parenchyma consistent with moderate to severe disease were detected in all COVID-19 cases, not in controls. Investigations included: histopathologic features, detection of virus antigens and genome, characterization of infiltrating leukocytes, transcription levels of immune-related genes. RESULTS By RT-PCR, the SARS-CoV-2 genome was detected in the adipose tissue of 13/23 (56%) cases of the COVID-19 cohort. The virus nucleocapsid antigen was detected in the cytoplasm of 1-5% adipocytes in 12/12 COVID-19 cases that were virus-positive by PCR in the adipose tissue (one case could not be assessed due insufficient tissue). The adipose tissue of COVID-19 cases showed leukocyte infiltrates and upregulation of the interferon-alpha pathway. After adjusting for age and sex, the activation score of IFN-alpha was directly related with transcription levels of the ACE2 gene, a key entry factor of SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS In lethal COVID-19 cases, the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen has been detected in a sizeable proportion of adipocytes, showing that the virus may directly infect the parenchymal cells of subcutaneous fat. Infection appears to activate the IFN alpha pathway and to attract infiltrating leukocytes. Due to the huge numbers of adipocytes in adults, the adipose tissue represents a significant reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 and an important source of inflammatory mediators.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Basolo
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - A. M. Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - D. Bonuccelli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Azienda USL Toscana Nordovest, Lucca, Italy
| | - A. Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - E. Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - C. Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - L. Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - R. Giannini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - P. Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F. Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F. Santini
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - A. Toniolo
- Global Virus Network, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
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Matrone A, De Napoli L, Torregrossa L, Aghababyan A, Papini P, Ambrosini CE, Cervelli R, Ugolini C, Basolo F, Molinaro E, Elisei R, Materazzi G. Core Needle Biopsy Can Early and Precisely Identify Large Thyroid Masses. Front Oncol 2022; 12:854755. [PMID: 35463338 PMCID: PMC9022105 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.854755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Large thyroid masses, particularly if rapidly growing, are often characterized by compression and infiltration of the vital structures of the neck. Therefore, an early and precise diagnosis, not only of malignancy but also of histotype, is mandatory to set up the right therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and core needle biopsy (CNB) in this setting. Patients and Methods We prospectively evaluated 95 patients with large and rapidly growing thyroid masses admitted to the University Hospital of Pisa between April 2014 and January 2020. All patients were submitted to FNAC and CNB in the same session. The ability of both procedures to diagnose the malignancy of the lesions, particularly the histotype, and to obtain sufficient material to perform molecular analysis was evaluated. Results FNAC obtained adequate tumor sample to reach a diagnosis in 76 of 95 (80%) patients, while a higher percentage was obtained with CNB (92/95, 96.8%). FNAC was able to identify the malignancy of the lesion in 74 of 95 (77.9%) cases, but only in 16 of 74 (21.6%) cases was it able to define the histotype. CNB was able to define the malignancy of the lesion in all but three cases (92/95, 96.8%), and in all specimens, the histotype was identified. Moreover, in all cases, the material extracted from CNB was optimal to perform molecular analysis. No surgery-related complications were experienced with both procedures. Conclusions CNB is a rapid and safe procedure with higher performance compared to FNAC in identifying the histotype of large and rapidly growing thyroid masses. Moreover, adequate material can be obtained to characterize the molecular profile for the treatment of potentially lethal cancers. In the era of precision medicine, CNB should be introduced in routine clinical practice as a key procedure for an early diagnosis and therapy of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luigi De Napoli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Aleksandr Aghababyan
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Piermarco Papini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carlo Enrico Ambrosini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rosa Cervelli
- Division of Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Molinaro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Rotondo Dottore G, Torregrossa L, Lanzolla G, Mariotti S, Menconi F, Piaggi P, Cristofani Mencacci L, Posarelli C, Maglionico MN, Dallan I, Figus M, Nardi M, Marcocci C, Basolo F, Marinò M. Role of the mononuclear cell infiltrate in Graves' orbitopathy (GO): results of a large cohort study. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:563-572. [PMID: 34671950 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-021-01692-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The extent to which mononuclear cells and TSH-receptor autoantibodies (TRAb) contribute to Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is not completely defined. Here we investigated the relationship between the immunohistochemical phenotype of orbital infiltrating cells and GO features in a large number of patients. METHODS We conducted an observational cohort study in 76 consecutive patients with GO (16 men and 60 women) who underwent orbital decompression over a period of 18 consecutive months. An ophthalmological evaluation was performed in all patients, as well as immunohistochemistry for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56 (T-cell markers), CD25 (T and B-cell marker), CD20, CD19 (B-cell markers), and CD138 (plasmacell marker) in specimens collected at decompressive surgery. RESULTS Having established cutoff values for each marker, cell infiltrates were found in 60 patients (78.9%; CD3: 39.4%, CD4 55.2%, CD8 50%, CD56: 0%, CD25: 28.9%, CD20: 51.3%, CD19: 25%, CD138: 26.3%). Eleven (14.4%) stained exclusively for CD138 (plasmacells). Patients with CD4-positive mononuclear cells had a significantly greater GO clinical activity score (CAS) (mean difference 1.07, 95% CI - 0.33 to - 1.82, P = 0.004 by univariate, P = 0.05 by multivariate analysis). CAS as well as the remaining GO features were not affected significantly by the mononuclear cell subpopulations in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS Mononuclear cell infiltrates are present in the majority of GO patients, with a small percentage represented exclusively by plasmacells. CD4 cells exert a major role on GO activity. These findings may represent a further advancement in the comprehension of GO pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Rotondo Dottore
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Units, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - L Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Pathology Unit, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - G Lanzolla
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Units, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - S Mariotti
- Retired. Formerly Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, SS 554 Bivio per Sestu, Monserrato, 09042, Italy
| | - F Menconi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Units, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - P Piaggi
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Via G. Caruso 16, Pisa, 56122, Italy
| | - L Cristofani Mencacci
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular PathologyENT Unit I, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - C Posarelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular PathologyOphthalmology Unit I, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - M N Maglionico
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular PathologyOphthalmology Unit I, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - I Dallan
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular PathologyENT Unit I, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - M Figus
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular PathologyOphthalmology Unit I, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - M Nardi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular PathologyOphthalmology Unit I, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - C Marcocci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Units, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - F Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Pathology Unit, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy
| | - M Marinò
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Units, University Hospital of Pisa, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy.
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Basolo A, Poma AM, Giannini R, Ceccarini G, Pelosini C, Fierabracci P, Castany MU, Bechi Genzano S, Ambrosini CE, Materazzi G, Chiovato L, Basolo F, Santini F, Torregrossa L. Histological pattern and gene expression profiling of thyroid tissue in subjects with obesity. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:413-423. [PMID: 34392500 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-021-01662-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Subjects with obesity may exhibit an increase in serum TSH concentrations. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this association, including the presence of a compensatory mechanism to counterbalance an accelerated turnover of thyroid hormones in subjects with obesity. This study aimed at evaluating whether the thyroids of subjects with obesity differs from those of normal-weight individuals regarding histology and gene expression profiling. METHODS Ninety-eight patients were selected among those scheduled for thyroidectomy. At histology, thyroid tissue samples were investigated for the presence of adipocytes and/or lymphocyte infiltration. In a subset of patients, the expression at mRNA level of several genes involved in metabolic pathways and immune cell-related mechanisms was quantified by NanoString Technology. RESULTS The presence of adipose cells was documented in thyroid specimens from 40% normal weight, 52.9% overweight and 73.5% patients with obesity. The number of infiltrating adipocytes was greater in specimens of patients with overweight or obesity compared to normal weight. The lymphocytes common antigen (CD45) and mast cell (MC) scores, and the number of CD3+ and CD8+ lymphocytes were higher in patients with overweight and obesity than in normal-weight subjects. Several genes involved in metabolic pathways were differently expressed in patients with overweight or obesity compared to normal weight, with upregulation of Leptin receptor and downregulation of Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 5. CONCLUSIONS Increased BMI is associated with adipocyte and lymphocyte infiltration of the thyroid, not related to an autoimmune process, which might affect thyroid function in subjects with obesity. A differential gene expression profiling of metabolic and immune pathways in thyroid tissues of patients with obesity was also observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Basolo
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
| | - A M Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - R Giannini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Ceccarini
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - C Pelosini
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Chemistry and Endocrinology Laboratory, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - P Fierabracci
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - M U Castany
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - S Bechi Genzano
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - C E Ambrosini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - L Chiovato
- Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Unit of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Via S. Maugeri 4, 27100, Pavia, PV, Italy
| | - F Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Santini
- Obesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - L Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Costantini M, Sentinelli S, Torregrossa L, Alì G, Munari E, Jeronimo C, Henrique R, Petronilho S, Capitanio U, Lucianò R, Suardi N, Landi M, Anceschi U, Bove A, Brassetti A, Ferriero M, Mastroianni R, Misuraca L, Tuderti G, Fazio V, Gallucci M, Simone G, Poeta M. Assessment of HER2 protein overexpression and gene amplification in renal collecting duct carcinoma: Therapeutic implication. Eur Urol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/s0302-2838(22)01202-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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Vignali P, Proietti A, Macerola E, Poma AM, Torregrossa L, Ugolini C, Basolo A, Matrone A, Rago T, Santini F, Elisei R, Materazzi G, Basolo F. Clinical-Pathological and Molecular Evaluation of 451 NIFTP Patients from a Single Referral Center. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:420. [PMID: 35053581 PMCID: PMC8773775 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTPs) were introduced in thyroid pathology in 2016. NIFTPs are a group of follicular neoplasm with an indolent behaviour. In this study, we gathered a large retrospective cohort of NIFTPs and compared those presenting as solitary lesions and NIFTPs found in multifocal setting. METHODS A retrospective search of NIFTPs was performed, and the clinico-pathological features were recorded. For a subgroup of patients, pre-surgical ultrasound (US) evaluation, cytological diagnosis, and molecular analysis were available. RESULTS We collected 451 NIFTPs; 254 (56.3%) were truly solitary tumours, while 197 coexisted with one or more NIFTP/cancer. Contrasting unifocal and multifocal settings, NIFTPs size was the only significantly different parameter. Preoperatively, NIFTP nodules mostly showed low-risk US characteristics, indeterminate cytology and a RAS-like molecular profile. CONCLUSION NIFTPs often coexist with collateral thyroid tumours. However, no clinical-pathological differences can be observed between solitary and "multifocal" NIFTPs. Despite the well-established clinical indolence of NIFTP, a careful monitoring of the contralateral lobe should not be excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (A.M.); (T.R.); (F.S.); (R.E.)
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (A.M.); (T.R.); (F.S.); (R.E.)
| | - Teresa Rago
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (A.M.); (T.R.); (F.S.); (R.E.)
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (A.M.); (T.R.); (F.S.); (R.E.)
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (A.M.); (T.R.); (F.S.); (R.E.)
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (P.V.); (A.P.); (E.M.); (A.M.P.); (L.T.); (C.U.); (G.M.)
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Poma AM, Bonuccelli D, Giannini R, Macerola E, Vignali P, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Proietti A, Pistello M, Basolo A, Santini F, Toniolo A, Basolo F. COVID-19 autopsy cases: detection of virus in endocrine tissues. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:209-214. [PMID: 34191258 PMCID: PMC8243303 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-021-01628-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The SARS-CoV-2 genome has been detected in a variety of human samples including blood, urine, semen, and faeces. However, evidence of virus presence in tissues other than lung are limited. METHODS We investigated whether SARS-CoV-2 could be detected in 50 autoptic specimens of endocrine organs from 29 patients who died of COVID-19. RESULTS The virus was detected in 25 specimens including ten abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue samples (62%), six testes (67%), and nine thyroid (36%) samples. The analysis of multiple endocrine organ samples obtained from the same patients showed that, in virus-positive cases, the viral genome was consistently detected in all but two matched specimens. CONCLUSION Our findings show that the virus spread into endocrine organs is a common event in severe cases. Further studies should assess the rate of the phenomenon in clinically mild cases. The potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on endocrine functions should be taken into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - D Bonuccelli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Azienda USL Toscana Nordovest, Lucca, Italy
| | - R Giannini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - E Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - P Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - C Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - L Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - M Pistello
- Retrovirus Center and Virology Section, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - F Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - A Toniolo
- Global Virus Network, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - F Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi,10, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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Poma AM, Macerola E, Proietti A, Vignali P, Sparavelli R, Torregrossa L, Matrone A, Basolo A, Elisei R, Santini F, Ugolini C. Clinical-Pathological Features and Treatment Outcome of Patients With Hobnail Variant Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:842424. [PMID: 35311230 PMCID: PMC8926070 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.842424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with hobnail areas above 30% is classified as hobnail variant (HVPTC). Although it is widely accepted that HVPTC has a worse outcome than classical PTC, it is unclear whether PTC with hobnail features below 30% is as aggressive as HVPTC. We gathered the largest mono-institutional series of PTC with hobnail areas and HVPTC to evaluate differences in terms of pathological features of aggressiveness, molecular profile, and treatment outcome. A total of 99 PTC with hobnail features above 5% were retrospectively selected; 34 of them met the criteria for HVPTC (0.4% of all PTC diagnosed at our institution). All tumors showed high rates of extra-thyroidal extension (40.4%), lymph node metastasis (68.1% of patients with lymphadenectomy), and vascular emboli (49.5%), with no differences according to the 30% cutoff. On the other hand, distant metastases were present in HVPTC only (9.4%). Also, advanced age, advanced disease stage, and TERT promoter mutation were associated with HVPTC. More than half of the patients with follow-up had structural or biochemical persistence after 1 year from surgery. Structural persistence was significantly more common in patients with HVPTC (37.5% vs. 8.7%), while no differences were observed considering structural and biochemical persistence together. The presence of hobnail features identifies locally aggressive tumors, and, consequently, it should be always acknowledged in the pathological report. However, tumors with more than 30% hobnail areas frequently present TERT promoter mutations, advanced disease stage, and structural persistence after radioiodine ablation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rebecca Sparavelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- *Correspondence: Clara Ugolini,
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Poma AM, Basolo A, Bonuccelli D, Proietti A, Macerola E, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Alì G, Giannini R, Vignali P, Santini F, Toniolo A, Basolo F. Activation of Type I and Type II Interferon Signaling in SARS-CoV-2-Positive Thyroid Tissue of Patients Dying from COVID-19. Thyroid 2021; 31:1766-1775. [PMID: 34541878 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2021.0345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Background: Thyroid dysfunctions have been reported after Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, the biological mechanisms behind these conditions remain unexplored. Herein, we report on changes of the immune transcriptome in autoptic thyroid tissues of people who have died from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Twenty-five autoptic thyroid specimens of subjects dying from COVID-19 were investigated. Eleven autoptic thyroid specimens of subjects dying from causes other than infectious conditions served as controls. RNA transcripts of 770 immune-related genes together with RNA genomes of multiple coronavirus types were measured by the nCounter system. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for two SARS-CoV-2 genes was used to assess virus positivity. Results were validated by immunohistochemistry. Results: The SARS-CoV-2 genome and antigens were detected in 9 of 25 (36%) thyroid specimens from the COVID-19 cohort. Virus-negative thyroid tissues from COVID-19 subject did not show changes of gene transcription nor significant numbers of infiltrating immune cells. Conversely, SARS-CoV-2-positive thyroid specimens showed marked upregulation of immune genes, especially those proper of the type I and type II interferon (IFN) pathways. In infected tissues, infiltrates of innate immune cells (macrophages and polymorphonuclear neutrophils) were prevalent. Conclusions: The thyroid gland can be directly infected by the SARS-CoV-2. Infection strongly activates IFN pathways. The direct viral insult combined with an intense immune response may trigger or worsen thyroid conditions in predisposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Diana Bonuccelli
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Azienda USL Toscana Nordovest, Lucca, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Greta Alì
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Riccardo Giannini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Prete A, Matrone A, Gambale C, Bottici V, Cappagli V, Romei C, Torregrossa L, Valerio L, Minaldi E, Campopiano MC, Lorusso L, Agate L, Molinaro E, Viola D, Ramone T, Mulè C, Ciampi R, Basolo F, Elisei R. Active Surveillance in RET Gene Carriers Belonging to Families with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215554. [PMID: 34771717 PMCID: PMC8583610 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary MEN2 has a very high penetrance for the development of medullary thyroid cancer. However, intra- and inter-familial variabilities have been described. Accordingly, in this precision medicine era, a personalized approach should be adopted in subjects harboring RET mutations. In these subjects, we showed that thyroid surgery could be safely timed according to basal and stimulated calcitonin, especially in children who can reach adulthood, avoiding the risks of thyroid surgery and decreasing the period of a long-life hypothyroidism treatment. Abstract Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 2 (MEN2) is a hereditary cancer syndrome for developing medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) due to germline mutations of RET gene. Subjects harboring a germline RET mutation without any clinical signs of MTC are defined as gene carriers (GCs), for whom guidelines propose a prophylactic thyroid surgery. We evaluate if active surveillance of GCs, pursuing early thyroid surgery, can be safely proposed and if it allows safely delaying thyroid surgery in children until adolescence/adulthood. We prospectively followed 189 GCs with moderate or high risk germline RET mutation. Surgery was planned in case of: elevated basal calcitonin (bCT) and/or stimulated CT (sCT); surgery preference of subjects (or parents, if subject less than 18 years old); other reasons for thyroid surgery. Accordingly, at RET screening, we sub-grouped GCs in subjects who promptly were submitted to thyroid surgery (Group A, n = 67) and who were not (Group B, n = 122). Group B was further sub-grouped in subjects who were submitted to surgery during their active surveillance (Group B1, n = 22) and who are still in follow-up (Group B2, n = 100). Group A subjects presented significantly more advanced age, bCT and sCT compared to Group B. Mutation RETV804M was the most common variant in both groups but it was significantly less frequent in Group A than B. Analyzing age, bCT, sCT and genetic landscape, Group B1 subjects differed from Group B2 only for sCT at last evaluation. Group A subjects presented more frequently MTC foci than Group B1. Moreover, Group A MTCs presented more aggressive features (size, T and N) than Group B1. Accordingly, at the end of follow-up, all Group B1 subjects presented clinical remission, while 6 and 12 Group A MTC patients had structural and biochemical persistent disease, respectively. Thank to active surveillance, only 13/63 subjects younger than 18 years at RET screening have been operated on during childhood and/or adolescence. In Group B1, three patients, while actively surveilled, had the possibility to reach the age of 18 (or older) and two patients the age of 15, before being submitted to thyroid surgery. In Group B2, 12 patients become older than 18 years and 17 older than 15 years. In conclusion, we demonstrated that an active surveillance pursuing an early thyroid surgery could be safely recommended in GCs. This patient-centered approach permits postponing thyroid surgery in children until their adolescence/adulthood. At the same time, we confirmed that genetic screening allows finding hidden MTC cases that otherwise would be diagnosed much later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Prete
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Carla Gambale
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Valeria Bottici
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Virginia Cappagli
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Cristina Romei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Laura Valerio
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Elisa Minaldi
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Maria Cristina Campopiano
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Loredana Lorusso
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Laura Agate
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Eleonora Molinaro
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - David Viola
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Chiara Mulè
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.P.); (A.M.); (C.G.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (C.R.); (L.V.); (E.M.); (M.C.C.); (L.L.); (L.A.); (E.M.); (D.V.); (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050-544-723; Fax: +39-050-578-772
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Saponaro F, Pardi E, Mazoni L, Borsari S, Torregrossa L, Apicella M, Frustaci G, Materazzi G, Miccoli P, Basolo F, Marcocci C, Cetani F. Do Patients With Atypical Parathyroid Adenoma Need Close Follow-up? J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021; 106:e4565-e4579. [PMID: 34157106 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Atypical parathyroid adenomas (APAs) are neoplasms with uncertain malignant potential but lack unequivocal histological signs of malignancy. OBJECTIVE This work aims to retrospectively evaluate the clinical and biochemical profiles of patients with APA, the outcome after parathyroidectomy (PTX), and the presence of CDC73 germline and somatic mutations. METHODS This monocentric study was conducted on consecutive patients undergoing PTX for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) between June 2000 and December 2020. Fifty-eight patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of APA, and age- and sex-matched controls with parathyroid adenoma (PA) were also included. RESULTS Fifty-four patients had sporadic PHPT and 4 had familial isolated hyperparathyroidism (FIHP). Thirty-four patients (59%) had symptomatic disease. Serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were significantly higher in symptomatic compared to asymptomatic patients (P = .048 and .008, respectively). FIHP patients were younger than their sporadic counterparts (30 ± 17 years vs 55 ± 13 years). APA patients had significantly higher serum calcium and PTH levels and lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, bone mineral density, and T score at one-third distal radius compared to those with PA. Four of 56 APA patients displayed a CDC73 germline mutation. No somatic CDC73 mutation was identified in 24 tumor specimens. The mean follow-up after surgery was 60 ± 56.4 months. All but 6 patients (90%), 5 with apparently sporadic PHPT and 1 with FIHP, were cured after surgery. CONCLUSION The large majority of patients with APA, despite a moderate/severe phenotype, have a good prognosis. Germline CDC73 mutation-positive patients had a higher rate of persistent/recurrent disease. CDC73 gene alterations do not seem to have a relevant role in the tumorigenesis of sporadic APA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Saponaro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Elena Pardi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Mazoni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Simona Borsari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Division of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Matteo Apicella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Frustaci
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Miccoli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Marcocci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Filomena Cetani
- Endocrine Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Mulè C, Ciampi R, Ramone T, Prete A, Matrone A, Cappagli V, Torregrossa L, Basolo F, Elisei R, Romei C. Higher RET Gene Expression Levels Do Not Represent anAlternative RET Activation Mechanism in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11101542. [PMID: 34680178 PMCID: PMC8533768 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate whether RET (rearranged during transfection) mRNA over-expression could be considered an alternative driver event for the development of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), and if different RET isoforms could play a role in MTC tumorigenesis. Eighty-three MTC patients, whose mutational profile was previously identified by next-generation sequencing (NGS) IONS5, were included in this study. Expression analysis was performed by the quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique. RET expression levels were found to be significantly higher in cases with RET somatic mutations than in cases that were negative for RET somatic mutations (p = 0.003) as well as in cases with a somatic mutation, either in RET or RAS than in cases negative for both these mutations (p = 0.01). All cases were positive for the RET51 isoform expression while only 72/83 (86.7%) were positive for RET9 isoform expression. A statistically significant higher expression of the RET51 isoform was found in cases positive for RET somatic mutation than in cases either positive for RAS mutation (p = 0.0006) or negative for both mutations (p = 0.001). According to our data, RET gene over-expression does not play a role in MTC tumorigenesis, neither as an entire gene or as an isoform. At variance, the RET gene, and in particular the RET51 isoform, is expressed higher in RET mutated cases. On the basis of these results we can hypothesize that the overexpression of RET, and in particular of RET51, could potentiate the transforming activity of mutated RET, making these cases more aggressive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mulè
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
| | - Virginia Cappagli
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050995120
| | - Cristina Romei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.M.); (R.C.); (T.R.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (V.C.); (C.R.)
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Cappellani D, De Marco G, Ferrarini E, Torregrossa L, Di Certo AM, Cosentino G, Urbani C, Marconcini G, Mattiello A, Manetti L, Agretti P, Basolo F, Tonacchera M, Bartalena L, Bogazzi F. Identification of Two Different Phenotypes of Patients with Amiodarone-Induced Thyrotoxicosis and Positive Thyrotropin Receptor Antibody Tests. Thyroid 2021; 31:1463-1471. [PMID: 34271828 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2021.0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Serum thyrotropin (TSH) receptor antibodies (TRAbs) are occasionally found in patients with amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT), and usually point to a diagnosis of type 1 AIT (AIT1) due to Graves' disease (GD). However, the TRAb role and function in AIT have not been clarified. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 309 AIT patients followed at a single academic center over a 30-year period. AIT TRAb-positive patients (n = 21, 7% of all cases) constituted the study group; control groups consisted of type 2 AIT (AIT2) TRAb-negative patients (n = 233), and 100 non-AIT patients with GD. Clinical and biochemical data at diagnosis and during the course of disease were compared. Histological samples of patients who had total thyroidectomy were reviewed. Stored serum samples were used for a functional assay of TRAb class G immunoglobulins (IgGs) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with complementary DNA encoding for the TSH receptor. Results: TRAb-positive patients were grouped according to color flow Doppler sonography, radioactive iodine thyroid uptake, and duration of amiodarone therapy before thyrotoxicosis in type 1 (n = 9, 43%; TRAb1) or type 2 (n = 12, 57%; TRAb2) AIT. TRAb1 patients had clinical and biochemical features indistinguishable from GD controls, and were responsive to methimazole. Conversely, TRAb2 patients had clinical features similar to AIT2 controls, and were responsive to glucocorticoids, but not to methimazole. The CHO cell functional assay demonstrated that TRAb1 IgGs had a stimulatory effect on cyclic AMP production, which was absent in TRAb2 IgGs. Pathology in TRAb1 showed hyperplastic thyroid follicles and mild lymphocyte infiltration, reflecting thyroid stimulation. On the contrary, TRAb2 samples revealed follicle destruction, macrophage infiltration, and sometimes fibrosis, consistent with a destructive process. Conclusions: Almost 60% of TRAb-positive AIT patients had a destructive thyroiditis. TRAb-positive tests in AIT patients do thus not necessarily imply a diagnosis of GD and AIT1, and should be evaluated in the clinical and biochemical setting of each AIT patient and confirmed by measuring thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Cappellani
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppina De Marco
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Ferrarini
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Agostino Maria Di Certo
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giada Cosentino
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Urbani
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Marconcini
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mattiello
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Manetti
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Patrizia Agretti
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Pathology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimo Tonacchera
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luigi Bartalena
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Fausto Bogazzi
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Giani C, Torregrossa L, Ramone T, Romei C, Matrone A, Molinaro E, Agate L, Materazzi G, Piaggi P, Ugolini C, Basolo F, Ciampi R, Elisei R. Whole Tumor Capsule Is Prognostic of Very Good Outcome in the Classical Variant of Papillary Thyroid Cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021; 106:e4072-e4083. [PMID: 34231847 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Tumor capsule integrity is becoming a relevant issue to predict the biological behavior of human tumors, including thyroid cancer. OBJECTIVE This work aims to verify whether a whole tumor capsule in the classical variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CVPTC) could have as a predictive role of a good outcome as for follicular variant (FVPTC). METHODS FVPTC (n = 600) and CVPTC (n = 554) cases were analyzed. We distinguished between encapsulated-FVPTC (E-FVPTC) and encapsulated-CVPTC (E-CVPTC) and, thereafter, invasive (Ei-FVPTC and Ei-CVPTC) and noninvasive (En-FVPTC and En-CVPTC) tumors, according to the invasion or integrity of the tumor capsule, respectively. Cases without a tumor capsule were indicated as invasive-FVPTC (I-FVPTC) and invasive-CVPTC (I-CVPTC). The subgroup of each variant was evaluated for BRAF mutations. RESULTS E-FVPTC was more frequent than E-CVPTC (P < .001). No differences were found between En-FVPTC and En-CVPTC or between Ei-FVPTC and Ei-CVPTC. After 18 years of follow-up, a greater number of not-cured cases were observed in Ei-CVPTC with respect to Ei-FVPTC, but not in En-CVPTC to En-FVPTC. Multivariate clustering analysis showed that En-FVPTC, En-CVPTC, and Ei-FVPTC have similar features but different from I-FVPTC and I-CVPTC and, to a lesser extent, from Ei-CVPTC. A total of 177 of 614 (28.8%) cases were BRAFV600E mutated, and 10 of 614 (1.6%) carried BRAF-rare alterations. A significantly higher rate of En-CVPTC (22/49, 44.9%) than En-FVPTC (15/195, 7.7%) (P < .0001) were BRAFV600E mutated. CONCLUSION En-CVPTC is less prevalent than En-FVPTC. However, it has good clinical/ pathological behavior comparable to En-FVPTC. This finding confirms the good prognostic role of a whole tumor capsule in CVPTC as well. New nomenclature for En-CVPTC, similar to that introduced for En-FVPTC (ie, noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features; NIFTP) could be envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Giani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Romei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eleonora Molinaro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Agate
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Pathology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Macerola E, Proietti A, Poma AM, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Vignali P, Basolo A, Materazzi G, Elisei R, Santini F, Basolo F. Molecular Alterations in Relation to Histopathological Characteristics in a Large Series of Pediatric Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma from a Single Institution. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3123. [PMID: 34206589 PMCID: PMC8268699 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) presents distinct clinico-pathological and molecular differences in children compared with adult patients. Whether the presence of rearrangements or point mutations is associated with aggressive PTC clinical presentation is still controversial. In this study, PTCs diagnosed in patients aged less than 18 years were retrospectively searched from the institutional archive and tumor tissue was tested for point mutations in BRAF and RAS genes and for rearrangements in RET, NTRK1, NTRK3, ALK, PPARG, BRAF and THADA. A total of 163 PTCs were analyzed. Point mutations were found in 83 (51%) and gene fusions in 48 cases (30%). The most frequent alteration was the BRAFV600E mutation (36.8%), followed by NTRK3 fusion (11%), NRAS mutation (10.4%) and RET fusion (10.4%). Fusion-driven PTCs showed more frequently infiltrative growth, larger tumors, extrathyroidal extension and N1b disease. PTCs showing solid growth pattern were significantly enriched in gene fusions. This is one of the largest cohorts of pediatric PTCs. Fusion-driven tumors most frequently show aggressive pathological features; the search for rearrangements, especially in tumors with solid areas, could improve the characterization of pediatric PTCs and offer possible therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (R.E.); (F.S.)
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (R.E.); (F.S.)
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (R.E.); (F.S.)
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (E.M.); (A.P.); (A.M.P.); (C.U.); (L.T.); (P.V.); (G.M.)
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Rotondo Dottore G, Bucci I, Lanzolla G, Dallan I, Sframeli A, Torregrossa L, Casini G, Basolo F, Figus M, Nardi M, Marcocci C, Marinò M. Genetic Profiling of Orbital Fibroblasts from Patients with Graves' Orbitopathy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021; 106:e2176-e2190. [PMID: 33484567 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is an autoimmune disease that persists when immunosuppression is achieved. Orbital fibroblasts from GO patients display peculiar phenotypes even if not exposed to autoimmunity, possibly reflecting genetic or epigenetic mechanisms, which we investigated here. OBJECTIVE We aimed to explore potential genetic or epigenetic differences using primary cultures of orbital fibroblasts from GO and control patients. METHODS Cell proliferation, hyaluronic acid (HA) secretion, and HA synthases (HAS) were measured. Next-generation sequencing and gene expression analysis of the whole genome were performed, as well as real-time-PCR of selected genes and global DNA methylation assay on orbital fibroblasts from 6 patients with GO and 6 control patients from a referral center. RESULTS Cell proliferation was higher in GO than in control fibroblasts. Likewise, HA in the cell medium was higher in GO fibroblasts. HAS-1 and HAS-2 did not differ between GO and control fibroblasts, whereas HAS-3 was more expressed in GO fibroblasts. No relevant gene variants were detected by whole-genome sequencing. However, 58 genes were found to be differentially expressed in GO compared with control fibroblasts, and RT-PCR confirmed the findings in 10 selected genes. We postulated that the differential gene expression was related to an epigenetic mechanism, reflecting diverse DNA methylation, which we therefore measured. In support of our hypothesis, global DNA methylation was significantly higher in GO fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS We propose that, following an autoimmune insult, DNA methylation elicits differential gene expression and sustains the maintenance of GO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Rotondo Dottore
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit II, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ilaria Bucci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit II, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Lanzolla
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit II, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Iacopo Dallan
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, ENT Unit I, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Angela Sframeli
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Ophthalmopathy Unit I, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Pathology Unit, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giamberto Casini
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Ophthalmopathy Unit I, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Pathology Unit, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michele Figus
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Ophthalmopathy Unit I, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Nardi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Ophthalmopathy Unit I, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Marcocci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit II, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michele Marinò
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit II, University of Pisa and University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Poma AM, Macerola E, Torregrossa L, Elisei R, Santini F, Basolo F. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas data to refine the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging for papillary thyroid carcinoma. Endocrine 2021; 72:140-146. [PMID: 32915437 PMCID: PMC8087602 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-020-02434-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging led to a significant downstaging of well differentiated thyroid cancer patients. However, some patients who had been downstaged still experienced death. By using data from the thyroid cancer dataset of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we aimed to find molecular features that could improve survival prediction. METHODS TCGA data were downloaded from cBioPortal. Restaging of cases was performed according to the pathological reports. RESULTS Out of 496 cases, 204 (41.1%) were downstaged, and the proportion of deaths increased in stages III and IV. TERT promoter mutations were no longer enriched in stage IV only, but significantly redistributed also in stages II and III. TERT mutation was the only alteration predictive of poor survival; however, in this series it was not independent from the AJCC staging. Five proteins (4E-BP1_pT70, Chk1_pS345, Snail, STAT5 alpha and PAI-1) were significantly associated with survival, and their use as a panel refined the risk stratification independently from the AJCC staging, with a hazard ratio for a positive result of 21.2 (95%CI 3.7-122.2, P = 0.0006). CONCLUSIONS In the TCGA series, the proportion of deaths is in line with the expected survival of the latest AJCC staging, with a neat separation of risk among stages. Nevertheless, the use of protein expression can be useful in refining the stratification. Finally, after the restaging, a considerable number of tumors with TERT mutations will be allocated in lower stages; hence, dedicated studies should define the prognostic usefulness of these mutations in low-stage diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Section of Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Roma 57, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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Poma AM, Macerola E, Basolo A, Batini V, Rago T, Santini F, Torregrossa L. Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology and Histological Types of Thyroid Cancer in the Elderly: Evaluation of 9070 Patients from a Single Referral Centre. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040907. [PMID: 33671494 PMCID: PMC7926485 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Elderly patients have a high prevalence of thyroid nodules, and their management should consider the presence of comorbidities, which are frequent in this age group. In this retrospective monocentric study, we analyzed data of more than 13,000 nodules in order to highlight differences between the elderly and the general population in terms of cytological and histological diagnoses. Thyroid nodules in the elderly are more often benign than in younger patients. Nevertheless, in case of malignancy, follicular-derived well-differentiated tumors are almost always diagnosed in younger patients. Instead, elderly patients more often have tumors with aggressive histotypes. In addition, even in presence of well-differentiated tumors, elderly patients present a higher rate of high-risk pathological features. Abstract Background. The prevalence of thyroid nodules increases with age. Their management takes into account the presence of co-morbidities, which are frequent among the elderly. We sought to highlight the differences between the elderly and the general population in cytological and histological diagnoses. Methods. In this retrospective cohort study, we gathered 13,747 nodule data and compared cytological and histological diagnoses between patients aged over 65 years and a control group. Results. Elderly patients had a higher prevalence of cytologically benign nodules and, consequently, they were less frequently subject to surgery. However, there were no differences in terms of malignancy-risk after surgery. At histology, elderly patients often presented aggressive histology such as medullary thyroid carcinoma, poorly-differentiated and anaplastic cancer, tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma and Hürthle cell carcinoma. Even in presence of well-differentiated cancer, older patients had higher rates of local invasiveness, lateral lymph node involvement and vascular invasion. Conclusion. Thyroid nodules in elderly patients represent a challenging entity since they are very often benign, but, in case of malignancy, aggressive histotypes and high-risk features are more frequent. Therefore, presurgical characterization of nodules in older patients is crucial and might require strict monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.P.); (E.M.)
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Clinical Area, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.P.); (E.M.)
| | - Alessio Basolo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (T.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Valerio Batini
- Section of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Teresa Rago
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (T.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.B.); (T.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Section of Pathology, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Roma 57, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050-992154
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Condello V, Cetani F, Denaro M, Torregrossa L, Pardi E, Piaggi P, Borsari S, Poma AM, Muscarella LA, Graziano P, Chiofalo MG, Repaci A, Tallini G, Boi F, Materazzi G, Basolo F, Marcocci C. Gene expression profile in metastatic and non-metastatic parathyroid carcinoma. Endocr Relat Cancer 2021; 28:111-134. [PMID: 33290252 DOI: 10.1530/erc-20-0450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is one of the rarest and aggressive malignancies of the endocrine system. In some instances, the histological diagnosis remains uncertain unless there is evidence of gross local invasion or secondary spread. The identification of molecular markers could improve the diagnostic accuracy of these lesions. The expression of 740 genes involved in the tumor progression processes was assessed in 8 parathyroid adenomas (PAs), 17 non-metastatic and 10 metastatic PCs using NanoString technology. Clustering analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) were interrogated to compare the gene expression profiles among the three analyzed groups and to evaluate the potential role of differentially expressed genes, respectively. The 103 differentially expressed genes between metastatic PCs and PAs are able to discriminate perfectly the two groups from a molecular point of view. The molecular signatures identified in non-metastatic PCs vs PAs and in metastatic PCs vs non-metastatic PCs comparisons, although with some exceptions, seem to be histotype-specific IPA reveals that hepatic fibrosis/hepatic stellate cell activation and GP6 signaling pathway are involved in malignant behavior of parathyroid tumors, whereas the activation of the HOTAIR regulatory pathway are involved in the metastatization process. Our investigation identified differentially expressed genes in non-metastatic PCs mainly encoding ECM proteins and in metastatic PCs driving endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition or encoding mediators of angiogenesis. The identified genes might be promising molecular markers potentially useful in the clinical practice for the early diagnosis and prognosis of PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Condello
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Maria Denaro
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Elena Pardi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Simona Borsari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Lucia Anna Muscarella
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital, Laboratory of Oncology, San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy
| | - Paolo Graziano
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital, Unit of Pathology, San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Chiofalo
- Fondazione IRCCS G. Pascale, Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Repaci
- Endocrinology Unit, Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tallini
- Department of Medicine, Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Azienda USL di Bologna, University of Bologna School of Medicine, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Boi
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Endocrinology Unit, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Marcocci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Romei C, Ramone T, Mulè C, Prete A, Cappagli V, Lorusso L, Torregrossa L, Basolo F, Ciampi R, Elisei R. RET mutated C-cells proliferate more rapidly than non-mutated neoplastic cells. Endocr Connect 2021; 10:124-130. [PMID: 33475524 PMCID: PMC7983519 DOI: 10.1530/ec-20-0589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A statistically significant higher prevalence of the RET p.Met918Thr somatic mutation, identified by direct sequencing, was previously reported in MTC > 2 cm than in smaller tumors. Aim of this study was to correlate the full RET and RAS mutation profile, identified by a Next Generation Sequencing approach, with the growth rate, proliferation and tumor size of MTC. Data of 149 sporadic MTC patients were correlated with RET mutations and Ki67 positivity. Eighty-one cases had a somatic RET mutation, 40 had a RAS mutation and 28 were negative. A statistically significant higher prevalence of RET mutations was found in MTC > 2 cm. A higher prevalence of RET more aggressive mutations, higher allelic frequencies and, higher percentage of Ki67 positive cells were found in larger tumors which had also a worse outcome. Our study highlights the predominant role of RET somatic mutations in MTC tumorigenesis. We demonstrate that RET mutation prevalence and allelic frequency (AF) are significantly higher in larger tumors. Based on these results, we can conclude that RET mutated C-cells's growth and proliferation are more rapid than those of non-mutated cells and give origin to bigger and more aggressive MTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Romei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Ramone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Mulè
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Virginia Cappagli
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Loredana Lorusso
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence should be addressed to R Elisei:
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De Napoli L, Matrone A, Favilla K, Piaggi P, Galleri D, Ambrosini CE, Aghababyan A, Papini P, Valerio L, Viola D, Torregrossa L, Ugolini C, Proietti A, Basolo F, Miccoli P, Elisei R, Materazzi G. Role of Prophylactic Central Compartment Lymph Node Dissection on the Outcome Of Patients With Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Synchronous Ipsilateral Cervical Lymph Node Metastases. Endocr Pract 2021; 26:807-817. [PMID: 33471672 DOI: 10.4158/ep-2019-0532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prophylactic central compartment lymph node dissection (pCCND) results in a higher percentage of surgical-related complications. To date, no evidence of the impact of pCCND on the clinical outcome of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with synchronous ipsilateral cervical lymph node metastases has been reported. METHODS We evaluated all consecutive patients affected by PTC and synchronous ipsilateral cervical, but without evidence of central compartment, lymph node metastases. We selected 54 consecutive patients (group A) treated by total thyroidectomy, ipsilateral cervical lymph node dissection, and pCCND and 115 patients (group B) matched for sex, age at diagnosis, number and dimension of the metastatic lateral cervical lymph nodes, without pCCND. Clinical outcome after a median of 5 years and surgical-related complications were assessed. RESULTS The two groups were completely similar in terms of clinical features. Clinical outcomes showed a higher percentage of biochemical and indeterminate but not structural response in group B. Group B required significantly more radioiodine treatments, but no difference was shown in the need to repeat surgery for recurrences. Conversely, the prevalence of permanent hypoparathyroidism was significantly higher in group A (14.8%) than in group B (4.3%). CONCLUSION In PTC patients with synchronous ipsilateral cervical lymph node metastases, in absence of clinically evident lymph node metastases of the central compartment, performing pCCND does not improve the 5-year outcome in terms of structural disease, despite a greater number of 131I treatments. However, pCCND is severely affected by a higher percentage of permanent hypoparathyroidism, even in the hands of expert surgeons. ABBREVIATIONS IQR = interquartile range; pCCND = prophylactic central compartment lymph node dissection; PTC = papillary thyroid carcinoma; Tg = thyroglobulin; US = ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi De Napoli
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; These authors contributed equally to the study
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Karin Favilla
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, National Institutes of Health, Pisa, Italy
| | - David Galleri
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carlo Enrico Ambrosini
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alexander Aghababyan
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Piermarco Papini
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Valerio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - David Viola
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathology Section, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Miccoli
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- From the Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Unit of Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Fregoli L, Bakkar S, Papini P, Torregrossa L, Ugolini C, Rossi L, Matrone A, Elisei R, Materazzi G. First report of benign track seeding after robot-assisted transaxillary thyroid surgery. Am J Otolaryngol 2021; 42:102811. [PMID: 33130535 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Robot-assisted transaxillary thyroidectomy is a well-established remote-access thyroid procedure that has been demonstrated to be as safe and effective as its time-honored conventional clamp-and-tie counterpart. However, it has been incriminated for a set of unprecedented complications that surgeons need to be aware of and deal with appropriately. PATIENT FINDINGS The patient is a young woman who underwent robot-assisted thyroid lobectomy for a sizeable nodule that was reported as benign after fine-needle aspiration cytology. She presented 3 years later with subcutaneous nodules along the surgical track that were found to represent seeding of benign thyroid tissue. This is the first report of benign thyroid tissue seeding after a gasless transaxillary procedure. SUMMARY Seeding along the surgical track is a potential complication of gasless remote-access thyroid surgery, even in case of benign disease, that surgeons need to be acquainted with. CONCLUSIONS Surgeons should be aware of the potential for benign seeding after remote-access thyroid procedures. Accordingly, adequate precautions should be taken, patients should be counseled in this regard, and alternative medical strategies to control local seeding of thyroid tissue could be suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Fregoli
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sohail Bakkar
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan
| | - Piermarco Papini
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Leonardo Rossi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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Matrone A, Gambale C, Prete A, Piaggi P, Cappagli V, Bottici V, Romei C, Ciampi R, Torregrossa L, De Napoli L, Molinaro E, Materazzi G, Basolo F, Elisei R. Impact of Advanced Age on the Clinical Presentation and Outcome of Sporadic Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 13:cancers13010094. [PMID: 33396890 PMCID: PMC7795457 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13010094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The clinical behavior of medullary thyroid carcinoma is heterogeneous and can be influenced by several clinical, biochemical and molecular factors. The role of age as a prognostic factor remains controversial. In our cohort of 432 sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma, no differences in histologic features at diagnosis and in number and type of therapies performed during the follow-up were detected when dividing the patients according to age (< and ≥ 65 years). Younger patients had a longer follow-up and survival time, compared to the older patients. However, in dead patients, no differences in the aggressiveness of the disease at presentation and treatments performed during the follow-up were found between the two age groups. Abstract Sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare malignancy with a heterogeneous clinical course. Several potential prognostic factors have been investigated, but the impact of some of these is controversial, such as age at diagnosis. We evaluated the data of 432 sporadic MTC patients followed-up for a median of 7.4 years. Patients were divided and compared according to their age at diagnosis in group A (<65 years—n = 338, 78.2%) and group B (≥65 years—n = 94, 21.8%). No differences were detected between the two groups. Median follow-up time was significantly longer in patients <65 than ≥65 years. We observed 41 (9.5%) cancer-related death events. The death rate was similar between the two age groups. However, the Kaplan Meier curve showed a longer survival time for younger patients compared to older patients [HR 2.5 (CI 95%: 1.27–4.94), p < 0.01]. Nevertheless, no differences in the aggressiveness of the disease at presentation and in the number and type of treatments performed were found in the two subgroups of dead patients. In patients with sporadic MTC, age at diagnosis did not correlate with any clinical and pathological features. Cancer-related death events are similar in older and younger patients, but survival time is longer in the younger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Matrone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Carla Gambale
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA;
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Virginia Cappagli
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Valeria Bottici
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Cristina Romei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Luigi De Napoli
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.D.N.); (G.M.)
| | - Eleonora Molinaro
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.D.N.); (G.M.)
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.M.); (C.G.); (A.P.); (V.C.); (V.B.); (C.R.); (R.C.); (E.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-050-544-723; Fax: +39-050-578-772
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Ramone T, Mulè C, Ciampi R, Bottici V, Cappagli V, Prete A, Matrone A, Piaggi P, Torregrossa L, Basolo F, Elisei R, Romei C. RET Copy Number Alteration in Medullary Thyroid Cancer Is a Rare Event Correlated with RET Somatic Mutations and High Allelic Frequency. Genes (Basel) 2020; 12:35. [PMID: 33383911 PMCID: PMC7824333 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Copy number variations (CNV) of the RET gene have been described in 30% of Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC), but no information is available about their role in this tumor. This study was designed to clarify RET gene CNV prevalence and their potential role in MTC development. RET gene CNV were analyzed in 158 sporadic MTC cases using the ION Reporter Software (i.e., in silico analysis) while the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay (i.e., in vitro analysis) technique was performed in 78 MTC cases. We identified three categories of RET ploidy: 137 in 158 (86.7%) cases were diploid and 21 in 158 (13.3%) were aneuploid. Among the aneuploid cases, five out of 21 (23.8%) showed an allelic deletion while 16 out of 21 (76.2%) had an allelic amplification. The prevalence of amplified or deleted RET gene cases (aneuploid) was higher in RET positive tumors. Aneuploid cases also showed a higher allelic frequency of the RET driver mutation. The prevalence of patients with metastatic disease was higher in the group of aneuploid cases while the higher prevalence of disease-free patients was observed in diploid tumors. A statistically significant difference was found when comparing the ploidy status and mortality. RET gene CNVs are rare events in sporadic MTC and are associated with RET somatic mutation, suggesting that they could not be a driver mechanism of tumoral transformation per se. Finally, we found a positive correlation between RET gene CNV and a worse clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Ramone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Chiara Mulè
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Raffaele Ciampi
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Valeria Bottici
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Virginia Cappagli
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Alessandro Prete
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Antonio Matrone
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (L.T.); (F.B.)
| | - Rossella Elisei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Cristina Romei
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (T.R.); (C.M.); (R.C.); (V.B.); (V.C.); (A.P.); (A.M.); (P.P.); (C.R.)
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Abstract
We report two cases of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) which had a very good response to a treatment with lenvatinib at 14 mg. A 73-year-old man with ATC stage IVB was operated on, undergoing a near-total thyroidectomy, and the pathological remnant tissue showed a quick and partial response to treatment with the drug. The patient had a single metastasis in the brain after 9 months, but then died due to bronchopneumonia after undergoing a neurosurgical intervention for the complete removal of the lesion. A 74-year-old woman with ATC stage IV was operated on, undergoing a near-total thyroidectomy after a neoadjuvant treatment with the drug, that was continued after surgical treatment. She had a partial remission of the local disease and of distant metastasis, which lasted for 14 months. She then died 4 months later due to cancer progression. Lenvatinib at 14 mg appears to be effective, fast and well tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Barbaro
- Department of Medicine, UO Endocrinology, USL North West Tuscany, General Hospital of Livorno, Livorno, Italy
| | - Paola Lapi
- Department of Surgery, UO Pathology, USL North West Tuscany Office in Livorno, Livorno, Toscana, Italy
| | - Paolo Viacava
- Department of Surgery, UO Pathology, USL North West Tuscany Office in Livorno, Livorno, Toscana, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Deparment of Surgery, UO Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Toscana, Italy
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50
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Prete A, Cosentino G, Manetti L, Ambrosini CE, Papini P, Marinò M, Torregrossa L, Marcocci C, Elisei R, Lupi I. Firm mass in thyroid of an elderly patient: not always cancer. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep 2020; 2020:EDM200137. [PMID: 33434158 DOI: 10.1530/edm-20-0137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY In elderly patients presenting with a solid thyroid mass, the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lesion is not always straightforward. We present the case of an 85-year-old woman with fever and an enlarged, firm and painful thyroid mass. Blood exams documented a mild thyrotoxicosis with a moderate inflammatory status. Thyroid scintiscan showed an absent uptake of 131I. Ultrasound and CT scan documented a 3 cm hypoechoic nodule with infiltration of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, very suspicious for neoplastic nature. Fine-needle aspiration and tru-cut biopsy were performed. During biopsy, the lesion was partially drained and a brownish fluid was extracted. The culture resulted positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae whereas the pathological analysis of the specimen was not conclusive due to the presence of an intense inflammatory response. A targeted oral antibiotic therapy was then initiated, obtaining only a partial response thus, in order to achieve a definite diagnosis, a minimally invasive hemithyroidectomy was performed. The pathological analysis documented acute suppurative thyroiditis and the clinical conditions of the patient significantly improved after surgical removal of thyroid abscess. In elderly patients with a solid thyroid mass, although neoplastic origin is quite frequent, acute suppurative thyroiditis should be considered as a differential diagnosis. LEARNING POINTS A solid and rapidly growing thyroid mass in elderly patients can hide a multifaceted variety of diseases, both benign and malign. A multidisciplinary team (endocrinologist, surgeon, radiologist and pathologist) could be necessary in order to perform a correct differential diagnosis and therapeutic approach. Surgery can be decisive not only to clarify a clinically uncertain diagnosis, but also to rapidly improve the clinical conditions of the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luca Manetti
- Unit of Endocrinology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana
| | | | - Piermarco Papini
- Unit of Endocrine Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana
| | | | - Liborio Torregrossa
- Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, Anatomic Pathologic Section, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Toscana, Italy
| | | | - Rossella Elisei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana
| | - Isabella Lupi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana
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