INTRODUÇÃO: A ressecção de metástases hepáticas (MH) do câncer colorretal (CCR) é considerada segura e potencialmente curativa. Apesar dos avanços no diagnóstico e nas estratégias cirúrgicas até 70% dos pacientes operados vão apresentar recidiva. Os critérios prognósticos clínico-patológicos disponíveis são insuficientes e a utilidade de modelos prognósticos é considerada inconsistente. Deste modo, torna-se necessário o desenvolvimento de novos critérios que se apoiam em outras variáveis biológicas. A disseminação intra-hepática de metástases de câncer colorretal pode ocorrer através de diferentes vias: linfática, sanguínea (vasos portais), através dos sinusóides ou de ductos biliares. Embora estas vias tenham sido bem descritas, o valor prognóstico de cada uma após a ressecção hepática não está completamente definido. O adenocarcinoma colorretal mucinoso (ACM) é um subtipo de carcinoma colorretal com importante produção mucina, e que está associado clinicamente a tumores proximais, estágio avançado no momento do diagnóstico, instabilidade de microssatélites e mutação do gene BRAF. Há controvérsias sobre o impacto prognóstico da histologia mucinosa nos tumores colorretais primitivos e o seu papel nas lesões metastáticas hepáticas permanece desconhecido. O objetivo do nosso estudo foi determinar a frequência e elucidar o impacto prognóstico de quatro vias diferentes de disseminação intra-hepática assim como da histologia mucinosa em uma série consecutiva de pacientes operados por MH de CCR. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Os prontuários de 132 pacientes submetidos à ressecção cirúrgica de MH de CCR entre dezembro de 1999 e janeiro de 2010 foram revisados. Os pacientes que faleceram por complicações pós-operatórias (n= 3), aqueles com ressecções incompletas (R2; n= 2), ou nos quais não havia material disponível para o estudo (n= 14) foram excluídos. Os 113 pacientes restantes tiveram suas variáveis clínico-patológicas e resultados (recidiva e sobrevida) avaliados. Os espécimes cirúrgicos foram submetidos à avaliação histológica de rotina e agrupados de acordo com o conteúdo mucinoso da maior lesão hepática da seguinte forma: ACM >50 %; adenocarcinoma mucinoso intermediário (AIM) com componente mucinoso < 50 %; não-MAC (NMA) se ausência de componente mucinoso. A disseminação intra-hepática foi analisada por hematoxilina e eosina e imuno-histoquímica através dos anticorpos anti-D2-40 (vasos linfáticos), anti-CD34 (vasos sanguíneos), anti-CK-7 (epitélio biliar) e anti-CK-20 (epitélio colorretal). RESULTADOS: O tempo médio de seguimento após a ressecção foi de 37 meses. Recidivas foram observadas em 76 pacientes, com um intervalo médio de 13 meses após a ressecção. As porcentagens de sobrevida global e de sobrevida livre de doença (SLD) após a hepatectomia em 3 e 5 anos foram de 62 e 56 %, e 26% e 24%, respectivamente. A disseminação intra-hepática foi classificada em quatro categorias distintas avaliadas separadamente: invasão da veia porta, invasão dos sinusóides, através dos ductos biliares, e através dos vasos linfáticos/espaço perineural. Encontrou-se invasão microscópica intravenosa portal em 49 pacientes, sinusoidal em 43, biliar em 20 e linfática em 33 pacientes. A disseminação intra-hepática através dos vasos linfáticos foi a única via de disseminação independentemente associada ao risco de recidiva hepática (OR= 2,75) e de menor SLD (p= 0,006). Os focos tumorais de invasão angiolinfática intra-hepática foram detectados em um raio de 2mm de distância da lesão principal. As lesões com componente mucinoso (MAC e AIM) estiveram relacionadas à localização proximal do tumor primário e ao sexo feminino. A análise multivariada revelou que as lesões de tipo ACM apresentavam prognóstico desfavorável (RR= 3,13; IC95% 1,30 - 6,68; p= 0,011) quando comparadas às lesões de componente mucinoso < 50% (NMA e AIM). CONCLUSÃO: A presença de invasão angiolinfática intra-hepática é um importante fator prognóstico após a ressecção de MH de CCR. As outras vias de disseminação intra-hepática, embora observadas com freqüência, não estão relacionadas à recidiva da doença ou sobrevida, sugerindo que o sistema linfático possa ser a principal via de disseminação de MH de CCR. Além disso, o uso da imuno-histoquímica na detecção da invasão angiolinfática intra-hepática parece trazer benefícios na prática clínica. As MH de CCR com componente mucinoso > 50% (ACM) estão associadas a um pior prognóstico quando comparadas às lesões sem componente mucinoso (NMA). A presença de mucina pode, em um futuro próximo, influenciar a estratégia terapêutica e deve se tornar um ponto importante para discussão e investigação futuras / BACKGROUND: Resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) is generally accepted as a safe and potentially curative treatment. Despite advances in diagnosis and surgical strategies, up to 70% of patients will present recurrence of the disease after resection of CRCLM. Clinicopathological prognostic factors are inadequate to determine disease prognosis and the utility of prognostic models on general population is considered highly inconsistent. Herein, future attempts to develop prognostic scores may include additional biologic variables. Intrahepatic spread from CRLM may take place through four different routes: lymphatic vessels, portal vessels, sinusoids and biliary ducts. Although these routes have been well described, their prognostic value after hepatectomy is not completely understood. Colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) is a subtype of colorectal adenocarcinoma with prominent mucin production associated with tumor proximal location, advanced stage at diagnosis, microsatellite instability, and BRAF mutation. There are controversies about the prognostic impact of mucinous histology on colorectal cancer and the prognostic implication of MAC in CRCLM is unknown. The purpose of our study was to determine the frequency and elucidate the prognostic implication of four different routes for intrahepatic dissemination and the mucinous histology in a consecutive series of resected CRCLM. METHODS: Medical records of 132 patients who underwent a first resection of CRCLM between December 1999 and January 2010 were reviewed. Patients who died from postoperative complications (n=3), those with incomplete resections (R2; n=2), or no available tissue for the study (n=14) were excluded. The remaining 113 patients had their clinicopathologic variables and outcome parameters evaluated. Resected specimens were submitted to routine histological evaluation and were grouped according to metastasis mucinous content: > 50%, MAC; < 50%, adenocarcinoma with intermediated mucinous component (AIM); and without any mucinous component, non-MAC (NMA). Intrahepatic dissemination was analyzed by H&E and immunohistochemical staining with D2-40 (lymphatic vessels), CD34 (blood vessels), CK-7 (biliary epithelium), and CK-20 (CRC cells). RESULTS: Mean follow-up after resection was 37 months. Tumor recurrence was observed in 76 patients, with a median interval of 13 months after resection. Overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) rates after hepatectomy were 62 and 56%, and 26 and 24% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Intrahepatic spread was classified into discreet categories that were evaluated separately: invasion of the portal vein, sinusoids, bile duct, and lymphatic/perineural space. Intrahepatic microscopic invasion included portal vein in 49 patients, sinusoidal in 43 patients, biliary in 20 patients, and lymphatic in 33 patients. Intra-hepatic lymphatic invasion was the only route of dissemination independently associated with the risk of hepatic recurrence (OR=2.75) and shorter DFS (P= 0.006). All tumor foci of intrahepatic lymphatic invasion were detected within 2mm away from tumor edge. Tumors with mucinous component (AIM and MAC) were related to proximal location of the primary tumor and were more frequently observed in females. Multivariate analysis revealed that MAC was an independent negative prognostic factor (hazard ratio= 3.13; 95% CI, 1.30-6.68; P= 0.011) compared with non-MAC (NMA and AIM). CONCLUSION: Intrahepatic lymphatic invasion is a significant prognostic factor. Other mechanisms of invasion, although frequently observed, are not related to disease recurrence or survival, suggesting that the lymphatic system is the main route for dissemination of CRCLM. Furthermore, immunohistochemical detection of intrahepatic lymphatic invasion might be of value in clinical practice. MAC has an adverse prognostic impact compared with NMA, which may influence therapeutic strategy raising an important subject for discussion and future investigation

INTRODUÇÃO: A ressecção de metástases hepáticas (MH) do câncer colorretal (CCR) é considerada segura e potencialmente curativa. Apesar dos avanços no diagnóstico e nas estratégias cirúrgicas até 70% dos pacientes operados vão apresentar recidiva. Os critérios prognósticos clínico-patológicos disponíveis são insuficientes e a utilidade de modelos prognósticos é considerada inconsistente. Deste modo, torna-se necessário o desenvolvimento de novos critérios que se apoiam em outras variáveis biológicas. A disseminação intra-hepática de metástases de câncer colorretal pode ocorrer através de diferentes vias: linfática, sanguínea (vasos portais), através dos sinusóides ou de ductos biliares. Embora estas vias tenham sido bem descritas, o valor prognóstico de cada uma após a ressecção hepática não está completamente definido. O adenocarcinoma colorretal mucinoso (ACM) é um subtipo de carcinoma colorretal com importante produção mucina, e que está associado clinicamente a tumores proximais, estágio avançado no momento do diagnóstico, instabilidade de microssatélites e mutação do gene BRAF. Há controvérsias sobre o impacto prognóstico da histologia mucinosa nos tumores colorretais primitivos e o seu papel nas lesões metastáticas hepáticas permanece desconhecido. O objetivo do nosso estudo foi determinar a frequência e elucidar o impacto prognóstico de quatro vias diferentes de disseminação intra-hepática assim como da histologia mucinosa em uma série consecutiva de pacientes operados por MH de CCR. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Os prontuários de 132 pacientes submetidos à ressecção cirúrgica de MH de CCR entre dezembro de 1999 e janeiro de 2010 foram revisados. Os pacientes que faleceram por complicações pós-operatórias (n= 3), aqueles com ressecções incompletas (R2; n= 2), ou nos quais não havia material disponível para o estudo (n= 14) foram excluídos. Os 113 pacientes restantes tiveram suas variáveis clínico-patológicas e resultados (recidiva e sobrevida) avaliados. Os espécimes cirúrgicos foram submetidos à avaliação histológica de rotina e agrupados de acordo com o conteúdo mucinoso da maior lesão hepática da seguinte forma: ACM >50 %; adenocarcinoma mucinoso intermediário (AIM) com componente mucinoso < 50 %; não-MAC (NMA) se ausência de componente mucinoso. A disseminação intra-hepática foi analisada por hematoxilina e eosina e imuno-histoquímica através dos anticorpos anti-D2-40 (vasos linfáticos), anti-CD34 (vasos sanguíneos), anti-CK-7 (epitélio biliar) e anti-CK-20 (epitélio colorretal). RESULTADOS: O tempo médio de seguimento após a ressecção foi de 37 meses. Recidivas foram observadas em 76 pacientes, com um intervalo médio de 13 meses após a ressecção. As porcentagens de sobrevida global e de sobrevida livre de doença (SLD) após a hepatectomia em 3 e 5 anos foram de 62 e 56 %, e 26% e 24%, respectivamente. A disseminação intra-hepática foi classificada em quatro categorias distintas avaliadas separadamente: invasão da veia porta, invasão dos sinusóides, através dos ductos biliares, e através dos vasos linfáticos/espaço perineural. Encontrou-se invasão microscópica intravenosa portal em 49 pacientes, sinusoidal em 43, biliar em 20 e linfática em 33 pacientes. A disseminação intra-hepática através dos vasos linfáticos foi a única via de disseminação independentemente associada ao risco de recidiva hepática (OR= 2,75) e de menor SLD (p= 0,006). Os focos tumorais de invasão angiolinfática intra-hepática foram detectados em um raio de 2mm de distância da lesão principal. As lesões com componente mucinoso (MAC e AIM) estiveram relacionadas à localização proximal do tumor primário e ao sexo feminino. A análise multivariada revelou que as lesões de tipo ACM apresentavam prognóstico desfavorável (RR= 3,13; IC95% 1,30 - 6,68; p= 0,011) quando comparadas às lesões de componente mucinoso < 50% (NMA e AIM). CONCLUSÃO: A presença de invasão angiolinfática intra-hepática é um importante fator prognóstico após a ressecção de MH de CCR. As outras vias de disseminação intra-hepática, embora observadas com freqüência, não estão relacionadas à recidiva da doença ou sobrevida, sugerindo que o sistema linfático possa ser a principal via de disseminação de MH de CCR. Além disso, o uso da imuno-histoquímica na detecção da invasão angiolinfática intra-hepática parece trazer benefícios na prática clínica. As MH de CCR com componente mucinoso > 50% (ACM) estão associadas a um pior prognóstico quando comparadas às lesões sem componente mucinoso (NMA). A presença de mucina pode, em um futuro próximo, influenciar a estratégia terapêutica e deve se tornar um ponto importante para discussão e investigação futuras / BACKGROUND: Resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) is generally accepted as a safe and potentially curative treatment. Despite advances in diagnosis and surgical strategies, up to 70% of patients will present recurrence of the disease after resection of CRCLM. Clinicopathological prognostic factors are inadequate to determine disease prognosis and the utility of prognostic models on general population is considered highly inconsistent. Herein, future attempts to develop prognostic scores may include additional biologic variables. Intrahepatic spread from CRLM may take place through four different routes: lymphatic vessels, portal vessels, sinusoids and biliary ducts. Although these routes have been well described, their prognostic value after hepatectomy is not completely understood. Colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) is a subtype of colorectal adenocarcinoma with prominent mucin production associated with tumor proximal location, advanced stage at diagnosis, microsatellite instability, and BRAF mutation. There are controversies about the prognostic impact of mucinous histology on colorectal cancer and the prognostic implication of MAC in CRCLM is unknown. The purpose of our study was to determine the frequency and elucidate the prognostic implication of four different routes for intrahepatic dissemination and the mucinous histology in a consecutive series of resected CRCLM. METHODS: Medical records of 132 patients who underwent a first resection of CRCLM between December 1999 and January 2010 were reviewed. Patients who died from postoperative complications (n=3), those with incomplete resections (R2; n=2), or no available tissue for the study (n=14) were excluded. The remaining 113 patients had their clinicopathologic variables and outcome parameters evaluated. Resected specimens were submitted to routine histological evaluation and were grouped according to metastasis mucinous content: > 50%, MAC; < 50%, adenocarcinoma with intermediated mucinous component (AIM); and without any mucinous component, non-MAC (NMA). Intrahepatic dissemination was analyzed by H&E and immunohistochemical staining with D2-40 (lymphatic vessels), CD34 (blood vessels), CK-7 (biliary epithelium), and CK-20 (CRC cells). RESULTS: Mean follow-up after resection was 37 months. Tumor recurrence was observed in 76 patients, with a median interval of 13 months after resection. Overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) rates after hepatectomy were 62 and 56%, and 26 and 24% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Intrahepatic spread was classified into discreet categories that were evaluated separately: invasion of the portal vein, sinusoids, bile duct, and lymphatic/perineural space. Intrahepatic microscopic invasion included portal vein in 49 patients, sinusoidal in 43 patients, biliary in 20 patients, and lymphatic in 33 patients. Intra-hepatic lymphatic invasion was the only route of dissemination independently associated with the risk of hepatic recurrence (OR=2.75) and shorter DFS (P= 0.006). All tumor foci of intrahepatic lymphatic invasion were detected within 2mm away from tumor edge. Tumors with mucinous component (AIM and MAC) were related to proximal location of the primary tumor and were more frequently observed in females. Multivariate analysis revealed that MAC was an independent negative prognostic factor (hazard ratio= 3.13; 95% CI, 1.30-6.68; P= 0.011) compared with non-MAC (NMA and AIM). CONCLUSION: Intrahepatic lymphatic invasion is a significant prognostic factor. Other mechanisms of invasion, although frequently observed, are not related to disease recurrence or survival, suggesting that the lymphatic system is the main route for dissemination of CRCLM. Furthermore, immunohistochemical detection of intrahepatic lymphatic invasion might be of value in clinical practice. MAC has an adverse prognostic impact compared with NMA, which may influence therapeutic strategy raising an important subject for discussion and future investigation

Ο καρκίνος εκ του επιθηλίου επιφανείας των ωοθηκών είναι η 5η πιο κοινή αιτία θανάτου σε γυναίκες στο Δυτικό κόσμο και είναι υπεύθυνος για τους περισσότερους θανάτους από ότι όλες οι γυναικολογικές κακοήθειες μαζί. Τόσο ο μηχανισμός του νεοπλαστικού μετασχηματισμού όσο και τα μοριακά μονοπάτια που οδηγούν στο ωοθηκικό επιθηλιακό καρκίνωμα δεν έχουν εξακριβωθεί πλήρως. Ένα πρόσφατα αναγνωρισμένο γονίδιο, η μετατχερίνη (MTDH), γνωστή και ως AEG-1 ή LYRIC ενοχοποιείται ως πιθανός σημαντικός διαμεσολαβητής κατά την καρκινογένεση, την μετάσταση και την αντίσταση στις χημειοθεραπείες. Ωστόσο, η κλινική σημασία και ο βιολογικός ρόλος της μετατχερίνης (MTDH), στο επιθηλιακό καρκίνωμα των ωοθηκών δεν έχουν γίνει αποσαφηνισθεί πλήρως. Η υπερέκφραση της MTDH/AEG-1 μπορεί να ενεργοποιήσει πολλά σηματοδοτικά μονοπάτια, όπως για παράδειγμα το NF-κΒ σηματοδοτικό μονοπάτι σε διάφορους καρκινικούς τύπους. Ο NF-κΒ έχει πρόσφατα συσχετισθεί με την ανάπτυξη και την εξέλιξη των όγκων και επιπλέον τα διμερή του NF-κΒ ενισχύουν την έκφραση ποικίλων γονιδίων που αφορούν την κυτταρική αύξηση, τη διαφοροποίηση, τις φλεγμονώδεις αντιδράσεις και τη ρύθμιση της απόπτωσης. Η παρούσα μελέτη σχεδιάστηκε προκειμένου να διερευνηθεί η έκφραση των πρωτεϊνών MTDH και NF-kB (p65/p50) σε επιθηλιακά ωοθηκικά καρκινώματα (καλοήθεις, οριακής κακοήθειας και διηθητικά καρκινώματα). Για το σκοπό αυτό μελετήθηκαν τμήματα επιθηλιακών νεοπλασμάτων ωοθηκών από 76 ασθενείς (15/46 οριακής κακοήθειας όγκοι, 30/46 διηθητικά αδενοκαρκινώματα και 31/76 κυσταδενώματα), μονιμοποιημένα σε ουδέτερη φορμόλη και εγκλεισμένα σε παραφίνη με τη μέθοδο της ανοσοϊστοχημείας για την έκφραση των πρωτεϊνών MTDH και NF-κB (p50/p65). Επίσης εκτιμήθηκε η σχέση της MTDH/AEG-1 με τον NF-κB και με κλινικοπαθολογοανατομικές παραμέτρους όπως ο βαθμός κακοήθειας του όγκου, το στάδιο, η μέγιστη διάμετρος του όγκου και η ηλικία της ασθενούς. Τα αποτελέσματα της ανοσοϊστοχημείας αναλύθηκαν με τη χρήση του στατιστικού πακέτου SPSS. Ο φυσιολογικός ωοθηκικός ιστός και τα κυσταδενώματα ήταν κυρίως αρνητικά για τις πρωτεΐνες MTDH/AEG-1 και NF-κB (p50, p65). Η έκφραση των MTDH/AEG-1 και NF-kappa B/ p50, πρωτεϊνών ήταν σημαντικά αυξημένες στα αδενοκαρκινώματα σε σχέση με τους οριακής κακοήθειας όγκους. Σε αντίθεση η έκφραση της NF-kappa B/ p65 πρωτεΐνης δεν έδειξε σημαντικές διαφορές μεταξύ των οριακής κακοήθειας όγκων και των αδενοκαρκινωμάτων. Σημαντική στατιστική συσχέτιση παρατηρήθηκε στην έκφραση των πρωτεϊνών MTDH/AEG-1, NF-kappa B/p50 και NF-kappaB/p65 στα αδενοκαρκινώματα. Καμία στατιστική συσχέτιση δεν παρατηρήθηκε στην έκφραση μεταξύ του NF-κB, της MTDH πρωτεΐνης και κλινικοπαθολογοανατομικών παραμέτρων. Συμπερασματικά, τα αποτελέσματα μας υποδεικνύουν ότι η MTDH/AEG-1 ίσως παίζει ένα σημαντικό ρόλο στην παθογένεια του ανθρώπινου ωοθηκικού καρκίνου, πιθανώς μέσω της ενεργοποίησης του σηματοδοτικού μονοπατιού του πυρηνικού μεταγραφικού παράγοντα NF-κB. Επειδή η MTDH συσχετίζεται σημαντικά με την αντίσταση στη χημειοθεραπεία, θα μπορούσε ενδεχομένως να αποτελέσει σημαντικό στόχο για θεραπεία, ενισχύοντας την αποτελεσματικότητα της χημειοθεραπείας στον επιθηλιακό ωοθηκικό καρκίνο. / Epithelial ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in women in the Western world and the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancies. Little is known about the mechanism of neoplastic transformation and the molecular events leading to epithelial ovarian cancer are poorly understood. A recently discovered gene, metadherin (MTDH, also known as AEG-1 or LYRIC) has emerged as a potentially crucial mediator of tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapies. The clinical significance and biological role of metadherin (MTDH), in epithelial ovarian carcinoma however, remains unclear. Overexpression of MTDH/AEG-1 can activate several downstream pathways, including the NFκB pathway in various types of cancer cells. Recently, NF-kB has been related to cancer development and progression and NF-kB dimers (p50/p65) could induce the expression of various genes regarding cell growth, differentiation, inflammatory responses and the regulation of apoptosis. This study was designed in order to determine the expression of the MTDH and NF-kB (p65/p50) proteins in epithelial ovarian tumors (benign, borderline and malignant). Formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tissue blocks from 76 patients with epithelial ovarian neoplasms (15/46 borderline tumors, 30/46 invasive adenocarcinomas and 31/76 cystadenomas) were studied. Expressions of MTDH/AEG-1, NF-κB (p50, p65) were investigated immunohistochemically. The relationship of MTDH/AEG-1 with NF-κB and clinicopathological parameters such as tumor grade, stage, tumor maximal diameter and patient age were evaluated. The results of immunohistochemistry were analyzed with the SPSS statistic analyze protocol. Normal ovarian tissue and benign ovarian cystadenomas were mostly MTDH/AEG-1, NF-κB (p50, p65) negative. The expression of MTDH/AEG-1 and NF-kappaB p50, proteins were significantly higher in adenocarcinoma tissue in comparison with borderline tumors. In contast NF-kappaB p65 expession shows no significant differences between borderline tumors and adenocarcinomas. A statistical significant correlation was observed between MTDH/AEG-1 and NF-kappaB p50, p65 protein expression in adenocarcinomas. No statistical correlation was observed between the NF-Kb and MTDH protein expression and clinicopathological parameters. In conclusion our data indicate that the upregulation of MTDH/AEG-1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of human ovarian cancer possibly through activation of Nuclear factor-κB signalling pathway. Since MTDH has also a significant correlation with chemoresistance could be an important therapeutic target enhancing chemotherapy efficacy in ovarian epithelial cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is still a dismal disease. The high mortality rate is mainly caused by the lack of highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools, and most of the patients are diagnosed in an advanced and incurable stage. Knowledge about precursor lesions for pancreatic cancer has grown significantly over the last decade, and nowadays we know that mainly three lesions (PanIN, and IPMN, MCN) are responsible for the development of pancreatic cancer. The early detection of these lesions is still challenging but provides the chance to cure patients before they might get an invasive pancreatic carcinoma. This paper focuses on PanIN, IPMN, and MCN lesions and reviews the current level of knowledge and clinical measures.

Pancreatic cancer is still a dismal disease. The high mortality rate is mainly caused by the lack of highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tools, and most of the patients are diagnosed in an advanced and incurable stage. Knowledge about precursor lesions for pancreatic cancer has grown significantly over the last decade, and nowadays we know that mainly three lesions (PanIN, and IPMN, MCN) are responsible for the development of pancreatic cancer. The early detection of these lesions is still challenging but provides the chance to cure patients before they might get an invasive pancreatic carcinoma. This paper focuses on PanIN, IPMN, and MCN lesions and reviews the current level of knowledge and clinical measures.

Metástases em ovário geralmente se apresentam como o primeiro sinal de doença, com o tumor primário não sendo imediatamente reconhecido. A diferenciação mucinosa é o fenótipo mais comum entre essas metástases. Em algumas situações, quando essa apresentação está associada a carcinomas metastáticos capazes de simular tumores ovarianos primários, essa configuração pode levar até mesmo patologistas experientes a diagnosticar incorretamente um depósito secundário como uma neoplasia primária. A maioria dos casos problemáticos pode ser resolvida correlacionando-se os dados clínicos, as características macroscópicas, os critérios de histologia e o perfil imuno-histoquímico, mas sempre haverá alguns casos com características sobrepostas. Levando-se em conta que a invasão linfovascular conspícua é uma das características que favorecem metástase, nós hipotetizamos que diferentes padrões de microdensidade vascular intratumoral poderiam nos ajudar na definição da origem primária ou secundária do tumor. Um total de 124 casos de tumores mucinosos de ovário foram selecionados, apresentando histologia \"borderline\" e maligna. Eles foram separados em dois grupos (primários ou metastáticos), classificados de acordo com as informações clínicas disponíveis, características macroscópicas e microscópicas, e perfil imuno-histoquímico realizado em amostras de tumores em microarranjo de tecido (TMA). A densidade vascular linfática (DVL) foi analisada quantificando-se espaços vasculares intratumorais identificados pela podoplanina, um marcador endotelial linfático. De acordo com os nossos resultados a DVL foi maior nas neoplasias primárias do que nas secundárias, mas, após análise multivariada, os melhores preditores de um tumor ser secundário foram tamanho de 10,0 cm ou menos (OR 9,4; IC 95% 1,2-69,2), bilateralidade (OR 51,5; IC 95% 7,1-370,2) e negatividade para CK7 (OR 64,8; IC 95% 9,4- 447). De acordo com o conhecimento atual, a disseminação metastática não é um evento aleatório, mas um processo de várias etapas complexas e sequenciais, altamente organizado e tecido específico. É importante aprofundar a relação entre as células tumorais e seu microambiente porque as características moleculares envolvidas podem ser uma possível fonte de novos marcadores que podem permitir uma categorização mais precisa dos tumores mucinosos nos ovários / Ovarian metastases commonly present as the first sign of the disease, with the primary tumor not being immediately recognized. Mucinous differentiation is the most common phenotype among those metastases. In particular situations, when compounded by the known metastatic carcinomas capable of simulate primary tumors, this setting can lead even experienced pathologists to diagnose incorrectly a secondary deposit as a primary neoplasm. Correlating clinical data, macroscopic features, histology criteria and immunohistochemistry profile, can solve the majority of those problematic cases, but there will always be some cases in a gray zone with superimposed characteristics. Since conspicuous lymphovascular invasion is one of the characteristics favoring metastases, we hypothesized if different patterns of intratumoral vascular microdensity can help us in defining the tumor origin. A total of 124 cases of mucinous tumors in ovary were selected, presenting borderline and malignant histology. They were separated in two groups (primary and metastatic) classified according to the available clinical data, gross and microscopic features, and immunohistochemistry profile performed in tumor samples in tissue microarrays (TMA). The lymphatic vascular density (LVD) was analyzed using podoplanin, a lymphatic endothelial marker. According to our results LVD was greater in primary than in secondary neoplasms, but after multivariate analysis, the best predictors of a secondary deposit tumor were size 10,0 cm or less (OR 9.4; CI 95% 1.2- 69.2), bilaterality (OR 51.5; CI 95% 7.1-370.2) and CK7 negativity (OR 64.8; CI 95% 9.4-447). According to actual knowledge metastatic dissemination is not a random event, but a complex and sequential multistep process, highly organized and tissue-specific. It is important to go deeper into the relation between tumor cells and their microenvironment because its molecular features may be a possible source of new markers that could allow a more precise categorization of mucinous tumors in the ovaries

Metástases em ovário geralmente se apresentam como o primeiro sinal de doença, com o tumor primário não sendo imediatamente reconhecido. A diferenciação mucinosa é o fenótipo mais comum entre essas metástases. Em algumas situações, quando essa apresentação está associada a carcinomas metastáticos capazes de simular tumores ovarianos primários, essa configuração pode levar até mesmo patologistas experientes a diagnosticar incorretamente um depósito secundário como uma neoplasia primária. A maioria dos casos problemáticos pode ser resolvida correlacionando-se os dados clínicos, as características macroscópicas, os critérios de histologia e o perfil imuno-histoquímico, mas sempre haverá alguns casos com características sobrepostas. Levando-se em conta que a invasão linfovascular conspícua é uma das características que favorecem metástase, nós hipotetizamos que diferentes padrões de microdensidade vascular intratumoral poderiam nos ajudar na definição da origem primária ou secundária do tumor. Um total de 124 casos de tumores mucinosos de ovário foram selecionados, apresentando histologia \"borderline\" e maligna. Eles foram separados em dois grupos (primários ou metastáticos), classificados de acordo com as informações clínicas disponíveis, características macroscópicas e microscópicas, e perfil imuno-histoquímico realizado em amostras de tumores em microarranjo de tecido (TMA). A densidade vascular linfática (DVL) foi analisada quantificando-se espaços vasculares intratumorais identificados pela podoplanina, um marcador endotelial linfático. De acordo com os nossos resultados a DVL foi maior nas neoplasias primárias do que nas secundárias, mas, após análise multivariada, os melhores preditores de um tumor ser secundário foram tamanho de 10,0 cm ou menos (OR 9,4; IC 95% 1,2-69,2), bilateralidade (OR 51,5; IC 95% 7,1-370,2) e negatividade para CK7 (OR 64,8; IC 95% 9,4- 447). De acordo com o conhecimento atual, a disseminação metastática não é um evento aleatório, mas um processo de várias etapas complexas e sequenciais, altamente organizado e tecido específico. É importante aprofundar a relação entre as células tumorais e seu microambiente porque as características moleculares envolvidas podem ser uma possível fonte de novos marcadores que podem permitir uma categorização mais precisa dos tumores mucinosos nos ovários / Ovarian metastases commonly present as the first sign of the disease, with the primary tumor not being immediately recognized. Mucinous differentiation is the most common phenotype among those metastases. In particular situations, when compounded by the known metastatic carcinomas capable of simulate primary tumors, this setting can lead even experienced pathologists to diagnose incorrectly a secondary deposit as a primary neoplasm. Correlating clinical data, macroscopic features, histology criteria and immunohistochemistry profile, can solve the majority of those problematic cases, but there will always be some cases in a gray zone with superimposed characteristics. Since conspicuous lymphovascular invasion is one of the characteristics favoring metastases, we hypothesized if different patterns of intratumoral vascular microdensity can help us in defining the tumor origin. A total of 124 cases of mucinous tumors in ovary were selected, presenting borderline and malignant histology. They were separated in two groups (primary and metastatic) classified according to the available clinical data, gross and microscopic features, and immunohistochemistry profile performed in tumor samples in tissue microarrays (TMA). The lymphatic vascular density (LVD) was analyzed using podoplanin, a lymphatic endothelial marker. According to our results LVD was greater in primary than in secondary neoplasms, but after multivariate analysis, the best predictors of a secondary deposit tumor were size 10,0 cm or less (OR 9.4; CI 95% 1.2- 69.2), bilaterality (OR 51.5; CI 95% 7.1-370.2) and CK7 negativity (OR 64.8; CI 95% 9.4-447). According to actual knowledge metastatic dissemination is not a random event, but a complex and sequential multistep process, highly organized and tissue-specific. It is important to go deeper into the relation between tumor cells and their microenvironment because its molecular features may be a possible source of new markers that could allow a more precise categorization of mucinous tumors in the ovaries