MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed at Nottingham University Hospital, UK. A total of 102 women (polycystic ovary syndrome, endometrial cancer and controls; 34 participants in each group) were recruited. Clinical and biochemical assessments were performed before endometrial biopsies were obtained from all participants. Taqman real-time polymerase chain reaction for endometrial sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 gene and its systemic protein expression were analyzed.
RESULTS: The body mass indices of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (29.28 ± 2.91 kg/m(2) ) and controls (28.58 ± 2.62 kg/m(2) ) were not significantly different. Women with endometrial cancer had a higher mean body mass index (32.22 ± 5.70 kg/m(2) ). Sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 gene expression was significantly increased in polycystic ovary syndrome and endometrial cancer endometrium compared with controls (p
METHODS: One hundred and one formalin-fixed and paraffin-processed triple-negative breast cancer cases from the University of Malaya Medical Centre were tested immunohistochemically for cytokeratins 5/6 and 14, PTEN, and IGFBP2. The resulting slides were scored for proportion and intensity of staining.
RESULTS: Loss of tumor nuclear and cytoplasmic staining for PTEN occurred in 48.3% of cases and was significantly associated with younger age at diagnosis (47 years compared with 57 years in those without PTEN loss; P = .005). Independent predictors of PTEN loss were late stage at presentation (P = .026), cytokeratin 5/6 positivity (P = .028), and IGFBP2 expression (P = .042). High levels of IGFBP2 expression were seen in 32% of cases; an independent predictor of high levels was cytokeratin 14 negativity (P = .005). PTEN loss and high levels of IGFBP2 expression were associated with poorer survival, but neither of these trends was significant.
CONCLUSIONS: PTEN loss is a frequent event in triple-negative breast cancers and is significantly associated with younger age at onset of breast cancer, late stage, and IGFBP2 expression.
CLINICAL PICTURE: This is a report of a case of metastatic adenocarcinoma of colorectal origin to the paranasal sinuses in a 52-year-old female who was previously treated for adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon. A histologic study of the surgical specimen from the sinonasal cavity demonstrated a tumour identical to the patient's prior primary tumour of the colon. The sinonasal neoplastic tissue showed marked positivity for carcinoembryonic antigen and expressed cytokeratin 20, which differentiates metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma from ITAC.
TREATMENT/OUTCOME: The patient received palliative radiation but died 3 months after the diagnosis.
CONCLUSION: Distinguishing metastatic adenocarcinoma from gastrointestinal tract from ITAC can be difficult. In view of the resemblance, immunohistochemical staining can help in differentiating them. It is important to recognise these as metastatic lesions as the treatment is mainly palliative.