Pulmonary arteriovenous dysplasia consists of a pathological, direct communication of the pulmonary vein with the pulmonary artery, without capillary mesh mediation. The clinical consequences are hypoxemia, due to the escape of non- oxygenated venous blood into systemic circulation, and paradoxical embolic events in the central nervous system. Chest X-ray plays an important role in the diagnosis of pulmonary arteriovenous dysplasia because of its high specificity. This is a review of the clinical utility of thoracic radiography, with a description of the imaging characteristics of pulmonary arteriovenous dysplasia.

Introduction: T-box transcription factor 5 (TBX5) has recently been identified as a critical player in cancer development. CD44s is a cell adhesion molecule known to mediate cellular adhesion to the extracellular matrix, a prerequisite for tumor cell migration and plays an important role in invasion and metastasis of various cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the role of TBX5 and CD44s in imprints of non small cell lung carcinoma. Methods: Imprint smears from 60 patients with NSCLC surgically resected tumors were examine immunocytochemically with the use of CD44s and TBX5 antibodies. Two histological tumor types were examined: adenocarcinomas (AC), and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). The results were correlated with clinical pathological characteristics of patients. Results: High CD44s expression was detected in SCC than AC (p<0,001). Overexpression of CD44s was correlated with lymphnode metastasis (p=0,018), with high grade tumor differentiation (p=0,042) and advanced tumor stage (p=0,018). TBX5 overexpression correlated with tumor stage (p=0,013), lymphnode status (p=0,038) and histological type of the tumors (p=0,026). Conclusion: Overexpression of CD44s is a negative prognostic factor while TBX5 factor is a tumor suppressive marker in NSCLC.

Introduction: This study's principal objective was to evaluate the critical role of the application of immunocytochemistry to a novel panel of diagnostic markers for the accurate detection of the source of malignancies in pleural effusions of lung adenocarcinoma.Materials and methods: In 40 effusion smears from lung adenocarcinoma, the expression of the E-cadherin, a-catenin, Thyroid Transcription Factor (ITF-1), Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), p53, caspase 9 and 3, Bax and Bcl-2 was examined by immunocytochemistry.Results: All cases showed positive immunoreactivity of tumour cells to caspase 3 (42,5%), caspase 9 (40%), Bcl-2 (30%), Bax (40%), p53 (55%), E-cadherin (82,5%), a-catenin (80%), TrF-1 (87,5%) and EGFR (62,5%). The Pearson's x(2) analysis demonstrated a highly significant correlation to each of the other marker when analysed separately. Caspase 3 expression was correlated significantly with caspase 9 (p < 0.0001), Bax (p = 0.002), Bcl-2(p = 0.014) and p53 (p = 0.011). Caspase 9 was correlated with Bax (p = 0.005) and p53 (p = 0.047), p53 correlated with E-cadherin (p = 0.011), a-catenin(p = 0.011), EGFR (p < 0.0001) and Bax (p = 0.032). Correlation was also observed between Bcl-2 and Bax expression (p < 0.0001), E-cadherin and a-catenin expression (p < 0.0001) and a-catenin and TTF-1 expression (p = 0.002).Conclusions: The use of a panel of biomarkers can be of great value in determining effusion immunoprofile in patients with lung adenocarcinoma for clinical application. (C) 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of CPA4 a member of carboxypeptidase family and Rel B a member of nuclear transcription factor Kappa B family in imprints of resected NSCLC and correlate these expressions with DNA ploidy and classical prognostic factors. A total of 45 smears of patients who underwent surgical treatment for NSCLC were examined immunocytochemicaly for the expression of CPA4 and Rel B. Imprint smears also were stained using the Feulgen procedure in order to evaluate DNA ploidy in the same cases. Thirty two (71,1%) of the tumors were classified as aneuploid. CPA4 positive expression was observed in 18 (40%) and Rel B in 21 (46,7%) of the tumors. We found a significant relationship between DNA ploidy and grade (p=0,005). CPA4 and Rel B expression correlated with grade (p<0,0001 for both) and also with nodal status (p=0,004 and p=0,017, respectively). Cox regression multivariable analysis demonstrated that CPA4 and Rel B expression were independent prognostic factors. The mean DNA index was higher for tumors with negative expression of CPA4 and Rel B (P=0,045 and p=0,025 respectively) DNA aneuploidy correlates with poor and moderately differentiated tumors. CPA4 and Rel B positive expression is in relation to well differentiated carcinomas and nodal status

Introduction: Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is a tumorigenic gene and its high expression has been found that promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of the NSCLC. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of AEG-1 in patients with NSCLC. Methods: Imprint smears (no 75) from surgically resected NSCLC were examined immunocytologically with the use of AEG-1 antibody. The results were correlated with prognostic markers. Results: AEG-1 was over expressed in NSCLC compared with normal lung smears. There was a significant correlation between AEG-1 expression with tumor size (p< 0,001 and p=0,009), as well as with poorly histological differentiation (p=0,007 and p=0,001) for both adenocarcinomas and squamous cells carcinomas respectively. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that AEG-1 protein level overexpression maybe a potential biomarker in patients with advanced lung cancer.

Introduction: The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) plays a central role in tumor proliferation, carcinogenesis and progression. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of AXL in cell block specimens from 40 surgically resected squamous cell carcinomas of the lung (SCCL). Methods: Expression of AXL in cancer specimens was examined by immunocytochemical method and the results correlated with clinicopathologic features. Results: The immunoreactivity of AXL was low in normal epithelium and increased positive percentage was noted from normal hyperplastic epithelium (9,2%) to cancer (55,6%). AXL expression correlated with lymphnode status (p=0,01), differentiation (p<0,001) and clinical stage (p=0,016) of SCCL. Patients with high expression of AXL showed poor prognosis compared with those with low AXL expression patients (p<0,001). In multivariable analysis (cox regression model) AXL expression remained as an independent prognostic factor (p=0,035). Conclusions: Our results indicated that AXL promotes the carcinogenesis and progression of SCCL and is a valuable marker for aggressiveness of SCCL.

Case report: An asymptomatic man undergoes a chest radiograph http://ow.ly/4nmyfG.

It has been demonstrated that Notch 1 and Notch 3 proteins may be involved in malignant transformation and development of various types of tumours. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Notch 1 and 3 proteins as biomarkers of predicting the prognostic outcome for patients with NSCLC Imprint lung cancer specimens were examined from 50 patients with NSCLC who underwent surgical resection. An immunocytochemical method was apply with the use of Notch 1 and Notch 3 antibodies. The expression was correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Overexpression of Notch 1 and Notch 3 proteins was observed in 52% (26/50) and 48% (24/50) of NSCLC. The expression of Notch 1 was significantly correlated with stage (p = 0.02) and grade. The expression of Notch 3 was associated with lymphnode status (p = 0.001) and the stage (p < 0.0001) while the coexpression of Notch 1 and Notch 3 was correlated with lymphnode status (p = 0.0047), stage (p = 0.0001) and grade (p < 0.0001). Coexpression of both proteins had a significantly poorer prognosis than those without coexpression (p < 0.001). In conclusion coexpression of both proteins correlates with poorer prognosis, in patients with resected NSCLC. Furthermore Notch 3 presents as a more attractive prognostic biomarker for NSCLC compared with Notch 1.

Background: Regulation of apoptosis is a complex process that involves a number of genes. Alterations in the apoptotic pathway appear to be key events in cancer development and progression. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of the expression of BH3 proteins, Bim and Noxa, with clinicopathological variables in NSCLC. Method: Sixty seven imprint smears from surgically resected NSCLCs were immunocytochemically evaluated for Bim and Noxa expression. The results were correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Results: Immunoreactivity for both markers detected in the cytoplasm of malignant cells. Bim expression was associated with tumor differentiation (p<0,001), pathological stage (p=0,05) and the stage of the disease (p=0,01). Multivariate analysis showed a correlation of Bim expression with squamous cell carcinomas (0<0,001). Strong cytoplasmic expression correlated with well differentiated tumours while low expression with high Ki67. Nova expression correlated with pathological parameters (p=0,01). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that Bim and Noxa expression can serve as poor prognostic markers in NSCLC.

Aim: Interleukin – 1 receptor associated kinase 1 (IRAK-1) is increasingly being recognized as an important mediator in cancer initiation and progression. Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH 2) promotes carcinogenesis by epigenetically silencing tumor suppressor genes. We studied IRAK-1 and EZH-2 expression in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and corresponding preneoplastic lesions. Methods: Imprint smears from 102 NSCLC (adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas) and adjacent atypical squamous metaplasia (n = 20) and normal bronchial epithelium (n = 20) were studied for the immunocytochemical expression of IRAK-1 and EZH2. The results were correlated with patients' clinicopathologic features. Furthermore we investigated the correlation between IRAK-1and EZH-2 expression in tumour imprint specimens. Results: NSCLC tumors demonstrated significantly cytoplasmic and lower nuclear IRAK-1 expression and higher nuclear expression for EZH-2 than normal epithelium. Atypical squamous metaplasia had significantly higher cytoplasmic IRAK-1 and nuclear EZH-2 expression. In tumor specimens; significant positive correlation was detected between IRAK-1 expression and EZH2 (p < 0,0001). The correlation between the expression IRAK-1 and EZH-2 and patients clinicopathologic features varied according to histological type of the tumor and the grade. Conclusions: IRAK-1 and EZH-2 are expressed in high percentages in NSCLC imprint smears and their expression in specimens with atypical squamous metaplasia is an early phenomenon in the sequential development of lung cancer. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.