Parathyroid adenoma is the most common cause of primary hyperparathyroidism and rarely reaches huge sizes. As the gland enlarges it may exhibit atypical morphology and extension to the mediastinum which may complicate the excision of the tumor while preserving the capsular integrity. We present a 35-year-old male patient who was referred to our department with a complaint of severe hypercalcemia. Neck ultrasound and parathyroid scintigraphy revealed an adenoma of 45x25 mm in size in the left parathyroid lobe extending to the retrosternal area. The patient underwent an uneventful parathyroidectomy. The patient remained well with no evidence of biochemical recurrence during the 4-year follow-up. Here, we presented a very original case of one of the largest parathyroid adenomas (8 cm) with atypical configuration (having multiple spicular extensions from the main body) ever reported in the literature which was completely retrieved from the posterior mediastinum via cervical route.

Schwannomas are mostly benign tumors arising from the nerve sheath. These tumors can be found anywhere in the body. Depending on their locations, they may cause compressive symptoms as well as cosmetic or functional defects. Ancient schwannomas, the rare variant of schwannomas, are the slow-growing tumors characterized with cystic necrotic degeneration areas in the neoplastic tissue. Ancient schwannomas rarely occur in the spinal canal, they are particularly unusual in the thoracic spine. Herein we present a 66-year-old woman with chronic back pain who is detected a cystic mass in her thoracic spine by magnetic resonance imaging and is diagnosed with ancient schwannoma by histological examination.

Background Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with a 5-year survival rate of about 20–25%. The ability to predict pathological response (PR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT); hence, overall survival (OS) probability of patients can allow the clinician to individualize treatment strategies. We investigated the role of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET-computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT) in predicting histopathologic response and prognosis in locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) patients undergoing NACT. Methods F-18FDG PET/CT images taken before and after NACT, adenocarcinoma histopathology and operation pyesis reports of 43 LAGC patients were analyzed. Maximum (SUVmax) and mean (SUVmean) standardized uptake values, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of lesions were measured before and after NACT. Changes in percentage were calculated for ΔSUVmax%, ΔSUVmean%, ΔMTV%, ΔTLG%, and cutoff values were determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. NACT response in pathology pyesis was determined according to the College of American Pathologists classification. PR and OS were analyzed with Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression models based on cutoffs found with PET measurements. Results Cutoffs were ΔSUVmax = 33.31%, ΔSUVmean = 42.96%, ΔMTV = 30.38%, and ΔTLG = 28.14%, and all patients showed significance in PR and OS based on these cutoffs (all P < 0.01). PET/CT findings before and after NACT (ΔMTV > 30.38%, ΔTLG > 28.14%) predicted PR with 100% sensitivity and specificity. Multivariate analysis showed ΔSUVmean as an independent risk factor predicting OS (hazard ratio 0.348, 95% confidence interval 2.91–22.3, P = 0.03). Conclusions Metabolic parameters obtained with F-18 FDG PET/CT scanning before and after NACT in LAGC patients can accurately predict PR and OS.

Background/Aims This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection among patients with moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis (UC) and to determine the risk factors for CMV infection according to the demographic features of these patients.Patients/Methods A total of 183 patients with severe or moderate active UC were enrolled in the study after retrospective analysis. The disease severity of UC was determined according to the Mayo Score. CMV infection was investigated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining method in colonic mucosal biopsies.Results CMV infection was diagnosed in 33.9% of patients with UC. UC patients diagnosed with CMV infection had significantly higher Mayo Score levels (9.68 vs 8.56 and p=0.001). The long-term presence of UC disease, steroid, azathioprine (AZA), and anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) usage increased the risk of CMV infection (p=0.001 and odds ratio=1.168; p=0.001 and odds ratio=2.967; p=0.004 and odds ratio=2.953; p=0.003 and odds ratio=3.861, respectively). CMV infection increases the risk of developing steroid resistance or dependency (p=0.002 and odds ratio=3.147; p=0.002 and odds ratio=5.085, respectively). Post-treatment clinical remission and mucosal healing rates were higher in CMV-negative patients than in CMV-positive patients (99.2% vs 91.9%, p=0.018 and 86.8% vs 70.9%, p=0.015). A higher rate of need for colectomy had been found in patients with CMV infection (5 patients vs 1 patient; p=0.034 and odds ratio=10.526).Conclusions The presence of CMV infection increases the severity of the disease and worsens clinical outcomes, leading to adverse treatment outcomes. CMV infection increases the requirement for colectomy. The presence of steroids, immunosuppressives such as AZA, and anti-TNF-alpha usage increases the occurrence of CMV infection. CMV infection should be suspected in patients with moderate to severe UC activity.

Neoplasms of the appendix are very rare. They usually show glandular or neuroendocrine differentiation, and when they both occur in the same area, it is called a "collision tumor." Low-grade mucinous neoplasms associated with appendiceal diverticula are also uncommon. The appendectomy specimen of a 60-year-old man contained dense and mucoid luminal content on the distal tip, and similarly a solid, yellow, lumen-obscuring tumor with a diameter of 1.5 cm at the base of the appendix was detected. Microscopically, there were three diverticula that comprised herniation of the mucosal layer through the appendiceal wall. Interestingly, all of the diverticula and the normal-appearing appendiceal wall were lined by adenomatous epithelium. The luminal portion had pools of mucin-containing, rare clusters of low-grade epithelium that gave rise to the diagnosis of a "low-grade mucinous neoplasm." The solid-appearing tumor was diagnosed as a "neuroendocrine neoplasm," and there was no transition zone between these two types of tumors. There are some cases that have been reported as low-grade mucinous neoplasms associated with appendicular diverticula and collision tumors consisting both mucinous neoplasms and carcinoid tumors in the literature; our case has a unique appearance with two different types of tumors both in the appendix wall and within multiple diverticula.

Purpose: The sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) of the liver is an obliterative vasculitis that involves the terminal branches of the hepatic venules and sinusoids. When it is not treated, it will be a serious risk of mortality. Here, we aim to present our patient who has been associated with recurrent cholangitis attacks due to cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis and is associated with sinusoidal obstruction syndrome with the literature. Description of the case: A 30 years old male patient had complaints of abdominal pain and nausea for a long time. The patient had a history of choledocholithiasis and cholangitis attacks. Although ERCP was performed and a stent was placed in the biliary tract, his jaundice did not disappear. Liver function tests were high. Tumor markers were negative. Methods: We could not make a definitive diagnosis with imaging methods and biopsy and we planned surgery. We performed segmental liver resection and biliary diversion in the surgery. Histopathological examination of the resected liver tissue was compatible with SOS. Conclusion: Many studies have been done on the etiology of SOS and different causes have been revealed. Accompanied with clinical findings, a definitive diagnosis is made with the exclusion of the presumptions considered. Surgery can be performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. If patients with elevated liver function tests and bilirubin have long-term abdominal pain, SOS should be bear in mind.

Objective: Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) are frequently located in the lung and gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) system organs. Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) constitutes 5% of GEP NENs and has a very high malignancy potential. In this study, it is aimed to determine a new threshold value in addition to the 20% Ki-67 proliferation index that was specified as a threshold value for predicting survival in patients with grade (G) 3 tumors according to World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 classification. Method: Demographic, clinicopathologic features and survival rates of 34 patients diagnosed with GEP NEC between 2008-2015 in İzmir Katip Celebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital Medical Pathology Clinic were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Most of the 34 (76.5%) cases were male and the average age was 63.9 years. Median survival rates were 15, and 7 months in patients with Ki-67 indexes of ≤65% and >65%, respectively (p=0.232). Conclusion: Recent studies have shown heterogeneity of high-grade NENs, identified as NEC and foreseen their subdivision into biological subgroups. The researchers suggest that the NECs should be divided into two categories as patients with Ki-67 indexes of 20-55% and >55%. In our study, the most significant difference in survival rates was observed when 65% was selected as threshold value for Ki-67 index which supports the results of other studies in the literature. Since the number of our cases is limited and it is a single-center study, the findings obtained needs to be further investigated in studies with greater number of case series.

Tuberculosis is a problem to public health, especially in developing countries. However, involvement of the thyroid gland is rare. Herein, a 53-yearold woman with complaint of painless swelling on the right side of her neck is presented. Nodular goiter was detected in addition to multiple lymphadenopathies on the right cervical region. Tuberculosis was diagnosed based on histological findings in both the thyroid gland and cervical lymph nodes contrary to our expectation which was thyroid carcinoma.

Primary thyroid lymphomas are rare thyroid neoplasms.Mucosa Associated Lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the most common types.It is more common in the elderly, and especially in women.Patients usually present with a rapidly growing mass in the neck.This article aimed to present the epidemiological features, treatment and prognostic factors of thyroid lymphomas by retrospectively reviewing 4 patients with thyroid lymphoma.Four patients were treated for primary thyroid lymphoma, two of whom were women and two were men, with a mean age of 63.7 (51-74) years.Common complaint of those patients was the sudden swelling of the neck.Two patients were diagnosed with fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and the other two patients were diagnosed with surgical excision.Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were applied to all four patients.While one patient died in the second year of follow-up, the other three patients are still being followed.Primary thyroid lymphomas are not aggressive tumors, and the most effective treatment is radiotherapy.

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Appendiceal endometriosis, which is very rare, may have nonspecific presentation such as chronic pelvic pain, but sometimes it can masquerade clinically as acute appendicitis. Also appendiceal diverticulum may be congenital or acquired and is an infrequently encountered lesion. They are often asymptomatic but when diverticulitis or perforation develops, it may clinically mimic acute abdomen of acute suppurative appendicitis. Herein we report a case with a unique combination of appendiceal diverticulosis and endometriosis in a 39-year-old woman that was diagnosed preoperatively as acute appendicitis.

Introduction: Russell body gastritis is considered as a rare, benign, incidental finding characterized by dense accumulation of plasma cells containing Russell bodies in the lamina propria. In this study, clinical and histopathological features of 12 cases of Russell body gastritis/duodenitis were presented. Materials and methods: Clinical data, histopathological findings including Helicobacter pylori infection, Sydney system classification, Russell body density and immunohistochemical findings were evaluated in 11 gastric and 1 duodenal mucosal biopsy from 11 patients. Results: Six cases were male, 5 were female and the mean age was 72 (44-87). The most common site was antrum (10/12), one case was located in cardia and one in heterotopic gastric mucosa of duodenal bulb. H. pylori was detected in half of the cases. One of the cases was accompanied by gastric tubular adenoma, one by gastric well-differentiated adenocarcinoma and one by plasma cell neoplasm. In all cases, globules were positive with PAS stain. Conclusion: Russell body gastritis must be kept in mind while reporting endoscopic biopsies because this entity may be misdiagnosed as signet ring carcinoma and may be associated with neoplasms. Absence of nuclear atypia, mucin stains, cytokeratins, plasma cell and hematolymphoid antigen markers are useful in differential diagnosis. Associated H. pylori infection, as well as rarely carcinomas, adenomas and plasma cell neoplasms, may be observed.

Medullary carcinoma is a rare subtype of colorectal cancer making up less than 0.1% of all colorectal malignancies. This subtype can be confused with poorly differentiated colorectal carcinoma due to undifferentiated complexion morphology and high mitotic activity. Medullary carcinoma is a subtype of colonic adenocarcinoma with a better prognosis than other subtypes. This subtype is important because of the expansive growth pattern and high microsatellite instability. Medullary carcinoma is often right sided and is more frequent in older females and has lower incidence of lymph node metastases. In our case, the patient presented with complaints of abdominal pain and rectal bleeding due to a 5 cm wide colonic mass located at the transverse colon. Resection of the specimen revealed medullary colonic carcinoma.

A 19-year-old woman presented with painless swelling of the abdomen. During surgery, a giant mass measuring 37 cm×26 cm×12 cm within the distal pancreas invading the spleen was noted. The clinical diagnosis of a solid cystic pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas was suspected. Distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and debulking surgery were performed. Histological examination showed that the tumor infiltrated the spleen and pancreatic parenchyma, and sections of the solid areas revealed a proliferation of spindle-shaped or stellate cells growing in fascicular and storiform patterns within a myxoid intercellular matrix. Cystic areas were representing the entrapped excretory pancreatic ductules. Interestingly, there were two ectopic adrenal tissues found incidentally in the peripheral portion of the tumor. The histopathologic and immunohistochemical features were consistent with a solid cystic desmoid tumor of the pancreas. Desmoid tumors of the pancreas are very rare, and if they present as a solid cystic lesion, their diagnosis may be difficult. We report the case for its rarity and huge size and to emphasize a regular follow-up because the long-term prognosis is currently unknown.

Thymomas are the most common type of mass found in adult anterior mediastinal masses. Thymomas typically metastasize to the ribcage because of their slow growth and affinity for local invasion. Far metastases are rare, with the brain as the most commonly metastasized area. Bone metastases of thymomas are usually observed in the calvarium. A 60-year-old patient, who presented with metastatic mass lesions that developed 18 months after undergoing a surgery for mediastinal thymomas in the sacrum and iliac bones detected by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and histopathology, is the first mediastinal thymoma case with metastasis to the sacrum in the literature.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B infection is characterized by hepatic immune and inflammatory response with considerable variation in the rates of progression to cirrhosis. Genetic variants and environmental cues influence predisposition to the development of chronic liver disease; however, it remains unknown if aberrant DNA methylation is associated with fibrosis progression in chronic hepatitis B.Results: To identify epigenetic marks associated with inflammatory and fibrotic processes of the hepatitis B-induced chronic liver disease, we carried out hepatic genome-wide methylation profiling using Illumina Infinium BeadArrays comparing mild and severe fibrotic disease in a discovery cohort of 29 patients. We obtained 310 differentially methylated regions and selected four loci comprising three genes from the top differentially methylated regions: hypermethylation of HOXA2 and HDAC4 along with hypomethylation of PPP1R18 were significantly linked to severe fibrosis. We replicated the prominent methylation marks in an independent cohort of 102 patients by bisulfite modification and pyrosequencing. The timing and causal relationship of epigenetic modifications with disease severity was further investigated using a cohort of patients with serial biopsies.Conclusions: Our findings suggest a linkage of widespread epigenetic dysregulation with disease progression in chronic hepatitis B infection. CpG methylation at novel genes sheds light on new molecular pathways, which can be potentially exploited as a biomarker or targeted to attenuate inflammation and fibrosis.

Demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of the non-progressors and progressors in serial biopsies. (DOCX 18 kb)

Odontogenic lesions are cysts or tumors that develop in jawbone or the soft tissues in mouth. Odontogenic cysts are characterized by epithelium lining a collagenous cyst wall. Radicular cyst is the most common odontogenic cyst. Odontogenic tumors derives from epithelial, mesenchymal or mixed elements that are part of the tooth-forming apparatus. Ameloblastoma is the most common odontogenic tumor.