Emerging Entities in Renal Neoplasia

This article reviews emerging entities in renal epithelial neoplasia, including tubulocystic carcinoma, clear-cell–papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC), thyroid-like follicular RCC, ALK-related RCC, translocation RCC, acquired cystic disease–related RCC, succinate dehydrogenase–deficient RCC, and hereditary leiomyomatosis-RCC syndrome–associated RCC. Many of these rarer subtypes of RCC were recently studied in more depth and are included in the upcoming version of the World Health Organization classification of tumors. Emphasis is placed on common gross and morphologic features, differential diagnoses, use of ancillary studies for making accurate diagnoses, molecular alterations, and predicted biologic behavior based on previous studies.     

Hereditary and Clinical Features of Retinitis Pigmentosa in Koreans

There has been no report about hereditary and clinical features of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in Koreans. To evaluate these, data were collected from 365 RP patients including age, gender, visual acuity (VA), spherical equivalent (SE) of refractive errors, funduscopic findings, color vision test, visual field score (VFS) obtained from Goldmann perimetry, and the inheritance patterns from pedigrees. Simplex RP was the most common inheritance pattern (61.9%); followed by autosomal recessive RP (17.3%), autosomal dominant RP (12.1%) and X-linked recessive RP (8.8%). Myopia was the most common refractive errors (77.5%) including 16.1% of high myopia. The most common cataract type was posterior subcapsular cataract (25.8%). Observed retinal findings included changes of retinal pigment epithelium (88.8%), bony spicule-like pigmentation (79.7%), attenuation of retinal vessel (76.2%), waxy disc pallor (12.6%), golden ring around optic disc (2.2%), epiretinal membrane (0.8%) and cystoid macular edema (0.5%). Corrected VA and refractive errors did not show any significant difference between the inheritance patterns. VFS was significantly worse in autosomal recessive RP than in autosomal dominant RP. Color vision defect was noted in 66.1% on Hardy-Rand-Rittlers color vision test. In conclusion, Korean RP patients have the indigenous hereditary and clinical features as well as the ordinary ones.     

Adherence to colonoscopy recommendations for first-degree relatives of young patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVES:Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The American College of Gastroenterology recommends screening for first-degree relatives of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer before the age of 50. A colonoscopy is one of the most commonly recommended exams due to its specificity and the possibility to resect pre-malignant lesions. Nevertheless, the rate of physician adherence to this recommendation is unknown.METHODS:This transversal study was performed at a major cancer center in Brazil with 62 patients, aged 18 to 50, who completed a questionnaire on information received from their physicians regarding screening their first-degree relatives. We used the answers from patients who provided explicit consent.RESULTS:Two hundred and three patients were eligible to participate and 93 (45.8%) agreed to complete the questionnaire. Twenty-three questionnaires (24.73%) were returned and 39 were completed by telephone. Of the patients who answered the questionnaire, 39 (62.9%) had received a colonoscopy recommendation for their first-degree relatives and 23 (37.1%) were not informed of the recommendation. Among the patients who received the recommendations, 20.51% affirmed that all relatives completed the exam and 51.28% stated that no relatives completed the exam.DISCUSSION:The adherence rate of our physicians to the ACG guideline recommendations was 62.9%. Considering that our study was performed at a leading center for cancer treatment in Latin America, we had expected better adherence. The results show that adherence to the colorectal cancer screening recommendations for high-risk patients must be improved.     

Anetoderma arising in Reed syndrome: a case report and review of the literature

Anetoderma is a cutaneous disorder characterized by loss of dermal elastic tissue resulting in papules from herniation of subcutaneous tissue or circumscribed areas of atrophic, wrinkled skin. Familial leiomyomatosis cutis et uteri (Reed syndrome) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas. We report a 23‐year‐old male with Reed syndrome who presented with asymptomatic pearly white, atrophic, flaccid papules on the upper back and shoulder that depressed when palpated. Pathologic examination showed an unremarkable epidermis and central loss of dermal elastin, bordered by clumped elastin, as revealed with an elastin stain. The correlation of clinical and pathologic findings indicated a diagnosis of anetoderma arising in a patient with Reed syndrome.     

Hereditary endotheliopathy with retinopathy and encephalopathy: pathological and genetic studies of a family

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the clinical, pathological and genetic features of a family suffering from hereditary endotheliopathy with retinopathy and encephalopathy. Methods: The index case was male, and his symptoms were detected at 18 years of age. The clinical manifestation included recurrent headache, fever, consciousness disturbances and haemiplegia. Bilateral cerebral hemispheric lesions were detected via MRI as low signals on T1 and high signals on T2 and FLAIR, with moderate enhancement. Video EEG revealed an increase in the slow wave frequency. An EMG displayed neurogenic atrophy. Similar clinical and imaging characteristics were detected in his mother and his uncle. Pathological examinations of the brain, muscle and sural nerve were performed on the index case. Sequence analysis of the TREX1 gene was performed on the index case, his sister and his father. Results: A brain biopsy revealed spongiform alterations as well as inflammatory cell infiltration in a few small vessels. Neurogenic muscular atrophy was detected based on a biopsy of the muscle. Demyelination was detected based on a biopsy of the sural nerve. Electron microscopic examination of the sural nerve revealed thickening and delamination of the basement membrane. No reported TREX1 gene mutation was detected for any of the patients. Conclusion: Hereditary endotheliopathy presented with peripheral nerve involvement. Multi-laminar thickening of the basement membrane of the capillaries also appeared in the extracerebral tissue. The involvement of a novel gene should be further examined.     

A novel homozygous KY variant causing a complex neurological disorder

Mutations in the gene kyphoscoliosis peptidase (KY) are known to cause myofibrillar myopathy-7 and hereditary spastic paraplegia. We investigated the genetic cause of a complex neurological phenotype in a consanguineous Pakistani family with four affected members, manifesting lower limb spasticity and weakness, toe walking, pes equinovarus, and a speech disorder. Genome-wide linkage analysis with microsatellite markers delineated chromosome 3q22.2-q24 harboring the disease gene. Whole exome sequencing was performed for two subjects, identifying a homozygous 14-bp frameshift deletion NM_178554.6:c.842_855del; p(Val281GlyfsTer18) in KY. The variant segregated with the phenotype and was absent from public databases and 100 ethnically matched controls. We confirm a novel homozygous KY variant causing a complex neurological phenotype in this family. A review of previously reported KY variants suggests that variants in this gene can cause a spectrum of neurological phenotypes.     

产前诊断对遗传性耳聋家庭的生育指导

目的通过一典型的有再生育要求的耳聋家庭病例，具体阐述耳聋产前诊断为耳聋家庭提供科学生育指导的内容、过程及意义。方法此耳聋家庭育有一子，为先天性耳聋患者，父母均为昕力正常者。对先证者进行详细的体格检查、昕力学及影像学检查后，采集先证者及其父母的外周血并提取DNA，进行GJB2，SLC26A4（PDS）基因分析和线粒体DNA（mtDNA）A1555G位点突变检测。明确受检者基因型并向该家庭提供遗传学信息后，在母亲妊娠早期（约10周）行产前诊断取材并提取DNA，明确胎儿的基因型。结果先证者携带GJB2复合突变，父母为携带者，此耳聋家庭再发风险为25％，产前诊断显示胎儿仅携带一个母系突变，出生后随访听力正常。结论耳聋产前诊断可为遗传性耳聋家庭提供科学的生育指导。