bims-netuvo Biomed News
on Nerves in tumours of visceral organs
Issue of 2022‒12‒11
seven papers selected by
Maksym V. Kopanitsa, The Francis Crick Institute



  1. Front Oncol. 2022 ;12 1026670
      Background: Evidence has shown neurons and glial cells were closely related to tumor progression. As the predominant glial cells in the external innervated nerves of the gastrointestinal, the role of Schwann cells (SCs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been well explored.Methods: HCT-116 and HT-29 CRC cells were treated with conditioned medium (CM) from SCs, and the cells' proliferative and migrating capacities were examined. Cytokine array analysis was used to identify the tumor-promoting-cytokines from SCs-CM. Molecular changes from SCs after being co-cultured with tumor cells were detected by ELISA and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in SCs was demonstrated by immunofluorescence staining. Neutralizing antibody was used to verify the tumor-promoting effects of key cytokine.
    Results: Migration and invasion of CRC cells were markedly aided by CM from SCs in vitro. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) was identified as an effective factor. SCs co-cultured with CRC cells upregulated IL-8 expression, which may be related to its activated NF-κB signaling pathway. Neutralization of IL-8 attenuated the tumor-promoting effect of SCs.
    Conclusion: The present study identified a new mechanism of tumor-neuroglia interaction, enriching the concept of the tumor-neural axis in the tumor microenvironment of CRC, which also inspired potential targets for anti-cancer therapies.
    Keywords:  Schwann cell; colorectal cancer; interleukin-8; perineural invasion; tumor microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.1026670
  2. Am J Clin Pathol. 2022 Dec 09. pii: aqac142. [Epub ahead of print]
      OBJECTIVES: The clinical impact of the laterality of perineural invasion (PNI) by prostate cancer remains poorly understood. We herein compared radical prostatectomy (RP) findings and long-term oncologic outcomes in patients with prostate cancer with PNI in two prostate biopsy (PBx) sites.METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 170 consecutive patients undergoing systematic sextant PBx where PNI had been detected in two of six PBx sites, followed by RP.
    RESULTS: PNI occurred unilaterally in 140 (82.4%) cases and bilaterally in 30 (17.6%) cases. Compared with unilateral PNI, bilateral PNI was significantly associated with a higher number of cancer-positive sites and longer total tumor length on PBx. However, there were no significant differences in RP findings, including tumor grade/stage and tumor volume, between unilateral and bilateral PNI cohorts. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with bilateral PNI had a significantly higher risk of disease progression after RP than those with unilateral PNI (P = .038). In multivariate analysis, bilateral PNI (vs unilateral PNI) showed significance for progression (hazard ratio, 2.281; P = .023).
    CONCLUSIONS: In PBx specimens exhibiting PNI in two sextant sites, bilateral PNI was found to be associated with poorer prognosis as an independent predictor but not worse histopathologic features in RP specimens compared with unilateral PNI.
    Keywords:  Perineural invasion; Prognosis; Prostate biopsy; Prostate cancer; Radical prostatectomy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcp/aqac142
  3. BMC Cancer. 2022 Dec 08. 22(1): 1287
      BACKGROUND: The pathological phenotype of perineural invasion (PNI) in squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is prevalent but highly heterogeneous.METHODS: Postoperative specimens from all patients with ESCC at Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital were evaluated for PNI using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and S100 immunohistochemistry (IHC). We determined the correlation between PNI status and clinical outcomes.
    RESULTS: Among 349 ESCC cases, PNI was identified in 127 patients (36.3%), and four subtypes of PNI were identified in our study. Correlation analysis confirmed that PNI was related to tumour invasion depth (pT stage) and lymph node status (pN stage) (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that PNI (P = 0.001) was an independent factor affecting disease-free survival (DFS) in ESCC, and a similar result was found for overall survival (OS) (P = 0.017). Further analysis revealed that PNI status was a prognostic factor of DFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P = 0.003) exclusively in pN-negative patients. We also found that patients with the PNI-a subtype had better DFS (P = 0.002) and OS (P = 0.002) than patients with the other three subtypes (PNI-b, c, d).
    CONCLUSION: The pathological phenotypes of PNI are diverse, and the identification of PNI subtypes has important clinical guiding value.
    Keywords:  Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Perineural invasion; Prognosis; TNM stage
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-10386-w
  4. Int J Surg Pathol. 2022 Dec 07. 10668969221143456
      Introduction. Benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors involve mainly neurofibromas, schwannomas, and their variants. Ki67 is a widely used immunohistochemical marker that predicts the proliferation rate of tumors including the nerve sheath-derived neoplasms and it is helpful to differentiate them from their malignant counterparts. However, Ki67 score is not used in distinction of the benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors types from each other. Our aim is to contribute to the literature by identifying the hypothesized specific Ki67 staining patterns of benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Methods. Fifty-three tumors (distributed as follows: 26 schwannomas, 24 neurofibromas, and 3 hybrid schwannoma-neurofibroma tumors) from 49 patients were included in the study. Two researchers analyzed the slides independently. Tumors were classified according to their Ki67 staining patterns in 3 different groups: zonal (Z-Ki67), focal zonal or mixed (M-Ki67), and scattered Ki67 (S-Ki67). Results. There was a significant correlation among the types of benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor and the Ki67 staining patterns (P < .01). Level of inter-rater reliability was calculated as good (>0.7) and excellent (>0.8) according to 2 different calculations of kappa score. Conclusions. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the Ki67 staining pattern may be used as an additional diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors.
    Keywords:  Ki67; benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor; neurofibroma; schwannoma; staining pattern
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/10668969221143456
  5. Cancer Discov. 2022 Dec 09. OF1
      Cross-talk between cancer cells and nociceptive nerves aids tumor growth in nutrient-poor conditions.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-RW2022-214
  6. Radiol Case Rep. 2023 Feb;18(2): 620-623
      Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors are soft tissue sarcomas that typically arise from a neurofibroma. Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 represent approximately half of the population diagnosed with these tumors. This autosomal-dominant genetic disorder is distinguished by loss-of-function mutations in the neurofibromin 1 gene, which ultimately promotes atypical cellular proliferation. These biologically aggressive tumors are associated with a poor prognosis as they are resistant to available therapies and have high rates of recurrence, progression, and mortality. In this article, we report the case of a 45-year-old male with a history of neurofibromatosis type 1 who was diagnosed with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. We focus on optimizing diagnosis and treatment through the application of radiological imaging modalities, including cinematic rendering.
    Keywords:  Computed tomography; Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor; Neurofibromatosis type 1; Neurofibromin 1 gene
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radcr.2022.10.104
  7. Cureus. 2022 Nov;14(11): e31136
      Malignant peripheral nerve sheath is a rare neoplasm seen in humans, with a very small percentage of occurrence in the cervical region. It is an aggressive form of sarcoma, usually arising from peripheral nerves. In this case study, we present a 61-year-old male who was reported to the hospital with a chief complaint of swelling on the right side of his neck. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a heterogeneous mass in the cervical region, which is reported as a schwannoma. The patient was posted for surgery for tumor excision. The patient was managed with analgesics, physical therapy, and wound care. The patient's symptoms were relieved, and he was discharged. In conclusion, combined surgical resection and adjuvant treatments like physical and medical therapy improved the functional outcome. However, this literature does not address radiation therapy.
    Keywords:  case report; malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors; malignant tumor resection; neck tumor; neurofibromatosis 1; sarcoma; schwannoma
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.31136