bims-netuvo Biomed News
on Nerves in tumours of visceral organs
Issue of 2024–09–01
five papers selected by
Maksym V. Kopanitsa, Charles River Laboratories



  1. J Clin Ultrasound. 2024 Aug 28.
      Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations of the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, characterized by café-au-lait spots, neurofibromas, and Lisch nodules. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is an extremely rare malignancy with neural differentiation potential. The lifetime risk of developing MPNST in NF-1 patients is 8%-13%.
    Keywords:  malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor; myofibrillar ultrasound; neurofibromatosis type I
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/jcu.23807
  2. J Surg Case Rep. 2024 Aug;2024(8): rjae525
      Gastric schwannomas are rare, benign neurogenic tumors originating from Schwann cells within the gastrointestinal tract, comprising only 0.2% of all gastric tumors. This report presents the case of a 32-year-old female patient who experienced severe periumbilical pain, nausea, and vomiting, ultimately diagnosed with gastric schwannoma. Initial imaging and endoscopic evaluations suggested a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), but postoperative histopathological analysis confirmed schwannoma, showing S-100 positivity and negativity for CD117, DOG-1, SMA, Desmin, and CD34. The patient underwent successful central gastrectomy with negative surgical margins and no metastasis. Despite a postoperative complication of small bowel obstruction, which was managed conservatively, the patient remained symptom-free with no recurrence over the follow-up period. This case underscores the importance of differential diagnosis, distinguishing schwannomas from GISTs and other submucosal lesions through thorough histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses, and highlights the efficacy of complete surgical resection in preventing recurrence.
    Keywords:  GIST; S-100; gastric schwannomas
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjae525
  3. World Neurosurg. 2024 Aug 26. pii: S1878-8750(24)01470-0. [Epub ahead of print]
       OBJECTIVE: The primary treatment for peripheral nerve tumors involves maximal surgical resection while preserving nerve function. Sodium fluorescein shows potential for enhancing the safety and efficacy of nerve tumor surgery. This review evaluates the advantages and limitations of sodium fluorescein in this context.
    METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web-of-Science, and Scopus were searched following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines to include studies reporting the use of sodium fluorescein in peripheral nerve tumors surgery. Intervention-related outcomes (i.e., extent of resection, clinical outcomes, complication rates, recurrence rates, and duration of surgery) were evaluated and summarized.
    RESULTS: A total of 4 studies encompassing 166 patients with 168 tumors were included. Patients were mostly female (98; 53.6%), 101 (69.2%) had sporadic (non-syndromic) tumors, and at histopathology, 114 (67.9%) tumors were WHO grade-1 schwannomas. Gross total resection was achieved in 146 (86.9%) tumors. Postoperative complications were reported in 16 cases (10.2%%), none related to side effects of the fluorescent dye. High tumor fluorescence was reported in 150 (94.3%) tumors, while absent and low parent nerve fluorescence was reported in 121 (79.6%) and 27 (17.8%), respectively. The median duration of surgery was 51.5 (range: 24-92) minutes.
    CONCLUSION: Sodium fluorescein shows promise as assisting tool in nerve tumor surgery by facilitating differentiation between the tumor, parent nerve, and surrounding soft tissue. However, multi-center randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine its effect on extent of resection rates, clinical outcomes, postoperative complication rates, and surgical duration in comparison to current standard of care.
    Keywords:  Cranial nerve surgery; Intraoperative surgical tools; Nerve tumor surgery; Neuro-oncology; Peripheral nerve surgery; Skull base; Sodium fluorescein
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2024.08.101
  4. Cancers (Basel). 2024 Aug 12. pii: 2827. [Epub ahead of print]16(16):
      Advancements in cancer treatment and early detection have extended survival rates, transforming many cancers into chronic conditions. However, cancer diagnosis and treatment can trigger significant psychological distress, including depression and anxiety, impacting patient outcomes and care. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of and identify the risk factors for depression and anxiety among cancer patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including patients under the care of the oncology department at a tertiary medical center between June 2021 and October 2023. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) short forms. Logistic regression analysis identified risk factors for depression and anxiety. The study population included 159 patients, with 40.3% reporting worsening mental health, but only about half of them received therapy. Among the study participants, 22.6% experienced symptoms of depression and 30.2% experienced symptoms of anxiety. Single-cancer patients and those with metastases were at increased risk for depression, while those with a disease duration of more than a year and patients with female-specific cancer were more likely to experience anxiety. Given the high prevalence of mental health deterioration in cancer patients, closer monitoring and validated assessment tools are essential to improve depression and anxiety diagnosis and facilitate early interventions.
    Keywords:  anxiety; cancer; depression; mental health; metastasis; patient-reported outcomes; psycho-oncology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16162827
  5. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2024 Aug 13. pii: S0163-8343(24)00171-3. [Epub ahead of print]90 150-156
       OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between depressive symptoms and second primary cancer (SPC) in U.S. cancer survivors.
    METHODS: Cancer survivors from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included in this cross-sectional study, and depressive symptoms were defined by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9). The association between depressive symptoms and SPC was assessed via multiple logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), sensitivity, and subgroup analyses.
    RESULTS: This study involved 2315 participants representing >15 million noninstitutionalized U.S. residents. Multivariate logistic regression fully adjusted for confounders revealed that cancer survivors with a PHQ-9 score ≥ 10 had a greater risk of developing SPC than those with a PHQ-9 score of 0-4 ([OR] = 1.88, 95% [CI] = 1.20-2.89, p = 0.005). The RCS showed a linear positive correlation between the PHQ-9 score and SPC (p for overall = 0.017). The robustness of this association was subsequently confirmed via multiple interpolation of missing data and different cluster-level methods (namely weighted linear regression) as sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, subgroup analyses confirmed this correlation was stronger in participants with sleep duration <7 h (p for interaction = 0.036).
    CONCLUSION: Moderate to severe depressive symptoms in cancer survivors were associated with an increased risk of developing SPC, especially at <7 h of sleep.
    Keywords:  Depressive symptoms; NHANES; Second primary cancer; cancer survivors
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2024.08.002