Publications by authors named "Delia Gabriela Apostol Ciobanu"

Background: Struma ovarii (SO) is a rare ovarian teratoma containing predominantly thyroid tissue. In rare situations SO may develop malignancy. Most cases of malignant struma ovarii (MSO) are diagnosed after surgical removal, based on histopathological examination. There are still controversies regarding the extent of surgery and postoperative management in MSO, due to its unpredictable behavior, possible risk of metastasis and relatively high rate of recurrence.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a patient diagnosed with a right ovarian cyst discovered incidentally during routine ultrasound examination. Its rapid growth and pelvic MRI raised the suspicion of a neoplastic process. She underwent total hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy. The anatomopathological diagnosis was MSO with follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Prophylactic total thyroidectomy was performed, followed by radioactive iodine ablation (RAI), and suppressive therapy with levothyroxine. At 1 year follow-up, the patient was disease free.

Conclusions: Even if latest literature reports consider that completion of local surgery with total thyroidectomy and RAI might be too aggressive in cases of MSO without extraovarian extension, in our case it was decided to follow the protocol for primary thyroid carcinoma, in order to reduce the recurrence risk.

Histological changes induced by gluten in the duodenal mucosa of patients with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) are poorly defined. To evaluate the structural and inflammatory features of NCGS compared to controls and coeliac disease (CeD) with milder enteropathy (Marsh I-II). Well-oriented biopsies of 262 control cases with normal gastroscopy and histologic findings, 261 CeD, and 175 NCGS biopsies from 9 contributing countries were examined. Villus height (VH, in μm), crypt depth (CrD, in μm), villus-to-crypt ratios (VCR), IELs (intraepithelial lymphocytes/100 enterocytes), and other relevant histological, serologic, and demographic parameters were quantified. The median VH in NCGS was significantly shorter (600, IQR: 400-705) than controls (900, IQR: 667-1112) ( < 0.001). NCGS patients with Marsh I-II had similar VH and VCR to CeD [465 µm (IQR: 390-620) vs. 427 µm (IQR: 348-569, = 0·176)]. The VCR in NCGS with Marsh 0 was lower than controls ( < 0.001). The median IEL in NCGS with Marsh 0 was higher than controls (23.0 vs. 13.7, < 0.001). To distinguish Marsh 0 NCGS from controls, an IEL cut-off of 14 showed 79% sensitivity and 55% specificity. IEL densities in Marsh I-II NCGS and CeD groups were similar. : NCGS duodenal mucosa exhibits distinctive changes consistent with an intestinal response to luminal antigens, even at the Marsh 0 stage of villus architecture.

Background: Ghrelin is the orexigenic hormone secreted mainly by the stomach. Its involvement in neoplastic development has been studied in gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas. Our paper aims to evaluate the influence of the ghrelin axis in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Materials And Methods: The study design included two groups of patients, 46 with gastric GISTs and 30 with obesity. Archived tissue samples were evaluated for the presence of gastritis and . Immunohistochemical expression of ghrelin and its receptor (GHS-R) was assessed.

Results: All GISTs showed absent immunohistochemical expression for ghrelin, while GHS-R displayed a particular pattern, with notable differences in intensity ( = 0.0256) and percentage of stained cells ( < 0.00001) in the periphery vs. core of tumors. Positive ghrelin expression was lower in the gastric mucosa of the first group compared to the second group ( < 0.001).

Conclusion: The ghrelin axis can influence GISTs carcinogenesis through activation of GHS-R. A previously described direct autocrine/paracrine mechanism is not supported by our findings.

Ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone, is a peptide that binds to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor; it is secreted mainly by enteroendocrine cells in the oxyntic glands of the stomach. Ghrelin serves a role in both local and systemic physiological processes, and is implicated in various pathologies, including neoplasia, with tissue expression in several types of malignancies in both and studies. However, the precise implications of the ghrelin axis in metastasis, invasion and cancer progression regulation has yet to be established. In the case of gastrointestinal (GI) tract malignancies, ghrelin has shown potential to become a prognostic factor or even a therapeutic target, although data in the literature are inconsistent and unsystematic, with reports untailored to a specific histological subtype of cancer or a particular localization. The evaluation of immunohistochemical expression shows a limited outlook owing to the low number of cases analyzed, and analyses have conflicting data regarding differences in ghrelin serum levels in patients with cancer. The aim of this review was to examine the relationship between ghrelin and GI tract malignancies to demonstrate the inconsistencies in current results and to highlight its clinical significance in the outcome of these patients.