Our results reveal a novel function for TM4SF1 in AR signaling. The TM4SF1 mRNA expression is higher in prostate cancer tissues as compared to BPH samples. Inhibition of cell migration after targeted knockdown of TM4SF1 protein expression suggests its contribution to prostate cancer cell metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a widely recognized prognostic factor in lymph node-negative breast cancers. However, there are only limited and controversial data about its prognostic significance in lymph node-positive patients. METHODS: Among 931 patients operated on and monitored at the authors' institution for an invasive breast carcinoma between 1989 and 1992, all 374 lymph node-positive breast cancers entered the study (median follow-up, 126 months). RESULTS: LVI was present in 46% of tumors and was associated with age 40 years (P ¼ .02), high histological grade (P ¼ .01), and negative estrogen receptor status (P ¼ .032), but not with tumor size, number of involved lymph nodes, or HER-2/neu status. LVI was an independent prognostic factor for distant metastases (P ¼ .002). Furthermore, in HER-2/neu-negative/hormone receptor-positive (n ¼ 287) tumors, the number of independent prognostic factors (LVI, age, histological grade, number of involved lymph nodes, and tumor size) was associated with a 5-years metastasis-free survival ranging from 100% if no factors (n ¼ 25) to 89% AE 2% if 1 or 2 factors (n ¼ 186) and 67% AE 6 if 3, 4, or 5 factors (n ¼ 76) were present (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: LVI is an independent prognostic factor in lymph node-positive breast cancer and merits further prospective investigations as a decision tool in the adjuvant chemotherapy setting.

The presence of pleomorphic tumor giant cells in thyroid carcinomas of follicular cell origin is always worrisome for the pathologist as they first of all refer to anaplastic carcinoma, one of the most aggressive human malignancies. However, non-anaplastic pleomorphic giant cells are well described in other thyroid diseases, most often benign. In this paper, we describe four cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma displaying pleomorphic tumor giant cells with features that differ from those of anaplastic carcinoma. Pleomorphic giant cells were admixed with the underlying thyroid carcinoma and constituted from 5% to 25% of the tumor. Cytologically, they had an abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm with large and irregular nuclei. Compared to pleomorphic giant cells of anaplastic carcinoma, they reproduced the growth pattern of the underlying carcinoma, had a low mitotic index without necrosis or inflammation, and were reactive with thyroglobulin and thyroid-specific transcription factor-1 and strongly and diffusely positive for cytokeratin AE1/AE3. After 16-84 months of follow-up, patients are relapse-free and still alive. These cases show that pleomorphic tumor giant cells arising in papillary thyroid carcinomas do not always represent dedifferentiation and progression to anaplastic carcinoma. Distinction among these processes is critical as their treatment and prognosis are very different.