ObjectiveTo explore the relation between cigarette smoking intensity and bladder cancer aggressiveness at first diagnosis.MethodsPatients diagnosed with urinary bladder cancer (BC) between 1995–2011 under the age of 75 years were retrospectively identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry and invited for a study on genetic and lifestyle risk factors for BC. Information on patients’ self-reported smoking history was retrieved by means of a postal questionnaire. Tumors were stratified regarding the risk of progression defined by tumor stage and grade. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the relation between smoking intensity and aggressiveness of the tumor.ResultsThe UBC study population comprised 323 (17.4%) never smokers, 870 (46.8%) former cigarette smokers, and 630 (33.9%) current cigarette smokers. A higher smoking amount was a risk factor of getting high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) compared with low-risk NMIBC in ever and former cigarette smokers (OR: 1.02 per cigarette smoked, 95% CI: 1.00–1.03 and OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.05, respectively). A statistically significant dose-response increase in the risk of a more aggressive cancer type (high-risk NMIBC and MIBC) was observed with increasing smoking duration among former smokers (p for trend 0.035 and 0.008, respectively). No significant association of the evaluated smoking intensity variables was observed in current smokers. A longer time of smoking cessation correlated with a lower odds of a more aggressive cancer.ConclusionWe observed a weak increase in the risk of a more aggressive tumor type with increasing smoking intensity in former smokers, but this association was absent in current smokers.This conflicting result may suggest that there is no strong relation between smoking intensity and bladder cancer aggressiveness. Analyses of prospective studies with longitudinal smoking assessment may provide a more definitive answer to the research question.

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In this article we report a case of Abernethy malformation, also known as congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (CEPS). It is a rare vascular malformation in which the portal vein drains into a systemic vein, diverting it from its normal path to the liver. The clinical presentation is variable and most commonly the shunt is diagnosed during the propaedeutic for investigation of the symptoms. Discussion and diagnosis: R.B.S.R, 21 years old, male, with history of liver disease and previous diagnosis of multiple liver adenomatosis from 9 years of age, was hospitalized for pre-transplant liver evaluation. In the medical history, he presented delayed neuropsychomotor development, congenital scoliosis, neurogenic bladder and single kidney, and had also undergone two surgeries. His initial laboratory tests showed increased transaminases and canalicular enzymes. Ultrasonography, radiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed, which enabled us to identify and confirm important points for diagnosis. Conclusions: It is important that the radiologist recognize the findings early. CT and MRI are fundamental in the management of the syndrome, since they provide the information for diagnosis, planning, intervention and follow-up, as well as the identification of complications.

Objective To compare the intratumoral T2 signal intensity on MRI and histopathological and molecular expression of biomarkers of aggressiveness (histological grade, hormonal status, HER2, and Ki-67). Methods This retrospective study included all women with invasive breast cancer undergoing MRI from January 2014 to October 2016. The intratumoral T2 signal as interpreted at consensus by two radiologists was compared to histopathological and molecular prognostic factors from the surgical specimen. Statistical analyses used Pearson χ 2 test with a confidence level of 95% (P ≤ 0.05). Results Fifty patients with 50 lesions met study criteria (mean age 65.8 ± 13.5 years). Mean lesion size was 28 mm ± 15.7 mm (range, 15 to 76 mm). Cancer types were invasive ductal (35/50, 70%), invasive lobular (10/50, 20%), and mixed (5/50, 10%). Most lesions were histological grade 1 or 2 (41/50, 82%) and luminal type (45/50, 90%). On T2 images, lesions were hypointense in 62% (31/50), isointense in 20% (10/50), and hyperintense in 18% (9/50) of cases. Among hypointense lesions, 94% (29/31) were low or intermediate grade tumors (P = 0.02), low HER2 overexpression (30/31, 97%) (P = 0.005), and high ER status (30/31, 97%) (P = 0.006), high PR (26/31, 84%) (P = 0.02), and low incidence of necrosis (2/31, 6%). The difference in Ki-67 tumoral expression between groups was not significant. Conclusion Intratumoral T2 hypointensity in invasive breast cancer is associated with better prognostic tumors, such as histological low-grade high hormone receptor status.