Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with an unfavorable prognosis. Despite the poor prognosis in the majority of patients, no improvements in treatment strategies have been achieved. Therefore, the discovery of new prognostic biomarkers is of enormous interest. Sterol-O-acyl transferase 1 (SOAT1) is involved in cholesterol esterification and lipid droplet formation. Recently, it was demonstrated that SOAT1 inhibition leads to impaired steroidogenesis and cell viability in ACC. To date, no studies have addressed the impact of SOAT1 expression on ACC prognosis and clinical outcomes. We evaluated SOAT1 expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry in a tissue microarray of 112 ACCs (Weiss score ≥ 3) from adults treated in a single tertiary center in Brazil. Two independent pathologists evaluated the immunohistochemistry results through a semiquantitative approach (0–4). We aimed to evaluate the correlation between SOAT1 expression and clinical, biochemical and anatomopathological parameters, recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). SOAT1 protein expression was heterogeneous in this cohort, 37.5% of the ACCs demonstrated a strong SOAT1 protein expression (score > 2), while 62.5% demonstrated a weak or absent protein expression (score ≤ 2). Strong SOAT1 protein expression correlated with features of high aggressiveness in ACC, such as excessive tumor cortisol secretion (p = 0.01), an advanced disease stage [European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors (ENSAT) staging system 3 and 4 (p = 0.011)] and a high Ki67 index (p = 0.002). In multivariate analysis, strong SOAT1 protein expression was an independent predictor of a reduced OS (hazard ratio (HR) 2.15, confidence interval (CI) 95% 1.26–3.66; p = 0.005) in all patients (n = 112), and a reduced RFS (HR 2.1, CI 95% 1.09–4.06; p = 0.027) in patients with localized disease at diagnosis (n = 83). Our findings demonstrated that SOAT1 protein expression has prognostic value in ACC and reinforced the importance of investigating SOAT1 as a possible therapeutic target for patients with ACC.

CONTEXT: Ureteral fibroepithelial polyps are rare benign nonepithelial tumors, and less than 200 cases have been reported in the literature. We report on a pregnant patient with ureteral fibroepithelial polyps that were successfully treated with laparotomy. CASE REPORT:A 23-year-old pregnant woman presented with a three-month history of intermittent lumbar pain of low intensity. Abdominal ultrasonography showed that she was 13 weeks pregnant and found severe left-side ureterohydronephrosis and a heterogeneous solid mass measuring 11 x 8 x 7 centimeters in the middle portion of the ureteral topography. The investigation was complemented with magnetic resonance imaging, which confirmed the previous findings. Nephroureterectomy was performed without complications. The specimen revealed three solid tumors in the ureter, of which the largest was around eight centimeters in length. The anatomopathological report confirmed that they were fibroepithelial tumors without malignant components. RESUMOCONTEXTO: Pólipos fibroepiteliais de ureter são tumores não-epiteliais benignos raros, e menos de 200 casos foram relatados na literatura. Nós reportamos o caso de uma mulher grávida com pólipos fibroelitelial ureteral que foram tratados com sucesso por laparotomia. RELATO DE CASO:Mulher de 23 anos de idade, grávida, apresentava história de dor lombar intermitente de baixa intensidade há três meses. Ultrasonografia abdominal revelou gravidez de 13 semanas, ureterohidronefrose grave à esquerda e massa sólida heterogênea medindo 11 x 8 x 7 cm na porção média da topografia ureteral. A investigação foi complementada com ressonância magnética, que confirmou os achados. Foi realizada nefroureterectomia sem complicações. A peça revelou três tumores sólidos em ureter, o maior apresentando aproximadamente oito centímetros longitudinalmente. O relatório anatomopatológico confirmou tumor fibroepitelial sem componentes de malignidade. KEY WORDS:Laparotomy.Neoplasms.Pregnant women.Ureter.Urology. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:Laparotomia.Neoplasias. Gestantes.Ureter.Urologia.

Objectives: To develop a preoperative nomogram that would predict the risk of a postoperative complication for pheochromocytoma patients undergoing adrenalectomy using an international database. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed preoperative variables and postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma in three institutions from 2000 to 2017. Internal validation of a generated nomogram was carried out with receiver operating characteristics, calibration plots, and decision curve analyses. Results: A total of 153 patients who had undergone 166 adrenalectomies were included in the study. Overall, post-adrenalectomy complications were seen in 30% of patients, whereas 9.6% of patients sustained a Clavien ≥3a complication. Independent predictors of a complication were a history of hypertension, body mass index, tumor size, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. On internal validation, the multivariable model generated a nomogram that predicted a postoperative complication or clinically hemodynamic event with an area under the curve of 0.86, showed good calibration and had an overall net benefit. Conclusions: An internally validated nomogram combining body mass index, Charlson Comorbidity Index score and tumor size can predict the probability of a postadrenalectomy complication in those with and without hypertension. The model, the first of its kind in pheochromocytoma surgery, identifies patients at risk of a postoperative complication at the time of their presentation with pheochromocytoma.

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