Research activities mainly focused on head and neck, breast and
central nervous system pathology.
In situ lobular carcinoma of pleomorphic and florid type (LCIS P\F). At the moment a few data are available on its relation with invasive carcinoma. Therefore the aim of the study is to find out the relation between LCIS P\F and invasive carcinoma. The study is going on in the frame of the European Working Group on Breast Screening Pathology.
Male breast cancer: the impact of X chromosome aneusomy is under study. In addition, as Chromosome X is the site of Androgen Receptor gene and its regulators, their methylation profile is under evaluation.
Normal breast: the different expression of oestrogen, progesterone and androen receptors according to the data of the menstrual cycle is under evaluation.
Squamous cells carcinoma of the head and neck: prognostic
markers in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity; with the aim
to identify those tumours with aggressive potential even at early
stage. Specifically the impact of miRNA on the neoplastic
progression of pre-neoplastic lesions is under evaluation.
Furthermore a series of pre-neoplastic oral lesions is under
study to asses the real risk of transformation in invasive squamous
cell carcinoma. This method is now in the final validation phase.
Research activities are mainly focused on endocrine and exocrine
glands, head and neck and central nervous system tumours.
Breast carcinomas are under evaluation using
macrosections. These macrosections (large histological sections)
are proved to be useful to determine the real extent and
intra-mammary growth of in situ and invasive caricnoma. Special
attention is now focused on pleomorphic invasive lobular
carcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral (OSC)
cavity, even if presenting at early stage (pT1\pT2) can
frequently recur and metastatize. Furthermore the oral cavity
can be affected by tumours originating from the salivary glands.
The treatment of these latter tumour is mainly based on surgical
resection as they do not respond to radio and or chemotherapy
The study aims at retrospectively and prospectively identifying
markers transcripts to be utilized for the prediction aggressive
behaviour in patients presenting OSC at early stage and in cases of
salivary gland carcinomas.
In addition the impact of specific miRNA in the neoplastic
tranformation and progression is under evaluation.
The genetic profile of salivary gland tumours
with epithelial and myoepithelial differentiation is under
evaluation.
Finally a retrospective series of osteosarcomas of the
jaws is under evaluation.
CNS: In an our previous study of gene expression
profiling overexpression of IGFBP-2 and CDC 20 have
been identified in glioblastomas at a variant of low
grade gliomas. These data have been validated by RT-qPCR and
immunohistochemistry.
The project intends to find molecular markers that could have an
impact on the diagnosis, prognosis, and selection of therapeutic
targets for brain tumours.
The prognostic value of Ki67 in pituitary adenomas has been
evaluated. This study is concluded and in press on the journal
Human Pathology. Now the prognostic impact of galectin 3 on ACTH
and prolactin adenomas has been evaluated and demonstrated to have
a prognostic impact.
CNS: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a frequent and very
aggressive CNS tumour. The histological evaluation of GBM
recurrences evidence three different morphologic patterns probably
corresponding to three different vay to responde to therapy.
