Chordomas are rare neoplasms originating from notochordal remnants. They usually affect the midline and the standard treatment consists of surgery and radiotherapy. The present study investigates the expression of survivin, DR4 and DR5 to evaluate potential molecular targets for future therapy-strategies.

The study-group included 33 chordomas obtained from 21 male and 9 female patients. At time of diagnosis the patients’ age ranged from 24 to 80 years (51.9 ys.). Tumours were located on the scull-base, in the sacral/coccygeal area and the column in 13, 10, and 7 cases, respectively. Tumour-volume, known in 16 cases, ranged from 3.6 to 668.2 cm3 (mean size 130.7cm3). Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies against survivin, DR4, DR5. The staining pattern (cytoplasmic and/or nuclear), percentage of positive tumour-cells and staining-intensity were evaluated.

Histologically the tumours were classified as classic, chondroid and dedifferentiated chordomas in 27, 2 and 1 case, respectively. Survivin expression was obtained in 87.5% of the cases. The staining pattern was cytoplasmic in all cases and an additional nuclear staining was detected in two. Staining-intensity was predominantly weak. In 87.9% of cases DR4 staining was investigated in more than 10% of the tumour-cells. The immunoreaction was cytoplasmic (87.9%) and a nuclear staining was additionally detected in two cases. The staining-intensity was predominantly weak. In 81.8% of the chordomas DR5 staining was obtained in more than 10% of the tumour-cells. The staining pattern was cytoplasmic (84.4%) and in one case cytoplasmic and nuclear. The staining-intensity was predominantly moderate.

We hypothesise, based on the availability of new chemo- or immunotherapeutic agents like Mapatumumab (agonistic human monoclonal antibody to DR4, tested in solid tumours) and YM155 (new small-molecular inhibitor of survivin, tested in solid tumours and lymphoma), that survivin, DR4 and DR5 may act as potential molecular targets in future therapy of chordomas.

Whereas thermography has already been used as an assessment of disease activity in some kinds of inflammatory arthritis, it is a new method for objektive pain evaluation in patients with joint prosthesis. To our knowledge, no study has tested the correlation between increase of temperature and anterior knee pain with total knee prosthesis yet.

Thirteen patients were included in this study who suffered from anterior knee pain of the retinaculum patellae with total knee prosthesis. The patients were asked to walk 3 km before entering a room which was cooled down to 20 degrees Celsius. A black 1 cm times 4.5 cm square stripe was attached on the diameter of the patella and the patients rested for 20 minutes to cool down before thermographic fotos were taken from 90 degrees, 45 degrees, frontal medial and lateral. The evaluation of temperature difference of each side was performed by marking a 1cm times 2cm square field rectangular around the black stripe and comparing it with a reference point of the same size 3 cm distal of the field. The patients were compared with thirteen others, not suffering from anterior knee pain. Statistical analysis was performed using a t- test and a p value < 0.05 was considered to be significant.

The temperature differences between the rectangular field and the reference point increased significantly on the medial (p= 0.00037) or lateral (p= 0.000002) pain side of the knee. The thirteen knees with knee pain had significantly higher temperature differences between medial and lateral temperature differences, than the knees without knee pain.

We demonstrate a significant correlation between anterior knee pain and an increase of superficial skin temperature around the retinaculum patellae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an objective assessment of pain of the retinaculum patellae with total knee prosthesis.

In several countries fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of soft tissue tumours is regarded as a standard procedure. However, various problems using FNA compared to core needle biopsy have been reported. Less cell amount, blood and other non tumour tissue aspirated and cells torn out of their environment lead to problems in histological diagnose. The aim of this study was to measure the number of cells harvested by two new needle systems (THYROSAMPLER®) in comparison with the conventional fine needle system (C-FNA). The innovation of the new system is aeration after aspiration by a valve, so that undesired aspiration of blood, debris, and cells from outside the tumour during withdrawal of the needle is minimized.

In a blinded setting, 45 punctures from fresh pig thyroid glands were made and analysed – 15 for each needle (C-FNA, single-needle with air valve T-ONE and multi needle system with air valve T-THREE). The aspirated cell material was evacuated into 10ml cell-culture liquid and calculated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations for the CASY cell counter (CASY® technology, Reutlingen).

With each system, 15 punctures each were aspirated and the cells counted. With the T-ONE System the amount of vital cells was 688%, the amount of total cells 521% higher then using the C-FNA system. With the T-THREE System the amount of vital cells was 901%, the amount of total cells 798% higher then using the C-FNA system.

The mean difference between C-FNA and T-ONE was significant regarding total number of cells (p=0.030) as well as number of vital cells (p=0.032).

The needle systems with the air-valve led to a significantly higher cell amount in needle aspiration biopsy. According to the requirement of cytological diagnosis of soft tissue sarcomas more cell volume could be harvested, which is a well-defined benefit.