[Degeneration of dermoid cysts: a case study of malignant transformation]. / Dégénérescence des kystes dermoïdes. A propos d'un cas de transformation maligne.

Malignant transformation of ovarian dermoid cyst (mature cystic teratoma) is rare and most often established in postmenopausal women after surgery by sample anatomopathological analysis. We report the case of a 58-year-old woman showing abdominal pain associated with constipation episodes. The diagnosis of dermoid cyst was established upon ultrasonographic and tomodensitometric criteria. Its histopathological analysis confirmed the presence of a well differentiated epidermoid carcinoma. In line with the literature, our study highlights the importance of the age of the patient, the size of dermoid cyst and its growth rate as well as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen serum level. These date are collected in order to establish a correct diagnosis and provide an appropriate cure. When a cyst is discovered these data must pathological event, mostly observed in menopaused women. Certainty diagnosis is collected in order to establish a correct diagnosis and provide an appropriate cure.

[Polymorphic sweat gland adenocarcinoma of low grade of malignancy]. / L'adénocarcinome sudoripare polymorphe de bas degré de malignité.

Recently, Suster and Wong added a distinctive entity to the large nomenclature of sweat gland carcinomas. This tumor is equivalent to the polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma of minor salivary glands. It is characterized by its variegated architecture and its relatively indolent behaviour. The authors report here a new case of this neoplasm. The morphological and immunohistochemical criteria and the differential diagnosis are reported.

Production of monoclonal antibodies using spleen cells from nude mice bearing human tumors.

Monoclonal antibodies were generated with spleen cells from nude mice bearing human tumors. Three grafted tumors were selected because of their difference in metastatic ability in nude mice. Two were non-metastasizing carcinomas and one a highly metastasizing adenocarcinoma of the lung (Bur-tumor). Two normal nude mice were used as controls. Culture supernatants were screened by immunoperoxidase using frozen sections from both the immunizing human tumor and normal human tonsil to detect unexpected monoclonal antibodies. Two kinds of monoclonal antibodies were obtained. The first were directed against miscellaneous membrane and/or cytoplasmic antigens expressed by normal cells (e.g. normal tonsillar epithelium). Most of these antibodies corresponded to auto-antibodies and their frequency did not appear to be influenced by the fact that the mice were with or without grafted human tumors. The second type of antibodies were directed against tumor-associated antigen and generated only by fusing splenocytes from nude mice bearing the metastasizing lung adenocarcinoma. On frozen sections Bur-1-anti-tumor antibody stained all but one lung carcinoma. Occasional carcinomas originating from other organs such as pancreas and breast were also labelled. On the other hand, more than half of the cases of so-called "malignant histiocytosis" (Ki-1 lymphoma) seemed to express this epithelial antigen. Some normal cells in the lung, pancreas (acini), and kidney (distal tubules) also bound Bur-1 antibody. These results suggested that Bur-1 antibody could be related to some antibodies already described, directed against epithelial membrane antigens. When Bur-tumor was analysed by immunoblotting with Bur-1 antibody a positive reaction was obtained with material migrating in the kD-45kD molecular-weight region.

[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with a mature ovarian teratoma]. / Anémie hémolytique auto-immune associée à un tératome mature de l'ovaire.

UNLABELLED: The association of autoimmune hemolytic anemia and mature teratoma of the ovary is rare, particularly in childhood, but must be known and looked for since the treatment of teratoma allows to cure anemia as well. CASE REPORT: A 9 year-old girl was admitted for hemolytic anemia. The etiologic work-up revealed an autoimmune mechanism (IgG autoantibodies with complement), as well as an ovarian tumor after ultrasound sonography of the abdomen and pelvis. Surgical excision of the tumor was complete and uncomplicated. Pathological examination concluded to a mature teratoma. Anemia, as well as the signs of autoimmunity, disappeared a few weeks later and the child is doing well with several months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: This second reported pediatric case shows that an ovarian teratoma should be searched for with ultrasound sonography in any girl presenting with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, since surgical excision is sufficient to cure both anemia and the tumor.

Specific infiltration pattern of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in chronic histiocytic intervillositis of unknown etiology.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic histiocytic intervillositis of unknown etiology (CIUE) is a rare placental lesion characterized by an intervillous mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate of maternal origin. Although the mechanism and origin of these lesions are currently not understood, they appear to be related to an immune conflict between mother and fetus cells. AIM: To clarify the inflammatory cell profile and evaluate the T regulatory lymphocyte (Treg) status in CIUE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All cases of CIUE that occurred over an 8-year period were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The inflammatory profile of CIUE was characterized by a clearly predominant component of histiocytic cells (80% ± 6.9) associated with some T cells (24% ± 5.7). The ratio of CD4+ versus CD8+ T cells was close to 1. This profile differs from infectious disease and chronic histiocytic villitis, the main differential diagnoses of CIUE. As for normal pregnancies most regulatory T cells were localized in the decidua basalis. Nevertheless, their appearance was also noted in the intervillous space. In both the intervillous space and the deciduas the number of Tregs gradually increased from grade 1 to 3. CONCLUSION: We found that CIUE is associated with an increase in Treg lymphocytes in the decidua basalis and the intervillous space. Contrary to previously published data on human miscarriage, this result appears to be specific to CIUE and would support the hypothesis of an immunopathological disorder for CIUE.

Mesoblastic nephroma: prenatal ultrasonographic and MRI features.

Antenatal detection of mesoblastic nephroma by US is possible. Reviewing the literature, we found 19 previously reported cases, only 1 of which underwent prenatal MRI. We present a further case diagnosed by US and confirmed with MRI. The imaging findings and differential diagnoses are discussed. Early and correct detection of this rare entity is of great interest, as it may facilitate prevention and management of severe obstetric and neonatal complications such as polyhydramnios and prematurity. MRI can help to evaluate the origin and the morphological features of a fetal abdominal mass.

Metastases of human tumor xenografts in nude mice.

In the present study, using systematic microscopic examination, we tried to determine the true incidence of metastases in nude mice bearing a wide variety of human tumors. A total of 63 malignant tumors were successfully transplanted subcutaneously and 831 nude mice bearing tumors were examined. It appeared that 17 of the 63 tumors (26.9%) retained their metastatic ability in nude mice. Most of these tumors were adenocarcinomas (11/17 cases). Generally the metastatic deposits in the lungs and, to a lesser extent, in the lymph nodes were small and thus only detectable on microscopic examination. We also found a positive correlation between the presence of metastases and neoplastic infiltration of the lymphatic and/or blood vessels around the subcutaneous tumors. Metastatic human tumors, including neoplastic cells from effusion, exhibited higher metastatic ability than primary tumors (p less than 0.005). However, the expression of this metastatic potential depends on several factors including tumor volume, survival time after inoculation and murine hepatitis infection. Thus, animals with metastases bore larger tumors (9.56 cm3) than those without metastasis (6.35 cm3; p less than 0.0001). Moreover, survival time after inoculation was longer in mice with metastases (104 days) than in mice without metastases (81 days; p less than 0.0001). A negative influence of viral hepatitis on the incidence of metastases was observed. This may simply be related to the shortened life span of the animals. Death due to this infection may precede the expression of the metastatic potential.

Usefulness of MIB1 monoclonal antibody in assessing the proliferative index in human bladder carcinoma: comparison with Ki-67 antibody.

The reactivity of MIB1 antibody on routinely processed paraffin sections was compared with that of Ki-67 antibody on frozen sections of 80 transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder. The percentage of labelled cells was expressed as the labelling index. MIB1 labelling indices were higher than those of Ki-67 but for each case the two values were strongly correlated (r = 0.91). Ki-67 and MIB1 indices were also correlated to tumour grade and stage (P < or = 0.001). MIB1 indices determined after both formaldehyde and ethanol based Bouin's fluid fixatives did not show any significant difference. MIB1 antibody staining after microwave oven heating of tissue sections is a simple technique for assessing the proliferative fraction of bladder tumours on fixed material. The use of MIB1 antibody permits retrospective studies and should determine whether the proliferation index in bladder carcinoma has the same prognostic value as demonstrated in other types of neoplasms.