Prognostic Factors of Prostate Cancer in Tunisian Men: Immunohistochemical Study.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the second most common male cancer and remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Heterogeneity regarding recurrence, tumor progression and therapeutic response reflects the inadequacy of traditional prognostic factors and underlies interest in new genetic and molecular markers. In this work, we studied the prognostic value of the expression of 9 proteins, Ki-67, p53, Bcl-2, PSA, HER2, E-cadherin, p21WAF1/Cip1, p27Kip1 and p16ink4a in prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 50 prostate cancers diagnosed in Pathology Department of Farhet Hached Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia, during a period of 12 months. Clinico-pathological data and survival were investigated. Protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on archived material. RESULTS: Expression or over-expression of Ki-67, p53, Bcl-2, PSA, HER2, E-Cadherin, p21WAF1/Cip1, p27Kip1 and p16ink4a was observed in 68%, 24%, 32%, 78%, 12%, 90%, 20%, 44% and 56% of cases, respectively. Overall five-year survival was 68%. A statistically significant correlation was observed between death occurrence and advanced age (p=0.018), degree of tumor differentiation (p=0.0001), perineural invasion (p=0.016) and metastasis occurrence (p=0.05). Death occurrence was significantly correlated with the expression of p53 (p=0.007), Bcl-2 (p=0.02), Ki-67 (p=0.05) and p27Kip1 (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The p53, Bcl-2, Ki-67 and p27Kip1 proteins may be useful additional prognostic markers for prostate cancer. The use of these proteins in clinical practice can improve prognosis prediction, disease screening and treatment response of prostatic cancer.

HER2 expression in ovarian mucinous carcinomas in Tunisia.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian mucinous carcinoma has a poor prognosis in advanced stages and a poor response to conventional chemotherapy. An efficient treatment is not yet available. We heere investigated HER2 expression and the potential for trastuzumab therapy in ovarian mucinous tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 27 ovarian mucinous tumors including 14 carcinomas and 13 borderline tumors diagnosed in the Pathology Department, Farhet Hached Hospital, Sousse, between 1993 and 2013. The HercepTest (DAKO) was used for immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: HER2 expression was observed in only one borderline tumor (7.7%) and in 14.3% of mucinous carcinomas of the ovary. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that trastuzumab therapy would be an option for patients with mucinous carcinoma when the tumor has HER2 overexpression.

p16INK4A expression in squamous cell carcinomas of the vagina and the vulva in Tunisian women.

BACKGROUND: The role of p16INK4A expression in uterine cervix cancer is well established. In the remaining female lower genital tract cancers, the importance of p16INK4A up-regulation is less clear. In our study, we analyzed the role of p16INK4A expression and HPV infection in carcinomas of the vulva and the vagina in Tunisian women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 30 carcinomas including 15 vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 15 vaginal SCCs. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine p16INK4A expression. HPV detection and typing was by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: p16INK4A expression was detected in 86.7% of vaginal SCCs with a strong and diffuse immunostaining in 60% of cases, and also in 73.3% of vulvar SCCs with focal immunoreactivity in 53.3% The association between p16INK4A expression and HPV infection was significant in vaginal SCCs (p=0.001) but not vulvar SCCs (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: p16INK4A expression could be used as a useful marker for HPV positivity in vaginal SCCs similar to that described in uterine cervix cancers. However, our data support the presence of 2 different mechanisms for p16INK4A expression in HPV-related and HPV-unrelated vulvar carcinomas.

Giant cell tumor of soft tissue of neck: a case report.

CONTEXT: Giant cell tumor of soft tissue is a rare primary soft tissue tumor with low malignant potential. It is clinically and pathologically similar to the giant cell tumor of the bone. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 28-year-old man complaining of a painless solitary nodule arising in the spinal muscle of the neck. Computed tomography suggested a neurogenic tumor, but the diagnosis of giant cell tumor was confirmed after detailed pathological examination. The patient remains disease free five months after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: It is important to recognize this pathological entity in order to avoid misdiagnosis with other fibrous tumors associated with giant cells.