[Giant phyllodes tumor of the prostate].

A 55 year-old man complained dysuria and visited to our hospital. Physical examination showed firm large mass occupying whole abdomen. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a huge retroperitoneal tumor which compressed intestine, liver, kidney, and urinary bladder. We performed extirpation of the tumor (8.6 kg, largest diameter 60 cm) which was composed of myxoid stromal region associated with cystic pattern. Histological examination revealed that the epithelium of the cystic region was positive for prostate specific antigen (PSA) immunostaining. The tumor was diagnosed phyllodes tumor of the prostate (prostatic stromal proliferation of uncertain malignancy, PSTUMP). Serum PSA was declined 3.9 ng/ml to 0.9 ng/ml; however, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a residual (recurrent?) tumor in the pelvis one month after the operation. We carried out total prostatectomy and residual tumor resection. Phyllodes tumor of the prostate is histologically characterized with biphasic pattern of hyperplastic epithelial cysts and variably cellular spindle stroma. The tumor is considered to have malignant potential and several histological factors including cellularity, atypia, etc. are utilized to assess it. However diagnostic criteria and subsequent treatment modalities are not established thus far. Previous reports showed efficacy of total surgical removal rather than partial resection and that we performed radical extirpation of the entire tumor. Close follow up is needed against this frequently recurrent disease.

A new reporting form for breast cytology.

The Cytology and Core Needle Biopsy Subcommittee, organized under the Rules Committee of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society, has prepared a new form for breast cytology reports. This reporting form consists of "diagnostic categories" and "recommendations." The "diagnostic category" is either "specimen inadequacy" or "specimen adequacy." The judgment on "specimen adequacy" is subdivided into four categories: "normal or benign," "indeterminate," "suspicious for malignancy," and "malignant." The "recommendation" indicates descriptions of cytological features and estimated histological type of tumor (these descriptions should be as detailed as possible). On the basis of an analysis of cytological data from 3,439 cases performed before preparing this form, the subcommittee has attached the following recommended goals to this form: (1) the percentage of "specimen inadequacy" should be 10% or less of all samples, (2) the percentage of "indeterminate" samples should be 10% or less of all "specimen adequacy" cases, and (3) 90% or more of "suspicious for malignancy" cases should be diagnosed as "malignant" in a subsequent histological examination. We hope that modification of this form, if it requires revision in the future, will be evidence-based, as was the process for compiling this set of rules.

Characteristics of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma in Japanese women.

Although the presence of racial differences in vulvar squamous cell carcinomas has been suggested, fully analyzed data concerning such tumors in Japanese women have not been reported. A total of 21 vulvar squamous cell carcinomas of Japanese women who lived in north-east Japan, were studied with respect to histological subtype, HPV, p53 and p16(INK4a). The majority of tumors consisted of keratinizing and non-keratinizing types (16/21, 76%), all of which were negative for HPV. The remaining five tumors of basaloid, warty or verrucous types were positive for HPV. HPV-negative tumors showed a trend of greater accumulation of gene abnormalities, including p53 gene mutation, than HPV-positive ones. p16(INK4a) overexpression was shown to not always be a marker for vulvar squamous cell carcinoma in Japanese women with activated high-risk HPV.

Glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: histochemical, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic observations.

Glassy cell carcinoma (GCC) of the uterine cervix is characterized by distinctive cytological features and an aggressive clinical course. Although this tumor has been usually considered a poorly differentiated variety of adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC), a clarification of the phenotype and histogenesis of GCC is still required. We examined three GCCs and four ASCs for histochemical and immunohistochemical phenotypes and molecular genetic status, comparing them with five nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinomas and five endocervical-type mucinous adenocarcinomas. GCCs had a profile of cytokeratin expression similar to that of reserve cells or immature squamous cells of the cervix. In addition to squamous differentiation, GCCs sporadically produced intestinal-type mucin. HPV 18 was detected in two of three GCCs and two of four ASCs. GCCs may originate from multipotential stem or reserve cells that undergo early squamous differentiation. The presence of HPV 18 might stimulate biphasic squamous and glandular differentiation.

Carcinosarcomas (malignant mullerian mixed tumors) of the uterus and ovary: a genetic study with special reference to histogenesis.

The histogenesis of carcinosarcomas (malignant mullerian mixed tumors) of the female genital tract is still not completely understood. In the present study, several different molecular pathologic techniques were applied to determine the histogenesis of 15 uterine and ovarian carcinosarcomas. The patterns of X-chromosome inactivation and the presence of p53 and K-ras mutations were analyzed in the carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. Microsatellite analysis was also performed. Ten tumors were monoclonal, one was biclonal (collision tumor), and another was probably biclonal; the other three were of indeterminate histogenesis. These data indicate that most uterine and ovarian carcinosarcomas are monoclonal.

Small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas of the uterine cervix: a histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic study.

Small cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix are rare tumors with an aggressive behavior. Although these tumors can exhibit neuroendocrine differentiation, the criteria for neuroendocrine differentiation are subjective and not well defined. In this study, the authors tentatively defined small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNEC) as a tumor composed of small cells with at least two of the following: argyrophilic cytoplasm, chromogranin A immunoreactivity, and synaptophysin immunoreactivity. We found 10 cases fulfilling these requirements. Five of the 10 tumors were composed mainly of small ("oat") cells and 5 of mainly larger "intermediate" cells. The majority of both subtypes showed an insular pattern. Three of the 10 SCNECs were pure, whereas the other seven were mixed with adenocarcinoma and/or squamous cell carcinoma or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. In addition to the definitional markers noted earlier, the tumors were immunoreactive for serotonin (6 cases), somatostatin, gastrin, glucagon, and pancreatic polypeptide. No tumors were immunoreactive for cytokeratin 20. Human papillomavirus (HPV)-18 was detected in all of the pure tumors and both the SCNEC and adenocarcinomatous components in four of the mixed tumors. No other types of HPV were detected. The tumors showed a relatively low frequency of loss of heterozygosity for representative tumor suppressor gene sites; p53 mutations were found in only one case.

Mucin expression in nonneoplastic and neoplastic glandular epithelia of the uterine cervix.

Although it is well known that the uterine cervix contains mucin-producing glandular epithelium, only a few studies have described the changes in mucin that accompany malignant transformation. In this study the authors evaluated the characteristics of mucin expression in the normal endocervical epithelium and mucinous and endometrioid adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix. The normal endocervical epithelium was characterized by predominant sulfomucin and MUC1 expression in all sites and MUC5AC expression in the surface epithelium, while MUC2 was not detected at all and pyloric gland type mucin (using antibody HIK1083) was detected in less than 1% of cases. Cervical adenocarcinomas, especially mucinous adenocarcinomas, showed marked variability in mucin expression that included mucins of pyloric gland and intestinal type.