Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach: a case report.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach is a very rare tumour. We report a case of SCC of the stomach in a 56-year old woman who had metastases to the liver and abdominal lymph nodes.

Oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid gland: report of a case with DNA ploidy analysis and review of the literature.

A 44-year-old female presented with a painful mass in the left parotid gland. Histologic examination revealed the characteristic picture of oncocytic mucoepidermoid carcinoma (OMEC) composed mainly of sheets of oncocytic cells with uniform nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm, focally smaller epidermoid cells surrounding poorly formed glandular spaces, and a few cystic structures lined by well-differentiated mucous cells with intracytoplasmic mucin. Immunohistochemical staining with antimitochondrial antibody showed granular cytoplasmic positivity in oncocytic cells. The resulting histogram for DNA ploidy analysis was of diploid type. OMEC of the parotid gland is a recently described rare neoplasm. Only six cases have been previously reported in the literature. For an accurate approach in the management of patients, OMEC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of oncocytic lesions of the parotid gland, most of which are benign.

Helicobacter pylori--is it a novel causative agent in Vitamin B12 deficiency?

BACKGROUND: Evidence for vitamin B12 deficiency usually involves combinations of low serum vitamin B12 levels, clinical and metabolic abnormalities, and therapeutic response. Identification of the underlying cause is important in the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency that is usually attributed to malabsorption. Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common causes of peptic ulcer disease worldwide and a major cause of chronic superficial gastritis leading to atrophy of gastric glands. It is suggested that there may be a casual relationship between H. pylori and food-cobalamin malabsorption. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the H. pylori incidence in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency prospectively and to assess whether treatment for H pylori infection could correct this deficiency over time. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study involving 138 patients who had anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed to assess the severity of atrophic gastritis and biopsy specimens for Campylobacter-like organisms tests and histological examination for H pylori were obtained at the time of diagnosis. The diagnosis of H. pylori prompted a combination treatment. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori was detected in 77 (56%) of 138 patients with vitamin B12 deficiency and eradication of H pylori infection successfully improved anemia and serum vitamin B12 levels in 31 (40 %) of 77 infected patients. CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori seems to be a causative agent in the development of adult vitamin B12 deficiency. Eradication of H. pylori infection alone may correct vitamin B12 levels and improve anemia in this subgroup of patients.

Colonic perforation caused by taeniasis.

In this report, a case of colonic perforation caused by Taenia saginata is presented. Preoperative ultrasonographic examination showed a 'pseudokidney sign' suggestive of colonic carcinoma. Clinical and ultrasonographic appearance of this rare case and the possible perforation mechanism are discussed.

Solitary fibrous tumour arising from sublingual gland: report of a case.

A solitary fibrous tumour is a pleural tumour which may rarely be detected at non-pleural sites. In this report, the case of a solitary fibrous tumour arising from the sublingual salivary gland is described.

Generalized gingival enlargement due to accumulation of amyloid-like material.

Hyaline or amyloid-like substances may be seen in several oral lesions. Some of these originate from epithelial cells and some from connective tissue components. In this study, amyloid-like material causing gingival enlargement in three patients, with eyelid involvement in two, was examined using histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. These accumulations did not share the classical features of amyloid such as green birefringence under polarized light after Congo red staining. Our findings suggest that epithelial degeneration plays an important role in the pathogenesis of these amyloid-like accumulations. These substances may be the result of defective amyloidogenesis and our cases may represent an oral counterpart of ligneous conjunctivitis or colloid milium of the skin.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of malignant lymphoepithelial lesion of the salivary gland. A report of two cases.

Fine needle aspiration cytologic findings in two cases of malignant lymphoepithelial lesion (MLEL) of the parotid glands are presented. Aspirates of both cases showed individual or cohesive clusters of tumor cells intermingling with mature lymphocytes. Cervical lymph node aspirates in both cases were similar to those seen in the parotids. Our findings suggest that neither cytology nor histology of the cervical lymph nodes is conclusive in establishing the primary site of a metastatic lymphoepitheliomalike carcinoma. MLEL of the salivary glands must be included in the differential diagnosis.

A comparative histological study of non-porous and micro-porous (algae-derived) hydroxylapatite ceramics.

Two different types of hydroxylapatite ceramics were examined histologically to assess their effects on the healing of standardized bone defects drilled in the mandibular bone of beagles. After 40 days both materials were totally enclosed by newly-formed bone, but only the defects filled with micro-porous hydroxylapatite were found to show bone incorporation which is a good indicator of implant stability. These results suggest that the physio-chemical similarities between the micro-porous hydroxylapatite and native bone may promote effective bone incorporation which can increase the stability of implants.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of oral cavity and jaw bone lesions. A report of 102 cases.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of oral cavity and jaw bone lesions was performed on 102 patients. The cytologic diagnoses were compared with the results of histologic examination. Thirteen of the 15 histologically malignant lesions and 71 of the 87 histologically benign lesions were cytologically diagnosed accurately. In 12 (92%) of the malignant and 69 (97%) of the benign lesions, specific cytologic diagnoses were given that proved the same or very similar to the final histologic diagnoses. This study showed that the overall accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology in the oral cavity and jaw bones is high and is not significantly different from that obtained in other body regions.

The nature of ghost cells in calcifying odontogenic cyst: an immunohistochemical study.

Two solid and two cystic forms of calcifying odontogenic cysts were stained immunohistochemically to study keratin, carcinoembryonic antigen, epithelial membrane antigen, and S-100 protein expression in ghost cells. The patterns of immunoreactivity were compared with those of dentigerous cysts, odontogenic keratocysts, ameloblastomas, calcifying epitheliomas of Malherbe, and control samples. Immunostaining patterns of calcifying odontogenic cysts were found to be similar to the odontogenic lesions and different from calcifying epithelioma. It is concluded that ghost cells are "keratinizing" odontogenic cells showing aberrant differentiation. These cells should not be regarded as metaplastic. The similarity of the immunostaining patterns of cystic and solid calcifying odontogenic cysts supports the view that these lesions are two morphologic variants of the same entity.

A pseudotumour of the bladder. Case report.

A case of pseudotumour involving the bladder is presented. The differential diagnostic importance of the lesion is stressed.

Expression of S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha fetoprotein in normal salivary glands and primary salivary gland tumors.

The distribution of S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha fetoprotein was studied in 38 primary salivary gland tumors. S-100 protein, a useful marker of myoepithelial cells, was demonstrated in some benign tumors. Carcinoembryonic antigen expression was consistently positive in adenoid cystic carcinoma. Demonstration of epithelial membrane antigen helped to confirm the epithelial nature of some neoplastic cells. Alpha fetoprotein was not expressed in any of the cases examined. No correlation was found between immunopositivity and tumor behavior in the present series.

Fine needle aspiration cytologic findings in a benign lymphoepithelial lesion with microcalcifications. A case report.

Aspiration cytologic findings in a case of benign lymphoepithelial lesion (BLL) of the parotid gland are presented. The aspirate contained a polymorphous lymphoid population, histiocytes, myoepithelial and ductal epithelial cells and numerous bluish, calcified bodies. A cytologic diagnosis of benign nonneoplastic lesion, consistent with chronic sialadenitis and microlithiasis, was made. The clinical impression of neoplasia was inconsistent with the cytologic findings. Subsequent histologic examination showed classic BLL with microcalcifications as an unexpected feature. The value and limitations of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of nonneoplastic salivary gland lesions and the differential diagnosis of BLL are discussed.

Cementifying fibroma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. A case report.

A case of cementifying fibroma in the right lateral mandible was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. The aspirate was a cellular specimen composed of clusters of oval and spindle-shaped fibroblasts with no atypical features. These cells were admixed with spherical, calcified structures. A diagnosis of "consistent with benign fibroosseous lesion, suggestive of cementoossifying fibroma" was made, and subsequent histologic examination confirmed this cytologic diagnosis. The clinical, cytologic and histologic findings in the case are presented, and the value of FNA cytology in the diagnosis of jaw lesions is discussed.