Role of ß-catenin expression in paediatric mesenchymal lesions: a tissue microarray-based immunohistochemical study.

Beta-catenin is a major protein in the Wnt signalling pathway. Although it has been studied in various types of carcinoma, little is known about its expression in mesenchymal tumours. In this study 41 specimens of a variety of mesenchymal childhood tumours were compared to 24 samples of the corresponding adult tumours to assess the diagnostic value of nuclear ß-catenin expression using tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry. Similar to adult sarcoma and fibromatosis, ß-catenin was not expressed in the majority of childhood sarcomas, and its nuclear translocation was detected in paediatric fibromatosis; non-negligible levels of nuclear staining in other tumour types demonstrate Wnt pathway activation in mesenchymal neoplasms of childhood and adolescence.

p27 Kip1 protein expression in Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

AIMS: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease in which both proliferation and apoptosis are enhanced. p27(Kip1) protein protects tissues from disease mechanisms that involve excessive cell proliferation and apoptosis. This study investigated whether there is loss of p27(Kip1) expression in HT and whether p27(Kip1) immunoreactivity has any relation to the proliferative indicator Ki-67. Because p27(Kip1) is regulated through either degradation, mediated by the S phase kinase associated protein 2 (Skp2), or sequestration, via D3 cyclin, the expression of these proteins was also investigated. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to assess p27(Kip1), Ki-67, Skp2, and cyclin D3 expression in 19 cases of HT and in 10 normal thyroids. The results were evaluated by image analysis and reported as labelling indices (LIs) in both groups. RESULTS: The p27(Kip1) LI was lower in HT than in normal thyroid (28% v 75%; p < 0.001), whereas Ki-67 (1.13% v 0.13%), Skp2 (0.74% v 0.15%), and cyclin D3 (1.56% v 0.00%) LIs were higher in HT than in normal thyroids (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between p27(Kip1) and the expression of Ki-67, Skp2, and cyclin D3. CONCLUSIONS: p27(Kip1) downregulation is not exclusive to tumours but occurs also in HT, independently of the proliferative status and of changes in Skp2 and cyclin D3 expression. Further investigation is required to understand the mechanisms leading to p27 deregulation because these observations suggest that the regulation of p27(Kip1) expression in epithelial thyroid cells may play a role in HT pathogenesis.

Primary Kaposi sarcoma of the bowel in a HIV-negative patient.

A case of Kaposi sarcoma with HIV-negative and sequence of HHV-8 positive and exclusive rectosigmoid and descending colon involvement without immunodeficiency is reported. Histologically, in addition to typical features of Kaposi sarcoma, Cowdry type A inclusions were seen. PCR analysis of the tumor showed positivity for human herpesvirus 8. Two of the six reported cases of Kaposi sarcoma limited to the bowel were from African men before the AIDS epidemic. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;76:197-200.

Mammary hamartomas: an immunohistochemical study of ten cases.

Ten cases of breast hamartomas were reviewed; the patients' age ranged from 31 to 55 (mean 40.4, median 39). All cases presented with a palpable, sometimes tender, lump. The typical mammographic feature was a well defined, round to lens shaped, variable dense mass, occasionally surrounded by a thin radiolucent zone. All hamartomas were unilateral (4 in the right and 6 in the left breast, respectively) and no recurrence occurred after local excision. The tumor size ranged from 5 to 150 mm (mean 54 mm). Histologically all hamartomas were composed of a typical fibrous, adipose and glandular tissue combination. Immunohistochemically there was a strong positivity for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen in the epithelial cells, a positive finding for vimentin and muscle-specific actin in stromal and myoepithelial cells, and for S-100 protein in myoepithelial cells. Vessels endothelial cells were immunoreactive for Factor VIII. Immunohistochemical analysis of hormone receptors completed on formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens, showed estrogen and progesterone receptors positivity in 9 cases and estrogen positive progesterone negative receptors in one case. In all cases the receptorial positivity was limited to the epithelial elements. These data revealed that 1) breast hamartoma is a benign, tumor-like lesion, histologically dissimilar from other lesions such as fibroadenoma and pseudoangiomatous hyperplasia; and 2) hamartoma tissue is influenced by hormones like the surrounding normal breast parenchyma.

[Benign lesions of the breast]. / Lesioni benigne della mammella.

Benign lesions represent the most frequent lesions of the breast. Such lesions often onset with nodules or palpable masses simulating a breast cancer. In uncertain cases, an excisional biopsy may be at the same time a diagnostic and a therapeutic solution. A high percentage (40%) of the diagnosed lesions belongs to fibrocystic disease. A remaining 50% can be shared among tumor-like lesions, inflammatory lesions or benign tumors like fibroadenomas. Only in the 10% of palpable breast masses, biopsy reveals a breast cancer. The role of the pathologist is strictly related to the surgeon's one. Clinically benign lesions may be excised throughout a biopsy performed under local anesthesia. Clinically uncertain lesion must be evaluated by a fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), nevertheless in some cases the doubt may persist. In such cases an excisional biopsy performed while the patient is under general anesthesia may finally solve the question. In case of breast malignancies the intervention can be enlarged as described for cancer.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in elective neurosurgery. Epidemiological study.

The authors present an epidemiological study of patients who have undergone elective neurosurgery and who have been treated with different types of antibiotics throughout a ten year time span. From the statistic analysis of the different parameters taken into consideration (administering modalities of the short-term and long-term antibiotic, type of sepsis encountered, isolated microorganisms) the authors show, as a result, that the long-term antibiotic prophylaxis is a clearly improper method; the short-term prophylaxis is a correct method the effect of which is, however, still controversial as it does not modify a natural low percentage of infections in elective neurosurgery. The role given to the antibiotic seems much less important compared with the adoption of correct antiseptic measures and of proper nursing.

Vascular injury related to lumbar disk surgery.

The authors report a case of left common iliac artery injury, as a complication of diskectomy, in a 57 year-old male patient, with herniated disk at L4-L5. A review shows that L4-L5 disk space is the most common site for this rare complication of lumbar disk surgery.