Parapharyngeal lymph node as an isolated manifestation of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma: First report in Iran.

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare type of sarcoma that originates from the stromal component of the germinal center of the B-follicle. Its presentation and prognosis vary, as it can be nodal or extranodal, localized or multifocal, and can be fatal in 20% of cases. Due to its rarity, FDCS diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion. Most cases have been reported in Europe or the United States, and no cases have been previously reported in individuals of Iranian descent. This case report describes a 33-year-old Iranian man with no significant medical history who presented with a palpable nodule in the neck and odynophagia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass with heterogeneous enhancement in the parapharyngeal space. Pathological examination confirmed FDCS, likely localized to a parapharyngeal lymph node with no extranodal involvement. The patient underwent radiation therapy and remained disease-free 28 months after diagnosis.

CD44+ cancer cells express higher levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in breast tumours.

Breast tumours consist of phenotypically diverse populations of breast cancer cells of which only a minority has the ability to form new tumours. The capacity for breast tumour development has been shown to be restricted to breast cancer stem cells with the CD44+/CD24(-/low) phenotype. These cells can resist apoptosis through mechanisms such as the regulation of Bcl-2. Identification of this population of cells is important because of its implication in the development of new therapeutic strategies. One hundred and forty-six primary operable breast cancer patients were investigated in order to identify the population of CD44+ and Bcl-2+ cells in paraffin-embedded tissues by immunohistochemistry. The prevalence of these phenotypes was then correlated with clinicopathological features. CD44 and Bcl-2 expression was detected in 86% and 82% of breast tumours, respectively. There was no significant correlation between CD44+ tumour cell prevalence and tumour characteristics, whereas the prevalence of CD44+ cells was associated with higher levels of Bcl-2 expression (P = 0.004). In univariate analysis, Bcl-2 expression was correlated with breast tumours of lower grade (P < 0.001) and fewer lymphatic metastases (P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that the prevalence of CD44+ tumour cells as a subpopulation of breast cancer stem cells was of no clinicopathological significance, but was correlated with higher Bcl-2 expression. This population of tumour cells may thus be more resistant to apoptosis. Targeting these cells in combination with current treatments may be more effective in treating breast cancer patients.

Sialolipoma of the parotid gland with diffuse sebaceous differentiation in a female child.

Sialolipoma of the salivary gland is a tumor with ambiguous histogenesis. Histologically, this lesion is composed of mature adipose tissue and salivary glandular components. To the best of our knowledge, only 12 documented cases of sialolipoma have been reported in the literature. Except for 1 congenital case, all of the cases were found in adult patients. In this report, we present a unique case of sialolipoma with diffuse sebaceous differentiation in a 3-year-old female child. The differential diagnoses are discussed.