Flow cytometric DNA characteristics of radiation colitis--a preliminary study.

The DNA status of 12 rectal biopsies, taken during the investigation of radiation proctitis, was investigated. Of these six were in the acute phase and six in the chronic phase. All of the acute biopsies had diploid DNA, despite bizarre histological epithelial cell appearances. Two of the chronic phase biopsies were to have aneuploid DNA profiles. This finding may be relevant to the increased risk of malignancy in irradiated tissues.

Lethal invasive mucormycosis: case report and recommendations for treatment.

A case of lethal invasive mucormycosis (IM), a rare fungal infection which predominantly affects immunocompromised patients, is reported in a 73-year-old female patient who presented with a cervical abscess. The patient had asthma treated with steroids and had previously undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. Despite surgical treatment and parenteral antibiotic therapy, there was fatal progression of the condition. The pathogenesis, histological appearances and treatment of mucormycosis are discussed, particularly the importance of urgent histological examination of debrided tissue to distinguish this condition from necrotizing fasciitis (NF) earlier than microbiological culture alone would allow, thus permitting the early introduction of appropriate antifungal therapy.

Do frozen sections help achieve adequate surgical margins in the resection of oral carcinoma?

This retrospective study examined the notes of 82 patients who underwent an attempted curative resection of oro-pharyngeal carcinoma, and who had frozen sections taken, over a four year period. Three hundred and fifty mucosal, 179 deep tissue, and 22 nerve frozen sections had been taken. Concordance between cryostat and paraffin sections was 99.5% although no false positives or negatives for invasive tumour were found. Nine (11%) patients who had frozen sections which were reported as dysplastic or positive for invasive tumour underwent further local resection; excision was then found to be complete in 8 (10%) of these patients with further frozen sections. In 15 patients the margins of the main resection specimen were judged to be close to the tumour (<5mm), 5 patients had squamous epithelial dysplasia and 12 patients had invasive tumour at a resection margin. Ten of the 12 patients with margins containing invasive tumour had negative cryostat sections intraoperatively, which demonstrated problems with sampling which is the major drawback. During follow up, 14 patients developed local recurrence. Only one of the patients who had frozen section guided further local resection, developed local recurrence. Frozen sections help achieve tumour clearance.

Cribriform intra-tubular epididymal change and adenomatous hyperplasia of the rete testis--a consequence of testicular atrophy?

We have observed an unusual change in the epididymal tubules, ranging from focal epithelial proliferation forming bridges, to a pronounced intra-tubular cribriform pattern of the epithelium. This often occurs in association with adenomatous hyperplasia of the rete testis which is an uncommon, usually incidental finding. Both processes appear associated with underlying testicular atrophy and may be related to local hormonal imbalance.

Salivary duct carcinoma: report of a case and review of the literature.

Salivary duct carcinoma is a rare primary tumour of the salivary glands arising most frequently in the parotid gland. It has a male preponderance and occurs most often in patients over the age of 50 years. Its distinctive histological features include dilated ducts containing cells arranged in cribriform, papillary or solid patterns often with central necrosis and reminiscent of intraduct carcinoma of the breast. These features are associated with an obvious invasive component. It is an aggressive neoplasm and may metastasize widely, causing death in a high proportion of cases.

Myofibroblastoma: an unusual breast lump.

A case of myofibroblastoma of the breast is reported. The clinical significance of this entity lies primarily in its recognition as a distinctive benign neoplasm.

Mixed mesonephric adenocarcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Mesonephric type adenocarcinoma is a very rare tumour in the bladder and bears a resemblance to nephrogenic adenoma. We report (to the best of our knowledge), the first case where the tumour was partly composed of mesonephric and partly of poorly differentiated transitional cell carcinoma. Staining for alpha 1-antitrypsin and carcino-embryonic antigen were positive in the mesonephric component but negative in the transitional cell carcinoma.