Biomedical subjects

J Y Ro

Publications and source records attributed to J Y Ro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Clonal analysis of a solitary follicular nodule of the thyroid with the polymerase chain reaction method.

Solitary follicular nodules of the thyroid occasionally create a diagnostic problem, especially in the differential diagnosis between adenoma and nodular hyperplasia To obtain confident histologic parameters of clonal lesions, we analyzed DNA samples prepared from paraffin-embedded archival tissue from 20 solitary follicular nodules of the thyroid for clonality with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. On the base of X chromosome inactivation mosaicism, we tested restriction fragment-length polymorphism of the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) gene and a highly polymorphic short tandem repeat of the human androgen receptor (HUMARA) gene. Of 18 informative cases, 10 were monoclonal, 7 were polyclonal, and 1 showed microsatellite instability. All of the five completely encapsulated nodules were monoclonal. Four of the five unencapsulated nodules showed polyclonality. Of the seven partially encapsulated nodules, four were monoclonal, and the others were polyclonal. The former showed 50% or more of encapsulation degree, whereas the latter showed less than 50%. The capsule tended to be thicker in monoclonal nodules (mean, 0.33 mm) than in polyclonal nodules (mean, 0.13 mm). Other histologic features of the nodules and surrounding parenchymal changes had no significance with respect to predicting clonality. This study suggests that the degree of encapsulation and capsular thickness are morphologically important for predicting the clonality of the thyroid nodule.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Benign nevus cell aggregates in the thymus: a case report.

Aggregates of benign nevus cells occurring in lymph nodes are a well-described incidental finding. Nevus cell aggregates (NCAs) can mimic foci of metastatic carcinoma or other disease processes, so the surgical pathologist should be familiar with this lesion. The purpose of this report is to describe the potential diagnostic difficulties created by benign NCAs within the thymus of a 32-year-old man with dysplastic nevus syndrome and malignant melanoma involving mediastinal lymph nodes and the right lung. Morphologically, the NCAs in this case elicited the differential diagnoses of metastatic melanoma and thymoma. Immunohistochemical studies helped to establish the correct diagnosis by demonstrating reactivity for S-100 protein and negative staining for keratin and HMB-45. Unlike malignant melanomas, NCAs show no p53 protein immunoreactivity, and low proliferative activity was detected by Ki-67 antigen immunostaining. Although melanocytic cells were rarely reported in thymic neoplasms, we are not aware of any previous reports of NCAs occurring in the normal thymus.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Clinicopathologic characteristics of replication error-positive gastric carcinoma.

Microsatellite instability (MI), an expansion or contraction of microsatellites, is a manifestation of replication errors (RERs) that is recognized as performing an important role in carcinogenesis in a proportion of gastric carcinomas. We analyzed 96 cases of sporadic gastric carcinomas for the occurrence of MI in BAT-26 and other six microsatellite loci. Gastric carcinomas with BAT-26 alteration demonstrated a higher proportion of unstable loci in other examined microsatellites than did gastric carcinomas without BAT-26 alteration. We classified gastric carcinomas with BAT-26 alteration as RER+ and compared the RER status with their clinicopathologic features. Ten (10.4%) of 96 gastric carcinomas showed RERs: 2 (7.7%) of 26 early gastric carcinomas and 8 (11.4%) of 70 advanced gastric carcinomas were RER+. RER+ gastric carcinomas were significantly associated with older age, elevated gross type (Borrmann Type 2 or EGC IIa), expanding growth pattern (Ming's classification), and minimal desmoplasia. Although statistically not significant, RER+ gastric carcinomas showed more frequent intestinal type (Lauren's classification), more antral involvement, and lower lymph node metastasis than did RER- gastric carcinomas. There was no association between RER status and intratumoral lymphocyte infiltration or histologic differentiation. In conclusion, RER+ gastric carcinomas demonstrated distinct clinicopathologic features, and BAT-26 was a useful marker for assessing the RER status of gastric carcinomas.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Dysregulated cyclin D1 expression early in head and neck tumorigenesis: in vivo evidence for an association with subsequent gene amplification.

Cyclin D1 proto-oncogene is a key regulator of the mammalian cell-cycle acting at the restriction point in late G1. Amplification of the cyclin D1 locus, located on chromosome 11q13, as well as cyclin D1 protein overexpression have been reported in several human malignancies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cyclin D1 gene copy status and protein expression during the multistep process of head and neck tumorigenesis, using a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry techniques. From 29 selected patients presenting with head and neck squamous carcinoma and whose tumor cytospins had been previously screened for presence (16 cases) or absence (13 cases) of amplification at the 11q13 band, we analysed 46 paraffin-embedded tissue specimens that demonstrated, besides the primary tumor, the presence of contiguous adjacent normal tissue and/or premalignant lesions. Of the 16 amplified cases, nine demonstrated a continuous progression from premalignant to invasive carcinoma and seven (77.7%) of these cases showed cyclin D1 gene amplification in premalignant lesions prior to development of invasive carcinoma. Increased cyclin D1 protein expression was observed in all 16 amplified tumors and five of the 13 (38.4%) non-amplified tumors. Interestingly, dysregulated cyclin D1 expression was also found in the premalignant lesions adjacent to all 16 amplified tumors, and it appeared to precede cyclin D1 gene amplification. In contrast no dysregulated expression was detected in the premalignant lesions of the non-amplified tumors. In conclusion, these findings provide strong evidence for early dysregulation of cyclin D1 expression during the tumorigenesis process and suggest that dysregulated increased expression precedes and possibly enables gene amplification.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed1998

Identification of two distinct tumor-suppressor loci on the long arm of chromosome 10 in small cell lung cancer.

Recent cytogenetic studies indicated that loss of the long arm of chromosome 10 is a frequent event in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and that a common region of the deletion is at 10q24-qter, which suggests the presence of a tumor-suppressor gene there. To map precise tumor-suppressor loci on the chromosome arm for further positional cloning efforts, we tested 46 primary SCLCs using microsatellite analysis. By analysing 11 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers located in 10q23-q26, we found that at least 78% (36/46) of the tumors exhibited loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 10q with at least two distinct minimally deleted regions. LOH at one region (10q24) was found in at least 74% (32/43) of informative cases with a minimally deleted region between D10S198 and D1OS192 (about 2 cM); LOH at another region (10q24-q25) was observed in at least 66% (29/44) of informative tumors with a minimally deleted region between D10S221 and D10S587 (about 11 cM). LOH at both regions or across both regions was observed in at least 52% (24/46) of the tumors tested. However, no mutations or homozygous deletions were found in the coding region of MXI1, a candidate tumor suppressor gene at 10q24-q25, in a panel of SCLC cell lines. Our data demonstrate that at least two tumor-suppressor loci exist on 10q and that they may play an important role in SCLC tumorigenesis.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Digital video: a tool for correlating neuronal firing patterns with hand motor behavior.

This report describes the use of multimedia technology for simultaneous recording of single unit responses in cerebral cortex, and imaging of hand kinematics as monkeys grasp and manipulate objects. These imaging methods allow direct correlation of full-frame, full-field video images with the actual spike trains recorded with microelectrodes. Our implementation of digital video provides high-resolution snapshots of the hand motor behavior every 33.3 ms, and a precise calibration and display of the synchronously recorded electrophysiological activity digitized at rates up to 44.5 kHz on the same platform. These imaging methods permit non-invasive, non-traumatic monitoring of both trained and spontaneous activity in experimental animals, while providing synchronized digitized records of neuronal spike trains. We also describe software instruments that quantify and analyze the digitized spike trains. One instrument employs user-selectable objective criteria for distinguishing spikes from noise, separates individual action potential waveforms by their amplitude and duration, and compiles time stamps for each spike train. A second instrument constructs rasters and histograms of repeated behavioral trials using the timing of the corresponding video frame for alignment. These analyses reveal functional classes of cortical neurons signaling specific stages of prehension.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

A multidisciplinary approach to therapy for unresectable malignant thymoma.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic outcome for unresectable, locally advanced, malignant thymoma has been poor. OBJECTIVE: To improve tumor resectability and patient survival rates by studying a multimodal approach to therapy for unresectable malignant thymoma. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care cancer center. PARTICIPANTS: All eligible patients had newly diagnosed, histologically proven, unresectable malignant thymoma. INTERVENTION: The treatment regimen consisted of induction chemotherapy (three courses of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, cisplatin, and prednisone), surgical resection, postoperative radiation therapy, and consolidation chemotherapy (three courses of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, cisplatin, and prednisone). Tissue samples were taken at the time of surgical resection for assessment of tumor necrosis and Ki-67 expression. MEASUREMENTS: Tumor response and resectability (both overall and after induction chemotherapy) and disease-free survival rate in patients who received multimodal therapy. RESULTS: 13 patients were consecutively enrolled from February 1990 to December 1996, and 12 evaluable patients were assessed for response. Disease responded to induction chemotherapy completely in 3 patients (25%) and partially in 8 patients (67%); 1 patient had a minor response (8%). Eleven patients had surgical resection; 1 refused surgery. Tumors were removed completely in 9 (82%) and incompletely in 2 (18%) of 11 patients who had been receiving radiation therapy and consolidation chemotherapy. All 12 patients are alive (100% at 7 years), with a median follow-up of 43 months, and 10 patients are disease free (73% disease-free survival at 7 years). A high correlation was seen between tumor necrosis after induction chemotherapy and Ki-67 expression (r=-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive multimodal treatment is highly effective and may cure locally advanced, unresectable malignant thymoma.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Autofluorescence bronchoscopy in the detection of squamous metaplasia and dysplasia in current and former smokers.

BACKGROUND: New methods are needed to detect precancerous lesions in lung tissue. We conducted a study to determine the utility of LIFE (laser-induced fluorescence emission) autofluorescence bronchoscopy for the detection of squamous metaplasia and dysplasia in current and former smokers. METHODS: In this prospective, single-center study, 53 participants underwent standard white-light bronchoscopy and 39 underwent both white-light and LIFE bronchoscopy. Bronchial biopsy specimens were obtained from all participants at six pre-determined sites using white-light bronchoscopy and from all other sites that appeared to be abnormal in participants who underwent LIFE bronchoscopy. Relationships between LIFE imaging and histologic findings were examined for 245 biopsy specimens obtained from those participants who had undergone LIFE bronchoscopy. RESULTS: LIFE imaging revealed abnormalities designated as either class II or class III in 89 (36.3%) and 16 (6.5%) of the 245 sites examined, respectively, and histopathologic examination showed dysplasia and metaplasia in eight (3.3%) and in 52 (21.2%) of the 245 specimens, respectively. Among the 105 biopsy specimens obtained from sites with abnormal LIFE imaging, only 26 (24.8%) exhibited squamous metaplasia and/or dysplasia, similar to the findings for sites with normal LIFE imaging (34 [24.3%] of 140). Comparison of individuals examined by LIFE imaging with those who underwent white-light bronchoscopy alone revealed no increase in the detection of dysplasia or metaplasia with LIFE bronchoscopy. CONCLUSION: In this population of current and former smokers, abnormalities detected by LIFE bronchoscopy did not improve the detection of squamous metaplasia or dysplasia.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Prognostic biomarker study in pathologically staged N1 non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: The prognostic influence of 6 biomarkers correlated to histologic subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) on loco-regional control, overall survival, disease-free survival (DFS), and distant disease control (DDC) rates, all measured at 5 years, were examined. MATERIALS & METHODS: Cell blocks from the primary tumors of 137 patients with pathologically staged N1 NSCLC at MDACC were analyzed by 6-biomarker status correlated to histological subtypes and their outcomes. RESULTS: The ranges of biomarker values were as follows: apoptotic index, 0.2-2.8%; mitotic index, 0-1.8%; the proportion of cells in S+G2M, 3-36%; p53 status, 0-100%; Ki-67, 0-9.3%; DNA index, 1.0-2.74. Subtypes of 137 cases from the postoperative pathology specimen showed that 74 patients had squamous carcinoma and 63 patients had adenocarcinoma. Mean and median lengths of follow-up were 4.21 years and 2.43 years, respectively. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) had a better 5-year survival (p = 0.006), DFS (p = 0.002), and distant metastasis control (p = 0.002) than patients with adenocarcinoma (AC). Among patients with AC, the DNA index was a significant predictor of 5-year DFS (p = 0.02), DDC rate (p = 0.04), and local-regional control (p < 0.05). Higher apoptosis (p = 0.03) and mitosis indices (p = 0.03) were also univariate predictors of increased distant disease among patients with AC. Multivariate analysis of patients with AC revealed that the DNA index and Ki-67 were the only significant independent predictors of distant metastasis (p < 0.04 and p < 0.02, respectively) and DFS (p < 0.04 for both). Among patients with SCC, univariate analysis showed that S+G2M proportion (p < 0.05) and Ki-67 levels (p < 0.02) were significant predictors for local-regional control; for SC, multivariate analysis showed that only mitosis was a significant predictor in this case for overall survival (p < 0.04). CONCLUSION: Spontaneous apoptotic index and Ki-67 were significantly higher in SC than in AC. Patients with SC had less distant metastasis better DFS and overall survival than those with AC. Multivariate analysis revealed that DNA index and Ki-67 status were significant predictors for DDC and DFS in patients with AC, but only mitotic index was a significant predictor of overall survival for patients with SCC.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1998

Epstein-Barr virus infection is associated with p53 accumulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Eighty-three cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were evaluated for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in tumor cells by in situ hybridization to EBER1 transcripts, and for p53 expression by immunostains using the D07 antibody which detects native and mutant forms of the p53 protein. A highly significant association was found between EBV infection and p53 overexpression (P = .0004), with 77% of cases coexpressing both markers. This newly discovered association suggests that EBV is not an innocent bystander with respect to p53 accumulation. One possible mediator of the interaction between EBV and p53, viral BZLF1, was not colocalized with p53 in these tumors, suggesting that BZLF1 is not the factor responsible for p53 accumulation. From an epidemiological standpoint, this series of cancers represents an international cohort in which cases from an endemic part of the world (Hong Kong) were examined alongside cases from the United States, where the disease is 50-fold less prevalent. The cancers from Hong Kong tended to be less differentiated and more frequently associated with EBV, suggesting that biological differences might underlie epidemiological variations in tumor prevalence. Finally, we examined 18 potential premalignant lesions of the surface epithelium of the nasopharynx. Although our numbers are small, our data suggest that p53 accumulation might precede EBV infection in the transition from metaplasia to carcinoma in situ. Further studies are needed to dissect the stepwise progression of nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis.

Carcinoma in Situ↗

PubMed1998

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in Kikuchi's disease.

Kikuchi's disease is a fairly common self-limited disorder among Orientals that usually involves the cervical lymph nodes of young individuals and occurs predominantly in females. Frequently, the disease is associated with fever or flu-like symptoms, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), neutropenia, and lymphocytosis with atypical lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, suggesting a viral origin. However, no infectious agent has been identified. The presence of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, known as human herpesvirus 8 (KSHV/HHV 8), was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in archival tissue from 26 cases of Kikuchi's disease using published sequences of KSHV/HHV 8 as primers. PCR products were further characterized by Southern blot analysis. Forty reactive lymph nodes and a case of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) were included as negative and positive controls, respectively. Patients consisted of 10 men and 16 women with a mean age of 27 years. All patients were previously healthy and presented with cervical or axillary lymphadenopathy. None were positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or otherwise immunocompromised. Viral DNA was amplified by PCR in six cases of Kikuchi's disease (23%) and the control KS tissue. Southern blot analysis confirmed that the amplified products were KSHV/HHV 8. In the reactive lymph nodes, no viral genome was amplified by PCR. The presence of DNA sequences of KSHV/HHV 8 in a substantial portion of Kikuchi's disease suggests that KSHV/HHV 8 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of a subset of Kikuchi's disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Inhibitory effect of ginsenoside on the mediator release in the guinea pig lung mast cells activated by specific antigen-antibody reactions.

We reported that some components of ginsenosides decreased mediator release which was evoked by the activation of mast cells caused by specific antigen-antibody reactions. This study aimed to assess the effects of ginsenoside, Rb1, which belongs to the protopanaxadiol, on the mechanism of mediator release during mast cell activation. Pretreatment of Rb1 (100 microg) significantly decreased histamine and leukotriene in a dose-dependent manner during mast cell activation. The PLD activity during mast cell activation decreased in the pretreatment of Rb1 (300 microg). The amount of DAG produced by PLC activity decreased because of Rb1 pretreatment. The amount of mass DAG decreased due to Rb1 pretreatment during mast cell activation. Rb1 (300 microg) pretreatment strongly inhibited the incorporation of the [3H]methyl moiety into phospholipids. The data suggest that Rb1, purified from Korean Red Ginseng Radix, inhibits an increase of DAG production during mast cell activation caused by antigen-antibody reactions, which is mediated via phosphatidylcholine-PLD and phosphatidylinositol-PLC systems. This is then followed by the inhibition of histamine releases. Furthermore, Rb1 reduces the phosphatidylcholine production by inhibiting the methyl-transferase I and II, and the reduction of phosphatidylcholine production inhibits leukotriene release.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma of the thyroid gland: a case report and review of literature.

AIMS: This is a hitherto unreported case of an epithelioid haemangioendothelioma of the thyroid gland. METHODS AND RESULTS: The patient was a 44-year-old woman who presented with a right thyroid mass. A right subtotal thyroidectomy was performed. Histologically the lesion had characteristic epithelioid and spindle cell proliferation in a background of chondromyxoid stroma. Cytoplasmic vacuolization in the epithelioid and spindle cells was present. No atypical mitotic activity or necrosis was noted. The tumour cells were positive for factor VIII-related antigen, Ulex europeus and CD 31 and were negative for cytokeratin. CONCLUSION: The patient has been followed for 24 months and is free of recurrent and metastatic disease, which is supportive of a benign course in the thyroid gland.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Male adnexal tumour of probable Wolffian origin occurring in a seminal vesicle.

AIMS: Adnexal tumours of probable Wolffian origin are rare low-grade malignant neoplasms that have been previously described in the broad ligament, ovaries and retroperitoneum of females. All are characterized by small, bland epithelial cells growing in a diffuse, trabecular, or tubular pattern. The majority of the cases reported have pursued a benign clinical course. However, recurrences and distant metastases have been described. We present a case of a male adnexal tumour of probable Wolffian origin occurring in the left seminal vesicle of a 29-year-old man with 23 years of follow-up. RESULTS: The diagnosis is supported by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings: The tumour cells were immunoreactive for cytokeratin and vimentin while smooth muscle antigen and S100 protein were uniformly negative. By electron microscopy cells were arranged in an acinar pattern and surrounded flocculent, electron-dense material. Individual cells contained numerous dense bodies and free ribrosomes. The patient had recurrences at 14 and 23 years after initial diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of this entity in a male. The literature on this unusual tumour is reviewed and the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features are described. The differential diagnosis of this seemingly indolent tumour is discussed with genitourinary tumours having a more aggressive clinical course.

Adnexal Diseases↗

PubMed1998

Lesions described as nodular mesothelial hyperplasia are primarily composed of histiocytes.

It is known that, on occasion, histiocytic proliferations can be confused with reactive mesothelial cell hyperplasia or with a malignant process. We report four cases of histiocytic proliferation, two occurring in the pleura in a 23-year-old woman and a 78-year-old woman, respectively, one in a hernial sac of a 2-year-old boy, and one in the lamina propria of the bladder of a 74-year-old man with a noninvasive papillary transitional cell carcinoma. The morphologic features of the pleural lesion of the 23-year-old woman and of the hernial sac lesion of the 2-year-old boy, as well as the bladder lesion, were similar to those reported in cases of the so-called nodular mesothelial hyperplasia. The pleural lesion in the 78-year-old woman consisted of a proliferation of cells with a signet ring-like morphology that was originally interpreted as either an unusual form of mesothelial hyperplasia or a metastatic signet ring cell adenocarcinoma. Because of mitotic activity and some cellular atypia in the bladder lesion, the possibility of invasive transitional cell carcinoma into the lamina propria was considered before immunohistochemical studies were performed. Staining for keratin showed only a few positive cells in the hernial sac and pleural lesions, whereas most cells reacted for the histiocytic marker CD68. Immunohistochemical studies on the bladder lesion also demonstrated strong staining for CD68, but no reactivity for keratin was observed. Based on these results, it is concluded that all of the lesions are primarily reactive histiocytic proliferations and because they may occur in other locations aside from the serosal membranes, the designation "nodular histiocytic hyperplasia" appears to be more appropriate than that of nodular mesothelial hyperplasia. It is important that the reactive nature of these lesions be recognized because on occasion they may present high mitotic activity or may show signet ring-like morphology and thus they can be confused with a malignancy.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Adult mesoblastic nephroma: expansion of the morphologic spectrum and review of literature.

Mesoblastic nephroma (MN) is a distinctive tumor that is seen mostly in early infancy and that consists of classic and cellular (atypical) variants. Mesoblastic nephroma rarely occurs in adulthood, but MN in this age group still is poorly characterized because there are only 17 reported cases. We describe five additional cases of adult MN, including one case of the cellular variant, characterize the immunohistochemical profiles in detail, and critically review the previously reported cases. The collective data obtained from these 22 cases of adult MN showed that the patients predominantly were women (20 cases), ranging in age from 19 to 78 years, who were asymptomatic (5 cases) or had nonspecific signs and symptoms referable to a renal mass. Twenty tumors were classified as classic and 2 as cellular. The tumors were 2-24 cm, well circumscribed, and partially encapsulated and displayed a solid/ cystic cut surface, with a predominantly solid component in most tumors. One tumor, however, was almost purely cystic. Most tumors extended to the renal sinus. and some appeared entirely intrapelvic on imaging studies; however, gross and microscopic evaluation did not show destructive invasion of the pelvic wall. Extension of the tumor beyond the renal capsule has not been described. Each tumor was composed of epithelial and stromal components both. The epithelial component, which displayed no difference between the classic and cellular variants, was composed of isolated or clustered tubules and cysts lined by a benign epithelium with a wide range of cytologic differentiation. The stromal cells were composed of fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, and smooth muscle cells in various combinations. Stromal cellularity was low for the classic variant but high for the cellular variant. Hemorrhage, necrosis, and high mitotic index were noted in the stroma of the cellular, but not in the classic variant. Immunohistochemical study applied to the five current cases and seven normal control kidneys confirmed the presence of fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and prominent vessels in the stroma of each tumor. Most cysts and tubules within the tumors had a distinctive immunohistochemical profile, similar to that of collecting duct but different from those of other portions of the nephron in the normal control kidneys. After total or partial nephrectomy, without adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy, 19 patients, including the 2 with cellular MN, were alive and well at 8-months to 48-years follow-up. Follow-up was not available in two patients. The remaining patient had recurrence at the surgical site 24 years after nephrectomy. Adult MN displays a distinctive morphologic spectrum that parallels that of its pediatric congener. It probably is a benign tumor that can be treated successfully by complete excision. The collecting duct differentiation expressed by most tubules and cysts of adult MN implies ureteric bud, which is the exclusive embryologic origin of collecting duct, as an important element in the histogenesis of this rare but fascinating type of tumor.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Histologic variations in the epididymis: findings in 167 orchiectomy specimens.

Nonpathologic morphologic variations in the epididymal histology in 167 orchiectomy specimens were analyzed to assess and document the nature, frequency, and possible relation to patient age and underlying testicular pathology. Variations in histology included intranuclear eosinophilic inclusions, lipofuscin pigment, cribriform hyperplasia, Paneth cell-like metaplasia, and nuclear atypia. Intranuclear eosinophilic inclusions were observed in 72.5% of patients, and they appeared to occur at an older age than cribriform hyperplasia and Paneth cell-like metaplasia. Lipofuscin pigment was found in 32.9% of patients; this change was observed predominantly in ductuli efferentes and was more commonly associated with obstructive changes. Cribriform hyperplasia was seen in 41.9% of patients, and it occurred in 1 normal testis and in 33 testes with diverse pathologic alterations. Paneth cell-like metaplasia characterized by bright eosinophilic intracytoplasmic hyaline-like granules and globules, was present in 8.3% of patients and was accompanied by changes of obstruction in almost all instances. The globules were strongly periodic acid-Schiff positive, both before and after diastase digestion, and were negative for chromogranin A, KP-1, and MAC387 immunostains. Nuclear atypia, similar to that seen in seminal vesicles, was focally present in 13.8% of patients and tended to occur at an older age. The authors conclude that variations in epididymal morphology are fairly common and, therefore, surgical pathologists should be aware of these changes. Although exuberant in some patients, in no cases did these variations cause serious diagnostic problems.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Nasopharyngeal carcinomas frequently lack the p16/MTS1 tumor suppressor protein but consistently express the retinoblastoma gene product.

The p16/MTS1 gene is altered by deletion, mutation, or hypermethylation in a wide variety of human cancers. As a result of deficient p16 protein, these cancers lack a critical mechanism for halting G1/S cell cycle progression. In the current study, 59 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were evaluated for expression of the p16 tumor suppressor protein by immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded tissue. There was no detectable p16 in 38/59 cases (64%), which implies a very high rate of p16 inactivation in this type of cancer. On the other hand, the retinoblastoma gene product, which also regulates the G1 to S phase transition of the cell cycle, was consistently expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinomas by immunohistochemical analysis. These results implicate p16 inactivation but not Rb alteration in the stepwise progression of nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗