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M Colecchia

Publications and source records attributed to M Colecchia.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Immunohistochemical and quantitative study of mast cells in La Peyronie's disease.

OBJECTIVE: In order to investigate the possible association between mast cells (MCs) and the fibrous plaque of La Peyronie's disease, the number of MCs in normal penile tissue and in the fibrous plaque was determined. METHODS: The control group consisted of 5 total and 3 partial penectomies with no fibrotic lesions, while the study group consisted of 23 excisional biopsies from cases of La Peyronie's disease dating back to at least 2 years earlier and with no signs of activity. The biopsies included tissues from the tunica albuginea (TA), the areolar tissue (Br) between the tunica and the erectile tissue (CC) and from the latter. The number of MCs was counted with the aid of an image analysis program following staining the antibody antitryptase. RESULTS: In the cases of La Peyronie's disease the number of MCs/mm(2) was significantly higher in the TA and Br but lower in the CC. The MCs were related to fibroblasts and vasculonervous channels in the TA, and were concentrated around the fibrous plaques and granulation tissue between the TA and BR and between the latter and the CC. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that MCs have a role in the genesis of the fibrous plaque in the TA and in the persistent inflammation in the Br. Medical treatment aimed at repressing MC activation and proliferation locally might be useful in La Peyronie's disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Sudden death in a child due to rare endocranial neoformation.

A case of unexpected death in a six-year-old child, who died after a period of non-specific symptoms and clinical signs, is described. The cause of death was a pilocytic astrocytoma of the pontocerebellar angle, rare with regard to location and histology. The authors have reviewed the literature, which was scanty.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1997

Detection of apoptosis by the TUNEL technique in clinically localised prostatic cancer before and after combined endocrine therapy.

AIMS: Apoptosis in prostate cancer was evaluated after three months of combined endocrine therapy to investigate the association with tumour grade, tumour stage, and the immunohistochemical detection of p53 and bcl-2 in tumour cells before and after therapy. METHODS: Twenty six formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded core biopsies and corresponding prostatectomy specimens, excised after three months of combined endocrine therapy, were analysed for the presence of apoptotic cells by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling (TUNEL) method, and for p53 and bcl-2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: All 26 adenocarcinomas were clinically localised at diagnosis. In biopsies performed before combined endocrine therapy, the apoptotic indices varied between 0.09% and 1.73%, while the tumour grade fell between Gleason score 1 and 8. The mean (SD) apoptotic count pretherapy was 0.71% (0.50). There was a significant association between elevated apoptotic counts and higher Gleason scores in the biopsies (p = 0.005). After three months of therapy, the percentage of apoptotic tumour cells increased independently of tumour stage, while a significant association with Gleason grade was found (p = 0.0018) and all the tumours had Gleason scores of < 7. In eight cases the apoptotic index was more than twice its pretherapy value. The remaining tumours showed less of an increase in the apoptotic index (five cases) or a reduction in the percentage of apoptotic cells. The overall moderate increase in apoptotic index after combined endocrine therapy was not statistically significant (p = 0.8). Immunoreactivity to p53 was absent in all cases, before and after therapy, while a slight increase in the number of cells overexpressing bcl-2 was observed in five of the 13 tumours (38.1%) with reduced apoptotic indices after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: After three months of combined endocrine treatment a minority of clinically localised prostate neoplasms showed regressive epithelial alterations, associated with an increase in apoptotic tumour cells; an increase in cells overexpressing bcl-2 was observed in five of the 13 tumours with reduced apoptotic indices.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

[Hyperfunctioning thyroid carcinoma. Description of a case].

Differentiated thyroid cancers account for 1% of all neoplasias but only for 2.3% of thyroid nodules. A particular condition is represented by the association with hyperthyroidism, which is found in about 7% of cases. Even more rarely may be themselves cause of thyrotoxicosis. In the present paper, the case of a 66-year old male patient, bearing a recently appeared goiter, referred to us for suspicion of lung cancer and hyperthyroid symptoms, is reported. Among appropriate investigations, the finding of high titer of thyroglobulin in the aspiration needle and cytology examination suggested that thyroid lesion was primary and not metastatic, while scintiscan with J-131 isotope showed that excess of thyroid hormones was just due to it; histological diagnosis was of papillary carcinoma. As to the pathogenesis of the neoplasma during hyperthyroidism, a causal role of thyroid stimulating auto-antibodies has been suggested in the cases associated with Graves' disease, absent in our patient, which could elicitate cancer progression in the mean time. Interestingly, activating mutation of thyroid hormone receptor (TSH-r) gene has been demonstrated in a hyperfunctioning differentiated cancer. Notwithstanding the unexpected clinical behaviour may appear very rare, molecular biology studies on aspiration biopsies (FNAB) will allow, in the future, to better define the neoplastic nature of some hot nodules. In personal opinion, this particular pathology must be attently searched both for its implications in the prognosis and therapeutic strategy and because it could be less rare than generally considered up to now.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Malaric placentas. A quantitative study and clinico-pathological correlations.

A histological and morphometric study was conducted on 372 placentae out of a total 440 delivered in Zanzibar. Fibrin (F), intervillous space (IVS) and Villi (V) relative volumes were determined by the point-counting system and the ratio of syncytium to blood capillaries by the linear intercept method. Parasitemia load and inflammatory reaction were graded semiquantitatively by the use of a 1 mm square grid. Parasitised red cells identified active malaria (AM), the presence of malarial pigment only identified past malaria (PM), and the absence of both characterized non-malarial placentae (NM). AM(17.87%), PM(21.61%) and NM(60.52%) placentae did not vary significantly in weight. Newborns from AM had a significantly lower weight than those from PM and NM. Peripheral and placental parasitemia were not coincident. Placental parasitemia load increased parallel with birthweight. The latter decreased with the increasing severity of the inflammation, particularly with the prevalence of lymphocytes in the IVS. Significantly increased volume of F was found in AM and PM placentae, while no significant variation was noticed in IVS and V volumes. The syncytium/capillaries ratio was significantly increased in AM. We conclude that low birthweight in malaria is linked to IVS inflammation but not to F deposits or parasitemia load. Non-leukotactic lymphokines might play some role. Morphologic aspects bespeak for a less mature placenta than expected and this might represent an adaptive change.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1996

Different effects of calcitriol and parathyroidectomy on the PTH-calcium curve in dialysis patients with severe hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: The PTH-calcium sigmoidal curve is shifted to the right, the slope of the curve is steeper, and the set point of calcium is increased in dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism, compared to patients with low-turnover bone disease. These findings could be related to increased parathyroid cell mass and increased sensitivity of parathyroid cells to serum calcium variations in these patients. Calcitriol therapy has been documented to reduce PTH levels by shifting the curve to the left and downward. The effect of a surgical reduction of parathyroid gland mass on the PTH-calcium curve has not yet been investigated. In this study we compared the effects of calcitriol and subtotal parathyroidectomy (PTH) on the dynamics of PTH secretion in response to acute changes of serum calcium in two groups of dialysis patients with severe hyperparathyroidism. METHODS: Fourteen dialysis patients treated for 6 months with high-dose i.v. calcitriol (1-2 micrograms thrice weekly, and 10 dialysis patients who underwent subtotal PTx were studied. The PTH-calcium relationship obtained by inducing hypo- and hypercalcaemia means of low and high calcium dialysis was evaluated before and 2-6 months after treatment. RESULTS: Both calcitriol and subtotal PTx significantly decreased PTH (respectively from 797 +/- 595 to 380 +/- 244 and from 1036 +/- 250 to 70 +/- 34 pg/ml), as well as maximal PTH response to hypocalcaemia (PTHmax), and maximal PTH suppression during hypercalcaemia ( PTHmin). When the PTH-calcium curves were constructed using PTHmax as 100% to factor for differences in absolute PTH levels and to provide an assessment of individual parathyroid cell function, a shift of the sigmoidal curve to the left and downward, and a significant decrease in the set point of ionized calcium (from 1.31 +/- 0.05 to 1.26 +/- 0.05 and from 1.36 +/- 0.09 to 1.22 +/- 0.07 mmol/l) was documented with both treatments. However, the slope of the PTH-calcium curve increased after subtotal PTx indicating that the sensitivity of the parathyroid cell to serum calcium changes increased with PTx, while on the contrary it decreased with calcitriol. CONCLUSIONS: PTH secretion decreases proportionally more with calcitriol than with surgery for a given decrease in the functional mass of parathyroid cells. The change in the PTH-ICa sigmoidal curve induced by subtotal PTx is due to the removal of a large mass of parathyroid tissue with advanced hyperplasia.

Calcitriol↗
PubMed1995

p53 protein expression in fine-needle aspirates of breast cancer: an immunocytochemical assay for identifying high-grade ductal carcinomas.

The expression of the p53 gene product was investigated immunocytochemically in a series of 51 fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples of breast carcinomas. Results were compared with those obtained by immunocytochemically on paraffin embedded tissue sections of the corresponding surgical specimens. Cytological samples showed a variable degree of p53 immunoreactivity in 14 tumors (27.6%), all of ductal type, while p53 immunoreactive tumor cells were present in tissue sections from 15 carcinomas (29.4%). The only discordant case was a signet-ring cell carcinoma. Abnormal p53 expression was significantly associated with high nuclear grade in ductal carcinomas. No association was seen with tumor size, lymph node status, and age of the patient. Detection of p53 altered expression in FNA samples of breast carcinoma may play a role in the assessment of tumoral grading and is predictive of p53 immunoreactivity in histological specimens.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Histopathologic findings in CD1 albino mice infected with Plasmodium berghei in pregnancy. Experimental model for pathology of the feto- placental unit in malaria].

Three study groups of pregnant CD1 albino mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with Plasmodium berghei on the 6th (Group I), 13th (Group II) and 18th (Group III) day of gestation. Two control Groups were included, one of non pregnant mice (Group IV) and the other of pregnant non inoculated mice. Group IV was inoculated in the same day of group I. All mice of these two Groups died. Of the 20 mice in Group II 8 died, 7 delivered prematurely and 5 gave birth of low birth weight offspring. The 15 mice in Group III delivered normally with only 4 low birth weight offspring and no deaths. Histological examination revealed total placental necrosis, resorption of the products of conception and widespread foci of hepatic necrosis, malarial pigment accumulation in Group I. Such changes were also present in 8 mice of Group II, but the remainder of the Group retained the product of conception, had marked morphological changes in the placenta and moderate focal hepatic necrosis and malarial pigment accumulation. Group III had mild placental changes and moderate pigment accumulation. The products of conception displayed marked hepatic hematopoiesis in Group II while it was moderate in Group III. No parasitized red cells were observed in the fetal circulation. The stage of gestation at which the malarial infection was contracted was decisive. Malarial infection does not cross the placental barrier so its pathogenetic effects are felt in the maternal circulation with variable effects on the products of conception.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation of AgNOR count in distinguishing benign from malignant mesothelial cells in pleural fluids.

The authors have evaluated in eight reactive and eight malignant pleural effusions the number of intranuclear dots representing the nucleolar associated proteins stained with silver colloid technique (interphase nucleolar organizer regions-AgNORs). The mean number per nucleus in benign reactive effusions was 1.56 (SD 0.77) while in mesotheliomatous effusions it was 2.81 (SD 1.44). The statistical analysis of values, by Mann-Whitney U Wilcoxon Rank Sum W Test, revealed a significant difference of AgNOR counts in the two cytological samples. The variability of AgNOR areas and morphologies in reactive and mesotheliomatous nuclei in pleural fluids is evaluated applying automatic image analysis.

Histocytochemistry↗
PubMed1992

Value of AgNOR counts in cervical pathology.

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) were counted on normal tissue, condylomata, CIN 1, 2 and 3, to verify the possibility of a differentiation between the various grades of CIN and between them and condylomata. Counts were performed on the full thickness of the tissue, layer by layer (stratified counts). A significant difference (p < 0.05) was found between the mean of normal tissue in relation to condylomata and CIN 2 and 3 and between CIN 1, and CIN 2 and 3. There was no significance (p > 0.05) between normal tissue and CIN 1, between CIN 2 and 3 and between condylomata and CIN 2 and 3. The range of variations in the counts was associated with overlapping between the various cases. Our data showed also a progressive rise in mean NOR values from normal tissue to CIN 3. The stratified counts showed in all the groups a rise from basal to parabasal cells. Counts on parabasal and intermediate layers distinguished two groups of cases. In one there was either the same number of dots or a further rise while in the other a definite decrease was seen. The former pattern may be related to a potential for malignant evolution of the lesion. NORs should be counted in all cases of CIN and condylomata to treat more aggressively those lesions which present the patterns of a progressive rise of NORs from basal to intermediate cells.

Carcinoma in Situ↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland. Report of a case with cytologic and immunocytochemical findings on fine needle aspiration biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare high grade neoplasm arising from the larger ducts of the major salivary glands, most frequently in the parotid glands in the elderly. It is important to identify some characteristics that allow differentiating SDC from the other salivary gland adenocarcinomas, which have different prognoses. CASE: A 63-year-old, white male presented with an indolent swelling in the left parotid gland, the retromandibular angle. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) showed polygonal or cuboidal, medium-sized, moderately pleomorphic cells with round to oval nuclei in cytocentrifuge preparations. Small tissue fragments with a prominent cribriform pattern and an area of comedocarcinoma were observed in the cytocentrifuged material. Tumor cells were diffusely immunoreactive for low- and high-molecular-weight cytokeratins, and strong positivity was observed with 115D8 and Ber-EP4 antibodies. Overexpression of c-ERB B-2 was absent, and < 5% of the nuclei were immunoreactive for p53. CONCLUSION: The cytologic and immunocytochemical appearance of SDC are characteristic, and FNAB results provide the surgeon with useful information for planning surgical therapy.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Validity of the AgNOR count in cervical pathology].

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) were counted on ten cases each of normal ectocervix, CIN 1, 2 and 3 to verify the possibility of a differentiation between the various grades of CIN and between them and condylomata. Counts were performed on the full thickness of the tissue, layer by layer (stratified counts). A significant difference (p < 0.05) was found between the means of normal tissue toward condylomata and CIN 2 and 3 and between CIN 1 and CIN 2 and 3. There was no significance (p < 0.05) between normal tissue and CIN 1, between CIN 2 and 3 and between condylomata and CIN 2 and 3. The range of variations on the counts was associated with overlapping between the various cases. Our data showed also a progressive rise in mean NOR values from normal tissue to CIN 3. The stratified counts showed in all the groups a rise from basal to parabasal cells. Counts on parabasal and intermediate layers distinguished two groups of cases. In one there was either the same number of dots or a further rise from one layer to the next, while in the other a definite decrease was seen. The former pattern may be related to a potential for malignant evolution of the lesion. NORs should be counted in all cases of CIN and condylomata to treat more aggressively those lesions which present the pattern of a progressive rise of NORs from basal to intermediate cells.

Carcinoma in Situ↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of various staining methods for the detection of myocardial fibrosis].

Fifty bioptic endomyocardial samples from 15 patients with idiopathic dilatative cardiomyopathy have been stained with PicroSirius, Masson-Goldner, Van Gieson Verhoeff, AFOG. The extension of stained areas has been evaluated by morphometry using a videoscan. As control sections samples have been taken from lower third of the right ventricle at autopsies of healthy subjects dying in road accidents. Morphometric analysis of subendocardial interstitial and perivascular fibrosis has been performed. For the authors the most useful stain in the evidentiation of fibrosis was PicroSirius both in the bioptic samples and the autoptic ones.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Utility of morphometry and nucleolar organizer regions count in the differentiation of reactive and malignant mesothelial cells in pleural effusions].

The authors have evaluated in eight reactive and eight malignant pleural effusions the number of intranucleolar dots representing the nucleolar associated proteins stained with silver colloid technique (interphase nucleolar organizer regions-AgNOR). The mean number per nucleus in benign reactive mesothelium was significantly lower than in mesothelioma effusions. Other morphometric measurements of nuclear diameters and areas were effected. The authors evaluate the variability of the AgNOR counts and morphology in reactive and mesothelioma cells of pleural fluids.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Meningeal carcinosis: early clinical manifestations of inflammatory cancer of the breast].

Inflammatory carcinoma of the breast accounts for only 1-6% of mammary cancer in Caucasian women and is characterized by a poor prognosis; distant metastases frequently appear in fact in an early stage of disease and moreover metastatic spreading follows unpredictable ways. In this study we report on a case of a female patient in whom persistent signs of increased intracranial pressure, following the diagnosis of inflammatory carcinoma of the breast, have been referable to the tumour seeding the meninges in the absence of systemic disease. This peculiar and unusual form of neoplasia is up today a challenge for the clinician, both because of therapeutic difficulty and of unexpected metastases which, in turn, worsen the prognosis. Particularly, in our opinion, meningeal localization must be suspected even in the absence of distant metastases.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Morphometric evaluation and AgNOR number in c-erbB-2 positive and negative breast carcinoma: absence of correlation].

A total of 722 nuclei from 22 fine needle aspirates (FNA) of breast carcinomas have been subjected to quantitative nuclear analysis. Form Factor, Nuclear Area and Nuclear Major Diameter were determined for each case. An equal number of nuclei from as many aspirates from benign breast nodules was used as control. The aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of these parameters on the result of the immunohistochemical determination of the c-erb B-2 antigen in the tumour mass, since 6 of the 22 carcinomas were positive to this antigen. None of these parameters singly or in combination proved of any value in predicting the positive or negative result of the c-erb B-2 antigen determination. Nuclei both positive and negative for the antigen were located within the large cell carcinomas. Nucleolar Organizer Regions were also determined on the histologic sections of both groups to assess any statistically significant difference not only between controls and carcinomas, but also between c-erb B-2 positive and negative cases. Both NOR mean numbers and NOR cytograms were of no use, since no difference was found between c-erb B-2 positive and negative cases.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Nucleolar organizer regions of benign pathology of the parathyroids].

Nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) have DNA loops containing genes that encode for ribosomal RNA; some proteins located near the NORs are argyrophilic and by Ploton's one step method we could quantify the NORs in sections of paraffin embedded tissues. We have evaluated the number of intranuclear dots in 46 parathyroid glands from 18 parathyroidectomies. The glands were weighed and the stromal fat was evaluated by a point-counting method. AgNORs were counted in 100 cells from each gland. The mean count was 3.03 in six adenomas (A), 2.39 in six cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PH) and 2.63 in six cases of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SH). Statistical analysis performed by Mann-Whitney U test showed that differences between A and PH groups were significant. The difference between A and SH was also significant. The residual parathyroid tissue surrounding the adenoma had a significantly lower AgNOR mean count than adenomatous cells. The AgNOR mean number can be useful in assessing normal or suppressed parathyroid tissue.

Adenoma↗