p53 Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma in Relation to Histopathological Features in Ugandan Patients

Background: It has been shown that colorectal carcinoma is increasing in incidence in African countries. This could be due to change in life style. Molecular patho- genesis of colorectal cancer commonly involves mutation in p53 gene which leads to expression of p53 protein in tumor cells. Expression of p53 protein has been associated with poor clinical outcome and reduced survival in patients. Objective: This was a retrospective laboratory based study carried out in the Department of Pathology Makerere University; Kampala; Uganda. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of p53 protein in colorectal carcinoma in Ugandan patients; specifically its association with histological types; degree of differentiation; sites of the tumor and demographic characteristics of the patients. Methods: Immuno- histochemistry was carried out on 109 patient's paraffin embedded tissue blocks of colorectal carcinoma diagnosed in the Pathology Department; Faculty of Medicine Makerere University Kampala during the period 1995 to 2005. The indirect immunoperoxidase method using monoclonal antibody p53 DO-7 and Envision + Dual link system-HRP to detect p53 expression was used. Haematoxylin and eosin stain was used for evaluation of histological types and degree of differentiation of the tumors. Topography of the tumors and demographic data were obtained from accompanying histological request forms. Results: Out of 109 patient's tissue blocks that were studied; 61 cases (56) expressed p53 protein in the nucleus of malignant cells. Right sided colonic tumors were commoner (53.2) than left sided colonic tumors (46.8). p53 protein was expressed more in left sided colonic tumors with a significant difference (p0.05); it was also expressed more in well differentiated tumors and non mucinous adenocarcinomas but with no significant difference (p0.05). p53 expression was not affected by age or sex. Conclusion: Frequency of p53 protein expression in Ugandan patients did not differ from that reported in the other parts of the world. It was expressed more in the left sided colonic tumors and this could support the hypothesis that right and left colonic tumors could have different pathogenesis and probably also responsible for difference in prognosis in these two topographic sites

Cervical cancer and cytomegalovirus

Paraffin embedded sections from 34 cases of cervical cancer in Uganda were examined for the presence of crymegalovirus (CMV) using immunohistochemistry. CMV was detected in five of the 34 cases. In all cases; the reactivity was confined to the cervical epithelial tissue. These results provide further evidence for an association between CMV and cervical cancer and show that CMV may be readily detected in archival materials. It also suggests that cervical cancer may be associated with immune deficiency

Cervical cancer and cytomegalovirus

Paraffin embedded sections from 34 cases of cervical cancer in Uganda were examined for the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) using immunohistochemistry. CMV was detected in five of the 34 cases. In all cases; the reactivity was confined to the cervical epithelial tissue. These results provide further evidence for an association between CMV and cervical cancer and show that CMV may be readily detected in archival materials. It also suggests that cervical cancer may be associated with immune deficiency

Classification and grading of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix

Two hundred and twenty three cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were classified according to their resemblance to cells in any of the layers in the ectocervix and a grade of low and high malignancy was also given to each case. Forty cases were classified as basal; 59 as prickle; 115 as intermediate and one as superficial cell types. Ninety cases were high grade (seven basal; 14 prickle; 63 intermediate and six superficial) and 133 were low grades (33 basal; 45 prickle; 52 intermediate; three superficial). This study shows that the intermediate cell type is the commonest and are usually high grade tumours. The findings also support the idea that squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix may arise from any of the normal layers in ectocervix and suggests that squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix is not a single disease entity; but heterogenous group of tumours like the non-Hodgkin's B cell or T cell lymphomas. Further study is needed to correlate the cyokeratin subtypes and clinical features of each histological type

Pathology of AIDS : surgical aspects

Since its first description AIDS has been mainly a concern for physicians. AIDS patients present in fact several manifestations linked to various pathologies. Therefore with increasing number of AIDS patients; the number presenting as surgical cases are bound to increase