Role of pathology in nasopharyngeal cancer

Nasopharyngeal cancers account for 45% of all ear -nose and throat cancers at the National Institute of Oncology [cancer registry]. Carcinomas are by far the most frequent with the particularity of being tightly linked to the presence of Epstein-barr virus, sensitive to radiation therapy and lymphophilic revealed by cervical masses in 40% of the cases. A precise and reliable anatomo pathological diagnosis is therefore manasatory before intiating any treatment. Methods and The authors report the results of histopathologic techniques [routine and special stains immunohistochemistry] in the diagnosis of 143 biopsies of the rhinopharynx with a frequency of undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharynx [UCNT]. All biopsies of suspicion of relapse were inflammatory corresponding to mycotic inflammation in half of the cases. A special emphasis is made on the conclusive contribution of in situ hybridization on paraffin sections in positive and differential diagnosis with regard to the results described in the litterature. Therefore, in the particular context of nasopharynx cancer-frequent in our country, sensitive to radiation therapy but with possible relapses-, the authors emphasise on the specific utility, besides basic and special stainings and immunohistochemistry, of in stiu hybridization of paraffin sections, to search for the presence of Epstein-barr virus particles in tumoral cells. This technique should, indeed, be used as reliable routine technique allowing positive diagnosis of relapses and differential diagnosis in the cases of cervical masses without a known primary site and an extensive cancer of the rhinopharyngeal and sinonasal regions

HPV typing and cervical cancer screening: results of Moroccan critical study

Cancer of the uterine cervix, the second most frequent cancer after breast cancer in Morocco, is closely linked to several types of Human Papilloma Virus [HPV] especially the potentially oncogenic types 16 and 18 mostly found in high grade precancerous lesions and uterine cervix cancer. In the Bethesda cytological classification, HPV infection and Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia grade I [CIN 1] are classified as Low grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions [LSIL] whereas CIN 2 and CIN 3 are considered High grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions [HSIL]. The cytologic diagnosis of HPV infection on cervical Pap smears relies on the association of several criteria of which koilocytosis is considered specific of HPV infection. Colposcopy and direct biopsies are therefore necessary to cofirm the diagnosis. Nevertheless, since the introduction of HPV typing in uterine cervix cancer screening, koilocytosis is disregarded as a necessary criteria for the diagnosis of HPV infection. The authors report the results of a study which corroborate this statement and correlate histopathology and HPV typing of benign lesions collected at our institution [INO]. Guidelines for follow-up are also discussed according to the data in the literature

Relation entre mucocele appendialaire, tumeurs mucineuses ovariennes et malade gilatineuse du peritoine

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare pathology, which posesa number of questions about its physiopatholoogy. We report two cases of appendiceal mucocele and mucinous ovarian tumor with pseudomyxoma peritonei. We discuss the morphological aspect of this affection. A mucinous metaplasia of mesothelial cells caused by local diffusion of the mucus is proposed in order to give an explanration to this microscopically benign but very aggressive due affection to its numerous recurrences