Expression of Thrombospondin-1 in breast carcinoma: an immmunohistological study

Fourty seven specimens of patients with breast carcinoma, received in the Pathology Laboratory of the Suez Canal University Teaching Hospital in the period between January 2001 to December 2002. In each case two slides were stained, one to be routinely stained with H and E for histological evaluation. The other slide to be immunohistochemically[IHC] stained for Thrombospondin-1[TSP-1].Correlate these expression with the conventional prognostic factors. The staining intensity of most of the IDC cases was moderate. TSP-1 staining was confined in the cytoplasm in 79% of the cases while nuclear and cytoplasmic staining was seen in 21%. There was statistical significant relation between TSP-1 staining intensity status and tumor size. While no relationship could be found between TSP-1 staining pattern or cytoplasmic versus nuclear and cytoplasmic to various tumor sizes. Similarly, we failed to find a relation TSP-1 staining intensity status and the histological grade in cases of IDC NOS, and ILC. The role of TSP-1 in tumor progression is both complex and controversial. The rule of thrombospondin-1 as an anti-angiogenic factor is very interesting in inhibiting tumor cell adhesion, proliferation, motility, and invasion

Evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology versus open surgical biopsy in detecting malignancy

The present study included 99 patients, 41 with breast masses, 28 with lymphadenopathy and 30 patients with thyroid swelling. The technique of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology is hereby described. The sensitivity and specificity rates together with the positive and negative predictive values of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology were all highly satisfactory in patients with breast masses [92.3%, 100%, and 96.7% respectively] and those with lymphadenopathy [89.5%, 100% 100% and 84.6% respectively]. However, in patients with thyroid nodules, these rates were less satisfactory [66.7%, 100%, 100% and 92.9% respectively]. In all cases the paired Chi-Square test showed statistically insignificant difference between the results of the two biopsy techniques. It is concluded that FNAC can replace open surgical biopsy in most of the studied cases