Expression of estrogen receptors in epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Background/aim: epithelial ovarian cancer accounts for ?3% of female cancers. Steroid hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are thought to play an important role in the process of carcinogenesis of ovarian tumors. There are two subtypes of the nuclear estrogen receptor [ER-alpha and ER-beta] encoded by separate genes. This work aimed to evaluate the expression pattern of ER-alpha and ER-beta in epithelial ovarian carcinoma and their correlation with tumor histopathological parameters and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression as a proliferation marker

Materials and methods: a total of 50 cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma were included in this study. All cases were female patients who underwent oophorectomies or subtotal or total hysterectomies with oophorectomies. Surgical specimens were sent to Pathology Department at Kasr El-Aini hospitals and to private laboratories. The cases were graded and staged according to WHO systems. The cases were stained by hemotoxylin and eosin for histopathological grading, and they were immunohistochemically stained for ER-alpha, ER-beta, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen using streptavidin-biotin technique

Results: in this study, 56% of cases were positively stained for ER-alpha. It is significantly correlated with both of the tumor histological type and proliferative state of the tumors. There was a significant inverse correlation between ER-alpha expression and the tumor histological grade. Approximately 62% of cases were positively stained for ER-beta. There was a significant inverse correlation between ER-beta positivity and both of the tumor stage and proliferative state of ovarian carcinoma cases

Conclusion: the loss of ER-beta, not ER-alpha, expression in ovarian tumors may be a feature of malignant transformation suggesting its potential role as tumor suppressor gene. Determination of ER subtypes may improve response to hormonal therapy using a selective ER modulator in selected cases of ovarian carcinoma

Soft tissue reaction to bioactive glass composite blocks ossicular replacement prosthesis

Soft tissue reaction to bioactive glass composite ossicular replacement prosthesis has been evaluated in rabbits. One week after the implantation, mild inflammatory reaction was observed surrounding the prosthesis. This reaction was greatly reduced after one month and gradually replaced by a fibrous capsule without any foreign body giant cell, histiocyte or inflammatory cell infiltration. This encouraged using this material in human as ossicular replacement prosthesis with satisfactory results even without placement of a cartilage between the prosthesis and the fascia1 graft

Bioactive glass ossicular reconstruction

This study had been done for 20 patients suffering from conductive hearing loss due to ossicular discontinuity. The discs made of bioactive glass composite for ossicular reconstruction was used. Observation period ranged from 0.5-3 years during which follow up for perforations of the tympanic membrane over the implants or rejection of the prosthesis from the middle ear was done together with the audiological outcome. The study concluded that ossicular chain defects repair using the bioactive glass composite is an efficient technique with minimal morbidity and excellent results

Bioactive-glass powder obliteration of open mastoid cavity

Forty patients with chronic suppurative otitis media of the cholesteatomatous type were included in this study. Their open radical mastoid cavity were obliterated using a new bioactive glass powder; 30 of them as a primary procedure at the time of radical mastoidectomy and 10 as a secondary procedure later on. The study aimed to evaluate a new bioactive glass powder [particulates] as an obliterative material in open mastoid cavities. The results of this technique were promising. It was concluded that bioactive glass powder is a safe and effective biomaterial to be used as on obliterative material in open mastoid cavities

study of P53 protein expression in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

This study aimed to highlight the role of p53 mutations in development and progress of primary cutaneous lymphoma. Cutaneous biopsies of 15 consented patients with primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and five normal consented volunteers have been analyzed for p53 immunoreactivity using p53 monoclonal antibodies. The results showed a significant positive correlation between intensity of CD4 monoclonal antibody staining with both nuclear and cytoplasmic p53 overexpression. Accordingly, p53 overexpression may play a role in etiopathogenesis and prognosis of cutaneous T- cell lymphoma. Thus, it may be used as a prognostic marker as well as a monitor of therapeutic response