prognostic significance of proliferative factors, angiogenesis and matrix metalloproteinase in non small cell lung carcinoma

The outcome of surgical treatment of non small cell lung carcinoma [NSCLC] remains poor. In many patients the biological behavior of NSCLC does not follow a definite pattern, and can not be accurately predicted before treatment. Thus, the proliferative potential of tumor cells, angiogenesis and matrix metalloproteinase [MMP] are an important prognostic factors. In the present study, expression of cyclin D1, CD34, MMP-2 and AgNORs count was estimated in a group of 80 surgically resected NSCLC using immunohistochemistry. The results were compared with clinicopathological parameters including patients' survival 41 cases [51.3%] revealed positive immunoreactivity for cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 overexpression is significantly higher [<0.05] in patients with lymph node metastasis [63.3% versus 15%], and with advanced pathological stages [stage I, 12.5%, II 37.5%, III 60% and IV 86.7%]. Patients with cyclin D1 positive immanoreactivity revealed a significantly shorter overall survival than patients with negativity. There is no significant correlation [p > 0.05] between CD34 score and histological type and grade, while there is significant positive correlation [p < 0.05] between high CD34 score and lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, tumor stage and shorter over survival. No significant correlations [p > 0.05] were found between MMP-2 expression and histological type, grade and lymph node metastasis. In contrast the intensity of MMP-2 staining in tumor cells correlated significantly [p < 0.05] with tumor stage, and distant metastasis. Overall survival was shorter in patient with MMP-2 expression, although the difference does not reach statistical significant AgNORs count was found to correlate significantly [p < 0.05] with tumor grade, and the size, shape and distribution pattern was found to show a characteristic difference between non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions. In conclusion, an overexpression of cyclin D1, angiogenesis, expression of MMP-2 and high AgNORs count are a poor prognostic factors for NSCLC, also MMP-2 and AgNORs can be used to differentiate between non-neoplastic and neoplastic lung lesions

Morphometric and histopathological studies of bile duct in experimental schistosomiasis

This study was done to investigate the effect of Schistosoma mansoni infection on the morphology of bile ducts and liver tissue in experimental animals. Thirty-six golden hamsters were infected with 300 cercaria of Schistosoma mansoni. Six animals were sacrificed every four weeks post infection till the 16th week. The livers were dissected and the parts of common bile ducts were cut and were examined microscopically. Paraffin sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosine and with Van Gieson stains. The wall thickness of bile ducts were compared between infected and non infected. Extensive dilatation and thickening of bile duct walls were found in comparison with noninfected liver sections. In infected animals, there was four times increase in the thickness of duct wall in late weeks of infection. Focal necrotic lesions, and lymphocytic infiltration were scattered throughout liver parenchyma of infected animals. It has been suggested that Schistosoma mansoni which is a common parasite in Egypt release large amounts of proline and induces collagen deposition in bile ducts leading to marked periductal fibrosis