Conjunctival amyloidosis of both eyelids.

Amyloidosis of the palpebral conjunctiva is a rare condition which results in chronic ocular discomfort. We present our experience with this rare patient in whom both upper and lower palpebral conjunctivae were involved, but no systemic amyloidosis.

A rare case of both eyelids swelling: isolated conjunctival amyloidosis.

Amyloid is an eosinophilic, amorphous protein that has been reported to deposit in virtually any tissue or organ and when extensive, may attain tumourous proportions. We present a rare case where both the upper and lower palpebral conjunctiva were affected by amyloid deposition.

Loss of p53 gene as a biomarker of high risk oral leukoplakias.

We have investigated loss of heterozygosity of p53 tumor suppressor gene in Indian oral cancer patients, individuals with premalignant leukoplakia lesions, and corresponding normal mucosa, to study the status of p53 alleles in oral cancer pathogenesis. Fifty oral cancers, and 42 oral leukoplakia lesions and corresponding clinically normal oral mucosa from 18 individuals, were analysed. Peripheral blood cells (PBCs) from all the individuals and 47 normal healthy volunteers were also included in the study. Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) of p53 Exon4, followed by restriction enzyme digestion with AccII due to the enzyme polymorphic site at Exon4 codon72, was used to detect homozygosity/heterozygosity of p53 alleles, and compared with the allelic pattern in the corresponding PBC. The PCR product subjected to AccII digestion detected 259 bp, 160/99 bp fragments indicating heterozygosity of p53 alleles in 69% of the 139 individuals. On comparison of the p53 allelic distribution in the lesions or tumour tissues, and corresponding PBC, LOH was observed in 20.5% oral tumors and 22% leukoplakias. However, there was no evidence of LOH in the clinically normal mucosa available from 16 individuals with leukoplakia. Our studies demonstrated LOH of p53 allele in early and advanced stages of oral cancers, as well as leukoplakias, perhaps indicating p53 LOH as one of the early events in oral carcinogenesis. Thus, p53 LOH may be useful as a biomarker in defining a certain population of high risk leukoplakias that may progress to oral cancer.

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the human N-myc gene in normal healthy individuals and oral cancer patients in India.

Southern blot hybridization with N-myc oncogene probes coding for different regions of the N-myc gene demonstrated three polymorphic restriction sites in the Indian population. The SphI and PvuII polymorphic pattern due to the SphI polymorphic site in the second intron and the PvuII polymorphic site in the 3'-region of the human N-myc oncogene respectively, was similar to that reported in the Japanese population. The allelic frequency distribution for SphI polymorphism did not differ significantly for the S1 and S2 alleles representing presence (allele S1) or absence (allele S2) of a SphI site. However, the allelic frequency distribution was distorted in the case of PvuII polymorphism, as the frequency of P1 allele (0.7) indicating presence of PvuII site, was higher than the P2 allele (0.3) indicating absence of PvuII site, in the Indian population. An additional polymorphic HindIII site localised in the second intron of the N-myc gene was also observed in both the Indian oral cancer patients and the normal healthy individuals, indicating that this RFLP was not tumor associated and may perhaps represent N-myc alteration in the Indian population.

Aspergillosis of the paranasal air sinuses (case reports and review of literature).

Aspergillosis of the paranasal air sinuses is a rare entity. It is endemic in Sudan and a few states in South America. It affects healthy and immunocompromised individuals alike. It presents in two forms--the invasive and non-invasive Aspergillosis. The former is difficult to distinguish from carcinoma on clinical examination. Conventional radiographs of the sinus, a CT scan evaluation and a selective culture of the sinus fluid for fungus aid in achieving a positive diagnosis. The treatment of invasive Aspergillosis is always surgical--some form of antrostomy to facilitate sinus drainage or sinus excision supplemented with topical and/or systemic anti-fungal chemotherapy. The authors report two cases of Invasive Aspergillosis, clinically type 'benign' and 'malignant' of the paranasal air sinuses, affecting non-immunocompromised individuals. In both the cases, complete surgical excision was achieved.