The Effect of Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression on Tumor Volume Response in Patients Treated with Radiotherapy for Uterine Cervical Cancer

We investigated the correlation between Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and the tumor response in patients with cervical cancer that were treated with curative radiotherapy (RT). Fifty-seven patients with squamous cell carcinoma were treated with concurrent radiochemotherapy (CRCT, n=29) or RT alone (n=28). The response of each patient was evaluated by three serial Magnetic Resonance Imaging examinations: before the start of RT, at four weeks after the start of RT (mid-RT) and at four weeks after the completion of RT (post-RT). Forty-three patients had positive COX-2 expression. The COX-2 negative patients achieved a higher rate of complete response (CR) at mid-RT than did the COX-2 positive patients (28.6% vs. 7.0%, P=0.054), but not at post-RT (64.3% vs. 69.8%). The initial tumor volume was a significant predictor of CR at mid-RT (P=0.003) and post-RT (P=0.004). The multivariate analysis showed that the initial tumor volume (at mid-RT and post-RT) and CRCT (at post-RT) were significant predictors of CR; however, the COX-2 expression was not. In conclusion, the COX-2 expression status has no significant correlation with the tumor response. Further studies on the changes in COX-2 expression levels during RT may be helpful for determination of its role in the tumor response to treatment and patient prognosis.

Delayed Post-traumatic Vertebral Collapse: MR Categorization and MR-Pathology Correlation

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. PURPOSE: To categorize the MR appearance of ischemic vertebral collapse and to correlate surgical and histologic findings. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: X-ray and MRI findings of delayed posttraumatic vertebral collapse shows several patterns. Histopathologic signs of osteonecrosis were present only in minor portion of cases sampled for biopsy of delayed post-traumatic vertebral collapse in the literature. METHODS: Twenty-one patients (22 vertebral bodies), with surgically and histopathologically proven ischemic vertebral collapse were included. The patients were examined with a 1.5 T MR imager. Spin echo T1- and T2-weighted images were obtained in axial and sagittal planes. Two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists, who reached consensus, evaluated the MR images. Then, MR-pathology correlations were made. RESULTS: Four different MR patterns were identified. Fluid patterns, were seen in 14% (3/22) of the affected vertebral bodies, and were characterized by hypo-intense signals on T1-weighted images, and hyper-intense signals, similar to water, on T2-weighted images. Extensive bone necrosis was predominant. Compression pattern, the most common pattern, found in 41% (9/22 vertebral bodies), was characterized by a marked decrease of anterior column height. Bone necrosis, granulation tissue, marrow fibrosis, and reactive new bone formation were found in relatively equal proportion. Granulation pattern, seen in 27% (6/22 vertebral bodies), was characterized by hypo-intense signals on T1-weighted images, and intermediate signals on T2-weighted images. Extensive granulation tissue was predominant. Mixed patterns were present in 18% (4/22), of the vertebral bodies. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of histopathologic correlation of MR patterns in patients with delayed post-traumatic vertebral collapse may facilitate effective interpretation of clinical MR images of the spine.

Clinicopathological Analysis of Growth Patterns of Malignant Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Tumors of the Pancreas: Unusual Growth Pattern of Fistulous Extension

BACKGROUND: Usually, a malignant intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT) of the pancreas shows invasive carcinoma. Recently, IPMT with an unusual growth pattern of a fistulous extension was reported. However, little is known about malignant IPMTs with a different growth pattern of invasion and fistulous extension. METHODS: Malignant IPMTs were classified into invasive (colloid or tubular type) carcinomas and the fistulous extension type according to their growth patterns. Their clinicopathological characteristics were compared. RESULTS: Among a total of 68 cases of IPMT, there were 16 cases with malignant IPMT; eight, six and two of the colloid, tubular, and fistulous extension types, respectively. The immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of MUC1 was found in seven out of eight colloid and five out of six tubular types, but there was no IHC expression of MUC1 in the fistulous extension type. The IHC expression of MUC2 was noted in one of the eight colloid, one of the six tubular and in both cases with the fistulous extension type. There was no difference in the tumor recurrence rates bet- ween the different growth patterns. CONCLUSIONS: IPMT with the fistulous extension type has a peculiar extension pattern consisting of multiple fistulous tracts without a mass. Although most of the epithelium in the fistulous tract show moderate to severe dysplasia, only the fistulous extension should be considered to be an unusual growth pattern of malignant IPMT. The clinical significance of this unusual type of IPMT remains to be determined.

Gastric Syphilis Mimicking Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Syphilis is an unexpected diagnosis in the stomach, and the reduced incidence of syphilis has made its clinical presentation less widely appreciated. We report a 43-yr-old man suffering from epigastric tenderness with an initial diagnosis of gastric carcinoma; gastric syphilis was confirmed by demonstrating spirochetes in a gastric biopsy specimen by silver impregnation. Excessive lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with diffuse thickening of gastric rugae should raise suspicion of gastric syphilis, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of diffuse erosive gastritis and infiltrative lesions of the stomach.

A case of colonic lymphoid tissue invasion by Gymnophalloides seoi in a Korean man

A 65-year old Korean man, living in Mokpo-city, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea, visited a local clinic complaining of right upper quadrant pain and indigestion. At colonoscopy, he was diagnosed as having a carcinoma of the ascending colon, and thus, a palliative right hemicolectomy was performed. Subsequently, an adult fluke of Gymnophalloides seoi was incidentally found in a surgical pathology specimen of the lymph node around the colon. The worm was found to have invaded gut lymphoid tissue, with characteristic morphologies of a large oral sucker, a small ventral sucker, and a ventral pit surrounded by strong muscle fibers. This is the first reported case of mucosal tissue invasion by G. seoi in the human intestinal tract.

Ovarian Borderline Epithelial Tumors

Ovarian borderline epithelial tumors are abnormal proliferative epithelial lesions without obvious invasion of the stroma of the ovary, a finding distinguishing between borderline tumors and carcinoma. There have been controversies regarding the terminology and diagnostic feature of the tumors, even though these tumors have been accepted as a distinct entity in WHO classification of ovarian epithelial tumors. This review is limited to serous and mucinous borderline tumors which are the most common and about which many clinicopathological studies have been undertaken. It has been agreed that "micropapillary carcinoma" espoused by a group of pathologists is a micropapillary variant of serous borderline tumor in the borderline ovarian tumor workshop. Diagnostic criteria of invasive implants needs further study but invasion of underlying normal tissue was reported to be correlated well with prognosis. Other issues such as diagnostic criteria of microinvasion and multiplicity of serous borderline tumors have been presented. The sole diagnostic criteria agreed upon for the diagnosis of intraepithelial carcinoma in the mucinous borderline tumor was the presence of severe cytological atypia. It was also agreed that the ovarian tumors associated with pseudomyxoma peritonei are almost invariably from gastrointestinal tract, usually appendix. Stratification and complex intracystic growth without severe cytological atypia are considered to be characteristics of mucinous borderline tumors. Diagnostic criteria of microinvasion and two types of invasion, expansile and infiltrative invasion, have also been discussed.

Myxoma of the Ovary with Uncertain Malignant Potential: A Case Report

Primary ovarian myxoid tumor such as myxoma, myxoid liposarcoma and myxoid leiomyosarcoma is extremely rare neoplasm. We experienced a case of unusual myxoid tumor of the ovary in a 25 year-old woman. She was admitted for an incidentally found ovarian mass during antenatal check. Radiologic studies revealed a 5.5x5 cm-sized solid mass in left ovary and she was undertaken left oophorectomy. Grossly, the round ovarian mass was measuring 8x6x5 cm, and the cut surface was predominantly solid with myxoid appearance. Microscopically, the tumor was surrounded by thick collagenous capsule and had moderate cellularity and rich vascularity. The tumor cells were stellate-shaped with abundant extracellular myxoid material without atypia. We initially thought this lesion as myxoma, but the cellularity was too high as an ordinary myxoma. Myxoid liposarcoma could also be considered as the differential diagnosis, however there was no convincing lipoblast. So, we diagnosed that tumor as myxoma with uncertain malignant potential.

Sixteen Cases of Sclerosing Hemangioma of the Lung Including Unusual Presentations

Sclerosing hemangiomas (SH) of the lung are uncommon tumors and are thought to be benign. However, the biologic behavior of this tumor has not yet been characterized adequately. The clinicopathologic features were reviewed and analyzed for 16 cases of SH. The age of the patients ranged from 37 to 73 yr (mean 50.6 yr). There were fifteen female and one male patient. The SH located at the intraparenchyme in 14 cases, the interlobar fissure in one case and the visceral pleura in one case. The size of SH ranged from 0.3 cm to 8 cm (mean 2.6 cm). There were five unusual presentations of SH including a case having two SH with multiple nodules of atypical adenomatous hyperplasia in the same lobe, a case showing adenocarcinomalike area within the SH, a case showing one peribronchial lymph node metastasis (N1 nodal stage) with location of interlobar major fissure, a case showing alveolar adenoma-like area within the SH, and one case with a large visceral pleural-based pedunculated mass presenting as mediastinal mass. All patients were alive and well without recurrence at the last follow up. Here, we reviewed previously published literatures and discussed the histogenesis of SH.

Osteofibrous Dysplasia-Like Adamantinoma: A Case Report with its Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Studies

Osteofibrous dysplasia (OFD)-like adamantinoma is a rare skeletal tumor that is characterized by the predominant OFD-like pattern with scattered epithelial nests. Adamantinoma shares clinical features (the majority of lesions in the tibia and the prevalent age group), radiologic findings (radiolucency with sclerotic shadow), and pathologic similarities (particularly the presence of scattered cytokeratin-positive stromal cells) with OFD. We describe a case of OFD-like adamantinoma. Epithelial cell nests express the epithelial membrane antigen, pancytokeratin, CK14, and collagen type IV. Ultrastructurally, the oval to spindle cells in the epithelial foci had abundant tonofilaments, and well-formed desmosomes with dense plaques, of which well preserved desmosomes are demonstrated for the first time in OFD-like adamantinoma. These immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings further support that the origin of epithelial cells of classic and OFD-like adamantinoma are epithelial cells transformed from fibroblastic cells in the proliferating osteofibrous tissue.

Small Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix

BACKGROUND: Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is a rare and aggressive neoplasm, for which there have been few diagnostic markers. METHODS: Eleven cases of small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were retrieved from pathology files. Immunohistochemical stains were performed for two epithelial markers (cytokeratin [AE1/AE3] and epithelial membrane antigen [EMA]) and four neuroendocrine markers (neuron-specific enolase [NSE], CD56, chromogranin, and synaptophysin). RESULTS: Of the nine cases followed up, two with initial distant metastasis died within one year. All seven remaining cases were diagnosed at stage Ib, and showed no evidence of recurrence. Nine cases were positive for one or more epithelial markers. Two cases showed positivity for epithelial markers in less than 10% of their tumor cells. The immunoreactivity for neuroendocrine markers showed variable results; four cases were reactive for chromogranin, four were positive for synaptophysin, and seven were reactive for CD56. All cases were positive for NSE. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnostic panel of chromogranin, synaptophysin, and CD56 rather than a single marker would be useful for the diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Atypical (Bizarre) Leiomyoma of the Prostate: A Case Report

Atypical (bizarre) leiomyoma of the prostate is a very rare neoplasm. Five cases have been reported in English medical literature. A 60-year-old Korean man with a history of prostatism and slightly elevated serum prostate specific antigen was presented. Microscopically, the transurethral resection specimen consisted of a proliferation of hypercellular spindle cells with intersecting bundles. The nuclei of the tumor cells showed marked pleomorphism and hyperchromasia with occasional multinucleated giant cells. Mitoses were seen in areas of up to 2 per 10 high power fields, but there was no evidence of atypical ones. The tumor cells were immunoreactive against anti-smooth muscle actin and desmin antibodies. The proliferative index (10.0%) of the atypical leiomyoma lay between that of a benign smooth muscle and that of a leiomyosarcoma of the prostate. Flow cytometry showed a diploid pattern with an elevated S phase fraction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of atypical leiomyoma of the prostate in a Korean man.

Quality Assurance of Frozen Section Diagnosis An analysis of 5,273 consecutive cases

Quality assurance analysis of frozen section diagnosis is very important for the pathologists to improve the diagnostic ability and the quality of medical service. We analysed 5,273 consecutive cases of frozen section diagnosis which were done in Samsung Medical Center during 10 months from June 1, 1998 to March 31. 1999 with special reference to the discordance between frozen section diagnosis and final diagnosis. The concordance rate was 97.65%, discordance rate 1.34%, and deferred diagnosis (type 1) rate 1.01%. Category A (discordant diagnosis without any effect on the patients) was 53 cases (1.01%), category B (discordant diagnosis with minimal but no serious effect on the patients) was 10 cases (0.19%), and category C (discordant diagnosis with serious effect on the patients) was 8 cases (0.15%). Type 2 (discordant diagnosis by extra-pathologist problem) was 22 cases (0.42%) and type 3 (discordant diagnosis by pathologist problem) was 49 cases (0.93%). The most frequent causes of type 2 and 3 discordant diagnosis were presence of new lesions on deeper sections and the misinterpretation of lesions. Discordant diagnosis was noted in lymphoreticular system, central nervous system, thyroid, gastric resection margin, breast, female genital organs, intestine, hepatobiliary system, upper aerodigestive tract, urinary tract, lung, and soft tissue in descending order of frequency. Frozen section diagnosis was deferred in central nervous system, lymphoreticular system, gastric resection margin, female genital organs, thyroid, intestine, upper aerodigestive tract, lung, and soft tissue in descending order of frequency. The most important cause of discordant diagnosis was a misinterpretation of the lesions. Based on our results, a continuous and careful follow-up of quality assurance analysis of frozen section diagnosis and a share of experience of problematic cases are mandatory for the pathologists to improve the quality of medical services.