Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis of Mandible: A Case Report

We present a case of mandibular involvement with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), diagnosed by ultrasound-guided aspiration and subsequently confirmed by incisional biopsy and immunohistochemistry in an eight-year-old boy. The cytologic findings included the presence of characteristic Langerhans cells of both mononucleate and multinucleate form. Diagnostic confirmation was obtained by immunopositivity for S-100 protein and CD1a of Langerhans histiocytes on paraffin-embedded sections obtained during incisional biopsy of the right mandibular area. By reporting a case of childhood LCH, we correlate the cytologic findings with histologic features and discuss the role of aspiration cytologic diagnosis in such a rare and cytomorphologically characteristic case.

Loss of Heterozygosity of Major Tumor Suppressor Genes in Invasive Ductal Carcinomas / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is one of the most frequent malignant tumors in Korea. The major tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) such as p16, Rb, E-cadherin and p53 may play important roles in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and the regulation of the expression of other genes as well as tumor suppression. Microsatellite alteration such as loss of heterozygosity (LOH) have been reported to be a novel mechanism of carcinogenesis and a useful prognostic factor for many malignant tumors. Also, LOH is also known to be related with allelic loss of various TSGs. This study evaluated LOH of 4 TSGs in invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) and we correlated these results with the clinicopathological factors. METHODS: LOH analysis was carried out using a polymerase chain reaction with 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers of 4 TSGs in 50 surgically resected tumors and their non-tumorous counterparts. RESULTS: There was no detectable LOH in the normal tissue. LOH was detected in 86% of the 50 cases of IDCs. LOH was detected on all chromosomes and this showed a statistical difference between benign tumor and malignant tumor. LOH of p16, Rb, E-cadherin and p53 TSGs was detected in 36%, 26%, 54% and 60% of the tumors, respectively. LOH of the p16 and Rb genes was inversely correlated with tumor grade 1. The low rate of detecting LOH on the E-cadherin gene was noted in T1 tumor and stage I disease. LOH of the p53 gene correlated well with the tumor size and stage. The LOH-High results correlate well with the tumor size and stage and the LOH-High results are similar to those of the p53 gene LOH. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that LOH of the 4 major TSGs may contribute to the development and invasion of IDCs. Also, the combined use of various LOH markers may help in deciding the prognosis of IDCs.

Morphometric Study on Fine Needle Aspirates from Follicular Adenoma and Follicular Carcinoma of the Thyroid / 대한세포병리학회지

Fine needle aspiration cytology of "cold" nodules of the thyroid has proved to be of great value in their preoperative diagnosis. Most types of thyroid tumors are readily recognizable from characteristic cellular patterns in the smears of needle aspirates. But follicular neoplasms present some problems because the cytomorphology of the adenomas frequently is same as in carcinoma. For differentiation of benign from malignant follicular neoplasms of the thyroid we tested the usefulness of two objective parameters - nuclear area and perimeter - by morphometry. This study was made on fine needle aspirates from 30 cases with cytologic diagnosis of follicular neoplasm of thyroid. The histologic classification was follicular adenoma in 22 cases and follicular carcinoma in 8 cases. As a reference group we used seven caes with nodular hyperplasia. The smears of aspirates were stained by Papanicolaou method. On each slide 200 randomly selected cells with intact nuclei were measured. The mean value of nuclear area are 25.32+/-5.50 micrometer2, 34.08+/-7.50 micrometer2 and 39.97+/-6.63 micrometer2 in nodular hyperplasia, follicular adenoma, and follicular carcinoma, respectively. The mean value of perimeter are 19.48+/-2.26 micrometer, 22.95+/-2.65 micrometer and 24.78+/-2.23 micrometer in nodular hyperplasia, follicular adenoma and follicular carcinoma, respectively. The mean nuclear areas and perimeters of cells from follicular adenoma were significantly larger than those from nodular hyperplasia (p<0.05). The mean nuclear areas and perimeters of cells from follicular carcinoma were larger than those from follicular adenoma but the differences are not significant statistically(p<0.05). Therefore, morphometric assessment alone is inadequate to predict malignancy in thyroid aspirates.

A Case of Arteriosclerotic Aneurysm of Distal Branch of Middle Cerebral Artery

Intracranial arteriosclerotic aneurysm is most common in the basilar artery territories, in the old age group. Recently we have experienced a case of fusiform aneurysm of distal branch of middle cerebral artery in a 23 year old soldier. Surgical biopsy revealed it to be arteriosclerotic origin. And arteriosclerotic aneurysm in the young age seems extremely rare, but it seems also worthwhile bearing in mind of that possibility in young aneurysmal patients.