Gecko Proteins Exert Anti-Tumor Effect against Cervical Cancer Cells Via PI3-Kinase/Akt Pathway

Anti-tumor activity of the proteins from Gecko (GP) on cervical cancer cells, and its signaling mechanisms were assessed by viable cell counting, propidium iodide (PI) staining, and Western blot analysis. GP induced the cell death of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner while it did not affect the viability of normal cells. Western blot analysis showed that GP decreased the activation of Akt, and co-administration of GP and Akt inhibitors synergistically exerted anti-tumor activities on HeLa cells, suggesting the involvement of PI3-kinase/Akt pathway in GP-induced cell death of the cancer cells. Indeed, the cytotoxic effect of GP against HeLa cells was inhibited by overexpression of constituvely active form of Akt in HeLa cells. The candidates of the functional proteins in GP were analyzed by Mass-spectrum. Taken together, our results suggest that GP elicits anti-tumor activity against HeLa cells by inhibition of PI3-kinase/Akt pathway.

Lipofibromatosis: A Case Report

Lipofibromatosis is a recently described rare benign fibrofatty tumor of childhood. It typically forms as an ill defined, slowly growing, painless mass. We present here the case of lipofibromatosis that occurred in a 21-year-old male who had complained of a bulging enlarged mass involving the right thigh and prepatella area for the previous 1 year. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an ill-defined reticular infiltration in the subcutaneous layer with subtle linear enhancement and high T2 signal intensity. The mass was surgically excised and it displayed an 11.0x5.5x1.5 cm-sized adipose appearance without encapsulation. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of alternating streaks of mature adipose tissue and a fibroblastic component that mainly involved the septa of adipose tissue. On immunohistochemical study, the fibroblastic component was positive for S-100, CD99, CD34, actin and bcl-2. He has shown an eventful recovery for 6 months after surgery.

Distribution of Dendritic Cells and Regulatory T-Cells in Cutaneous Lymphomas

BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in immune reactions. This study was designed to identify the distribution patterns of DCs and regulatory T-cells (Tregs) in cutaneous lymphomas. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to determine langerin expression on Langerhans cells, CD11b on inflammatory DCs, CD209 and CD11c on dermal DCs, CD303 on plasmacytic DCs, and Foxp3 on Tregs in 81 cases of cutaneous lymphomas. RESULTS: Various DCs and Tregs were identified in most cutaneous lymphomas. Plasmacytic DCs, inflammatory DCs and Tregs were identified mainly in tumor areas, whereas dermal DCs were distributed both in the tumor and stromal areas. Among DCs, dermal DCs were most prominently identified in the cutaneous lymphomas not only in the tumor area but also in the stroma. The intense stromal infiltration of dermal DCs was consistent finding in T-cell lymphomas. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified also showed intense stromal infiltration of dermal DCs, but stromal infiltration in DLBCL, leg type was relatively scant. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that all types of DCs and Tregs are involved in cutaneous lymphoma tumor immunity. Among them dermal DCs may play a dominant role.

The Cytology for Leukemic Cells in Cerebrospinal Fluid; Comparison of Conventional Cytology with Liquid-Based Cytology

BACKGROUND: The cytological examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using conventional cytology with a cytocentrifuge (cytospin) is an important method for evaluating the involvement of leukemia in the CNS. Liquid-based cytology (LBC) is now a widely used cytological method not only for gynecological and non-gynecological specimens, but its application to CSF for the identification of leukemic cell has not yet been reported. In this study, we tried to compare conventional cytology with using a cytospin with LBC and Papanicolaou (Pap) staining. We also examined the modified LBC with Wright staining to assess whether this modified method can be useful for diagnosing Leukemia. METHODS: We studied 30 cases of CSF that were obtained from 16 patients, including 17 cases of acute myeloid leukemia, 12 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 1 case of diffuse large B cell lymphoma. We applied conventional cytology with a cytocentrifuge (cytospin), LBC with Pap staining and modified LBC with Wright staining. RESULTS: The morphological features of the LBC with Pap staining showed difficulty for interpretation when compared with conventional cytology with a cytospin, and mainly because of cellular shrinkage. The modified LBC with Wright staining showed good morphological features. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that modified LBC with Wright staining may be useful for examining CSF.

IgA Nephropathy: Correlation of WHO Classification and Morphologic Semi-quantitative Scoring System

BACKGROUND: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common glomerulonephritis worldwide, and the clinical course of IgAN shows marked variability. Many efforts have made to histologically predict the clinical outcome. There are two methods to classify IgAN. One is mainly based on the glomerular changes, such as the WHO and the Lee and Haas classification systems. The other is a morphologic semi-quantitative scoring system, which counts the changes of the glomerular, tubulointerstitial and vascular structures, respectively. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the WHO classification properly reflects the various morphologic findings of IgAN. METHODS: We analyzed 354 cases of IgAN by both the WHO classification system and the semiquantitative scoring system and evaluated the correlations of these two methods. RESULTS: The severity of the glomerular lesions (glomerulosclerosis, capsular adhesion and mesangial matrix expansion) and the tubulointerstitial lesions (interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy and interstitial lymphocytic infiltration) are strongly correlated with the increase of the WHO classes of IgAN (Spearman's rho [R] > or =0.5, p<0.05). There is a weak correlation between crescent formation and the increase of the WHO classes (R=0.3, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the WHO classification well reflects the severity of various morphologic findings and this suggests a complementary role for the semi-quantitative scoring system in classifying IgAN.

C1q Nephropathy: A Distinct Pathologic Entity

BACKGROUND: C1q nephropathy (C1qN) is a controversial diagnostic entity defined by Jennette and Hipp in 1985. The prevalence is very low and a few large scale studies have been reported. Application of the criteria for clinical diagnostics of C1qN may cause confusion with other glomerulonephropathies, such as minimal change disease (MCD) or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In order to clarify the confusion with glomerulonephropathies, we did this study to identify the clinicopathological characteristics and the exact disease entity of C1qN. METHODS: A total of 5,258 kidney biopsies at Kangnam St Mary's Hospital were reviewed. Twenty three cases (0.44%) met the criteria of C1qN. Twenty eight cases showing dominant C1q deposits without electron dense depostis (EDD) grouped as C1q+EDD-, and previously diagnosed typical cases of MCD and FSGS were selected for this study. Four groups were compared to each other with regard to the clinical and pathological aspects of the disease. RESULTS: C1qN patients had an average age of 30.4 years. Eighteen were males and 5 were females. Eighty seven percent had proteinuria and 18% had hematuria. By electron microscopy analysis, 100% had mesangial EDD and 47.8% showed foot process effacement. C1qN had some significant differences compared with C1q+EDD-, MCD and FSGS. CONCLUSIONS: C1qN is clinically and morphologically different from MCD and FSGS. However, additional long term studies are needed to fully define C1qN from other glomerulonephritis with C1q deposits.

Clinical Utility of Serum Pepsinogen Levels as a Screening Test of Atrophic Gastritis / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: Atrophic gastritis is a well known risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma. Its confirmatory diagnosis requires histology via endoscopy, which is an invasive method; therefore, periodic follow up evaluation as a screening method is difficult to perform. We evaluated the clinical utility of serum pepsinogens (PG) as a biomarker for screening of atrophic gastritis. METHODS: The study population consisted of 130 selected dyspeptic patients (M:F=52:78; age, 16-105 yrs; mean age, 50.8 yrs) who had undergone a diagnostic endoscopy. The serum pepsinogen test was performed by a latex turbidimetric immunoassay method (HBI, Korea) using Toshiba-200FR automatic analyzer. The PGI, II level and PGI:PGII ratio of non-atrophic gastritis group were compared with those of atrophic gastritis group, and a correlation with Helicobacter pylori infection was examined. Cut-off points for screening of atrophic gastritis were determined. RESULTS: The mean serum concentration of PGI showed a decline from normal (60.7 ng/mL), nonatrophic gastritis (54.2 ng/mL), and atrophic gastritis (51.8 ng/mL) to gastric adenocarcinoma (32.6 ng/mL). The mean ratio of PGI:PGII was lower in atrophic gastritis (3.2) compared to non-atrophic gastritis (4.7) (P=0.021). In patients with H. pylori infection, the mean serum PGII level was higher and the PGI:PGII ratio was lower than those in patients without H. pylori infection, and the differences were statistically significant. For screening of atrophic gastritis, the best cut-off point of PGI:PGII ratio was 4, with a sensitivity of 82.6% and specificity of 91.7%. CONCLUSIONS: The serum pepsinogen test is a useful biomarker for screening of atrophic gastritis, a well-known precancerous lesion of gastric adenocarcinoma. Measuring both pepsinogen I and II concentrations simultaneously to obtain pepsinogen I/II ratio provides a clinically useful information for the detection of atrophic gastritis.

IgA Nephropathy Encountered in a Patient with Hodgkin Lymphoma / 대한신장학회지

Various types of glomerulonephritis can occur at the same time with Hodgkin lymphoma, including minimal change disease and membranous glomerulonephritis. However, the concurrence of IgA nephropathy with Hodgkin lymphoma is rare. We report here on a case of IgA nephropathy in a patient with newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma: A 60-year-old man presented with weight loss and anorexia. The patient showed lymphadenopathies in the neck on physical examination, and multiple lymphadenopathies in the mediastinum and abdomen on computerized tomography. Diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma was made after cervical lymph nodes were excised, but during the course of the chemotherapy, laboratory findings of hematuria and an elevated creatinine level were observed and IgA nephropathy was additionally diagnosed from a renal biopsy. There were fluctuations in the creatinine level and the amounts of hematuria and proteinuria, but by the time of the eighth cycle of chemotherapy, the patients condition had rapidly deteriorated, mainly due to the newly developed adult respiratory distress syndrome. The patient died soon thereafter.

Evaluation for Cytopreservability of Manual Liquid-Based Cytology Liqui-PREP(TM) and its Application to Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytology: Comparative Study with Cytospin / 대한세포병리학회지

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology is an effective tool for evaluating diseases involving the central nervous system, but his technique is usually limited by its low cellularity and poor cellular preservation. Here we compared the manual liquid-base Liqui-PREPTM (LP) to the cytospin (CS) with using a mononuclear cell suspension and we applied both methods to the CSFs of pediatric leukemia patients. The cytopresevability, in terms of cell yield and cell size, and the clinical efficacy were evaluated. When 2000 and 4000 mononuclear cells were applied, LP was superior to CS for the cell yield, 16.8% vs 1.7% (P=0.001) and 26.2% vs 3.5% (P=0.002), respectively. The mean size of the smeared cells was 10.60 micrometer in the CS, 5.01 micrometer in the LP and 6.50 micrometer in the direct smear (DS), and the size ratio was 1.7 (CS to DS), 0.8(LP to DS) and 2.1 (CS to LP), respectively. As compared to the cells in the DS, the cells in the CS were significantly enlarged, but those in the LP were slightly shrunken. Upon application to 109 CSF samples, 4 were diagnosed as positive for leukemia (positive), 4 had atypical cells and 101 were negative by CS; 6 were positive, one had atypical cells and 102 were negative by LP. For six cases, in which 4 were positive for leukemia and 2 of 4 had atypical cells by CS, they were positive by LP and they were also confirmed as positive according to the follow-up study. Three cases diagnosed as atypical cells (two by CS and one by LP), were confirmed as negative. In conclusion, these results suggest that LP is superior to CS for the cytopresevability and for rendering a definite diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid.

Clinicopathologic Analysis of the Micropapillary Variant of Urothelial Carcinoma in Urinary

BACKGROUND: Micropapillary urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder is a rare and aggressive subtype of urothelial carcinoma (UC). METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven UCs with a micropapillary component (MPC) were identified by reviewing 135 cystectomy specimens of UC (5.2% in incidence). MPC was associated with conventional UC in 6 cases and the plasmacytoid variant of UC in 1 case. Lymph node metastasis, that characteristically contained MPC was present in 60% (3 out of 5 cases of regional lymph node dissection). Three patients with extensive MPC showed laminar propria invasion (pT1; 33%) and perivesical fat invasion (pT3; 67%). Two out of 3 patients with extensive MPC showed distant metastasis into the colon after cystectomy. The colonic lesions showed exclusively micropapillary differentiation. Four patients with focal or moderate MPC (pT2, 25%; pT3, 75%) were alive without disease at the time of writing this article. All 3 cases with extensive MPC had surface and/or invasive MPC on the prior TURB specimen. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20, EMA and E-cadherin and tissue retraction spaces that simulate lymphatic spaces were negative for CD34 in all 7 cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the micropapillary growth pattern in UC is a manifestation of aggressive behavior and UC with MPC must be included as part of the differential diagnosis when dealing with a metastatic lesion with a micropaillary structure.

Touch Imprint Cytology Contributed to the Frozen Section Diagnosis of Merkel Cell Carcinoma : A Case Report / 대한세포병리학회지

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare primary cutaneous small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, is a tumor with distinct cytological features. In many cases, immunohistochemical staining (IHC) is required for the differentiation from other small round cell malignancies. Here we describe the cytological findings of Merkel cell carcinoma; these findings contributed to the diagnosis prior to performing IHC. A lower eyelid mass was excised and submitted for frozen section diagnosis. The frozen section diagnosis was consistent with a malignancy, but the more specific diagnosis was limited by the lack of specific histological features. Touch imprint cytology revealed a high cellularity with loosely cohesive small to large sized cells. The tumor cells showed hyperchromatic nuclei with fine chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli, and thin-rimmed-cytoplasm including the characteristic eosinophilic button-like paranuclear inclusion, previously described as a pathognomonic cytological finding of MCC; this was not found in the H&E frozen section. In conclusion, we suggest that the touch imprint cytology may help in the differential diagnosis of small round cell neoplasms prior to performing IHC especially in frozen section diagnosis.

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of Lung: A Case Report / 대한세포병리학회지

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), normally referred to as inflammatory pseudotumor, is a fairly rare condition. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of IMT has only rarely been reported. Here, we describe one such case of pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor. A 30-year-old man presented with a 2.8cm-sized mass in his lung. Chest CT revealed a well defined, poorly enhancing mass. FNAC showed some fascicular or swirled clusters of spindle cells, admixed with occasional inflammatory cells and foamy histiocytes. The majority of the tumor cells evidenced bland, elongated nuclei, but infrequent pleomorphic nuclei. Some of the tumor cells evidenced nuclear grooves and intranuclear inclusions. Although the cytological differentiation of IMT from malignant lesions is not immensely problematic, due to the general paucity of cytological and nuclear atypia, a definite cytological diagnosis of IMT cannot be rendered simply by FNAC. Therefore, a diagnosis of IMT may be suggested via exclusive diagnosis.

Expressions of Cyclin E-pathway Proteins (cyclinE, cdk2, p21, p27, p57) and Their Prognostic Significance in Non-small Cell Lung Carcinomas

BACKGROUND: The aberrant expression of cyclins, cdk and cdk inhibitor has been shown to be involved in oncogenic transformation. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the cyclin E-pathway proteins (cyclin E, cdk2, p21, p27, p57) in human non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) and also to evaluate the clinical significance of these expressions. METHODS: A total of 203 consecutive patients with completely resected pathological stage I-III NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. The expressions of cyclin E, cdk2, p21, p27 and, p57 was examined by performing immunohistochemistry with using the tissue microarray method. RESULTS: In the total cases, the expression levels of cyclin E, cdk2, p21, p27 and p57 were 39.9% (81/203), 48.3% (98/203), 68.0% (138/203), 32.5% (66/203) and 2.7% (5/203), respectively. The overexpression of cyclin E and cdk2 was significantly and inversely correlated with the histologic differentiation in the adenocarcinoma (p<0.05), but not in the squamous cell carcinoma. Among the clinicopathologic factors, the stage and lymph node metastasis were associated with overall survival (p<0.05). Among these proteins, the negative expression of p21 was significantly correlated with a shortened survival rate (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the overexpression of cyclin E and cdk2 and the loss of p21 and p27 are associated with tumor progression in NSCLC. The aberrant expression of p21 is correlated with a poor prognosis. Therefore the immunohistochemical analysis of this protein as well as the clinical stage and, lymph node metastasis may be useful tools for evaluating the prognosis of NSCLC patients.

ISUP/WHO Classification of Papillary Urothelial Neoplasms of Urinary Bladder: Consensus Study Conducted by Korean Society of Urogenital Pathology

BACKGROUND: Pathologic grading, one of the most important prognostic factors of papillary urothelial neoplasia (PUN) of the urinary bladder, has been revised continuously. The current study focused on the analysis of interobserver agreement on PUN of the urinary bladder bet- ween 1973 WHO classification (WHO 1973) and 1998 WHO/ISUP classification. METHODS: Seventy five cases from 15 institutions were collected, and after review by Korean Society of Urogenital Pathology (KSUP), 30 cases were selected as follows; group I, WHO grade 1 and papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential by ISUP (7 cases), group II, WHO grade 2 and low-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (16 cases), and group III, WHO grade 3 and high-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (7 cases). Seventy five general surgical pathologists who participated in this study were asked to grade the tumors based on WHO/ISUP classification. Interobserver agreement between the participants' diagnosis and KSUP consensus diagnosis was analyzed by kappa value. RESULTS: Interobserver agreement assessed by kappa value for all diagnostic groups was very low; for group I, kappa value was -0.900893722; for group II, -0.944650025, and for group III, -0.876728996. The overall kappa value of pathology residents was better than that of practicing pathologists. CONCLUSIONS: The 1998 WHO/ ISUP classification could not be easily translated from the 1973 WHO classification and because of poor interobserver agreement, it appears that further work would be needed before it can be practically applied.

The Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 and Tumor Angiogenesis in Human Osteosarcoma

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a matrix-degrading enzyme that's believed to play a crucial role not only for tumor invasion and metastasis, but also for a variety of stromal reactions, including neovascularization. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of MMP-9 and to compare its expression with the angiogenesis activity in human osteosarcoma. METHODS: Archival tumor tissue samples from 20 patients with osteosarcoma were analyzed by performing immunohistochemistry for the expression of MMP-9 and CD34. The vascularity was measured as the average microvascular density (MVD) of the CD34-positive vessels. The clinical information was obtained through searching the computerized retrospective database from the tumor registry. RESULTS: MMP-9 was expressed in 90% (18/20) of the tumors we examined. The MVD ranged from 10.5 to 179.7 with a mean of 64.9. There was no significant correlation between the MMP-9 expression and the MVD (p=.613). The MMP-9 expression was not associated with any of the clinicopathologic variables, whereas the MVD showed an increasing tendency according to the metastasis status (p=.073). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that MMP-9 activation is likely to occur in human osteosarcoma. However, there was no direct involvement of MMP-9 with tumor angiogenesis. It is noteworthy that MVD may aid physicians to predict the presence of distant metastasis in osteosarcoma patients.

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Mucinous Cystic Carcinoma of the Pancreas: A Case Report / 대한세포병리학회지

Mucious cystic neoplasm of pancreas is a cystic neoplasm composed of columnar, mucin-producing epithelium and is supported by ovarian-type stroma. The key to the cytologic evaluation of pancreatic cystic lesions is to recognize the cytologic components as being diagnostic of a mucin-producing cystic neoplasm, as all of these neoplasms need to be resected. We report the use of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of an invasive mucinous cystic carcinoma confirmed by partial pancreatectomy. The cytologic specimen showed a abundant mucin background and sheets or papillae of neoplastic cells. There are mucin-containing columnar cells that show a variable degree of cytologic atypia.

Epidermoid Cyst in the Kidney with Nephrolithiasis: A Case Report

Epidermoid cysts in the kidney have rarely been reported, and in most cases its pathogenesis has not been well understood. We report a case of an epidermoid cyst in a kidney with nephrolithiasis in a 61-year-old man. A pyelonephrolithotomy was performed on the patient four years ago to treat nephrolithiasis of the left kidney. During the follow-up, a newly developed mass was discovered three years ago and the mass has recently increased in size. A unilateral nephrectomy was performed under the clinical impression of renal cell carcinoma. Gross examination revealed a well encapsulated cystic mass measuring 3.0 x 2.0 x 2.0 cm and containing lumps of soft whitish material, in the upper pole of the left kidney. This location was the same as that of previous nephrolithiasis. Microscopic examination revealed typical findings of an epidermoid cyst. We suspect that the chronic irritation induced by renal stones may be associated with the development of the epidermoid cyst in this case.

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Arising in a Recurrent Malignant Phyllodes Tumor: A Case Report

We report here on a case of invasive ductal carcinoma arising in a recurrent malignant phyllodes tumor. The patient was a 33-year-old woman who presented with a left breast mass, and an excision was then performed. The mass, measuring 7.0 x 4.0 cm in size, was relatively well demarcated with a nodular contour and showed pale gray and solid cut surface with clefts on it. Histologically, the mass mainly consisted of stromal components that were characterized by high cellularity, marked nuclear atypism and brisk mitosis. The sparse glandular components were leaf-like in shape and lined by bland ductal epithelium without any nuclear atypism. Sixteen months later, the patient revisited our hospital with a recurrent mass, and underwent total mastectomy. The recurrent mass contained foci of definite invasive ductal carcinoma in the background of malignant phyllodes tumor, which was identical to the primary mass. This case demonstrates that it is possible that an invasive ductal carcinoma might arise within, at least with, a recurrent malignant phyllodes tumor.

Combined IgA Nephropathy and Membranous Glomerulonephritis : A Report of Six Cases

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) are common in adults. However, it is unlikely that these two distinct glomerulonephrites coexist in a renal biopsy. Here, we report clinical and pathological data of six patients with concomitant existence of IgAN and MGN in renal biopsy specimens from 1990 to 2004. Five patients were male and one was female, and their ages ranged from 29 to 71 years. Four patients had microscopic hematuria, five had nephrotic range proteinuria, three had hepatitis B virus infections, three had rheumatoid factors, one had antinuclear antibodies. Two cases were developed after kidney transplant. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed characteristic findings of mesangial IgA deposits and granular IgG deposits on the capillary walls. These were confirmed by electron microscopic findings of immune-type electron-dense deposits in the mesangium and subepithelial capillary basement membranes. The pathogenesis and prognosis of the patients are discussed in this report.

A Case of Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Vagina / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Primary melanoma of the vagina is rare, accounting for 2.6-2.8% of all primary malignant tumor of the vagina and 0.4-0.8% of all malignant melanomas in the female. Melanocytes are the presumed precursors of malignant melanoma of the vagina; they are embryologically derived from neural crest cells and can be found in the basal portion of the vaginal epidermis in 3% of normal adult females. Though malignant melanoma may occur anywhere in the vagina, it is most commonly found on the anterior wall and in the distal one-third. Vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom. Histochemical and immunohistochemical procedures confirm the initial diagnosis. Vaginal melanoma is a highly malignant disease; due to the extensive lymphatic invasion and melanoma's propensity for hematogeneous spread, so early metastases are very common. The treatment modalities for the primary management of vaginal melanoma are varied according to the location and extend, individually or in combination, wide local incision, radical surgical extirpation, irradiation, or chemotherapy. Although there have been no consensus as to comprehensive treatment, in the case of upper vaginal melanoma, radical abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection is generally advocated. Regardless of primary therapy chosen, result of the treatment of vaginal melanoma has been uniformly poor. We experienced a case of malignant melanoma of the vagina confirmed pathohistologically after radical abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and presented with a brief review of literature.