Histopathologic changes following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer.

Aims: To compare the clinical and pathologic assessment of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and describe the various histopathologic changes observed. Materials and Methods: We studied a group of 40 patients with locally advanced breast cancer who had their initial workup in the form of clinico-imaging assessment of the size and pretreatment biopsy from the lesion. All the patients received two to six cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, either cyclophosphamide 50 to 60 mg/m 2 IV, doxorubicin 40 to 50 mg/m 2 IV and 5-fluorouracil 500 to 800 mg/m 2 IV (CAF) or cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and 5-fluorouracil (CEF). Clinical and pathologic assessment of response to chemotherapy was done based on the UICC guidelines. Result: Complete clinical response (cCR) was seen in 10% cases (4/40), thirty percent patients had (12/40) partial response and 60% (24/40) had stable disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Pathologic complete response (pCR) with no evidence of viable tumor was observed in 20% patients (8/40). Fifteen patients (37.5%) showed partial response and 42.5% patients (17/40) had a stable disease. No patient progressed during the course of chemotherapy. Changes in the tumor type were observed following chemotherapy, most common being the mucinous change. Histologic changes like dyscohesion, shrinkage of tumor cells, elastosis, collagenization, necrosis, lymphocytic reaction, giant cell response are some of the common observations seen following treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion: Pathologic assessment of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a better predictor than the clinical response. The chemotherapy drugs can be modified based on the response observed after 1-2 cycles of neoadjuvant, the response being based on both tumor and patient's responsiveness.

Alterações histológicas em fígados e linfonodos de búfalos (bubalus bubalis) mantidos em pastagens de brachiaria spp / Histologic lesions in livers and lymph nodes in buffalo (bubalus bubalis) grazing in brachiaria spp. pastures

Infiltração por macrófagos espumosos e outras lesões podem ser encontradas em bovinos clinicamente sadios em pastagens de Brachiaria spp. Com o objetivo de determinar as alterações histológicas do fígado e linfonodos mesentéricos em búfalos no Pará foram estudadas as alterações histológicas de fragmentos desses órgãos de 142 búfalos da raça Murrah e de 15 bovinos da raça Nelore, coletados em frigoríficos. As coletas foram separadas em grupos de animais de acordo com sua origem e tempo de permanência na pastagem de Brachiaria spp., sendo o Grupo (G) 1 composto por 79 búfalos provenientes da Ilha de Marajó, criados em pastagens de campo nativo; o G2 composto por 17 búfalos mantidos desde o nascimento em pastagens de Brachiaria brizantha; o G3 composto por 29 búfalos adquiridos na Ilha do Marajó e introduzidos em pastagem de B. decumbens por aproximadamente 12 meses; o G4 composto por 17 búfalos adquiridos na Ilha de Marajó e introduzidos em pastagem de B. brizantha por aproximadamente 18 meses; e o G5 composto por 15 bovinos mantidos em pastagem de B. brizantha por aproximadamente 12 meses.Para avaliar a gravidade da lesão hepática foram estabelecidos graus de acordo com a quantidade e tamanho dos grupos de macrófagos espumosos, seguindo uma escala de 0 a 4. Nos animais do G1, provenientes da Ilha de Marajó, não foram observadas alterações histológicas significativas no fígado e linfonodos mesentéricos. Em todas as amostras dos grupos G2, G3 e G4 foram observados quantidades variáveis de macrófagos espumosos no fígado e linfonodos mesentéricos.Os animais dos grupos G2 e do G4, que permaneceram um período maior em pastagens de Brachiaria spp, apresentaram lesões mais acentuadas (P<0,05) de macrófagos espumosos do que os animais do G3...

Infiltration by foamy macrophages and other lesions are reported in healthy cattle held in Brachiaria spp. pastures. With the objective to study histologic lesions in the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes in buffalo in the state of Pará, samples of liver and lymph nodes of 142 buffalo Murah and 15 Nelore cattle were studied histologically. The samples were collected in an slaughterhouse and divided into groups of animals according to their origin and period of grazing Brachiaria spp. pastures. Group (G) 1 consisted of 79 buffalo from Marajó Island, raised in native pastures free of Brachiaria spp.; G2 was composed of 17 buffalo kept since birth in Brachiaria brizantha pastures; G3 was composed of 29 buffalo purchased in Marajó Island and introduced in B. decumbens pastures where they stayed for nearly 12 months; G4 consists of 17 buffalo purchased in Marajó Island and introduced in B. brizantha pastures where they stayed for nearly 18 months. G5 was composed of 15 Nelore cattle grazing B. brizantha during one year period. To assess the degree of liver injury, grades following a scale of 0 to 4 were established according to the quantity and size of groups of foamy macrophages. In G1, from the Marajó Island, there were no significant histological changes in liver and lymph nodes. Foamy macrophages and other lesions were observed in liver and lymph nodes of all samples from G1, G2, G3, and G4. The animals from G2 and G4, which remained a longer period in Brachiaria spp., showed more pronounced infiltration of foamy macrophages (P<0.05) than the animals of G3...

Histologic Changes in the Skin with Photoaging / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: In white people, a distinction between intrinsic aging and photoaging has been well documented in histologic studies. However, no histological studies to date have attempted to announce morphological changes with photoaged skin of Koreans. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the histologic change with advancing age between exposed skin and nonexposed skin of Koreans. METHODS: Twenty-one male volunteers between 20 and 80 years of age were recruited. The histochemical and immunhistochemical studies were performed with the skin obtained from face and buttock. RESULTS: With advancing age, there was a decreasing tendency in the epidermal thickness. However, there was no difference between exposed skin and non-exposed skin. Density of dopa-positive melanocytes was much higher in the face than in the buttock at all ages. Decline of melanocyte density with advancing age is not prominent in the facial skin. In the facial skin, accumulation of thickened degraded elastic fibers and a decrease in collagen fibers are evident with advancing age. In the facial skin, increase of acid mucopolysaccharides is also found with advancing age. CONCLUSION: Koreans, the histologic changes in the skin with photoaging are distinct from those in the skin with intrinsic aging.

Anatomic and Histologic Changes of the Testis after Long-Term Estrogen Exposure in Transsexuals / 대한남성과학회지

PURPOSE: To investigate the anatomic and histologic changes of testis as a result of long-term estrogen exposure on male MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen testes were harvested from 14 consecutive male-to-female transsexuals who had sex reassignment operation in Dong-A University Hospital from March 1991 to March 1997. Age at inception of estrogen therapy was 16 years to 24 years. The duration of estrogen therapy was 2-12 years (mean 7.4 years). The dose and method of estrogen treatment regimen was variable, but about 20 mg (intravenous) monthly during first year. Sperm analysis, volume of testis and histologic change of testis were compared to the duration of estrogen therapy. RESULTS: The mean volume of semen was 1.8 ml(0.5~3 ml), and oligozoospermia, azoospermia or asthenospermia were observed in 12 cases (85.7%) by means of sperm analysis. The mean volume of testis was 17.3 ml(15~23ml). In light microscopic examination of the testis, near-normal histologic finding was noted in 3 cases(21.4%), spermatocytic arrest in 8 cases(57.2%) and geminal cell aplasia in 3 cases (21.4%). CONCLUSION: As the duration of estrogen therapy was longer, there was a tendency that volume of semen, sperm count and motility were reduced and the histologic change of seminiferous tubules was severe. It was considered that the negative feedback of estrogen on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, the down regulation of estrogen receptors and the direct effect of estrogen might produce the adverse effect on male reproductive system by testicular change with maturation arrest, germ cell aplasia, end-stage testis and peritubular fibrosis and reduced fertility after long-term estrogen exposure.

Histological Changes in the Skin with Innate Ageing / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: It is a popular notion that cutaneous ageing includes two distinct phenomenon; true ageing, a universal presumably inevitable change attributable to the passage of time alone, and photoageing, changes attributable to chronic habitual sun exposure that are neither universal nor inevitable. Numerous investigations with experimental animals, in vitro skin models have been conducted, although, few histological studies to date have attempted to announce fundamental morphological changes with innate ageing. OBJECTIVE: We compared skin derived from the breast of old and young persons using light microscopy to discern structural changes in epidermal and dermal morphology with advancing age. METHODS: The histological, immunohistochemical studies were performed with normal skin sections of thirty donors who were diagnosed with breast cancer. They were classified into three age cohort groups; nine into group I (22 to 38), twelve into group II(40 to 52), and nine into group III(54 to 87). We chose the breast as an area that might closely resemble intrinsically aged skin. This region is relatively shielded from photoageing by its anatomical location. Analysis of data was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis and ANOVA test for dermal parameters based on a 5-point rating scale, and a simple regression test for a positive rate of immunoreactants. Results : 1. Light microscopic appearance of aged skin revealed a more flattened epidermis than young skin. There was no trend for an increase in epidermal melanin content per unit area on Fontana-Masson staining. There was an age-associated decrease in the Ki-67 positive rate(p<0.001), the density of Ki-67 positive cells declined approximately 1.16% per decade in photoprotected skin(p<0.001). The number of S-100 positive cells declined approximately 4.4/mm width along the dermo-epidermal juction per decade in photoprotected skin(p<0.001). The expression of differentiation markers(keratin 1, involucrin, filaggrin, loricrin) were not different among the three age cohort groups. 2. With advancing age, there was an attenuation in the number and diameter of elastic fibers in the papillary dermis and an increase in the number and straightness of the same fibers in the reticular dermis. The collagen fibers are arranged in sparse bundles in disarray, and/or aggregates of loosely woven, straight fibers in the aged skin. There was an apparent, age-related decrease in the stainability of ground substances in the papillary dermis on colloidal iron staining. Conclusions : Our data documents semi-quantitative differences among three groups in intrinsically aged breast skin and provide the framework for future research to evaluate the ageing process.

Sequential Studies of Glomerular Crescent Formation in Rabbits with Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane(GBM) Antibody Induced Glomerulonephritis(GN)

To investigate the mechanism of crescent formation, sequential pathologic changes from the New Zealand White rabbits with anti-GBM antibody induced GN by administration of guinea pig anti-GBM IgG were studied by light (LM), immunofluorescent (IF) and electron (EM) microscopy. Although no glomerular changes were observed in LM, swelling of the endothelial cells and the epithelial cells were noted in EM by day 2. By day 7, early and cellular crescents were evident. Proteinaceous materials and fibrins were noted in the glomerular capillary lumina (GCL) and Bowman's space (BS) associated with segmental hypercellularity. The GBM damage became progressively severe, followed by focal detachment of the visceral epithelial cells from the GBM. At day 14, fibrin strands, mononuclear cells and collagen fibrils were present between the proliferating extracapillary cells. At day 31, fibrocellular crescents were predominated. Elongated spindle cells, morphologically resembling myofibroblasts, were noted near the Bowman's capsule (BC). A degree of tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and inflammatory infiltrates increased as it did with fibrous organization of crescent. Intense linear IF staining for IgG and C3 were seen throughout the experiments along the GBM. In conclusion, the progression of crescent from an early "proteinaceous" stage through cellular, fibrocellular and fibrous stages was well documented in this study. Inflammatory cells and coagulation mechanism may activate the initiation of the GBM damage at the early stage. Activated periglomerular mononuclear cells may also cause disruption of BC which facilitates entry of activated periglomerular cells and fibroblasts into BS leading to progressive fibrous crescent formation.

Histological Changes Induced by Neurolysis: An Experimental Study on Rabbit Sciatic Nerve / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Several attempts have been made to assess the relative importance of the vasa nervorum and the intrinsic longitudinal vascular plexuses of nerve in maintaining the blood supply of a segment of nerve trunk, but the effect of mobilization on the ability of an injuried or repaired nerve to regenerate and regain function has been less certain and is the subject of these investigations. Thirty-two Korean rabbits of both sexes were used for these studies and we concluded that it is increased fibrosis with adhesion to surrounded tissues, loss of glistening and milk-like discoloration of never grossly, and increased degeneration and milk-like discoloration of nerve grossly, and increased degeneration of axons and demyelization progressively and early proliferated Schwann cells with increasing length of neurolysis. And there was no recovery of damage in nerve tissue induced by above 7 cm of neurolysis. (1:35)