ABSTRACT
A 65-year-old black woman was found to have a 3.0 cm endometrial tumor that was a carcinosarcoma with a major epithelial and a less prominent mesenchymal component. The latter was undifferentiated but one focus of chondroid differentiation was noted. The former showed papillary serous differentiation. Melanin pigment was observed in both epithelial and mesenchymal components. Staining with antisera to S100 protein and HMB-45 confirmed the presence of melanocytes. An endocervical focus of tumor also contained melanin. Electron-microscopic studies showed large tumor cells with an irregularly indented nucleus and abnormal giant cytoplasmic melanosomes. Only one case of uterine carcinosarcoma with melanocytic differentiation has been previously reported.
Subject(s)
Carcinosarcoma/diagnosis , Carcinosarcoma/pathology , Cell Differentiation , Melanocytes/pathology , Uterine Neoplasms/diagnosis , Uterine Neoplasms/pathology , Aged , Antigens, Neoplasm , Carcinosarcoma/chemistry , Cell Nucleus/pathology , Cytoplasm/pathology , Female , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Melanins/analysis , Melanoma-Specific Antigens , Melanosomes/pathology , Microscopy, Electron , Neoplasm Proteins/analysis , Obesity/complications , S100 Proteins/analysis , Uterine Neoplasms/chemistryABSTRACT
Schistosomiasis is endemic in many areas of South Africa, particularly the northern and eastern Transvaal. At Ga-Rankuwa Hospital in the northern Transvaal, 30 km north-west of Pretoria, spinal cord disease is common. In a substantial proportion of these cases no obvious cause for the condition can be found. In an attempt to draw attention to schistosomiasis as a possibly underdiagnosed cause of spinal cord disease, 3 cases of schistosomiasis of the spinal cord seen over a period of 3 years are reported. These 3 patients had histological evidence of spinal schistosomiasis. Because myelography of the spinal cord is often non-contributory in schistosomal involvement, it is suggested that patients with 'myelopathy of unknown origin' who come from an endemic area be given a therapeutic trial of praziquantel, especially if the serological findings are positive for schistosomiasis and the lower cord is involved.
Subject(s)
Schistosomiasis haematobia/diagnosis , Schistosomiasis mansoni/diagnosis , Spinal Cord Diseases/diagnosis , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Schistosomiasis haematobia/epidemiology , Schistosomiasis mansoni/epidemiology , South Africa/epidemiology , Spinal Cord Diseases/epidemiologyABSTRACT
One hundred previously untreated Black male patients presenting with genital ulceration were seen as outpatients at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital, Pretoria. Syphilis was the commonest cause of ulceration, being present alone in 33% of patients. Chancroid occurred almost as frequently, being found alone in 28% of cases. A double infection with both syphilis and chancroid occurred in a further 16%. Herpes genitalis was found alone in 4% and together with chancroid in 1%. One patient was found to have granuloma inguinale and another had lymphogranuloma venereum. In 16% of the patients no cause for the ulcerations could be found.
