Effects of oriental sweet gum storax on porcine wound healing.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of oriental sweet gum (Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) storax on partial-thickness and full-thickness wounds compared to conventional wound dressings in a porcine model. METHODS: Six young Yorkshire pigs were used. Sixteen square excisional wounds measuring 3 × 3 cm were performed per animal. The wounds were allocated to one of the four treatment modalities: storax, hydrocolloid dressing, silver sulfadiazine, and control groups. Partial-thickness wounds were created in two pigs, and tissue samples were harvested on days 4 and 8, respectively. Full-thickness wounds were created in four pigs, and tissue samples were taken on days 4, 8, 14, and 21, respectively. Histologically, all wounds were examined for re-epithelialization and granulation tissue formation. Tissue hydroxyproline content and wound contraction areas were measured. RESULTS: In storax-applied group, there was a greater depth of granulation tissue at 4 and 8 days compared to all other groups (p < .0125), and there was a faster re-epithelialization at 21 days compared to both hydrocolloid dressing and control groups in full-thickness wounds (p < .0125). Tissue hydroxyproline content and wound contraction did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that topical application of storax enhanced both re-epithelialization and granulation tissue formation in full-thickness wounds. Further studies are indicated in this important area of wound healing research to evaluate the clinical efficacy of this storax and search for the mechanisms that explain its effects.

Diagnostic dilemma in cytologic features of micropapillary carcinoma of the breast: a report of 2 cases.

BACKGROUND: Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) is a rare type of breast carcinoma with unique mophologic features and high frequency of axillary lymph node metastasis. Recognizing the IMPC on cytology makes it possible to identify a group of patients with a poor prognosis and may alter the adjuvant treatment. CASES: We reviewed the cytologic features of a 2 IMPC cases 50-year-old women. Both cases included conventional findings of IMPC, such as increased cellularity, cell clusters with angular and papillary configuration without a fibrovascular core, tumor clusters showing an "inside-out" pattern and the presence of single discohesive cells. Of interest, both cases included a few malignant-appearing multinucleated giant cells. The slides of 1 case were included a little mucin in the background of tumor diathesis. There were no psammoma bodies in the smears. CONCLUSION: The cytologic features of IMPC are unique and should be recognized because of its' tendency to infiltrate the axillary lymph nodes. In addition to well-known cytologic features of IMPC, multinucleated giant cells and a scanty amount of mucin should also alert the cytopathologist to the possibility of IMPC.

No strong association between HER-2/neu protein overexpression and gene amplification in high-grade invasive urothelial carcinomas.

The generation of urothelial carcinoma is caused by the accumulation of various molecular changes, as in most malignancies. There are conflicting data about the status of HER-2/neu oncogene in urothelial carcinomas. The aim of this study was to determine the status of HER-2/neu oncogene in high-grade invasive urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder both in protein and DNA level. We evaluated HER-2/neu protein overexpression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene amplification by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and real-time quantitative PCR in paraffin-embedded samples of high-grade invasive urothelial carcinoma obtained from 36 patients. Polysomy 17 was also assessed by FISH. Immunohistochemically, HER-2/neu protein overexpression was observed in 22 (61.1%) tumors (ten tumors with score 3+ and 12 with score 2+). Fourteen of 36 tumors (38.9%) were evaluated as negative (score 0 or 1+). Complete concordance between FISH and the PCR was seen in all of the samples scored as 0 and 1+ by IHC. HER-2/neu gene amplification was observed in three of 27 (11.1%) tumors by FISH (nine samples were non-informative) and in eight of 36 (22.2%) tumors by the PCR. The complete concordance between HER2-2/neu protein overexpression and gene amplification was seen only in three of 27 tumors. Polysomy 17 was seen in nine tumors (33.3%). The results indicated that, in contrast to breast cancer, there was no strong association between HER-2/neu overexpression and gene amplification in invasive urothelial carcinomas, and polysomy 17 was higher in tumors showing HER-2/neu overexpression.

Giant lipoleiomyoma of the uterine corpus.

OBJECTIVE: Lipoleiomyoma is a rare and easily recognized, benign uterine fatty tumor, composed of an admixture of mature adipocytes and smooth-muscle cells. They may associate with metabolic disorders and rarely reach giant size. CASE: We report a case of symptomatic giant lipoleiomyoma of the uterine corpus that may be associated with diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism. CONCLUSION: Lipoleiomyoma must be thought in the differential diagnosis of the giant uterine tumors and should be removed when diagnosed, because malignancy cannot otherwise be excluded. Also the peculiar features of this giant neoplasm, histogenesis, concomitant metabolic disorders and the diagnostic methods are discussed.