Neoplastic effects of exemestane in premenopausal breast cancer model.

Aromatase inhibitor exemestane as a single - agent has no established role in the treatment of premenopausal breast cancer women. The aim of this study was to evaluate preventive effects of exemestane in the model of premenopausal Nmethyl- N-nitrosourea - induced mammary carcinogenesis in female rats. Exemestane treatment begun 7 days prior to carcinogen administration and continued next 12 weeks - till the end of experiment. Exemestane was dietary administered in two concentrations of 1 mg / 1kg (EXE 1), or 10 mg/1 kg (EXE 10), respectively. Exemestane increased the tumor frequency by 80.5 % (P=0.034) in the group EXE 1 and by 61.5 % (P=0.045) in the group EXE 10 in comparison with control animals. In the group EXE 10, the incidence of mammary tumors was increased by 11.5 % (P=0.31) and tumor volume by 41.5 % (P=0.23), also the latency was shortened by 8 days (P=0.078) compared with controls. In the groups with exemestane, changes in weights and histology of uterus and vagina were not found at the end of experiment. Exemestane did not alter serum concentrations of estradiol, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone. In the group EXE 10 in comparison with untreated animals, exemestane decreased serum concentrations of triacylglycerols by 9 % (P=0.032), total cholesterol by 19.5 % (P=0.0002) and cholesterol of low - density and high - density lipoprotein fractions by 41 % (P<0.0001), or 21.5 % (P=0.0002), respectively. In the group EXE 1, the decrease in cholesterol of low-density lipoprotein fraction by 22.5 % (P=0.0005) was recorded. An increase in food intake (P=0.023) and body weight gain (P=0.036) was found in the group EXE 10 compared with the control group (P<0.05). The present study points to apparent tumor - promoting effects of dietary administered exemestane in the model of premenopausal mammary carcinogenesis in female rats. Exemestane as a steroidal agent indicated androgenic effects on rat lipid metabolism in this experiment.

Preventive effects of letrozole in the model of premenopausal mammary carcinogenesis.

Single - agent therapy with aromatase inhibitors has no established role in premenopausal women with breast cancer. In this study, tumor suppressive effects of letrozole in the prevention of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea - induced mammary carcinogenesis in female Sprague-Dawley rats were evaluated. Letrozole was dietary administered in two concentrations - 1 mg/1 kg (LETRO 1), and 10 mg/1 kg (LETRO 10). Letrozole suppressed incidence of mammary gland cancer by 93 % (P<0.00002) in the group LETRO 1 in comparison with control animals. Total suppression of mammary carcinogenesis was observed in the group LETRO 10. In the groups with letrozole, uterine and vaginal atrophy was found at the end of experiment. In letrozole - treated animals in comparison with untreated animals, increased plasmatic triacylglycerol concentrations (P<0.0001) were observed, but total cholesterol and cholesterol of low- and high- density lipoprotein fractions were not significantly changed. An increase in body weight gain and food intake was found in the groups LETRO 1 and LETRO 10 compared with the control group (P<0.0001). The present study points to high tumor suppressive effects of letrozole in premenopausal model of mammary carcinogenesis in female rats.

[Bloch-Sulzberg syndrome in pathology]. / Blochov-Sulzbergov syndróm v patológii.

The authors present some pathological findings in the skin and hair of the child affected by rather rare Bloch-Sulzberg syndrome manifested in incontinentia pigmenti, followed for 10 years. In this work are presented also some recent data about pathogenesis of the disease with X-chromosome dominant heredity, primary of neuroectodermal origincaused by mutation of nuclear factor kappa-B of essential modulator (NEMO) of the gene (chromosomal locus Xq28).

[Diagnostic procedures in skin adnexal tumours]. / Diagnostika adnexálnych tumorov koze.

From histogenetic, morphologic and immunohistochemical point of view the authors try to make possible algorithms that can be employed in a routine diagnosis of adnexal skin tumours. They stress the importance of knowledge of clinical data necessary for orientation classification of tumour skin lesions after biopsies. The authors translated their obtained data into survey tables to be used as guidelines in a routine bioptic practice.

[Granulomatous skin disease after an exotic injury]. / Granulomatózne ochorenie koze po exotickom poranení.

Piranhas are feared freshwater fishes commonly found in the waters of southern Venezuela to the north of Argentina. At present this species is a favourite domesticated article of our aquarists. The authors describe the histopathologic picture of a cutaneous lesion of the right hand thumb of a 60-year old piranha keeper who was bitten by this predatory fish. A firm node with increasing soreness gradually developed in the area of the lesion, and after 7 months the symptoms of the carpal tunnel syndrome were also present. Granulomatous foci--some sarcoid-like, others with central necrosis--were permeated with fibrinoid substance. Epithelioid granuloma cells with huge incorporated multinuclear elements were covered mainly by T-lymphocytes. Ziehl-Neelsen stain did not prove the presence of diagnostic acid-fast rods. Only in some macrophages rare acid-fast spheric microstructures were present in the cytoplasm. Both the local dermatologic finding and histological examination gave evidence that the skin was infected with atypical mycobacteria--swimming pool granuloma.

[Quantitative changes in CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes in the skin of patients with psoriasis treated with cyclosporin A]. / Numerické zmeny T-lymfocytov CD4+ a CD8+ v kozi psoriatikov liecených cyklosporínom A.

Many things are still not clear in the etiopathogenesis of psoriasis. Health workers in various branches of medicine and even those working in other professions linked with medicine can contribute to gaining more knowledge about its etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis or treatment. This work presents results from observations of 19 patients with a severe form of psoriasis. Material for immunohistopathological examinations was taken from the margins of chronic psoriatic sites twice from each patient: before treatment and after a 4-week treatment by cyclosporin A. Numeric value of CD4+ T lymphocytes, CD8+ T lymphocytes, their ratios and the values of PASI score were followed. Significant decrease in CD4 T lymphocytes and slight decrease in CD8+ T lymphocytes where observed after treatment. The CD4+:CD8+ ratio dropped from the values of 2.10 to 1.68. A dramatic decrease in PASI score was observed--from the average value of 23.34 to the average value of 11.97. The authors compare and discuss the results of similar cytophotometric studies found in the works of other researchers, but this type of results (CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes subpopulations) is very rare in available literature. The decreases found in all studied parametres correspond with clinically well-known treatment effect of cyclosporin A whose immunomodulating effect is targeted mainly at the T lymphocyte inflammatory population.

[Microstructure of subcutaneous lesions in juvenile hyaline fibromatosis]. / Mikrostruktúra podkozných lézií juvenilnej hyalínovej fibromatózy.

Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis is a rare autosomal recessive interstitial disease characterized by nodes and tumours of skin and soft tissues as well as by gingival hyperplasia. The authors described a case of 28-year-old male based on histopathological diagnosis. The patient was admitted to the hospital thrice in his life with the diagnosis of arthrogryphosis. Last time he presented with extensive secondary impetigo in extremities and pachydermia, polymalformation syndrome, multiple subcutaneous tumours, gingival hypertrophy, contractures, osteolytic lesions and positive family history. In histology, tumoriform lesions showed a structureless hyaline matrix often with chondroosseous metaplasia and calcium salts. More or less numerous cells in the matrix had a fibroblastoid appearance with eosinophilic cytoplasm, oval nuclei and frequently pericytoplasmic halo. Electron microscopy revealed dilated cisterns of rough endoplasmic reticulum and a hypertrophied Golgi apparatus. Particles representing calcium salts according to their density were rare. Immunohistochemistry of tumour cells showed vimentin, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin and alpha-1-antitrypsin. The findings concurred with the literature in which, nevertheless, the immunohistochemical picture were not mentioned.

[Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis]. / Juvenilná hyalínová fibromatóza.

BACKGROUND: Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis is a sporadic hereditary disease with autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, characterized by the presence of nodules and tumours in the skin and soft tissues and gingival hyperplasia. The majority of patients are growth retarded, suffer from joint disorders, contractures, osteolytic lesions and have a positive family history. The disease most frequently occurs in children, but may be diagnosed also in adults. Since 1873, when the disease was described by Murray, only a few cases were introduced in the literature. THE AIM AND THE BASIS OF THE STUDY: To present the clinical pattern of a patient diagnosed at the age of 28 and describe also the histopathological, immunohistological and electron-microscopic findings of excisions from the lesions. METHODS: The pathologist in cooperation with clinicians from several disciplines established the diagnosis on the basis of typical histopathological picture and additional immunohistological tests not yet introduced in the literature. RESULTS: Tumorous lesions contained hyaline structureless matrix often with chondroid or even osteoid metaplasia, calcium salts. The matrix contained numerous fibroblastoid-like cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, oval nucleus and often pericytoplasmic halo. ELMI investigation revealed dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and hypertrophic Golgi apparatus. Sporadically were particles with calcium salts density detected. Immunohistochemical tests revealed the expression of vimentin, alfa1-antitrypsin and alfa1-antichymotripsin by the tumorous cells. CONCLUSION: The authors presented an extremely sporadic childhood disease in an adult. The results are in accordance with the data from the literature. Immunohistochemical picture of "cementicles" has not yet been introduced in the available literature. (Fig. 12, Ref. 25.)

[Pathologic interpretation and clinical aspects of invasive basalioma]. / Invazívny bazalióm v interpretácii patológa a klinika.

Bioptic evaluations of basaliomas require from pathologists to perform histogenetic classification, type ascertainment, TNM system classification, as well as detection of the presence or absence of tumor elements on the margins and base of excisions. The systems of histologic type classification of basaliomas utilized by pathologists are inconsistent with the terminology used by clinicians. The presented work is aimed at correlation of the current terminology of invasive basaliomas from the view of dermatologists and pathologists. The method of retrospective study was used, namely in a 100 cases of histologically verified basaliomas followed by comparisons with clinical diagnoses and catamnestic data. Average age in male patients was 66.4 year, and 67.6 year in female patients. 11 cases of histologically ascertained types of basaliomas included two cases of invasive biological characteristics detected at control examinations after 3 months, while the margins and base of the former excisions were without tumor elements. In none of the 9 cases of clinically judged invasive basaliomas the histologic picture yielded signs of tumor invasiveness. The results imply that the clinical diagnosis of a variant of basalioma may represent information of its presupposed characteristics. An important task of a pathologist is however to notify by means of accurate ascertainment of the histologic variant in cases of morpheaphorm and fibroepithelial basalioma the possible invasive character of the particular tumor. (Tab. 4, Ref. 14.)