Primary gynaecological tumours mistaken for metastases: report of two cases with review of literature.

We describe two neoplasms of rare occurrence, one of ovarian and the other of uterine origin that were sent for consultation. Both lesions were diagnosed as metastatic carcinomas by pathologists with special interest in gynaecological pathology. The cases were referred for a second opinion because of subsequent failure to identify the primary source. We discuss the differential diagnoses, the need for generous sampling particularly in ovarian mucinous neoplasms and the value of including particular antibodies in the panel to aid the diagnostic process. Metastatic tumours mimicking primary tumours are always challenging. These two cases illustrate the need to be vigilant against the reverse scenario as well.

The association between polycystic ovaries and endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are assumed to be at increased risk of endometrial cancer (EC), albeit of a more differentiated type with better prognosis than in normal women. This study was designed to test these assumptions, as evidence for them is lacking. METHODS: The prevalence of polycystic ovaries (PCO), as a marker of PCOS, was investigated in ovarian sections from 128 women with EC and 83 with benign gynaecological conditions. The expression of the prognostic markers p53, Ki67, Bcl2 and cyclin D1 was also investigated by immunohistochemistry in endometrial tumours from 11 women with PCO and 16 with normal ovaries. RESULTS: Overall, PCO were similarly prevalent in women with EC (8.6%) and benign controls (8.4%); however, in women aged <50 years, PCO were more prevalent in women with EC (62.5 versus 27.3%, P = 0.033). Cyclin D1-expressing endometrial tumours tended to be more prevalent in women with PCO compared to normal ovaries (36.4 versus 6.25%, respectively, P = 0.071). Bcl2-, p53- and Ki67-expressing tumours were similarly prevalent. CONCLUSIONS: The association between PCOS and EC appears confined to premenopausal women. The tendency for cyclin D1-expressing endometrial tumours to be more prevalent in women with PCO challenges the assumption that EC prognosis is improved in women with PCOS.

Increasing trend of HIV seroprevalence among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Pune, India.

A total of 4618 tuberculosis patients attending the TB clinic at the Sassoon General Hospitals, Pune between 1991 and 1996 were screened for anti-HIV antibodies. Of these 694 were found reactive in enzyme immuno assay (EIA) and 624 were further confirmed by a second test, either rapid EIA or Western blot. HIV-1 reactivity was predominant among tuberculosis patients with HIV-2 reactivity appearing only in 1995. HIV-2 seroreactivity accounted for 0.54 and 1.02 per cent of all HIV reactive samples in 1995 and 1996. HIV-1 and HIV-2 dual reactivity accounted for 1.63 and 2.04 per cent of all infections in 1995 and 1996. The overall seroprevalence of HIV among newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients rose from 3.2 per cent in 1991 to 20.1 per cent in 1996.

PIP: A total of 4618 tuberculosis (TB) patients attending the TB clinic at the Sassoon General Hospitals, Pune, India, between 1991 and 1996 were screened for anti-HIV antibodies. Of these, 694 were found reactive in enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and 624 were further confirmed by a second test, either rapid EIA or Western blot. HIV-1 reactivity was predominant among tuberculosis patients, with HIV-2 reactivity appearing only in 1995. HIV-2 seroreactivity accounted for 0.54% and 1.02% of all HIV reactive samples in 1995 and 1996. HIV-1 and HIV-2 dual reactivity accounted for 1.63% and 2.04% of all infections in 1995 and 1996. The overall seroprevalence of HIV among newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients rose from 3.2% in 1991 to 20.1% in 1996.

5-fluorouracil iontophoretic therapy for Bowen's disease.

BACKGROUND: Topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is an accepted therapy for Bowen's disease. Recurrences with this method have been attributed to deep follicular involvement and poor patient compliance because of the prolonged treatment time required. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether iontophoresis of 5-FU is an effective therapy for Bowen's disease. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with biopsy-proven Bowen's disease received eight 5-FU iontophoretic treatments in 4 weeks. Local excision was done 3 months after the last treatment. The specimens were step-sectioned and evaluated for any histologic evidence of bowenoid changes. RESULTS: Only 1 of 26 patients showed histologic evidence of Bowen's disease 3 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: 5-FU iontophoresis appears to be a safe, effective, and well-tolerated therapy for Bowen's disease.

Evidence for high prevalence & rapid transmission of HIV among individuals attending STD clinics in Pune, India.

Prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 infection among persons attending two STD clinics in Pune between May 1993 and October 1995 are reported. On screening 5321 persons, the overall prevalence of HIV-1 infection was found to be 21.2 per cent, being higher in females (32.3%) than in males (19.3%). Analysis of behavioural and biological factors showed that old age, sex work, lifetime number of sexual partners, receptive anal sex, lack of circumcision, genital diseases and lack of formal education were related to a higher HIV-1 seroprevalence. The observed incidence rate of 10.2 per cent per year was very high, much higher in women than in men (14.2% and 9.5% per year respectively) and over three times higher among the sex workers. Females in sex work, males having recent contacts with female sex workers (FSWs) and living away from the family and persons with previous or present genital diseases had a higher risk of seroconversion. Condom usage was shown to have a protective effect in seroprevalence and seroincidence analysis. With limited available resources and lack of a suitable vaccine or a drug, long-term prevention policy of creating awareness in the community must be supplemented by strengthening STD control measures and promotion of condom use and safe sex. Factors related to availability and utilization of condoms must be carefully investigated.

Evaluation of the American Academy of Dermatology's National Skin Cancer Early Detection and Screening Program.

BACKGROUND: Increasing incidence and mortality rates from cutaneous melanoma are a major public health concern. As part of a national effort to enhance early detection of melanoma/skin cancer, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has sponsored an annual education and early detection program that couples provision of skin cancer information to the general public with almost 750,000 free skin cancer examinations (1985-1994). OBJECTIVE: To begin to evaluate the impact of this effort, we determined the final pathology diagnosis of persons attending the 1992-1994 programs who had a suspected melanoma at the time of examination. METHODS: We directly contacted all such persons by telephone or mail and received pathology reports from those who had a subsequent biopsy. RESULTS: We contacted 96% of the 4458 persons with such lesions among the 282,555 screenings in the 1992-1994 programs. We obtained a final diagnosis for 72%, and the positive predictive value for melanoma was 17%. Three hundred seventy-one melanomas were found in 364 persons. More than 98% had localized disease. More than 90% of the confirmed melanomas with known histology were in situ or "thin" lesions (< or = 1.50 mm thick). The median thickness of all melanomas was 0.30 mm. The 8.3% of AAD cases with advanced melanoma (metastatic disease, regional disease, or lesions > or = 1.51 mm) is a lower proportion than that reported by the 1990 Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result Registry. The rate of thickest lesions (> or = 4 mm) and late-stage melanomas among all participants was 2.83 per 100,000 population. Of persons with a confirmed melanoma, 39% indicated (before their examination) that without the free program, they would not have considered having a physician examine their skin. CONCLUSION: The 1992-1994 free AAD programs disseminated broad skin cancer educational messages, enabled thousands to obtain a free expert skin cancer examination, and found mostly thin, localized stage 1 melanomas (usually associated with a high projected 5-year survival rate). Because biases impose possible limitations, future studies with long-term follow-up and formal control groups should determine the impact of early detection programs on melanoma mortality.

Neurosonographic abnormalities associated with maternal history of cocaine use in neonates of appropriate size for their gestational age.

PURPOSE: To determine whether increased incidence of neurosonographic abnormalities (predominantly of the basal ganglia and thalamus) in cocaine-exposed neonates who are small for their gestational age is attributable to the cocaine or to neonatal size. METHODS: Neonates whose sizes were appropriate for their gestational age with no evidence of hypoxia or respiratory distress were identified prospectively by a maternal history of cocaine use. Scans were performed within 72 hours of birth using a 7.5-MHz transducer following a standard protocol. The images were analyzed without access to patient information. Forty study neonates were compared with 34 control subjects who were appropriate in size for their gestational age, scanned using the same protocol. Comparisons were made using Fisher Exact Test, t test, and logistic regression. RESULTS: No control infant had neurosonographic abnormalities. In the study group, gestational age ranged from 27 to 41 weeks. Of the 40 study neonates, 14 (35%) had one neurosonographic abnormality; two had two abnormalities. The predominant lesion was focal echolucencies, mainly in the area of the basal ganglia (10 of 40, 25%). Other findings were caudate echogenicity (3 of 40, 7.5%), ventricular dilation (2 of 40, 5%) and one "moth-eaten" appearance of the thalamus. Lesions were more likely approaching term and were not related to prematurity or alcohol use. CONCLUSION: Apparently normal neonates with a maternal history of cocaine use are likely to have degenerative changes or focal infarctions in their basal ganglia attributable to cocaine. Neurosonography should be used to evaluate these neonates. The long-term significance of these lesions needs further evaluation.

Neurosonographic imaging of small-for-gestational-age neonates exposed and not exposed to cocaine and cytomegalovirus.

We sought to prospectively identify the role of neurosonography in the evaluation of a consecutive group of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates, and also to identify the association of neurosonographic findings with cocaine exposure and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Neurosonographic imaging was performed in 180 SGA neonates within 72 hours of birth. Urine samples were screened for CMV and cocaine metabolites (CM) in all cases. Sixty-five neonates (37.5%) had an abnormal neurosonographic appearance. Nine neonates were positive for CMV and 31 neonates were positive for CM. Focal echolucencies (27), ventricular dilation (27), and subependymal hemorrhages (12) were the most common neurosonographic abnormalities. The first two were more common with CM (p < .05). An abnormal neurosonographic pattern was seen more often in SGA neonates with CM (54.8%, 17 of 31; p < .05) and CMV (67%, 6 of 9; p < .01) as compared with the rest (32.6%, 44 of 135; p < .01). Among those without CM or CMV, prematurity was associated with an increased risk for abnormality (p < .001 between groups), specifically subependymal hemorrhage, ventricular dilation, and porencephalic cysts. Five CMV-positive neonates showed periventricular, echogenic foci mainly in the area of the frontal horn. Two new findings with SGA were caudate nucleus echogenicity and a "moth-eaten" appearance of the thalamus, each found in three infants. Neurosonographic imaging is useful in the evaluation of SGA neonates. Focal echolucencies and caudate echogenicity suggest maternal cocaine use, and periventricular echogenic foci strongly suggest fetal CMV infection.

Long-term therapy with low-dose isotretinoin for prevention of basal cell carcinoma: a multicenter clinical trial. Isotretinoin-Basal Cell Carcinoma Study Group.

BACKGROUND: High-dose isotretinoin has been reported to have a prophylactic effect on nonmelanoma skin cancer, although it is associated with significant toxicity. PURPOSE: To test the effectiveness of the long-term administration of low-dose isotretinoin in reducing the occurrence of basal cell carcinoma at a new site in patients with previously treated basal cell carcinomas and to measure the toxicity associated with this regimen, we conducted a clinical trial at eight cancer centers. METHODS: Nine hundred and eighty-one patients with two or more previously confirmed basal cell carcinomas were randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg of isotretinoin or a placebo daily. Patients were followed for 36 months and monitored at 6-month intervals for skin cancer and toxic effects. RESULTS: After 36 months of treatment, no statistically significant difference in either the cumulative percent of patients with an occurrence of basal cell carcinoma at a new site or the annual rate of basal cell carcinoma formation existed between patients receiving isotretinoin and those receiving the placebo. Elevated serum triglycerides, hyperostotic axial skeletal changes, and mucocutaneous reactions were more frequent in the group receiving isotretinoin than in the control group, and these differences were all statistically significant (P less than .001). CONCLUSION: This low-dose regimen of isotretinoin not only is ineffective in reducing the occurrence of basal cell carcinoma at new sites in patients with two or more previously treated basal cell carcinomas but also is associated with significant adverse systemic effects. IMPLICATION: The toxicity associated with the long-term administration of isotretinoin, even at the low dose used in this trial, must be weighted in planning future prevention trials.

Benzyl alcohol toxicity in a neonatal intensive care unit. Incidence, symptomatology, and mortality.

We unknowingly "screened" all NICU infants for elevated levels of serum benzyl alcohol (Bz-OH) over a three-month period. The fortuitous "screening" procedure resulted from the interference by Bz-OH with a routine blood CO2 assay used for all infants; validity was proved by (1) replication of the interference pattern with Bz-OH or benzoic acid; (2) confirmation of elevated benzoic acid levels in serum in two of the four screening positive infants tested but not in control infants, and (3) disappearance of the interference patterns when Bz-OH solutions were discontinued in affected infants. Screened Bz-OH-positive infants were compared to screened negative control infants, matched for weight (less than 1000 g), severity of RDS (on respirators), exposure to Bz-OH, and survival for longer than 48 hours. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), metabolic acidosis appearing prior to IVH, and mortality were increased in Bz-OH-positive infants (P less than .05 in each case); hyperbilirubinemia and thrombocytopenia were not. Gasping respirations were not a major symptom. It is concluded that Bz-OH poisoning was a major cause of morbidity and mortality in NICU infants weighing less than 1000 g at birth during the three-month screening period. A retrospective review of patient records covering a 16-month period showed significant improvement in the survival rate of infants weighing less than 1000 g following the discontinuation of Bz-OH solutions.