HPV genotypes concordance between sex partners.

The HPV genotype concordance in the sexual couples could support the sexual viral transmission of HPV infection. The present study contains a case-report of a stable Italian sex couple harbouring the same five HPV genotypes in their genital samples. The female partner, affected by vulvar condilomatosis, evidenced positivity in her cervicovaginal scraping with high risk HPV DNA Hybrid Capture 2 test and was negative at liquid-based performed Pap Test and at colposcopic examination. The male partner was clinically healthy regarding his external genitalia. In both male and female genital scrapings, the following HPV genotypes were detected by means of a PCR-based assay: 6, 16, 53, 73 and 84. This considerably high genotype concordance does not appear to be casual and supports, in our opinion, the hypothesis that genital HPV types are sexually transmitted agents

Vulvar squamous carcinoma: prognostic role of DNA content.

DNA nuclear content was evaluated on 46 paraffin-embedded blocks of vulvar cancer by means of flow cytometry. Fifteen of 44 evaluable samples (34%) were found to have an aneuploid DNA pattern. Aneuplody showed a statistically significant relationship with tumor grading (P = 0.0004) and defined a subset of patients who have pathological characteristics of high risk, such as advanced stage of disease, deepest stromal invasion, or positive inguinal nodes. However, when a multivariate regression model was used, ploidy status did not have any prognostic role, while FIGO staging system was confirmed to be the strongest independent prognostic factor (P = 0.009). The integration of a panel of cell kinetic parameters with traditional features is worth investigating on a larger population.

Leiomyosarcomas of the small intestine misdiagnosed as ovarian masses: report of three cases.

Leiomyosarcomas of the small intestine are rare lesions. Because of their aspecific symptoms, diagnosis is often made at a late stage and, in women, must be distinguished from ovarian tumors. Three cases of large, abdominal masses, evaluated preoperatively as being ovarian tumors, are presented. At histology all three were diagnosed as leiomyosarcomas of the small intestine.

Postmenopausal endometrial hyperplasia: role of danazol therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the effectiveness of danazol in the management of simple or complex endometrial hyperplasia without atypical features, as has been demonstrated previously. METHODS: Seventy-six patients affected by postmenopausal histologically-confirmed endometrial hyperplasia with uterine bleeding were submitted to danazol therapy at a dose of 400 mg/day for 3 consecutive months. RESULTS: After cessation of treatment, 82.8% of the patients (63/76 enrolled) showed a conversion of the hyperplasia into atrophic (65.8%), secretory (11.9%) or proliferative (4.2%) endometrium at the histological examination. Uterine bleeding disappeared, during the therapy, in 90% of the responders (59/63). CONCLUSIONS: Although 17.1% of the women had a persistence of the hyperplasia and 8.4% of the symptom-free women relapsed after 4 months of follow-up, this experience confirms the effectiveness of danazol therapy in hyperplastic endometrial lesions. Nevertheless, a study comparing danazol and progestin therapy is required.

[Paraneoplastic erythema associated with a carcinoma of the cervix. Our experience]. / Eritema paraneoplastico associato a cervicocarcinoma. Nostra esperienza.

The authors report a case of bullous erythema observed in a young woman affected with II B stage carcinoma of the cervix, whose clinical course was likely to be a paraneoplastic lesion. The aim of the report is to outline such a rare association between a dermatologic pattern and a gynecologic tumor and to synthesize the literature's data concerning this matter.