Teratomas of the ovary: a clinico-pathological evaluation of 87 patients from one institution during a 10-year period.

AIM: To present the classification and diagnostic problems encountered between teratomas and other ovarian tumors as well as with other benign entities diagnosed and treated in our institution. METHODS: We analysed retrospectively the clinical and pathological characteristics of 87 teratomas examined in our hospital during the last ten years. RESULTS: Teratomas constituted 5% of all ovarian tumors. The age range was from 11-69 years old (median: 35). The most frequent symptom was lower abdominal pain in 68% of patients. A pelvic mass was noted in 3% of cases. A pregnancy was present in 3% of patients. In ten cases the tumors were bilateral. Tumor size ranged from 1-16 cm in diameter (median: 7.17 cm). The treatment consisted of cystectomy in 66% of the cases, oophorectomy in 23% or hysterectomy with both adnexa in 11% of cases. Fifty-seven cases presented with a histological diagnosis of mature teratoma, biphasic or triphasic type, three cases with monodermal teratoma, ten cases with ovarian neoplasms of mixed type, 15 cases with epidermal cysts, and two cases with benign cysts. Malignant changes within the teratomas were seen in 5% cases. CONCLUSION: Teratomas are common ovarian tumors at any age, especially during the reproductive age, with a low rate of complications and malignant transformation. The treatment should be based on patient age, fertility status, tumor size, the cystic or solid nature of the tumor and bilaterality.

Clinicopathological study of vascular tumors of the breast: a series of ten patients with a long follow-up.

Ten cases of vascular tumors of the breast were examined in our laboratory during the last decade (1992-2001). Nine patients were female and one male (ages 31-77, average 52 years). Six patients presented parenchymal vascular lesions (1 angiosarcoma, 1 atypical hemangioma, 3 perilobular hemangiomas, 1 cavernous hemangioma) measuring 0.5-6 cm in the greatest diameter. Two lesions were accidental findings in lumpectomy specimens excised for fibrocystic disease with microcalcifications. Four patients presented non-parenchymal vascular lesions: three cavermous hemangiomas (one in a male patient) and one angiolipoma measuring 1-6 cm in diameter. All tumors were treated by lumpectomy with the exception of the atypical hemangioma which was treated by simple mastectomy. The patient with the angiosarcoma was treated by simple mastectomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy and died with disseminated disease three years after initial diagnosis. All other patients are well up to date (follow-up 1-9 years).

Immunohistochemical study of p185 HER2 and DF3 in primary breast cancer and correlation with CA-15-3 serum tumor marker.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (p185 HER2) oncoprotein immunohistochemical expression and DF3 antigen distribution were evaluated in 129 patients with primary breast cancer. p185 HER2 overexpession was positively correlated with the degree of differentiation, metastatic disease, progesterone receptors, and cytoplasmic distribution of DF3 antigen. p185 HER2 overexpression had prognostic significance for the disease-free interval.