IMP3 expression in serous tumors of the ovary.

Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein (IMP3) is an oncofetal protein involved in embryogenesis, which is expressed in a variety of malignant neoplasms. It is rarely expressed in normal adult tissue and benign tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of IMP3 in benign and malignant serous tumors of the ovary. Seventy-nine ovarian tumors were examined for IMP3 expression by immunohistochemical analysis, comprising 16 benign serous tumors, 19 borderline serous tumors, and 44 serous carcinomas. Positive staining was defined as brown staining in the cytoplasm. Negative staining was defined as absent staining or staining of <5% of tumor cells. The intensity of staining (weak, moderate, and strong) and percentage (0% to 100%) of neoplastic cells staining positive for cytoplasmic IMP3 staining were recorded in each case. Moderate to strong cytoplasmic staining for IMP3 was observed in 30 of 44 (68%) serous carcinomas of the ovary; in contrast, <5% of the borderline and benign serous tumors expressed IMP3 ranging from weak to strong cytoplasmic staining. Statistically, the difference in IMP3 expression between these groups of tumors was highly significant (P<0.0001). Our findings demonstrate moderate to strong expression of IMP3 in the majority of ovarian serous carcinomas as compared with benign/borderline serous tumors, which demonstrated weak to strong expression in a small minority (<5%) of the tumors. Thus, IMP3 may be a useful adjunctive tool in the pathologic evaluation of ovarian serous tumors.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma involving the aortic valve.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma is a neoplasm composed of monomorphic small B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes, forming proliferation centers in tissue infiltrates (Muller-Hermelink HK, Montserrat E, Catovsky D, et al. Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, in Swerdlow SH (ed). WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues. Lyon, France, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2008, pp. 180-182). We report a case of a 77-year-old man with a medical history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia who presented with worsening chest pain over 8 weeks. Imaging studies revealed severe aortic stenosis and moderate mitral regurgitation. He subsequently underwent minimally invasive aortic valve replacement and mitral repair at our institution. Grossly, the specimen consisted of a trileaflet valve with multiple yellow-white focally hemorrhagic and calcified nodules over its surface. Histologically, a lymphocytic infiltrate composed of monotonous small cells with scant cytoplasm was seen as well as calcification and fibrosis. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for CD20, PAX5, CD5, and CD23. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an immunohistochemically documented chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma to involve a cardiac valve.

Oncocytoma of the adrenal gland medulla.

We report an unprecedented case of an oncocytoma of the adrenal gland medulla in a 61-year-old woman. The patient presented with right flank pain and hematuria. Computed tomographic studies revealed a right adrenal gland mass that measured 2 cm, which was subsequently excised laparoscopically. Grossly, the tumor in the medulla measured 1.9 × 1.2 cm, weighed 5 g, and had a solid tan-brown cut surface. Histologically, it consisted of large tumor cells containing eosinophilic granular cytoplasm arranged in trabecular and nodular patterns. Electron microscopy revealed closely packed mitochondria in the cytoplasm of almost all tumor cells. The tumor cells were immunohistochemically positive for vimentin. The patient resumed usual activities 2 weeks after surgery, and at 6-month follow-up, she is doing well.