Placenta Increta Presenting as Retained Placenta: A Report of 3 Cases.

OBJECTIVES: Morbid adherence is a risk factor for retained placenta (RP). We encountered three cases of placenta increta presenting clinically as delayed postpartum hemorrhage. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of three cases of placenta increta presenting as RP. RESULTS: One "routine" term placenta had heavy bleeding 2 weeks later; one missed abortion at 16 weeks with fetal and placental tissue submitted, had heavy bleeding 6 weeks later; and one elective abortion (no tissue submitted), had delayed postpartum bleeding leading to a curettage with blood only, then 6 weeks later a hysterectomy for menorrhagia. All 3 pathology specimens showed necrotic villi. However, all three also showed myometrium with keratin-positive interstitial trophoblasts in a zone of damaged myometrium, consistent with increta. All three cases had basal plate myofibers (BPMF) in the placenta, with BPMF recurrence in the two cases with another pregnancy. CONCLUSION: RP may be a presenting clinical manifestation of placenta increta.

Endometrial Stromal Neoplasm in the Placenta: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature.

Placental neoplasms involving the fetal membranes are exceptionally rare. In leiomyomas and endometrial stromal neoplasms, a uterine origin for nodules in the membranes is also a possibility. We present a case of an incidental endometrial stromal nodule found in the decidua of the free membranes and review the literature.

Small cell carcinoma of the prostate: an immunohistochemical study.

Small cell carcinoma of the prostate (SCPC) is morphologically similar to small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC) and maybe misinterpreted as Gleason pattern 5b prostate adenocarcinoma (HGPC). Recognition of SCPC is important because of its different clinical behavior. This study aims to characterize the immunophenotype of histologically classic SCPC using a comprehensive panel of markers, to better understand its histogenesis, aid in its classification, and evaluate potential therapeutic targets. Using the World Health Organization morphologic criteria for SCLC, 18 SCPC cases were identified; and studied for the following tumor marker groups: prostate specific/related, neuroendocrine, sex steroid hormone receptors, and prognostic/treatment target-related. Ten cases of UPC were used as controls. PSA was positive in 17% of SCPC and neuroendocrine markers were expressed in HGPC. PSA, TTF-1 and CD56 were the most helpful markers in differentiating between SCPC and HGPC (P<0.01), whereas bombesin/GRP, c-kit, bcl-2, and EGFR expression was more frequent in SCPC. SCPC is best diagnosed by following the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria for SCLC. Immunohistochemical markers can help separate SCPC from HGPC and may be useful in histologically borderline cases. Potential therapeutic targets are identified immunohistochemically in SCPC (Bombesin/GRP, c-kit, bcl-2, and EGFR).