Expression of vimentin in breast carcinoma, its correlation with Ki67 and other histopathological parameters.

CONTEXT: Vimentin is a mesenchymal marker, known to express in some epithelial carcinomas. AIMS: 1. To find out the expression of vimentin in infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast (not otherwise specified), 2. To find out the correlation between expression of vimentin and prognostic markers such as tumor size, tumor grade, lymph node status, proliferation index (measured by Ki 67), and Nottingham prognostic index (NPI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study was done at Department of Pathology; 50 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (NOS) were studied for tumor grade; immunohistochemistry was done using antibodies against vimentin and Ki 67. Percentages of positive cells were documented. An immunoscore was also calculated for vimentin. Vimentin expression was correlated with tumor size, lymph node status, Nottingham prognostic index, and Ki 67. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: statistical correlation was done using Pearson's chi-square test. A P value less than 0.01 was considered significant. RESULTS: Vimentin expression was seen in 18% of cases. Its expression correlated with high tumor grade and high growth fraction (P value < 0.01). It did not correlate with lymph node status, tumor size, and NPI. CONCLUSIONS: Increased vimentin expression is associated with bad prognostic factors. Immunohistochemistry with vimentin may be helpful in knowing the prognosis in cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast (NOS).

Secondary Chondrosarcoma of the Lumbosacral Region: Are any Bones Spared in the Multiple Hereditary Exostoses?

Osteochondromas are the most common benign bone tumors. Usually solitary, multiple osteochondromas (exostoses) are seen in patients with Multiple Hereditary Exostoses (MHE). Chondromatous transformation of lumbar osteochondroma in a patient with multiple exostoses is a rare phenomenon. We present a rare case of secondary chondrosarcoma of lumbar exostoses with patient presenting with symptoms of pain in the right lumbar region and paresis of right lower limb. Patients with multiple exostoses are prone to develop chondrosarcoma early in life. These patients need long term follow up with regular clinical and radiological examination.

Pattern of cancer in adolescent and young adults--a ten year study in India.

BACKGROUND: Cancers in adolescent and young adults are different from those in older adults and are more likely to relate to genetic predisposition and exposure to risk factors early in life. They also have the greatest impact on those individuals who have most of their potential years of life ahead of them. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and pattern of cancers in adolescent and young adults. METHODOLOGY: A ten year retrospective study from January 1997 to December 2006 was performed at the Department of Pathology. All malignancies diagnosed between the ages of 15-44 years were retrieved from our records and socioepidemiological data regarding each case were collected from the hospital record section. The cases were analyzed for incidence, site of involvement, age/sex distribution and year wise distribution by descriptive analysis. RESULTS: In this study, cancer in adolescent and young adults accounted for 26.6% of all the cancers diagnosed. Maximum cases were seen between 35-39 years age group in both genders. The male:female ratio was 1:2. Year wise there was steady rise in number of cases from 1997 to 2006 in both genders. The top five common sites in males were cancer of mouth, stomach, testis, bone and penis and in females were mouth, cervix uterus, breast, thyroid and stomach. CONCLUSION: In the present study, cancer of mouth predominated in both genders, followed by stomach in males and cervix uterus and breast in females, reflecting potential lifestyle and environmental factors.

Spectrum of gastro-intestinal cancers--a ten-year study.

Pattern of gastro-intestinal malignancies differ in different geographical areas and depends upon the genetic, cultural, dietary and socioeconomic factors. Therefore studying pattern of gastro-intestinal cancers help to identify high risk groups, recommend preventive measures or advise appropriate screening in high risk population. The present study was undertaken to determine the pattern of gastrointestinal malignancies at Kolar, situated in south-eastern part of Karnataka. A ten-year retrospective study from January 1997 to December 2006 was done at the department of pathology at Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, Karnataka. All the gastro-intestinal malignancies diagnosed were retrieved from pathology department records and socio-epidemiological data regarding each case was collected from hospital record section. The cases were analysed for site of involvement, age distribution, histological types and yearwise distribution by descriptive analysis. Gastro-intestinal malignancies constituted 22.96% of all the malignancies diagnosed. Males were more frequently affected than females, M:F ratio was 1:0.6. Peak incidence was in 7th decade. Stomach was the commonest site (48.4%) followed by oesophagus (27.7%), rectum (6.5%), colon (5.0%) and primary liver cancer (4.76%). Majority of histological type was adenocarcinoma. Yearwise distribution showed gradual increase in incidence of cancer. In the present study gastro-oesophageal malignancies was the most common gastro-intestinal malignancy in this part of Karnataka which in turn reflects on potential lifestyle and environmental factors.

Malignant hypertension, dissection of aorta, cardiac tamponade and monoparesis--unusual presentation of Takayasu's arteritis: clinicopathological correlation.

We report a case of a 24-year-old woman with an unremarkable past medical history who was presented to the emergency department with acute onset of breathlessness and weakness of right lower limb. Clinical examination was suggestive of malignant hypertension with acute left ventricular failure and acute ischemia of right lower limb. Colour Doppler and CT findings were consistent with dissection of entire aorta with extension into its major branches. She died in less than 18 h after admission following cardiac tamponade. Autopsy revealed left renal artery stenosis with features of Takayasu's arteritis with intimal rupture in the abdominal aorta with Stanford type A dissection of aorta extending to all the major branches of aorta, and hemopericardium. This case demonstrates a rare example Takayasu's arteritis involving left renal artery leading to secondary hypertension presenting as malignant hypertension with fatal dissection of aorta with cardiac tamponade and emphasizes the varied presentations of this disease and importance of early diagnosis and interventions to prevent these fatal complications.

Plasma cell leukemia presenting as acute renal failure: a case report.

Plasma cell leukemia is a rare form of malignant plasma cell dyscrasia. It can occur as a primary form without prior evidence of multiple myeloma or as a secondary form which is a terminal event in multiple myeloma. A case of primary plasma cell leukemia presenting as acute renal failure is reported here.

Factors influencing quality of semen: a two year prospective study.

In the recent years, male infertility and subfertility has increased, which is attributed to many factors. So our study focuses the effects of age, occupation, smoking, alcohol and varicocele on the semen quality. Detailed history and examination of 93 cases (fulfilled inclusion criterion) was done. Semen analysis of these cases were compared with above parameters using statistical tools like mean, standard deviation, standard error of mean and significance was tested by student's 't' test. The mean sperm density, total motility and rapid progressive motility in control group were 68.95 x 10(6)/ml, 59.9% and 30.5% respectively. Reduction of sperm density was statistically significant (p value < 0.05) in both tobacco users + alcoholics and in varicocele patients in comparison with controls. Age and occupation did not alter semen quality significantly. Our study concluded that semen quality is decreasing in the past few decades and combined tobacco + alcohol use, and varicocele have more detrimental effect on semen quality.

Primary adenocarcinoma of fallopian tube--a case report.

Primary adenocarcinoma of fallopian tube is the rarest gynecological malignancy of female genital system which is usually misdiagnosed as ovarian tumour or tubo-ovarian mass. We present a case in a 40 year old female.

Multiple primary malignancies: synchronous and metachronous presentation--case report.

Reporting three rare cases of multiple primary cancers. Case one and two were a synchronous presentation of primary gastric carcinoma and renal carcinoma, gastric carcinoma and papillary carcinoma thyroid. Case 3 was metachronous presentation of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and hepatocellular carcinoma.