Perivascular epithelioid tumor (PEComa) of the falciform/ broad ligament.

PEComas localized in the region of falciform ligament and broad ligament are exceedingly rare. Most of them are built of spindle neoplastic cells. We report a case of epithelioid PEComa of the falciform ligament and/or broad ligament. There is only one report of such neoplasm in English-language literature. Histologically, the tumor was composed of nests of epithelioid clear cells stained positively for vimentin, HMB45, and SMA. Because of morphological features of the tumour (4 mitoses /20HPF, focal necrosis, and vascular invasion) we assess the neoplasm as potentially malignant.

[Patients with advanced ovarian cancer after negative second-look laparoscopy--follow up study]. / Losy chorych na zaawansowanego raka jajnika po ujemnej "second look" laparotomii.

OBJECTIVES: Follow-up in 65 patients with stage III-IV ovarian cancer after negative second-look laparotomy. Prognostic factors and causes of failure were also discussed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 65 patients with ovarian cancer stage III-IV were treated with surgery and at least six courses of chemotherapy (cisplatin, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide) and second-look laparotomy. Results of the treatment are presented in a form of 5-year NED (no evidence of disease) survival. Dependence between analyzed factors and survival was assessment based on proportional hazard Cox model. RESULTS: In 30 patients (46.1%) recurrence during 5 year follow-up was observed. In 28 patients out of them (93.3%) it was loco-regional failure and in 2 patients distant metastases were the sole reason of unsuccessful results of the treatment. Adverse prognostic factors found in statistical analysis were: advanced primary stage, residual infiltrations after first laparotomy exceeding 2 cm and low grade of differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: 1. In about 50% of patient with advanced ovarian cancer loco-regional recurrence was observed, 2. Adverse prognostic factors were: advanced primary stage, residual masses after first laparotomy above 2 cm and low grade of differentiation.

Prognostic significance of intratumour microvessel density and haemoglobin level in carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

The prognostic significance of intratumour microvessel density (IMD) and haemoglobin (Hb) level was studied in 152 (FIGO stage IB-IIIB) cervical cancer patients before radiotherapy. Patients' age and tumour stage, grade and degree of keratinization were also studied. IMD measurement expressed as the mean vessel count per 1 mm2 was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumour biopsies stained with anti-factor VIII antibody (DAKO Ltd.) using immunohistochemistry and the vascular hot-spot technique. The median age of patients was 55 years (29-80). Median values for IMD and Hb level were: 142.5 (range 56.3-476.6) vessels/mm2 and 129 (range 81-160) gil, respectively. The median time of follow-up was 26 months, with a range of 2-145 months. Tumour stage (p = 0.7009), grade (p = 0.6660) and degree of keratinization (0.2669) were not significant in the Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis. However, patients' age > 50 years (p = 0.0079). high vascularity (IMD > 190.0 vessels/mm2, minimal cut-off point, p = 0.0503) and Hb concentration > 116 g/l (p = 0.0213) were favourable prognostic factors for cervical cancer treated with radiotherapy. In the Cox multivariate analysis only higher vascularity (IMD > 190/mm2 and Hb concentration > 116 g/l were favourable prognostic factors in terms of patients' survival. However, when a Cox analysis was done separately for keratinizing and non-keratinizing tumours, it was found that higher vascularity was significant only for keratinizing, and higher Hb level only for non-keratinizing cancers.