Expression of b-FGF and endostatin and their clinical significance in human osteosarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and the clinical significance of basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) and endostatin in osteosarcoma. METHODS: From January 2003 to December 2005, expression of b-FGF, endostatin and CD34 were detected in 30 osteosarcoma and 30 osteochondroma tissue specimens by the immunohistochemical Elivision method. All data were post-processed with SPSS 13.0 software and prepared for investigation and analysis of these expressions and the relationships between the parameters. RESULTS: (i) The rates of expression of b-FGF, endostatin and CD34 protein in osteosarcoma were 76.7%, 93.3%, and 96.7%, respectively, and in osteochondroma 43.3%, 40.0% and 16.7%, respectively. Each of the three expressions showed obvious differences between the osteosarcoma and the osteochondroma group. (ii) In the osteosarcoma group, expression of endostatin was positively correlated with that of CD34 (P < 0.05, γs = 0.528), and expression of endostatin in poorly differentiated osteosarcoma was much greater than that in highly differentiated osteosarcoma (P= 0.004). Expression of endostatin correlated with osteosarcoma metastasis (P= 0.036). (iii) There was no correlation between b-FGF and endostatin expression rates (P= 0.182) in the osteosarcoma group. CONCLUSION: Angiogenesis is the basis of tumor metastasis, as well as being an important factor in tumor growth. Expression of endostatin could be adopted as a parameter for the diagnosis of postoperative metastases and for assessing prognosis, and could act as an adjuvant indicator in the grading of osteosarcoma.

Osteochondroma of the sella turcica presenting with intratumoral hemorrhage.

A 29-year-old man presented with a primary sellar turcica osteochondroma manifesting as intratumoral hemorrhage mimicking pituitary apoplexy. The patient suffered sudden onset of headache concomitant with vision loss in the left eye. Radiography and computed tomography detected destruction and calcification of the sellar turcica. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a heterogeneously enhanced suprasellar mass that had elevated and compressed the optic chiasm. The preoperative diagnosis was hemorrhagic pituitary adenoma, craniopharyngioma, meningioma, or chordoma based on the signal heterogeneity of the lesion. To relieve the symptoms and make a definitive diagnosis, surgical removal via a basal interhemispheric approach was carried out. The tumor was not totally removed because of tight adhesion to the pituitary stalk, but postoperative ophthalmological examination revealed improvement of the visual disturbance. The histological diagnosis was osteochondroma based on the presence of mature chondrocytes and osteomatous tissue. Osteochondroma should be included in the differential diagnosis of tumors with acute hemorrhage in the sella turcica.

Pathologic neovascularization in cartilage tumors.

Tumor-induced angiogenesis is necessary to sustain radial growth of tumors. Increased microvascularity has been correlated with increased metastatic potential in breast, gastrointestinal, and gynecologic tumors, but has not been well studied in cartilaginous tumors. Grade II and Grade III chondrosarcomas have increased metastatic potential compared with Grade I tumors. One reason for this may be pathologic neovascularization. The purpose of the current study was to quantify the microvessel density of cartilage tumors. Seven Grade III, 17 Grade II, and eight Grade I chondrosarcomas, and 22 benign cartilage tumors were examined. Specimens were stained with antiCD34 antibody. Microvessel densities then were determined by direct counting and estimated using the Chalkley technique. Microvessel densities for Grade III and Grade II chondrosarcomas were 45.9 and 46.2 per high-power field and for Grade I and benign tumors the microvessel densities were 9.3 and 10.3. Microvessel densities of the aggressive tumors (Grades III and II) were greater than the microvessel densities of the nonaggressive tumors (Grade I and benign). Chalkley estimates confirmed the results. Microvascularity in cartilage tumors correlates with their biologic aggressiveness and seems promising as a variable to help with histopathologic grading and as a target for new treatment modalities.

Exostoses and cavernous venous formation in the external auditory canal of the hooded seal as a functional physiological organ.

Exostoses of the external auditory canal (EAC) develop after protracted mechanical, chemical or thermal irritation in particular. This is a common disorder among aquatic sportsmen and has been considered unique to Man. We dissected and photodocumented the EACs of 5 newborn and 3 adult Hooded Seals (Cystophora cristata). Serial sections of the EACs were prepared for light microscopic evaluation after staining with haematoxylin-eosin or toluidine blue. All EACs exhibited a firm, broad-based. mountain peak-shaped exostosis on the floor of the meatus, lateral to the eardrum. In addition, the meatal skin of the bony EAC harboured large venous sinuses. The exostosis and venous sinuses of the seal EAC participate in the protection of the sensitive hearing apparatus, particularly the pars tensa portion of the drum, during divine.