Cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) constitute 3.5-4% of all malignancies. Since the majority of cases are squamous cell carcinomas which are related with epidemiologic factors, a different pattern of UADT cancer might be present between the Western and Asian populations. We performed a pathology based statistical study on UADT cancers in Korean patients. Cases from Korea Cancer Center Hospital, from January 1, 1988 through December 31, 1998, were subjected to the study. Among 2,842 cases, epithelial malignancies accounted for 87.8%, with squamous cell carcinoma as the major type (76.5%). The larynx was the most commonly affected site (26%), followed by the oral cavity (25.1%), oropharynx (13%), nasopharynx (9%), hypopharynx (8.4%), paranasal sinuses (6.4%), nasal cavity (6%) and salivary glands (6.1%). The percentage of squamous cell carcinoma was highest (98.7%) at the hypopharynx, and lowest at the nasal cavity (42.3%), which showed the most diverse tumor entities. Korean patients with UADT cancers presented with a higher incidence of non-epidermoid malignancy including sarcoma (1.5%) and malignant melanoma (1.4%), and a higher frequency of involvement of the sinonasal tract, compared with the Western patients.
Head and Neck Neoplasms/classification/*pathology ; Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/classification/pathology ; Korea ; Laryngeal Neoplasms/classification/pathology ; Mouth Neoplasms/classification/pathology ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/classification/pathology ; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/classification/pathology ; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms/classification/pathology ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms/classification/pathology

Actins ; metabolism ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; classification ; pathology ; Desmin ; metabolism ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Xanthomatosis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic characteristics of pediatric rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS).

METHODSOne hundred and forty-five cases of pediatric rhabdomyosarcomas were studied by routine histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies.

RESULTSThere were 97 male and 48 female patients with ages ranging from 4 months to 13 years and a mean of 4.2 years. The follow-up period of 100 patients was from 1 year to 20 years with a mean of 5 years after diagnosis. All cases were subtyped into the following histological categories: embryonal RMS, botryoid RMS, spindle cell RMS, alveolar RMS and solid RMS. Histopathological subtypes, tumor site and tumor stage correlated significantly with the patients' 5 years survival. The best prognosis was observed in spindle cell and botryoid RMS. Embryonal RMS carried an intermediate prognosis. Patients with alveolar RMS and solid RMS had the worst prognosis. Tumors involving bladder, head and neck carried a favorable clinical outcome. Patients with tumors involving trunk extremities retroperitoneum and pelvis did poorly. Immunohistochemically, all cases were positive for Vimentin. The positive staining rates for desmin, SMA and myoglobin were 78%, 75% and 37%, respectively. All tumors were negative for NSE, CD99 and LCA. Electron microscopy study showed features of myofilament and sarcomere in 10 of 15 cases.

CONCLUSIONSRMS is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy are helpful in diagnosis and classification of RMS.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; classification ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; classification ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Urogenital Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure