This report presents an unusual case of primary malignant melanoma in the midesophagus. The patient was a 36-year-old woman presenting with dysphagia and odynophagia. The resected esophagus and proximal stomach showed a dark purple large polypoid mass, measuring 6.0 3.3 2.0 cm, with a diffuse tan pigmentation of surrounding mucosa in the mid-esophagus and two small daughter nodules, up to 1.2 0.3 cm, in the lower esophagus near the gastro-esophageal junction. A microscopic examination revealed a malignant melanoma of epithelioid cell type confined to mucosa and submucosa with a diffuse melanosis. Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for HMB 45 and S-100 protein were noted. An electron microscopic examination revealed large, loosely cohesive variable shaped cells with a few cytoplasmic premelanosomes.
Adult ; Cytoplasm ; Deglutition Disorders ; Epithelioid Cells ; Esophagus* ; Female ; Humans ; Melanoma* ; Melanosis ; Mucous Membrane ; Nuclear Family ; Pigmentation ; S100 Proteins ; Stomach ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl

CD44, an integral membrane glycoprotein expressed by many cell types, serves as the principal transmembrane hyaluronate receptor and may be a determinant of metastatic and invasive behavior in carcinomas. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between CD44 splicing variants v4/5 and v6 expression and histopathologic prognostic factors (depth of tumor invasion, histologic classification, vascular and lymphatic invasion, and lymph node metastasis) in 107 gastric adenocarcinomas. In 107 cases of gastric carcinoma, the immunohistochemical stainining for CD44 v4/5 and CD44 v6 gave the following results. CD44 v4/5 was expressed in 40.2% and CD44 v6 in 67.3% of gastric carcinomas. The expression of CD44 v4/5 was correlated with histologic classification by Lauren (p<0.05), lymphatic invasion (p<0.05), and lymph node metastasis (p<0.004). In contrast, expression of CD44 v6 had no impact on prognostic markers. This study suggests the role of CD44 v4/5 in invasion, metastasis, and its prognostic significance in gastric adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Classification ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Neoplasm Metastasis

The clinical and pathological features of solitary fibrofolliculoma are presented. Solitary fibrofolliculoma is very rarely encountered and to our knowledge, only 7 cases have been reported in the Western literature and no cases have been published in Korea. We experienced a case of solitary fibrofolliculoma occurring in a 56-year-old female, who had a 1.0 cm-sized and slowly growing nodule on her chin. A brief review of the literature, was made especially in relation to the pathological findings and histogenesis of solitary fibrofolliculoma.
Female ; Humans

An unusual pattern of focal involvement of lymph nodes by Hodgkin's disease is described using the name Interfollicular Hodgkin's Disease. It is characterized by florid reactive follicular hyperplasia which overshadows involvement of the interfollicular zones by Hodgkin's desease. The importance of interfollicular Hodgkin's disease rests on its misdiagnosis as a benign lesion. We report a case of interfollicular Hodgkin's disease in a 34-year-old female patient in the inguinal area. The lymph nodes showed reactive follicular hyperplasia. The focal interfollicular spaces were invaded by Hodgkin's disease. The Reed-Stemberg cells stained positively with CD15 and CD30 antibody in the immunohistochemical stain. An in situ hybridization study looking for EBV was negative in these R-S cells.
Female ; Humans

An eccrine squamous syringometaplasia (ESS) is defined as a mature squamous metaplasia of the eccrine ducts. The clinical and pathological features of an ESS are presented. Syringometaplasia is a rare lesion, mostly occuring in the extremities, and as far as we know, no report on the ESS has been published in Korean literature. We experienced a case of an ESS occured in a 15 year-old male, who had a tender erythematous plaque in the right knee. The histologic examination revealed some scattered nests of metaplastic squamous epithelium in the deep dermis, associated with acute nonspecific panniculitis. The importance of the ESS is that it histologically simulates the well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The histopathologic findings were discussed and a brief review of the literature was made.
Adolescent ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Dermis ; Epithelium ; Extremities ; Humans ; Knee ; Male ; Metaplasia ; Panniculitis

BACKGROUND: The incidence of fungal urinary tract infections has increased in the immunocompromized patients. We analyzed urine culture results of St. Mary's Hospital during 28 month period between October 1993 and January 1996 to evaluate the frequency of yeast isolates and to survey the distribution of departments from where yeasts isolated. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of urine culture results. Yeasts were identified by the examination of germ tube production in human serum at 37degrees C and API2OC (BioMerieux, France) yeast strip. RESULT: A total of 1,387 urine cultures were reviewed, of which 164 (11.8%) were isolated as fungi. Candida albicans occurred in 36.5% of the total yeast isolates, C. tropicalis in 35.3%, C. glabrata in 10.9% and Trichosporon beigelii in 0.6%. The incidence of urinary fungal infection increased in 1995 (13.0%) than 1994 (9.1%) (P=0.047). Fifty two percents (85/164) of urinary fungi were isolated from patients in Neurosurgery (NS), where isolation of C. tropicalis was significantly more increased than other departments. In four patients, candiduria progressed to candidemia, which were caused by C. albicans (three patients) and C. glabrata (1 patient). CONCLUSIONS: The isolation rate of yeast species was different in NS and non-NS department. The frequency of isolation of C. albicans increased in non-NS department than NS department, while the frequency of isolation of C. tropicalis increased in NS department than non-NS department. The most common organism was C. albicans and department was Neurosurgery.
Candida albicans ; Candidemia ; Fungemia ; Fungi ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neurosurgery ; Retrospective Studies* ; Trichosporon ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Yeasts

Considerable controversy exists concerning the value of histomorphological data in the assessment of the malignant potential of prostate carcinomas. Mutations in the p53 gene resulting in the accumulation of altered p53 proteins with prolonged half-life have been found in a large variety of human malignancies. E-Cadherin is a specific epithelial cell-to- cell adhesion molecule which has previously been found to be expressed in well-differentiated non-invasive carcinoma cell lines, but it is lost in many poorly differentiated invasive cell lines. We performed immunohistochemical staining of p53 and E-cadherin in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues of 58 primary prostatic carcinomas. The expression rates of p53 and E-cadherin proteins in prostate carcinoma were positive in 15.5% and 44.8% of the cases, respectively. Histologically high-grade prostate carcinoma shows an increased expression of the p53 protein and a decreased one of the E-cadherin protein (P<0.05). The expression rates of the E-cadherin protein in prostate carcinoma decreased significantly according to the higher clinical stages and PSA levels (P<0.05). There was no accordance between the expression rate of p53 and E-cadherin. There were no significant correlation between each of the clinical stages and the expression rate of p53 protein or the PSA levels and the expression rates of p53 protein (P<0.05). Based on the present study, the expression of p53 and down regulation of E-cadherin are correlated with tumor progression and metastasis, and may be a useful prognostic factor in prostate carcinoma.
Cadherins* ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Line ; Down-Regulation ; Formaldehyde ; Genes, p53 ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Prostate*

No abstract available.
Eosinophilia* ; Proton Pumps* ; Protons*

A 49-year-old man presented with an extremely rare case of pineal parenchymal tumor with gangliocytic cells, manifesting as progressive gait disturbance and urinary incontinence lasting for one year. Brain MRI revealed a homogenously enhancing mass, measuring 3.5x2.7 x1.7 cm, in the pineal body. The mass compressed the deep cerebral vein with superior displacement, which caused mild obstructive hydrocephalus. Histological examination revealed lobular structures consisting of isomorphic small round cells with stippled chromatin and clear cytoplasm, and less cellular areas having large pleomorphic cells and ganglioid cells. Mitotic figures and tumor necrosis were not evident. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for neuronal markers (neuron-specific enolase, neurofilament, NeuN and synaptophysin), but not for glial fibrillary acidic protein or S-100. Especially, neurofilament showed diffuse interstitial immunoreactivity with accentuation in a few gangliocytic cells and Ki-67 labeling index (2.5%) was low. Therefore, this case was diagnosed as pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation with gangliocytic differentiation.
Brain ; Cerebral Veins ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Gait ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Neurons ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Pineal Gland ; Pinealoma ; Urinary Incontinence

The clinicopathology of nine cases of eccrine spiradenoma was examined. The ages of the patients ranged from 32 to 65 years, with an average age of 46 years. There were four males and five females. Eight tumors out of the nine presented on the ventral surface of the upper body. The tumors were solitary in seven cases and multiple in two cases(cases 8 and 9). Six tumors were either painful or tender to palpation. Histologically, two cases(cases 1 and 2) were adenomas with well developed tubular structures, while the remaining seven cases were epitheliomas with poor organization and prominent reticular pattern. All tumors were composed of two distinct cell types. Since four cases showed considerable edema with a lot of cystic change, it was difficult in some areas to differentiate these from other adnexal tumors or vascular tumors. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on paraffin-embedded sections of 5 eccrine spiradenomas. CEA and EMA were expressed in the cytoplasm of tumor cells in all cases. Cytokeratin was expressed in 4 out of 5 cases, and S-100 in 3 out of 5 cases. There has been no evidence of recurrence in 8 cases. In one case(case 9) the tumor recurred locally with carcinomatous transformation- characterized by the presence of solid areas of tumor which was composed of large cells with irregularly shaped nuclei and mitotic figures. There were foci of ductal differentiation, extensive areas of tumor necrosis and invasion into surrounding connective tissue. The carcinomatous portion revealed positive reaction for CEA, EMA, S-100 protein and cytokeratin.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Adenoma