Actins ; metabolism ; Angiomyoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cranial Fossa, Middle ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms ; immunology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Skull Base Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of primary cervical malignant melanoma, and its prognosis.

METHODSThe clinical and pathological data of four patients with primary malignant melanoma of the cervix were analyzed retrospectively. Nerve tissue protein S-100 and monoclonal antibody to melanoma (HMB-45) were measured in all cases by immunohistochemical method. All four patients received radical hysterectomy. Three of them received chemotherapy preoperation or postoperation, and one of them received biotherapy with interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 at the same time. All the cases were followed up.

RESULTSThe average age of four patients was 45 years. Clinical symptoms presented with irregular vaginal bleeding, postcoital bleeding, or increase of vaginal discharge. Gynecologic examination showed polypus papilla cauliflower-shaped or nodulated black-brown or black-blue mass on the cervix. All the four cases were pathologically diagnosed with cervical malignant melanoma. S-100 and HMB-45 were positive in all patients. Two patients died at 6 and 41 months postoperation, respectively. The other two patients survived for 3.5 and 7 years postoperation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSS-100 protein and HMB-45 play very important roles in the diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma of cervix. Radical hysterectomy, chemotherapy combined with dimethyl triazemo imidazole carboxamide and biological therapies may improve the prognosis of the primary malignant melanoma of cervix if the disease could be diagnosed in an early stage.

Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; metabolism ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Dacarbazine ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Interferon-gamma ; therapeutic use ; Melanoma ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy

The interactions between the tumor microenvironment and tumor cells determine the behavior of the primary tumors. Whether cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) have a tumor progressive or a protective role likely depends on the type of tumor cells and the CAF subpopulation. In the present study, we analyzed the prognostic significance of CAF subpopulations in colorectal cancer (CRC). CAF phenotypes were analyzed in 302 CRC patients by using antibodies against podoplanin (PDPN), alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), and S100A4. The relationship between the CAF phenotypes and 11 clinicopathological parameters were evaluated and their prognostic significance was analyzed from the disease-free and overall survival times. We observed that at the tumor invasive front, PDPN CAFs were present in 40% of the cases, and S100A4 or alpha-SMA CAFs were detected in all the cases. PDPN/S100A4 and alpha-SMA/S100A4 dual-stained CAFs were observed in 10% and 40% of the cases, respectively. The PDPN+ CAFs were associated with 6 favorable clinicopathological parameters and prolonged disease-free survival time. The PDPN-/alpha-SMA(high) CAFs were associated with 6 aggressive clinicopathological parameters and tended to exhibit shorter disease-free survival time. On the other hand, the PDPN-/S100A4(high) CAFs were associated with 2 tumor progression parameters, but not with disease prognosis. The PDPN+ CAF phenotype is distinct from the alpha-SMA or S100A4 CAFs in that it is associated with less aggressive tumors and a favorable prognosis, whereas the PDPN-/alpha-SMA(high) or PDPN-/S100A4(high) CAFs are associated with tumor progression in CRC. These findings suggest that CAFs can be a useful prognostic biomarker or potential targets of anti-cancer therapy in CRC.
Actins/immunology/*metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies/immunology ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen/blood ; Colorectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/mortality/pathology ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Fibroblasts/cytology/metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins/immunology/*metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Phenotype ; Prognosis ; S100 Proteins/immunology/*metabolism ; Tumor Markers, Biological/metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the possible immuno-regulating mechanism of action of Chinese drugs in different combinations (assembled depending different therapeutic principles) through observing the effects of Feiliuping ointment (FLP) and its disassembled prescriptions on dendritic cells (DC) in blood, spleen and tumor in mice with transplanted Lewis lung cancer (LLC).

METHODSPercentages of DC in blood, spleen and tumor of mice with transplanted LLC treated by FLP and its disassembled prescriptions were estimated, and the S-100 protein expression in tumor tissue was detected by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe percentage of DC (per thousand) in tumor bearing mice was 0.43 +/- 0.26 in peripheral blood, and 0.32 +/- 0.16 in spleen, significantly lower than those in normal mice 4.68 +/- 0.90 and 3.68 +/- 1.58, P<0.01); and S-100 protein expression in tumor was weakened. After FLP treatment, the percentages of DC (per thousand) in tumor bearing mice were increased to 2.55 +/- 0.29 in peripheral blood and 2.70 +/- 0.63 in spleen (P<0.01), with the S-100 protein expression in tumor tissue up-regulated significantly (P<0.01). Study on different assembled prescriptions of FLP showed that the qi supplementing components of FLP displayed the optimal actions.

CONCLUSIONFLP, a Chinese herbal prescription made depending on Chinese medicine therapeutic principle of strengthening body resistance and consolidating constitution, has an obvious anti-tumor effect, to improve the immunological anti-tumor function of organism by promoting the amount and expression of DC might be the possible intrinsic mechanism.

Animals ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ; immunology ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dendritic Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Phytotherapy ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore a simplified and reproducible approach for the diagnosis and morphologic prognostication of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).

METHODSEighty-five cases of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors including 74 cases of GIST, 8 esophageal smooth muscle tumor, 1 rectal leiomyosarcoma, 1 Schwannoma, and 1 malignant fibrous histiocytoma were studied by histological evaluation along with an immunohistochemistry panel including vimentin, CD117 (c-kit), CD34, SMA, desmin and S-100. Clinicopathological correlation was performed in 31 cases of GIST that had accompanied with the available follow-up data.

RESULTSAmong 74 GISTs, 34 arose principally from the stomach, 30 from the small intestine, and 10 other cases found in the esophagus, retroperitoneum, mesenterium and omentum. The patients' age ranged from 23 to 80 years (mean 52.5 years), with 45 males and 29 females. Histologically, the tumors composed of either spindle or oval to round cells arranged in interlacing fascicles forming whorls or cellular clusters, cytoplasm generally abundant and eosinophilic. There were 48 cases of spindle cell type, 10 cases of epithelioid cell type and 16 cases of mixed cell type. All 74 cases of GIST were positive for CD117 in a cell membranous pattern, however, some variable staining patterns of CD117 had been noticed in a few cases. In addition, 54 GISTs were also positive for CD34 (72.9%), 25 cases positive for SMA, 5 cases positive for S-100 and 5 cases positive for desmin. According to the Fletcher's scheme, GISTs in this study were divided into 4 subcategories including groups of very low risk of aggressive behavior (3 cases), of low risk (15 cases), of intermediate risk (36 cases) and of high risk (20 cases) respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of 31 GIST cases whom had been followed up for 16 to 72 months showed a statistically significant difference present among the subcategories (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGISTs predominantly occur in the middle and old age patients, more common in male, and positive CD117 staining is considered to be the defining marker to differentiate GIST from other mesenchymal tumors of the GI tract. Positive CD34 immun-staining, plus a CD117 positivity, strengthens further a diagnosis of GIST. Subclassification of GISTs using Fletcher's scheme appears to be simple, reproducible, and correlates well with the clinical behavior of the tumor.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; immunology ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; metabolism ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Sex Factors ; Stomach ; pathology