Cell Differentiation ; Child ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Lipoblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mesenchymoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; metabolism ; pathology ; Sarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical features of giant cell fibroblastoma (GCF), with emphasis on its differential diagnosis and histogenesis.

METHODSSeven cases of GCF were investigated by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSSix cases occurred in children, and one occurred in a 35 year-old adult (mean 9.4 years). Five were male and two were female. Clinically, all cases appeared as slowly growing painless nodules located in the dermis or subcutis of the trunk and extremities. Microscopically, the poorly circumscribed tumor was composed of a proliferation of slightly to moderately atypical spindle cells which were arranged in parallel or wavy fascicles, and embedded in a fibromyxoid to collagenous background. The pathognomonic feature consisted of irregular distributed cleft-like or sinusoid-like pseudovascular spaces lined with a discontinuous layer of pleomorphic spindle cells and multinucleate giant cells. There was transition in shape between these two cells. Immunohistochemially, both cells expressed vimentin and CD34. Follow-up information in five cases showed local recurrences in two cases.

CONCLUSIONS(1) GCF is a distinctive fibroblastic tumor of intermediate malignancy that occurs predominantly in children. Recognizing its clinical and pathological characteristics is important to avoid misdiagnosis with other lesions with similar features. (2) GCF shared clinical, immunohistochemical and cytogenetic features with its adult counterpart-dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). The additional coexistence of GCF and DFSP areas in some primary cases and the reciprocal transformation in recurrent tumors all suggest that they are two closely related entities, possibly representing two members of the CD34 positive dendritic neoplasms.

Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Actins ; metabolism ; Female ; Glomus Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Thigh ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

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

Actins ; metabolism ; Angiomyolipoma ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelioid Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ; pathology ; Male ; Melanoma ; pathology ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; metabolism ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Sarcoma, Clear Cell ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; pathology ; Uterine Neoplasms ; pathology

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Facial Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; metabolism ; Keratin-20 ; metabolism ; Keratin-7 ; metabolism ; Male ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVESTo detect telomerase activity in patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and to study the role of telomerase in the tumorigenesis of MF.

METHODSThe technique of PCR-ELISA was employed to detect telomerase activity in 35 patients with various stages of MF.

RESULTS92.3% tumor stage of MF, 78.6% plaque stage of MF and 75.0% patch stage of MF had positive telomerase activity. The control samples had no telomerase activity. Telomerase activity in tumor stage of MF was significantly higher than that in plaque stage, while the latter was higher than that in patch stage. Telomerase activity was correlated with the stage of MF.

CONCLUSIONHigh level of telomerase activity frequently occurred in patients with MF, suggesting that telomerase might play an important role in the tumorigenesis of MF and is a useful marker for the diagnosis of MF possibly.

Humans ; Mycosis Fungoides ; enzymology ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Skin Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Telomerase ; metabolism

Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Granuloma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratins ; immunology ; Male ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Adult ; Arm ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Skin Appendage ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

Chronic inflammatory responses have long been observed to be associated with various types of cancer and play decisive roles at different stages of cancer development. Inflammasomes, which are potent inducers of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 during inflammation, are large protein complexes typically consisting of a Nod-like receptor (NLR), the adapter protein ASC, and Caspase-1. During malignant transformation or cancer therapy, the inflammasomes are postulated to become activated in response to danger signals arising from the tumors or from therapy-induced damage to the tumor or healthy tissue. The activation of inflammasomes plays diverse and sometimes contrasting roles in cancer promotion and therapy depending on the specific context. Here we summarize the role of different inflammasome complexes in cancer progression and therapy. Inflammasome components and pathways may provide novel targets to treat certain types of cancer; however, using such agents should be cautiously evaluated due to the complex roles that inflammasomes and pro-inflammatory cytokines play in immunity.
Animals ; Carcinoma ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Inflammasomes ; metabolism ; Melanoma ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Skin Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy