Tumor angiogenesis has been shown to be associated with metastatic potentials in breast, lung and prostatic carcinomas. The relation between tumor angiogenesis and metastatic potentials in colorectal cancer has not been established to date. We analysed 66 selected patients with colorectal carcinomas (37 with and 29 without nodal metastases) for the microvessel density, tumor proliferation activity, and the clinicopathologic parameters including size, stage, histologic grade, growth pattern, presence of angioinvasion, perineural invasion and lymph node metastasis. For evaluation of microvessel density and tumor proliferative activity, the primary tumors were immunohistochemically stained for CD31 and PCNA. The mean microvessel counts (MVC) per 200X field were 99.27+/-23.28 and 131.35+/-31.48 in node-negative and node-positive patients, respectively. The PCNA index was 39.41+/-5.63% and 56.60+/-7.09% in node-negative and node-positive patients, respectively. MVC and PCNA index were higher in tumors with nodal metastasis (p=0.002, p<0.001), and also correlated each other (sr=0.33, p=0.007). Higher microvessel counts were seen in tumors with advanced stage (p=0.016). Tumor proliferation activity assessed by PCNA immunostaining was significantly higher in tumors with advanced stage, perineural invasion, angioinvasion, poor differentiation and larger size. From these results, MVC and PCNA index in colorectal carcinomas are assumed to be valuable prognostic parameters. Thus assessment of tumor angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation in colorectal carcinomas may be helpful for the patients in need of aggressive therapy.
Breast ; Cell Proliferation* ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Microvessels ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen

Pulmonary blastoma is a rare lung tumor composed of epithelial and mesenchymal element : the latter element may show various pattern of differentiation toward mature tissue, such as cartilage, smooth muscle, and bone. Rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in pulmonary blastoma is quire rare. In th literature, only seven cases have been reported. We report a case of pulmonary blastoma with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation which occured in a 3 year old girl. Microscopically, cytoplasmic cross-striation was present. Immunohistochemically, strong positivity for vimentin and desmin was observed. Electron microscopy demonstrated A and I bands which documented rhabdomyoblastic differentiation.

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Carotid Body*

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Neuroblastoma*

Pleural involvement in paragonimiasis is relatively common, either unilateral or bilateral, and may occur without pulmonary parenchymal infiltrates. Common radiologic findings of pleural paragonimiasis are pleural effusion, pneumothorax, hydropneumothorax, empyema and pleural thickening. However, pleural calcification as a manifestation of paragonimiasis is a rare condition. We report two cases of paragonimiasis manifested only as pleural calcifications which were confirmed pathologically.
Empyema ; Hydropneumothorax ; Paragonimiasis* ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumothorax

We describe a case metastatic alveolar soft part sarcoma of the brain in a 20-year old man. Alveolar soft part sarcoma is slowly growing tumor which almost shows conspicuous vascular invasion and have a high incidence of blood-borne metastasis. The principal metastatic sites are the lungs, followed by the skeleton and brain. Cerebral metastases may be the first manifestation of the disease and are more common with alveolar soft part sarcoma than with any other type of soft tissue sarcoma. The light-and electron-microscopic and immunohistochemical findings are described. Periodic acid-Schiff-positive, diastase resistant, intracytoplasmic crystals, pathognomonic for alveolar soft part sarcoma, are present. The cells expressed immunoreactivity for vimentin, desmin, neuron-specific enolase, S-100 protein and renin. The results of our own immunohistochemical examinations is suggestive of myoendocrine origin.
Incidence ; Neoplasm Metastasis

The most important prognostic factor of breast cancer is the status of lymph node or distant metastasis, which is resisted by basement membrane and stromal matrix. MMP (matrix metalloproteinase)-2 is a 72-kilodalton type IV collagenase/ gelatinase and degrades the type IV collagen which is a main component of the basement membrane. Therefore, MMP-2 is believed to be one of the key molecule for cancer invasion and metastasis. Enzymatic activity of MMP is inhibited by TIMPs (tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase). TIMP-2 forms a complex with latent pro-MMP-2 and inhibits the active forms of MMP-2. The balance of MMPs and TIMPs is suspected as the important factor of invasion and metastasis of the tumor cells. We studied the association between the expression of MMP-2/TIMP-2 and growth pattern of tumor border, lymph node metastasis, and estrogen receptor expression in the 57 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast using immunohistochemical staining methods. The results revealed increased expression of MMP-2 in the infiltrating tumor border and tumors with positive lymph node metastasis and negative estrogen receptor with no statistical significance (p>0.05). But the expression of TIMP-2 was increased in expanding tumor border and tumors with positive lymph node metastasis and negative estrogen receptor without statistical significance (p>0.05).
Basement Membrane ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Collagen Type IV ; Estrogens* ; Gelatinases ; Lymph Nodes* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2*

Achondrogenesis type 2 is a lethal form of congenital skeletal dysplasia characterized by severe short-limbed dwarfism, decreased vertebral ossification and normal ossification of the skull. We report an autopsy case of achondrogenesis type 2 in a female fetus terminated at 29 weeks of gestation. External morphology revealed a relatively large head, short upper and lower extremities, short neck, and distended abdomen. The x-ray finding showed normal calvarial ossification, hypoplastic ilium and unossified ischium, and metaphyseal flares of the femur and tibia. Histologically, chondrocytes were large and irregular with increased vascularity.
Abdomen ; Autopsy* ; Chondrocytes ; Dwarfism ; Female ; Femur ; Fetus ; Head ; Humans ; Ilium ; Ischium ; Lower Extremity ; Neck ; Pregnancy ; Skull ; Tibia

Clear cell meningioma is a recently recognized morphologically unique entity. It shows no sex predilection, affects primarily the lumbar region, and the cerebellopontine angle. Despite its benign appearance, it may be aggressive, particularly in intracranial cases. All lesions are moderately cellular, with the exception of stromal hyalinization. The tumor consists largely of a sheet- like or somewhat lobular pattern of polygonal cells, the cytoplasm of which is clear. No close association is noted between the recurrence or the clinical outcome and factors such as mitotic activity, the PCNA index, and the DNA ploidy status. But the MIB-1 proliferation index is appreciably higher in recurrent tumors. We experienced a case of clear-cell meningioma showing a characteristic histologic finding. A 39-year-old man was admitted due to the recent onset of right-sided, facial-nerve palsy, left hemiparesis and general weakness. A CT scan of the head showed a well defined mass in the petroclival area. After surgical resection, the patient was in good condition, but 1 year later symptoms recurred. A CT scan of the head showed a huge, recurrent petroclival tumor with adhesion to the surrounding brain parenchyme.
Adult ; Brain ; Cerebellopontine Angle ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Head ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Lumbosacral Region ; Meningioma* ; Paralysis ; Paresis ; Ploidies ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Recurrence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Gastrointestinal angiodysplasia is a distinct disease entity which causes frequent gastrointestinal bleeding. It predominantly arises at the stomach and duodenum in the upper gastrointestinal tract and cecum and ascending colon in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The general histological finding of the angiodysplasia is a submucosal vascular ectasia and tortuosity. We have experienced two cases of the intestinal angiodysplasia. The first case occurred on a jejunum in a 22-year-old woman who had anemia. The second case occurred on a sigmoid colon in a 59-year-old man who had constipation. In addition to the general histologic finding of the angiodysplasia, the microscopic findings of the first case revealed some capillary hemangioma-like areas; and in the second case, there was a marked ischemic change and the thickening of the wall.
Anemia ; Angiodysplasia* ; Capillaries ; Cecum ; Colon, Ascending ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Constipation ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Duodenum ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Jejunum ; Lower Gastrointestinal Tract ; Middle Aged ; Stomach ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Young Adult