E-cadherin (ECD) is a Ca++ -dependent adhesion molecule which plays a major role in the maintenance of intercellular adhesion in epithelial tissues. The expression pattern of ECD in 77 surgically resected gastric adenocarcinomas was examined by immunohistochemistry, using a rat monoclonal antibody raised against murine E-cadherin (DECAM-1). ECD was strongly expressed uniformly at cell to cell borders in normal gastric epithelium without exception. But, various staining patterns were observed in the cancer tissues. The frequency of tumors with preserved ECD expression (Pre-type) and reduced ECD expression (Rd-type) was 44% and 56%, respectively. Using Lauren's classification, the high frequency of the Pre-type expression in adenocarcinoma of the intestinal type was significantly higher than that in adenocarcinoma of the diffuse type (p<0.05). But, no significant correlation between the ECD expression and the gross type, invasion depth, growth pattern or metastasis was observed. These results suggest that ECD might play a key role in the morphogenesis of gastric adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Animals ; Cadherins* ; Classification ; Epithelium ; Immunohistochemistry ; Morphogenesis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rats

Carcinoma, Merkel Cell*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Measles*

Renal cell carcinoma, intimately associated with a sarcomatous component, is a rare malignant renal tumor. There is disagreement whether these represent true sarcomas or are sarcomatoid metaplasia. Therefore, this sarcomatous component is at times still a troublesome problem for pathologists. In March, 1986, we experienced a case of renal cell carcinoma associated with rhabdomyosarcomatous component in 47 year-old woman who had a rapidly enlarged, palpable abdominal mass. Grossly, a spherical renal cell carcinoma, 17x14x10 cm, in upper and middle portions of the right kidney showed extension through the renal capsule into the perirenal fat. Area of myxoid change was evident in the reanl cell carcinoma, with extensive hemorrhagic necrosis. Microscopically, in the myxoid area, there was malignant spindle cell proliferation in which many rhabdomyoblasts showing distinct cross striation could be demonstrated. This rhabdomyosarcomatous component intermixed with renal cell carcinoma of clear cell type could be also identified in the focal area.
Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the role and the value as progression markers, of type IV collagen and E-cadherin in the pathogenesis of progressive uterine cervical epithelial lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Materials examined were 4 cases of normal exocervical squamous epithelium, 9 of endocervical squamous metaplasias, 2 of mild dysplasias, 8 of moderate dysplasias, 15 of severe dysplasias, 12 of carcinoma in situ, 7 of microinvasive squamous cell carcinomas, and 4 cases of invasive squamous cell carcinomas. All of them were biopsied ones and products of conization and hysterectomy. The expression of type IV collagen and E-cadherin in uterine cervical epithelial lesions were studied by immunohistochemical method using monoclonal antibodies to type IV collagen and E-cadherin. RESULTS: The expression of type IV collagen decreased relatively stepwise from squamous metaplasias to cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CIN) and subsequently to invasive carcinomas. The expression of type IV collagen in normal uterine exocervical squamous epithelium was within normal range in contrast to variable expression in squamous metaplasia. There was no definite difference in expression pattern between early invasive carcinoma and advanced invasive carcinomas. Normal and squamous metaplastic epithelium of uterine cervix revealed membranous expression of E-cadherin and cervical intraepithelial lesions showed cytoplasmic expression or negative expression instead of membranous expression. There was clearcut difference in E-cadherin expression between normal or metaplastic epithelium and neoplastic lesions. CONCLUSION: The change of type IV collagen expression could be an early marker in the progression of uterine cervical epithelial lesions from normal epithelium. And the loss of differentiaton and polarity and the deranged expression of E-cadherin are closely correlated on the basis of the result that the changed expression of E-cadherin was evident in the stage of transition from normal to neoplastic lesions.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Cadherins* ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Cervix Uteri ; Collagen Type IV* ; Conization ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelium ; Female ; Hysterectomy ; Metaplasia ; Reference Values

The activation of the insulin-like growth factor-I-receptor system (IGF-IR) has recently emerged as critical events in transformation and tumorigenicity of several human tumors. In this study we investigated the expression of IGF-IR in 33 colorectal adenomas, 88 primary colorectal carcinomas, and 30 normal colonic mucosa adjacent to the carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) for IGF-IR was performed on paraffin embedded sections using an anti-IGF-IR rabbit polyclonal antibody. IHC stains for IGF-IR were scored using a semiquantitative scoring system. The relationship of IGF-IR staining to clinicopathologic variables and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining was also analysed. The mean IHC scores for IGF-IR of normal glands, adenoma, intramucosal carcinoma, node-negative carcinoma, and node-positive carcinoma were 0.41 0.96, 0.76 1.23, 2.0 1.48, 2.83 2.0 and 5.93 1.58, respectively. These scores for each category were statistically significant except between normal glands and adenoma and between intramucosal carcinoma and node-negative carcinomas. The mean PCNA indexes of normal glands, adenoma, intramucosal carcinoma, node-negative carcinoma, and node-positive carcinoma were 2.48 2.60, 6.94 11.03, 27.21 11.42, 43.36 9.9 and 57.60 10.01, respectively. The PCNA index for each category was statistically significant except between normal and adenoma. IGF-IR scores and PCNA indexes were higher with tumor progression and also correlated each other (sr=0.65, p=0.0001). Higher IGF-IR scores and PCNA indexes were seen in tumors with advanced stage, infiltrative growth pattern, poor differentiation, nerve invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and moderate fibrosis. Our results suggest that IGF-IR plays an important role in tumorigenicity and tumor progression.
Adenoma* ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Coloring Agents ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucous Membrane ; Paraffin ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen

Maspin is a recently described gene with tumor suppressor activity. The gene product is a 42 kD protein with homology to the serpin family of protease inhibitors and may play a role as an inhibitor of tumor cell invasion. The prior observation that invasive breast cancers and their metastases showed decreased maspin protein expression by immunostaining supports this speculation. However, the role of maspin in breast cancer progression has not been studied in detail. We, therefore, studied maspin protein expression in a series of hyperplasia, atypical ductal hyperplasia, intraductal carcinoma and invasive carcinomas. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) for maspin was performed on paraffin sections of 136 breast specimens using a commercially available monoclonal antibody. Among the 106 cases studied were 36 moderate/florid ductal hyperplasia, 11 atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), 29 intraductal carcinoma (IDC) (4 low grade, 13 intermediate grade, 12 high grade) and 30 invasive ductal carcinomas. Thirty cases of normal breast were also studied as control group. IHC stains were scored using a semiquantitative scoring system. The mean IHC scores for maspin for normal, moderate/florid hyperplasia, atypical ductal hyperplasia, intraductal carcinoma, and invasive carcinoma were 5.51 1.30, 7.36 0.72, 3.82 1.60, 4.48 2.69, 3.97 3.30, respectively. These scores for each category were statistically significant (p<0.05), except between ADH and IDC. Maspin protein expression was increased in most cases of moderate/florid hyperplasia, while maspin expression was more heterogeneous in ADH and IDC. In high grade IDC, maspin protein expression was stronger than low and intermediate grade IDC, and this suggests the possibility of a compensatory cellular response against the forces driving further tumor progression. Two thirds of invasive ductal carcinomas expressed maspin protein weakly and focally. All metastatic carcinomas of lymph nodes were negative for maspin. It is possible that high grade IDC with strong maspin expression may represent a subset less likely to progress to invasive cancer. This speculation merits investigation in clinical outcome studies.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating* ; Coloring Agents ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Paraffin ; Protease Inhibitors

BACKGROUND: Midkine (MK) is a member of the heparin-binding growth factor family. Overexpression of MK is observed not only in cancerous tissue but also in precancerous lesions of the colon and the prostate. Using immunohistochemical methods, we investigated MK expression in preinvasive and invasive neoplasia of the uterine cervix. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical analysis of archived cone biopsy and hysterectomy specimens from 161 squamous cell lesions of the uterine cervix (29 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (CIN1), 35 CIN2, 49 CIN3, 30 microinvasive squamous cell carcinomas (MIC), and 18 invasive squamous cell carcinoma). In addition, we examined if there is a correlation between MK expression and status of human papilloma virus infection determined by a commercially available DNA chip. RESULTS: None of the normal cervical mucosa showed MK immunostaining. The level of MK expression gradually increased according to the histologic grade. Moderate and strong expressions were most frequently observed in cervical tissue with CIN3 and MIC. MK immunostaining was more accentuated in the invasive border of MIC. CONCLUSION: MK may play a functional role in the disease progression of cervical squamous cell neoplasia.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Cervix Uteri* ; Colon ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucous Membrane ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Papilloma ; Prostate

Korean women doctors have expanded their activities globally in various fields within the international community. This study conducted face-to-face interviews or e-mail surveys of representatives among internationally active women doctors with experience in working with the Medical Women's International Association and the World Health Organization. Conveying the activities of these senior women doctors will be valuable to the younger generation of doctors who are interested in international health and who aspire to become potential leaders in the international health care scene in the future.

Korean women doctors have expanded their activities globally in various fields within the international community. This study conducted face-to-face interviews or e-mail surveys of representatives among internationally active women doctors with experience in working with the Medical Women's International Association and the World Health Organization. Conveying the activities of these senior women doctors will be valuable to the younger generation of doctors who are interested in international health and who aspire to become potential leaders in the international health care scene in the future.
Delivery of Health Care ; Electronic Mail ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; World Health Organization