Turkish Journal of Pathology - 2004; 20(3-4)

EVALUATING THE CONFIDENCE OF TISSUE MICROARRAY FOR IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY IN PEDIATRIC DIFFUSE NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMAS

Although tissue microarray method is a current issue in pathology research, it is not widely used in routine procedures. The main reasons are the worry of the representability of the microarray of the whole tissue and the limited knowledge about the method. The increasing numbers of diagnostic and prognostic immunohistochemical parameters had become a high economic problem. There is need of confidence studies of tissue microarray for representability. The aim of this study to evaluate the confidence of tissue microarray for imfnunohistochemistry of LCA, CD20, CD3, CD30 in pediatric diffuse Non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The typical tumor spo was chosen under microscopy for each of 20 cases in HE stained slides and marked on the corresponding spot on the tissue block. Cylindrical tissue columns of two mm diameter for all cases were punctured manually with a biopsy needle. The rebiopsies of 20 cases were arrayed in a new block using a guide. Serial sections in 3 micrometer thickness were taken and immunohistochemical procedure for LCA, CD20, CDS, CD30 i was applied. The results were statistically evaluated by confidence test. All of the rebiopsied cases were LCA positive, CD20, CD30, CDS were correlated with routine procedure results. The confidence rate is 100%. The tissue microarray method is reliable for immunohistochemistry in pediatric diffuse Non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The diffuse nature and uniform cellular composition of this tumor group might have played an important role.

EFFECTS OF TAMOXIFEN ON THE CYTOLOGY OF THE UTERINE CERVIX; SMALL BLUE CELLS AND ALTERATION OF MATURATION

[Ye�im |G�RB�Z|1][Nur |K�SE|1] — 2003-12-01

Tamoxiphen is an anti-estrogenic agent that is commonly used in breast cancer chemotherapy. Its hormonal effect on uterine cervix is controversial and some small blue cells of unknown origin are reported in vaginal smears with tamoxiphen therapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the cytological changes on uterine cervix with tamoxiphen exposure. Therefore we reevaluated 72 smears of 37 patients and 12 pretreatment smears as control group. Mean maturation value was calculated and pyknosis and small blue cells were evaluated in each case. The mean maturation value was 60 in non-menopausic and 43 in menopausic group. The difference of mean maturation before and after tamoxiphen treatment was statistically signigicant (86 vs 46)(p<0.003). Small blue cells were observed in 6 cases. In conclusion tamoxifen has anti-estrogenic effect on uterine cervix. Small blue cells that originate from endocervical reserve cells maybe observed and cause differential diagnostic problems with endometrial cells.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANT MESOTHELIOMA VERSUS PRIMARY PULMONARY ADENOCARCINOMA : AN IMMUNOHISTOC-HEMICAL ANALYSIS

[Fatma |AYDINER |1][�mer |YERC�|1] — 2003-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine immunohistochemical markers that give, a positive reaction with malignant mesothelioma or primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma and investigate the specificity and sensitivity rates of these antibodies. Twelve malignant mesotheliomas and 8 primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma cases were examined using pan-CK, HMWCK, LMWCK, EMA, Ber-EP4, CD 15, vimentin, CEA, surfactan, calretinin, thrombomodulin antibodies. Histochemical analysis was performed with the PAS, PAS-diastase stains. According to our results calretinin and thrombomodulin showed positive reactivity with a high sensitivity and specificity rate. Vimentin can be included in immunohistochemical panels as an antibody reacting positively for malignant mesothelioma. CEA and CD15 which are believed to be very strongly positive for pulmonary adenocarcinoma, showed low specificity and sensitivity rates in this investigation.

SCLEROSING STROMAL TUMOR OF THE OVARY: MORPHOLOGIC AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SIX CASES

2003-12-01

Sclerosing stromal tumor is a rare benign neoplasm of the ovary. In this study six cases of sclerosing stromal tumor of the ovary are presented. All the tumors occured in young patients. The data of the study in which Calretinin, Inhibin, Actin, Oestrogen, Progesterone Receptor and Ki-67 antibodies have been used, supported the idea that these tumors originate from the ovarian stroma and had a benign characteristic.

ALVEOLAR SOFT PART SARCOMA: REPORT OF THREE CASES

2003-12-01

Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a rare soft tissue sarcoma of unknown histoge-nesis. It is most prevalent between 15-35 years of age and located in the lower extremities. As metastasis may occur as late as 30 years, patients should be followed up for a long time. Two cases presenting different survival features and one case with an interesting histomorphologic finding, which contained laminated calcifying bodies (psammoma bodies) were presented in this study. Desmin and CD56 were negative in all 3 patients. MyoD1 positivity was observed as cytoplasmic staining in only one case. The patient who died after 2 years following the resection of the primary tumour had a higher (10%) K�67 index whereas the other two patients had lower K�67 index (4%).

JADASSOHN-PEL�ZZAR� TYPE ANETODERMA: REPORT OF TWO CASES

Anetoderma is a term used to describe localized increased laxity of the skin resulting from abnormal dermal elastic tissue. Currently, anetoderma is classified as either primary (idiopathic), or secondary anetoderma. Primary anetoderma is distinctly rare. We describe two patients with clinical and histopathologic features of primary anetoderma (Jadassohn-Pelizzari type).

MALIGNANT TRITON TUMOR: A CASE REPORT

Malignant Triton tumor is a rare variant of peripheral nerve sheath tumor with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. Histologically it is a biphasic tumor consisting of spindle cells with wavy nuclei and eosinophylic round cells with pleomorphic nuclei. Both components are neoplastic. Immunohistochemically S-100 protein positivity confirms the Schwann cell origin of the spindle cell component, while desmin positivity helps to prove the rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in the round cell component. In this study we present a 58 year old male patient with a malignant Triton tumor of the L3 vertebral nerve root which showed two recurrences six and sixteen months after the diagnosis. The patient died after 16 months of follow-up. The prognosis of the malignant Triton tumor is worse than the other malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors and although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

SILENT DANGERS IN THE PATHOLOGY LABORATORY AND OUR CONSCIOUSNESS LEVEL

[�zg�r |METE|1][�ner |DO�AN|1] — 2003-12-01

Chemical, biological and physical hazards, which are the major occupational problems in the pathology laboratories, are reviewed with current datas and preventive measures are discussed for attaining a safe work environment.