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Biomedical subjects

Bernhard Zelger

Publications and source records attributed to Bernhard Zelger.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Cytogenetic comparison between clear cell sarcoma and a case of acral clear cell melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell melanoma is a recently described variant of melanoma characterized by prominent clear cell features similar to clear cell sarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present report describes a deeply invasive case of clear cell melanoma clinically, histologically, immunohistochemically, ultrastructurally and with the FISH technique and compares these findings with those in clear cell sarcoma. RESULTS: A 68-year-old male presented with an ulcerated, deeply invasive melanoma on the heel, corresponding to Clark level V, with a maximum tumour thickness of more than 14 mm; follow-up revealed inguinal lymph-node and lung metastases. Apart from characteristic histological features of melanoma with intraepidermal involvement, the lesion was immunohistochemically positive for 5100 protein, with HMB45 and A103 (anti-human Melan-A/MART-1), and ultrastructurally showed melanosomes. In deeply invasive parts, the lesion was indistinguishable from clear cell sarcoma, exhibiting nests, fascicles and sheets of pale-staining epithelioid to spindle-shaped cells ('clear cells') with scattered Touton-like multinucleated giant cells. Cytogenetic analysis using the FISH technique revealed a 12q13 chromosomal break in the vicinity of the ATFI gene but without ATF1 disruption. CONCLUSION: These findings may indicate the possible involvement of the ATF1 gene in clear cell melanoma tumorigenesis, similar to clear cell sarcoma with classical t(12;22) translocation.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗

[Cholesterol embolism after renal transplantation].

A 70-year-old woman developed localized livedo racemosa on the right buttock 2 months after renal transplantation. The suspected diagnosis of cholesterol embolism was confirmed by histopathological demonstration of cholesterol crystals in the wall of a small artery. The gluteal region is supplied by blood vessels that branch off the internal iliac artery distal to the usual anastomosing site of the donor kidney. Cholesterol emboli dislocated in the course of a kidney transplantation can reach the gluteal region. Cholesterol embolism after renal transplantation as well as the observation of cholesterol crystals in the histological preparation are rare findings.

Aged↗

Connective tissue tumors.

Connective tissue consists of collagen, elastic fibers and ground substances produced by fibrocytes. These cells are usually spindle-shaped with slender nuclei and bipolar cytoplasmic extensions. Apart from labeling for vimentin and variable reactivity for factor XIIIa and CD34, fibrocytes are immunonegative. Electron microscopy reveals prominent endoplasmic reticulum, but is otherwise indistinct. Lesions with fibrocytic differentiation can be divided into five categories: scars, keloids, dermatofibromas, nodular fasciitis, and superficial fibromatoses are inflammatory lesions. Thereby, dermatofibromas and their subcutaneous/deep soft tissue counterpart nodular fasciitis can present with a wide variety of clinicopathologic variants which may be misinterpreted as malignancies. Prurigo nodularis, chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis, acanthoma fissuratum, and knuckle pads are hyperplasias; fibroma molle, fibrous papules, connective tissue nevi, and elastofibroma are hamartomas; and fibroma of tendon sheath, pleomorphic fibroma, and giant cell tumor of tendon sheath are benign neoplasms. Deep fibromatoses, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, giant cell fibroblastoma, giant cell angiofibroma, hyalinizing spindle cell tumor with giant rosettes, solitary fibrous tumor, myxofibrosarcoma, low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, acral myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma, and classical fibrosarcoma, are malignant neoplasms, that is fibrosarcomas of variable malignant potential. Lesions dominated by myocytes/ myofibroblasts, e.g. cutaneous myofibroma/infantile myofibromatosis, or by macrophages, e.g. xanthogranulomas, are not part of this chapter.

Humans↗