Forty-one cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans are presented. The clinical features and histopathological appearances are described. Immunohistochemical staining of thirteen cases with antisera to lysozyme, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and S-100 protein has provided no evidence to support either a histiocytic or neuroectodermal origin for these tumours. In reviewing the literature, the histogenetic origin, differential diagnosis and malignant potential of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1984

Effect of subdermal oestrogen and oestrogen/testosterone implants on calcium and phosphorus homeostasis after oophorectomy.

Various biochemical aspects of calcium metabolism were studied serially in 32 post-menopausal patients treated with subdermal implants of oestrogen, either alone or in combination with testosterone. Significant reductions in serum calcium, serum phosphate, the renal phosphate threshold (TmPO4) and the urinary calcium/creatinine ratio were observed for periods of up to 6 mth in both treatment groups as compared with baseline. The findings suggest that oestrogen replacement therapy by subdermal implant is effective in reversing the characteristic alterations in calcium metabolism which occur in the post-menopausal patient. The addition of testosterone does not appear to confer any additional benefit with respect to the parameters assessed.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Ten years post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy--effect on lipoproteins.

Serum lipoproteins were measured in 72 post-menopausal women, 40 of whom had been taking the synthetic oestrogen, mestranol, for a period of 10 yr and 32 of whom had been taking identical placebo tablets. Mestranol therapy was found to increase serum triglycerides, decrease low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The increase in HDL cholesterol was due principally to a marked increase in the cardioprotective HDL2 fraction. It is concluded that long-term mestranol therapy has a beneficial effect on serum lipoproteins which may help to protect post-menopausal women against fatal ischaemic heart disease.

Cholesterol↗

PubMed1984

Effect on lipoproteins of Trisequens, a combined hormone preparation.

Lipoprotein concentrations were measured in 31 post-menopausal women during 1 yr of treatment with Trisequens, a natural oestrogen-progestogen preparation. Serum triglyceride, high density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations did not change significantly, but low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations fell over the first 6 mth. After 1 yr none of the lipoprotein fractions differed significantly in concentration from pre-treatment levels.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Org OD 14: long-term effects on serum lipoproteins.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Cholesterol↗

PubMed1984

Sarcomas--a clinicopathological guide with particular reference to cutaneous manifestation. I. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and the epithelioid sarcoma of Enzinger.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Calcitonin and postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Fasting serum calcitonin levels were measured in 54 postmenopausal women who had for 10 years been taking part in a double blind trial to assess the effect of the synthetic oestrogen, mestranol, on postmenopausal bone loss. There were no differences in calcitonin levels between mestranol treated and placebo groups. Fifteen of the women were challenged with a calcium infusion to measure the secretory reserve of calcitonin. Oestrogen treatment did not increase the calcitonin response to calcium infusion. The three patients who exhibited the greatest responses were placebo treated. Bone density was measured by gamma-ray absorptiometry over the ten year period and the annual rate of change of bone density calculated. No correlation could be found between basal calcitonin level or calcitonin reserve and change in bone density. Our results indicate that postmenopausal osteoporosis is not caused by a deficiency of calcitonin and that the action of oestrogen therapy to prevent bone loss does not involve calcitonin.

Calcitonin↗

PubMed1984

Eosinophil infiltration in keratoacanthoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

The incidence of tissue eosinophilia in keratoacanthoma and in early and late cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin has been studied. Eosinophil infiltration of over 10 cells per high power field was found in 80 cases, and was not related to the size, site or aetiology of the lesions in which it was present. In cases where diagnostic difficulty arises between keratoacanthoma and well differentiated, keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, if tissue eosinophilia is present the lesion is more likely to be malignant. Though in isolation the finding of an eosinophil infiltrate is not diagnostic it should be added to the list of criteria which help to distinguish these lesions. The pattern of tissue eosinophilia in late cases of squamous cell carcinoma was more extensive and there were two cases which showed massive tumour-associated tissue eosinophilia. This has previously been reported in squamous cell carcinoma at other sites, and may be related to the production of an eosinophilochemotactic factor.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed1984

Eosinophilia in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, external genitalia and anus--clinical correlations.

The incidence and pattern of tumour-associated eosinophilia is described in squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, vulva, penis, scrotum and anus. Massive tissue eosinophilia appears to be related to the histological differentiation of the tumours in which it occurs, and in the cases in this series was associated with a favourable prognosis. Circulating eosinophilia occurred in patients with metastatic disease and a poor prognosis.

Aged↗

PubMed1984

Inflammatory fibrous histiocytoma of the penis.

A 62-year-old man presented with a penile mass which was diagnosed histologically as an inflammatory fibrous histiocytoma. The predominant inflammatory cells in the tumour were eosinophils. The tumour regressed after radiotherapy but recurred eight months later, when it showed very few inflammatory cells. At no time did this patient have an elevated white cell count. This tumour has not previously been reported on the penis, nor have eosinophils been described as the principal inflammatory cell in these tumours.

Eosinophils↗

PubMed1984

Lipoprotein levels during hormone replacement therapy by vaginal ring pessaries.

Nineteen women who had had a surgical menopause had a vaginal ring pessary containing levonorgestrel and oestradiol in situ for a period of 3 months. Fasting lipoprotein levels were measured before, and after 1 and 3 months on therapy. After 3 months total triglyceride levels were significantly lower than baseline values (P less than 0.01) as were very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P less than 0.01), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P less than 0.05) and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P less than 0.001) levels. These changes suggest that in this preparation the effects of the progestogen component are dominant.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Tumour-associated eosinophilia in the bladder.

Tumour eosinophilia is an uncommon but striking phenomenon which has been found in many tumours, mostly of large cell type or squamous differentiation. The incidence, appearance and importance of tumour eosinophilia in the bladder are described. Eosinophilia is commoner in deeply invasive tumours and in tumours showing squamous metaplasia. Transitional cell carcinomas with eosinophilia have a better prognosis than those without, but this improvement is not seen in squamous cell carcinomas of the bladder. When eosinophilia is found on superficial biopsies of a bladder tumour, the possibility of muscle invasion should be considered.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

The effects of hormone implants on serum lipoproteins and steroid hormones in bilaterally oophorectomised women.

Serum lipoproteins were measured over a period of 6 months in 14 oophorectomised women treated with oestrogen implants (50 mg oestradiol-17 beta) and 17 oophorectomised women treated with oestrogen/testosterone implants (50 mg oestradiol-17 beta, 100 mg testosterone). Both types of implant caused only minimal changes in lipoprotein metabolism. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol decreased with both types of implant and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol rose with the oestrogen implants. HDL subfractions were also measured. The oestrogen implants caused a transient rise in HDL2 cholesterol levels at 2 months and a slower rise in HDL3 cholesterol. The oestrogen/testosterone implants had no effect on HDL fractions. The results indicate that hormone implants do not cause the profound changes in lipoproteins associated with oral hormone therapy.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

A long-term study of the effects of norethisterone on lipoprotein metabolism in menopausal women.

Long-term effects of the androgenic progestogen norethisterone on lipoprotein metabolism were studied by measuring lipoprotein concentrations in 21 women during one year on treatment for the relief of climacteric symptoms. There were significant reductions in total serum triglyceride (p less than 0.01), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol (p less than 0.01) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (p less than 0.001) after two months on treatment, all of which were still in evidence after one year. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels climbed gradually becoming significantly higher than baseline after one year on treatment (p less than 0.01). Comparison of cholesterol concentrations in HDL subfractions in the one year treated subjects with those in a control group of untreated subjects suggests that the fall in HDL cholesterol is due to reductions in both the HDL2 and HDL3 fractions. We conclude that norethisterone adversely affects the important lipoprotein risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Adult↗