Kaposi's sarcoma is a multiform mesenchymal neoplasm of uncertain histogenesis but of possible viral origin. Several anatomo-clinical forms have been described the cutaneous nodular lesion being the most common and at highest frequency in equatorial Africa. Eighteen of such typical lesions were reported; their morphology was uniform and associated: 1) spindle cells, 2) an excess of vascular spaces composed of intratumoral intercellular slits and of intra and peritumoral well structured vessels, 3) a lymphoplasmocytic inflammatory infiltration. The lesions of the other and less common forms of Kaposi's sarcoma associated the same histological features in variable combination. At one end of the histological spectrum the lesions are essentially composed of irregular capillaries with few spindle cells, at the other end the tumor is a highly cellular neoplasm with few or no angiogenic features. The vascular structure of the typical lesions appeared clearly at the ultrastructural level. Most tumor cells were of endothelial type and formed cylinders with virtual or large central lumina, reminiscing of vascular sprouts. Pericyte-like cells were also present. In one the three ultrastructurally investigated cases, a tumor cell of the endothelial type contained intranuclear herpes virus like inclusions, group to which belongs the cytomegalovirus (CMV), a possible promoter of Kaposi's sarcoma.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The endometrium under the effects of hormone replacement therapy in menopause with percutaneous estradiol and low-dose micronized progesterone].

AIM: The aim of our study is to evaluate the effects of a new combined association of percutaneous estradiol with oral micronized progesterone during 25 days/month and to confirm that a low dose of progesterone (100 mg/day) can adequately counteract endometrial proliferation induced by estradiol. METHODS: 78 endometrial tissue samples were obtained in a multicenter study on the effects of hormonal replacement therapy of the menopause. Endometrial biopsies were performed on average at the 6.6 month of the hormonal substitution (range: 5-13 months) after 12 days minimum exposure to progesterone. The morphological evaluation was performed blindly. RESULTS: All endometria are only slightly developed, without hyperplasia. Four groups were individualized: subatrophic endometrium (3), quiescent endometrium (48), slightly active endometrium (18), and endometrium with marginal secretion (6). Rare mitosis images have only been found in slightly active endometria. Their number is always very much below the normal proliferative phase with only 3 cases between less than 3 and 6 mitoses per 1000 glandular epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: A low micronized progesterone dose (100 mg/day) over a long period (25 days per month) allows to efficiently control the estrogen-induced endometrial proliferation. This adequate endometrial response is responsible for a high incidence of amenorrhea, often asked by patients, and for rare spottings.

Administration, Cutaneous↗