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Biomedical subjects

F Roberts

Publications and source records attributed to F Roberts.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Immunohistochemical staining for adipophilin, perilipin and TIP47.

BACKGROUND: The presence of lipid in the cell cytoplasm is useful for supporting the diagnosis of sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC). Currently this requires histochemical stains that are carried out on frozen sections of unprocessed tissue. Recently, several anti-adipocytic antibodies that recognise proteins associated with lipid vesicles have been described. These antibodies can be applied to paraffin-wax sections. AIM: To assess the ability of anti-adipocytic antibodies to identify intracytoplasmic lipid in SGC. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal antibody to adipophilin and polyclonal antibodies to perilipin and TIP47/PP17 was carried out on archival, formalin-fixed, paraffin-wax-embedded sections of 26 samples of SGC. The immunostaining was compared with 22 other eyelid tumours (11 basal cell carcinomas (BCC), 10 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and 1 Merkel cell tumour). RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining was positive in 23, 10 and 2 cases of 26 SGC with adipophilin, perilipin and TIP47, respectively. The positive staining identified cytoplasmic lipid vesicles. Anti-adipophilin was positive in five other eyelid tumours (4 BCC and 1 SCC) staining small cytoplasmic granules that can be easily distinguished from the staining in SGC. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical staining for adipophilin and perilipin is a useful ancillary technique for the demonstration of lipid in SGC that may be applied to paraffin-wax sections.

Adenocarcinoma, Sebaceous↗
PubMed2006

Superior forniceal conjunctival advancement pedicles (SFCAP) in the management of acute and impending corneal perforations.

OBJECTIVE/AIM: Corneal perforations can result from a wide variety of disorders and can lead to devastating visual sequelae. Various surgical procedures have been described to manage nontraumatic corneal perforation. Conjunctival flaps offer an important technique in dealing with such corneal emergencies. We report a modified conjunctival flap procedure referred to as superior forniceal conjunctival advancement pedicle (SFCAP) in the successful management of corneal perforation and impending corneal perforation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Out of 20 patients who underwent SFCAP for non-traumatic corneal perforation and impending perforation, 16 had corneal perforations. Perforations were secondary to acne rosacea (2), advanced bacterial keratitis (6), corneal anaesthesia(2), multiple retinal procedures (2), previous corneal grafts with a compromised ocular surface (3), and advanced Mooren's ulcer (1). RESULTS: The globe was preserved in all patients. In 14 of the 16 eyes with perforated corneas the pedicle stabilised. One patient, who was a chronic alcoholic, rubbed the eye during sleep detaching the pedicle a week after surgery. However, the ulcer healed and the integrity of the globe was restored. None of these patients developed secondary glaucoma or ptosis. CONCLUSION: SFCAP is an appropriate procedure to manage corneal perforations and impending corneal perforations where donor material is not available and transplantation of such tissue is not suitable.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Orbital exenteration--a retrospective study over an 11 year period analyzing all cases from a single unit.

PURPOSE: A retrospective analysis of all cases of orbital exenteration performed at the National Scottish Ocular Oncology Center over an 11 year period. METHODS: We sought all exenteration cases (1993-2003) from ocular oncology and oculoplastic databases. Fifteen exenterations were performed. One case record was irretrievable. Clinicopathological features and outcome of 14 patients were analyzed. All operations were performed by the same consultant. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 1:1 and the average age at surgery was 66 years. There was a left sided predominance of pathology demonstrated (right to left orbit ratio was 1:1.3. The average follow up period postsurgery was 35 months. The most common underlying diagnosis was malignant melanoma (9/14). Ocular/orbital discomfort was the most frequent presenting symptom (7/14); a mass lesion (10/14) was the most common presenting sign. The average duration of symptoms/signs prior to tertiary institution referral was 10.9 months (range: 0.5-60 months). Exenteration was performed on average 39.7 months (range: 0.13-204) after initial tertiary center presentation. This included patients managed from the outset who failed treatment(s) and then required exenteration. The eyelids were sacrificed in ten cases (10/14). Sockets were lined with eyelid skin (4/10), split skin (thigh) (3/10) or healed secondarily (7/10). Thirteen cases (13/14) had clear histological margins. The average post operative stay was 8.3 days. The most common complication was socket fistula formation (7/14). Ethmoid sinuses were always involved. The average time to fistula development was 4.9 months (sockets lined by skin = 2.2 months compared with sockets left to heal secondarily = 6.9 months). The majority of patients wore occlusive shields long term. CONCLUSION: The most common pathology necessitating exenteration was malignant melanoma. Most patients presented with a mass lesion. Histological tumor free margins were obtained in thirteen of fourteen cases. The most common complication was socket fistula formation.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Positive immunostaining for thyroid transcription factor-1 in primary and metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma: a note of caution.

Immunohistochemistry for thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is considered an important ancillary technique for distinguishing primary pulmonary adenocarcinomas from metastases. A case of metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma in a bronchial biopsy specimen that showed focal positive nuclear staining for TTF-1 is reported here. The primary colonic adenocarcinoma was retrieved from the file and immunostaining also showed focal nuclear positivity for TTF-1. This confirmed the morphological and clinical impression of colonic metastases in the bronchial biopsy specimen. To investigate this apparent aberrant TTF-1 expression, further sections from primary colonic adenocarcinoma were immunostained for TTF-1 using the SPT24 antibody clone. Three of the six cases studied showed focal nuclear positivity with the SPT24 clone. All six cases were subsequently shown to be negative with the 8G7G1 clone. It is concluded that the SPT24 antibody to TTF-1 may show focal nuclear positivity in adenocarcinomas of colorectal origin such that focal staining in small biopsy specimens should be interpreted with caution.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2004

Improved survival rates in sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid.

PURPOSE: To review the clinicopathological features, management, and survival rates for patients with sebaceous gland carcinoma of the eyelid, and to analyse the reasons for improved survival. METHODS: In the west of Scotland between 1975 and 2001, 32 cases were identified through the pathology index for sebaceous carcinoma. Pathology specimens were reviewed in all cases. The clinical data were obtained from hospital records and the database provided by the Regional Cancer Registry. RESULTS: A total of 22 female and 10 male patients were identified. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 15 years, median of 4.8 years. Primary treatment involved excisional techniques in 27 cases, exenteration in two cases, enucleation in two cases, and two cases required adjuvant radiotherapy. Intraepithelial spread and masquerade presentations delayed the diagnosis. Poorly differentiated tumours were associated with an unfavourable outcome. Three patients developed local tumour recurrence and one metastatic disease. In all, 10 patients died from nontumour-related causes and one died from metastatic sebaceous carcinoma. The overall tumour mortality rate in the west of Scotland was 3%. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, patients in the west of Scotland have a better prognosis than is indicated in the literature. Astute clinical suspicion and accurate histopathological diagnosis, together with radical and aggressive surgical approaches were key factors.

Adenocarcinoma, Sebaceous↗
PubMed2004

Intestinal pathology during acute toxoplasmosis is IL-4 dependent and unrelated to parasite burden.

The role of interleukin-4 (IL-4) during the course of Toxoplasma gondii infection was studied using IL-4-/- mice and their wild-type (WT) counterparts on a C57BL/6 background. Following oral infection with T. gondii tissue cysts an exacerbative role for IL-4 was demonstrated and IL-4-/- mice were found to be more resistant to infection than WT mice as measured by significantly reduced mortality. Furthermore pathology in the small intestine was less severe in IL-4-/- mice although conversely liver pathology was greater than in wild-type mice. Significantly, plasma IL-12 and IFN-gamma levels, which peaked at days 6 and 8, respectively, were higher in IL-4-/- mice. The exacerbatory role of IL-4 in the intestine was found by competitive RT-PCR not to be associated with increased parasite burdens but was related to comparative expression of IL-10.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Identification of monosomy 3 in choroidal melanoma by chromosome in situ hybridisation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In uveal melanoma monosomy 3 is emerging as a significant indicator of a poor prognosis. To date most cytogenetic studies of uveal melanoma have utilised fresh tissue or DNA extracted from tissue sections. In this study chromosome in situ hybridisation (CISH) was used to study monosomy 3 in tissue sections. The copy number of chromosome 3 was determined and related to patient survival. METHODS: Archival glutaraldehyde or formalin fixed, paraffin embedded material was obtained from 30 metastasising and 26 non-metastasising choroidal melanomas. Hybridisations were performed using centromere specific probes to chromosomes 3 and 18. Chromosome 18 was included as a control as previous abnormalities in uveal melanoma have not been described. Chromosomal imbalance was defined on the basis of changes in both chromosome index and signal distribution. RESULTS: CISH was successfully performed on both glutaraldehyde and formalin fixed tissue. Four cases were unsuccessful because of extensive tumour necrosis. All cases were balanced for chromosome 18. Monosomy 3 was detected in 15 of the 26 cases of metastasising melanoma; the 26 non-metastasising tumours were all balanced for chromosome 3. Monosomy 3 was significantly associated with metastases related death. CONCLUSION: CISH can successfully identify monosomy 3 in archival glutaraldehyde or formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections. Similar to previous studies monosomy 3 is a significant predictor of metastases related death.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Interobserver variability in analysis of asbestos fibres and asbestos bodies in human lung tissue.

Two different methods of quantifying asbestos fibre burden were assessed and the counts obtained were compared with semi-quantitative asbestos body counts in corresponding tissue sections. Comparison of the two methods found significantly different asbestos fibre counts between specimens. Each technique showed wide limits of agreement for reproducibility and interobserver variability as assessed by Bland-Altman plots, such that a repeated count could not necessarily be expected to lie within the same exposure category. Asbestos body counts in tissue sections were reproducible with good correlation between observers. Asbestos body and asbestos fibre counts showed correlation in some samples but not others. Counting of asbestos bodies is a valuable screening technique as the finding of asbestos bodies is accepted as a marker of significant asbestos exposure. When no asbestos bodies are identified asbestos fibres estimations may be useful in proving asbestos exposure. Different techniques are not interchangeable and each laboratory should establish a background range from unexposed individuals.

Asbestos↗