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L Cerroni

Publications and source records attributed to L Cerroni.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Prognostic evaluation of specific cutaneous infiltrates in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The relationship between numerous histologic variables and survival was investigated in 54 consecutive lesions of specific skin infiltrates of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) from 27 patients (16 males and 11 females, mean age 65 years, range 42-83 years). All patients were followed for up to 204 months or until death. Histopathologically, the infiltrates showed a patchy perivascular (35%), diffuse (31.5%), nodular (31.5%) or bandlike (1.9%) pattern. In 28% of the cases, an admixture of reactive cells within the infiltrate including eosinophils, histiocytes, neutrophils and plasma cells was observed. Cytomorphologically, small B-lymphocytes with condensed chromatin predominated in most infiltrates. However, some biopsies showed a small but significant number of medium- or large-sized neoplastic cells of the B-lymphocyte lineage with variable cytomorphological features. In a multivariate analysis, several histologic parameters within the infiltrates were found to show a significant association with long survival, namely, an infiltrate of moderate density, a nodular pattern, involvement of the lower dermis only, and presence of predominantly small B-lymphocytes (more than 95%) with condensed chromatin. Histologic variables that independently correlated with relatively short survival included an infiltrate of severe intensity, a diffuse pattern, epidermal changes (especially acanthosis and ulceration), medium-sized and large B-lymphocyte (more than 5%), and reactive cells within the infiltrate (neutrophils, eosinophils, and plasma cells). Overall analysis of our results showed two histologic patterns with a significant prognostic impact (p < 0.01; z = 5.4). Pattern I (33 biopsies) correlated with relatively long survival (2-year survival rate; 97%) and consisted of infiltrates showing predominantly small B-lymphocytes (more than 95%) without reactive cells or epidermal changes. Pattern II (21 biopsies) indicated short survival (2-year survival rate; 49%) and included all the rest of the biopsies i.e., infiltrates with medium- and large-sized B-lymphocytes (more than 5%), admixture of reactive cells, and epidermal changes. Results from our study suggest that histologic features in specific skin infiltrates of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia may be helpful in identifying prognostically different subgroups of patients and planning therapeutic schedules.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Specific cutaneous infiltrates of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia arising at the site of herpes zoster and herpes simplex scars.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates at sites of herpes zoster scars in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) often are diagnosed as benign lymphoid hyperplasia ("pseudolymphomas"). The histologic and immunophenotypic features of these lesions are not well characterized. Appearance of skin lesions in B-CLL patients is considered a poor prognostic sign. METHOD: Eight punch biopsies from five patients (three males, two females; mean age, 66.7 years) affected by B-CLL and presenting with lesions at sites of previous herpes simplex (upper lip, one patient) or herpes zoster (trunk, four patients; forehead, one patient) infections were included in the study. Histologic examination was performed on routine sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Giemsa. Immunohistologic stainings were performed with a standard three-step immunoperoxidase technique on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections. RESULTS: Specific cutaneous infiltrates of B-CLL were diagnosed histopathologically and immunophenotypically in eight biopsies from all five patients. Clinically, patients presented with erythematous papules or plaques confined to the area of previous herpes virus eruptions. Histopathologic features in most cases were characterized by a variably dense perivascular and periadnexal infiltrate of small hyperchromatic lymphocytes throughout the entire dermis, reaching the subcutaneous fat. In one case, a dense, diffuse infiltrate involving the entire dermis was observed. A granulomatous reaction with presence of epithelioid and multinucleated giant cells was a prominent feature in four biopsies from three patients. Light areas containing large lymphoid cells with features of prolymphocytes and paraimmunoblasts (so-called "proliferation centers") could be observed only in the case characterized by a diffuse infiltrate. Immunohistology revealed an aberrant CD20+/CD43+ phenotype of neoplastic B cells, which is not found in normal B lymphocytes (CD20+/CD43-). Reactive T lymphocytes were present in all lesions and had a normal CD20-/CD43+/CD45Ro+ phenotype. At the time of this writing, four patients were alive without signs of skin disease after a mean follow-up of 58.5 months, and one patient died of B-CLL 24 months after the cutaneous eruption. CONCLUSIONS: Specific cutaneous infiltrates of B-CLL are not uncommon at sites of herpes virus scars. The diagnosis can be confirmed by histopathologic and immunophenotypic criteria. The prognosis is better than previously reported.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

bcl-2 protein expression in cutaneous malignant melanoma and benign melanocytic nevi.

bcl-2 is a proto-oncogene belonging to a new category of oncogenes that are not involved in the mechanisms of cell proliferation but instead influence tissue homeostasis regulating cell death. The gene encodes for a protein that preserves cells from death by apoptosis, allowing them to survive in G(o) phase even in the absence of essential growth factors. The expression of bcl-2 protein has been observed in most follicular lymphomas and in approximately 25% of high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, as well as in solid tumors such as carcinomas of the lung, prostate, and nasopharynx. In this study, we analyzed bcl-2 protein expression in cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM) (29 cases) and benign melanocytic nevi (BMN) (35 cases) using a high specific anti-bcl-2 monoclonal antibody with a standard three-step immunoperoxidase technique on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. High levels of bcl-2 protein were observed in 27 of 29 MM (93.1%) and 33 of 35 BMN (94.3%). Our results indicate that bcl-2 protein expression is a common finding in cutaneous melanocytic lesions regardless of their biologic behavior. Expression of the protein in the great majority of MM seems to exclude a prognostic significance of bcl-2 in MM of the skin.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1995

TAL1 gene deletions and TAL1 protein expression in sporadic melanoma.

Studies on cytogenetic abnormalities and cell lines have implicated chromosome 1p32 as being important in the pathogenesis of melanoma. Genetic linkage studies have also mapped a melanoma-susceptibility locus to chromosome 1p. The gene TAL1 is present on chromosome 1p32, and deletions within it are the commonest chromosomal abnormality in T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). A melanoma cell line harbouring a 1p32 deletion involving the TAL1 gene and the presence of TAL1 protein in developing mouse melanocytes led us to investigate whether TAL1 deletions and/or TAL1 protein expression occur in sporadic melanomas. DNA extracted from 32 fresh melanomas was amplified by standard polymerase chain reaction for the four common deletions of the TAL1 gene that occur in T-ALL. In addition, frozen and paraffin-embedded sections of these melanomas were stained with monoclonal antibodies that detect full-length and truncated TAL1 protein. The results of the study show that deletions of TAL1 do not occur in melanoma. Indeed, full and truncated TAL1 protein also could not be detected immunohistochemically in the paraffin-embedded and frozen sections of the melanomas. We conclude that the TAL1 gene and its protein are probably not directly involved in the oncogenesis of melanomas.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Computer simulations of histologic patterns in melanoma using a cellular automaton provide correlations with prognosis.

Computer simulations have been used frequently in the life sciences to investigate the mechanisms of morphologic pattern formation. The cellular automaton program SMN5 is designed to simulate tumor growth and to estimate biologic properties by comparing real tumor patterns with computer-simulated reference patterns. This method was applied to 195 cases of primary melanoma of the skin. S-100-stained sections were evaluated by image analysis and compared statistically to a reference set of 4000 simulated patterns. Estimates of tumor cell proliferation, motility, cell loss, cohesion, stroma destruction, and intercellular signals (autocrine and paracrine factors affecting growth, motility, and cell loss) were calculated. Twelve of 18 estimated parameters correlated significantly with tumor progression, as indicated by vertical tumor thickness (linear regression analysis: p < or = 0.05), and 13 of 18 parameters carried prognostic significance (log rank test: p < or = 0.05). Poor prognosis was associated particularly with a pronounced increase in the estimates of proliferation, tumor cell motility, and stromal degradation. Poor prognosis was also associated with a decrease in the estimates of cell loss, tumor cell cohesion, and paracrine growth factor dependence. In multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model, stromal degradation and motility showed prognostic information in addition to conventional prognostic parameters. The study shows that analytical comparison of real tumors with computer-simulated patterns of a cellular automaton facilitates a functional interpretation of tumor morphology, which carries prognostic significance in cutaneous melanoma.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed1995

Cutaneous Hodgkin's disease: an immunohistochemical analysis.

Studies of skin involvement in Hodgkin's disease are infrequent in the literature. In particular, immunophenotypic analyses of specific cutaneous infiltrates have been performed in only a few cases. We analyzed the clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features of specific cutaneous manifestations of Hodgkin's disease comparing histologic and immunophenotypic aspects of skin lesions with those of the nodal counterpart. Seven patients with Hodgkin's disease of the lymph nodes and specific cutaneous lesions, where both nodal and skin biopsies were available for histologic and immunohistochemical analyses, were included in this study. Immunohistochemical stains were performed with a 3-step immunoperoxidase technique on routinely-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. All 7 patients had nodular sclerosis Hodgkin's disease of the lymph nodes. In the skin, clinical presentations included reddish-brown papules, plaques, nodules and ulcerated tumors. Histologic examination of cutaneous lesions showed features consistent with nodular sclerosis Hodgkin's disease in 6 cases and unclassifiable Hodgkin's disease in one. Reed-Sternberg cells and lacunar cells were present in 4 cases (57.1%). Immunohistochemical analysis of Hodgkin's and Reed-Sternberg cells revealed a constant positivity for CD30 (BerH2) and negativity for CD45 (LCA) in both the lymph nodes and the skin. Staining with CD15 (M1) revealed positivity in 7/7 nodal samples and 5/7 skin biopsies. Cytoplasmic expression of immunoglobulin light chains (both lambda and kappa) was observed in one cutaneous case. The accompanying infiltrate was mostly composed of T-lymphocytes admixed with variable numbers of monocytes/macrophages and eosinophils. Our results indicate that the histology of cutaneous specific manifestations of Hodgkin's disease correlates with that of the nodal counterpart in most cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hodgkin Disease↗
PubMed1995

Pseudolymphoma?

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Humans↗
PubMed1994

Detection of Epstein-Barr virus genome in primary cutaneous T and B cell lymphomas and pseudolymphomas.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome has recently been identified in Hodgkin's disease (HD) and nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). In order to elucidate the possible aetiopathogenetic role of EBV in benign and malignant lymphoproliferative disorders we investigated skin specimens from 24 patients with a primary cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders (10 T-cell lymphomas 6 B-cell lymphomas and 8 pseudolymphomas) and from 22 normal individuals for the presence of EBV DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and in situ hybridization (ISH) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. EBV DNA was identified by PCR in one of two cases of mycosis fungoides, in one of seven cases of pleomorphic T-cell lymphomas, in one case of centroblastic (CB) lymphoma of six B-cell lymphomas, and in three of eight pseudolymphomas. The EBV genome was also found in 2 of 22 specimens of normal skin. The small EBV-encoded nuclear RNAs, EBERs, were not detected in any PCR-positive sample by ISH. Based on our PCR and ISH findings, EBV does not seem to play a significant role in the development of cutaneous lymphomas.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

[Pacemaker erythema with telangiectasis ].

Pacemaker erythema is a rare, irreversible side effect of cardiac pacemakers, clinically characterized by epifocal teleangiectatic erythema. Histology reveals teleangiectatic vessels in the superficial dermis and a slight perivascular infiltrate. We report on three patients presenting with pacemaker erythema following either pacemaker or defibrillator implantation. The pathogenesis of this histopathologically uncharacteristic lesion is unknown. In contrast to peri- or postoperative pacemaker infections, physical irritation can be considered a possible triggering mechanism. Allergic reactions to the implanted material have been ruled out by negative patch test results.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

bcl-2 protein expression and correlation with the interchromosomal 14;18 translocation in cutaneous lymphomas and pseudolymphomas.

The interchromosomal 14;18 translocation occurs in approximately 70-80% of follicular lymphomas and in a lower proportion of high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphomas of the lymph nodes. This translocation results in the fusion of the bcl-2 oncogene on chromosome 18 with immunoglobulin heavy chain genes on chromosome 14, and in the expression of higher amounts of normal bcl-2 protein. We studied bcl-2 expression in biopsies of 108 patients with benign and malignant cutaneous lymphoproliferative diseases (B-cell lymphoma, primary cutaneous, 42; secondary cutaneous, 21; primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, 21; B-cell pseudolymphoma, 24), using a monoclonal anti-bcl-2 antibody on paraffin-embedded tissue sections, bcl-2 protein was detected immunohistochemically in 16 of 63 cases of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma, whereas cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and B-cell pseudolymphomas were negative. The proportion of bcl-2 protein expression was significantly higher in secondary (11/21) than in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (5/42; chi 2 test, p < 0.001). Biopsies from 25 of these patients (B-cell lymphoma, 22; B-cell pseudolymphoma, three) were analyzed previously on the molecular level for the t(14;18), using polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA obtained from paraffin-embedded sections. In four of 11 cases of bcl-2 protein-positive B-cell lymphoma (primary, one; secondary, three) the t(14;18) was detected by polymerase chain reaction. All other cases of B-cell lymphoma, including seven cases where bcl-2 protein was detected by immunohistology, and B-cell pseudolymphoma were negative. These results demonstrate: 1) bcl-2 protein is expressed in a small portion of cutaneous B-cell lymphomas; 2) bcl-2 protein expression is significantly more frequent in secondary than in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma; 3) only approximately one-third of cases expressing the bcl-2 protein are characterized also by the t(14;18). bcl-2 protein expression might indicate that the cutaneous manifestation of the lymphoma represents a secondary spread from a node-based lymphoma.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1994

Clinical and histopathologic spectrum of pilomatricomas in adults.

BACKGROUND: Pilomatricomas are benign cutaneous neoplasms with differentiation toward hair matrix. Although previously reported to occur mostly in children and young adults, Taaffe et al. recently observed a second onset peak in adults and the elderly. METHODS: To study the clinical and histopathologic features of pilomatricomas in adults we analyzed files and histologic sections of all cases of pilomatricomas seen at the Department of Dermatology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria, between January 1980 and December 1990. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients were identified, 58 of whom were > 45 years of age. The clinical features of patients > 45 years of age were generally similar to those of patients < 45 years of age. Differential diagnoses in both groups were also comparable except in some cases of the older study-group where differential diagnoses included basal cell carcinoma, keratoacanthoma, and metastasis. Recurrence of the lesions after simple excision was observed in one patient > 45 years of age. Histopathologically, lesions in both age groups showed similar features except in four lesions of the older patients where "atypical" features were present. The histopathologic differential diagnosis of the lesions with "atypical" features included pilomatrical carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma with matrical differentiation, and matricoma. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals the relatively frequent occurrence of pilomatricomas in adults and the elderly. Pilomatricoma should be considered along with other benign and malignant conditions in the clinical differential diagnosis of solitary, firm skin nodules presenting in adults and the elderly, especially on the head and neck.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Gingival metastasis as first sign of an undifferentiated carcinoma of the lung.

BACKGROUND: Metastases of internal tumors to the oral cavity are unusual and involve in most cases maxilla and mandible. Metastases to the gingival soft tissue are extremely rare. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of gingival metastasis from undifferentiated carcinoma of the lung. METHODS: The lesion was removed and hematoxylin and eosin sections were performed. Immunohistochemical investigations were performed with a standard three-step immunoperoxidase technique on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections using anti-CEA, anti-S-100, HMB45, and anti-LCA antibodies. RESULTS: Based on clinicopathologic findings, a diagnosis of metastasis from undifferentiated carcinoma of the lung was established. Further investigations revealed a primary undifferentiated carcinoma of the lung. CONCLUSION: Metastasis from internal neoplasms should be considered among other differential diagnoses in the evaluation of gingival tumors. In the present case, onset of oral lesion preceded detection of the primary lung tumor. Complete screening of the patient should therefore follow a diagnosis of gingival neoplasm of unknown origin.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Aberrant bcl-2 protein expression provides a possible mechanism of neoplastic cell growth in cutaneous basal-cell carcinoma.

The bcl-2 proto-oncogene encodes a protein that protects cells from programmed cell death (apoptosis). High levels of this protein confer a growth advantage to neoplastic cells even in the absence of a high mitotic rate. This gene is involved in the interchromosomal 14;18 translocation, an abnormality present in more than two-thirds of follicular lymphomas and in about 25% of other non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of the lymph nodes. A recent study also demonstrated the presence of high levels of bcl-2 protein in solid tumors such as squamous cell carcinomas of the lung and related it to a better prognosis. We analyzed bcl-2 protein expression in 20 cases each of basal- and squamous-cell carcinoma and in 5 biopsy specimens of normal skin, using a monoclonal anti-bcl-2 protein antibody with a standard 3-step immunoperoxidase technique on routinely fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Normal skin showed positive staining of the majority of keratinocytes in the epidermal basal layer. Bcl-2 positivity was also observed within the outer root sheath and the mesenchymal cells of the follicular papillae, the clear cells of the eccrine glands, and in some melanocytes at the dermo-epidermal junction. Neoplastic cells in all cases of basal-cell carcinoma showed a positive cytoplasmic reaction for bcl-2. All biopsy specimens of squamous-cell carcinoma were negative. Expression of bcl-2 protein could also be observed in the majority of peri- and intratumoral lymphocytes in both basal-cell carcinoma and squamous-cell carcinoma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Apoptosis↗