Primary lymphoma of the colon, a rare and typically late complication of ulcerative colitis, exhibits high-grade morphology and behavior when it occurs. Recently, several reports of colonic lymphoma masquerading as ulcerative colitis have been described. These previous reports described inflammatory mucosal changes typical of ulcerative colitis as being present in superficial biopsies, leading to the initial diagnosis of ulcerative colitis; however, further workup resulted in a diagnosis of primary colonic lymphoma within several months in these cases, and all symptoms and mucosal changes resolved after treatment of the lymphoma. Herein we report a case of mantle cell lymphoma arising in the colon and rectum in a 71-year-old woman with a 4-year history of ulcerative colitis. Immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangements were detected using the polymerase chain reaction procedure in fixed tissue in the lymphoma as well as in a prior resection specimen that histologically appeared to show only changes of severe ulcerative colitis. This finding suggests that an indolent lymphoid proliferation may have been the underlying disease in this patient and raises questions about the role of colonic lymphoma in causing mucosal injury.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Solitary fibrous tumor involving the renal capsule.

Solitary fibrous tumors are spindle-cell neoplasms that originally were described in the pleura but that can occur in a large variety of sites. We report a well-circumscribed tumor, apparently involving the renal capsule, clinically thought to be a renal-cell carcinoma or oncocytoma. It was composed of bland spindle-shaped cells with a patchy lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, suggesting sarcomatoid renal-cell carcinoma, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, or solitary fibrous tumor; however, immunohistochemical stains were negative for keratin, alpha-smooth-muscle actin, and desmin but strongly positive for CD34. Ultrastructural examination revealed fibroblast-like cells without myofibroblastic or epithelial differentiation. The combined findings favor a diagnosis of a solitary fibrous tumor involving the renal capsule. To our knowledge, this lesion has not been reported in this location.

Antigens, CD34↗

PubMed1996

Soft-tissue shoulder mass in a 55-year-old man.

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Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMed1996

Posterior thigh pain in a 42-year-old woman.

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Adult↗

PubMed1996

Mammary carcinoma model: correlation of macromolecular contrast-enhanced MR imaging characterizations of tumor microvasculature and histologic capillary density.

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between capillary density, a recognized surrogate of tumor angiogenesis, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-derived estimates of plasma volume (PV) and microvascular permeability in two mammary carcinoma models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dynamic spin-echo imaging was performed by using albumin-(gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid)34, a prototype blood-pool contrast medium, in 14 rats with a subcutaneously implanted slow- or fast-growing subtype of R3230 mammary carcinoma. Data were fitted to an established two-compartment kinetic model to estimate PV and permeability. RESULTS: MR imaging-derived tumor PVs and permeabilities increased exponentially with increasing capillary density. MR imaging-derived microvascular characteristics correlated strongly with histologic capillary density, with an r2 of .85. CONCLUSION: Contrast medium-enhanced MR imaging may prove useful in estimating angiogenic activity in carcinomas. MR imaging may be superior to histologic assay because it is noninvasive, can be used to "sample" the entire tumor, and reflects both anatomic and physiologic characteristics.

Albumins↗

PubMed1996

Intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round-cell tumor: expansion of the pathologic profile.

This report describes an intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round-cell tumor in a 29-year-old man that significantly differed from the classically described appearances of this unique tumor. It showed extensive papillary areas, no necrosis, and very little desmoplasia. The latter was limited, paucicellular, and present in areas separate from the papillary structures. Also, areas of back-to-back, single-cell infiltration, which mimicked lobular breast carcinoma, were present. These epithelial features suggested the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma or peculiar mesothelioma. But, the immunohistochemical features (tumor cells positive for keratin, desmin, and vimentin) were more consistent with an intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round-cell tumor. The diagnosis became clear after application of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction techniques to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue, which showed the presence of a 100-base pair product containing the fusion junction of Ewing's sarcoma-1 exon 7 to Wilms' tumor-1 exon 8. This feature is considered unique to intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round-cell tumors. This case illustrates the less common histologic findings that can be found in intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round-cell tumor. This deviation from the classic histologic findings may be an expression of an uncommon morphologic variant and/or partially produced by the effects of prior chemotherapy. In either event, only by illustrating the various histologic appearances of intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round-cell tumor are the chances increased for the accurate diagnosis of this aggressive neoplasm with a poor prognosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Tumoral vascularity as a prognostic factor in cancer.

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Animals↗

PubMed1996

Breast.

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Biopsy, Needle↗

PubMed1995

Angiogenesis in bladder cancer: relationship between microvessel density and tumor prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Tumor stage, histologic grade, and regional lymph node status are currently used to obtain prognostic information about bladder cancers. However, additional prognostic indicators are needed to aid clinicians in selecting patients who would benefit most from specific therapies. A majority of studies assessing the prognostic value of measuring tumor angiogenesis (i.e., measurement of tumor microvessel densities) have found a positive association between increasing microvessel densities and worsening prognosis. PURPOSE: We explored the relationship between established prognostic indicators and the extent of tumor-associated angiogenesis in patients with invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, and we determined whether tumor microvessel density measurement could be used independently to predict bladder tumor behavior. METHODS: Tumor tissue was obtained from 164 patients with invasive primary TCC of the bladder. The extent of tumor-associated angiogenesis in this tissue was evaluated by immunohistochemical methods using HPCA-1, a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against the endothelial cell antigen, CD34. The number of microvessels in a 200x microscopic high-power field (hpf) containing the area of greatest neovascularization within or immediately adjacent to each tumor was determined. The patient population was then divided into three equivalently sized groups, with tumors containing low (< or = 64), intermediate (65-99), or high (> or = 100) numbers of microvessels per hpf. Kaplan-Meier product limit estimates of overall survival and the complement of cumulative incidence curves for recurrence-free survival were plotted. When analyzing survival or recurrence, the logrank test was used to compare groups of patients with and without stratification according to tumor stage. Analysis of variance was used to test for an association between microvessel density and established prognostic variables. Reported P values are from two-sided tests. RESULTS: Microvessel density was significantly associated with disease-free (P < .0001) and overall (P = .0007) survival. The estimated probabilities of recurrence at 5 years were 19% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8-29), 56% (95% CI = 43-69), and 68% (95% CI = 55-81) for patients with lowest, intermediate, and highest microvessel counts, respectively. Overall survival at 5 years was estimated to be 68% (95% CI = 56-81), 44% (95% CI = 30-57), and 34% (95% CI = 21-47) for the same three patient groups. Microvessel density was associated with disease progression in patients with organ-confined tumors, tumors extending through the bladder wall, and tumors that had spread to regional lymph nodes. Tumor angiogenesis was found to be an independent prognostic indicator when evaluated in the presence of histologic grade, pathologic stage, and regional lymph node status. CONCLUSION: Tumor angiogenesis, as determined by microvessel density measurement, is an independent prognostic indicator for patients with invasive TCC of the bladder.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Current pathologic methods for measuring intratumoral microvessel density within breast carcinoma and other solid tumors.

Abundant evidence has shown that tumor growth and metastasis are dependent upon tumor angiogenesis (TA). TA refers to the growth of new vessels toward and within the tumor. Until TA occurs, tumors grow no larger than 2-4 mm in diameter. Also, TA is necessary at the beginning and at the end of the metastatic cascade of events. Thus, it seems reasonable that increasing intratumoral microvascular density (iMVD) might correlate with greater tumor aggressiveness, such as a higher frequency of metastases and/or decreased survival. Indeed, in 1991 my colleagues and I reported a statistically significant association between greater incidence of metastases in patients with breast carcinoma and increasing iMVD. Microvessel density was measured with a light microscope in a single area of invasive tumor (200x field or 0.74 mm2) representative of the highest microvessel density (neovascular "hot spot"). This was done after endothelial cells, lining the microvessels, had been highlighted with anti-factor VIII-related antigen/von Willebrand's factor (F8RA/vWF). Subsequent studies by other investigators, using either anti-F8RA/vWF or other relatively vessel-specific reagents such as anti-CD31, have shown that the association of greater tumor aggressiveness with increasing iMVD exists not only in breast carcinoma, but also in other solid tumors. This article reviews the methods of highlighting intratumoral vessels and describes the techniques for counting these vessels for assessing iMVD.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed1995

Prognostic value of intratumoral microvessel density, a measure of tumor angiogenesis, in node-negative breast carcinoma--results of a multiparametric study.

In the present study we update previous results on the prognostic value of intratumoral microvessel density (IMD), determined immunocytochemically using the monoclonal antibody CD-31 and a standard streptavidin-immunoperoxidase technique, published in the J Clin Oncol 12:454-466, 1994. This study was undertaken in those 211 node-negative breast cancer (NNBC) cases of that series of which we had pathological material available to determine all the prognostic indicators. The median period of follow-up has been extended to 78 and 80 months for relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively, and new biological indicators (i.e. Ki-67 labeling and 67 kDa laminin receptor expression) were included in the analysis. The main results obtained are: i) a confirmation that IMD is not associated with the other biological markers studied, i.e. expression of p53 protein, c-erbB-2 protein, 67 kDa laminin receptor, and cell kinetics; IMD was weakly associated only with histological grade (p = 0.053); ii) IMD remains a highly significant prognostic factor for RFS and OS (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.018, respectively) in univariate analysis; iii) in multivariate analysis on RFS, IMD (likelihood ratio test (LRT) = 30.16; p < 0.0001), 67 kDa laminin receptor (LRT = 9.80; p = 0.0017), the IMD/67 kDa laminin receptor interaction (LRT = 8.62; p = 0.0033), tumor size (LRT = 8.56; p = 0.0034), and p53 protein (LRT = 4.96; p = 0.025) are significant and independent prognostic indicators. For OS, only tumor size (LRT = 8.34; p = 0.0038), menopausal status (LRT = 5.16; p = 0.023), p53 protein (LRT = 4.37; p = 0.036), and IMD (LRT = 4.05; p = 0.044) retain a significant and independent prognostic value. The results of this study confirm the prognostic importance on RFS of the variables previously tested, but not of peritumoral lymphatic vessel invasion. A novel finding is that 67 kDa laminin receptor and the IMD/67 kDa laminin receptor interaction are also significant and independent variables. For OS, the results confirm that both IMD and tumor size are significant and independent variables. With prolonged follow-up the novel finding that emerges is the prognostic importance of menopausal status and p53 protein. This new information could be useful for a more accurate selection of high-risk NNBC patients who require careful follow-up and may benefit from adjuvant therapy.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1995

Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis in a renal allograft.

We report a 12-year-old male with acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) occurring 1 year after a cadaveric renal transplant. Although recurrent and de novo renal transplant glomerulonephritides have been well described in large series of adult and pediatric renal transplant recipients, post-infectious glomerulonephritis has been rarely reported, and APSGN has never been reported in either adult or pediatric transplant series. We speculate on the reasons for the lack of occurrence of APSGN in renal transplant recipients.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1995

Mapping of regions of physical deletion on chromosome 16q in prostate cancer cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Recent evidence suggests that a tumor suppressor gene important in the progression of prostatic carcinoma may reside on chromosome 16q. The exact location and identity of this gene are unknown. We used fluorescence in situ hybridization in a novel manner to define more clearly the location of this gene. Region-specific chromosome 16 cosmid contig probes were hybridized directly to interphase prostatic carcinoma nuclei in order to measure physical deletion of chromosomal loci. Fifteen of 30 tumors (50%) showed evidence of physical deletion of 16q24. Other probes were used to test for regions of chromosome 16 deletions in the same specimens, and a map showing a region of common deletion was created. This map showed the proximal terminus of the region of common deletion to be located distal to 16q23.1. These data correlate well with loss of heterozygosity data in the literature and provide further evidence for the presence of a prostatic carcinoma tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 16q.

Chromosome Deletion↗

PubMed1995

The significance of prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the detection of prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia (PIN) on initial prostate biopsy and subsequent invasive prostatic adenocarcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-six men (mean age 67 years, range 52-82) with PIN underwent digital rectal examination (DRE), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) before the initial biopsy and documentation of PIN. They were followed up with serial PSA, TRUS and a repeat biopsy every 6 months until either invasive carcinoma was identified or 2 years had elapsed. RESULTS: The initial biopsy revealed Grade I PIN in 33%, Grade II in 22%, and Grade III in 45% of the men. The repeat biopsy showed evidence of invasive carcinoma in 21 patients (58%; Group I), while 15 (42%) showed persistence of PIN (Group II). In Group I, 19 had had high-grade PIN (Grade II/III) on initial biopsy compared with one in Group II. The findings on DRE, and age, were no significantly different between groups. TRUS revealed a hypoechoic lesion in 15/21 patients in Group I compared with 7/15 patients in Group II. There was an increase in PSA level in 18 patients in Group I (from 8.4 to 11.6 ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS: PIN and invasive adenocarcinoma of the prostate were closely associated, and the likelihood for coexistence was higher in patients with high-grade PIN, increasing PSA level or positive findings on TRUS. We recommend that all patients who show high-grade PIN on prostate biopsy be followed very closely with serial PSA measurements and repeat biopsies from both the area of PIN and other areas of the prostate.

Adenocarcinoma↗