Showing papers by "Saul Suster published in 1993"

Identification of a colon mucosa gene that is down-regulated in colon adenomas and adenocarcinomas.

Abstract: A cDNA, which we call DRA (for down-regulated in adenoma) has been isolated. Its mRNA is expressed exclusively in normal colon tissue, probably only in the mucosal epithelia. Expression of the DRA gene is significantly decreased in adenomas (polyps) and adenocarcinomas of the colon. The DRA gene appears to be a single-copy gene present on chromosome 7, a chromosome associated with colorectal tumorigenesis. The predicted DRA polypeptide is an 84,500-Da protein that contains charged clusters of amino acids, primarily at the NH2 and COOH termini. Together with potential nuclear targeting motifs, an acidic transcriptional activation domain, and a homeobox domain, these elements suggest a transcription factor or a protein that may interact with transcription factors. Such a function may be consistent with a role in tissue-specific gene expression and/or as a candidate tumor-suppressor gene.

Solitary myofibroma in adults: clinicopathological analysis of a series

Abstract: Solitary myofibroma is a recently described, benign neoplasm of superficial soft tissue, which represents the adult counterpart of infantile myofibromatosis and is poorly recognized. Eleven new cases are presented herein. The patients were mostly adults with ages ranging from 13-64 years. They presented with a solitary, usually painless nodule of variable duration in the skin or oral cavity. Histologically, each lesion had a biphasic pattern with spindle cells forming fascicular or whorled areas and rounded, more primitive cells arranged around small vessels, forming haemangiopericytoma-like areas. The characteristic zonation of infantile myofibromatosis was often less marked in adult lesions and there was a haphazard arrangement of the fascicular and pericytic areas in some cases. Hyalinization, especially of the peripheral spindle-celled areas, was frequent. Immunohistochemically, the spindle cells were desmin negative but muscle actin (HHF-35 and IA4) positive. The rounded cells were both desmin and actin negative. Electronmicroscopy confirmed the myofibroblastic/fibroblastic nature of tumour cells in two cases. Although vascular invasion was seen in two cases, solitary adult-type myofibroma pursues a benign clinical course.

Sarcomas with combined features of liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. Study of two cases of an unusual soft-tissue tumor showing dual lineage differentiation.

Abstract: Two cases are described of a soft-tissue sarcoma characterized histologically by the intimate admixture of areas displaying the features of liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. Both cases occurred in men, 70 and 77 years of age. The lesions were located in the left scrotum and abdominal cavity, respectively. Histologically, the lipomatous component in both cases consisted predominantly of well-differentiated liposarcoma with myxoid areas. The smooth-muscle component was characterized by intersecting fascicles of spindle cells displaying nuclear atypicality and scattered mitotic figures; the spindle cells in these areas were strongly immunoreactive with actin and desmin antibodies. The above tumors must be distinguished from angiomyolipoma, spindle-cell lipoma, myolipoma of soft tissue, and more importantly, from "dedifferentiated" liposarcoma. The development of dual lineage differentiation within adipose tissue tumors as exemplified by these two cases may be more prevalent than has been generally recognized, and may require the application of immunohistochemical markers for specific identification of the spindle-cell component.

Pulmonary adenofibroma : report of two cases of an unusual type of hamartomatous lesion of the lung

Abstract: We report two cases of a primary lung tumour characterized by complex gland-like spaces lined by simple cuboidal to columnar epithelium surrounded by a hyalinized spindle-cell fibroblastic proliferation reminiscent of adenofibromas of the female genital tract. The lesions occurred in a 54-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man. The tumours presented clinically as 1-2 cm, solitary 'coin' lesions and were discovered incidentally on routine chest X-rays. Both lesions were treated by lobectomy. One patient is alive and well with no evidence of disease after 8 years; the other died of myocardial infarction 5 years following resection of his tumour without evidence of recurrence. We interpret these lesions as benign hamartomatous growths; their main importance lies in distinguishing them histologically from other types of pulmonary hamartomas, pulmonary blastomas, intrapulmonary solitary fibrous tumours, and metastases from soft tissue and visceral sarcomas.

Squamous differentiation in malignant eccrine poroma.

Abstract: Squamous differentiation in poral adnexal neoplasms is a rare event. Two cases are presented of malignant eccrine poroma in which areas of squamous differentiation showing the features of squamous cell carcinoma were present. The areas of squamous differentiation were found within the invasive components of the lesions and appeared to result from direct transformation of the poral epithelial cells. A review of the literature on this unusual phenomenon is presented.

Benign trichogenic tumours: a report of two cases supporting a simplified nomenclature

Abstract: We report two cases of a rare benign tumour of hair germ. Clinically, both were solitary, well-circumscribed, subcutaneous nodules located in the extremities. Histologically, the tumours were characterized by nests and thin cords of basaloid epithelial cells intimately associated with a cellular stroma. The basaloid cells exhibited peripheral palisading, keratinization in the form of keratotic cysts and squamoid transformation, and pilar differentiation. An unusual, but distinctive, cribriform pattern of growth was observed. There was no communication with the overlying epidermis. Abundant primitive hair germinal buds and rare more advanced abortive hair follicles were identified. These histological appearances encompass features of both trichoblastic fibroma and trichogenic trichoblastoma, thus distinguishing these neoplasms from other skin tumours and reinforcing the hypothesis that these tumours are closely related from a histogenetic point of view. The presence of overlapping histological features can be problematic for practising histopathologists who rarely encounter these conditions. With this in mind, the term benign trichogenic tumour may be more appropriate to encompass these two tumours and related neoplasms that appear to lie within the spectrum of hair follicle development.

Diffuse Histiocytic Proliferation Mimicking Mesothelial Hyperplasia in Endocervicosis of the Female Pelvic Peritoneum

Abstract: Two cases of a diffuse histiocytic proliferation that mimicked mesothelial hyperplasia in the pelvic peritoneum of premenopausal women with endocervicosis are presented. The lesions were found incidentally on laparoscopic examination for pelvic pain and appeared as small friable excrescenses attached to the serosal surface of the pelvis. Histologic examination revealed a dense proliferation of round to oval cells with abun dant eosinophilic cytoplasm and large, hyperchromatic nuclei showing focal invagina tions and occasional mitoses. The cells appeared to infiltrate the surrounding connec tive tissue in single files and were closely associated with sloughed strands of small, cuboidal mesothelial cells as well as with larger glands lined by mucinous epithelium. Immunohistochemical studies showed cytoplasmic staining of these cells with MAC387, HAM56, and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin antibodies, thus supporting their histiocytic nature. The close association of the histiocytic proliferation with the endo cervi...

Treatment of epidermal cysts with Solcoderm (a copper ion and acid solution)

Abstract: Summary The treatment of epidermal cysts has often posed a problem for dermatologists. Although surgical excision has been adopted as the method of choice for the removal of these lesions, complications of surgery and recurrences have warranted the search for alternate therapeutic modalities. Use of a recently introduced compound, Solcoderm, is reported in the treatment of 116 epidermal cysts in 85 patients over a 2-year period. The satisfactory cosmetic results observed, low incidence of recurrence, low cost and ease of administration, make this drug a viable alternative in the management of epidermal cysts, particularly in those cases where surgery should be avoided.

Artifactual distortion of cells simulating metastatic small cell carcinoma in the bone marrow

Abstract: Artifactual distortion of hematopoietic elements in histologic preparations and smears of bone marrow aspirates simulating metastatic small cell carcinoma has been recently described. The clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical features in 12 such cases have been studied by us. In all these cases, bone marrow smears and histologic sections showed multiple small clusters of atypical, hyperchromatic cells suspicious for metastatic small cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical stains showed focal positivity of the suspicious cells for leukocyte common antigen (LCA), anti-hemoglobin A (Hem A) and anti-erythrocyte membrane antigen (ERM), and negative staining for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and neuron specific enolase (NSE). Clinical follow-up of two years did not demonstrate any evidence of a primary small cell carcinoma in the lung or elsewhere. Comparison of these 12 cases with four cases of transbronchial biopsy-proven metastatic small cell carcinoma to the bone marrow showed that this artifact had a tendency to be located at the periphery of the marrow particles, unlike the true metastatic carcinoma cells which were predominantly found within the marrow particles and replacing the hematopoietic elements. The results of our immunohistochemical studies appear to indicate that these cells correspond to aggregated nuclei and cytoplasmic remnants from erythroid as well as myeloid and lymphoid cells. The main importance of identifying this artifact lies in avoiding confusion with metastatic small cell carcinoma, a distinction that may be very difficult to establish on morphologic grounds alone. Immunohistochemical stains and a thorough clinical follow-up are necessary for arriving at the correct diagnosis.