Is fascin really a useful marker in distinguishing between classical Hodgkin's lymphoma and various types of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in difficult cases?

Background: Fascin is an actin cross-linking protein, which is part of the cytoskeleton and involved in cell motility in several cell types. The differentiation of epithelial cells is greatly influenced by cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions, which play an important role in the normal organisation and stabilisation of epithelial cells and maintain the cells in a non-migratory state. The malignant conversion of epithelial cells results from a phenotypic switch to a migratory state, which allows tumour invasion beyond the basement membrane, as well as metastasis.

Ultrastaging of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) vs. non-SLNs in colorectal cancer--do we need both?

Background: The aim of this study to analyze whether ultrastaging of initially negative nonsentinel lymph nodes (non-SLNs) would increase nodal positivity in colon cancer and rectal cancer.

Methods: After SLN mapping (SLNM), SLNs were ultrastaged by 4 hematoxylin and eosin and 1 immunohistochemistry sections. A blinded pathologist reexamined initially negative non-SLNs by 3 additional hematoxylin and eosin and 1 immunohistochemistry sections.

Vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma with associated Müllerian duct anomalies, renal agenesis and situs inversus: report of a case with no known in-utero exposure with diethyl stilboestrol.

A 27 year old female presented with two months history of continuous vaginal bleeding. On evaluation, she was diagnosed as a case of vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma (VCCA) along with associated Müllerian duct anomalies including didelphys uterus with double vagina; left sided renal agenesis and situs inversus. Although VCCA is strongly linked to in-utero exposure with Diethyl stillboestrol (DES), this patient had no known history regarding such exposure.

Clear cell papillary cystadenoma of epididymis, a mimic of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

We discuss a case of 25 year old male who was evaluated for primary infertility following marriage. He had no previous history of urogenital complaints or abnormalities. In fact, his past medical history was unremarkable.

Primary cutaneous B cell lymphoma--leg type (NEW EORTC--WHO classification), with nasal sinuses involvement.

Primary Cutaneous lymphomas of B cell origin are rare, there remains a controversy in truly classifying these lymphomas and an updated EORTC classification divides them on the basis of their distinct histopthological grounds rather than on the basis of their anatomic location as in WHO classification, while the new WHO- EORTC joint classification maintains some characteristics of both systems, We report an elderly gentleman who primarily had a typical Leg dominant Cutaneous lymphoma of B cell origin uniquely with involvement of nasal Sinusues, bearing the Immunohistochemical staining features of "Cutaneous lymphoma - Leg Type" befitting the new joint WHO-EORTC classification of Cutaneous B cell Lymphoma.

Frequency of primary solid malignant neoplasms in different age groups as seen in our practice.

Background: To determine in a large series of surgical biopsies, the frequency of various histologic types of primary solid malignant neoplasms in males and females in different age groups.

Methods: A retrospective study of 20,000 consecutive surgical biopsies reposted in the section of histopathology, AKU in 2004.

Results: Malignant neoplasms are commonest in the fifth and sixth decades of life.

Post-transplant T-cell type lymphoproliferative disorder.

Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD) is a lymphoma, which develops as a result of immunosuppression in a recipient of a solid organ or bone marrow allograft. Majority are associated with Ebstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection, are mostly B-cell type and less often T-cell type. We report a case of T-cell PTLD, occurring in a renal transplant recipient.

Thymoma : a clinicopathologic association of world health organization histologic subtype and invasive behaviour.

Objective: To re-classify thymic epithelial neoplasms reported at Aga Khan University Hospital during the past seven years according to the revised WHO classification, to assess the ease of application and determine association between WHO histological subtype and invasive behaviour.

Design: Descriptive study.

Place And Duration Of Study: The study was carried out in the section of Histopathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2000 to October 2006.

Gastric carcinoma: typing, staging, lymph node and resection margin status on gastrectomy specimens.

Objective: To determine the extent and stage of gastric carcinoma on gastrectomy specimens in terms of type, grade, location, depth of invasion, resection margins and lymph node status.

Study Design: Descriptive study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Section of Histopathology, Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University, Karachi during 2005 and 2006.

Frequency of primary solid malignant neoplasms in both sexes, as seen in our practice.

Background: To determine the frequency of various histologic types of primary solid malignant neoplasms in males and females, in our practice, in a large series of surgical biopsies.

Methods: A retrospective study of 20,000 consecutive surgical biopsies in the section of Histopathology, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKU), Karachi, in 2004.

Results: Squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity was the commonest malignant neoplasm in males followed by diffuse Large B cell, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Prostatic adenocarcinoma.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs) are slowly growing tumours corresponding to WHO grade I. They are intraventricular and usually occur in the setting of tuberous sclerosis complex. They often result in obstructive hydrocephalus.

Angiokeratoma of tongue: a series of 14 cases.

Angiokeratomas (AC) are vascular lesions which are defined histologically as one or more dilated blood vessels lying directly subepidermal and showing an epidermal proliferative reaction with ectatic capillaries in the papillary dermis. Only three other cases of isolated mucosal angiokeratoma have been reported in the indexed literature. We reviewed all cases of angiokeratoma located on the tongue, diagnosed in our department during a study period of 10 years (1995-2005).