Is development of high-grade gliomas sulfur-dependent?

We characterized γ-cystathionase, rhodanese and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase activities in various regions of human brain (the cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, cerebellum and subcortical nuclei) and human gliomas with II to IV grade of malignancy (according to the WHO classification). The human brain regions, as compared to human liver, showed low γ-cystathionase activity. The activity of rhodanese was also much lower and it did not vary significantly between the investigated brain regions.

Transthyretin amyloidosis with pulmonary involvement in a patient with monoclonal gammapathy.

Pulmonary involvement in the course of systemic senile amyloidosis caused by non-mutated transthyretin is rarely described. We report on concomitant monoclonal gammapathy of undermined significance (MGUS) and amyloidosis with non-mutated transthyretin with diffuse lesions in lung parenchyma. A female patient, 67 years old, was admitted with dyspnoea, malaise, weight loss, and disseminated radiological lesions in the lungs.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in children and young adults.

Authors observed five cases of lung arteriovenous malformations in children and young adults. Clinical data and morphological pictures of these lesions were presented.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (oil granulomas of the lung).

The authors observed three cases of exogenous lipid pneumonia clinically suspected of lung carcinoma. Histological examination of material after thoracotomy gave the possibility of correct diagnosis. The lesions in lungs were characteristic granulomas around lipid material and with surrounding advanced fibrosis.

Immunohistochemical investigation of selected endothelial markers in pulmonary epithelioid haemangioendothelioma.

Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EH) is a very rare neoplasm. It is assumed that these tumours derive from vascular endothelial cells. The aim of the study was to identify the immunohistochemical profile of tumour cells in lung EH.

Cribriform adenocarcinoma of the tongue.

We report a case of a 73-year-old female with a tumour of the tongue, operated with two relapses. A single metastasis to the lymph node was present. Currently, the patient is alive without evidence of disease.

Pulmonary acinic cell carcinoma (Fechner tumour) with carcinoid component. A case report.

The authors present a very rare case of primary lung acinic cell carcinoma with carcinoid component in a 53-year-old man.

TGF-beta1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in diffuse parenchymal lung diseases and high-resolution computed tomography score.

Introduction: In the pathogenesis of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs), growth factors, including transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), are responsible for cell proliferation, apoptosis, chemotaxis, and angiogenesis, and also for the production and secretion of some components of the extracellular matrix.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate correlations in DPLDs between TGF-beta1 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) score.

Patients And Methods: The study was performed in 31 DPLD patients in whom a selection of lung segments with high and low intensity of abnormalities was estimated by HRCT score.

Papillary adenoma of the lung.

The report presents a very rare case of papillary adenoma of the lung in a 61-year old man, described for the first time in the Polish literature.

Endothelial neoplasms of the lungs.

In the period of 20 years, the author had an opportunity to observe 14 cases of endothelial neoplasms of the lungs. The group consisted of eight women and six men, differing in age from 18 to 75 years. These cases presented as two subsets: low grade malignancy epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) (12 cases--eight women and four men, aged between 18 and 75 years) and highly malignant endotheliosarcoma seen in two men, 28 and 47 years old.

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis without granulocytic infiltration (the so called Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease).

The report describes five cases of a rare disorder--necrotizing lymphadenitis--diagnosed in Polish patients in the Department of Pathomorphology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, in the years 1993-2006. The disease was firstly described by Kikuchi and Fujimoto in the Oriental population of Japan in 1972 and for this reason it is called Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (or Kikuchi lymphadenitis). Its characteristic histological picture includes necrosis without granulocytic infiltrate surrounded by plasmocytoid monocytes, histiocytes (CD68+, lysozyme+, myeloperoxidase+) and immunoblasts, sometimes with atypia, with concomitant lymphocytes, predominantly cytotoxic T CD8+.

Gastric solid glomus tumor and multiple glomangiomyomas of the large bowel with intravascular spread, multifocal perivascular proliferations and liver involvement.

The authors present a case of multiple glomus tumors (GTs) of the gastrointestinal tract, representing the type of a gastric glomus tumor proper and large bowel glomangiomyomas with myopericytoma-like features, observed in a 46-year old female, with multifocal perivascular proliferations of primitive cells and hepatic involvement. Histologically, the multilobular gastric tumor and hepatic lesions corresponded to a typical glomus tumor, while the tumor situated in the transverse colon, up to 7 cm in diameter, presented as a glomangiomyoma infiltrative (with myopericytoma-like foci), and satellite tumors in the large bowel mucosa, 0.5-0.

Choriocarcinoma within the third trimester placenta--a case report.

A small focus of choriocarcinoma has been incidentally found within an otherwise normal, third trimester placenta which was sent to the pathomorphological examination because of the stillbirth of the child at 31st week of gestation. The autopsy of the child was not performed. Macroscopically focus of choriocarcinoma has looked as a small infarct and was indistinguishable from the second lesion, which was microscopically confirmed to be a real infarct.

Effect of bilateral mediastinal lymphadenectomy on short-term pulmonary function.

Objective: To assess if the bilateral mediastinal lymphadenectomy results in lymphatic congestion in the lungs producing clinically significant impairment of respiratory function.

Methods: In the prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical study, non-small cell lung carcinoma patients underwent preoperatively mediastinoscopy or the transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy (TEMLA). In both groups, the blood gas analysis and spirometry were measured preoperatively and on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th postoperative day, and the carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung (DLCO) and lung compliance were measured preoperatively and on the 3-5 postoperative day.

The transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy versus cervical mediastinoscopy in non-small cell lung cancer staging.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic yield of the transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy (TEMLA) and the cervical mediastinoscopy (CM) in detecting metastatic mediastinal lymph nodes in NSCLC patients.

Methods: Prospective, randomized, single-blind clinical study.

Results: There were 41 NSCLC patients enrolled in the study; 21 were randomized to the TEMLA group and 20 to the cervical mediastinoscopy group.

Correlation of microsatellite status, proliferation, apoptotic and selected immunohistochemical markers in colorectal carcinoma studied with tissue microarray.

Colorectal carcinoma is a frequent malignant tumor, characterized by varying clinical course and response to treatment. At the molecular level, colorectal carcinomas are divided into tumors with chromosomal instability (microsatellite-stable, MSS), microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and low microsatellite instability (MSI-L). The method of tissue microarrays allows for combining materials originating from multiple patients into a single slide, what makes possible to simultaneously investigate large material for the presence of numerous, diversified markers.

Tissue microarray FISH applied to colorectal carcinomas with various microsatellite status.

Colorectal carcinoma is etiopathologically heterogenic. It may develop through a sequence of mutations leading to chromosome instability or be a result of defects in DNA repair mechanisms manifested by microsatellite instability of varying degrees. Colorectal carcinoma can thus be classified into microsatellite-stable (MSS), highly microsatellite unstable (MSI-H) and intermediate low-level microsatellite unstable (MSI-L) groups.

Middle mediastinal thymoma of unusual pathologic type.

Among the many sites of ectopic thymoma development, the middle mediastinum is the rarest in the English language literature we found only two case reports. We present a case of 69-year-old woman with slow-growing, ectopic middle mediastinum thymoma of an very unusual histological type, neither classified in the Müller-Hermelink nor the World Health Organization (WHO) classification.

[A case of emphysema suggesting cystic lung disease in computer tomography].

Pulmonary emphysema is anatomically defined as abnormal persistent enlargement of the air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles, accompanied by destruction of alveolar walls, without evident fibrosis. High-resolution computer tomography (HRCT) imaging is a valuable tool for diagnosis of this disease. The presence of minute cysts distributed evenly through all lung zones is rarely observed in pulmonary emphysema.

High thymidylate synthase expression is typical for sporadic MSI-H colorectal carcinoma.

Colorectal carcinoma is etiopathologically heterogenic. It may develop through a sequence of mutations leading to chromosome instability or be a result of defects in DNA repair mechanisms manifested by microsatellite instability. Carcinomas of this type are supposed to be characterized by a better prognosis and a different response to chemotherapy.

The relationship between MSI status and vessel density in colorectal carcinoma.

The development of new blood vessels is a prerequisite for progression of malignant neoplasms. Factors that induce neoangiogenesis include VEGF, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, PD-ECG, ANG-2, TSP-1, HIF-1 and HIF-2. From the etiopathogenetic viewpoint, colorectal carcinoma is heterogenic.

Primary intrathoracic biphasic synovial sarcoma--a case report.

The authors present a rare case of a synovial sarcoma involving both pleural cavities in a 66-year old woman, confirmed by the t(X;18) translocation detected using the FISH method.

Primary amyloid tumors of the lungs--six cases.

Over a period of nine years, the authors followed up six cases of primary amyloid tumors of the lungs in patients at the mean age of 58.5 years. All the patients were suspected of bronchial carcinoma and they were subjected to surgical treatment.

Prognosis and survival after radical resection of primary adenosquamous lung carcinoma.

Objective: In order to evaluate the follow-up study of surgical treatment for primary adenosquamous lung carcinoma (ASC) we specified prognostic criteria, also in comparison with primary adenocarcinoma (AC).

Methods: The study group consisted of 96 patients discharged between 1990 and 1999 after radical surgical treatment for ASC-80 (83%) men and 16 (17%) women aged 34-73, mean 56 years. Consequently, we evaluated 252 patients operated during the same time period for primary AC.

[Transbronchial lung biopsy as a diagnostic method of diffuse pulmonary diseases].

The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic yield of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) in some of diffuse pulmonary diseases, like: sarcoidosis, organizing pneumonia--(OP), tuberculosis and neoplasmatic infiltrates of the lung. Transbronchial lung biopsy was performed in 123 patients, preceded by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The HRCT guidance helped to select the area of lung to be biopsied.