A pilot study of nuclear instability in archived renal and upper urinary tract tumours with putative ochratoxin aetiology.

DNA ploidy measurement has been applied uniquely to wax-embedded tissue of primary renal cell and metastatic tumours of a key experimental researcher on porcine ochratoxicosis, a control, and four transitional cell carcinomas from cases of Balkan endemic nephropathy. Primary renal tumour was diploid, and hyperdiploid metastasis was within the lower ploidy range for typical renal cell carcinoma. Three Balkan primary tumours showed extensive aneuploidy indicating marked nuclear instability, similar to model rat renal carcinoma caused by ochratoxin A.

A case of scrotal sarcoidosis that mimicked tuberculosis.

Background: A 38-year-old man presented with bilateral testicular swelling, night sweats and weight loss with little response to antibiotics. Examination revealed systemic lymphadenopathy and multiple small masses arising from both testes.

Investigations: Scrotal ultrasound revealed multiple intratesticular, hypoechoic lesions; chest radiograph and abdominal ultrasound were normal.

Telomerase activity and lymphovascular invasion in breast cancer.

Background: Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that plays an important role in cell immortalization and carcinogenesis. Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a fundamental step in the process of breast cancer metastasis and is recognized as an important prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: Using a PCR-based assay, telomerase activity was determined in 34 prospectively collected infiltrating breast carcinomas.

A comparison between loop diathermy conization and cold-knife conization for management of cervical dysplasia associated with unsatisfactory colposcopy.

Eighty-six women with cervical dysplasia and unsatisfactory colposcopy were managed with excisional conization--43 with outpatient loop diathermy conization under local anesthesia and 43 matched controls with cold-knife conization as inpatients under general anesthesia. Both groups were similar in terms of age, parity, and severity of dyskaryosis on initial cytology, treatment success rates, and completeness of excision. However, loop diathermy conization was significantly quicker (2.