Angiogenesis in Paget's Disease of the Vulva and the Breast: Correlation with Microvessel Density.

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of Paget's disease of the vulva and the breast remains limited. Current evidence supports the fact that angiogenesis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Therefore, we sought to define its role, as correlated with microvessel density, in Paget's disease of the vulva and the breast.

Expression of cyclin D1 and retinoblastoma protein in Paget's disease of the vulva and breast: an immunohistochemical study of 108 cases.

Aims: Loss of retinoblastoma protein expression and overexpression of cyclin D1 have been implicated in the development and progression of some cancers. Paget's disease of the vulva (PDV) and Paget's disease of the breast (PDB) are uncommon conditions and the pathogenesis of these diseases is still unclear. The aim was to examine the expression of the retinoblastoma and cyclin D1 proteins in PDV and PDB and to correlate any differences between PDV and PDB, and in the presence or absence of an underlying carcinoma.

The interaction between follicular fluid total antioxidant capacity, infertility and early reproductive outcomes during in vitro fertilization.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine whether the relationship between antioxidant capacity of follicular fluid and early reproductive outcomes is influenced by the cause of infertility, polycystic ovarian morphology, age and smoking.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study performed in an assisted conception unit and a teaching hospital. The study cohort was 34 women undergoing IVF treatment.

Reduced E-cadherin expression correlates with disease progression in Paget's disease of the vulva but not Paget's disease of the breast.

The growth and metastasis of many cancers is due in part to loss of cell-cell adhesion. E-cadherin, plakoglobin and beta-catenin are important in cell adhesion. Our aim was to examine the presence of these molecules in Paget's disease of the vulva and Paget's disease of the breast, and to correlate any differences in their expression with the presence of invasive disease or an underlying carcinoma.

Is localized, provoked vulvodynia an inflammatory condition?

Objective: To perform a pilot study to investigate the relationship between localized, provoked vulvodynia of the vestibule and inflammatory cytokine expression.

Study Design: Women with a diagnosis of localized, provoked vulvodynia had tissue samples taken for vulvar expression of Interleukin 1alpha and 1beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha and compared to those of a control group.

Results: The study group did not show a significant increase in expression of inflammatory markers.

The role of macrophages in angiogenesis. Comparison between HIV+ and HIV- populations with anal dysplasia and anal cancer.

Background: While macrophages (CD68+) have been associated with angiogenesis in some inflammatory and neoplastic processes by increasing the release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), their role in anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) and anal squamous cell carcinoma has not been established. This study records macrophage infiltration in anal pre-invasive and invasive lesions in HIV+ and HIV- populations, and determines their relationship with angiogenesis.

Materials And Methods: Sixty patients (31 HIV+) with AIN and anal SCC were studied.

Estrogen receptor expression in vulvar vestibulitis syndrome.

Objective: A pilot study was performed to investigate the relationship between vulvar vestibulitis syndrome and estrogen receptor expression.

Study Design: Women with a diagnosis of vulvar vestibulitis syndrome had tissue samples taken for vulvar estrogen receptor-alpha expression and this was compared with a control group.

Results: The study group showed a significant decrease in estrogen receptor expression, and 50% of the samples did not exhibit any receptor expression.

The role of angiogenesis in vulvar cancer, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, and vulvar lichen sclerosus as determined by microvessel density analysis.

Objectives: We compared microvessel density (MVD) in normal, benign, preneoplastic, and neoplastic (squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)) vulvar disease to ascertain if this parameter could identify cases with lichen sclerosus (LS) and high-grade vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN3) at risk of developing malignancy.

Methods: Microvessels were immunohistochemically stained in paraffin wax-embedded vulvar tissue sections with anti-von Willebrand factor (vWF) antibody using the streptavidin-biotin-horseradish peroxidase complex technique. Three "hot spots" with the greatest MVD were identified within 200 microm of the subepithelial dermis under low magnification (x 40 and x 100).