Cervical HPV type-specific pre-vaccination prevalence and age distribution in Croatia.

The main etiological factor of precancerous lesion and invasive cervical cancer are oncogenic human papillomaviruses types (HPVs). The objective of this study was to establish the distribution of the most common HPVs in different cervical lesions and cancer prior to the implementation of organized population-based cervical screening and HPV vaccination in Croatia. In this study, 4,432 cervical specimens, collected through a 16-year period, were tested for the presence of HPV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with three sets of broad-spectrum primers and type-specific primers for most common low-risk (LR) types (HPV-6, 11) and the most common high-risk (HR) types (HPV-16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58).

Follicular and mantle cell lymphoma characteristics present simultaneously in the same lymph node.

Follicular lymphoma is composed of clonal germinal center B cells. It shows a follicular pattern lacking mantle zones, with a network of interfollicular dendritic cells. Transformation to more aggressive lymphomas is documented, but the only connections to mantle cell lymphoma are described cases of composite lymphoma consisting of these 2 entities.

[Acute plastic bronchitis--case report].

Plastic bronchitis is a rare disorder characterized by formation and sometimes dramatic expectoration of bronchial casts. It may occur at any age, but most published cases refer to pediatric population. We report a case of an 81-year-old man hospitalized at intensive care unit, who presented with the appearance of plastic bronchitis type I.

Gene expression in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lymph nodes.

Elucidation of molecular pathways involved in development of human lymphoma requires efficient methods for tackling gene expression in lymph nodes. Expression studies of transcription factors in these malignancies facilitate understanding the changes occurring in neoplastic transformation and lymphoma development. Excised lymph nodes are routinely fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin for diagnosis and stored in many hospitals' pathology archives.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis in a 23-year-old man--cytological and histological typing and rapid response to steroid and cyclophosphamide combination therapy.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LG) is currently called as extranodal angiocentric and angiodestructive immunoproliferative disorder with various degrees of histological differentiation and disease severity. Histological grading and clinical manifestations are due to number of atypical large EBV + B-lymphatic cells. We report the case of a 23-year-old man clinically presented with fever, sweating, and physical intolerance, and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates of nodular type and destructive changes on the chest X-ray, previously treated with antituberculotics for 1.

Value of fine-needle aspiration cytology in diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma: one centre experience.

The aim of the study was to determine the value and limitations of cytology in diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) as well as differentiation between these two entities. We analysed the FNA cytodiagnoses and histopathological reports, as well as treatment and survival in 89 newly diagnosed consecutive patients with these lymphomas treated in our clinical department. These patients (40 male, 49 female; age range 16-93 years; 44 in clinical stages I-II; 38 with B symptoms) were diagnosed and treated during a period of 64 months (1.

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: a single-center study of clinicopathologic characteristics.

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMLBCL) is a subset of LBCL with unique clinicopathologic features. Some studies have raised the question of differences in biological features and clinical course among patients from different parts of the world. We conducted a retrospective clinicopathologic analysis of 24 patients with PMLBCL from a single center in Croatia.

[Lymphangioleiomyomatosis].

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a progressive and usually fatal interstitial lung disease characterized by an abnormal smooth-muscle proliferation in the lung and axial lymphatics. It affects almost exclusively young women of childbearing age. The presenting features most commonly include dyspnea, symptoms of pneumothorax and cough.

Molecular insight into the diagnosis of lymphoma.

Malignant lymphoma may be very difficult to diagnose with routine histopathological methods because they may recapitulate benign architecture or contain benign infiltrates. The best method of diagnosis is to establish the clonal profile of the lymphocyte population, since a monoclonal proliferation is highly suggestive of neoplasia. By means of a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method it is possible to detect the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement and therefore establish the lymphocyte clonality.

[Helicobacter pylori and malignant diseases of the stomach].

The association between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric malignancies, cancer and MALT lymphoma, has been suggested through several lines of evidence during the last decade. Although unresolved issues still cast doubts on the real weight of these association, in the sequence of events that leads to gastric cancer or lymphoma, Helicobacter pylori appears to play a prominent role in the very initial steps as causative agent of chronic gastritis. The subsequent events in the sequence--atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and cancer are multifactorial involving environmental agents, host response and characteristics of the bacterial strain itself.

[Morphology of gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection].

Helicobacter pylori infection almost invariably results in chronic gastritis. The Sydney System (1990) emphasised the importance of combining topographical, morphological and etiological aspects in attempt to make clinical useful diagnosis of chronic gastritis. The aims of revised Sydney System in Houston (1994), Texas, were to improve terminology of chronic gastritis emphasising distinction between nonatrophic and atrophic gastritis, and in addition to determinate special forms of gastritis.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and its variants.

According to the World Health Organization classification of neoplastic diseases of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma comprises about 40% of adult cases of non-Hodgkin s lymphoma. It consists of the following morphological variants: 1) centroblastic (with or without multilobulated nuclei); 2) immunoblastic (>90% of immunoblasts); 3) T cell/histiocytes rich; and 4) anaplastic. Rare morphological variants plasmablastic type, mediastinal (thymic) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, intravascular, and primary effusion B-cell lymphoma are considered distinct variants of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma due to their unique topographic presentation and clinical behavior, as well as immunophenotypic and genetic characteristics.

Assessment of Prognostic Factors in 102 Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome-Osteoblasts are Related to Survival.

In a group of 102 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome an evaluation of bone marrow biopsy was performed in order to assess prognostic impact on survival. The following characteristics were included in the analysis: cellularity, erythropoiesis, granulopoiesis, thrombopoiesis, lymphatic nodules, mastocytes, dyserythropoiesis, dysgranulopoiesis, dysthrombopoiesis, blasts, atypical localisation of immature precursor cells, fibrosis, osteoblasts and osteoclasts on bone surfaces. Data were statistically analysed by stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression.

[Vaginal mixed tumor or spindle cell epithelioma--a case report].

A case of mixed tumor of the vagina or spindle cell epithelioma is presented and the literature on this rare type of tumor is reviewed. Immunohistochemical findings suggest an epithelial origin. Follow-up studies indicate benign behavior.