[Human papilloma virus and cervical cancer. An historical review on the development of research on cancer of the cervix uteri in Venezuela].

The history on the relationship of VPH infection and cervical cancer was examined. Findings were initially reported in Maracaibo(1971), later in Mexico(1973) and thereafter several studies on the ultrastructure and immunohistochemistry of VPH infection and its role on cervical cancer were described. The ultrastructural findings of viral particles of HPV and their proteins, as well as their role in the incorporation of the viral genome to the human cervical cells were also described.

[Importance of immunohistochemical studies in the diagnosis and the prognostic evaluation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Review].

Immunohistochemical studies in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical carcinoma are evaluated in this review. A variety of proteins like p53, bcl2, C-Myc, Ki 67, Cyclines, P16 INK4a, p21, p27, beta-catenin, Wnt and MCM, have been related to the development of cervical neoplasia and human papilloma virus infection. It is described how transcriptional factors of genes induce loss of heterozygosity, numerical chromosome abnormality and inactivation of gene products or the partial loss of some membrane glycoproteins induced by oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV).

Expression of blood group-related antigens in neoplastic uterine cervix.

Expression of blood group antigens in normal, displastic and tumoral uterine cervix from 35 hysterectomised women with carcinoma of the cervix was investigated; the results were correlated with patients' ABH phenotype and secretor status. We used an indirect immunoperoxidase technique and a panel of monoclonal antibodies and lectins directed against different antigenic specificities. Anomalous expression of blood group antigens in premalignant lesions from cervix was found.

[Importance of E-cadherin; expression in the inmunohistochemical diagnosis of breast cancer].

It has been propossed that 50% of lobular carcinomas (LC) may change their phenotype to ductal carcinoma (DC) in 20 years. Since the prognosis and treatment of both breast carcinomas is different, it seems to be important; investigate through immunohistochemistry the loss of E-cadherin expression. E-cadherin expression was investigated in 90 cases with diagnosis or histological appearance of LC or mixed carcinomas (MxC), and in 30 DC selected among 385 cases received during year 2005 to be examined for immunohistochemical diagnosis.