Cell biological markers of drug resistance in ovarian carcinoma.

The aim of the study is to review the mechanisms of resistance to four classes of drugs that are widely used in ovarian carcinoma: platinum (cisplatin/carboplatin) compounds, classical alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide/melphalan), natural drugs (doxorubicin), and "new drugs" (taxol and taxotere). Both platinum and classical alkylating agents mediate their cytotoxicity by the formation of drug-DNA adducts, resulting in DNA damage. Therefore, drug resistance mechanisms are (in part) comparable.

The importance of the groin node status for the survival of T1 and T2 vulval carcinoma patients.

The purpose of this study was to analyze (1) the prognostic factors for survival of T1 and T2 carcinoma patients and (2) the impact of the initial groin node status for the time to recurrence and site of recurrence. We performed a follow-up study on 190 women with a T1 or T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. Data were obtained on age and general medical condition, the clinical and histological characteristics of the primary tumor and the inguinofemoral lymph nodes, treatment, recurrences, and survival.

Higher levels of interleukin-6 in cystic fluids from patients with malignant versus benign ovarian tumors correlate with decreased hemoglobin levels and increased platelet counts.

Background: Recently, high pretreatment platelet counts and low pretreatment hemoglobin levels were found to be negative prognostic factors in patients with ovarian cancer. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine with a diversity of functions leading to the induction of C-reactive protein (CRP), increased platelet counts, and low hemoglobin levels. Different epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines are found to produce varying amounts of IL-6.

Value of P-glycoprotein, glutathione S-transferase pi, c-erbB-2, and p53 as prognostic factors in ovarian carcinomas.

Purpose: To determine the prognostic value of immunostaining of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), glutathione S-transferase (GST) pi, c-erbB-2, and p53 in patients with advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: Immunostaining of P-gp, GST pi, c-erbB-2, and p53 was performed on 89 primary tumors and 38 residual tumors after chemotherapy (P-gp and GST pi) in patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma treated with platinum- and doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy. The results of immunostaining were related to clinicopathologic prognostic factors, response to chemotherapy, and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival.

Atypical mitotic figures and the mitotic index in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

We surveyed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) to quantify the proliferation rate and the presence of normal and atypical mitotic figures. In the cervical tissue specimens of 127 women with CIN, the area with the highest cell proliferation was identified and, at that site, the proliferation rate was assessed by calculating the mitotic index (MI). Lesions with an MI < 2 were not considered further.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina: a report of 32 cases.

Between 1982 and 1992, 32 patients with squamous cell vaginal cancer were treated. Fourteen patients had stage I, 11 stage II, two stage III and five stage IV disease. The mean age of stage I and II patients was 64, of stage III and IV patients 73.

Quantitative and qualitative aspects of topoisomerase I and II alpha and beta in untreated and platinum/cyclophosphamide treated malignant ovarian tumors.

Quantitative and qualitative aspects of topoisomerase (Topo) I and II were studied in 17 malignant ovarian tumors [eight untreated and nine after platinum/cyclophosphamide (Pt/Cy) chemotherapy]. Median Topo II catalytic activity was lower (P < 0.05) in tumors after Pt/Cy chemotherapy in comparison to untreated tumors, while no differences were found for Topo I catalytic activity in tumors before and after chemotherapy, as was also found in a previous study (Van der Zee et al.

Molecular analysis of the topoisomerase II alpha gene and its expression in human ovarian cancer.

Background: DNA topoisomerase II enzymes are key targets for the group of anti-tumour agents known as topoisomerase inhibitors. In general, cell lines which express high levels of topoisomerase II are sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of the topoisomerase poisons. The levels of topoisomerase II expression in tumour biopsies may therefore predict response to treatment with enzyme inhibitors.

Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: clinicopathological features and prognostic parameters of 35 cases other than mycosis fungoides and CD30-positive large cell lymphoma.

Within the group of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs), mycosis fungoides (MF), Sézary's syndrome (SS), and CD30-positive lymphomas have been delineated as clinicopathological entities. Primary CTCLs that do not belong to one of these entities represent a heterogeneous and ill-defined group of neoplasms. This paper describes the clinical and histological features of 35 of such cases.

The reliability of the histologic diagnosis in colposcopically directed biopsies. A plea for LETZ.

A total of 121 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in their punch biopsies were treated by LETZ. In all cases, the transformation zone was fully visible and there were no signs of abnormal cylindrical epithelium. The final diagnosis was classified in accordance with the histologic report showing the most severe lesion.

Clonal chronic lymphocytic leukaemia-like B lymphocytes in the blood of patients with cutaneous T-cell disorders.

A population of B cells with characteristics of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia was found in the peripheral blood of four patients who presented with cutaneous infiltration of atypical CD4+ T cells with cerebriform nuclei. The B cells had a low density of immunoglobulin on their surface membrane, expressed CD5-positivity, and showed monoclonality based on the restriction to either kappa or lambda light chains. In one patient with tumourous pleiomorphic CD4+CD30- T-cell lymphoma of the skin, it was the first manifestation of a concomitant B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of low-grade malignancy.

Cigarette smoking and human papillomavirus in patients with reported cervical cytological abnormality.

Objective: To assess the relation between two risk factors for cervical neoplasia: smoking and infection with oncogenic human papillomavirus. It has been suggested that smoking causes a local immunological defect, which could facilitate the infection and persistence of human papillomavirus.

Design: Cross sectional epidemiological study.

Glutathione S-transferase activity and isoenzyme composition in benign ovarian tumours, untreated malignant ovarian tumours, and malignant ovarian tumours after platinum/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy.

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoenzyme composition, isoenzyme quantities and enzymatic activity were investigated in benign (n = 4) ovarian tumours and malignant ovarian tumours, before (n = 20) and after (n = 16) chemotherapy. Enzymatic activity of GST in cytosols was measured by determining 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene conjugation with glutathione, cytosolic GST subunits were determined by wide pore reversed phase HPLC, using a S-hexylglutathione-agarose affinity column, and isoelectric focussing. Both GST activity and GST pi amount were not related to histopathologic type, differentiation grade, or tumour volume index in untreated malignant tumours.

Three-group metaphase as a morphologic criterion of progressive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to investigate the presence of three-group metaphase in progressive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Study Design: This was a retrospective histologic study on the conization specimens of 41 women with microinvasive cervical carcinoma, 28 of whom were enrolled in the study. Three-group metaphase was scored in the invasive part of the lesion and in the adjacent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Small lymphocytic lymphomas with predominant splenomegaly: a comparison of immunophenotypes with cases of predominant lymphadenopathy.

In this study, we compared small lymphocytic lymphomas with predominant lymphadenopathy with those with predominant splenomegaly and found differences in morphology and immunophenotype as well as clinical features. Cases with lymphadenopathy were characterized by widespread disease, CLL type morphology with proliferation centers, and a CD5, CD11c, CD23, CD43 positive, CD45Ro negative immunophenotype. Cases with predominant splenomegaly had more localized disease, a mantle zone pattern or a diffuse growth pattern without proliferation centers, and a CD5, CD11c, CD23, CD43 negative, and sometimes CD45Ro positive immunophenotype.

P-glycoprotein expression and DNA topoisomerase I and II activity in benign tumors of the ovary and in malignant tumors of the ovary, before and after platinum/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and DNA topoisomerase (Topo) II are important variables in multidrug resistant tumor cell lines. The aim of this study was to evaluate P-gp expression and Topo I and II activity in benign and malignant epithelial ovarian tumors. P-gp expression was analyzed immunohistochemically in cryostat sections of fresh tumor specimens.

Cancer of the uterine cervix: sensitivity and specificity of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen determinations.

Between 1978 and 1989, 451 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were referred to our department, of whom 143 experienced persistent or recurrent disease. Serial serum samples of the patients were analyzed for the presence of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC). The incidence of elevated pretreatment serum SCC levels ranged from 37% in stage IB (N = 173) to 90% in stage IV (N = 19).

Karyotyping and DNA flow cytometry of metastatic ovarian yolk sac tumor.

We karyotyped a metastasis composed of pure yolk sac tumor derived from a primary ovarian germ cell tumor with two components: a dermoid cyst [DNA index (DI) 1.0] and a pure yolk sac tumor (DI 1.88).

Radical surgery compared with intracavitary cesium followed by radical surgery in cervical carcinoma stage IB. Analysis of patients less than or equal to 45 years of age with small tumors with regard to treatment results and ovarian preservation in the primary surgery group.

Forty-nine patients aged less than or equal to 45 years, with cervical carcinoma stage IB (less than or equal to 3 cm) were treated with either primary radical surgery (n = 26), or intracavitary irradiation followed by radical surgery (n = 23). With primary surgery, ovarian function had been preserved in 15 of the 25 patients, who were alive and well. Seven of the primary surgery patients were irradiated postoperatively and 2 others with a central recurrence were cured by irradiation.