Chronic esophagitis evolving to verrucous squamous cell carcinoma: possible role of exogenous chemical carcinogens.

Background & Aims: A patient exposed to aerosolized lye and ingested kerosene was followed up for 16 years with chronic esophagitis before developing verrucous esophageal squamous carcinoma. The aim of this study was to elucidate the pathogenesis of the carcinoma.

Methods: Multiple biopsy specimens were graded according to the severity of esophagitis and dysplasia.

Appendiceal Kaposi's sarcoma: a cause of right lower quadrant pain in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

These case reports describe two patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) who presented with acute right lower quadrant pain. Appendiceal involvement with Kaposi's sarcoma accounted for the clinical presentation, and was confirmed histologically. This association emphasizes the diagnostic confusion that may be caused by acute abdominal conditions in the AIDS population.

Pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis caused by Aspergillus.

Four immunosuppressed patients with a rapidly evolving, febrile, respiratory distress syndrome were found at autopsy to have Aspergillus pseudomembranes of their lower tracheobronchial tree. Steroids, neutropenia, broad spectrum antibiotic use, and alcoholism appear to be predisposing risk factors. Bronchoscopy may reveal the pathology but antemortem diagnosis is difficult because of the low yield of sputum cultures and fulminant nature of the disease.

Giant benign mesenchymoma of the breast.

The term mesenchymoma refers to a group of mixed tumors that are composed of two or more mesenchymal elements, excluding fibrous tissue, not ordinarily found together within the same tumor. Mesenchymomas occur most commonly in the renal and perirenal regions with rare occurrence in the breast. We describe what to our knowledge is the first report of a giant benign mesenchymoma of the breast.