Not all low grade dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus is the same: using specific histological criteria in predicting progression to neoplasia.

Barrett's oesophagus with low grade dysplasia (LGD) is a risk factor for progression to high grade dysplasia (HGD) and oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC); however, only a subgroup of LGD will progress. We used a combination of specific histological criteria to identify patients with LGD who are more likely to progress to HGD or OAC. LGD slides from 38 patients within the progressor group (PG) and 17 patients from the non-progressor group (NPG) were obtained and reviewed by two expert GI pathologists, to be stratified by the same four specific histological variables identified by Ten Kate et al.

Colonic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in a renal transplant recipient: a case report.

Background: Extra-gastric (particularly colonic) lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in the immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipient is rare. We report a case of low-volume mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with colonic and bone marrow involvement in a renal transplant recipient that has been managed conservatively.

Case Presentation: A 62-year-old Caucasian man, 14 years after kidney transplantation, was diagnosed as having extra-nodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue with bone marrow and colonic involvement, after a colonoscopy identified mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in a sessile sigmoid polyp following surveillance fecal occult blood testing that returned a positive result.

Factor H-related protein-5: a novel component of human glomerular immune deposits.

Factor H-related protein-5 (FHR-5) is a newly described human plasma protein with structural similarities to human factor H and the four other recently described factor H-related proteins. Unlike the other factor H-related proteins, FHR-5 was initially identified at the protein, rather than complementary DNA, level in studies of glomerular immune deposit composition. To determine the incidence and pattern of detection of FHR-5 in human renal biopsy specimens, a prospective study of 100 consecutive biopsies was performed using anti-FHR-5 monoclonal antibody and indirect immunofluorescence.

Membranous glomerulonephritis associated with hepatitis C virus infection in an adolescent.

The clinical, laboratory and pathological findings are reported in an adolescent patient with hyper-IgM immunodeficiency syndrome (dysgammaglobulinemia) which was complicated by primary sclerosing cholangitis and membranous glomerulonephritis. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was detected in serum by the polymerase chain reaction. A possible etiological relationship between hepatitis C virus infection and membranous nephropathy is discussed.

Renal biopsy in angiotropic large cell lymphoma.

Angiotropic large cell lymphoma is a rare microvascular malignancy presenting most commonly with neurologic symptoms but, from a review of the scarce literature, also invariably with evidence of renal involvement. We believe this to be the first case in which the diagnosis was made by initial renal biopsy and in which follow-up of the effectiveness of chemotherapy was assessed by a second biopsy. Proteinuria is prominent in this condition and may result either from the epithelial cell abnormalities associated with the minimal-change lesion or from a direct interaction between the B cell-derived malignant cells and the glomerular endothelium.

Histological comparison of the third interdigital nerve in patients with Morton's metatarsalgia and control patients.

This study compares the histology of the plantar-digital nerve supplying the third web space in asymptomatic patients with those who have clinically diagnosed Morton's metatarsalgia. Despite several studies concentrating on the histological changes in the interdigital nerve, the relevance of these changes is a matter of contention while the exact pathological process responsible for the symptoms has not been determined. The histological findings in control patients were identical to Morton's patients with the exception of demyelination, which was more common in the Morton's group.

Primary prostatic lymphoma: a rare prostatic malignancy.

Primary prostatic lymphoma is a very rare condition for which the treatment is ill defined. A case of this condition from Australia is reported and treatment recommendations reviewed.

Detection and significance of occult metastases in node-negative breast cancer.

The clinical value of lymph node immunohistochemistry was assessed in 343 consecutive patients with apparently node-negative breast cancer using antimucin monoclonal antibodies BC2, BC3 and 3E1.2. Occult metastases were detected in 41 patients (12 per cent).

Immunohistological detection of C5b-9 complement complexes in normal and pathological human livers.

The immunohistological localization of components and neoantigens of the C5b-9 human terminal complement complex was studied in 30 human liver biopsies. C5b-9, apparently in the soluble SC5b-9 form, was invariably detected in normal liver capsule and normal portal tract connective tissue. In livers with fibrosis and or cirrhosis, the pathological connective tissue contained variable amounts of SC5b-9 which was distributed in a similar way to that seen in normal livers.

Small cell carcinoma of the ampulla of vater.

Primary small cell carcinoma of the periampullary region is rare. Only four patients have been reported previously. The authors examined a patient with ampullary small cell carcinoma using a range of immunocytochemical stains.

Watermelon stomach: an unusual cause of chronic gastrointestinal blood loss.

Watermelon stomach, or gastric antral vascular ectasia, is an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal blood loss, which can easily be overlooked and which is eminently curable. A 76 year old woman who was repeatedly misdiagnosed as having incidental antral gastritis with occult iron deficiency is described.