Synchronous diffuse large B cell lymphomas of the endometrium and breast: a staging dilemma.

Background: A 66 years old presented with abnormal postmenopausal vaginal bleeding and was diagnosed with an endometrial lymphoma (diffuse large B cell type, DLBCL). A left breast lesion was found on PET CT which was subsequently biopsy-proven as a separate stage IE DLBCL, but she had no lymph node, bone marrow or spleen involvement.

Aims: This study aimed to review the available literature and discuss the management and staging of synchronous extra-nodal DLBCL's.

Can a more detailed evaluation of excision margins refine cytologic follow-up of women post-LLETZ for high-grade dysplasia?

The relationship between dysplastic changes in the cervical epithelium and progression to in situ carcinoma and invasive carcinoma has been extensively studied. The removal of dysplastic epithelium through the long loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) in 95% of the cases is curative. About 18% to 37% of LLETZ specimens with dysplasia at the margins have recurrent/residual disease.

Assessment of fibrosis progression in untreated irish women with chronic hepatitis C contracted from immunoglobulin anti-D.

Background & Aims: In 1996 we initiated a retrospective-prospective study in 184 untreated women infected in 1977 with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). To provide insight into the natural history of HCV, we determined liver fibrosis outcomes and any predictors of such.

Methods: Baseline 1994 biopsy specimens (size, >or=15 mm; portal areas, >or=5) and sequential biopsy specimens were assessed by Ishak score for grade change (increase or decrease of >or=2 points) and stage progression or regression (increase or reduction of >or=1 point), the latter correlated with digital quantification of fibrosis percentage.

A prospective randomized trial of conventional in vitro fertilization versus intracytoplasmic sperm injection in unexplained infertility.

Purpose: To compare outcomes in patients with unexplained infertility undergoing conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) versus intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Methods: Sixty women with unexplained infertility in a Canadian tertiary-level clinic were randomized to IVF or ICSI. Subjects underwent downregulation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist prior to initiation of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone.

The celtic coincidence--the frequency and clinical characterisation of hereditary haemochromatosis in patients with coeliac disease.

Background: Hereditary Haemochromatosis (HH) and Coeliac disease (CD) are common disorders in Northern European populations, particularly the Irish population.

Aims: To investigate whether there was increased frequency of the two common HFE gene mutations, C282Y and H63D, associated with HH amongst a cohort of CD patients, and to determine the penetrance of the HH associated genotypes in this cohort.

Methods: HFE genotypes of a cohort of CD patients were determined using standard PCR techniques.

Skeletal muscle metastasis from uterine leiomyosarcoma.

A case of a 68-year-old woman who presented with a rapidly enlarging painful right thigh mass is presented. She had a known diagnosis of uterine leiomyosarcoma following a hysterectomy for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. She subsequently developed a single hepatic metastatic deposit that responded well to radiofrequency ablation.

Sentinel lymph node mapping in colorectal cancer.

Background: Ultrastaging, by serial sectioning combined with immunohistochemical techniques, improves detection of lymph node micrometastases. Sentinel lymph node mapping and retrieval provides a representative node(s) to facilitate ultrastaging. The impact on staging of carcinoma of the colon and rectum in all series emphasizes the importance of this technique in cancer management.

Early neoplasias of the gallbladder and bile duct: an "unstable" biliary epithelium?

Benign tumours of the biliary tree are rare. In particular, only anecdotal cases of intraductal villous adenomas have been reported. The polyp-cancer sequence has not been observed in the biliary epithelium, in contrast to the paradigm of colorectal carcinogenesis.

Osteosarcoma arising in a femur with melorheostosis and osteopathia striata.

Osteopathia striata is an asymptomatic autosomal dominant or sporadically inherited disorder that causes dense striations at sites of endochondral bone formation, with a predilection for the metaphyses of long bones. Melorheostosis is a mixed sclerosing dysplasia with disturbance of both endochondral and intramembranous ossification, in which disordered intramembranous ossification dominates. It presents typical radiological changes of cortical hyperostosis distributed along a sclerotome with variable associated cutaneous and clinical features.

Underdiagnosis of hereditary haemochromatosis: lack of presentation or penetration?

Background: The majority of hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) patients are homozygous for the C282Y mutation in the HFE gene. We have demonstrated a homozygote frequency of 1 in 83 for the C282Y mutation in a retrospective analysis of Irish neonates. However, a fully developed phenotype is not observed at the same frequency clinically, suggesting that a large proportion of Irish HH patients may remain undiagnosed.

Minor salivary glands: causing major problems.

Tumours arising in the parapharyngeal space (PPS) are rare and account for approximately 0.5% of all head and neck neoplasms. These neoplastic processes represent a wide variety of both benign (80%) and malignant lesions arising from the diverse range of structures within and surrounding the PPS.

The natural course of hepatitis C virus infection after 22 years in a unique homogenous cohort: spontaneous viral clearance and chronic HCV infection.

Background/aims: The cohort of Irish women infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b via contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin in 1977 represent a unique homogenous group to investigate the natural course of HCV infection.

Methods: The clinical status of 87 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive and 68 PCR negative women was investigated at diagnosis (1994/95) and after 4-5 years of follow up (21/22 years after inoculation). Other features investigated included: histological status/progression, psychosocial impact of HCV infection, extrahepatic manifestations, and HLA class II associations.

Intrahepatic hepatitis C viral RNA status of serum polymerase chain reaction-negative individuals with histological changes on liver biopsy.

For individuals testing anti-HCV positive but negative for HCV RNA in serum, diagnosis remains unclear. Debate exists over whether these individuals have resolved infection or have similar clinical, histological, and virological profiles as serum PCR-positive individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the significance of histological changes in the liver of 33 serum PCR-negative women by investigation of clinical, histological, and intrahepatic HCV RNA status.

Tumour-derived mutated K-ras codon 12 expression in regional lymph nodes of stage II colorectal cancer patients is not associated with increased risk of cancer-related death.

This study examined the frequency of lymph node micrometastases detected by expression of mutant K-ras oncogene present in the respective primary tumour. The study population consisted of consecutive patients with stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) undergoing curative resection and with disease-free survival of 60 months or longer or CRC-related death. Of 27 patients found to have K-ras mutations at codon 12, 17 had genomic DNA suitable for PCR recovered from corresponding regional lymph node tissue.

Imaging of primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the liver.

Aim: To describe the radiological findings in primary liver lymphoma, which is a rare entity, presenting usually as a localized liver mass.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the imaging findings at presentation, of patients in whom a diagnosis of primary liver lymphoma was finally made histologically. The study period covered a 10-year period between January 1990 and December 1999.

Mortality association of enhanced CD44v6 expression is not mediated through occult lymphatic spread in stage II colorectal cancer.

Background And Aims: In the absence of other metastatic disease, the presence of lymph node metastasis remains the most important determinant of survival in colorectal cancer (CRC). Cluster designation 44 variant 6 (CD44v6) over-expression is associated with worse outcome in all stages of CRC. The CD44v6 is believed to confer metastatic potential through its facilitation of migration, extravasation and proliferation, although the specific means by which it conveys an adverse prognosis in CRC is unknown.

The detection of cytokeratins in lymph nodes of Duke's B colorectal cancer subjects predicts a poor outcome.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to examine the frequency of lymph node micrometastases detected by keratin immunohistochemistry and their relationship with survival behaviour.

Methods: A total of 133 consecutive patients staged as Duke's B, who had curative resection for colorectal cancer (CRC), comprised the study population. Patients who had died of a non-CRC-related cause or who became lost to follow-up were excluded, resulting in an amended population of 100.

Bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferation (Nora's lesion) of the sesamoid: a case report.

We report the a case of Nora's lesion (Bizarre Parosteal Osteochondromatous Proliferation) of the sesamoid. A 32-year-old woman presented with a painless, enlarging mass of two years duration on the plantar aspect of the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the left foot. Radiographs, Computerized Tomographs and Magnetic Resonance images, initially suggested a parosteal osteosarcoma arising from the tibial sesamoid.

Immunohistochemical detection of mutant p53 protein in regional lymph nodes is associated with adverse outcome in stage II colorectal cancer.

Epidemiologic data identifies a cohort of Duke's B (CRC) patients whose survival more closely matches that of Duke's C. Lymph node micrometastases may account for this discrepancy. Lymph node expression of mutant p53 protein (Mp53P) has been linked to a reduction in survival in Japanese Duke's B patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma arising in the absence of cirrhosis in genetic haemochromatosis: three case reports and review of literature.

Genetic haemochromatosis constitutes a high risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. It is widely accepted that venesection prevents the evolution of cirrhosis in haemochromatosis and indirectly protects against the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical, pathological and radiological data are presented on three patients who did not conform to the 'siderosis-cirrhosis-carcinoma' sequence and in whom prompt and adequate iron depletion did not prevent the development of cancer.

Fatigue does not correlate with the degree of hepatitis or the presence of autoimmune disorders in chronic hepatitis C infection.

Background: Fatigue is probably the most commonly reported symptom in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. It is unclear whether fatigue is related to the severity of underlying liver disease or other autoimmune disorders often described with chronic HCV infection.

Objective: To quantify fatigue in terms of its impact on quality of life in a homogeneous cohort and examine its relationship to the status of liver disease or associated autoimmunity.