Melanoma under 18 years and pregnancy: report of three cases.

Melanoma is an uncommon tumour in childhood. Only isolated cases in pregnant patients younger than 18 years old have been previously described, therefore the biological behaviour of cutaneous melanoma in this group of age remains largely unknown. We report a single-institution experience with three patients who developed cutaneous melanoma before the age of 18 years and became pregnant concomitantly or during the course of the disease.

Spitzoid melanoma in children: clinicopathological study and application of immunohistochemistry as an adjunct diagnostic tool.

Introduction: The term spitzoid melanoma (SM) is reserved for a rare group of tumors with striking resemblance to Spitz nevus, often developing in children diagnosed in retrospect after the development of metastases.

Objectives: To determine the biological significance of SM and to analyze the effectiveness of adjuvant diagnostic techniques.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective, observational study of 38 cases of SM in patients younger than 18 years.

Chylothorax as a possible diagnostic pitfall: a report of 2 cases with cytologic findings.

Background: Chyothorax is an uncommon medical condition. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no detailed English-language report dealing with its cytopathologic findings and diagnostic pitfalls

Cases: A 12-year-old boy, hemodialysis dependent, with congenital nephrotic syndrome due to focal segmental glomerular sclerosis and a failed renal transplant, developed shortness of breath. Physical and radiologic examinations revealed a left pleural effusion.

Loss of claudin-1 expression in tumor-associated vessels correlates with acquisition of metastatic phenotype in melanocytic neoplasms.

Claudins are a family of transmembrane proteins involved in cell-to-cell adhesion and are believed to be the main component of tight junctions. Recent studies have suggested that some metastatic solid tumors lack claudin expression. It is unknown whether claudins play a role in cutaneous melanoma.

Prognostic significance of anti-apoptosis proteins survivin and bcl-2 in non-small cell lung carcinomas: a clinicopathologic study of 102 cases.

Inhibitors of apoptosis, including bcl-2 and survivin (a novel gene encoding a unique apoptosis inhibitor), regulate cell proliferation by promoting cell survival. Although survivin has been detected in several human cancers, its prognostic significance and relationship to bcl-2 are not well characterized in lung cancer. Tissue sections from 102 non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) were immunostained using antibodies against survivin and bcl-2.

Co-downregulation of PTEN, KAI-1, and nm23-H1 tumor/metastasis suppressor proteins in non-small cell lung cancer.

The multistep process of carcinogenesis implies the accumulation of multiple molecular defects. Alteration of tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes are the important steps. Increasing experimental evidence indicates that decreased expression of tumor-metastasis/suppressor genes and gene products are involved in the progression of a variety of human malignancies.

Bednár tumor associated with dermal melanocytosis: melanocytic colonization or neuroectodermal multidirectional differentiation?

Background: Neuroectodermal differentiation or melanocytic colonization are the opposing theories of histogenesis for the Bednár tumor or pigmented dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP).

Observation: A 31-year-old African-American woman presented with a 2-cm blue-black shoulder nodule of 1-year duration. Punch biopsy revealed a CD34+, Factor XIIIa-DFSP, harboring numerous, pigmented spindle S100+, Mart-1+ and HMB-45+ cells.

Actin-binding protein fascin expression in skin neoplasia.

Background: Fascin containing actin bundles provide mechanical support to cellular protrusions and stress fibers. In cancers, some malignant cells (e.g.