Iranian Journal Of Pathology
Volume:3 Issue: 2, spring 2008

Male breast carcinoma (MBC) is an unusual form of neoplasia, representing 0.7 to 1 percent of all breast cancer cases. Usually, the carcinoma affects patients after the sixth decade. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and prognostic factors (p53 and Her-2/neu) in a series of male patients with breast cancer and correlate them with tumor grade and stage. Fifty cases of breast carcinoma in male patients, retrieved from the files of the Cancer Institute from 1996 until 2005 was included in this study. Most of the cases were categorized as grade 2 (65.3%), grade 1 cases comprised 20.4% and grade 3 was 14.3%. Stage IIb was the largest group (32%). Estrogen receptor was detected in 90% of cases and progesterone receptor in 68% of cases and no significant correlation was found between estrogen and progesterone receptor positivity and tumor grade or stage. In addition, p53 and Her-2/ neu staining revealed positivity in 11 cases (27.5%) and 13 cases (26%) respectively with strong positivity in only 6 cases and no significant correlation was found between tumor grade and stage and p53 expression. It is clear from our data that Her-2/neu positivity in MBC is lower than in female breast carcinoma. This study, which comprises rather large series of MBC in Iran during a 10-year period, shows that most patients refer in rather late stages and prognostic factors such as p53 and Her-2/neu has no significant correlation with tumor grade and stage at presentation in our patients.

Hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy are common and from one of the deadly triad, along with hemorrhage and infection that contribute greatly to prenatal and maternal morbidity and mortality in the developing countries. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between maternal hypothyroidism and pre-eclampsia. In a prospective case-control study, maternal thyroid hormonal status was evaluated in 132 pregnant women with gestational hypertension and compared to controls. It was found out that 23 women (7.3%) had pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), 45 women (14.3%) had mild pre-eclampsia, 62 women (19.7%) had severe pre-eclampsia and 2 (0.6%) had eclampsia. Mean of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels was not significantly higher in pre-eclamptic group as compared to controls (p>0.05). Maternal hypothyroidism might not be associated with pre-eclampsia.

Glumerular diseases are among the most prevalent causes of renal chronic insufficiencies. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of various kinds of glumerulonephritis based on the findings of electron microscope. This study had a descriptive retrospective and cross sectional strategy. Slides of patients (124 cases) who had undergone kidney biopsy during a one-year period due to renal diseases were reviewed and compared. The required data were collected and analyzed using SPSS software. It was found out that 52.4% of the patients were female and 47.6% were male. The average age of the female patients was 28.26 and of the male ones was 29.8 years old. The most prevalent type of glumerulonephritis was membranous and the most prevalent stage was stage II. The prevalent fluorescence pattern of the IgG deposits in the basal membrane of glomerulus. Regarding the variety in the prevalence of different kinds of glumerulonephritis fond within different ages and sex, all cases should be taken into consideration while dealing with the patients. It should also be noticed that immunofluorscence is a complementary diagnosis method and does not have much use without electron and light microscope. In those cases where several contradictory diagnoses have been suggested in light microscope or a particular change has not been observed or the sample has not been sufficient to be analyzed, electron microscope has a final and significant role.

As apoptotic cell death is extremely involved in physiological development and many pathological situations such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, the understanding of its molecular machinery can be useful in designing new therapeutic strategies. The present study investigated the temporal expression of the proapoptotic protein Bax in adult spinal motoneurons. Following unilateral mid-thigh sciatic transection in adult rats, the incidence and nature of spinal motoneuron loss were evaluated by means of light microscopic cell count and electron microscopy 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post-operatively. In all groups the temporal expression of Bax was immunohistochemically determined and the findings were compared with the results of the cell count. Following axotomy the related motoneurons underwent chromatolytic changes which increased up to one month and diminished in the 3-month group. One day following axotomy the number of motoneurons did not show any significant reduction, but thereafter a progressive cell loss occurred, which was most prominent after three months. Electron microscopic study confirmed the ultrastructural apoptotic nature of cell death. Bax immunohistochemistry indicated an increasing immunoreactivity up to one month post-axotomy, but in 3-month group it was clearly diminished. Following transection of a peripheral nerve in adult animals, related motoneurons undergo chromatolytic changes which in some neurons may proceed to apoptotic cell death. Although the proapoptotic protein Bax has long been believed as the main apoptotic factor, other Bax-independent pathways may also participate in the axotomy-induced neuronal apoptosis which must not be ignored.

To review Her-2/neu and Tp53 status and their correlation with all other prognostic clinicopathologic features of infiltrative ductal breast carcinomas. This cross sectional study was performed on 139 patients with infiltrative ductal breast carcinoma who were diagnosed between May 2000 and March 2006 at the surgery and pathology departments of Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Immunostaining (IHC) for Tp53 and Her-2/neu were performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues based on an avidin-biotinperoxidase complex technique. The relationship of these markers with clinicpathologic parameters including age, axillary lymph nodes status, tumor size and histological grade were evaluated. It was found out that Her-2/neu-positive cases were greater among metastatic lymph nodes than in patients without metastasis, however it was not significant (p=0.1). A significant association was also observed between Her-2/neu status and tumor grading (p=0.01). On the contrary, no association was found with other clinicpathologic parameters. In this study, Tp53 presentation in high-grade carcinomas was significantly more as compared to low grade ones (p=0.03). A significant association was also observed between Tp53 and tumor size (p =0.01). There was no association with menopausal status and lymph node status. IHC determined that Her-2/neu and Tp53 expressions are not associated with nodal and menopause status. Conversely, a correlation was found between Her-2/neu, Tp53 expressions and high histological grade of tumor. However, to validate these findings, long-term prospective studies on patients’ survival are necessary.

Different mechanisms may lead to the development of soft tissue tumor-like lesions in the oral cavity. Many of these lesions can be identified as specific entities on the basis of their histopathological features and are divided into fibrous, vascular, and giant cell types. The purpose of this study was to establish the relative prevalence of the different histopathological aspects of biopsies of oral soft tissue tumor-like lesions at School of Dentistry, Kerman Univ. Med. Sci. Documents and records of 260 patients with localized lesions of oral tissues diagnosed from March 1996 to March 2004 were reviewed. The lesions were classified into either fibrous or soft hemorrhagic lesions. Clinical data regarding age, gender, location, and treatment of lesions were obtained for each case. Data included in the present retrospective study were analyzed by SPSS statistical software (13.5) using t- test and chi-square tests. A total of 260 surgical specimens of lesions of the oral cavity presented clinically were studied; 143 cases (55%) had fibrous lesions and 117 cases (45%) had soft hemorrhagic lesions. The fibrous lesions included 91 cases (63.6%) of gingival lesions, whereas 98 cases (83.76%) of the soft hemorrhagic lesions had gingival lesions. The patients were simultaneously treated by excisional biopsy and elimination of the chronic irritant. Oral lesions are often detected by dental professionals, surgeons and ENT specialists. Knowledge of the frequency and presentation of the most common oral lesions is beneficial in developing a clinical impression of such lesions encountered in practice.

In this study, we explored expression rate, some biomarkers affecting the prognosis of the breast carcinoma, and the relationship between these markers and clinicopathologic features of the disease as well as the relationship between each of these markers through a tissue array technique. This study was an observational and cross-sectional study. From 100 breast samples which had been diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma, blocks were prepared through a tissue array method and were stained by monoclonal antibodies of the markers. All data were analyzed using SPSS program. The appearance rate of EGF-R marker had a direct relationship with the degree of malignancy (p=0.026), metallothionein marker with the mean number of mitosis (p=0.044), sialyl- Tn marker with the macroscopic size of tumor (p=0.036), the appearance of cyclin B1 marker with the appearance of metallothionein marker (p=0.012), and the appearance rate of EGF-R marker had a reverse relationship with Nm23 (p=0.020). Through investigating the relationship between some biomarkers such as EGF-R and metallothionein and the clinicopathogenic features of tumor or the relationship between each marker and the other parameters, we can assess the state of invasion and metastasis process or the degree of its malignancy or determine its prognosis.

Muscle tissue, skeletal muscle as well as cardiac muscle, is commonly affected in mitochondrial disorders. One explanation for this observation is that muscle tissue has a high-energy demand and therefore is more sensitive to a deficiency of mitochondrial energy production than some other tissues. In mitochondrial disorders, skeletal muscle tissue may be affected primarily by defective respiratory chain function or secondarily to peripheral neuropathy with neurogenic muscle atrophy. The clinical manifestations of mitochondrial myopathies are variable and include muscle weakness,exercise induced cramps ad myalgia. Also, ptosis and progressive external ophtalmoplegia are typical but not obligate finding. Hereby we wanted to report a case of mitochondrial myopathy, diagnosed by histochemical and electron microscopic studies for the first time in Iran. Our case was a 12-years old girl who referred due to muscle weakness to our center which started at an age of 8 years. Later, she also developed ptosis. EMG studies were inclusive and muscle biopsy revealed typical red ragged fibers with special staining. By electron microscopy, typicalmitochondrial changes were detected.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the broad ligament is a very rare, rapidly progressive and highly malignant gynecological tumor and only 16 cases have been reported in the literature. Here, presentation of leiomyosarcoma of the left broad ligament in a 26-years-old woman is reported. Clinical presentation and histological diagnosis is discussed. The patient has been treated surgically and remains disease-free following three years follow up. A review of literature is also performed to discuss the diagnosis and management of leiomyosarcoma of broad ligament.

Fibroadenoma of the vulva is an uncommon lesion. It has been suggested that they originate from vulvar mammary like other glands. A few examples of benign and malignant vulvar tumors arising from such glands have been reported. A 32-year-old woman was referred with a subcutaneous mass at the vulva. The patient treated by simple excisional surgery with adequate peripheral margin. Histological findings showed the characteristic features of fibroadenoma of vulva. Confirmatory IHC for GCDF_15 was performed which its result was positive. Up to our knowledge, only nineteen cases of vulvar fibroadenoma have been reported in English literature.