The objective was to identify the diVerent subtypes of symptomatic CNS tumours that are encountered in Singapore. Our hospital pathology and operative records from 1994 to 1998 were reviewed and information regarding all patients who underwent biopsy or resection as part of their diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation was extracted. Only histologically confirmed tumours were included in this analysis. Meningiomas made up the largest subgroup of tumours, accounting for 35.1% of all tumours. In order of decreasing frequency, the remaining most often reported histologies were pituitary adenomas (11.8%), secondary neoplasms (10%), tumours of nerve sheath (9.4%), glioblastoma multiforme (9.3%), astrocytomas including anaplastic, diVuse and pilocytic (9.2%), primary CNS lymphomas (2.9%), oligodendrogliomas (2.2%), hemangioblastomas (2.2%), craniopharyngiomas (1.7%), and embryonal tumours (1.2%). Genetic and environmental factors may be responsible for the proportionately higher than expected percentage of meningiomas seen and further study is required to identify these factors.

BackgroundThe purpose of the study was to compare the histopathologic and immunophenotypic features of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) and lichen planopilaris (LPP) to better characterize and differentiate these two clinical entities. CCCA remains an ill‐defined and still‐unsettled histologic entity and many hair loss experts regard CCCA to be histologically indistinguishable from LPP. Given the overlapping histologic features of these two lymphocyte‐predominant cicatricial alopecias, and the lack of consensus regarding the significance of proposed distinctions, dermatopathologists face difficulty in providing clinicians and patients certainty with a definitive diagnosis of CCCA vs LPP.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of 51 scalp biopsies of patients with either the clinical diagnosis of CCCA (27 cases) or LPP (24 cases). Clinical information, histologic features of hematoxylin‐eosin‐stained sections, and a panel of immunohistochemical markers were evaluated on scalp biopsies. Tested parameters were quantified, and statistical analysis was performed.ResultsOur study found no differences on either histologic assessment or immunophenotypic characterization between cases of classic LPP and CCCA.ConclusionThe conclusion of this study is that the inflammatory infiltrates in CCCA and LPP are not only histologically similar but also immunophenotypically indistinguishable.

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