No abstract

A retrospective study of 50 patients with scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach who had undergone surgery was performed to elucidate whether immunohistochemical overexpression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) could predict the patients’ survival. To evaluate the proliferative activity of the tumor, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) index was used. Expression of TGF-β1 was low in 27 patients and high in 23. Clinicopathological characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups with high and low TGF-β1 expression. Tumors with higher TGF-β1 expression had higher PCNA indices (p = 0.0467, unpaired Student’s t test). The 5-year survival rate was 40.4% for the low TGF-β1 group and 28.7% for the high TGF-β1 group (p = 0.0388, log rank test). By multivariate analysis, pT, residual tumor, and TGF-β1 were the independent prognostic factors. These results suggest that immunohistochemical expression of TGF-β1 is one of the useful predictors for estimating the patients’ survival in scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach particularly of the T3 and T4 stages.

A case of an intracystic adenomyoepithelioma of the breast mimicking intracystic carcinoma is described. Preoperative examination with mammography, sonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging showed an intracystic tumor with an indistinct margin and several swollen lymph nodes in the ipsilateral axilla. Because the results of fine-needle aspiration cytology of the tumor were interpreted as carcinoma, partial mastectomy with dissection of the axillary nodes was performed. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical examination revealed an intracystic adenomyoepithelioma without nodal involvement. The imaging features of this rare tumor may vary widely, which may result in an incorrect diagnosis of breast carcinoma. Indeed, adenomyoepithelioma has metastatic potential; however, lymphatic spread is rare and axillary intervention may be over-treatment for most cases. While the imaging descriptions of intracystic adenomyoepitheliomas are very limited, this tumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis to avoid unnecessarily aggressive treatment.

A case of benign myoepithelioma of the breast in a 55-year-old woman is described. The tumor was a well-circumscribed solid mass, measuring 13 x 12 mm. Histopathology indicated that the tumor was composed of entirely myoepithelial cells, which was confirmed by immunoreactivity to calponin and S-100. There was no ductal differentiation in the tumor, and staining for pan-cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen was weak and negative, respectively. Although the biological behavior of the tumor remains to be ascertained, the tumor was considered to be myoepithelioma with benign features due to mild nuclear pleomorphism, sparse mitotic figures, low Ki-67 labeling index and low S-phase fraction. Diagnostic confusion between benign myoepithelioma and other myoepithelial-rich cell tumors is possible. Considering the classification of myoepithelial tumor in the salivary glands, benign myoepithelioma of the breast may possess a different development process from adenomyoepithelioma.

A case is reported of an intracranial chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) in a 67 year old man. The tumor originated in the petrous part of the temporal bone and extended into the jugular foramen. Microscopically, the tumor showed a lobular appearance, and was composed of spindle or stellate cells in an abundant myxoid, chondroid stroma. Immunohistochemically, S-100 protein was positive in the tumor cells and myxoid stroma. Intracranial CMF, especially in an elderly person, is exceedingly rare. Clinical and pathological findings are presented with reference to the previously reported articles.