Conceição Queiroz

Characterizing subpopulations of neoplastic cells in serous effusions. The role of immunocytochemistry.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the role of immunochemistry in serous effusions. STUDY DESIGN We analyzed cell blocks of 18 pleural and 18 peritoneal effusions diagnosed as malignant (18), benign (14) and suspicious (4). They were immunostained by the avidin-biotin complex method with a panel of four monoclonal antibodies--CEA, Ber-EP4, LeuM1 (CD15) and p53--and, for lectins (Ulex europaeus) UEA-l, ConA and ConBr. RESULTS Seventeen of the 18 cases of adenocarcinoma were positive for CEA (95%), 12 (66.6%) for Ber-EP4, 11 (61%) for CD15 and 11 (61%) for p53. Twelve of the 18 (66.6%) were positive for UEA-1, CEA, Ber-EP4 and CD15. UEA-1 did not react with mesothelial cells. p53 Gave a positive reaction in only one case, reactive mesothelial cells. ConA and ConBr reacted indiscriminately with benign and malignant cells; thus, it was not useful in distinguishing between these cells. CONCLUSION In this context no antibody used alone is reliable for corroborating a diagnosis, but the selective use of a small panel of three markers (CEA, Ber-EP4 and LeuM1) can be very useful in solving diagnostic difficulties in the cytodiagnosis of serous effusions.

Prevalence of human Papilloma Virus in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients in the State of Bahia: a pilot study.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) plays a central role in the development of cervical cancer. However, other coexisting factors, such as HIV infection, must be present for this to occur. We evaluated the prevalence of HPV in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, and determined the most prevalent types of HPV in these patients. Fifty-five cases were selected from among patients attending three institutions providing cervical pathology services in the city of Salvador. HIV testing (Elisa/WB), HPV-DNA testing by PCR, colposcopy, cytology and biopsy were carried out in all patients. The histopathological results were classified as follows: 11 cases were normal/negative for neoplasia, 15 were diagnosed as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN 1), 10 were CIN 2, 15 cases were CIN 3 and there were four cases of invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Among the 55 patients studied, 43 tested positive for HPV-DNA and 20 for HIV. All HIV-positive patients were positive for HPV-DNA. The most prevalent types of HPV were HPV 16, 52, 58, 53, 54, 33 and 51, and there was little difference between the groups of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients with respect to the type of HPV encountered. The HIV-positive patients were found to be infected with a greater number of types of HPV than the HIV-negative patients. This study corroborates the existence of regional variations in the distribution of certain types of HPV, which is probably due to the particular ethnic constitution found in this region of Brazil.

Cytologic diagnosis of vaginal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. A case report.

BACKGROUND Metastasis of renal cell carcinoma to the vagina is rare, although it may be the first evidence of the existence of the primary tumor. CASE A metastatic deposit of renal cell carcinoma in the vagina was diagnosed by cytology as clear cell adenocarcinoma, which was confirmed by biopsy. Radiographic and ultrasound examinations confirmed the renal site of origin, which was corroborated by immunohistochemistry of the biopsy specimen. CONCLUSION When a cytologic diagnosis of vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma is made, metastasis of renal cell carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Comparação entre duas técnicas de genotipagem do HPV em mulheres com lesão intra-epitelial de alto grau

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping techniques, Linear Array and PapilloCheck, in women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). METHODS A total of 88 women with cytological diagnosis of HSIL were recruited at 2 reference centers in cervical pathology in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, from July 2006 to January 2009. After the cytological diagnosis of HSIL, cervix cells were collected to determine the HPV genotype and a biopsy was obtained under colposcopic vision for histopathological analysis. After the confirmation of CIN2+ by histopathology, HPV genotyping was performed on 41 women by the Linear Array and PapilloCheck methods. RESULTS Both tests showed an overall concordance rate for HPV detection of 97.2% (35/36). Of the 36 valid samples, 35 (97.2%) were positive in both tests and 1 (2.8%) was discordant, with the Linear Array indicating the presence of multiple types. The most prevalent HPV genotypes detected by the Linear Array technique were HPV 16, HPV 56, HPV 35, HPV 45, and HPV 70; and those detected by the PapilloCheck technique were HPV 16, HPV 56, HPV 11, HPV 35, and HPV 42. A similar rate of infection with multiple HPV types was observed with the two tests (72.5% with the Linear Array and 75.0% with the PapilloCheck). CONCLUSIONS Linear Array genotyping assay and PapilloCheck showed equivalent performance for the detection of oncogenic HPV types in women with HSIL, with PapilloCheck having the advantage of being a method that avoids subjectivity when reading the HPV genotypes.PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping techniques, Linear Array and PapilloCheck, in women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL).METHODS: A total of 88 women with cytological diagnosis of HSIL were recruited at 2 reference centers in cervical pathology in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, from July 2006 to January 2009. After the cytological diagnosis of HSIL, cervix cells were collected to determine the HPV genotype and a biopsy was obtained under colposcopic vision for histopathological analysis. After the confirmation of CIN2+ by histopathology, HPV genotyping was performed on 41 women by the Linear Array and PapilloCheck methods.RESULTS: Both tests showed an overall concordance rate for HPV detection of 97.2% (35/36). Of the 36 valid samples, 35 (97.2%) were positive in both tests and 1 (2.8%) was discordant, with the Linear Array indicating the presence of multiple types. The most prevalent HPV genotypes detected by the Linear Array technique were HPV 16, HPV 56, HPV 35, HPV 45, and HPV 70; and those detected by the PapilloCheck technique were HPV 16, HPV 56, HPV 11, HPV 35, and HPV 42. A similar rate of infection with multiple HPV types was observed with the two tests (72.5% with the Linear Array and 75.0% with the PapilloCheck).CONCLUSIONS: Linear Array genotyping assay and PapilloCheck showed equivalent performance for the detection of oncogenic HPV types in women with HSIL, with PapilloCheck having the advantage of being a method that avoids subjectivity when reading the HPV genotypes.