Stepan A

VEGF expression and angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical and morphometric study

Angiogenesis is involved in tumor progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In this study, we have investigated by immunohistochemistry vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in tumor cells and we have correlated VEGF expression to microvessel area, evaluated by using CD105 as a marker of endothelial cells, in bioptic specimens of 54 human OSCC. Results demonstrated that VEGF is highly expressed in OSCC tumor specimens when compared to pre-neoplastic and normal tissues, without differences between the edge and inside the tumor. Moreover, VEGF expression is reduced in poor differentiated OSCC tumors when compared to moderate and good differentiated forms, and tumor microvessel area is higher in tumors when compared to pre-neoplastic lesions and normal tissues. Finally, VEGF and CD105 may be considered as reliable markers of tumor angiogenesis and progression in OSCC, even if we did not demonstrate any correlation between VEGF expression, tumor microvascular area, clinical stage, and lymph node status.

Tumor angiogenesis, macrophages and mast cell microdensities in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma

The present study aimed to observe and compare the values of microvessel density (MVD), mast cell microdensity (McMD) and macrophage microdensity (MphMD) in intratumoral areas compared with the advancing edges, and to assess any correlations between these values and the degree and stage of the neoplasia. The cases of 52 patients who were diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma between 2003 and 2011 were analyzed, the majority of which were in the first stage of the disease (44 cases). Double sequential immunohistochemistry and the hot-spot counting method were used to assess the MVD (CD105+ MVD), McMD [tryptase+ (Try+) McMD] and MphMD (CD68+ MphMD) densities. The χ2 test, paired Student’s t-test and the Pearson correlation index were used to assess the significance of the results. A weak correlation was observed at the advancing edge only, between CD105+ MVD and Try+ McMD (P=0.039). No significant differences were identified in the analysis of CD105+ MVD, Try+ McMD and CD68+ MphMD, but wide variations in their distribution were observed. Depending on the tumor stage, CD105+ MVD exhibited an intratumoral, indirect correlation with Try+ McMD for stage IA (P=0.026) and II (P=0.013) tumors. CD105+ MVD presented an indirect correlation with CD68+ MphMD in stage IB tumors (P=0.016) and at the advancing edge for well-differentiated tumors (P=0.027). An analysis of the correlation between CD68+ MphMD and Try+ McMD indicated that the intratumoral levels of CD68+ MphMD were directly proportional with the Try+ McMD values in well-differentiated (P=0.005) and stage II (P=0.012) tumors, while at the front of the invasion, this correlation was indirect (P=0.010) in stage II tumors. In endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (EEC), angiogenesis is at its most active at the advancing edge of the tumor, where mast cells play a pro-angiogenic role.

The Assessment of Prognostic Histopatholgical Parameters Depending on Histological Patterns of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Papillary thyroid carcinoma represents common injuries that can have different histological variants that may influence the patient’s prognostic. The study included a total of 44 papillary thyroid carcinomas, for which were followed a series of histological factors of aggressiveness for grading tumors. Most studied papillary carcinomas corresponded to the conventional type, followed by the follicular, micropapillary and tall cell variants. Depending on the presence of nuclear atypia, tumor necrosis, the frequency of mitosis, also the vascular invasion and the extrathyroidian extension there were distributions differences of the cases according to the tumor type, most of the cases belonged to the conventional and tall cell types. The assessment of histopathological parameters of aggressiveness with certain types known to have an unfavorable behavior, justify the use of the histological grading of papillary thyroid carcinomas.

Maxillary calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor with sinus and buccal vestibule extension: a case report and immunohistochemical study

BackgroundCalcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT) is a rare benign neoplasia, locally aggressive, that tends to invade bone and adjacent soft tissues. This case report describes the thirteenth known case of CEOT with maxillary sinus extension and the second one that also involves the buccal vestibule mucosa with peculiar histopathological and immunohistochemical data.Case presentationHere we report the case of a 45-year-old female with a CEOT diagnosed and treated at the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department, County Clinical Emergency Hospital of Craiova, Romania. The clinical and imaging investigation revealed an intraosseous tumor developed from the left posterior maxilla with maxillary sinus and buccal vestibule mucosa extension. Histopathology found an epithelium-rich CEOT variant, but with scattered S100 positive clear cells, focal small rounded cementum-like deposits and areas with some degree of nuclear pleomorphism. The immunohistochemical investigations emphasised its local aggressiveness behavior with involvement of multiple molecular mechanisms that underlie tumor invasiveness. A subtotal maxillectomy was performed followed by defect reconstruction.ConclusionsWe discuss the relevant clinicopathological features of an aggressive rare case of CEOT with maxillary sinus extension and buccal vestibule mucosa involvement. The immunohistochemical study suggests its utility in attempting to assess the degree of local tumor aggressiveness and thus in adopting the most efficient therapeutic attitude.

The expression of twist in differentiated thyroid carcinomas.

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma are lesions with a generally favorable prognosis, although there are patients with risk of recurrence and metastasis. In this study we analyzed 43 thyroid carcinomas referring to Twist expression in relation to clinicopathological parameters. The immunoreaction was identified in 79% of cases, the expression of twist being low or high, with no differences in relation to the tumors type or subtype. Twist immunoexpression differ depending on tumor stage and presence of metastases, the immunostain being significantly higher in invasive tumors to adjacent structures and in cases of tumors with metastasized. In differentiated thyroid carcinomas overexpression of Twist is associated with an invasive and metastatic immunophenotype.