Ugur Pabuccuoglu

Anetoderma secondary to generalized granuloma annulare.

Anetoderma is a rare disorder of cutaneous atrophy with loss of dermal elastic tissue. Secondary anetoderma is seen after a variety of dermatoses. We describe a 33-year-old woman with secondary anetoderma after generalized granuloma annulare lesions that were most pronounced on sun-exposed areas.

Intraarticular fibroma of the tendon sheath of the knee

Fibroma of the tendon sheath is an uncommon soft-tissue tumor. Intraarticular localization has not been previously reported. The patient presented with unexplained recurrent swelling of the knee not associated with recent trauma. The soft-tissue tumor was identified by magnetic resonance imaging. Arthroscopy confirmed the diagnosis. Arthrotomy was performed because of the large size of the lesion.

The significance of Ki-67 proliferative index and cyclin D1 expression of dysplastic nevi in the biologic spectrum of melanocytic lesions.

Familial acquired dysplastic nevi carry a risk for the development of melanoma. However, the results in various studies regarding the significance of sporadic dysplastic nevi as a precursor of malignant melanoma (MM), are controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate cyclin D1 expression and Ki67 proliferative index in a group of melanocytic lesions to address the biologic significance of sporadic dysplastic nevi in the progression of melanocytic lesions. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material from 21 common melanocytic nevi, 42 dysplastic nevi, and 17 primary cutaneous MMs were examined. Standard streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method was used for immunostaining with cyclin D1 and Ki-67 antibody. Nuclear cyclin D1 immunostaining was scored and Ki-67 proliferative index was calculated. Cyclin D1 expression was significantly higher in melanoma than those in other lesions. However, there was no significant difference between dysplastic nevi and common melanocytic nevi in terms of cyclin D1 expression. Ki-67 index was significantly higher in dysplastic nevi compared with common melanocytic nevi and to melanoma compared with dysplastic nevi. There was a significant positive correlation between cyclin D1 expression and Ki-67 proliferative index for each group. The present study indicates significant differences in cyclin D1 expressions and Ki-67 indices among melanocytic lesions. We think that dysplastic nevi are biologically separate from common melanocytic nevi in terms of proliferative activity. Additionally, our results suggest that cyclin D1 expression may be related to malignant phenotype and is associated with high proliferation rate in MM.

Sacrococcygeal extraspinal ependymomas: the role of coccygectomy.

BACKGROUND Ependymomas, the common glial tumors of the spinal cord, occur occasionally outside the central nervous system and are called exstraspinal ependymomas (EEP). EEPs are found primarily in sacrococcygeal region during childhood. The pathogenesis and the treatment of the sacrococcygeal (SC) ependymomas are still controversial. Therefore, we present our case with metaanalysis of other case reports to determine the optimal treatment modality for SC EEPs. METHODS A metaanalysis of case reports of SC EEPs, including the current case, was conducted. Also all available case reports of EEPs, without age limit, were analyzed to determine the distribution of EEPs localization. RESULTS EEPs usually are found in teratoma localizations such as the SC area, ovary, paraovarian structures, and medastinum. The distribution of EEPs localization differs with age. Local recurrence rate of EEPs after coccyx excision is zero, however, it increases to 71% when the coccyx was left behind. CONCLUSION The identical clinical characteristics of the SC teratomas and EEPs imply that the SC EEPs may be monophasic teratomas as their ovarian counterparts are named. Coccyx excision is an important part of the surgical treatment of these tumors, with an apparent decrease in the recurrence rate.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in laryngeal preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), a member of gelatinases, is particularly important in the digestion of nonfibrillary and denaturated collagens; thus, it may play a role in tissue remodeling and in the invasion of malignant cells. The expression of MMP-2 has not yet been described in preneoplastic lesions of the larynx thus far. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the expression of MMP-2 plays a role in early laryngeal carcinogenesis. Laryngectomy specimens of 20 invasive carcinoma cases were studied. The slides with atypical hyperplasia, carcinoma in situ, and invasive carcinoma were selected from laryngectomy specimens. On these slides, 23 atypical hyperplasia and 17 carcinoma in situ areas were identified. MMP-2 expression was scored immunohistochemically on paraffin tissue sections using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. MMP-2 expression in all three groups was statistically different. A sequential increase in MMP-2 expression correlated significantly with the hypothesis of multistep carcinogenesis. In contrast, MMP-2 expression was not related to tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, or differentiation in squamous cell carcinomas. In conclusion, this sequential increase in MMP-2 expression points to an altered expression of MMP-2 in early neoplastic transformation in laryngeal mucosa, followed by an increasing expression during the progression of the disease.

Basal cell carcinoma of the nipple – An unusual location in a male patient

Although basal cell carcinoma is extremely common, it only rarely occurs on the nipple. Men are affected more often than women.Basal cell carcinoma of the nipple‐areola complex may be more aggressive as metastases to regional lymph nodes have been reported.We report a basal cell carcinoma of the nipple with features of a fibroepithelioma of Pinkus in a man and review the literature.

Histopathology of Candidal Hyperplastic Lesions of the Larynx

Candidiasis of the larynx is rare, and candidal involvement of the larynx mostly occurs after pulmonary, pharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis, or as part of disseminated disease. We here report our morphologic observations made in five cases of laryngeal candidiasis. These cases had the following morphologic features in common: 1. pronounced epithelial hyperplasia, which may show a verrucous pattern, 2. prominent ortho-parakeratosis, and 3. predominantly neutrophilic infiltration located in the upper layers of the mucosal epithelium. Our morphologic observations were similar to the morphologic changes encountered in chronic hyperplastic candidosis of the oral mucosa. As this type of candidal lesions contains fewer hyphae than the usual thrush, fungal infection may be easily overlooked. Pronounced epithelial hyperplasia and prominent ortho-parakeratosis may mimic squamous cell and verrucous carcinomas. In conclusion, we suggest performing special stains for fungi of laryngeal biopsies that have the morphologic features mentioned above. In that way, it is possible to detect a candidal infection, keeping in mind that the fungal organisms may be very few in number and morphologically distorted.

Cholesterol granuloma and aspergilloma of the maxillary sinus

Abstract Cholesterol granuloma (CG) of the paranasal sinuses is rare. The proposed mechanisms of initiation are haemorrhage, impaired drainage and obstruction of ventilation. To the best of our knowledge, association of CG with a specific infection has not been described before. We have recently observed CG and aspergilloma of Aspergillus flavus type from the left maxillary sinus of a 58-year-old male patient presenting with nasal obstruction, headache and postnasal discharge. Any causative relationship between the two findings is obscure. The suspected mechanisms underlying aspergilloma and CG of the paranasal sinuses seems similar, since there is obstruction of ventilation and drainage. The cholesterol accumulation cannot be attributed to cellular components or breakdown products of the aspergillus as the major sterol of the plasma membranes of fungi is ergosterol, not cholesterol.

Papular acantholytic dyskeratosis of the anogenital area with positive direct immunofluorescence results

Acantholytic dyskeratosis is a distinct histological pattern characterized by hyperkeratotic and parakeratotic epidermis with intraepidermal clefts harbouring acantholytic and dyskeratotic keratinocytes. This histopathological pattern is uncommon in dermatoses of the anogenital region. We report a 30‐year‐old woman who had numerous smooth whitish papules on the labia majora, perineum and perianal region, which coalesced into plaques in some areas. Microscopically, the lesions showed prominent suprabasal and intraspinous acantholysis with dyskeratotic keratinocytes. Direct immunofluorescence examination revealed intercellular Ig G and C3 within the epidermis. We were unable to find a similar case of papular acantholytic dyskeratosis of the anogenital area with positive direct immunofluorescence findings reported in the literature, thus in this report, the clinicopathological features of a unique case are presented.

Prostatic carcinoma presenting with painless parotid mass

Metastasis of prostate cancer to the parotid gland is exceedingly rare, with only 4 cases reported in the literature. We present the case of an 83-year-old white man who had a painless parotid mass that was diagnosed as metastatic prostate cancer. Immunohistochemical staining with prostate-specific antigen was positive. This is the first case of prostate cancer presenting with a painless parotid mass. Prostate cancer can be metastatic to the head and neck region, and this should be kept in mind when treating patients with this disease.