Primary Fallopian Tube Carcinoma Arising in the Setting of Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Primary fallopian tube cancer (PFTC) is a rare gynaecological malignancy, clinically often mistaken for pelvic inflammatory disease or ovarian cancer. Three primary fallopian tube carcinomas, arising in a background of chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), are presented. The possible association between chronic PID and PFTC is discussed and a hypothesies linking these cancers with chronic inflammation is proposed

Metastatic Prostate Cancer to the Urethra Masquerading as Urothelial Carcinoma

AbstractTumors of the urethra, whether primary or metastatic, are very rare. The true nature of urethral neoplasm is not always obvious clinically nor in routine histological sections. Immunostains should be performed on such lesions because of management implications. We present a case of multiple metastases to the urethra from a prostatic carcinoma, masquerading as multiple urothelial carcinomas. Pathologists and urologists should be aware of the possibility of metastasis from the prostate

Mammary Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: A Fresh Look at Architectural Patterns

Mammary ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS), a malignant appearing lesion on cytological and histological grounds, is in fact a non-obligate precancer. DCIS is difficult to manage and is sometimes treated more aggressively than invasive carcinoma. Although most DCIS classifications take into account the architectural growth pattern, when it comes to architecture, the literature is full of contradictory information. We examined 289 breast cancers and found DCIS in 265 of the cases. The majority of the DCIS cases were seen in the setting of invasive cancer and only 9% of the cases represented pure DCIS with no invasive cancer. The DCIS commonly displayed a mixed pattern with micropapillary, cribriform and solid components with the micropapillary type being the rarest, occurring seldom on its own. A continuum of growth with a micropapillary pattern evolving into a cribriform type could be seen in some of the cases. This may explain some of the conflicting information, in the literature, regarding the different architectural types of DCIS. The comedo-pattern of necrosis could be seen in all types of DCIS. We therefore conclude that the study of the determinants of growth pattern in DCIS would be the key to unravelling the diverse, often non-concordant evidence one encounters in the literature

Investigating a cluster of vulvar cancer in young women: a cross-sectional study of genital human papillomavirus prevalence

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/12/243 Extent: 8p.Background: Vulvar cancer is a relatively rare malignancy, which occurs most often in postmenopausal women. We have previously identified a geographic cluster of vulvar cancer in young Indigenous women living in remote communities in the Arnhem Land region of Australia. In this population, we investigated the prevalence of oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in anogenital samples (vulvar/vaginal/perianal area and cervix) and compared the overall, type-specific and multiple infection prevalence between sites. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 551 Indigenous women aged 18–60 years was undertaken in 9 Arnhem Land communities. Women were consented for HPV detection and genotyping collected by a combined vulvar/vaginal/perianal (VVP) sweep swab and a separate PreservCyt endocervical sample collected during Pap cytology screening. HPV DNA testing was undertaken using PCR with broad spectrum L1 consensus PGMY09/11 primers with genotyping of positive samples by Roche Linear Array. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of cervical and VVP high-risk (HR) HPV. Results: The prevalence of VVP HR-HPV was 39%, which was significantly higher than the cervical HR-HPV prevalence (26%, p<0.0001). HPV-16 was the most common genotype detected in both sites (VVP 11%, cervical 6%). HPV-16 infection peaked in women aged <20 years; however, there was a marked decline in cervical HPV-16 prevalence with age (p=0.007), whereas following an initial decline, the prevalence of VVP HPV-16 remained constant in subsequent age-groups (p=0.835). Conclusions: In this population experiencing a cluster of vulvar cancer, the prevalence of cervical oncogenic HPV infection was similar to that reported by studies of other Australian women; however there was a significantly higher prevalence of vulvar/vaginal/perianal infection to cervical. The large discrepancy in HPV prevalence between anogenital sites in this population may represent more persistent infection at the vulva. This needs further investigation, including the presence of possible environmental and/or genetic factors that may impair host immunity.Alice R Rumbold, Sarah E Tan, John R Condon, Debbie Taylor-Thomson, Maria Nickels, Sepehr N Tabrizi, Margaret LJ Davy, Margaret M O’Brien, Christine M Connors, Ibrahim Zardawi, Jim Stankovich and Suzanne M Garlan

Phaeochromocytoma masquerading as anxiety and depression.

Patient: Female, 36 Final Diagnosis: Pheochromocytoma; Symptoms: Anxiety ? depression Medication: - Clinical Procedure: - Specialty: Oncology ? endocrinology. Unusual clinical course, Mistake in diagnosis. Pheochromocytoma is a rare catecholamine-producing neuroendocrine tumour with protean clinical manifestations, which can mimic a variety of conditions, often resulting in erroneous and delayed diagnosis. A case of undiagnosed pheochromocytoma in a 36 year old female with a 15 year history of anxiety and depression is described. The patient collapsed while on the phone to the next of kin and stopped breathing. She was initially revived but suffered a cardiac arrest and died. At autopsy an undiagnosed adrenal pheochromocytoma was found. When considering a diagnosis of anxiety and depression, medical causes of the symptoms must be excluded. Common conditions, such as thyroid disorders, stimulant abuse, asthma, cardiac arrhythmias, alcohol withdrawal and rarely pheochromocytoma, causing a similar spectrum of symptoms should be excluded by history and clinical examination

Clinical value of repeat pap smear at the time of colposcopy

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical value of a repeat (second) Pap smear at the time of colposcopy in the management of patients with recent cytologic abnormalities. STUDY DESIGN: A study of paired Pap smears and their corresponding cervical biopsies during a two-year period, commencing in June 1996, was undertaken. Pap smears and cervical biopsies from 614 patients were evaluated in the Department of Pathology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia. To maintain uniformity, the cytologic and histologic findings were assessed according to the Bethesda System. RESULTS: The original (first) Pap smears included 288 high grade and 326 low grade lesions. The second smears showed 200 high grade, 221 low grade, 167 normal and 26 unsatisfactory cases. Punch biopsies revealed 242 high grade, 300 low grade and 72 inflammatory/reactive lesions. The changes noted in the second Pap smears and in the punch biopsies in the group originally diagnosed as having high grade disease were generally less advanced. The second Pap smears and corresponding cervical punch biopsies showed more advanced changes in the group originally diagnosed as having low grade disease. Removal of part of the abnormal epithelium during the first Pap smear and the desire of the colposcopist not to damage the surface epithelium prior to performing a cervical biopsy may account for some of these findings. Sampling errors and morphological misinterpretation may explain some of the findings. CONCLUSION: In the second smears, new cases of high grade abnormality were discovered mainly in patients with low grade changes on the first smears. Therefore, a second Pap smear at the time of colposcopy is justifiable in the group with low grade changes on the first smear

Is fertility-sparing treatment for high grade cervical dysplasia conservative enough? (letter)

The new National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines for the management of women with high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions [cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 and CIN 3] state that the local ablative or excisional treatment should destroy or remove tissue to a depth of at least 7 mm. It is obvious from our study that gynaecologists at our institution are much more conservative in their approach to the treatment of high grade dysplasia than the NHMRC recommendations. We support this approach and believe cytological surveillance for women who have complete excision of CIN to be appropriate; whereas women with involved margins by CIN at initial LLETZ should have long term colposcopic and cytological follow up. We think top-hat LLETZ would constitute over-treatment in the young age group