Morphometric characteristics of basal cell carcinoma peritumoral stroma varies among basal cell carcinoma subtypes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role that the peritumoral stroma plays in the growth of tumours is currently poorly understood. In this manuscript the morphometric characteristics of basal cell carcinoma subtypes and their associated peritumoral stromas are presented.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ninety eight digitized basal cell carcinoma histology slides were categorized as infiltrative, nodular, or superficial subtypes, and were analysed using a combination of manual and computer-assisted approaches. The morphometric characteristics of the tumour nests and their associated peritumoral stroma were quantified, and the presence of a marked immune reaction or elastosis was noted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The tumour to stroma ratio was different among each tumour subtype. Elastosis was identified in a greater proportion of the infiltrative tumours.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Quantitative differences exist between the peritumoral stroma of basal cell carcinoma subtypes. Future work exploring the relation between these morphometric differences and biochemical variations in peritumoral stroma may further our understanding of the biology of carcinoma development.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Not applicable.</p

Schizophrenia in Thailand: prevalence and burden of disease

Background: A previous estimate of the burden of schizophrenia in Thailand relied on epidemiological estimates from elsewhere. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence and disease burden of schizophrenia in Thailand using local data sources that recently have become available

Schizophrenic patients without neuropsychological deficits: subgroup, disease severity or cognitive compensation?

Some schizophrenic patients do not show clinically relevant cognitive deficits. The question remains whether this represents the existence of an etiologically different subgroup, a general effect of disease severity or whether their cognitive deficits do not reach a clinical threshold due to a greater cognitive compensation ('brain reserve') capacity. A group of 23 out of 118 first onset patients was identified as cognitively normal (CN). The cognitive profile of these patients was compared with that of 45 healthy controls. Next these patients were compared with the cognitively impaired (0) patients on obstetric complications (OCs), premorbid adjustment, age at onset, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ratings, social functioning and substance abuse. In addition both groups were compared on intelligence and educational level as indirect indicators of cognitive compensation capacity. There were no differences in OCs, premorbid adjustment, age at onset, psychopathology or substance abuse between the two patient groups. There was a significant difference in social functioning, which is a consequence rather than a cause of cognitive deficits. However, the CN patients scored significantly higher on measures of intelligence and educational level than the CI patients. This suggests that a difference in cognitive compensation capacity could explain the existence of a CN patient group. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved