1/7. Malignant melanoma of the oesophagus: clinicopathological features, lack of p53 expression and steroid receptors and a review of the literature.AIMS: Fortunately, primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus is a rare entity. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinicopathological features, p53 over-expression and steroid receptors in oesophageal melanomas and to review the reported cases in the literature. methods: Melanomas reported during a 15-year period (1982-1996) in the Queen Mary Hospital were studied. The clinicopathological features and survival data of patients with oesophageal melanomas were noted. Representative tissue was collected from each tumour and immunohistochemical preparations for HMB-45, p53, oestrogen and progesterone receptors were made. A review of oesophageal melanomas reported in the literature was also performed. RESULTS: Three cases of primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus were found. They accounted for 3% of melanomas and 0.2% of oesophageal cancers diagnosed. The melanomas were fusiform and large at the time of resection. All three patients died of their malignancy within 9 months of operation. The tumours stained positive for HMB-45 and were negative for p53, oestrogen and progesterone receptors. From previous reports, 154 oesophageal melanomas were documented. The tumours were fusiform, large, often pigmented and located in either the middle or lower oesophagus. Although many oesophageal melanomas presented at early stages (stages I or II), their biological behaviour was aggressive. The 5-year survival rate was 5.7%. CONCLUSIONS: melanoma of the oesophagus is an aggressive tumour. There is no evidence for the p53 gene and female sex hormones having a role in the development or progression of the tumour.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/7. Primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus.Primary malignant melanoma arising in the oesophagus is a rare condition with a dismal prognosis. The diagnosis is often made following surgical resection even though the endoscopic features may be pathognomonic. The classical treatment is oesophagectomy even though the advanced disease stage at the time of presentation and aggressive biological behaviour of the tumour usually results in a fatal outcome. We report the case of a male patient initially diagnosed with squamous oesophageal carcinoma and treated with conventional neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy. Poor clinical and radiological response resulted in a review of the original histology confirming a diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus. The subsequent alteration in management conferred the patient an improved quality of life. A short review of the literature on primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus supplements this case report.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/7. (18)FDG-PET-scan in staging of primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus: a case report.Primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus is a rare disease, only 262 cases being reported up to June 2005. In general, the prognosis is dismal because of its tendency to present as an advanced neoplasm with aggressive biological behaviour. (18)FDG-PET-scan is a useful tool for evaluation of metastatic disease and locoregional lymph node metastasis. We present herein a case of a young adult with primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus, followed by a literature review on the subject.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/7. Case report: recurrent liposarcoma of the oesophagus.A case of recurrent liposarcoma of the oesophagus is presented. The clinical and radiological findings are discussed. Our case displays the characteristic features and behaviour of a common sarcoma arising in a rare site.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/7. Von Recklinghausen's disease with a malignant meningeal, cerebral and optic nerve tumour and bilateral vagal schwannomas. Possible mesenchymal histogenesis on light and electron microscopy.The clinical, histopathologic and fine structural features of multiple unusual tumours detected in a 20-year-old patient with von Recklinghausen's disease, who died within a year of onset of symptoms of a rapidly expanding intracranial tumour, are described. The tumour was found to involve the falx cerebri, the basal leptomeninges and dura mater, both olfactory and optic nerves, both frontal lobes, the right temporal lobe and middle cerebral peduncle, both middle cerebellar peduncles, and with a metastasis in a cervical node. On light and electron microscopy this tumour appeared to be a fibroblastic meningeal sarcoma with giant cells, mitotic figures, a rich reticulin matrix throughout, and tumour cells full of rough ER but without any glial filaments. Also very unusual was the involvement of both vagus nerves in their cervical and intrathoracic portions, by a schwannomatous benign tumour and with a non-chromaffin paraganglioma at its termination in the oesophagus. One of the few cutaneous "neurofibromas" was also schwannian, containing tumour cells with a basement membrane on electron microscopy. Most, if not all, of these tumours appeared mesenchymal in origin, more aggressive in behaviour and carrying a graver prognosis in von Recklinghausen's disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/7. leiomyosarcoma of the oesophagus: a case report and literature review of leiomyosarcoma.Leiomyosarcomas are uncommon tumours. Oesophageal leiomyosarcomas are even rarer. A case is presented of this rare tumour which on review of the literature seems to be the first patient surviving 22 years from the original treatment. We include a literature review of the clinical behaviour and management of leiomyosarcoma.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/7. Giant leiomyoma of the oesophagus and cardia. Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations: case report and literature review.A case of giant leiomyoma of the oesophagus and cardia is presented. magnetic resonance imaging was particularly useful for assessing the relationship of the tumour to the neighbouring structures. Radical resection was performed by partial oesophagogastrectomy with intrathoracic oesophagogastrostomy. Giant oesophageal leiomyomas present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge because of their size and the possibility of malignant behaviour.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |