1/5. telomerase activity in phyllodes tumours.AIMS: To investigate telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein that synthesizes telomeres. Recent evidence suggests that telomerase reactivation is associated with the acquisition of immortalization and malignancy. methods: Using a sensitive PCR-based assay (the TRAP assay), we examined telomerase activity in two recurrent phyllodes tumours in two patients. RESULTS: Both tumours expressed telomerase activity. Histological examination of the lesions, according to the criteria proposed by Azzopardi and Salvadori, revealed a malignant phyllodes tumour in one patient and a benign phyllodes tumour in the other patient. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that telomerase activity may have a potential role as a prognostic marker in predicting the clinical behaviour of these rare tumours.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/5. Altered expression of p53 and its regulated proteins in phyllodes tumours of the breast.The histological characteristics of phyllodes tumours of the breast are often not related to their clinical outcome. Additional studies must therefore be performed to investigate the possible relationship of cell biological parameters to the biological behaviour of these tumours. The expression of Ki-67, p53, and its regulated proteins has been studied in 19 primary phyllodes tumours, from patients with known follow-up, using immunohistochemical and molecular biological techniques. Overexpression of the p53 protein was observed in four cases and mutation in two cases. In only one case, the sequence alteration, at codon 273, was associated with overexpression of p53 protein and with strong expression of Ki-67 (30 per cent). This alteration was found in the primary, the recurrent, and the metastatic tumour samples. Moreover, the same p53 gene mutation, Arg273Cys, was detected in all tumour samples. No mutation was found in adjacent normal breast tissue, indicating that this was an acquired mutation. Unexpectedly, strong BAX expression was observed in the primary tumour. The patient died during the follow-up period. It is concluded that p53 gene status and an accumulation of BAX, both involved in the same apoptosis-controlling pathway, may be of prognostic relevance in phyllodes tumours.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/5. Giant breast tumours of adolescence.The giant breast tumour of adolescence is rare in Caucasians. Six cases seen over 10 years are reported to illustrate diagnostic problems and highlight the importance of conservative management. Malignancy may be suspected because of rapid growth and skin ulceration. Conversely, the lesion may be considered to be no more than asymmetrical breast development or virginal hypertrophy. Clinical management problems have arisen because of confusion between fibroadenoma and the term cystosarcoma phylloides, previously used for tumours seen in older patients. The histological distinction between giant fibroadenoma and phylloides tumour has important clinical implications in older age groups. These implications do not apply to Caucasian adolescents in whom these tumours have a wide spectrum of histological appearances but uniformly benign clinical behaviour. Giant fibroadenoma of adolescence is a satisfactory designation and simple enucleation a satisfactory treatment, irrespective of the histological appearance.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/5. Cystosarcoma phylloides: heterogeneity in a rare tumour type.Mammary cystosarcoma phylloides is a rare tumour, and clear guidelines for its clinical management are lacking. We present three cases from the Western Infirmary which illustrate the range of behaviour that these tumours can manifest, and discuss some of the clinical problems that they present.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/5. Phyllodes tumour of the breast: immunohistochemical study of 37 tumours using MIB1 antibody.In our study, the expression of ki-67 antigen in phyllodes tumours of the breast was investigated in order to estimate its significance in assessing the grade of malignancy and in predicting the clinical behaviour of these tumours. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of 37 cases of phyllodes tumour of the breast (eight graded as malignant and 29 as benign according to histopathological criteria) and 20 breast fibroadenomas were stained by an immunoperoxidase technique, using the monoclonal antibody MIB1 directed against cell proliferation-associated ki-67 antigen. A MIB1 index was calculated to express the percentage of MIB1 positive proliferating stromal cells. Our data indicate that there are statistically significant differences in MIB1 indices between histologically benign and malignant phyllodes tumours (alpha = 0.001), between benign phyllodes tumour and fibroadenoma (alpha = 0.01), and between malignant phyllodes tumour and fibroadenoma (alpha = 0.001). Our results also indicate a good correlation between the conventional grading of phyllodes tumours based on histological criteria and MIB1 indices. However, little predictive value of the MIB1 index in phyllodes tumours of the breast can be derived from our study.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = behaviour (Clic here for more details about this article) |