Relation of estrogen receptor expression in endometrial cancer specimens to bone mineral density

BACKGROUND

To investigate the relation of estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER and PR) expression in endometrial cancer specimens to bone mineral density (BMD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subjects were 48 postmenopausal women with endometrial cancer treated with hysterectomy. Baseline characteristics included age, years since menopause (YSM), height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Lumbar spine BMD (L2-4), the ratio of trunk fat to leg fat mass (trunk-leg fat ratio), body fat mass, and the percentage of body fat were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). ER and PR expression in endometrial cancer specimens were determined immunohistochemically.

RESULTS

Of 48 women, 32 (66.7%) were ER/PR-positive, nine (18.8%) were ER/PR-negative, three (6.3%) were ER-positive/PR-negative, and four (8.3%) were ER-negative/PR-positive. Lumbar spine BMD and trunk-leg fat ratio were significantly higher in women with ER-positive than in those with ER-negative (p<0.05), but other variables did not differ between the two groups. BMD and baseline- and anthropometric characteristics did not differ between the two groups divided by the presence or absence of PR expression.

CONCLUSIONS

ER expression in endometrial cancer specimens is associated with higher lumbar spine BMD.

Kinetics of formation of antibody-ferric porphyrin complex with peroxidase activity

The antibody 2B4 combines with ferric mesoporphyrin to form an antibody-ferric mesoporphyrin complex which has a peroxidase activity. Formation of the complex was investigated by measuring the absorption in the Soret region after mixing the antibody and ferric mesoporphyrin. A rapid increase and a gradual decrease in the absorption were observed, and the respective first-order rate constants were obtained. From the dependence of values of the rate constants on the concentration of ferric mesoporphyrin, the complex formation was explained by a plausible mechanism, in which the antibody associated with ferric mesoporphyrin to form the first complex followed by a conformational change to the second complex. The first complex had almost the same peroxidase activity as that of the second complex. Our results suggests that the antibody acquires the peroxidase activity as soon as ferric mesoporphyrin is incorporated into its binding site, and that there will be no protein ligand to the iron center of ferric mesoporphyrin in the complex.

Histologic evaluation of tumor persistence at the surgical margins in oral cancer: an evaluation of all surgical margins using paraffin-embedded sections and its usefulness and limitations

An evaluation of frozen sections at all surgical margins (Mohs' surgery) was attempted in three patients, in order to determine whether or not a tumor persisted at the surgical margins following surgery for carcinoma of the oral cavity. However, sectioning from the fresh tissue was difficult, and moreover, duration of the surgery was lengthened. It thus seems that this method is not suitable for a routine evaluation of the surgical margins. Based on this, surgical specimens after formalin fixation were evaluated in eight patients. The use of paraffin-embedded sections compensates the disadvantages in using frozen sections. On the other hand, when a residual tumor is detected, any additional excision should be delayed. In two patients, who were evaluated using paraffin-embedded sections, a persistent tumor was detected. In another patient a recurrent tumor developed, despite having completely tumor-free margins. In this patient, the growth of the tumor appeared to be discontinuous. When skip lesions are histologically suggested, adjuvant therapy including radiotherapy should be considered, even when a persistent tumor is not evident. A reliable evaluation of all surgical margins is difficult in either a T4 tumor or in a malignant tumor of the gingiva and hard palate. Microscopic evaluation of all surgical margins using paraffin-embedded sections is considered to be practical in helping to elucidate the microscopic extent of a tumor, although there are several limitations in its application.

Nonspecific giant ulcer of the sigmoid colon--a case report

An unusual case of a 44 year old woman who developed a nonspecific ulcer of the sigmoid colon is reported herein. She presented with lower abdominal pain and fever and colonoscopy revealed a large, sigmoid colon ulcer with normal surrounding mucosa and a well-defined margin. A temporary sigmoidostomy was done to decompress the bowel content and, after the abdominal pain and fever had subsided, the involved segment with an ulcer of 6.1 X 2.5 cm was resected. Her postoperative course was uneventful and she has remained well since.

Ischemic stricture of the jejunum--report of a case

We report herein a case of an 82 year old Japanese woman admitted to hospital after suddenly experiencing upper abdominal pain and vomiting. An upper gastrointestinal series showed a narrow segment with edematous adjacent loops in the proximal jejunum. On the twentieth day following her admission, a barium-meal radiograph revealed that the narrow segment had progressed to a firm tubular stenosis with effacement of the mucosal pattern. The stenotic segment, resected the following day, was 7 cm long with an internal circumference of only 0.5 cm at its narrowest portion. Histologic examination of the resected specimen showed ulceration and marked edema in the intestinal wall, accompanied by organizing and recanalizing thrombi in the subserosal arteries. These features were strongly suggestive of an ischemic process.