A 60-year-old female developed a right parotid swelling six months after surgery for intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytological smears showed dissociated large and small pleomorphic tumour cells with abundant mitoses and oncocytic features. A cytological diagnosis of parotid acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) was made. Histological study of the subtotal parotidectomy specimen showed a papillary cystic variety of acinic cell carcinoma (ACC-PCV). FNA cytological features in this case of ACC-PCV differs from the two previously reported cases in that it showed prominent oncocytic and high grade features and absence of papillary pattern in the cytological smears. ACC-PCV is an uncommon tumour and knowledge of its varied FNA cytological features is important for the diagnosis of this neoplasm.
OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of various clinicopathological factors on short-term survival in a cohort of breast cancer patients treated at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
METHODS: All cases of breast cancer treated at UMMC from January 1999 to June 2001, except for stage IV disease, were included in the study. Survival analysis was carried out using Kaplan-Meier for univariate analysis and Cox regression for multivariate analysis. The log-rank test was used to test the significance of differences between the different survival curves.
RESULTS: A total of 385 patients were included. The mean patient age at presentation was 50.3 years (SD, 11.4); 198 (51.4%) patients had lymph node-positive disease, and 187 (48.6%) had node-negative disease. The mean follow-up period was 18.7 months (SD, 8.8). The Malay ethnic group, tumours of larger size, node-positive disease, more than five positive lymph nodes, oestrogen receptor (ER) negativity and the presence of lymphovascular invasion were significant prognostic factors for shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, ER negativity was the only independent adverse prognostic factor for RFS. For overall survival (OS), tumours of larger size, node-positive disease, more than five positive lymph nodes, ER negativity and high grade tumours were associated with significantly shorter OS. However, more than five positive lymph nodes was the only independent prognostic factor for shorter OS in the multivariate analysis. Further multivariate analysis of the patients with node-positive disease showed that the Malay ethnic group, ER negativity and more than five positive lymph nodes were independent prognostic factors for shorter RFS. On the other hand, ER negativity and more than five positive lymph nodes were independent negative prognostic factors for OS in this subgroup of patients.
CONCLUSION: The evaluation of various prognostic factors would provide useful information on disease progression in local patients, especially for the planning of adjuvant therapies and follow-up protocols. Differences in the pattern of breast cancer among the different ethnic groups in Malaysia warrant further studies.
Rectal duplications are rare anomalies. Recently, we observed four cases of rectal duplication, each presenting with different clinical features including chronic constipation, a prolapsing rectal "polyp, " a "growth" from the vulva, and acute retention of urine. The variety of clinical presentations may lead to delay in diagnosis and multiple operations.
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is now an integral part of the pre-operative investigation of breast lesions and the therapeutic protocol is today often planned on the basis of cytodiagnosis. However, from time to time the cytological picture may be equivocal or inconclusive. In recent years, nucleolar organizer region (NOR) scores have been explored for potential value in the diagnosis of malignancy as the scores in malignant nuclei are seen to be higher than in benign or reactive nuclei. With a view to applying NOR scoring in the evaluation of cytologically equivocal cases, we adopted the argyrophil technique for staining NOR s (AgNOR) in FNA cytological smears of 56 breast lesions, comprising 31 benign and 25 malignant lesions. Histological correlation was possible in 26 of these cases (17 malignant and 9 benign) and AgNOR scoring was done on paraffin sections of these as well. There was a significant difference between mean AgNOR scores in benign and malignant lesions in the cytological smears (P < 0.001). The AgNOR scores ranged from 2.5 to 5.0 per cell in benign lesions and 5.8 to 17.2 per cell in malignant lesions. None of the cases fell into the gray zone of overlap. One malignant lesion that was cytologically equivocal showed a mean AgNOR score of 6.08. The AgNOR scores on histological sections also showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) between benign and malignant lesions with mean scores ranging from 1.34 to 2.58 dots per cell in benign lesions and scores of 2.42 to 5.28 dots per cell in malignant lesions. However, the scores overlapped in four cases and therefore it was considered unsuitable for routine diagnostic work. From this preliminary study, we conclude that an FNA AgNOR score of 5.0 and less strongly favours a benign lesion whereas a score above 5.0 would be in favour of a malignant lesion. A larger study would be needed to verify our impression that AgNOR scoring can be useful in cytologically equivocal cases.
Endemic goitre is a major concern in many parts of the world, including Southeast Asia. Goitrous thyroid lesion is postulated as a precursor lesion to thyroid cancer (TC). This paper reviews the prevalence rates and characteristics of TC among cases of goitrous thyroid-swelling in different parts of Malaysia and Myanmar. Recorded data from hospital-based retrospective studies of thyroid cases, whose study periods ranged from three to 11 years, were analysed. These included research findings from the author's publications as well as other published review articles of retrospective analyses. The incidence of TC varies among gender, age, race/ethnicity and histological type. There appears to be a higher rate of occurrence among females aged 21-60 years. Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the more common histological type compared to follicular cancer. This review also presents a descriptive analysis and discussion on studies conducted in other countries. Further exploration is warranted in order to uncover the possible risk factors for the rising incidence of TC.
Agranulocytosis is a rare complication of ticlopidine and can be life-threatening. We report a case of ticlopidine-induced agranulocytosis and neutropenia (neutrophil count of 0.1 x 10(9)/L) with necrotizing gingivitis in a 54-year-old Malaysian-Chinese female. She was started on ticlopidine 250 mg twice daily 3 weeks prior to this hospital admission. We started her on intravenous metronidazole and amoxicillin and clavulanic acid (Augmentin) and concurrently stopped ticlopidine. A series of clinical and laboratory investigations were carried out and a final diagnosis of necrotizing gingivitis possibly secondary to agranulocytosis was made. The patient was discharged home after 2 weeks of hospitalisation.
Despite the fact that cemento-ossifying fibromas of the maxilla may be quite large and locally aggressive, en-bloc excision is achieved by gentle blunt dissection, with the whole tumour mass peeled out from the adjacent structures. Until recently different fibro-osseous tumours that contained cementum were classified together as "cementomas". In 1992 The World Health Organization adopted a new classification that included these fibromas as benign osseous tumours. While such tumours of the mandible are common, those of the maxilla are rare. They are growth products of periodontal membrane remnant. The triggering mechanism in the formation of cementum outside the periodontal membrane remains unclear. We present a 35-year-old woman who had a giant expanding lobular mass in the right maxilla of 5 years duration. She had visual disturbances and nasal obstruction, and was treated successfully by surgical en-bloc resection of the tumour through an infraorbital transverse incision. The differential diagnosis included fibrous dysplasia, osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma, chronic sclerosing osteomyelitis, ameloblastoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus, calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumour (Pindborg tumour) and calcifying odontogenic cyst (Gorlin cyst). Histopathological examination confirmed a cemento-ossifying fibroma.
BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer among Orientals. Data on this malignancy is lacking in Malaysia, prompting a retrospective study to determine the clinical characteristics in the skin clinic, Sarawak General Hospital between 2000 and 2008.
METHODS: Demographic data and clinical features of 64 histopathologically proven BCC from 43 patients were retrieved. Statistical analysis was performed comparing the clinical characteristics based on the region of involvement and gender.
RESULTS: The mean age of presentation was 60.9 years. Male to female ratio was 1.05. Majority of the patients were Chinese (44.2%) followed by Malays (32.6%), Bidayuhs (14.0%) and Ibans (6.9%). Nodular BCC accounted for 95.3% of cases while 4.7% were superficial BCC. All the nodular BCC were pigmented. Ulceration was noted in 18%. There were 82.8% of BCC on the head and neck region and 17.2% on the trunk and limb region. BCC on the latter region were larger (mean 35.0 cf. 14.4 mm, p < 0.001) and ulcerated (45.5% cf. 11.3%, p = 0.01). Superficial BCC were also more frequently encountered in this region (18.2% cf. 1.9%, p = 0.02). Compared to women, men had larger BCC (mean 21.1 cf. 13.3 mm, p = 0.03) and kept them for a longer duration (mean 21.6 cf. 13.3 months, p = 0.04).
CONCLUSION: Clinical characteristics of BCC in Sarawak were similar to other Asian studies. Additionally, BCC on the trunk and limbs and in men were larger, ulcerative and long standing warranting better efforts for earlier detection.
Study site: Skin clinic, Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
The traditional classification of infiltrating breast carcinomas into ductal and lobular can be diagnostically challenging in a small proportion of cases with equivocal histological features and in in-situ lesions with overlapping features. Distinguishing between the infiltrating ductal (IDC) and lobular (ILC) carcinomas is clinically important because of the different pattern of systemic metastases and prognostic evaluation. E-cadherin is a potentially useful immunohistochemical marker which may serve to differentiate between the two tumour types. We therefore studied E-cadherin expression in 32 cases of breast carcinomas comprising 16 IDCs and 16 ILCs. The correlation between E-cadherin expression and the histological grade of IDCs was also analysed. Our results showed complete loss of E-cadherin expression in all ILCs, while the IDCs consistently showed variable E-cadherin positivity. No significant correlation was found between E- cadherin expression and the histological grade of IDCs. We conclude from this study that E-cadherin is a useful marker to differentiate between IDC and ILC of the breast. A larger study of IDCs is now needed to further evaluate the correlation between E-cadherin and tumour grade to estimate its prognostic potential.
The differentiation between cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 (CIN 3) and early squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix may be difficult in certain situations. Identification of invasion beyond the basement membrane is the gold standard for the diagnosis of the latter. The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of Ki-67 and p53 could help in solving the above dilemma. This was a retrospective study on 61 cases of cervical neoplasms comprising of 25 cases of CIN 3 and 36 SCC. All cases were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using Ki-67 and p53 monoclonal antibodies. Results showed that the differences of Ki-67 and p53 expression between CIN 3 and SCC were statistically significant. In conclusion, Ki-67 and p53 may serve as helpful adjuncts to routinely-stained histological sections in differentiating between CIN 3 and SCC.
This is a case report of an extremely rare condition of atlanto-axial subluxation secondary to gouty arthritis, which mimicked rheumatoid arthritis at presentation. Gouty arthritis involving the spine is a rare condition. We highlight a case of gouty arthritis involving the atlanto-axial joint resulting in joint instability, subluxation, and neurological deficit. A 66-year-old obese woman who had a polyarticular disease for the previous 3 years presented with neck pain and progressive neurology. A 2-stage procedure was performed: posterior decompression and occipitocervical fusion followed by further anterior trans-oral decompression. However, after an initial neurological improvement, she succumbed to aspirational pneumonia and septicaemia. Atlanto-axial subluxation caused by gouty arthritis can present in the same way as rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, the possibility of this as a differential diagnosis should be kept in mind.
The cytological features of a rare case of undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma of the liver are presented. The cytology smears showed singly dispersed polygonal and spindle cells as well as loose clusters of cells held together in myxoid material. Neoplastic cells were generally large with round, oval or lobulated nuclei. The cytoplasm was variable in amount with ill-defined borders. Occasional multinucleated cells were also present. Hyaline globules were present on sections of the cell block. Immunohistochemical studies performed showed positivity for vimentin, cytokeratin and alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) in the tumour cells.
There has been a growing awareness of the association between papillary thyroid carcinoma and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). The cases of four young patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma occurring with FAP are presented. Three patients underwent surgery to provide specimens for detailed histological examination. The surgical specimens showed well-encapsulated multicentric tumours exhibiting a predominantly papillary architectural growth pattern. In some areas, follicular architecture and cribriform patterns were noted. Atypical areas of spindle cells in a trabecular or solid configuration, which are not normally seen in classical papillary thyroid carcinoma, were evident. Malignant cells exhibited a graduation of cuboidal to tall cells with abundant amphophilic cytoplasm. The nuclei did not exhibit the typical nuclear clearing as seen in papillary thyroid carcinoma, but nuclear grooving and inclusions were noted. Psammoma bodies were not seen in any of the specimens. In a limited review of these patients, features such as young age at presentation, multicentricity and unusual histology suggest that thyroid carcinoma associated with FAP may represent a distinct form of thyroid cancer.
Here the first case in the literature of both mesenchymal hamartoma and malignant mesenchymoma occurring in a 6-year-old male child, at different times and at different sites in the liver, and also the possible malignant transformation of a mesenchymal hamartoma is reported. The tumor developed from a lesion in the right lobe that was overlooked initially during a left lateral segmentectomy at 18 months of age for a mesenchymal hamartoma. Malignant mesenchymoma is a rare and aggressive tumor. The origin of this tumor is not well understood. There has been no direct support to the hypothesis that malignant mesenchymoma may be the malignant counterpart of mesenchymal hamartoma. The authors provide clinical and histopathologic evidence in our case that suggests the possibility of malignant mesenchymoma arising from a mesenchymal hamartoma. This case emphasizes the need for complete removal of mesenchymal hamartoma and the need for long-term follow-up to detect multifocal lesion or malignant transformation.
Breast carcinoma is the most common primary tumor producing intraocular metastasis. Metastases to the iris and ciliary body are relatively rare. The authors report a case of a 61-year-old lady, operated for carcinoma of the left breast 3 years back, who presented with symptoms and signs of acute narrow-angle glaucoma in the right eye. A diffuse whitish plaque-like mass in the upper nasal quadrant of the iris with an episcleral nodule on the limbus in the corresponding area and all the signs of acute narrow-angle glaucoma were present in the right eye. Intraocular pressure was controlled medically. Fine-needle aspiration cytology from the episcleral nodule showed malignant cells. Histopathology of the excised nodule showed metastatic poorly differentiated carcinoma, and the cellular pattern was similar to the carcinoma of the breast. There was no other metastasis anywhere in the body. Fine-needle aspiration cytology from an external lesion of the eye is a less invasive and easier procedure than paracentesis to diagnose the metastatic nature of the lesions. The rare features in our case are the clinical presentation as acute glaucoma and the ocular structures being the first and only site of metastasis.
Mandibular swellings may occur as a result of many benign lesions of odontogenic or non-odontogenic origin. Ameloblastomas are benign tumours of odontogenic origin, whose importance lies in its potential to grow into enormous size with resulting bone deformity, it is a slow-growing, persistent, and locally aggressive neoplasm. The unicystic ameloblastoma (UA) represents an ameloblastoma variant, presenting as a cyst clinically and radiographically, but showing typical ameloblastomatous epithelium lining histologically. It commonly occurs in second and third decades of life and is rare in children under 12 years of age, and better response to conservative treatment. It shares many clinical and radiographic features with odontogenic cysts/tumours and/or periapical disease of endodontic origin. Reported here is an unusual case of unicystic ameloblastoma involving the crown of an unerupted mandibular first premolar in a 9-year boy in an uncommon location, which was misdiagnosed as periapical lesion of inflammatory origin clinically, and as a dentigerous cyst radiographically. This highlights the importance to routinely submit the removed surgical specimen for histopathological examination.
Melanoma is a well-known malignant neoplasm of the skin, although it can also arise from other structures. Bone metastasis is not an uncommon event associated with melanoma, although primary osseous melanoma is very rare. In the present report, we describe a case of primary melanoma arising from the left third metatarsal in an adult male. The lesion was treated with surgical excision without adjunct chemotherapy, and recurrence developed approximately 12 months after the foot surgery. The patient died of the cancer 34 months after it had been identified. Primary melanoma arising in a metatarsal is rare, and we wished to highlight this unusual presentation.
Intra-articular haemangioma is a rare and uncommon condition that sometimes presents in infants. The lesion can be a diagnostic challenge, with misdiagnosis often leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. It is essential to establish and treat the condition early, as intra-articular haemangioma can lead to destruction of the joint and secondary arthrosis. Herein, we report the case of a five-year-old boy who presented with intra-articular haemangioma and discuss the management of his condition.