Category Archives: AMM 2012, Volume 58, Number 4

Incidence of Malignant Tumors of the Skin by Anatomic Subsite, Gender and Age

Ciortea Carmen Diana1, Gurzu Simona2, Dorobanţu D3, Jung Ioan2

1 Department of Dermatovenerology, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Târgu Mureş, Romania
2 Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Târgu Mureş, Romania
3 Department of Plastic Surgery, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Târgu Mureş, Romania

Objective: To analyze the clinico-pathological data of the skin lesions, especially malignant tumors, this study being the first step in a future immunohistochemical and molecular analysis.
Methods: The 3582 cases of benign, malignant, premalignant and tumor-like lesions of the skin, diagnosed during January 2006–December 2010 in the Pathology Department of the County Emergency Clinical Hospital of Târgu Mureş, surgically specimens, were revised and grouped based on histopathological forms.
Results: Epithelial tumors represented 37.32% of all skin tumors. The mesenchymal tumors (30.29%) were followed by melanocytic tumors (12.45%) and lymphomas (0.39%). Synchronous tumors represented 10.24% of cases. 63.5% of epithelial tumors were malignant, in contrast to 4.52% from mesenchymal tumors. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and basal cell carcinomas (BCC) were predominant, both of them affecting the upper half of the face. SCC especially occured in males (60.98%), but BCC were more frequent in females (50.84%).The average age was 71.30±11.92 years in SCC, and 68.15±11.29 years in BCC respectively. Regarding cutaneous melanomas, females (58.09%) were more affected than males (41.09%). The average age was 61.04±14.35 years. The trunk was the most common location in males, and the lower limb in females. Regarding lymphomas, only Mycosis fungoides was diagnosed.
Conclusions: Most tumors of the skin are malignant epithelial tumors, but mesenchymal tumors are rather benign type. Melanomas are mostly related to the sun exposure, the trunk and lower limb being more involved. In a significant percentage of cases synchronous tumors can develop. Further immunohistochemical and molecular studies are necessary to elucidate the differences between single and synchronous tumors and gender-related characteristics.

Keywords: , ,
Full text: PDF

Expression of Cyclin D1 in Oral Leukoplakia Compared with Normal Mucosa, Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Oral Cavity

Bögözi B1, Mezei T2, Bocskay I3

1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Târgu Mureş, Romania
2 Department of Pathology, Faculty of General Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Târgu Mureş, Romania
3 Consultant Professor, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Târgu Mureş, Romania

Introduction: Cyclin D1 is a rate-limiting controller of the G1 phase and the G1 to S transition of the cell cycle. It’s overexpression may cause disturbance in the normal cell cycle, which may lead to an increased proliferation and consecutive tumour formation. Our objective was to analyse the expression of Cyclin D1 in oral leukoplakia – the most frequent potentially malignant disorder of the oral mucosa – in comparison with normal mucosa, benign and malignant tumours of the oral cavity.
Material and methods: For this paper 51 consecutive cases of oral leukoplakia – surgically treated at the Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic from Târgu Mureş – and, for comparison 9 benign tumours and 27 oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) were selected. Eight normal mucosa samples were obtained from the peripheral regions of the benign tumours, excized with safe surgical margins. Histopathologically leukoplakias were graded as: with no, mild, moderate or severe dysplasia (G0-3), and OSCCs as: well-, moderately- or poorly-differentiated (G1-3). After immunohistochemical staining for Cyclin D1, statistical analysis was performed regarding the expression of the studied marker.
Results and conclusions: In our findings the difference between the expression of Cyclin D1 in normal mucosa, benign tumours and leukoplakias with no dysplasia was not significant, but the expression of this marker increased significantly with the increase of the grade of dysplasia in case of leukoplakias. A statistically significant difference was found also between leukoplakias and OSCCs, without any correlation regarding the histopathological grade of OSCCs.

Keywords: , , ,
Full text: PDF

Increased Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Retinal Vascular Disorders in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Baloșeanu Leonica-Cristina1, Lilea Georgiana-Carmen2, Rogoveanu I2

1 Department of Ophthalmology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Craiova, Romania
2 Department of Gastroenterology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Craiova, Romania

Introduction: In this study we examined the association between the type of liver histology, value of carotid intima-media thickness and retinal vascular disorders in patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
Material and method: We correlated the type of liver histology in 12 Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease patients with the measurements of carotid intima-media thickness evaluated by ultrasonography and the retinal vessel changes which were observed on retinal photography.
Results: The incidence of NAFLD was more increased in women (58.33%) than in men (41.66%). Dyslipidemia was detected in all 12 patients. The values of ALT were more increased than the one of ASAT. Moreover, the severity of liver findings and the degree of steatosis, necroinflammation or fibrosis were associated with the increase of carotid IMT and the occurrence of retinal vascular disorders (p<0.001 for all).
Conclusions: The results suggest that the type of liver histology is associated to the value of IMT and moreover to the incidence of retinal vascular disorders. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm the results.

Keywords: , ,
Full text: PDF

Differences Between Risk Factors and Impact on Antiviral Therapy of Insulin Resistance in Chronic Hepatitis B and C Patients

Lőrincz Gabriella1, Egyed-Zsigmond I2

1 Department Of Internal Medicine, Odorheiu Secuiesc Hospital, Odorheiu Secuiesc, Romania
2 Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Târgu Mureș, Romania

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection seems to induce insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes by direct viral involvement. The prevalence of glucose metabolism disorders is higher in C virus infected non-cirrhotic patients in comparation with patients with other etiology liver diseases.
Material and method: Two-hundred seventy patients with chronic C hepatitis were compared to 163 patients with chronic B hepatitis, regarding glucose metabolism before and after antiviral therapy and regarding the risk factors of diabetes.
Results: The prevalence of insulin resistance was 19% in hepatitis C and 6.7% in hepatitis B patients (p<0.0001). 90.2% of insulin resistant patients with C hepatitis had viraemia ≥800,000UI/ml. After viral eradication plasma glucose and insulin levels decreased significantly (p<0.0001). In this group of patients, eradication was obtained less (66.7%) than in the non-insulin resistent C hepatitis (84.4%) or insulin resistant B hepatitis group (80.0%).
Conclusions: Hepatitis C virus infection increases the risk of diabetes compared with hepatitis B virus, irrespectively of classic diabetes risk factors, but dependent on viraemia. Insulin resistance decreases therapeutic response only in hepatitis C, but viral eradication improves glucose metabolism in these patients.

Keywords: , ,
Full text: PDF

On Students, Curricula, Lecturers and the Need to Comply with Good Teaching Practice Pathways

Copotoiu Sanda-Maria

Editor-in-chief

I position myself as a beneficiary and inevitable evaluator of the theoretical knowledge and practical skills’ remains of the process of delivering physiology, among other sciences, to the medical students of our University. As an anesthetist, I rely on their previous training to begin with. Thus I am positioned as an inside evaluator, while the conclusion of Dr. Gliga’s article published in this issue regards the outside evaluators, who allegedly would not possess the tools to accurately evaluate the students’ skills in the cognitive domain [1].[More]

Keywords:
Full text: PDF