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Neuroblastoma are pediatric tumors of neural crest origin, most often localized in adrenal glands and infrequently congenital. We report two fetal cases found at autopsy, performed at 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, respectively. The 24 week old fetus did not show any malformation; systematic histological analysis found neuroblastoma cells in both the adrenal glands and the retroperitoneal fat tissue. The 28 week old fetus was hydropic and exhibited a nodule (3 cm) in the posterior mediastinum, next to the thoracic spinal cord. This tumor responded to a neuroblastoma associated with small metastatic foci in the adrenal glands, the liver and the frontal brain cortex. The placenta was abnormally heavy and showed hemorrhagic and necrotic areas. Microscopically plugged clumps of neuroblastoma cells were found inside fetal vessels. Immunohistochemistry was employed in both cases and the cells showed immunoreactivity for NSE, NB 84, chromogranin, synaptophysin and neurofilaments, while desmin, MIC 2, and protein S-100 were negative. Congenital neuroblastomas are rare and, to our knowledge this is the thirteenth report of congenital neuroblastoma associated with placental metastasis.

In 3 female patients, aged 46, 50 and 74 years respectively, ovarian angiomas measuring 3, 5 and 30 mm in diameter were discovered. All the angiomas were asymptomatic. They were either associated with endometrioid carcinoma or uterine leiomyomas, or detected casually by ultrasound scan in a patient with ascites, intrahepatic nodule and increased serologic CA 125. The immunohistochemical studies failed to reveal any affinity between the vascular endothelium of our ovarian angiomas and oestrogen and progesterone receptors.

Two cases of histiocytic endometritis are reported in two 68 and 82 year-old women. One of the cases was associated with extensive endometrioid adenocarcinoma and areas of intra-myometrial histiocytic infiltration.

Rhodococcus equi is a pathogen for some animal species. It can cause opportunistic pulmonary infections in immunocompromised people. The authors describe such an infection that causes malacoplakia in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The likeness between lesions due to Rhodococcus equi and those due to other opportunistic germs as Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is emphasized.

The pathological study of all placentas from women smoking at least five cigarettes daily during pregnancy (248 cases) and of those placentas from a corresponding control group randomised among all the non-smokers (196 cases) has been set up at the maternity hospital of Haguenau (France) since 1974. The systematic histological examination has shown among smokers a higher frequency of abonormal trophoblast and especially of nuclear clumps in the syncytiotrophoblast. On the other hand, according to a standard protocol, the grouping of various abnormalities has shown, among smokers, a higher frequency of "signs of hypoxia". The lack of relationship between these "signs of hypoxia" and the well-known decreased birthweight among smokers suggests that smoking during pregnancy could always go with a decreased birthweight without a corresponding decreased placental weight, and seldom with an intra-uterine hypoxia. These two effects are independent.

The technique of examination and sampling of a cone biopsy or hysterectomy specimen fulfils precise criteria which make it possible to make or confirm a diagnosis and to evaluate prognosis on the basis of complete excision or the state of spread of the lesion. Routinely cone specimen is examined in at least six sections from the anterior lip and at least six from the posterior lip. The uterus must be weighed, measured, oriented, opened in the frontal plane and specimens taken with precise topographical identification, examination of the fresh specimen and of small but multiple and selected specimens is recommended.

Methods for sampling of the placenta for the purpose of microscopic examination are described, taking into account functional topography and changes significantly linked to foeto-placental pathology. A table shows the chief histological changes seen in the placenta, together with a list of the chief diagnoses in placental pathology.

Methods of removal, histological analysis, and interpretation of products of abortion are described. Gross pathological examination should include a search for the egg or site of nidation in the decidua, and for embryoplacental lesions in the egg. Histological changes related to the topography, development stage, duration of intrauterine retention, and primary lesions of the villosities are outlined. Apart from incomplete products or those with prolonged intra-utérine retention, it is proposed that ovular pathology be classified in four main syndromes: endometrial changes with a subnormal egg; embryonic alterations with a subnormal placenta; overall hypoplasia of the embryo and placenta; trophoblastic diseases.

Functional endometrial disturbances may be divided into four main types: 1) deficient proliferative phase: atrophic endometrium resulting from nonfunctioning ovaries; resting endometrium resulting from inadequate ovarian function; endometrium associated with an anovulatory cycle; and endometrium associated with persistent estrogenic stimulation. 2) deficient secretory phase: delayed secretion (after twenty-two days); persistent secretion; irregular endometrial secretion; and gonadotropic endometrial hyperstimulation. 3) deficient involutive phase: premature involution of the secretory endometrium (synchronous corpus luteum but early breakdown); excessive shedding of the secretory endometrium (synchronous corpus luteum but fast breakdown); and prolonged involution of the secretory endometrium (irregular shedding: persistent corpus luteum). 4) deficient regenerative phase: delayed regeneration (ovular implantation or prolonged treatment by gestagens) and regeneration after curettage or after endometrial subinvolution.

Kaposi's sarcoma is a multiform mesenchymal neoplasm of uncertain histogenesis but of possible viral origin. Several anatomo-clinical forms have been described the cutaneous nodular lesion being the most common and at highest frequency in equatorial Africa. Eighteen of such typical lesions were reported; their morphology was uniform and associated: 1) spindle cells, 2) an excess of vascular spaces composed of intratumoral intercellular slits and of intra and peritumoral well structured vessels, 3) a lymphoplasmocytic inflammatory infiltration. The lesions of the other and less common forms of Kaposi's sarcoma associated the same histological features in variable combination. At one end of the histological spectrum the lesions are essentially composed of irregular capillaries with few spindle cells, at the other end the tumor is a highly cellular neoplasm with few or no angiogenic features. The vascular structure of the typical lesions appeared clearly at the ultrastructural level. Most tumor cells were of endothelial type and formed cylinders with virtual or large central lumina, reminiscing of vascular sprouts. Pericyte-like cells were also present. In one the three ultrastructurally investigated cases, a tumor cell of the endothelial type contained intranuclear herpes virus like inclusions, group to which belongs the cytomegalovirus (CMV), a possible promoter of Kaposi's sarcoma.