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One hundred eighty-seven squamous cell carcinomas of the lower lip were examined microscopically to identify parameters that might predict metastasis and patient outcome. Excision specimens of 157 nonmetastasizing carcinomas (group I) were compared with specimens from 30 tumors that had metastasized (group II). The following features were recorded: architectural pattern; microscopic thickness (mm); cytologic grade; presence of muscle, nerve, or vessel invasion; inflammatory response; and mitotic rate. The mean thickness was 2.5 mm for group I tumors and 7.5 mm for group II tumors. Seventy-six per cent of the group I tumors were 3 mm thick or less, whereas only one group II lesion (3 per cent) was less than 3 mm thick. Five per cent of the group I neoplasms, compared with 77 per cent of the group II tumors, were at least 6 mm thick. Perineural invasion was seen in 5 per cent of the group I and 41 per cent of the group II lesions. Three per cent of the group I carcinomas had a dispersed pattern, compared with 57 per cent of those in group II. One group I lesion (0.6 per cent) and 37 per cent of the group II tumors were grade 4. Each of these differences was statistically significant (P less than 0.0001). For all lesions studied, metastases had occurred in 60 per cent with perineural invasion, 74 per cent measuring 6 mm or more, 77 per cent with a dispersed pattern, and 92 per cent that were grade 4. These important prognostic variables were best evaluated in the deeper portions of the lesions.

The clinicopathologic features of five terminal duct carcinomas arising in minor salivary glands are presented. These nonpapillary, low-grade adenocarcinomas are part of the spectrum of polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma. The patients ranged in age from 47 to 77 years. Symptoms were nonspecific and related to a mass that usually was present for several years. Histologically, the tumors had a ductal pattern with areas of solid and cribriform architecture. Cytologically, they were composed of uniform, cuboid cells with round to oval nuclei and fine chromatin. One patient developed a recurrence after 13 years, but none of the tumors has metastasized. One lesion in this series was studied ultrastructurally and demonstrated both glandular and pseudoglandular structures analogous to those of adenoid cystic carcinoma. Nonetheless, terminal duct carcinoma is cytologically distinctive from adenoid cystic carcinoma and appears to have a more favorable prognosis.

Twenty-eight malignant olfactory neural tumors representative of the histologic spectrum commonly designated as olfactory neuroblastoma were subdivided into two groups: Group I closely resembling classical neuroblastoma (20 cases), and Group II exhibiting neuroendocrine features (eight cases). Immunohistochemically, the tumors were analyzed by using antibodies to keratin, neurofilament protein, S-100, and neuron specific enolase. Neuron specific enolase was the most consistently positive in both groups. Single S-100 positive cells, within or at the edges of tumor nests, often corresponded ultrastructurally to Schwann cells at the tumor-stroma interface. Keratin and neurofilament proteins were expressed singly or together by a small number of cases in both groups. All 11 tumors examined ultrastructurally exhibited neuronal processes containing dense-core granules. The results indicate the following: (a) the reliable diagnostic utility of electron microscopy; (b) the frequent occurrence of Schwann cells in these tumors despite their inconspicuousness by light microscopy; and (c) the unexpected expression of keratin by tumors in both groups. The single or coexpression of keratin-neurofilament protein may define a subset of these tumors for which the clinical significance is presently unclear.

Flow cytometry was used to compare the DNA content of 28 fresh effusion specimens that contained abundant proliferating mesothelial cells, with the ploidy profiles for 19 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded examples of malignant epithelial mesothelioma. Each mesothelioma lacked staining with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) after diastase pretreatment. Nineteen of 19 mesotheliomas were immunoreactive for cytokeratin, 13 of 19 for epithelial membrane antigen, 0 of 19 for Leu-M1, and 0 of 19 for carcinoembryonic antigen. Each benign fluid specimen was DNA diploid. Nine of the deparaffinized mesotheliomas were DNA diploid, and seven had additional G0G1 peaks signifying DNA aneuploidy. Histograms from the remaining three mesotheliomas showed G0G1 peaks with prominent shoulders, probably indicating low-degree hyperdiploidy. The results suggest that ploidy analysis by flow cytometry might be useful for the separation of mesothelioma from proliferating mesothelial cells in effusion specimens. Although only 53% of the mesotheliomas were DNA aneuploid, the finding of DNA aneuploidy in an effusion specimen that contains atypical mesothelial cells would strongly support a diagnosis of mesothelioma.

A unique patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia died with pneumonia caused by both Cunninghamella bertholletiae and Pneumocystis carinii. In tissue sections, the hyphae of C bertholletiae were twisted and ribbon-like, but were smaller than those typical for zygomycetes, displayed more than occasional septa, and exhibited Y branching, making histologic distinction from Aspergillus sp difficult.

An example of papillary eccrine adenoma was seen. This benign cutaneous tumor has a diagnostic microscopic appearance that consists of multiple ducts lined by two or more layers of cells. The inner layer often forms one or multiple papillae of variable complexity. The stroma consists of patches of loosely arranged spindled cells and areas of hyalinized collagen. The latter often forms bands about the ducts. In addition to the foregoing, we observed focal squamous differentiation, clear cell change, connection of ducts to the epidermis, and prominent nerves within the stroma. Papillary eccrine adenoma also has several characteristic clinical features. The tumors are firm or hard nodules, frequently of many years' duration, and a large proportion are situated on the extremities of black persons.

A 70-year-old woman with multiple symptoms and extensive lymphadenopathy had a lymph node biopsy specimen that contained highly pleomorphic, giant Reed-Sternberg cells that resembled cells from other malignant giant cell neoplasms. The cells were strongly positive for Leu-M1, alpha 1-antitrypsin, S-100 protein, kappa light chain, and lambda light chain. With five courses of chemotherapy for pathologic stage IV-B Hodgkin's disease, the patient achieved a complete remission, and remains free of disease 85 months after diagnosis.

Eight cases of a highly aggressive undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are described. The patients, who ranged in age from 30-77 years, had multiple sinonasal symptoms, and each had involvement of the nasal cavity, maxillary antrum, and ethmoid sinus. Six tumors extended into the orbital bones, and five penetrated the cranial cavity. Five patients died of disease from 1 to 41 months after diagnosis (median: 4 months), and three are alive with tumor less than 1 year following diagnosis. Microscopically, the neoplasms formed nests, trabeculae, and sheets containing medium-sized cells with small to moderate amounts of eosinophilic cytoplasm. A high mitotic rate, tumor necrosis, and prominent vascular permeation were characteristic. Seven neoplasms were immunoreactive for cytokeratin, five for epithelial membrane antigen, and four for neuron-specific enolase. Ultrastructurally, occasional small desmosomes and rare membrane-bound, dense-core granules were observed. Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma is a distinctive clinicopathologic entity that must be distinguished from other, less aggressive sinonasal neoplasms.

The DNA content of both fresh and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 30 solid neoplasms was analyzed by flow cytometry. Cells from a single paraffin block of each tumor were disaggregated according to the method of Hedley et al. Cells were sampled from multiple sites of each fresh specimen. Fresh and deparaffinized cells were stored frozen and prepared for cytometric analysis by the technique of Vindelov et al. Thirteen fresh specimens showed DNA diploidy/tetraploidy and 17 showed DNA aneuploidy. Twenty-six of the 30 paraffin-embedded samples were concordant; aneuploid peaks present in histograms from fresh tissue specimens were absent in the 4 paraffin-embedded specimens that were discordant. For 2 of the discordant cases, a hyperdiploid peak that was absent in the initial paraffin-embedded samples was evident on analysis of cells from additional paraffin blocks, indicating ploidy heterogeneity. Peridiploid aneuploid peaks present in the other 2 fresh samples were not observed in initial or additional deparaffinized specimens. Although fresh tissues are preferred for ploidy examination by flow cytometry, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens, despite a few inherent pitfalls, are generally useful for retrospective studies that compare the ploidy status of solid neoplasms to therapeutic response and prognosis.

A panel of paraffin effective antibodies recognizing B cells and T cells (LN-2, MB1, L26, MT1, UCHL1, kappa, lambda) was used to characterize the immunophenotypes of 26 sinonasal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Seventeen tumors were stage I, five were stage II, one was stage III, and three were stage IV. Nine lymphomas were classified morphologically as large cell, six were large cell immunoblastic, six were small cleaved cell, two were mixed small and large cell, two were small noncleaved cell, and one was lymphoblastic. None were follicular. Twenty-two lymphomas had a B cell immunophenotype, three were T cell neoplasms, and one was immunoreactive only for MT1. This predominance of sinonasal lymphomas with a B cell immunophenotype in patients residing in the United States contrasts with the almost exclusive occurrence of T cell sinonasal lymphomas in Chinese patients living in Hong Kong and Japanese patients residing in regions of Japan that are nonendemic for human T cell leukemia virus-1.

An extrarenal malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) of the pelvis in a 14-year-old girl is described. The location of the tumor and age of the patient appear to be unique. The neoplasm is histologically and ultrastructurally identical to malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney seen in infants and very young children. The tumor had an aggressive clinical course, and the patient died with disseminated disease 13 months after diagnosis. The authors review previous reports of extrarenal MRT, discuss the occurrence of cytoplasmic filamentous inclusions, and contrast MRT with other pelvic sarcomas. Although the exact histogenesis is unknown, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical data suggest a mesenchymal origin.

Two patients are described in whom malignant transformation occurred within an eccrine spiradenoma. Their findings were compared with those of six similar patients from the literature, and a characteristic clinicopathologic picture was evident. The typical history was one of rapid enlargement of a cutaneous nodule of long standing. The neoplasms were composed, at least in part, of large, markedly atypical basaloid cells with numerous mitotic figures. Adjacent benign spiradenoma was observed microscopically in each case, and some of the carcinomas retained architectural features reminiscent of spiradenoma. One patient died of disseminated tumor, but follow-up was short or lacking in several cases. Malignant transformation of eccrine spiradenoma shares many clinical and pathologic features with malignant transformation of dermal cylindroma.

We assayed sera from 24 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma for class specific antibody against urinary Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) using indirect solid-phase radioimmunoassay techniques. Overall, 16 patients had elevated antibody levels (greater than 2 SD above the mean levels of control subjects). IgG against THP was elevated in eight of the patients, IgA in 12, and IgM in five. However, THP was not identifiable by immunohistochemical techniques in the sections of 15 of 24 tumors available for study. Nine of the 15 tumors were from patients with elevated antibody levels. Serum antibody against THP in patients with renal cell carcinoma appears to result from antigenic stimulation by THP derived from the urine rather than from the neoplasm.

The gross anatomy, histology, and immunohistochemistry of the normal gallbladder, extrahepatic bile ducts, Vaterian system, and minor papilla are reviewed. The variability in the gross and microscopic morphology of the extrahepatic biliary system is emphasized.