Relationship between FHIT Expression and HPV Status in Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinomas

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between fragilehistidine triad (FHIT) depletion and human papillomavirus (HPV)status in the vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCC).METHODS Immunohistochemical method was used to detectthe expression of FHIT protein in 42 cases of VSCC and 10 casesof normal vulvar tissues. PCR was used to detect HPV infectionstatus. We analyzed the relationship of the expression of FHITprotein between the 2 groups: HPV positive and HPV negative, aswell as the clinically pathological characteristics.RESULTS The expression of FHIT was positive in all normal vul-var tissues, and 71.4% was depletion in VSCC (P < 0.01). Abnormalexpression of FHIT was significantly correlated with pathologicalgrade (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference between FHITdepletion and HPV infection based on the statistial analysis (P <0.05).CONCLUSION The FHIT depletion is related to occurrenceand development of VSCC, and the abnormal expression of FHITsignificantly correlates with HPV infection.

Clinicopathologic diagnosis of dVIN related vulvar squamous cell carcinoma:An extended appraisal from a tertiary women's hospital

Background:Differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia(dVIN)is a non-human papilloma virus(HPV)-related high-grade precursor lesion to vulvar squamous cell carcinoma(vSCCa).Although TP53 gene mutations have been identified in 80%of dVIN,its role in dVIN pathogenesis as well as malignant transformation is still being poorly understood.Poor reproducible diagnostic criteria and ambiguous p53 immunostaining patterns,along with morphologic discordance still pose a diagnostic challenge.Methods:A series of 60 cases of dVIN-related vSCCa along with adjacent dVIN were evaluated.Clinicopathological features as well as immunohistochemical results were recorded on the resection-confirmed dVIN-related vSCCa.Results:The average age of the patients was 71 years.Thirty-five cases(58.4%)of dVIN-related vSCCa were moderately differentiated,fourteen cases(23.3%)were poorly differentiated,and the remaining eleven cases(18.3%)were well-differentiated.Twenty-nine cases(48.3%)were found to have lichen sclerosus adjacent to dVIN.In terms of p53 and p16 expression in dVIN-related vSCCa and the adjacent dVIN,fifty-five(91.7%)dVIN showed mutant p53 immunostaining pattern with strong positive expression in 80%cases(basal/para-basal expression)and null pattern expression in 11.7%cases.Five(8.3%)dVIN showed p53 wild-type staining pattern.The wild-type pattern were seen in 5%of vSCCa and p53 null pattern were seen in 13.3%vSCCa.Six cases demonstrated atypical staining patterns:two cases showed p53 null expression in dVIN but p53 overexpression in invasive carcinoma;three cases exhibited p53 null expression in invasive carcinoma,with the adjacent dVIN showing basal and para-basal mutant(2 cases)and wild-type(1 case)p53 expression patterns.A single case demonstrated p53 wild-type pattern in dVIN and overexpression in invasive carcinoma.In addition,65%dVIN were p16 negative and 31.7%dVIN had patchy p16 staining.Conclusion:Clinical and prognostic value of the ambiguous/inconsistent patterns are uncertain and molecular studies are needed for further characterization.

EXPRESSION OF MIDKINE IN BENIGN, PREMALIGNANT AND MALIGNANT VULVAR TUMORS

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of midkine (MK) in vulvar carcinogenesis though examination of its expression in vulvar lesions including vulvar condyloma acuminata (VCA), vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) and vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCC), and to analyze the relationship between MK expression and human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. METHODS: Thirty VSCC, 15 VIN and 10 VCA patients were studied by streptavidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase method. MK expression was compared with clinicopathologic features of vulvar tumors. RESULTS: MK was expressed in 26 of 30 VSCC (87%), 3 of 5 VIN III and all VCA samples, whereas no MK expression was detected in the VIN I-II samples or in normal epithelium. The difference of MK expression between VIN III and VSCC was statistically significant (P