Abstract. Human papillomavirus (HpV) is widely accepted as the main cause of cervical cancer. However, the presence of HpV DnA does not inescapably lead to the development of the cancerous phenotype of the infected cell. therefore, it is considered that the induction of full cancerous expression of HpV requires additional cofactors. the aim of this study was to assess the expression of estrogen receptor α (erα) and progesterone receptor (pr) in archived tissue blocks of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix and to ascertain whether expression of these receptors is associated with the presence of HpV DnA. the investigation was performed using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cervical cancer specimens obtained from 250 women who underwent surgery for histologically confirmed neoplastic lesions. the control group consisted of normal cervical tissues obtained from 50 patients who underwent myomectomy. the results of this study revealed that the expression of er and pr in planoepithelial cancers and adenocarcinomas of the cervix were decreased to undetectable levels. only in singular cases in the pattern of staining the expression of er and pr was noted.In stromal cells of the tested neoplasms, higher expression of both types of receptors was found. comparison of the expression of er and pr in the staining pattern and stroma of both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcioma of the cervix, showed statistically higher expression in the stromal cells. strong expression (+1, +2, +3) of er and pr was noted in the stromal cells irrespective of HpV infection, histopathological type of cancer, and clinical and histopathological grade.

Abstract:The key features of malignant neoplasms are their local invasiveness and metastatic potential. Syndecan-1 -integral membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan and cathepsins D and K -lysosomal proteases are important factors influencing different aspects of these processes. The study was undertaken to determine their expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and analyze relationship to selected clinicopathological features as well as to survival. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 39 advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were used for immunohistochemical staining. The epithelial and stromal staining were evaluated separately and compared to conventional clinicopathological features and one-year survival. Positive epithelial immunostaining for syndecan-1, cathepsin D and K were observed in 82.05%, 56.41% and 30.77% of tumors, respectively. However, stromal staining was noted in 51.28%, 51.28% and 46.15% ones, respectively. Epithelial syndecan-1-positive cases were significantly more frequent in well-and moderately differentiated carcinomas. Stromal cathepsin D expression predominated in tumors with infiltrative growth pattern. However, there were no statistically significant differences between any marker-positive and -negative groups with respect to other clinicopathological features studied. The only factors significantly influencing one-year survival were epithelial cathepsin D staining and distant metastasis. In a group of patients who survived one year post surgery, the percentage of cases with negative epithelial cathepsin D staining and without features of distant metastasis were higher. The results may suggest a relationship between syndecan-1 and cathepsins D and K with growth and invasiveness of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, but such thesis requires further study on a larger and more heterogeneous population.

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The skin is the largest organ of the body and has many different functions. The epidermis as the most superficial layer of the skin forms the first barrier of protection from invasion of foreign substances into the body. The skin is an essential part of the immune system. Immune cells of the epidermis and dermis participate in the defence against pathogens, in particular through T lymphocytes in transit, tissue macrophages and a network of cutaneous dendritic cells (DCs), which are key for perception of danger and initiating both innate and adaptive protective responses (I). DCs are antigen-presenting cells derived from the hematopoietic stem cell (2). LCs are the DCs of the epidermis (3). Skin resident LCs are well characterized and regarded as typical immature DCs. The identification of antigen, and the subsequent activation and migration of LCs towards the draining lymph nodes are well-studied processes (4). It is quite remarkable that, as early as 1868. Paul Langerhans discovered the stellate-shaped epidermal cells that now bear his name (5). However, 100 years were subsequently needed to establish the fact that LCs are potent antigen-presenting cells appertaining to the leukocyte system (6). In parallel, the pioneering work of Steinman and Cohn leading to the identification of splenic DCs (7) formed the basis for connecting LCs to the emerging DCs system. One common feature of DCs is their amazing faculty to present protein-derived peptide antigens to naive T lymphocytes (8). LC constituents of the skin immune system, are a network of dendritic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen-presenting cells involved in initiation of cutaneous immune responses (9). LCs are important for presentation tumour-associated antigens. Probably they are integral in host resistance against malignant neoplasms that emerge in the epidermis. Local or distant progression of a malignant tumour is critically important for further destiny of patients. It is influenced by many factors dependent on the biological behaviour of tumour cells. The question of failure of the immune defence, where antigen presentation is a key component, must also be assessed. Whether LCs in tumour act the same way as LCs in normal tissues or whether the tumours injure LCs phenotype and function remains unknown (10). LCs have been studied in a variety of cancers ( 11-16). However, despite the significant amount of investigation in the past few years, a function of LCs in skin tumours is only partially known.Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is relatively common skin tumour which if untreated, generally has a progressive clinical course with development of metastatic disease and often lethal outcome (17). With invasive SCC, masses of malignant kératinocytes extend through the basement membrane demonstrating different levels of atypia ranging from well differentiated to anaplastic. Having crossed over into the dermis they can metastasize.Actinic keratosis (AK). also known as solar or senile keratosis is by far the most common precancerous dermatos...

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