The presence of podoplanin expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts correlates with aggressive behavior in melanoma and might therefore serve as a useful prognostic factor for patients with melanoma.

Myoepithelial carcinoma is a malignant tumor that can differentiate towards myoepithelial cells and commonly occur in the salivary glands. There have been only a few reports of primary cutaneous myoepithelial carcinoma; however, most cases showed subcutaneous involvement and could also be diagnosed as soft tissue myoepithelial carcinoma arising from the subcutis with dermal involvement. It may thus be impossible to distinguish a primary cutaneous from a soft tissue myoepithelial carcinoma. Herein, we describe a case of myoepithelial carcinoma on the shoulder in an 85-year-old Japanese woman. The tumor was located in the whole dermis and subcutis; therefore, it could be diagnosed as either a cutaneous or soft tissue myoepithelial carcinoma. We reviewed previous cases of primary cutaneous and soft tissue myoepithelial carcinomas and compared their clinical and immunohistological features. We found no obvious differences in anatomical distribution or immunohistochemical findings. However, the recurrence rate of cutaneous myoepithelial carcinomas seems to be lower than that of soft tissue carcinomas. Such a difference may be attributable to the adequate surgical margin in cutaneous carcinomas compared with the deep-seated soft tissue carcinomas. The metastatic frequency did not significantly differ between the two types. Although we could summarize from only a small number of cases, these results indicate the difficulty in distinguishing between cutaneous and soft tissue myoepithelial carcinomas; furthermore, it may not be suitable to distinguish them on the basis of aggressive behavior.

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Introduction. In pulmonology dust bronchitis is regarded as a primary process that is not associated with coniotic pneumonia. Modern studies point to the pathogenetic and pathomorphological unity of friendly coniotic manifestations in the lungs and bronchi, leading to the understanding of pneumosclerosis from the position of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation. T e purpose of this study was to histogenetic aspects coniotic process of coal industry employees having dif erent work experience in the conditions of dusty working environment. Materials and methods. Histological and morphometric study of lung and bronchial compartments obtained during forensic examinations of 80 miners of dif erent experience groups and 20 persons of the control group was carried out. In addition, an immunohistochemical study of biopsy and autopsy materials of the bronchi of 60 miners with work experience from 5 to 30 years was carried out to determine non-core proteins vimentin, desmin and actin in the epithelial component. Results. It is revealed that the interalveolar partitions of miners with experience from 1 year to 5 years are thickened. The development of peribronchial f brosis is noted, the muscle layer of the air-conducting structures is hypertrophied, the basalmembrane is thickened. In the bronchi epithelium f at ened. Pulmonary vessels with hypertrophy of media, endothelial cells increased. In perivascular spaces there is a proliferation of f brous tissue. T e pleura is slightly thickened. Coal dust deposition is observed in all structures. In miners with work experience from 5 to 10 years, the changes progress, the epithelium of the bronchi with subatrophy phenomena. With an increase in internship up to 10–20 years in the respiratory part of the lungs, small areas of sclerosis are formed. In the wall of the bronchi there is a proliferation of connective tissue f bers. Miners with experience more than 20 years in the lung tissue develops a pronounced f brosis. T e air-conducting structures are characterized by hypertrophy of the muscular plate, thickening of the basal membrane, f brosis of the peribronchial tissue and the bronchial wall, the mucous membrane is sharply f at ened. T e pulmonary vessels have thickened walls due to hypertrophic and f brotic changes of the deformation. T e pleura is f brous, thickened. The immunohistochemical study of the bronchi of miners showed that, depending on the length of work in the mucous membrane, the area of expression of vimentin, desmin and actin increases. Conclusion. T e simultaneous development of the same type of pathological changes in the bronchi, vessels of the small circle of blood circulation and respiratory tissue indicates a pathogenetic community of changes in pneumoconiosis. As a result of the immunohistochemical reactions for the detection of non-specif c epithelial cells of the bronchi proteins obtained clear of selective coloring Chromogen. Based on the calculated percentage of their expression area, we can talk about the degree of f brous transformation.