We examined the donor factors that may affect the yield of peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) mobilized from healthy donors. Pre-apheresis PB-CD34(+) cell count was the only factor that correlated with PBSC yield. Leukocyte count (LC) and monocyte count (MC) correlated with PB-CD34(+) cell. Male gender and PB-CD34(+) cell count of at least 87.1/μL and 69.8/μL on day-4 and -5 of G-CSF were associated with the ability to harvest at least 5×10(6)/kg CD34(+) cells after one apheresis. We concluded that gender and PB-CD34(+) cell count are important predictors of PBSC yield. LC and MC may serve as surrogate markers for estimating the PB-CD34(+) cell count.
Dendritic fibromyxolipoma (DFML), a rare, recently described distinct benign soft tissue tumor, has many clinicopathological features reminiscent of spindle cell lipoma and solitary fibrous tumor with myxoid change. It is distinguished histologically from both entities by the presence of spindle and stellate cells with dendritic cytoplasmic prolongations, prominent myxoid stroma with abundant keloidal collagen and occasional small plexiform vascular proliferation. We describe a case of histologically confirmed DFML of the left shoulder in a 67-year-old male, in which subsequent cytogenetic analysis revealed deletion involving 13q14.3 region in all the tumor cells, typically detected in spindle cell lipoma. In the presence of many clinicopathological similarities between DFML and spindle cell lipoma including chromosomal abnormalities, we postulate that DFML is merely a rare variant of spindle cell lipoma with extensive myxoid degeneration, and may not be considered as a separate entity. The possible differential diagnosis and their distinguishing features are briefly discussed.
AIM: To study the clinical features, histology and immunohistochemical properties of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs); and establish any parameters that can help prognosticate the malignant potential.
METHODS: Twenty-six patients with GISTs who were seen in Sultanah Aminah Hospital Johor, Malaysia from 1999 to 2003 were selected for study. Patient, clinical characteristics and outcome based on surgical records were analysed. Tumour variables (tumour size, cellularity, mitotic count, necrosis and haemorrhage) were compared between very low to low risk groups and intermediate to high risk groups. The immunohistochemical properties of GISTs were also studied.
RESULTS: Patients with GISTs presented mainly with pain, palpable mass or gastrointestinal tract bleeding. The tumours were seen in stomach (50%) followed by small intestine (38.5%) and rectum (11.5%). In the period of study, six patients had metastasis, mainly in the liver or peritoneum. Immunoreactivity for CD117, CD34, vimentin, S100, neuron specific enolase, alpha-smooth-muscle-actin and desmin were observed in 100%, 76.9%, 61.5%, 46.1%, 80.8%, 11.5% and 0% of tumours respectively. The behaviour of GISTs was largely dependent on tumour size and number of mitosis. Necrosis and haemorrhage were seen in tumours with high risk potential.