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This article describes a case of a 44-year-old male patient, with history, of tuberculosis who was admitted to the hospital with high temperature, coughing, haemoptysis, arterial hypertension and end-stage renal failure. In the differential diagnosis of haemoptysis we took into account pneumonia, exacerbation of tuberculosis, pulmonary neoplasm and Goodpasture syndrome. Presence of antibodies against the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and histopathologic examination of biopsy specimen confirmed the diagnosis of Goodpasture syndrome. Due to advanced renal failure haemodialysis therapy was introduced. Pharmacological treatment, apart from antibiotics, diuretics and hypotension drugs, included prednisone and cyclophosphamide. Despite immunosuppressive treatment, we did not observe the return of kidney function and thus the patient was enrolled for permanent haemodialysis therapy. We observed a permanent absence of antibodies to GBM in the circulation. In the course of 6 years' treatment, the patient's condition is described as very good with no recurrence of haemoptysis. On June 30th 2003 renal transplantation was performed.

We report a rare case of silicosis, histologically corresponding to silicoproteinosis and tuberculosis, in a man working consecutively as a miner, blacksmith and founder. A microscopic study revealed deposits in alveoli, in which immunohistochemistry did not reveal surfactant (SP-A), that was present in the alveolar fluid in alveolar lipoproteinosis.

The authors present a case of myoepithelioma of the palate. Frequency, treatment and pathologic diagnosis of the disease are discussed. A Polish name of the disease is suggested.

We report a case of familial LCAT deficiency, diagnosed in a 35 year old women. The disease manifested itself by a presence of proteinuria, corneal opacities and haemolytic anaemia with target cells. Suspecion of familial LCAT deficiency was based on renal biopsy, which revealed characteristic serpiginous fibrillar deposits in electron microscopy. The diagnosis was confirmed by a marked decrease of estrified cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol concentration, decrease of LCAT activity in serum, typical "stacked coins" picture of HDL lipoproteins in electron microscopy examination and positive familial history--diagnosis of LCAT deficiency in dialysed brother of patient.

A 45-year-old man who developed proteinuria was diagnosed as having Fabry's disease on the basis of renal histological findings and prominent decreases in alpha-galactosidase A activity in blood leukocytes.

The authors have described eleven cases of tracheobronchial amyloidosis, in 6 men and 5 women with a mean age of 58.7 years. The follow-up period ranged from several month to six years. The clinical picture and histopathological changes in bronchoscopic and postmortem sections in two patients were described. In all cases immunohistochemical examinations for the presence of amyloid AA, AL, transthyretin (prealbumin) and beta 2-microglobulin were performed. In six cases the presence of transthyretin was found. The remaining reactions were negative. Resorptive giant cells reaction to amyloid was observed in 3 transthyretin positive cases and 1 transthyretin negative case. Four cases with negative amyloid in the examination for the presence of transthyretin accompanied bronchial carcinoma, all these cases were men with a mean age of 63.0 years.

In the present study the Müller-Hermelink classification was used to analyze 39 thymomas and 4 thymic carcinomas collected over 20 years at the Chair and Department of Pathomorphology CM UJ. Our series consisted of 10 medullary thymomas (25.6%), 13 mixed (33.3%), 7 organoid (17.9%) and 9 cortical thymomas (23.0%). The mean age of the patients was 50.3 and it was the highest in patients with mixed thymomas-58.4 years and the lowest in patients with organoid thymomas-38.9 years, the difference being statistically significant. In the present series women were predominant (24:15). Myasthenia gravis was observed in 10 patients (25.6%), 5 women and 5 men, in 7 of them it was associated with cortical and organoid thymomas. Medullary, mixed and organoid thymomas were usually of lower stage (I and II), having a better prognosis than cortical thymomas and thymic carcinomas. One organoid thymoma recurring after 7 years evolved into cortical thymoma. Two thymic carcinomas were diagnosed as anaplastic, low differentiated, one as sarcomatous and one as well differentiated squamous carcinoma. The mean age of the patients was 39.7 years. The prognosis in all the patients with thymic carcinoma was poor. Based upon personal experience the authors regard the Müller-Hermelink classification as useful, easy to apply, reproducible and providing important prognostic information.

Late complications after ethylene glycol intoxication in a 39 years old patient were presented. Irreversible severe renal failure and persistent symptoms of peripheral nerve system damage dominated in the clinical manifestation.

Primary intraosseous carcinoma of the jaws is an uncommon lesion. The majority of these develop in preexisting odontogenic cysts. Three cases of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinomas of the mandible and maxilla, with evidence of origin in the odontogenic cysts are described. The recent literature on carcinomas arising in jaws cysts is reviewed.

A rare case of the malignant form of Gorlin's cyst is reported in a 42-year-old woman. The neoplasm developed in the right maxilla, infiltrated the anterior wall and roof of the sinus and grew into the nasal cavity. Based upon literature data we characterized various clinical and histological forms of Gorlin's cyst (calcifying odontogenic cyst).

We studied 28 bronchial adenocarcinomas (including 11 bronchiolo-alveolar carcinomas) stained for S-100 protein by the PAP technique in order to visualize dendritic cells in the neoplastic area. Dendritic cells were found in all cases varying in number from single to multiple and from region to region. Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinomas contained a similar quantity of these cells. The most numerous dendritic cells up to several scores per microscopical low-power field almost in all fragments of the tumour were found in three adenocarcinomas with numerous foci of the squamous cell metaplasia. Normal and metaplastic squamous epithelium of the bronchial mucosa did not show the presence of dendritic cells.

Twenty patients with primary malignant melanoma of the oral cavity have been described. They formed 3.9 percent of the total number of patients with malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity. The upper gingiva was most commonly affected. In this series, there were 14 male patients and 6 female patients who ranged in age from 26 to 80 years (average 58 years). The first symptom of melanoma was hyperpigmentation of the mucosa in 10 patients, tumor in 7, and pain in 3 edentulous patients with prostheses. Radical surgery was performed in 13 patients, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in 9 cases. Only 1 patient survived 9 years. The remaining 12 died 11 to 18 months after radical treatment. Palliative therapy was applied in three patients, two patients were treated symptomatically, and two patients refused treatment. Early detection of melanoma is an indication for radical treatment and may increase the survival rate of patients with this disease, which is still very low.

A case of surgically treated amyloidosis of the larynx is presented. Current opinions on the structure of amyloid are given.

Gastric carcinoids are reviewed in respect of epidemiology, histogenesis, localization, hormonal aspects and malignancy. Coexistence of gastric carcinoids and gastric carcinomas is also discussed as well as optimalization of histologic histochemical and ultrastructural diagnosis of gastric carcinoids.