Benign cystic mesothelioma

A 73-year-old man presented a 20-year history of recurrent, progressive, cystic lesions of the peritoneal surfaces which had necessitated two previous operations. Diffuse involvement of the peritoneum was observed at his most recent laparotomy and an attempt was made to excise as much mesothelial surface as possible. Benign cystic mesothelioma was diagnosed, based on the clinical behavior of the lesion and the presence of specific histologic and ultrastructural findings. While this lesion shares some histologic similarities with previously described peritoneal cysts, the ultrastructural demonstration of its mesothelial origin and its recurrent progressive behavior are without precedent.

Giant cell arteritis and Crohn's disease: an unreported association

This report describes a 16-yr-old patient with coexistant Crohn's disease and giant cell arteritis. The unusual features of the case include presence of giant cell arteritis of temporal arteritis type in the bowel wall, the young age of the patient, and the previously unreported association of these two pathologic processes.

Primary fibroxanthosarcoma of the thoracic aorta

A case is presented of a 58-year-old female with a primary malignant tumor of the aorta. The lesion was diagnosed histologically as a fibrox-anthosarcoma and represents the first primary neoplasm of the aorta so classified. The gross and microscopic features of the lesion are described and the morphologic characteristics of previously reported aortic sarcomas are briefly reviewed and examined in light of the current histologic criteria for soft tissue tumors.