Immunoglobulin-A producing probably primary lymphoma of the breast

A breast tumour from a 65-year old woman was found to be a primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a very rare primary malignancy in this location. The lymphoma was of a diffuse histiocytic type according to the classification of Rappaport, or polymorphic immunocytoma according to the Kiel classification. Immunohistochemistry, not previously reported for breast lymphomas, revealed the production of IgA. In the serum this appeared as an IgA M-component which was greatly reduced after tumour removal. Immunological properties of primary breast lymphomas are reviewed, we suggest further extended studies with the immunohistochemical use of marker substances for the evaluation of prognosis.

The variability of urographic findings in posterior urethral valves

The full variety of secondary and associated upper tract abnormalities concurrent with obstructive valves seems not to be generally appreciated. While upper urinary dilatation and impaired renal function are features regarded as almost obligatory, there are cases at the other end of the spectrum with surprisingly slight or no abnormalities of the bladder, ureters or collecting systems. Therefore a negative IVP does not exclude posterior urethral valves in any boy with symptoms pertaining to the urinary tract. A MCU should invariably be included in the radiological work-up.

Coincidental occurrence of actinomycosis and Ewing's sarcoma in a child

Pulmonary consolidation, rarefaction of adjacent ribs and pleural effusion, a triad frequently considered characteristic of actinomycosis, seemed in the present case to support this serologically entertained diagnosis. However, the subsequent course of disease disclosed the most uncommon association of actinomycosis an metastatic Ewing's sarcoma of the lung. The possibility of combined occurrence of an opportunistic infection by actinomyces and malignancy, calls for open biopsy in cases not responding to penicillin treatment or with an unexpected evolution of the clinical manifestations.

Metabolic activity of lymphoma cells and clinical course in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

By microcalorimetry the metabolic activity of malignant cells from 2l patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma was monitored. Heat production, a measure of the metabolic activity of cells, showed positive correlation with the clinical course of the disease. The heat produced by tumor cells from patients with progressive disease was 5.5 pW/cell, while that from patients responding to treatment was 3.l pW/cell. The difference between the 2 groups is significant (P less than 0.05). A higher heat production was obtained in tumor cells from 7 out of 10 patients who were unresponsive to the therapy when compared with cells from 11 patients who had become asymptomatic as a result of the same therapy. Also heat production from blood lymphocytes was found to be higher (P less than 0.005) in the group of patients with progressive disease as compared to the group of patients who responded to therapy. The present results indicate an association between high heat production in lymphoma cells and blood lymphocytes and a poor prognosis.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy: a useful tool in tumor cytogenetics with special reference to malignant lymphomas

A methods for chromosome analysis of malignant cells by means of fine needle aspiration biopsy has been developed. The method has some obvious advantages compared to conventional surgical biopsy. During a 1-year period 25 consecutive non-Hodgkin, non-Burkitt lymphoma biopsies from 19 patients have been studied. In 14 out of 21 lymph node biopsies chromosome analysis was successful; whereas, four biopsies of subcutaneous lymphomas were unsuccessful.

Occupational exposure to organic solvents and Hodgkin's disease in men. A case-referent study

A standardized personal interview schedule was used to study occupational exposure to organic solvents among 25 men aged 20-65 a with Hodgkin's disease and 50 referents matched for sex, age and residence. When exposure was defined as the handling of organic solvents every workday for at least 1 a within the 10-a period immediately preceding the interview, 12 of the Hodgkin's disease patients (48%) and six referents (12%) were occupationally exposed with a relative risk of 6.6 (p = 0.00005). For 9 of the 12 exposed Hodgkin's disease patients exposure to aromatic solvents was verified, and such exposure may well have occurred for the remaining three patients also. It was concluded that exposure to organic solvents may constitute an occupational risk with regard to Hodgkin's disease.

Relation between age of mothers with breast cancer and sex of their children

In a consecutive series of 150 women with breast cancer 122 had borne one or more children. Sixty-two patients were aged below 55 years at diagnosis (group A) and 60 were 55 years or older (group B). In group A 91 out of 153 children (59%) were boys compared with 48 out of 141 (34%) in group B (p=0.000007). In group A 54 of the 62 patients (87%) had given birth to one or more boys compared with 35 of the 60 (58%) in group B (p=0.0003). The mean age at diagnosis in mothers of two or more boys was 49.0 years, in those of one boy 55.2 years, and in those of only girls 61.0 years. The differences between each of the mean ages was significant. The mean age at diagnosis in 28 nulliparous patients was 57.7 years. There was no significant correlation between the number of female pregnancies and age at diagnosis. These results suggest that in women liable to develop breast cancer male pregnancies are associated with an early onset of the disease.