[Flow cytometry in analysis of precancerous lesions of the esophagus]

DNA content of the severe dysplasia cells in the esophageal epithelium was quantitatively analysed using flow cytometry and compared with those of the normal, mild dysplasia and cancer cells. The results showed that DNA index of the severe dysplasia cells was 1.27 +/- 0.11 and there was a significant difference between its value and those of the normal (1.0 +/- 0.02), mild dysplasia (1.01 +/- 0.03) and cancer cells (1.73 +/- 0.35). The DNA content of severe dysplasia cells lies between the normal and cancer cells. The hyperplasia degree of the severe dysplasia cells parallels their DNA contents. This study indicates that flow cytometry is a useful supplementary tool for diagnosis of the tumor.

[Multicentric carcinoma of the esophagus and double primary malignant neoplasm of the upper alimentary tract--report on 44 patients]

During the past fifteen years, 44 patients with multicentric carcinoma of the esophagus or double primary malignant neoplasm of the upper alimentary tract, collected from 5316 patients with cancer of esophagus or gastric cardia in the same period, were treated in our hospital. The incidence was 0.83%. All were proven by pathology. Exploratory thoracotomy was done in 32 patients and 26 lesions were resected with a resection rate of 81.3%. All patients with cancer resected survived over 1 year, 6 out of 9 survived over 3 years and 2 out of 3, over 5 years. In the 18 patients who received chemotherapy alone, 12 were followed and all died within 1 year. It is shown that multicentric carcinoma of the esophagus or double malignant neoplasm of the upper alimentary tract should be given energetic treatment. Finally, the incidence, diagnosis criteria, diagnosis method, etiology and management are discussed with a review of literature.

[Radiotherapy for 159 patients with carcinoma of the tonsils]

A series of 159 patients with carcinoma of the tonsil was treated by radiotherapy from Jan. 1970 to Dec. 1980. The overall 5, 10 and 15 year survival rates were 45.3% (72/159), 30.8% (32/104) and 34.8% (8/23). The 5 year survival rate was 62.5% (10/16), 68.9% (31/45), 39.0% (16/41) and 22.8% (12/57) for stages I, II, III and IV. There was no significance difference in the 5 year survival rates between undifferentiated (38/86, 44.2%) and squamous cell carcinomas (34/70, 48.6%). The majority of these patients received a dose of 50-70 Gy/6-8 weeks. Clinical stage and metastatic lymph node's size are the main factors influencing prognosis. The chief causes of failure: recurrence and distant metastasis totaled 73.2%, of which 11.3% metastasized into the abdomen. The authors believe that a large anterior tangential portal with a high upper margin is necessary to include the big metastasis in the subgastric lymph nodes on the homolateral neck region.

A modified centripetal approach to parotidectomy

A modified centripetal approach to parotidectomy is reported. A total of 422 benign parotid tumors, 383 of which were primary and 39 of which were recurrent, were treated by this technique. The pleomorphic adenoma was the most common type (94.79%) in the series. Superficial parotidectomy was done in 178 cases, and total parotidectomy, in 244 cases. No permanent facial paralysis occurred after parotidectomy in the primary tumor group. Seven recurrences were observed after surgery in the recurrent tumor group.

Genetics of cleft lip and cleft palate in China

During the past 10 years, 60 cases of cleft lip with or without cleft palate [CL(P)] were recorded among 45,072 newborns at Shanghai International Peace Maternity and Infant Hospital, China. The incidence was 1.33 per 1,000 births. The family histories of 163 CL(P) patients were analyzed. The incidences of CL(P) in the first-, second-, and third-degree relatives of CL(P) patients were 11/246 (4.47%), 10/1,032 (0.97%), and 6/1,727 (0.35%), respectively. Of the 163 probands, three had a history of consanguinity of the parents (1.8%), in contrast to 0.77% in the general population. These data are suggestive of multifactorial inheritance. The heritability of CL(P) in our study calculated by Falconer's formula was 77.6%.