Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: a clinicopathologic study and report of three cases

Among 27 surgically resected carcinomas of the pancreas, 3 cases were diagnosed histologically as adenosquamous carcinoma (11.1%). This is the highest rate among the medical literature we reviewed. Since a very small focus of squamous cell carcinoma was detected through close observation in 1 case, it would seem that this sort of pancreatic tumor could be more common than is ordinarily expected. From the histologic studies of these 3 cases, it seems likely that the preexisting adenocarcinoma partially underwent malignant transformation into a malignant squamous component. When the different modes of spread of these two histologic elements are compared, the adenocarcinomatous element seems to be more invasive and more likely to metastasize than does squamous cell carcinoma.

[Effects of cis-platinum diammine dichloride on yolk sac tumor transplanted in nude mice (author's transl)]

Effects of new anticancer drug Cis-platinum dichloride (CPDD) on yolk sac tumor were studied. Human yolk sac tumor serially transplanted in BALB/c nude mice (YST-1) was used as material in this experiment. Two administration methods of CPDD were examined and compared. 1) CPDD 5 mg/kg X 1 day X 4 2) CPDD i mg/kg X 5 days X 4. Tumor size was measured and serum AFP of nude mice was determined by radioimmunoassay method during experiments. At the end of experiments, treated tumor was resected and examined by light and electron microscopy. Results as follows: 1. CPDD was active in regressing yolk sac tumor at doses of 5 mg/kg given as a single treatment and doses of 1 mg/kg given daily for five days. It appeared that CPDD showed higher activity against tumors by daily injections at doses of 1 mg/kg. 2. Close correlation was recognized between tumor size and serum AFP of nude mice ((r = 0.93, p less than 0.001). Serum AFP of tumor-bearing nude mice revealed to be a useful marker of yolk sac tumor also in nude mice as in human patient. 3. Effect of CPDD on tumor cells was confirmed by light and electron microscopy.

Humoral and cellular immunity studies in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and pars planitis

We performed a comprehensive immunologic assessment of 17 patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (VKH) and nine with pars planitis (PP). Several variations in humoral and cellular immunity were found when the patients were compared with normal controls. Elevated serum IgD levels, positive results from various autoimmune profile assays, and deviations from normal levels of viral antibody titers were noted in both groups of patients. However, only some VKH patients had elevated beta 2 microglobulin, total complement level and E-active and EA rosette counts. HLA haplotype typing revealed no distinct correlation between patients when compared with a normal population.

Experimental studies on genital herpetic infection in mice

Female ICR mice were infected with HSV-1 and HSV-2 by inserting a cotton pellet soaked in viral solution (10(7-8) PFU/m1) into the vagina. The appearance of giant cells and formation of intranuclear inclusions were detected in the epithelial layer of the uterus 24 h after intravaginal inoculation. These histopathological changes were pronounced 3 to 4 days after virus inoculation and then gradually disappeared in the next few days. Results of fluorescent antibody studies on the appearance of viral antigens in infected uterine tissues and results of viral infectivity titrations of emulsified samples of infected uteri coincided well with the histopathological observations on the general course of virus infection. The degree of histopathological involvement caused by HSV-1 was somewhat less than that caused by HSV-2, and the laboratory strains of HSV-1 so far examined (HF and Miyama) were found to be especially weakly pathogenic.

Detection of platelet antibody using rosette technique with anti-IgG antibody-coated polyacrylamide gel: a preliminary report

Paraformaldehyde-fixed platelets from normal donors were used for detection of antibody to platelet by in vitro sensitization (indirect method) utilizing rabbit anti-human IgG heavy chain specific antibody-coated polyacrylamide gels (Immunobeads). The sensitized platelets formed rosettes with Immunobeads and the positive rosette count was over 30%, while control showed less than 8% when normal sera were used. This method was also applicable for detecting antibody-sensitized platelets in vivo (direct method) in patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenia. This method is simple, rapid and reproducible for clinical use. Direct and indirect immunofluorescent antibody tests and a blocking test with anti-human serum also supported the results of Immunobead rosetting technique.

[Chemotherapy of yolk sac tumor heterotransplanted to nude mice (author's transl)]

Chemotherapy of yolk sac tumor heterotransplanted to nude mice was studied. 1. Yolk sac tumor of the ovary taken from a 38-year -old woman was transplanted to BALB/c female nude mice. The transplantable tumor cells produce a solid tumor, designated as YST-1 tumor. The YST-1 tumor cells preserve the histological appearance of a human yolk sac tumor and produce x-fetoprotein. The tumors on passage 8 were used for experimental chemotherapy. 2. Anticancer drugs clinically known to be effective for ovarian cancer, such as Adriamycin, Carbazilquinone, 5-Fluorouracil, Cyclophosphamide, Mitomycin C, Chromomycin A3, Vinblastine and Bleomycin were administered intraperitoneally to tumor-bearing nude mice. Tumor size was measured two or three times a week during the course of experiments. Therapeutic effects were evaluated by tumor size and relative tumor size before and after experiments. Among these drugs, Vinblastine and Bleomycin combination showed the significant effect arresting the growth of YST-1 tumor.

[Argyrophil cell of the endometrial adenocarcinoma -light and electron microscopic observations (author's transl)]

Fifty one endometrial adenocarcinomas were used in this study. For light microscopic observations paraffin section from 43 cases were processed with H and E, PAS, and Grimelius argyophil reaction. Besides, 21 of these endometrial adenocarcinomas (25.6%) showed positive Grimelius' argyrophil reaction. With regard to the degree of histological differentiation, these 11 cases were classified as G1 or G2 and all G3 cases (2 cases) revealed negative for Grimelius argyophil reaction. Under electron microscope, in 3 cases out of 21, many small granules reminiscent of neurosecretory type granules mostly round in shape with high electron dense core so often surrounded by a limiting membrane were detected in some of the endometrial carcinoma cells having argyophil granules under light microscope. Since the distribution of these granules was assumed to be random however, the clusters of granules so often located in the groundplasm of subapical portion and subnuclear area near the epithelial basement membrane of the glandular cells. In high magnification, they consisted of an aggregation of fine granular substances with high electron density. Based on the morphological characteristics we made a comparative study between argyophil cell carcinoma of the endometrium and apudomas of the uterine cervix.

[Neurochemical and electroencephalographical studies on the central actions of mianserin (author's transl)]

A new antidepressant, mianserin (GB-94, Organon), and other known antidepressants, imipramine (IMP), desipramine (DPM), chlorimipramine (CIP), amitriptyline (ATP) and nortriptyline (NTP) were orally administered to respective groups of 25 mice for consecutive weeks, and changes in monoamine metabolisms in the brain were investigated, neurochemically. On the basis of significant difference from the control group, mianserin 20 mg/kg and DPM 20 mg/kg produced no change of the brain contents of DA and 5-HT; IMP 50 mg/kg and CIP 40 mg/kg did not alter NA and DA values, but did decrease 5-HT levels; ATP 30 mg/kg increased only the amount of NA, left unchanged the DA and 5-HT levels, and NTP 20 mg/kg raised the levels of DA and 5-HT, but had no effect on NA. Mianserin, IMP and DPM all facilitated the decrease of both NE and DA as induced by pre-administration of alpha-methyltyrosine, the substance known to reduce the level of catecholamines. Both NTP and CTP showed no notable effect. ATP suppressed the reduction of the DA level. Accumulation of 5-HIAA induced 1 hour after treatment with probenecid 250 mg/kg was enhanced by mianserin 20 mg/kg, NTP 20/kg and IMP 25 mg/kg, but was not significantly affected by CIP, DPM and ATP. These results suggest that mianserin activated both the NE and 5-HT metabolic systems, IMP activated the NE system in general, but activated the 5-HT system only at low doses and tended to suppress the formation of 5-HT, in high doses; CIP had no effect on the NE system and suppressed 5-HT system, in high doses. The arousal response of hippocampal EEG in the chronic EEG of the rabbit, induced by physostigmine 0.05 mg/kg, i.v., was suppressed by IMP, ATP and CIP, while DMP and NTP were uneffected. Mianserin, rather maintained and prolong the arousal reaction. Observations made on arousal and sleep phases in long time recording of chronic spontaneous EEG in the rat showed a dose-dependent shortening of the para-sleep phase by mianserin in doses over 30 mg/kg and IMP in doses over 5 mg/kg. ATP 15 mg/kg showed a tendency to shorten the para-sleep. Hippocampal and cerebral cortical EEGs at arousal and slow wave stages were analyzed using a signal processor. The power spectra thus obtained showed no significant difference between the effects of mianserin and IMP.

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: a clinicopathologic study and report of three cases

Among 27 surgically resected carcinomas of the pancreas, 3 cases were diagnosed histologically as adenosquamous carcinoma (11.1%). This is the highest rate among the medical literature we reviewed. Since a very small focus of squamous cell carcinoma was detected through close observation in 1 case, it would seem that this sort of pancreatic tumor could be more common than is ordinarily expected. From the histologic studies of these 3 cases, it seems likely that the preexisting adenocarcinoma partially underwent malignant transformation into a malignant squamous component. When the different modes of spread of these two histologic elements are compared, the adenocarcinomatous element seems to be more invasive and more likely to metastasize than does squamous cell carcinoma.

Ductal carcinoma of the pancreas. Rationales for total pancreatectomy

In order to evaluate total pancreatectomy as a surgical procedure for ductal carcinoma of the pancreas, a histopathological analysis was made on 18 resected specimens with special regard to the pattern of cancer growth in the pancreatic tissue. In five of them there was no lymphatic involvement or extrapancreatic invasion, but cancer extended continuously to the tail along with the pancreatic ducts and reached the end of the ducts in three cases. All 11 patients treated with Whipple's procedure died of recurrence, while of four total pancreatectomized patients, one with continuously invasive cancer to the end of the pancreatic duct has been living more than eight years postoperatively. We believe that total pancreatectomy for this type of "intraductal spreading cancer" without invasion beyond the pancreas is indicated as a radical procedure.