Eutopic and ectopic macromolecular human placental lactogen

Macromolecular forms of human placental lactogen have received little attention because it has been thought that such forms either compose only a small fraction of total immunoactive placental lactogen or are merely laboratory artifacts. We examined serum and placental tissue from women with normal pregnancy (first and third trimesters), serum and tissue from women with eutopic tumors (mole and choriocarcinoma), and serum from men with ectopic placental lactogen production. Samples were chromatographed on dextran gel (Sephadex G-100), and placental lactogen was measured in the fractions by radioimmunoassay. In all specimens examined, immunoactive placental lactogen was found at the void volume of the column (molecular weight greater than 150,000 daltons). This macromolecular placental lactogen comprised less than 4% of total placental lactogen in the third trimester, in mole, and in 16 of 18 first-trimester samples but was significantly higher, up to 19%, in the malignant cases. In two first-trimester placental extracts (but not in their matched sera) macromolecular placental lactogen was the dominant (greater than 45% of the total placental lactogen) immunoactive species. Authentic monomeric placental lactogen was not converted to macromolecular placental lactogen by repeated freezing and thawing. Third-trimester placental macromolecular placental lactogen was unstable; only 13% remained at the void on rechromatography. First-trimester placental macromolecular placental lactogen, on the other hand, was stable to rechromatography. The behavior of immunochemical dilutions of macromolecular placental lactogen from first-trimester placenta was similar to that of monomeric placental lactogen in the same sample. Macromolecular placental lactogen is probably not artifact, and it can comprise a large fraction of the total immunoactive placental lactogen in certain conditions.

A clinical evaluation of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen in patients with pancreatic carcinoma

We have studied serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in 221 persons to assess their usefulness in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. Although serum CA 19-9 and CEA in all healthy controls were within normal limits, the positive ratings of serum CA 19-9 and CEA in all benign disease were 9.8% and 18.1%, respectively. Sensitivity of serum CA 19-9 for pancreatic carcinoma was 70.5%, which was higher than that found in healthy controls, benign disease, and other malignant disease except biliary carcinoma; but sensitivity of serum CEA levels (67.7%) was not different from that seen in malignant disease. Three of 34 patients (8.8%) with pancreatic carcinoma who had a above-normal levels of serum CA 19-9 but not serum CEA were resectable. Although there was no correlation between serum CA 19-9 and CEA, advanced stages of pancreatic, gastric, and colorectal carcinoma tend to show high serum CA 19-9 and CEA, but no statistical differences were observed in relation to the stages of these carcinomas. Comparative studies of serum CA 19-9 and CEA for sensitivity and the predictive value of true positive and negative results for detecting pancreatic, gastric, and colorectal carcinoma showed that serum CA 19-9 has significantly higher sensitivity and predictive value of true positive results for pancreatic carcinoma than for gastric and colorectal carcinoma (P less than 0.05). However, serum CEA measurements did not show any difference between these carcinomas, and the highest predictive value of a true negative result for excluding pancreatic carcinoma was also observed in serum CA 19-9. These results indicate that although the CA 19-9 assay is not specific for pancreatic carcinoma, it is more useful adjunct method for diagnosing pancreatic carcinoma, possibly in resectable stages.

Selective disappearance of histamine H2-receptor activity in the human gastric cancer cell line HGT-1 after short-term or chronic treatment by histamine or its H2-antagonists

Homologous loss of histamine H2-receptor activity (cAMP generation) was observed after short-term (10-20 min) or chronic treatment (6 days) of cultured HGT-1 cells with histamine (desensitization) or the H2-receptor antagonist SKF 93479. This inactivation process was not observed when HGT-1 cells were exposed to the classical H2-antihistamine cimetidine. The data show: (1) that the compound SKF 93479 has a very prolonged inhibitory action on histamine receptor activity, suggesting an irreversible interaction between the antagonist and the receptor; (2) that cimetidine is a reversible H2-receptor antagonist which can be removed without changing the the efficacy and the potency of histamine on gastric cells; (3) that the H2-receptor antagonists cimetidine and SKF 93479 specifically block histamine H2-receptor activity in HGT-1 cells since cAMP generation induced by other hormones such as vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), glucagon or gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) was unchanged after treatment; (4) the first evidence for time-dependent (half-life: 20 min) desensitization of gastric H2-receptors.

[Significance of CEA in gastric and colorectal cancer]

The determination of serum CEA (Sandwich method) and CEA staining (PAP method) of excised specimens were performed in patients with gastric or colorectal cancer, and the biological characteristics of each cancer and the factors to increase serum CEA were studied with the following results: As colonic cancer has strong CEA productivity, serum CEA can be useful for the detection of cancer, and especially effective for the postoperative observation. Gastric cancer has weak CEA productivity, and serum CEA is not so useful in the detection of cancer and the judgement of resectability. The CEA positive rate of tissue with CEA staining was 80% in gastric cancer, 100% in colonic cancer, and were nearly equal to the CEA positive rate of serum in the group of terminal stage. In the mode of CEA staining of cancerous cells, IV type was observed most frequently in gastric cancer, and I type in colonic cancer. Among the resected cases showing more than 7ng/ml serum CEA, differentiated type, lymph node metastasis (+), the degree of tissue staining with CEA staining, the mode of cell staining O or I type in gastric cancer and I type in colonic cancer were observed in common.

Beta-endorphinlike immunoreactivity and somatostatinlike immunoreactivity in normal gastric mucosa, muscle layer, and adenocarcinoma

beta-Endorphinlike immunoreactivity and somatostatinlike immunoreactivity were detected in the mucosa and muscle layer of normal gastric antrum and corpus and in moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma derived from the antral mucosa. The concentration of beta-endorphinlike immunoreactivity in the normal gastric tissues was 4-15 pmol/g wet wt tissue; this value varied from 9.64 to 241.39 pmol/g wet wt tissue (81.38 +/- 37.82 pmol/g wet wt tissue) in adenocarcinomas. The concentration of somatostatinlike immunoreactivity was 18-25 pmol/g wet wt tissue in normal gastric mucosa, whereas it was 1-2 pmol/g wet wt tissue in adenocarcinomas. Gel exclusion chromatography of beta-endorphinlike immunoreactivity revealed two peaks corresponding to beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin. In normal mucosa and in the whole layer of antrum, the major peak was eluted near the position of beta-lipotropin, and the minor broad peak was eluted near the position of beta-endorphin. In contrast, in adenocarcinoma, beta-endorphinlike immunoreactivity was eluted broadly at the position of beta-endorphin and the other smaller peak was at the position of beta-lipotropin. Gel exculsion chromatography of somatostatinlike immunoreactivity also showed different patterns between antral mucosa and adenocarcinoma. This study revealed the presence of the opioid peptide, beta-endorphinlike immunoreactivity, not only in normal gastric tissue but also in adenocarcinomas with highly increased concentration and different elution patterns in combination with decreased concentration of somatostatinlike immunoreactivity.

Serotonin in fore-gut carcinoids. A survey of 60 cases with regard to silver stains, formalin-induced fluorescence and serotonin immunocytochemistry

A series of 60 fore-gut carcinoid tumours was examined with regard to serotonin content after application of three different techniques, namely: the argentaffin reaction, formalin-induced fluorescence according to Falck-Hillarp and immunocytochemistry with monoclonal antibodies to serotonin. To evaluate the staining-fluorescence of individual tumour cells, the methods were applied to identical tumour sections. Twelve tumours demonstrated serotonin-immunoreactive cells, six of which were also argentaffin. Four tumours contained argentaffin cells but no serotonin-immunoreactivity. With the use of all three techniques, three types of tumour cells occurred, namely: serotonin-immunoreactive, non-argentaffin and non-fluorescence cells, serotonin-immunoreactive, argentaffin and fluorescent cells, and non-serotonin immunoreactive, argentaffin and non-fluorescent cells. The first (serotonin-immunoreactive) cell type was most frequently found in the tumours. One gastric carcinoid in which the argentaffin cells exceeded the serotonin-immunoreactive cells, a positive reaction was found with the modified Warthin-Starry reaction for demonstrating melanin. Since none of the techniques used for visualization of serotonin in endocrine tumours is unquestionably specific and since they do not give identical results, it is indicated that for a more accurate identification of serotonin in fore-gut carcinoid tumours, a positive reaction with at least two of the applied techniques is desirable.

DNA cytophotometry on atypical glands in stomach carcinogenesis of dogs induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine

Microspectrophotometric measurement of the DNA content of cell nuclei was performed on the lesions (including atypical glands) in gastric carcinogenesis of 15 male beagle dogs, which had been induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). The distribution patterns of DNA content were classified into three types: normal, subnormal, and abnormal. The histograms of the distribution in normal and regenerative glands were a normal type and subnormal type, respectively, while adenocarcinoma showed an abnormal distribution type. In atypical glands, the distribution patterns in autopsy cases were subnormal and abnormal types. When sequential endoscopic observation of the angulus of the stomach in dog No. 3 was carried out, atypical glands were found in an ulcer in the early stage of MNNG administration and a precancerous lesion in the late stage after termination of MNNG. The atypical glands in the early stage were of the subnormal type, while the atypical glands in the late stage were of the abnormal type. According to the results, these two types-subnormal and abnormal - of distribution of DNA content on the atypical glands may be related to regeneration and subsequent development of cancer, respectively.

Sequential changes in nuclear DNA content by chemotherapy observed in experimental canine gastric cancer

It is known that the nuclear DNA contents correlate with the grade of malignancy. In this study, nuclear DNA contents of biopsy specimens taken from N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG)-induced canine gastric cancer were measured by Feulgen-DNA-cytofluorometry. The DNA content and histological findings were sequentially observed after weekly administration of 7-N-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-mitomycin C (0.8 mg/kg), a kind of mitomycin C derivative. The appearance rate of cells over 4C decreased remarkably from 18.8% to 9.86% on average (p less than 0.02) and the maximum value of distribution also went down from 9.18C to 7.33C (p less than 0.01) at the early stage of administration of the oncostatic agent when no histological change was yet observable. It might be expected that this procedure will enable the future evaluation of oncostatic effects at the cellular level more objectively.

Villous tumor of the stomach associated with adenocarcinomas--a histochemical study of mucosubstances

A case is described in which both a moderately elevated villous adenoma associated with adenocarcinoma at the posterior wall and an independent gastric carcinoma at the anterior wall were present. These two lesions were surrounded by the mucosa of incomplete intestinal metaplasia. Consecutive sections of the villous adenoma associated focally with carcinoma and the independent cancer were stained by the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), pH 2.5 alcian blue (A1-B1), high iron diamine pH 2.5 alcian blue (HID-AB) and carcinoembryonic antigen peroxidase-antiperoxidase (CEA-PAP) methods. Villous adenoma was weakly positive in the PAS stain but negative in A1-B1 and HID stains, showing that it did not produce mucin. On the other hand, the intestinal metaplasia and cancerous lesions were positive in PAS, A1-B1 and HID stains, indicating production of the intestinal type of mucin. The villous adenoma accompanied by malignant changes was positive by the CEA-PAP method. This result shows the biological property of villous adenoma that they can easily change into malignancy. These three lesions in our case are considered to have originated independently from the primordial cells and to have developed the differences in mucin production in the process of cell development.

[Association of ferritin with the CEA test in post-operative monitoring of colo-rectal, breast and stomach carcinomas]

On the basis of more than 3,000 tests carried out on 1,561 patients suffering from suspected or certain malignant tumours, the authors established the necessity of CEA test in post-operative follow-ups, according to the plentiful literature regarding this matter. New tumoral markers led the authors to verify if it was useful to associate the ferritin to CEA test. From the results and the statistical data, they concluded that it was useful to associate the two markers only in negative CEA test when confronted with clinical suspected metastatic diffusion.

[Cytofluorometric analysis of cell kinetics in relation to tumor growth of advanced gastric cancers]

Correlated studies on both cell kinetics in association with nuclear ploidy pattern and pathological morphology of advanced gastric cancers were carried out using DNA-RNA cytofluorometry (NIKON SPM-RF1-D) with AO stain. The results showed that advanced gastric cancers could be divided into two main groups. Group 1 (12 cases) was the diploid cell population, commonly found in Borrmann type 4 showing diffuse infiltration of cancer cells, and group II (14 cases) was characterized by polyploidization, usually found in Borrmann type 2 or 3 showing adenocarcinomas composed of markedly pleomorphic cells. In addition, we further differentiated from group II four cases of cancers which included aneuploid cells with more pronounced pleomorphism than group II, and classified them as group II'. These results suggest that cell kinetics and nuclear ploidy pattern of the advanced gastric cancers are closely related to pathological characteristics, i.e., groups I and II to undifferentiated (gastric type) and differentiated (intestinal type) carcinomas, respectively.

[Distribution of fibronectin and other plasma proteins in gastric cancer tissues: investigation of mechanisms of desmoplasia of the stroma]

To elucidate the mechanisms of desmoplasia of gastric cancer tissues, distribution of fibronectin (FN), fibrinogen (Fbg), alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2PI) and factor XIII (XIIIA) in fresh 49 gastric cancer tissues and 5 gastric ulcer tissues was studied by indirect immunofluorescent technique. FN existed scarcely in the basement membrane area of gastric cancer tubuli. FN and Fbg were distributed in same patterns abundantly in the stroma of all gastric cancer tissues regardless of their histological types. Neither alpha 2PI nor XIIIA was demonstrated in gastric cancer tissues. Autofluorescence of the cross-linked collagen fibers, which were seen in many gastric cancer cases, were surrounded with FN and Fbg. These results were well identical with those obtained from gastric ulcer tissues. These facts indicate that such a mechanism as non-specific wound healing process participates in desmoplasia of gastric cancer stroma as well as in fibrosis of gastric ulcer.

Estradiol and progesterone receptors in malignant gastrointestinal tumors

Estradiol and progesterone receptors were assayed in tumors from 79 patients with primary colorectal and 56 patients with stomach adenocarcinomas. Eighteen of 79 colorectal cancers contained estradiol receptor, while 34 specimens were positive for progesterone receptor. In stomach cancer, the positive samples were 8 for estradiol and 14 for progesterone receptors. In both types of tumors, the Kd was in the range of 10(-10) M for estradiol and 10(-9) M for progesterone receptor, respectively. In colorectal adenocarcinomas, the presence of progesterone receptor seems to be partially correlated to the presence of estradiol receptor while, in stomach tumors, this correlation is lost. The positivity of at least one receptor in colorectal cancers is higher in the female sex. The contrary occurs for stomach cancer. Sucrose gradient centrifugation showed that cytoplasmic estradiol receptor of stomach cancer sedimented at 8S or 4 to 5S at low ionic strength. The isoelectric point of stomach cancer estradiol receptor is 6.5.

[Immuno-cytochemical and -histochemical localization of human keratin proteins in various kinds of cancerous lesion]

Immunoperoxidase staining for human keratin proteins (hKP) was performed cytochemically in samples from 79 cancer patients, and histochemically in samples from 134 cancer patients. Immunohistochemically, hKP was present in almost all patients with squamous cell carcinoma (lung), transitional cell carcinoma (urinary bladder), adenocarcinoma (lung, stomach, breast, ovary), bronchiole-alveolar carcinoma (lung), and large cell carcinoma (lung). It was detected in 40% of the patients with small cell carcinoma (lung). Histochemically, hKP was present in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (lung, uterine body), adenocarcinoma (lung, stomach, colon, gall bladder, thyroid, uterine body), adenosquamous cell carcinoma (gall bladder, uterine body), Signet-ring cell carcinoma (stomach), clear cell carcinoma (uterine body) and undifferentiated carcinoma (uterine body). However, it was not detected in patients with brochiole ++-alveola ++ carcinoma (lung) and mucinous carcinoma (gall bladder).

[Cell kinetic study of human gastric cancers--using an in vitro 3H-thymidine labeling method]

For the purpose of investigating cell the kinetics of human gastric carcinoma, the distribution of 3H-thymidine labeled cells and the labeling index were evaluated in biopsy specimens obtained from 52 patients with gastric cancer, using an in vitro labeling technique. Adenocarcinomas were scattered with labeled cells, while in carcinoid speciners labeled cells were confined to the periphery of tumor cell nests. Characteristically, small-sized cells were exclusively labeled with 3H-thymidine in signet-ring cell carcinomas but signet-ring cells bearing a large amount of mucin were not. Thus signet-ring cells could be regarded as cells in a differentiated condition which have lost their prolife-rating capability. The labeling index of gastric cancers ranged from 10 to 20% in most cases although it varied greatly from case to case (2.2-40.8%). The values of the labeling index were correlated with neither the degree of histological differentiation, macrascopic appearance nor the depth of mural invasion of carcinomas.

Novel flushing provoked by volatile anesthetics in Mastomys natalensis bearing a transplantable substrain of gastric carcinoid that predominantly secretes serotonin

A tumor substrain secreting a large amount of serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT); CAS: 50-67-9; 3-(2-amino-ethyl)indol-5-ol] and a minute amount of histamine (CAS: 51-45-6) has been isolated from the previously established strain of transplantable gastric carcinoid of Mastomys (Praomys) natalensis secreting both histamine and 5-HT. Mastomys bearing a large growing transplant and excreting a large amount of 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid [(5-HIAA) CAS: 54-16-0] were associated often with reddening of the nose, lower lip, auricles, hands, and feet. Soon after the animals were anesthetized by ether or other volatile anesthetics, the tinges of red of the above-mentioned exposed parts abruptly turned bright red and rapidly spread over the neck, upper chest, and epigastric area. The reddening was transient, lasting 1.5-5 minutes, thereby fulfilling the criteria of flushing. The severity of ether-provoked flushing in tumor-bearing Mastomys paralleled the urinary excretion levels of 5-HIAA. The ether-provoked flushing was prevented completely by sc injection of either ketanserin (150 micrograms) or somatostatin (20 micrograms). The same ether-provoked flushing as found in tumor-bearing Mastomys could be reproduced in normal ones by constant infusion of 20 mg 5-HT/kg/24 hours (i.e., doses comparable to those released from a transplanted tumor) through an osmotic minipump implanted subcutaneously.

Relation between gastric histology and gastric juice pH and nitrite and N-nitroso compound concentrations in the stomach after surgery for duodenal ulcer

Formation of N-nitroso compounds in gastric juice has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer in the stomach after operation. Gastric juice was aspirated from 85 subjects: 23 were controls, 51 had previously undergone vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy, and 11 had previously undergone vagotomy and pyloroplasty. The gastric juice samples were analysed for pH, nitrite, and total N-nitroso compounds. A significant correlation was found between pH and nitrite concentration (p less than 0.01). No significant correlation was found between pH and total N-nitroso compound concentration or between nitrite and N-nitroso compound concentration. The vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy patients had higher pH values and higher concentrations of nitrites and N-nitroso compounds than controls (p = 0.01 in all cases). The 51 vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy patients also underwent endoscopy and biopsy. They were divided into three groups: group 1 (21 patients) had no intestinal metaplasia and no more than mild dysplasia; group 2 (20 patients) had intestinal metaplasia; and group 3 (10 patients) had moderate or severe dysplasia. Groups 2 and 3 both had higher pH values and higher nitrite concentrations than group 1 (p = 0.01 in all cases). There was no significant difference, however, between either group 2 or 3 and group 1 for total N-nitroso compound concentration. Since there was no simple linear relation between pH and N-nitroso compound concentration, it was concluded that formation of N-nitroso compounds at high pH was unlikely to be involved in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer in the hypochlorhydric stomach after operation. The relation between nitrite and histological abnormality was not associated with a similar relation between N-nitroso compounds and histological abnormality. It therefore appears that there is no simple relation between N-nitroso compounds and the pathogenesis of premalignant gastric mucosal changes.

[5-Fluorouracil concentration in various tissues from cancer patients after oral administration of 5-fluorouracil]

5-Fluorouracil(5-FU)is a widely used antitumor agent for treating patients with adenocarcinoma of gastroenterial tract and breast following intravenous or oral administration. The blood level of 5-FU peaked rapidly after intravenous bolus injection and then decreased in a short time, disappearing 90 minutes after injection. But the blood level of 5-FU peaked from 15 to 30 minutes after oral administration of 5-FU tablets or dry syrup and decreased slowly, frequently showing 0.02 microgram/ml at 120 minutes after oral administration. In cancer chemotherapy, a tissue drug concentration is represented by its serum level in practice, generally because of the difficulty in determining the tissue drug level of the patients. This study was performed to determine the tissue 5-FU level after oral administration of 5-FU. Before surgery, 400 to 600 mg of 5-FU tablets was orally administered to 13 patients including 5 cases of gastric, 5 of breast, 1 of colon and 2 of other types of cancer. Tissue specimens of different sites and serum samples were obtained during the operation: cancer tissues, normal gastric or colon wall, normal breast, lymph nodes and subcutaneous fatty tissues, etc. The materials were frozen immediately at -20 degrees C and sent to Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Fuji Plant, Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd. ( Nagaizumimachi , Shuntogun , Shizuoka , Japan). The materials were assayed for 5-FU by bioassay method using Staphylococcus aureus 209P or Micrococcus flavus ATCC 10240 as the test organisms. The 5-FU concentration in mastopathy tissue was traced to all of the agents at 20 to 180 minutes after 400 mg of 5-FU was administered orally in tablet form. 5-FU concentrations in gastric cancer tissues ranged from 0.30 to 1.30 micrograms/g at 163 to 235 minutes after administering 600 mg of 5-FU tablets, whereas in normal gastric wall were much lower than in gastric cancer tissues. That in the breast cancer tissues was 0.042 to 0.12 microgram/g at 100 to 240 minutes after oral administration. 5-FU was maintained at a higher concentration in cancer tissues for a long time, while the serum concentration decreased to trace amounts. 5-FU in non-cancerous tissues was invariably traced in most patients as mastopathy tumors. From the above results, 5-FU tablets proved to be a useful drug in cancer chemotherapy.

Relation between intragastric bile acid concentration and mucosal abnormality in the stomach after vagotomy and gastroenterostomy for duodenal ulcer

A high incidence of possible premalignant conditions of the gastric mucosa has been reported in the postoperative stomach and it has been suggested that bile plays a role in their pathogenesis. Fifty eight patients who had had a vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy between 1957 and 1967 underwent endoscopy and biopsy. Subsequently, samples of fasting and postprandial gastric juice were taken from all patients for analysis of total bile acid. The patients were divided into three histological groups: group 1 (24 patients) had gastritis or mucosal atrophy but no more than mild dysplasia; group 2 (23 patients) had intestinal metaplasia in one or more biopsies; group 3 (11 patients) had moderate or severe dysplasia in one or more biopsies. Group 2 and group 3 patients had higher fasting intragastric bile acid concentrations than group 1 (p less than 0.01 in both cases). There was no difference between fasting bile acid concentrations in groups 2 and 3. In the postprandial phase groups 2 and 3 also had higher peak intragastric concentrations than group 1 (p less than 0.01 in both cases). Again, there was no significant difference between groups 2 and 3. It is concluded that there is a relation between mucosal abnormality in the postoperative stomach and intragastric bile acid concentration. The possible aetiological link between bile acid and these mucosal abnormalities is discussed.

[DNA-RNA cytofluorometry for a primary cancer of the stomach and choledochus]

We standardized DNA-RNA cytofluorometry with AO stain using a NIKON SPM-RFI-D instrument for cell smears. We applied this technique in a 72-year-old woman with primary double cancer of the stomach and choledochus. We first suspected malignancy of the choledochus and examined the desquamated cells in the bile cytofluorometrically to obtain by X-Y plotting the irregularly increased polyploid cells with a high percentage of cells in S phase. These polyploid cells and S phase cells were found to have an increased RNA content. Before operation, the presence of another malignancy of the stomach was also ascertained. The surgical specimens were diagnosed histopathologically as well differentiated, tubular adenocarcinoma of the stomach and moderately differentiated, tubular adenocarcinoma of the choledochus. By cytofluorometric analysis similar results were obtained, i.e., polyploidization with increase of S phase cells. Based on these results, we concluded that our method is useful for the diagnosis of alimentary tract malignancy, and that the criteria of malignancy appear to be unusual polyploidization with increased fractions of S phase cells.

[Sex hormone dependency in diffuse carcinoma of the stomach and results of chemo-endocrine therapy]

Based on experimental study that the growth of diffuse carcinoma of the stomach depended on sex hormone, chemo-endocrine therapy using an anti-estrogen after gastrectomy for female patients are carrying out in National Cancer Center Hospital since 1980. The results are as follows. The cumulative 3 year survival rate in 21 patients with chemo-endocrine therapy (TAM+) revealed significant higher (45.8%) than those (7.4%) in 23 patients with chemotherapy alone (TAM-). The results of TAM(+) in curatively resected cases (8 cases) were both 100% of 2 and 3 year survival rate with 2 recurrent cases. In TAM(-) 10 cases, 2 and 3 year survival rate showed 56.0% and 20.0% respectively (P less than 0.01). This study suggests that the chemo-endocrine therapy may be a new adjuvant therapy in female patients with diffuse carcinoma of the stomach.

A clinical and histopathological study of gastric polyps in familial polyposis coli

Fundic gland area gastric polyps in familial polyposis coli (FPC) were compared with those in non-familial polyposis coli clinicopathologically to elucidate their histogenetic and biological characteristics. Some differences were observed in age, sex, and radiological and endoscopical features. Although the polyps were similar histologically, they showed an apparent histochemical difference between the two groups in periodic borohydride technique/potassium hydroxide/periodic acid-Schiff stain which demonstrates O-acylated sialic acid. The superficial and foveolar epithelium of the polyps was positive in 10 of 12 familial polyposis coli cases, while the epithelium was positive in only one of 13 non-familial polyposis coli cases with the same staining. These results suggest differences between the two groups in the degree of epithelial intestinal metaplasia. The presence of gastric polyps with O-acylated sialic acid therefore indicates the necessity of examination of the colorectum.