Engineering Azobenzene Derivatives to Control the Photoisomerization Process

In this work, we show how the structural features of photoactive azobenzene derivatives can influence the photoexcited state behavior and the yield of the trans/cis photoisomerization process. By combining high-resolution transient absorption experiments in the vis-NIR region and quantum chemistry calculations (TDDFT and RASPT2), we address the origin of the transient signals of three poly-substituted push-pull azobenzenes with an increasing strength of the intramolecular interactions stabilizing the planar trans isomer (absence of intramolecular H-bonds, methyl, and traditional H-bond, respectively, for 4-diethyl-4'-nitroazobenzene, Disperse Blue 366, and Disperse Blue 165) and a commercial red dye showing keto-enol tautomerism involving the azo group (Sudan Red G). Our results indicate that the intramolecular H-bonds can act as a "molecular lock" stabilizing the trans isomer and increasing the energy barrier along the photoreactive CNNC torsion coordinate, thus preventing photoisomerization in the Disperse Blue dyes. In contrast, the involvement of the azo group in keto-enol tautomerism can be employed as a strategy to change the nature of the lower excited state and remove the nonproductive symmetric CNN/NNC bending pathway typical of the azo group, thus favoring the productive torsional motion. Taken together, our results can provide guidelines for the structural design of azobenzene-based photoswitches with a tunable excited state behavior.

Measurement principles for quantum spectroscopy of molecular materials with entangled photons

Nonlinear spectroscopy with quantum entangled photons is an emerging field of research that holds the promise to achieve superior signal-to-noise ratio and effectively isolate many-body interactions. Photon sources used for this purpose, however, lack the frequency tunability and spectral bandwidth demanded by contemporary molecular materials. Here, we present design strategies for efficient spontaneous parametric downconversion to generate biphoton states with adequate spectral bandwidth and at visible wavelengths. Importantly, we demonstrate, by suitable design of the nonlinear optical interaction, the scope to engineer the degree of spectral correlations between the photons of the pair. We also present an experimental methodology to effectively characterize such spectral correlations. Importantly, we believe that such a characterization tool can be effectively adapted as a spectroscopy platform to optically probe system-bath interactions in materials.

Broadband Optical Activity Spectroscopy with Interferometric Fourier-Transform Balanced Detection

Spectrally resolved measurements of optical activity, such as circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotatory dispersion (ORD), are powerful tools to study chiroptical properties of (bio)molecular and nanoplasmonic systems. The wider utilization of these techniques, however, has been impeded by the bulky and slow design of conventional spectropolarimeters, which have been limited to a narrowband scanning approach for more than 50 years. In this work, we demonstrate broadband measurements of optical activity by combining a balanced detection scheme with interferometric Fourier-transform spectroscopy. The setup utilizes a linearly polarized light field that creates an orthogonally polarized weak chiral free-induction-decay field, along with a phase-locked achiral transmitted signal, which serves as the local oscillator for heterodyne amplification. By scanning the delay between the two fields with a birefringent common-path interferometer and recording their interferogram with a balanced detector that measures polarization rotation, broadband CD and ORD spectra are retrieved simultaneously with a Fourier transform. Using an incoherent thermal light source, we achieve state-of-the-art sensitivity for CD and ORD across a broad wavelength range in a remarkably simple setup. We further demonstrate the potential of our technique for highly sensitive measurements of glucose concentration and the real-time monitoring of ground-state chemical reactions. The setup also accepts broadband pulses and will be suitable for broadband transient optical activity spectroscopy and broadband optical activity imaging.

Tuning the Ultrafast Response of Fano Resonances in Halide Perovskite Nanoparticles

The full control of the fundamental photophysics of nanosystems at frequencies as high as few THz is key for tunable and ultrafast nanophotonic devices and metamaterials. Here we combine geometrical and ultrafast control of the optical properties of halide perovskite nanoparticles, which constitute a prominent platform for nanophotonics. The pulsed photoinjection of free carriers across the semiconducting gap leads to a subpicosecond modification of the far-field electromagnetic properties that is fully controlled by the geometry of the system. When the nanoparticle size is tuned so as to achieve the overlap between the narrowband excitons and the geometry-controlled Mie resonances, the ultrafast modulation of the transmittivity is completely reversed with respect to what is usually observed in nanoparticles with different sizes, in bulk systems, and in thin films. The interplay between chemical, geometrical, and ultrafast tuning offers an additional control parameter with impact on nanoantennas and ultrafast optical switches.

Hyperspectral imaging with a TWINS birefringent interferometer

We introduce a high-performance hyperspectral camera based on the Fourier-transform approach, where the two delayed images are generated by the Translating-Wedge-Based Identical Pulses eNcoding System (TWINS) [Opt. Lett. 37, 3027 (2012)], a common-path birefringent interferometer that combines compactness, intrinsic interferometric delay precision, long-term stability and insensitivity to vibrations. In our imaging system, TWINS is employed as a time-scanning interferometer and generates high-contrast interferograms at the single-pixel level. The camera exhibits high throughput and provides hyperspectral images with spectral background level of -30dB and resolution of 3 THz in the visible spectral range. We show high-quality spectral measurements of absolute reflectance, fluorescence and transmission of artistic objects with various lateral sizes.

Photonic Time-Stretch Spectroscopy for Multiplex Stimulated Raman Scattering

Stimulated Raman scattering spectroscopy enables label-free molecular identification, but its broadband implementation is technically challenging. We experimentally demonstrate a novel approach to multiplex stimulated Raman scattering based on photonic time stretch. A telecom fiber stretches the broadband femtosecond Stokes pulse after the sample to ∼15ns, mapping its spectrum in time. The signal is sampled through a fast oscilloscope, providing single-shot spectra at 80-kHz rate. We demonstrate high sensitivity in detecting the Raman vibrational modes of various samples over the entire high-frequency C-H stretching region. Our results pave the way to high-speed broadband vibrational imaging for materials science and biophotonics.

Correlation between Clinical Response to Bilateral Oophorectomy, Estrogen Receptors and Urinary Androgen Excretion in 49 Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer

The aim of this study was to find out if it is possible to predict the clinical response to bilateral oophorectomy in premenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer. Two methods of determination were used before oophorectomy: 1) the presence of estrogen receptors in the tumor tissue; 2) the urinary concentration of androgens. The clinical response to oophorectomy was evaluated after a six-month follow-up. Determinations carried out on 49 patients showed that a significant correlation exists between clinical response to oophorectomy and androgenic activity alone or in combination with estrogen receptors when both tests give concordant results.

Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Eight cases of peritoneal malignant mesothelioma observed at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan from 1972 to 1978 are reported. The clinical features of the cases clearly point out the diagnostic difficulties, the inadequacy of the treatment and the poor prognosis of this neoplasia. The authors maintain that more complete epidemiologic studies and more adequate therapeutic programs could modify the prognosis for this neoplasm.

Leiomyoma of the Esophagus

A review of the clinical records from 1947 to 1984 of the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan provided 20 cases (14 males and 6 females) of esophageal leiomyoma. Eighteen of the tumors were in the thoracic esophagus and 2 were at the cardiac level. The most frequent symptoms were dysphagia, slight epigastralgia and odynophagia. Differential diagnosis should be made with mediastinic neoplasms and esophageal cancer. Barium swallow and esophagoscopy are the most sensitive procedures for a correct preoperative diagnosis. Surgery is mandatory because of the tendency to a continuous endoluminal growth (in 97% of the cases) and a possible malignant transformation. However, surgery is conservative: extramucosal enucleation of the leiomyoma is the procedure of choice. The long-term results are excellent, and morbidity is acceptable.

Primary Retroperitoneal Tumors

Seventy-five cases of primary retroperitoneal tumors observed at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan during the period 1932 to 1973, 56 of which had a histopathologic classification (51 malignant and 5 benign), are reported. By examination of the diagnostic and therapeutic criteria employed and the survival data (9 of the 51 malignant cases were alive at 3 years, and 3 of these were alive at 5 years), the authors point out the difficulty of an early diagnosis and, therefore, of a radical surgery, the need for a programmed therapy, and the importance of the angiographic examination in the diagnostic strategy.

Lymphographic Evaluation of 116 Cases of Malignant Melanoma

The use and limitations of lymphography in malignant melanoma are evaluated on the basis of 116 cases, nearly all of the lower limbs, and the possibilities of use both preoperatively and during follow-up are discussed. In 53.5% of the cases lymphography revealed lymph node metastases in the inguino-iliac-lumboaortic chains, a datum that justifies the use of lymphography. Histologic examination of the lymph nodes removed at operation proved to be just as important. The two investigations agreed in 89.1% of the cases, taking the material as a whole, and in 90.5%, taking the individual lymph chains (157).

Malignant Mesenchymal Tumors of the Thyroid

16 cases of malignant mesenchymal tumors of the thyroid (7 polymorphous sarcomas, 3 hemangioendotheliomas, 3 reticulum cell sarcomas, 4 fibrosarcomas) observed at the National Cancer Institute, Milan, between 1938 and 1968 are presented. They account for 3.3% of all malignant thyroid tumors during that period. More frequent after the age of 50, the cases reported showed marked malignancy and a rapidly fatal course. Only 2 cases of fibrosarcoma, one in a 15-year old boy and the other in a 35-year old man, were clinically cured 13 and 16 years respectively after radiosurgical treatment.

Current Results of Esophageal Cancer Surgery. Time Trends in Operative Mortality and Long Term Survival

This paper represents a historical analysis of the results achieved by esophageal cancer surgery over the last three decades, as they appear in the literature of the years 1954–1985, and in our own experience between 1965 and 1985, with the aim of assessing the evolution of operative mortality and long-term survival. In a review of 4930 resections reported in western literature, mean values of perioperative mortality went down from 30 % to 9 %, while the five-year survival increased from 8 % to 19 %. Similar changes were evident in Japanese and Chinese literature where the survival rose from 9 % to 23 % in unscreened populations and up to 90 % in early cancers. In our experience, dividing the series in two decades (1965–74 and 1975–85), the overall perioperative mortality changed from 28 % to 13 %. The actuarial survival for the two periods was 8 % vs 18 % at 5 years, with a median survival of 9 and 18 months. A greater difference was evident for NO patients where the survival rose from 15 % to 35 % at 5 years, with a median survival of 15 vs 38 months.

Clinical Response to Chemotherapy and Hormone Therapy as First Treatment after Therapeutic Ovariectomy in Advanced Breast Cancer Patients

The results of chemotherapy and hormone therapy, administered after relapse of the disease, were evaluated in 106 patients with homogeneous clinical characteristics who were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy for advanced breast cancer, whether the response to castration was favorable or not. In spite of an unfavorable response to the ovariectomy, 40.0% of the patients responded to hormone therapy, whereas 31.5% of the cases did not benefit from the successive hormone therapy, although they had responded to ovariectomy. In contrast, 65%, after favorably responding to ovariectomy, showed regression of the neoplasm after chemotherapy for the relapse. This apparent discordance of the results could be due to the fact that response to castration is not the only valid parameter to identify hormone dependence of a breast cancer and/or that the breast cancer is composed, in various proportions, of hormone-sensitive and chemo-sensitive cells. The predominance of one of these 2 components could determine the response of the neoplasm to therapy. The authors conclude that a more extensive and accurate hormone typing of the patient could give more precise indications for the appropriate therapy.

Prolonged Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy in Advanced Head and Neck Tumors

The cases of advanced head and neck tumors treated with palliative chemotherapy by prolonged arterial infusion at the National Cancer Institute of Milan, Italy, between 1960 and 1970 are reviewed. The drugs most frequently used were: Methotrexate (alone or associated with Daunorubycin), Daunorubycin and Adriamycin. 97 infusions were performed in 92 patients and 63 had lesions suitable for evaluation. Regression occurred in 43 (68.3%): over 50% of the starting size of the tumor in 15 and under 50% in 28; 13 patients died as a result of the treatment. Side-effects were numerous and frequent and the incidence of local complications was high, especially in cases of direct cannulation, which also ensured the biggest decreases in tumor size. Cancer of the movable part of the tongue was most responsive to the treatment. Adriamycin with 88 % of regressions and Methotrexate with 73 % were the most effective drugs. The results of this series show that prolonged intra-arterial chemotherapy can yield a high regression rate in head and neck cancer but is is not devoid of serious side-effects and the incidence of local toxic and technical complications is high. Because of this and of the short duration of regression, it is doubtful whether arterial infusion represents an advance over other modes of administering chemotherapy.

Time-domain measurement of optical activity by an ultrastable common-path interferometer

We introduce a novel configuration for the broadband measurement of the optical activity of molecules, combining time-domain detection with heterodyne amplification. A birefringent common-path polarization-division interferometer creates two phase-locked replicas of the input light with orthogonal polarization. The more intense replica interacts with the sample, producing a chiral free-induction decay field, which interferes with the other replica, acting as a time-delayed phase-coherent local oscillator. By recording the delay-dependent interferogram, we obtain by a Fourier transform both the circular dichroism and circular birefringence spectra. Our compact, low-cost setup accepts ultrashort light pulses, making it suitable for measurement of transient optical activity.

Time- and frequency-resolved fluorescence with a single TCSPC detector via a Fourier-transform approach

We introduce a broadband single-pixel spectro-temporal fluorescence detector, combining time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) with Fourier transform (FT) spectroscopy. A birefringent common-path interferometer (CPI) generates two time-delayed replicas of the sample's fluorescence. Via FT of their interference signal at the detector, we obtain a two-dimensional map of the fluorescence as a function of detection wavelength and emission time, with high temporal and spectral resolution. Our instrument is remarkably simple, as it only requires the addition of a CPI to a standard single-pixel TCSPC system, and it shows a readily adjustable spectral resolution with inherently broad bandwidth coverage.

Peripheral neuropathy in 30 duodopa patients with vitamins B supplementation

OBJECTIVES

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a significant concern and potential cause of withdrawal in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with Levodopa/Carbidopa Intestinal Gel (LCIG) infusion. Vitamin B deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia levodopa-related are considered possible causative factors. In this study, we evaluated PN incidence in LCIG-PD patients treated since the beginning of infusion with vitamins B supplementation.

MATERIALS & METHODS

In this prospective open-label pilot study, 30 consecutive patients with PD on LCIG infusion were evaluated with clinical, neurophysiological, and biochemical assessments for a mean follow-up of 42.4 months (range 24-72). All evaluations were repeated every 6 months.

RESULTS

At baseline, 21 of 30 presented no signs or symptoms of PN, and 9 of 30 had pre-existing chronic PN. In whole population, a progressive worsening in nerve conduction studies of sural sensory and peroneal motor nerves was observed during the long-term follow-up. 4 of 21 patients, with normal clinical, electrophysiological assessment at baseline, developed distal symmetrical axonal polyneuropathy that remained asymptomatic during the long-term follow-up. Patients with pre-existing PN (9 of 30) showed a mild worsening of electrophysiological features during the period of observation. In none PN was cause of discontinuation of LCIG therapy. No incident cases of acute-subacute PN were documented. No correlation was found with age, sex, Levodopa dosage, duration of levodopa exposure, and homocysteine plasma levels.

CONCLUSION

In this consecutive series of 30 patients with PD on LCIG infusion, with early and continuous vitamins B integration, we observed a low rate (19%) of new onset peripheral polyneuropathy that remained stable after long-term follow-up. Larger studies, controlled, with blinded evaluation, are needed to confirm these findings.

Excitation-emission Fourier-transform spectroscopy based on a birefringent interferometer

The correlation of molecular excitation and emission events provides a powerful multidimensional spectroscopy tool, by relating transitions from electronic ground and excited states through two-dimensional excitation-emission maps. Here we present a compact, fast and versatile Fourier-transform spectrometer, combining absorption and excitation-emission fluorescence spectroscopy in the visible. We generate phase-locked excitation pulse pairs via an inherently stable birefringent wedge-based common-path interferometer, retaining all the advantages of Fourier-transform spectroscopy but avoiding active stabilization or auxiliary tracking beams. We employ both coherent and incoherent excitation sources on dye molecules in solution, with data acquisition times in the range of seconds and minutes, respectively.

Broadband stimulated Raman scattering spectroscopy by a photonic time stretcher

Stimulated Raman scattering spectroscopy is a powerful technique for label-free molecular identification, but its broadband implementation is technically challenging. We introduce and experimentally demonstrate a novel approach based on photonic time stretch. The broadband femtosecond Stokes pulse, after interacting with the sample, is stretched by a telecom fiber to ≈15ns, mapping its spectrum in time. The signal is sampled through a fast analog-to-digital converter, providing single-shot spectra at 80-kHz rate. We demonstrate ≈10^-5 sensitivity over ≈500cm^-1 in the C-H region. Our results pave the way to high-speed broadband vibrational imaging for materials science and biophotonics.

Scanning Fourier transform spectrometer in the visible range based on birefringent wedges

We introduce a spectrometer capable of measuring sample absorption spectra in the visible regime, based on a time-domain scanning Fourier transform (FT) approach. While infrared FT spectrometers typically employ a Michelson interferometer to create the two delayed light replicas, the proposed apparatus exploits a compact common-mode passive interferometer that relies on the use of birefringent wedges. This ensures excellent path-length stability (∼λ/300) and accuracy, with no need for active feedback or beam tracking. We demonstrate the robustness of the technique measuring the transmission spectrum of a colored bandpass filter over one octave of bandwidth and compare the results with those obtained with a commercial spectrophotometer.

Broadband pump-probe spectroscopy at 20-MHz modulation frequency

We introduce an innovative high-sensitivity broadband pump-probe spectroscopy system, based on Fourier-transform detection, operating at 20-MHz modulation frequency. A common-mode interferometer employing birefringent wedges creates two phase-locked delayed replicas of the broadband probe pulse, interfering at a single photodetector. A single-channel lock-in amplifier demodulates the interferogram, whose Fourier transform provides the differential transmission spectrum. Our approach combines broad spectral coverage with high sensitivity, due to high-frequency modulation and detection. We demonstrate its performances by measuring two-dimensional differential transmission maps of a carbon nanotubes sample, simultaneously acquiring the signal over the entire 950-1350 nm range with 2.7·10^-6  rms noise over 1.5 s integration time.

Cyfra 21-1 - a new tumor-marker for lung-cancer

Among 20 known cytokeratins, cytokeratin fragment 19 is a 40 kD acidic molecule whose distibution is restricted to simple or pseudo-stratified epitelia, such as the epithelial layer of the bronchial tree. An immunoradiometric assay, CYFRA 21-1, was used to detect a fragment of cytokeratin 19 in the serum of 90 subjects and compared with serum levels of CEA, NSE and TPA. Sixty-seven consecutive patients with lung cancer and 23 healthy subjects were tested. Cut-off values for tumor markers were considered as the 95% of specificity versus controls. There were 32 adenocarcinomas, 29 squamous carcinomas and 6 other tumors. Increased serum levels of CYFRA 21-1 were found in lung cancer patients compared to controls [1.6 (0.2-3.2) versus 0.5 (0.2-1.8): p<0.001]. In our study TPA was more sensitive than CYFRA 21-1: 49% versus 40%; when we combined both markers the sensitivity increased to 63%. Significant difference in values were found before and after surgery in serum levels of 34 operated patients: p<0.01. We found higher levels of soluble cytokeratin 19 in lung cancer patients and in the adenocarcinoma subgroup. This study does not support the exclusive use of soluble cytokeratin 19 as a specific marker of lung cancer and not only in squamous carcinoma subgroup. This suggested that diagnostic and prognostic sensitivity increase when CYFRA 21-1 and TPA or other markers are combined.

Prognosis of resected well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung

Among lung tumors, well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas are often misdiagnosed or may go unrecognized. Nineteen cases of well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (WDNC) were assessed at the National Cancer Institute of Milan over a ten-year period. There was only one woman and the age range was 50 to 77 years. Most of the patients were smokers (83 percent). All tumors were radically resected. There were 12 lobectomies, two sleeve-lobectomies, three bilobectomies, one pneumonectomy, and two segmentectomies (one patient had two synchronous WDNCs). There was neither operative mortality nor major complications. Sixteen tumors were stage 1, three were stage II, and one was stage IIIa. Five patients had adjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine [CAV] regimen). One patient was given local or regional radiotherapy. In ten patients the tumors recurred, even though four had had adjuvant treatment. The brain was the first site of metastasis in seven cases. The pathologic stage seemed not to be closely related to the appearance of metastases (six patients with stage I disease had recurrences). Only two patients with recurrence were still alive 12 and 103 months after the procedure. The percentage of survival for patients with stage I disease after more than 100 months was 68 percent. WDNC is similar to small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) with regard to the neurotropism of metastases. Surgery is curative for more than one half of the patients with localized disease. Therefore, multimodal therapy, probably based on tumor behavior and investigations of tumor markers, is advisable.

Interventional radiology with venous port (chemotherapy and infusional support)

A completely portable permanent central venous access, consisting of a steel capsule sealed with a silicone membrane and connected to a silicone catheter (Port-a-Cath), was implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of 36 patients, most of whom no longer had accessible peripheral veins and needed to continue chemotherapy or undergo total parenteral nutrition. The access vessel was mostly the subclavian vein and the capsule was sutured to the pectoral fascia. Total subcutaneous implantation seems to afford optimum safety from infection and freedom for personal hygiene, produced no noteworthy complications and proved relatively simple to maintain.

A Fifteen Years’ Experience in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Benign Lung Tumors

Even the most sophisticated examinations, such as computerized tomography and percutaneous fine needle biopsy, often do not allow a certain preoperative diagnosis of benign lung cancer. The clinical history may also be deceiving: a smoker over 35 years of age need not necessarily have a primary lung cancer, but this event is frequent enough to justify a diagnostic thoracotomy. In our series, chest tomography proved to be useful and sometimes revealed unsuspected lesions. In contrast, bronchoscopy is useful only for centrally located lesions, and the same is true for bronchial washing and brushing. Finally, thoracotomy, possibly an axillary one with enucleation or possibly transegmentary resection, is the most frequent operation in benign lung tumors, because of the unfailing diagnosis and for the minimal functional damage to the patient. A diagnostic thoracotomy may also avoid the psychologic stress suffered by a patient with a simple but undiagnosed benign lung tumor.

Prognostic Evaluation of Estrogen Receptors and Urinary Androgens in Ovariectomy for Advanced Breast Cancer

Eighty patients with advanced breast cancer were characterized by estrogen receptor (ER) status and by urine androgen (A) metabolites. After ovariectomy, patients with positive hormonal parameters were treated with hormonal therapy and patients with negative parameters were treated with chemotherapy. The results of the follow-up confirm that the survival is higher in patients with positive hormonal parameters (ER +, A+). In this group, the patients with increased urine androgen excretion (i.e. A+) apparently had a better long-term survival than ER + cases.

Long-Term Response to Ovariectomy in 35 Premenopausal Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer, Treated in Coherence with Hormonal Tests

Thirty-five premenopausal patients with metastasized or locally advanced breast cancer underwent ovariectomy. At relapse, after surgery, they were treated with hormone therapy or chemotherapy, according to hormonal tests carried out before the castration. Five-year survival, computed with the actuarial method, confirmed the better prognosis of the hormone-dependent patients and also an improved prognosis in the patients treated with hormone therapy after ovariectomy. Furthermore, chemotherapy proved more efficacious: an increased survival was observed in the non-hormone-dependent patients.

Oophorectomy in Advanced Breast Cancer: Clinical Radiologic Correlations

The radiograms of the chest and skeleton of 49 patients with advanced breast cancer treated with bilateral ovariectomy were reviewed. The modifications in the secondary localizations and/or their appearance after castration were compared with the findings of the clinical examination. Appearance or progression of intrathoracic lesions, like the appearance or progression of osteolytic lesions, corresponded to a progression of the disease in other sites. Osteoblastic evolution of osteolytic lesions and the appearance of osteoblastic lesions in bones undamaged before ovariectomy were signs of a favorable response to therapy. The response of chest and bone metastases is usually rather early, and the first radiographic survey should be performed about 3 months after ovariectomy.

Gastro-duodenal Lipoma

A case of a 74 years old woman, with a gastro-duodenal lipoma, is presented. This is the first case observed at the National Cancer Institute of Milan, out of 49 benign tumors of the stomach observed from 1928 to 1967.

Primary Plasmocytoma of the Breast

A case of solitary extramedullary plasmocytoma of the breast is described. The tumor, observed in a 79-year old woman, measured about 15 × 15 cm, and showed the clinical aspect of mammary sarcoma. This is the third case of mammary plasmocytoma in the literature.

Plasma Cell Mastitis

Nine cases of plasma cell mastitis in women aged from 27 to 60 years are described. In 4 cases a clinical diagnosis of carcinoma of the breast was made and only the histologic picture allowed the exact diagnosis.

Primary Hodgkin's Disease of the Thyroid

A case of primary Hodgkin's disease of the thyroid gland in a woman 25 years old is described. The patient died 5 years later for generalization of the disease. Moreover in the last year she developed a reticulum cell sarcoma of the breast. In the rare cases of Hodgkin's disease of the thyroid a total thyroidectomy with postoperative radiation therapy of the contiguous regions with doses not less than 3000 r should be indicated.