Hair-containing lesions within the anal canal.

Hair-containing lesions located in the anal canal are an exceedingly rare clinical entity of which only five cases have been reported previously. We add five more cases, including two with a bundle of hairs rooted inside the anal canal and stemming out through a mucosal opening.

Generalized amyloidosis: a rare complication of cystic fibrosis.

A new case of cystic fibrosis complicated with secondary amyloidosis is reported. We reviewed ten cases described up to now in the literature, emphasizing the rarity of this association. The usefulness of serum trypsin concentration as an index of exocrine pancreatic function and the accuracy and simplicity of the abdominal fat biopsy in the histologic diagnosis of amyloidosis were evaluated.

Enzyme immunoassay of 2'-5'-oligoadenylates at the femtomole level.

We have developed a competition enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for 2'-5'-oligoadenylates [p kappa(A2'p5')nA; 0 less than or equal to kappa less than or equal to 3; 1 less than or equal to n] based on an anti-A2'p5' A monoclonal antibody coated onto 96-well polystyrene plates and A2'p5' A peroxidase as a marker. It permits measurement of 5'OH(A2'p5')nA as such and p kappa(A2'p5')nA after alkaline phosphatase hydrolysis, with a detection threshold of 5 X 10(-12) M. All 2'-5'-oligomers were assayed with similar sensitivity.

Response of colo-rectal hepatic metastases to concomitant radiotherapy and intravenous infusion 5 fluorouracil.

Twenty-three patients with colo-rectal hepatic metastases were retrospectively reviewed after completing treatment with split course liver irradiation and continually infused concomitant intravenous 5-fluorouracil. Although no patient attained a complete response, an objective partial response was documented in 15 (Responders). The Responders had a median survival of 45 weeks whereas Non-responders had a median survival of 17 weeks.

Multimodal therapy for locally advanced breast cancer.

Thirty-one women with stage III breast cancer were prospectively treated with two cycles of cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin), fluorouracil, and tamoxifen citrate followed by a simple mastectomy with level I axillary dissection. Postoperatively, four additional cycles of the combination chemotherapy alternating with three cycles of 1500 rad (15 Gy) to the chest wall and lymphatics were given. Seventy-seven percent of patients had a greater than 50% reduction in tumor size after the initial chemotherapy.

Fine-needle aspiration in the diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy.

The extent of workup in patients with cervical adenopathy has always been controversial. Extensive workup in the absence of a histologic diagnosis indicative of a malignant process is unwarranted. Although open biopsy may be necessary for certain benign conditions, its routine application for metastatic nodes is not advised.

Enhancement of cell-cell contact by a nonmitogenic lectin increases blastogenic response and IL-2 release by mitogen-stimulated mouse thymocytes.

We have examined the influence of peanut agglutinin (PNA), a lectin which agglutinates but does not stimulate mouse thymocytes, on the responsiveness of these cells to concanavalin A (Con A) or galactose oxidase stimulation. Binding low amounts of PNA on unseparated mouse thymocytes pretreated with neuraminidase highly enhances the mitogenic response and the level of interleukin 2 release in the culture medium upon Con A stimulation. We have shown that PNA present on the cell surface acts as a crosslinking agent which favors intercellular binding between accessory cells (macrophages) and thymocytes, leading through this enhanced cooperation by cell-cell contact to an enhanced blastogenic response.

Time dependency and reversibility of the effects of exclusive cyproterone acetate therapy on pituitary adrenal function in hirsute women.

The effects of cyproterone acetate (CA) administration on the pituitary-adrenal axis were studied in 30 hirsute females. The patients were treated continuously with a daily dose of 100 mg of CA for a maximal period of 12 months. Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and ACTH infusion were performed on pre-treatment conditions and after 1, 4, 6 and 12 months of CA treatment.

Heterogeneity of human B lymphocytes as revealed by monoclonal antibodies.

Two monoclonal antibodies directed at determinants on human B lymphocytes were produced and characterized by indirect immunofluorescence. The antibodies, BL13 and BL14, were found to be specific for B cells, since they did not react on red cells, platelets, granulocytes, monocytes or T lymphocytes. BL14-associated antigen was present on most of the circulating and tissular B cells, whereas that detected by BL13 was mainly restricted to a subpopulation preferentially homed in germinal centers of secondary follicles of lymph nodes and tonsils, which did not circulate under normal conditions and disappeared once B cells were activated by mitogens.

Carcinoma of the breast with pseudosarcomatous metaplasia.

Twenty-six cases of breast carcinoma demonstrating pseudosarcomatous metaplasia are described, and their clinical and pathologic aspects are correlated. The metaplastic elements include mature and immature bone, cartilage, myxoid stroma, loose fibromyxoid and dense spindle-cell stroma, and anaplastic stroma with giant cell features. Light and electron microscopic examination demonstrated an orderly sequence of transformation and dedifferentiation of epithelial cells to become undifferentiated mesenchymal cells.