Bone marrow in polycythemia vera, chronic myelocytic leukemia, and myelofibrosis has an increased vascularity.

Several studies have emphasized the significance of neoangiogenesis for tumor growth and progression, but few have focused on malignant hematological disorders. We studied vascular density and architecture in bone marrow samples of patients with chronic myeloproliferative disease (MPD). Vascular structures were immunostained (for von Willebrand factor/FVIII-RAG, CD 31/PECAM or Ulex europeus I for vessels and for vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) in samples from patients with polycythemia vera (PV) (n = 7), chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) (n = 9), and myelofibrosis (MF) (n = 6) when diagnosed and were compared with normal bone marrow specimens (n = 9).

Aspects of percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma.

Background: Morphologic verification of malignancy is usually a prerequisite before initiating nonsurgical therapy for pancreatic carcinoma. Fine-needle biopsy has been widely used, but the method has also been criticized because of inadequate sampling material and the risk of intra-abdominal seeding.

Methods: Cytologic material from 334 patients with suspected pancreatic malignancy was evaluated with regard to the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of the technique.

Prognostic significance of Ki-67 antigen and p53 protein expression in pancreatic duct carcinoma: a study of the monoclonal antibodies MIB-1 and DO-7 in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour material.

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material from 57 patients in whom curative resection of pancreatic carcinoma had been attempted was analysed by an immunohistochemical procedure to estimate proliferation and p53 protein expression. Using the monoclonal antibody (MAb) MIB-1, which recognizes a Ki-67 epitope, the proliferating cell index (PCI, percentage of immunoreactive tumour nuclei) and proliferating cell area (PCA, percentage of immunoreactive tumour nuclear area) were calculated using an interactive image analysis system and were compared with semiquantitative scoring of stainability. MAb DO-7, which recognizes both wild- and mutant-type p53 protein, was used to assess p53 expression in the same material.

Combined use of nuclear morphometry and DNA ploidy as prognostic indicators in nonresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

The introduction of combined modality treatment has only marginally affected the prognosis in nonresectable pancreatic carcinoma. Evaluation of easily accessible prognostic variables could be of clinical importance when selecting patients for proper therapy. DNA ploidy and morphometric variables were chosen as prognostic markers and assessed on cytologic material obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) from 128 patients with pancreatic carcinoma.

Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in pancreatic carcinoma.

The nuclear DNA content was assessed by image cytometry on cytologic specimens obtained with fine-needle aspiration biopsy in 96 patients with pancreatic duct carcinoma. Twenty-two of these patients had pancreaticoduodenal resection. According to DNA analysis there were 27 (28%) diploid, 17 (18%) tetraploid, and 52 (54%) aneuploid tumors.

Morphometric characteristics in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and chronic pancreatitis.

Background: Morphometric analysis whereby size and form of cellular nuclei are transformed into quantities has previously been shown to be a valuable adjunct to the histopathologic differential diagnosis between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic carcinoma. The present study aims to assess the clinical value of morphometry performed on cytologic material from benign and malignant pancreatic lesions.

Methods: Cytologic specimens from 100 patients with the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma and 15 patients with chronic pancreatitis were evaluated by interactive morphometry using a digital image analyzer system.

Immunocytochemical reactivity of breast cancer tissue with antibodies to neuron-specific enolase and an adenocarcinoma-associated glycolipid antigen.

The immunocytochemical reactivity of breast cancers to antibodies raised against neuron-specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and an adenocarcinoma-associated glycolipid antigen (IR-14) was studied in relation to the long-term outcome of the neoplastic disease. The patients whose tumours exhibited reactivity with the IR-14 and anti-NSE antibodies had a considerably better 5-year and long-term survival than those without such reactivity. Assessment of DNA-ploidy of the tumour cells was also relevant for long-term prognosis, immunohistochemistry giving additional prognostic information among aneuploid tumours.

Quantitation of estrogen receptor in seventy-five specimens of breast cancer: comparison between an immunoassay (Abbott ER-EIA monoclonal) and a [3H]estradiol binding assay based on isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel.

Quantitation of estrogen receptor has been performed in cytosol prepared from 75 specimens of breast cancer tissue from patients who had not received hormonal therapy. The study was performed in order to compare an immunoassay (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL) with our currently used method for estrogen receptor analysis based on isoelectric focusing of [3H]estradiol-receptor complex in polyacrylamide gels. Using linear regression analysis, a regression coefficient (slope) of 1.

The value of diaphanography as an adjunct to mammography in breast diagnostics.

Histologically classified carcinoma and benign breast disorder was present in 100 respectively 163 cases of symptomatic women. The results of diaphanography were correlated with those obtained by clinical examination, mammography and histology. A false negative diagnosis was made in 17 cases (15.

Oral condition of patients with leukemia and severe aplastic anemia. Follow-up 1 year after bone marrow transplantation.

Twenty patients with leukemia and seven patients with severe aplastic anemia who had been treated with bone marrow transplantation were investigated 1 year after transplantation to assess their oral condition. Ten patients had mild clinical chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and three patients had moderate or severe GVHD. Histopathologic changes in the oral mucosa or the minor salivary glands were observed in nineteen patients.

Diaphanography in benign breast disorders. Correlation with clinical examination, mammography, cytology and histology.

Histologically classified benign breast disorder was present in 163 breast of 158 symptomatic women. The results of diaphanography (DPG) were correlated with those obtained by clinical examination (CE), mammography (M) and cytology (C). A tumour was palpable in 108 cases (66.

Diaphanography in breast carcinoma. Correlation with clinical examination, mammography, cytology and histology.

Histologically classified carcinoma was present in 110 breasts of 108 symptomatic women. The results of diaphanography (DPG) were correlated with those obtained by clinical examination (CE), mammography (M) and cytology (C). A tumour was palpable in 87 cases (79.

Metabolism of estrone sulfate in human endometrium.

The metabolism of [3H] estrone sulfate was studied in endometrial tissue obtained from postmenopausal women with atrophic endometrium (I), benign endometrial proliferative changes (II) and endometrial carcinoma (III) and in perimenopausal women with proliferative (IV) and secretory (V) endometrium. Total hydrolysis (i.e.

The first infant to survive a generalized BCG infection.

A 17-month-old boy who contracted a severe generalized BCG infection is reported. He was treated for 2 years with streptomycin, isoniazide and rifampicin and is now, at the age of 5 years, apparently cured. The boy had an unexplained discrepancy between humoral and cellular PPD reactivity for several years, but conventional immunological studies including plasma immunoglobulin levels, blast transformation as well as MLC reactivity were all normal.

Respiratory distress syndrome--a result of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) or of fluid overload.

In 14 patients with the respiratory distress syndrome it was demonstrated that this condition was caused by the administration of excessive volumes of fluid. In none of six patients examined post-mortem were any signs of thrombi or emboli observed in pulmonary vessels. Caution with the initial supply of fluids following major trauma and major surgery is recommended.

Precancerous lesions in the mucosa in ulcerative colitis. A radiographic, endoscopic, and histopathologic study.

A series of 150 patients with ulcerative colitis, 100 of which had had the disease more than 10 years, underwent colonoscopy on at least one occasion. 4700 biopsies of the mucosa of the gut were taken and examined histopathologically. 148 of the colonoscopies were performed within 12 months of the radiographic examination of the colon.

Colonoscopic biopsies and cytological examination in chronic ulcerative colitis.

Both multiple colonoscopic biopsies and brushing specimens for detection of any premalignant epithelial lesion were taken in 50 patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis. In 25 of the cases centrifuge sediment of enema return before the endoscopy was examined cytologically. The three methods were compared with respect to yield of colonic epithelium and occurrence of epithelial atypia.

Extent of inflammatory lesions in ulcerative colitis assessed by radiology, colonoscopy, and endoscopic biopsies.

Radiography of the colon with double-contrast technique was performed directly after total colonoscopy with multiple biopsies in 50 patients with ulcerative colitis. In two-thirds of the series the inflammatory lesions were found to be more widespread at colonoscopy than on radiography. Signs of colitis in an even larger part of the bowel were found on examination of the biopsies in half of the cases.

Successful treatment with prednisone and graft-versus-host disease in an allogeneic bone-marrow transplant recipient.

A 51-year-old patient with aplastic anaemia in whom a successful allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation had been performed developed acute graft-versus-host disease in spite of prophylactic administration of methotrexate. There was severe liver injury but no involvement of the skin or intestines. When prednisone therapy was introduced the fever and the eosinophilia disappeared and liver damage was rapidly reversed.

Diminutive colonic polyps--clinical significance and management.

Of 300 diminutive polyps (up to 5 mm) found at colonoscopy, 114 were neoplastic (37 per cent) and thus possible precursors of carcinoma. This suggests that all colonic polyps, regardless of size, should if possible be extirpated or coagulated. As polyps of this small size often escape detection roentgenologically, especially by conventional technique, colonoscopy should be extended to involve the entire colon.

Malignancy of colonic polyps. Diagnosis and management.

The risk of malignant degeneration of colonic polyps has traditionally rested on various roentgenographic criteria such as broad base, irregular surface and size larger than 1 cm. With the aim of facilitating the choice of treatment of colonic polyps, an appraisal is made of the morphology of 200 polyps removed from 154 patients. The results of barium enema and double contrast techniques are compared with those obtained at colonoscopy.

Listeria encephalitis in five renal transplant recipients.

Listeria encephalitis has occurred recently in 5 renal transplant recipients at the Transplantation Unit in Stockholm. Symptoms from the central nervous system, such as coma, hemiparesis and cranial nerve paresis, dominated the clinical picture. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from the blood of all the patients, from the cerebrospinal fluid in two, from the urine in one and post mortem from the brain in one patient.

Angiography and scintigraphy of human pancreatic allografts.

Serial graft angiographies and scintigraphies were obtained in 4 human pancreatic allograft recipients. Important information was obtained both of graft morphology and function. Graft rejection was accompanied by characteristic abnormalities, including arterial irregularities and prolonged contrast medium passage time.