Glucose intolerance and adenomas of the sigmoid colon in Japanese men (Japan)

Objectives: The purpose was to investigate the relation between glucose tolerance and risk of sigmoid colon adenomas, a well-established precancerous lesion, in Japanese men.Methods: In the consecutive series of 7,637 men aged 48 to 59 years who received a preretirement health examination at four hospitals of the Self Defense Forces (SDF) in Japan from 1986 to 1994, we identified 821 cases of sigmoid colon adenomas and 4,372 controls with normal sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy at 60 cm or more from the anus. Glucose tolerance status was classified as normal, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), newly diagnosed non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or diabetes mellitus under treatment, based ona75g oral glucose tolerance test and medical history. Statistical adjustment was made for body mass index (wt/ht2), cigarette smoking, alcohol use, rank of the SDF, and hospital.Results: Modest increases in adenoma risk were observed for newly diagnosed NIDDM and diabetes mellitus under treatment while there was no association between IGT and adenoma risk. When small (< 5 mm in diameter) and large (5+ mm) adenomas were analyzed separately, increased risk associated with newly diagnosed NIDDM was more pronounced for small adenomas, and diabetes mellitus under treatment showed a slightly stronger association with large adenomas.Conclusions: The findings suggest that NIDDM is associated with modestly increased risk of sigmoid colon adenomas, and add to evidence that hyperinsulinemia increases colon cancer risk.     

Food intake and food consumption patterns of hospital workers in the dominican republic

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death according to official mortality statistics in the Dominican Republic. The purpose of this study was to assess food intake and food consumption patterns of Dominicans and to discuss CHD risks related to nutrient intake. The subjects were 22 men and 81 women voluntarily recruited among 230 hospital workers in Santo Domingo. The mean nutrient intake and food consumption were estimated from a single 24-hour recall method administered by trained persons who elicited each subject’s previous day’s intake from midnight to midnight. The mean energy intake was 2030 kcal. The mean intake of total protein, total fat and carbohydrates were 66.3g, 89.1 g and 248g, respectively. Percentage of energy from total fat was 39.5%, which was higher than WHO recommendations. But, the percentage of animal fat per total fat was 46.8%. Especially, the value in the low income group was 31.7%. Moreover, we analyzed the food consumption structure in order to understand the Dominican dietary pattern, and three factors were found to explain the characteristics on the basis of factor analysis. The low percentage of animal fat was due to the diets rich in vegetable oil. Our results suggested that it was difficult to assume that CHD risks increased as a result of the Dominican dietary pattern. This was consistent with our previous findings that the average serum cholesterol level of Dominicans was generally low.     

Lifestyle and colorectal cancer: A case-control study

A case-control study has been conducted to investigate the relationship between lifestyle and risk of colorectal cancer. Cases are one hundred patients diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer in Tokai University Hospital between 1986 and 1994. Three controls per case were individually matched by age, sex, local areas and date of health checkups at the Automated Multi-phasic Health Testing and Services (AMHTS ) Center of the hospital. The results were analyzed by multi-factorial logistic regression models. Positive history of maternal cancer, large consumption of alcohol, frequent consumption of potato products and white-collar job were predominant risk factors while frequent intake of seaweed was a protective factor. Frequent intakes of dairy foods and lack of exercise showed no significant tendency to increase risk of colorectal cancer. Smoking habits, intakes of meat and egg were shown not to be related to this disease. These findings suggest that family history of cancer and dietary factors play a key role in causation and prevention of colorectal cancer.     

IMMUNOELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY ON THE CROSS-REACTIVITY OF ANTIBODIES TO ADULT T-CELL LEUKEMIA-ASSOCIATED ANTIGENS IN HUMAN and MONKEY SERA

The cross-reactivity of antibodies to adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)-associated antigens (ATLA) in human and monkey sera was investigated by indirect immunoperoxidase and immunoferritin methods using a human cell line (MT-2) carrying a type C virus (HTLV), two monkey cell lines (Si-1 and Si-3) carrying HTLV, and a monkey cell line (Si-2) carrying a type C virus isolated from an anti-ATLA-positive monkey. Anti-ATLA-positive but not-negative human and monkey sera gave positive immunoperoxidase reaction with all four virus-positive cell lines when studied by light microscopy. Electron microscopic findings revealed ferritin or peroxidase labeling of virus particles and plasma membranes of these four cell lines with antibody-positive but not-negative human and monkey sera. These results clearly indicate the cross-reactivity of anti-ATLA antibodies in human and monkey sera at light and electron microscopic levels, and the presence of antigenic determinants common to the surface of type C virus particles of human and monkey origin. ACTA PATHOL. JPN. 35: 863–870, 1985     

A microscopic adenocarcinoma of the stomach with pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy in a 17-year-old male

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM), characterized by widespread fibrocellular intimal proliferation of the small pulmonary arteries and arterioles in patients with metastatic carcinomas, has been reported in only few cases. In childhood, gastrointestinal tumors represent less than 5% of pediatric neoplasms, and carcinomas within this subgroup have been very rarely described, in particular those arising in the stomach. We report on a case of a microscopic gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma identified by serial step sections through the entire stomach at autopsy. The patient was a 17-year-old high school student with severe dyspnea and marked pulmonary hypertension due to PTTM. Although the combination of PTTM with gastric cancer is very rare in childhood, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension and progressive respiratory failure, as indicated by a review of previously reported cases.     

The 5D4 antibody (anti-cyclin D1/D2) related antigen: Cytoplasmic staining is correlated to the progression of gastric cancer

In order to clarify the relationship between cyclin D1 and 02 (CD1/CD2) overexpression and progression, 191 gastric cancer cases (81 early and 110 advanced cancers) were investigated using the 504 monoclonal antibody for both CD1/CD2 in immunohistochemistry. 5D4 immunoreactlvity was noted in 68 (35.6%) cases, staining being restricted to the nucleus In 27 (14.1%) cases, the cytoplasm in 34 (17.8%) cases, and its presence in both the nucleus and cytoplasm in seven (3.7%). Cases demonstrating cytoplasmic positiv-ity, including both positive cases, were significantly more frequent in advanced cancers (P = 0.010), those having lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.004) and cases showing cancer invasion of vessels (P = 0.00S), although no relatlon to histological malignant grading was apparent. In contrast, cases of nuclear positivity behaved no differently from 5D4-negative cases. Statistics showed a trend where survival in patients was worse in the cytoplasm-positive cases than the cytoplasm-negative group. However, multivariate analysis revealed no Independent statlstical significance in the cytoplasmic positivity of prognosis. Additional studies using DCS-6 antlbody for CD1 and 617 antibody for CD2, suggest that nuclear staining of 5D4 indicates the presence of CD1 but cytoplasmic staining is derived from an antigen that is related to CD2. In conclusion, the present results indicate that the accumulation of CD2 in the cytoplasm may play some role In the progression of gastric cancers but not prognosis; however, CD1 overexpression is not linked to either.     

IMMUNOBLASTIC LYMPHADENOPATHY-LIKE T-CELL LYMPHOMA WITH MULTIPLE CUTANEOUS AND VISCERAL INVOLVEMENTS

Morphologic and immunological findings found in a patient with immunoblastic lymphadenopathy (IBL)-like T-cell lymphoma (IBL-T) are presented. Though the initial clinical features were suggestive of IBL, multiple cutaneous and visceral tumors appeared later in his course. The cutaneous lesion is considered to be unique, because the neoplastic T cells with suppressor/cytotoxic (S/C) phenotype showed focal epidermotropism, resulting in necrosis and ulceration of the overlying epidermis. An interesting feature in IBL-T is the frequent association of polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, yet the neoplastic T cells show S/C phenotype. Since la-like antigen was expressed on the neoplastic T cells, it is stressed that antigen-presenting and contrasuppressor cells should also be included in the cell populations which have a possibility to be a normal counterpart of IBL-T.     

An unusual case of benign thyroid tumour consisting of epithelial and nonepithelial components

An encapsulated tumour consisting of follicular epithelial cells, fat-laden round cells and spindle cells was found in the right lobe of the thyroid gland of a 66-year-old woman. The follicular epithelial cells had oxyphilic cytoplasm in which numerous mitochondria were densely packed. The fat-laden round cells were indistinguishable from mature fat cells by light microscopy. However, they were immunohistochemically negative for S-100 protein and epithelial markers, and lacked a continuous basement membrane. The spindle cells embedded in the collagenous matrix possessed well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, most of which contained variably sized, non-membrane-bound lipid droplets. Bundles of thin filaments were occasionally observed in the cytoplasm. Some spindle cells were immunoreactive for PCNA and alpha-smooth muscle actin. There was no striking nuclear atypia of the tumour cells and no capsular or vascular invasion by these components. The tumour can be classified as a benign mixed tumour.     

Inhibition by ginsenoside Rg3 of bombesin-enhanced peritoneal metastasis of intestinal adenocarcinomas induced by azoxymethane in Wistar rats

The effects of concomitant use of bombesin and ginsenoside Rg3 on the incidence of peritoneal metastasis of intestinal adenocarcinomas induced by azoxymethane were investigated in male inbred Wistar rats. From the start of the experiment, rats were given weekly s.c. injections of azoxymethane (7.4mg/kg body weight) for 10 weeks and s.c. injection of bombesin (40g/kg body weight) every other day, and from week 20, s.c. injections of ginsenoside Rg3 (2.5 or 5.0mg/kg body weight) every other day until the end of the experiment in week 45. Bombesin significantly increased the incidence of intestinal tumors and cancer metastasis to the peritoneum in week 45. It also significantly increased the labeling index of intestinal cancers. Although administration of a higher dose of ginsenoside Rg3 with bombesin had little or no effect on the enhancement of intestinal carcinogenesis by bombesin, the location, histologic type, depth of involvement, infiltrating growth pattern, labeling and apoptotic indices and tumor vascularity of intestinal cancers, it significantly decreased the incidence of cancer metastasis. These findings indicate that ginsenoside Rg3 inhibits cancer metastasis through activities that do not affect the growth or vascularity of intestinal cancers.     

HEPATIC MICROCIRCULATION OF LIVER CIRRHOSIS STUDIED BY CORROSION CAST/SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE EXAMINATION

Changes of hepatic microcirculations in 22 autopsy cases of liver cirrhosis were analyzed by corrosion cast/scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination. By this method, the site of arterioportal (A-P) communication in liver cirrhosis was clearly demonstrated between proliferated portal venules and arterial capillaries. The communications were observed at the same site as in the normal liver and were not at larger arterial and portal vein branches. The findings indicate that the increase of A-P communication in liver cirrhosis may be called "capillary shunting". On the basis of the findings, it was postulated that the A-P shunt could not assist in the development of portal hypertension by the transmission of high arterial pressure to the portal vein but could only compensate for decreased portal flow and/or elevate the oxygen concentration in the sinusoids to improve the hypoxic state of the liver parenchyma. It was also demonstrated that the arterial capillarization of the interstitial septa in micronodular wide septal cirrhosis was more prominent than that in macronodular thin septal cirrhosis. A grade of portal vein reduction and compensatory arterialization in a fibrous septum have been regarded as an index to estimate the advancement of liver cirrhosis. Therefere, if alcoholic micronodular cirrhosis could change into macronodular, the process should have occurred at least before the establishment of micronodular wide septal cirrhosis.