Resected case of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with lupoid hepatitis

A 65 year old woman with lupoid hepatitis developed hepatocellular carcinoma which was diagnosed at an early stage. She had no history of blood transfusion and serum hepatitis B virus markers were negative. Prednisolone and 6-mercaptopurine were administered for the treatment of lupoid hepatitis. A hepatocellular carcinoma was detected by the elevation of serum alpha-fetoprotein and imaging studies. A tumour, 1.4 cm in diameter, was located in the lateral segment of the left hepatic lobe. It was resected by hepatic subsegmentectomy. Histological study showed a hepatocellular carcinoma of Edmondson type II against a background of posthepatitic cirrhosis. The patient was in good condition 2.5 years after the operation.     

Ganglion cells in Ewing's sarcoma following chemotherapy: A case report

A case of Ewing's sarcoma of the bone, arising in the right radius of a 12-year-old girl, which showed unique histologic features after pre-operative treatment, is reported. The light microscopic features of a biopsy sample were those of a small round cell tumor showing positive immunoreaction with antibodies against the product of the MIC 2 gene (O13), neuron-specific enolase, neurofilament, and synaptophysin, but no morphological differentiation. The patient received combined intensive multi drug chemotherapy and radiation before surgery. Examination of the surgical specimen showed that the tumor was less cellular than that in the biopsy specimen, and was composed mainly of loosely textured large cells mimicking ganglion cells, occasionally forming Homer-Wright rosettes. An lmmunohistochemical study revealed that neural differentiation was enhanced. Immunoreactivity for Leu-7 also became positive. Although the patient underwent postoperative chemotherapy, she died of multiple lung and bone metastases 30 months alter the diagnosis. Autopsy showed that metastatic foci were made up of densely packed small round cells like those seen In the biopsy samples, but associated with prominent Homer-Wright rosettes. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a tumor being replaced almost entirely by ganglion cells after preoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy.     

A RANDOMIZED COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE BANDLOOP VERSUS THE STANDARD LOOP FOR TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE

PURPOSE: The Bandloop is a new electroresection loop that is broader than the standard loop and thickens from front to back. We compared the safety and efficacy of the Bandloop to the conventional loop electrode for transurethral prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized prospective study was performed on 53 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms and estimated prostatic volume greater than 30 ml. on transrectal ultrasonography. The Bandloop was used in 25 cases (Bandloop group) and standard loop was used in 28 (standard group). Surgical outcomes, including International Prostate Symptom Score, resected prostatic weight, operative time, uroflowmetry, post-void residual urine, postoperative catheterization period, time to disappearance of macrohematuria, and serial changes of hemoglobin and urinalysis, between the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 23 Bandloop and 28 standard loop cases were evaluable. There was no difference in preoperative estimated prostatic volume (mean 44.7 versus 47.8 ml.), resected prostatic weight (36.5 versus 29.4 gm.) or operative time (61 versus 60 minutes) between the 2 groups. The ratio of resected weight-to-estimated prostatic volume was significantly greater in the standard group (81.4% versus 61.9%). There was no difference in postoperative catheterization period (3.3 versus 3.4 days) or time to disappearance of macroscopic hematuria (5.0 versus 5.0 days). Postoperative changes in symptom score (-15.1 versus -15.9), maximum flow rate (11.8 versus 16.3 ml. per second at 12 weeks) and residual volume (-31.6 versus -48.6 ml. at 12 weeks) demonstrated no significant difference between the 2 groups. There was no difference in intraoperative and postoperative bleeding estimated by serial changes in serum hemoglobin and urinalysis after surgery. No patient had major complications or required transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Transurethral prostatectomy using the Bandloop is as safe and effective in achieving subjective and objective improvements as standard transurethral prostatectomy. However, our randomized study indicates that the Bandloop offers no advantage compared to the standard loop electrode for transurethral prostatectomy.     

Role of megalin, a proximal tubular endocytic receptor, in the pathogenesis of diabetic and metabolic syndrome-related nephropathies: protein metabolic overload hypothesis

SUMMARY:   Megalin is an endocytic receptor on the apical membranes of proximal tubule cells (PTC) in the kidney, and is involved in the reabsorption and metabolism of various proteins that have been filtered by glomeruli. Patients with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, or metabolic syndrome are likely to have elevated serum levels of advanced glycation end products, liver-type fatty acid binding protein, angiotensin II, insulin and leptin, and renal metabolism of these proteins is potentially overloaded. Some of these proteins are themselves nephrotoxic, while others are carriers of nephrotoxic molecules. Megalin is involved in the proximal tubular uptake of these proteins. We hypothesize that megalin-mediated metabolic overload in PTC leads to compensatory cellular hypertrophy and sustained Na⁺ reabsorption, causing systemic hypertension and glomerular hyperfiltration via tubuloglomerular feedback, and named this as 'protein metabolic overload hypothesis'. Impaired metabolism of bioactive proteins such as angiotensin II and insulin in PTC may enhance hypertrophy of PTC and/or Na⁺ reabsorption. Sleep apnoea syndrome, a frequent complication of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, may cause renal hypoxia and result in relative overload of protein metabolism in the kidneys. The development of strategies to identify patients with diabetes or metabolic syndrome who are at high risk for renal metabolic overload would allow intensive treatment of these patients in an effort to prevent the development of nephropathy. Further studies on the intracellular molecular signalling associated with megalin-mediated metabolic pathways may lead to the development of novel strategies for the treatment of nephropathies related to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.     

Distribution of enzymes of nucleic acid metabolism in cow snout epidermis

Certain enzymes participating in the degradation of DNA have been measured in cow snout epidermis, liver, kidney and intestinal epithelium. High activities were found in epidermis compared to other tissues. The enzyme profile of the epidermis was investigated in relation to depth. Those enzymes directly concerned with DNA degradation occurred mainly in the upper (keratinizing) layer.     

Macrofollicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma

A rare case of a macrofollicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma occurring in an 18-years-old male is described. The extirpated tumor, 5.5 × 5.5 × 3.5 cm In size, was well demarcated and multinodular, and histopathologically showed a predominantly macrofolllcular structure reminiscent of adenomatous goiter or macrofollicular adenoma. In the tumor tissue, however, there were several small foci of microfollicular or paplllary structure with the nuclei charae teristic of papillary carcinoma. Parts of the macrofollicular areas also showed similar nuclear characteristics with a transition to microfollicular or papillary areas. Incomplete capsular invasion and minimal vascular invasion were also present. Additional resected specimens contained small metastatic nodules in the residual left lobe and lymph nodes. Immunohistochemistry showed a small number of p53-positive tumor cells in the microfollicular or papillary areas. It is suggested that this tumor is a well-differentiated variant which should be distinguished from benign thyroid lesions, although there have been some cases of metastases which appear related to capsular and/or vascular invasion.