Liposarcoma of the spermatic cord: a case report

A case of spermatic cord liposarcoma is reported. A 66-year-old male visited our hospital with the complaint of right scrotal swelling. Laboratory and radiological examinations were unremarkable. A right high orchiectomy with en bloc resection of pericordal tissue was performed. Histological examination revealed well-differentiated liposarcoma of spermatic cord. There are 19 cases of spermatic cord liposarcoma reported in Japan.     

Spontaneous regression of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after TAE: possible mechanisms of immune mediation

We report findings in a 76-year-old man who underwent a lateral segmentectomy of the liver for hepatocellular carcinoma in July 1996. In July 1997, transarterial embolization (TAE) was performed for recurrent tumors in the remnant liver. Augmentation of the tumors and an increase in protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist (PIVKA)-II level were noted in October 1997, and, although we recommended TAE again, the patient and his family refused further treatment. Subsequently, the patient was only observed, and, except for a small lesion that was probably a scar, no tumors were noted on image examinations in November 1998, and the PIVKA-II level had returned to a normal value at this time. Two years after the regression, the tumors appeared to be in complete spontaneous remission. This patient had no history indicative of ischemic necrosis, and levels of cellular surface markers for natural killer (NK) cells and NK cell activity showed high values, which suggested that tumor immunity was activated by some, unknown, mechanism. Received: May 29, 2000 / Accepted: April 20, 2001     

A case of massive hemoptysis occurring after lung injury due to a torn segment of pleural calcification

A 64-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of little improvement of hemoptysis lasting three days after drug therapy. A chest roentgenogram and fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination performed on the second hospital day when the patient experienced a massive hemoptysis of about 2,000 ml revealed arterial bleeding from the left upper lobe. Even after extensive embolizations of the left upper bronchial, the first, second, third and 4th intercostal arteries, the patient's hemoptysis did not improve. On the 73rd hospital day the patient underwent left upper lobectomy. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations in the resected specimen revealed lung injury due to a torn segment of pleural calcification after tuberculous pleuritis, resulting in the massive hemoptysis. Although physicians encounter many patients complaining of hemoptysis and/or hemosputum, this case is considered to be very rare.     

Multiple gastric cancers in the aged with special reference to intramucosal cancers

A histopathologic study was made on 512 specimens of gastric cancer that were surgically obtained from aged patients (mean age 73 years) in the Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital. Of the 512 cases studied, 408 were gastric cancer of the glandular type (80%) and 104 were of the nonglandular type (20%). There were 75 cases of gastric cancer consisting of multiple independent cancer lesions and 71 of these were histologically diagnosed as multiple (2-5) gastric cancers composed of glandular type only. Of these 71 cases, 21 cases were multiple intramucosal cancers. These 21 cases of multiple intramucosal cancers were compared with 49 cases of single intramucosal cancers of glandular type in terms of the maximum diameter of each lesion and the location within the stomach. The results suggest that, in aged patients, there is a great possibility that collision of multiple cancer lesions may result in a single intramucosal gastric cancer measuring over 3 cm in diameter.     

Age-related increase of focal lymphocytic infiltration in the human submandibular glands

Histopathological studies were made on the submandibular glands, obtained from 207 autopsy cases of patients, ranging in age from 40–98 years who had not had collagen diseases. Focal lymphocytic infiltration of the submandibular glands was more frequently seen in the cases of patients over 70 years (80.3%) than in those of under 70 years (53.8%). Generally, the incidence of foeal lymphocytic infiltration showed a trend to gradual increase with age. Immunohistochemically, a predominance of T cells (60–80%) was found in submandibular lesions with the majority (60–70%) belonging to the Leu 3a (subset (Helper/Inducer) and with less than 20% belonging to the Leu 2a⁺ subset (Cytotoxic/Suppressor). The percentage of Leu 2aH subset was found to increase in the lesion of the periacinar area, and the acinar parenchyma appeared gradually to be damaged by the infiltrating lymphocytes. The findings in the present study suggest that focal lymphocylic infiltration in submandibular glands is a focal sign of immunological disorder, based on the autoimmunity associated with aging.     

Hyalinizing trabecular tumor of the thyroid gland: characteristic features on ultrasonography

We report a case of hyalinizing trabecular tumor of the thyroid gland and describe the characteristic ultrasonographic features of this tumor. This was a rare tumor of follicular cell origin with a trabecular pattern of growth and marked intratrabecular hyalinization. The tumor had an irregular shape, a delicately jagged border, and hypoechoic and heterogeneous internal echoes on B-mode ultrasonography. Very rich intratumoral blood flow, the so-called “tumor inferno” was evident on power Doppler ultrasonography. In the clinical management of thyroid nodules, clinicians should be aware of this peculiar type of thyroid tumor and its characteristic ultrasonographic findings.     

Histopathological differences of experimental aneurysms treated with bare platinum,fibered, and bioactive coils

Purpose: To evaluate the histopathological features of experimental aneurysms embolized with bare platinum, fibered, and bioactive coils.

Material and methods: Twelve experimental aneurysms were constructed in three swine. The aneurysms were divided into four groups and were embolized using a bare platinum coil alone (P group, n?=?2), a bioactive coil alone (B group, n?=?2), a combination of fibered and bare platinum coils (F/P group, n?=?4) and a combination of fibered and bioactive coils (F/B group, n?=?4). Histopathological data for all aneurysms recorded at 63?days were analyzed in terms of neointima formation, fibrosis, foreign-body giant-cell infiltration, and organization.

Results: Fibrosis was significantly greater in group B compared with that in group F/P (p?=?.02). Inflammation with foreign-body giant-cell infiltration was significantly greater in groups F/P and F/B compared with that in groups P and B (p?=?.007).

Conclusion: The present study revealed that the embolic effect of fibered coils was not a thrombus but instead was a foreign-body response in the chronic phase.