Endoscopic and surgical therapy of malignant colorectal polyps

87 malignant colorectal polyps were removed in 81 patients by endoscopic polypectomy from 1972 until 1987. Thereafter 34 of these patients had a surgical resection of the colon. Surgical resection was performed for incomplete excision of the polyp (20 x), for tumor invasion of the lymphics in the polyp stalk and for moderately/poor differentiated carcinoma. In 6 patients a residual carcinoma was detected in the removed colon specimen, but lymph-node metastasis only in one with moderate-differentiated carcinoma. Our results demonstrate that colorectal polyps with invasive well-differentiated carcinoma and tumor free base do not need a surgical resection. Patients of the high-risk-group (moderately/poor-differentiated carcinoma, invasion of blood vessels and lymphatics, incomplete excision), should be referred to further surgical resection. With regard to the low rate of metastatic spread even in patients with high-risk-polyps accurate differentiation seems to be necessary. In 19 out of 52 (36.5%) patients endoscopic control examinations after surgical or endoscopic resection revealed recurrent pathological findings. On the base of the presented data we conclude that there is a need for short-term endoscopic controls over a period of five years.     

Ringversuch zum Nachweis genomischer Veränderungen bei Non-Hodgkin-Lymphomen mittels In-situ-Hybridisierung

Background

The detection of characteristic genomic aberrations by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has a high diagnostic impact on lymphomas according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To investigate the reproducibility of non-isotopic ISH results a multicenter trial was carried out involving eight institutes for hematopathology.

Material and methods

Analyses were performed on two diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) without known aberrations, on one follicular lymphoma with a IGH/BCL2 translocation and BCL6 split and on two B-cell lymphomas intermediate between DLBCL and Burkitt’s lymphoma with c-MYC and BCL2 rearrangements, one with an additional BCL6 split. Break-apart probes for BCL6 and c-MYC, as well as fusion probes for the c-MYC/IGH and the IGH/BCL2 translocations were used.

Results

All aberrations were correctly detected by all centres and no false positive or false negative results were obtained. The numbers of positive cells varied from 25% to 94%. Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the centres was always >?0.8.

Conclusions

The ISH analysis of recurrent genomic aberrations in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue is a highly reproducible technique which yields substantial additive help for lymphoma diagnostics.     

Influence of Vancomycin Infusion Methods on Endothelial Cell Toxicity

Peripheral intravenous therapy is frequently used in routine hospital practice and, due to various factors, its most common side effect is phlebitis. The infusion of vancomycin is particularly associated with phlebitis despite its widespread use. French guidelines recommend central intravenous infusion for high concentrations of vancomycin, but peripheral intravenous therapy is often preferred in intensive care units. Methods of vancomycin infusion are either intermittent infusion or continuous infusion. A comparison of these methods under in vitro conditions simulating clinical use could result in better infusion efficacy. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were therefore challenged with clinical doses of vancomycin over a 24- to 72-h period using these infusion methods. Cell death was measured with the alamarBlue test. Concentration-dependent and time-dependent vancomycin toxicity on HUVECs was noted with a 50% lethal dose at 5 mg/ml after 24 h, reaching 2.5 mg/ml after 72 h of infusion, simulating long-term infusion. This toxicity does not seem to be induced by acidic pH. In comparing infusion methods, we observed that continuous infusion induced greater cell toxicity than intermittent infusion at doses higher than 1 g/day. The increasing use of vancomycin means that new guidelines are required to avoid phlebitis. If peripheral intravenous therapy is used to reduce infusion time, along with intermittent infusion, vein irritation and localized phlebitis may be reduced. Further studies have to be carried out to explore the causes of vancomycin endothelial toxicity.     

Granulomatous lipophagic panniculitis and temporal arteritis in a patient with cryptogenic chronic active hepatitis.

An elderly woman receiving long term treatment with prednisone and azathioprine for cryptogenic chronic active hepatitis developed granulomatous lipophagic panniculitis and temporal arteritis. The lymphoplasmahistiocytic inflammatory reaction pattern is common to this patient's three diseases. It is suggested that an aberration of the defence mechanisms, immunological or otherwise, is responsible for this unusual occurrence. The triple association of chronic active hepatitis, granulomatous panniculitis and temporal arteritis has not been reported previously.