Argyrophil cell carcinoma (apudoma) of the esophagus

Summary In a series of 79 cases of primary esophageal carcinoma resected at The Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka, there were six tumors with specific histopathologic features valid for the diagnosis of argyrophil cell carcinoma. Of the 6 tumors, 3 were studied electron microscopically and assay for ACTH content was performed on 4 tumors.Clinically, the ages of the 6 patients ranged from 56 to 71 years; two were women and four men. Four of the 6 patients died with widespread tumor recurrences within 9 months of operation.Microscopically, the 6 tumors were composed largely or almost entirely of small, spindle-shaped cells resembling those of oat cell carcinoma of the lung, and were characterized by the arrangement of tumor cells in solid sheets or anastomosing cords, the presence of argyrophil tumor cells, and the deposits of amyloid. Electron microscopically, the three tumors contained neurosecretory-type granules. Using bioassay or radioimmunoassay ACTH activity in the tumor tissues was detected in 3 out of the 4 tumors determined.From the light and electron microscopic characteristics and the assay evidence, it seems reasonable to conclude that the 6 tumors are endocrine polypeptide producing tumors (apudomas) that arise from argyrophil cells normally found among the basal cells of the esophageal mucosa, and that they represent a distinct histopathologic entity clearly distinguishable from other types of esophageal carcinomas.Supported in part by a Grant-in Aid for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare, JapanThe authors are grateful to Prof. H. Imura and Dr. Y. Hirate, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University School of Medicine for their interest and performing the assays for ACTH on the tumor tissues.     

胎儿消化器官发育中的肥大细胞超微结构特点

实验对１０例不同胎龄肥儿消化器官的胎大细胞进行了超微结构观察，发现胎儿发育接近成熟时，其肥大细胞根据颗粒的超微结构可分ＴＣ肥大细胞和Ｔ肥大细胞两型；胎儿发育后期以大细胞有分泌活动呈活化状态；胎儿肥大细胞与成纤维细胞，上皮细胞，血管，神经等密切接触。     

Outcome of surgical treatment for early adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or gastro-esophageal junction

Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, or GEJ, has a poor prognosis. Early lesions [i.e. high grade dysplasia (HGD) or T1-carcinoma] are potentially curable. Local endoscopic therapies are promising treatment options for superficial lesions; however, for deeper lesions, surgical resection is considered to be the treatment of choice. To contribute to therapeutic decision-making, we retrospectively analysed the outcome of transhiatal esophagectomy in 120 patients with pathologically proven HGD (n=13) or T1-adenocarcinoma (n=107) of the distal esophagus or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ). Tumors were subdivided into six different depths of invasion (T1-mucosal m1-m3, T1-submucosal sm1-sm3), and the frequency of lymphatic dissemination and time to locoregional and/or distant recurrence were analysed. Only one of the 79 T1m1-3/sm1 tumors (1%) showed lymph node metastases as compared with 18 out of 41 T1sm2-3 tumors (44%). There was a significant difference in recurrence-free period between T1m1-m3/sm1 versus T1sm2-sm3 tumor patients (P log rank <0.0001), with 5-year recurrence-free percentages of 97% and 57%, respectively. In multivariate analysis including age, gender, tumor differentiation grade, N-stage and depth of invasion, only N-stage was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free period (hazard rate=5.9, 95% CI 1.7–20.7). However, if N-stage was excluded from analysis, only depth of invasion (T1sm2-3 versus T1m1-m3/sm1) was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free period (hazard rate=7.5, 95% CI 2.0–27.7). These data indicate that T1m1-m3/sm1 adenocarcinomas of esophagus or GEJ show a very low risk of lymphatic dissemination and are therefore eligible for local endoscopic therapy. After transhiatal surgical resection, almost half of the patients with T1sm2-sm3 lesions develop recurrent disease within 5 years, and therefore need additional therapy to improve survival.     

大鼠消化道神经激肽A的发育研究

应用免疫细胞化学ＰＡＰ法系统研究了大鼠胚胎１３天至成年食道及胃神经激肽Ａ发生发育过程。结果如下：（１）在食道，直至出生前，即胚胎２１天才于环肌层及粘膜肌层出现阳性膨体纤维，出生后，随幼鼠的生长发育相继在上皮内、纵肌层、肌间丛、粘膜下丛出现神经激肽Ａ免疫反应阳性物，其纤维的密度、粗细和着色也逐渐增加，３０天时已具备成年的分布特征，其发育主要在生后４周；（２）在胃，于胚胎１４天，首先在肌间丛处呈现阳性     

Differential expression of pepsinogen isozymogens in a patient with Barrett esophagus

The pepsinogen A (PGA) isozymogens in the gastric mucosa and Barrett epithelium of a female patient with Barrett esophagus were studied on different occasions during a 3-year period by electrophoretic analysis of in vivo steady-state pepsinogen in biopsies by activity staining in combination with variant specific monoclonal antibodies and of de novo synthesized pepsinogen by autoradiography. In Barrett epithelium only one (Pg3) or two (Pg3 and Pg5) primary PGA gene products were detected, whereas in gastric mucosal biopsies three (Pg3, Pg4 and Pg5) primary gene products were demonstrated on all occasions. These differences strongly suggest differential expression/activation of individual gene numbers in the PGA gene cluster in Barrett esophagus and are in line with the preneoplastic nature of this condition. The mechanism behind this deregulation is currently under investigation by cell biology and molecular genetic techniques.     

胎儿食管肌间神经丛胆碱能神经元的定位定量研究

用引产后死亡的正常胎儿（３２￣４０周，１５个）食管，将其分颈部，胸部上、中、下，腹部食管５部分。对各部位食管肌间神经丛内胆碱能神经元，进行光镜（ｃｈＡＴ、ＡＣｈＥ）和电镜（ＡｃｈＥ）酶组织化学定位、定量观察。结果表明，胆碱能神经元的分布及细胞内酶含量，在食管各部位不同，ＡＣｈＥ在电镜下定位于粗面内质网。这一研究结果，不仅将使食管胆碱能神经支配及其生理功能等基础理论知识，得到进一步阐明、丰富和发展；     

食管胸段前鄰器官的定位研究

本文测量了58具成年尸体食管胸段的长度,用内外相关和自身比例的方法,着重对食管胸段前邻器官的占位及其在胸骨上的投影作了定位研究,并结合临床应用进行了讨论。     

P~(53)andc-myc蛋白在食管癌及癌前病变中的表达意义

目的　探讨P53 及c -myc蛋白在食管癌及癌前病变中的表达及意义。方法　应用免疫组化SP法检测P53 及c -myc在 6 0例食管癌及 33例非典型增生中的表达。 结果　P53 及c -myc蛋白分别在食管癌与非典型增生I～II级中表达有显著差异 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;在食管癌与非典型增生III级表达中无显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论　P53 及c -myc蛋白异常表达 ,可为食管癌和癌前病变界限的划分提供参考依据。     

早期食管癌的病理形态观察及组织发生学探讨

目的探讨早期食管癌的组织发生学.方法对109例早期食管癌及癌周病变进行病理观察.结果其中20例的一点癌(黄豆大小),3例双原发癌,1例小细胞癌.癌周伴有不同程度的鳞状上皮异形增生和不典型增生.结论早期食管具有多样性生长的特点.提示临床医生在胃镜检查应注意多点取材,以防漏诊;以及正确确定手术范围,防止手术残留.     

Esophageal adenocarcinoma after sleeve gastrectomy: actual or potential threat? Italian series and literature review

BackgroundSleeve gastrectomy (SG) leads to esophageal mucosal damage in an elevated percentage of cases, configuring a clinical condition of Barrett’s esophagus (BE) in a proportion as high as 15–18.8%. BE may rarely evolve into esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).ObjectivesTo raise awareness of BE as a precancerous lesion which may progress toward malignancy after this popular bariatric procedure.SettingBariatric referral centers, Italy.MethodsAll patients referred to our bariatric center who developed an EAC after SG between 2012 and 2019 were reviewed and consecutively included in this study. The available scientific literature regarding this complication is additionally reviewed.ResultsThe 3 male patients comprised in this case series underwent laparoscopic SG between 2012 and 2015 in different bariatric referral centers. Age and body mass index at baseline ranged from 21–54 years and 43.1–75.6 kg/m², respectively. All patients were lost to follow-up early after surgery (3.7 ± 1.4 months), and were diagnosed with EAC at a mean of 27.3 ± 7.6 months after SG. The 4 reported cases in the scientific literature developed an EAC at a mean of 32.5 ± 23 months from SG. Overall, a diagnosis of EAC was made approximately 30.3 ± 17.1 months postoperatively, which seems relatively and worryingly early after surgery.ConclusionAlthough the rate and probability of progression from BE to EAC is still not well defined, assuming that the rising popularity and execution of SG leads to a growth in the BE incidence, then the preoperative identification and stratification of cancer risk factors in this subset of patients is strongly encouraged. Clinical and endoscopic follow-ups are essential to allow for prevention and early diagnosis and for epidemiologic data collection purposes.