Gastrin-Enhanced Tumor Growth of a Xenotransplantable Human Gastric Carcinoma in Nude Mice

A human tumor line serially transplantable in nude mice, originatingfrom a well-differentiated papillo-tubular adenocarcinoma ofthe stomach, was established. The growth of this tumor was enhancedby daily injection of C-terminal tetrapeptide gastrin into themice. Although there was little difference in histology, thegastrin-stimulated tumor had larger glandular spaces filledwith mucin-like substance than the control tumor. ³H-thymidine uptake of the gastrin stimulated tumor was higherthan that of control, as shown by microradiography and countingof radioactivity in tissue homogenates. The plasma membrane fraction of the tumor revealed positivebinding for gastrin and the cytosol fraction contained cyclicAMP dependent- and independent protein kinases. Incubation oftumor slices with gastrin caused a conformational change inthe enzymes. Therefore we conclude that this G4 tumor line xenotransplantablein nude mice is sensitive to gastrin in its trophic and secretorymechanisms.     

A Case of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung Producing ADH, ACTH, MSH and Calcitonin: Successful Treatment of Severe Hyponatremia with Furosemide and Hypertonic Saline

A 48-year-old man with a small cell carcinoma of the lung presentedhyponatremia and was diagnosed as having the syndrome of inappropriateADH secretion. A plasma ADH bioassay confirmed this syndrome.During the clinical course, the patient developed a hyponatremiccrisis with a serum sodium of 108mEq/l. His hyponatremia wasrapidly corrected by infusing furosemide in conjunction withhypertonic saline. The postmortem studies demonstrated ADH bioactivityin the tumor tissues, as well as immunoreactive ACTH, ß-MSHand calcitonin. Tumor hypersecretion of ACTH appeared to bethe cause of the patient's hyperresponsiveness to exogenousACTH and of the bilateral adrenocortical hyperplasia observedat the time of autopsy. Therefore, this was a case of a multiple hormone-producing smallcell carcinoma of the lung, in which the severe clinical manifestationsof SIADH were successfully treated with furosemide and hypertonicsaline.     

Gastritis Cystica Profunda Histopathological Study of Nine Cases

Nine cases of gastritis cystica profunda (diffuse submucosalproliferation of cystic glands) were studied. Three of the patientshad coexisting carcinoma, four had peptic ulcers, and the othertwo had atrophic gastritis. All of them were middle aged orelderly, except for one postoperative young male. Morphologicalcharacteristics of the submucosal cystic nodules are described,and their pathogenesis is discussed in relation to the intestinalmetaplasia of the gastric mucosa.     

Cytodifferentiation to Serous and Myoepithelial Cells in Salivary Gland and Salivary Gland Type Tumors

Three-hundred-and-three cases of salivary gland and salivarygland type tumors in the head and neck and lower respiratorytract, treated in our institution, were reviewed histologically.Some of these cases were analyzed; 51 arbitrarily selected casesby conventional stainings, 15 cases by immunostainings for amylaseand actomyosin, and 22 cases by electron microscopy for cellulardifferentiation to serous and myoepithelial cells For morphologicaland biochemical comparison, six cases of ectopic amylase-producingtumor were also studied Serous acmar cells contained amylaseand basaly located cells of acini and ducts contained actomyosinin non-neoplastic salivary glands Although zymogen type granuleswere barely observed except in a case of acinic cell carcinomaof the palate and in a case of adenocarcinoma of the lung bylight and electron microscopy, some tumor cells contained amylasewhich seemed to be specific of salivary gland tumor in threecases and of ectopic amylase-producing tumor in three cases,confirmed by immunofluorescent microscopy, enzyme assay andelectrophoresis of the tumor tissues In cases of mixed tumor, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and mucoepidermoidcarcinoma, cells reactive to anti-actomyosin were often encounteredin the outer layer of duct-like structures By electron microscopy, location of myoepithelium-like cellswas in accord-ance with that of actomyosin-positive cells insome instances Coexistence of tonofibrils and myofilaments inone and the same cell was occasionally seen ^* Present address: Department of Pathology, Tokai UniversitySchool of Medicine, Kana gawa, Japan.     

A Case of Bronchial Fibroma Associated with Subsegmental Atelectasis

A case of polypoid endobronchial fibroma which led to subsegmentalatelectasis in a 45-year-old male is reported. The diagnosiswas made pre-operatively by roentgenographic examination, bronchoscopyand biopsy. A lobectomy of the right middle lobe was performed.The polypoid tumor occupied the lumen of the subsegmental bronchusof the right middle lobe and had a stalk. Histologically, thetumor was composed mostly of collagen bundles with scant spindle-shapedfibroblastic cells and a myxomatous component. There was neithercellular atypia nor mitotic figures nor infiltration of smallround cells. The diagnosis was pulmonary fibroma of the endobronchialtype. To date, 66 cases of pulmonary fibroma have been reportedin the English literature since 1880; 21 of these were polypoidendobronchial fibroma. Only five cases of polypoid endobronchialfibroma including this case have been reported in the Japaneseliterature.     

Peptide Hormone Production in Small Cell Lung Carcinomas with Particular Reference to Gastrin-Releasing Peptide

Tissues of 50 small cell lung carcinomas were examined for productionof 17 peptide hormones. Only when the concentration of a peptidedetected in the tumor was 10 pmol or more per g wet weight,was the peptide considered to be produced by the tumor. Thefrequency of production of at least one of these peptide hormoneswas 84%, and that of two or more hormones was 50%. These resultsindicate that peptide hormone production is a very common phenomenonin small cell lung carcinoma. Of the peptide hormones examined,gastrin-re leasing peptide is produced with the highest frequency,suggesting that this pep- tide could play an important rolein small cell lung carcinoma.     

A Case of Early Rectal Cancer (Mucosal Cancer) with Pulmonary Metastasis Detected by Postoperative Rise of Carcinoembryonic Antigen

Polypectomy was conducted under rectoscopic observation fora patient with a small rectal polypoid cancer (mucosal cancer)on an outpatient treatment basis. The serum carcinoembryonicantigen (CEA) level, which had been high before the polypectomy,was reduced and complete cure seemed to have been attained.However, the postoperative serum CEA level at the patient'speriodical check-up proved to be abnormally high, and a closerexamination revealed a small pulmonary metastasis. Eight monthsafter the polypectomy, the metastatic focus in the lung wasresected curatively and the serum CEA level returned to normal.It was verified by immunofluorescence that the tissues in themetastatic focus were CEA-productive. As the pulmonary metastasis, which is extremely rare in thecases of early cancers, could be detected at its early stageby the periodical check of the serum CEA level, and as the serumCEA level could be returned to normal by resection of the metastaticfocus, it was thought that the resection was curative.     

A Case of Neurofibromatosis of the Whole Gastrointestinal Tract

An unusual case of neurofibromatous of the gastrointestinaltract is described. Diffuse neurofibromatous involvement ofthe whole gastrointestinal tract was incidentally found in acancer patient at autopsy. Immunohistochemical examination fornervous tissue-specific S100 protein was helpful in identifyingthe tumor cells as neurogenic cells.