Intraepithelial lumina in urothelial bladder neoplasms. A histochemical, immunohistochemical and electron microscopy study.

Intraepithelial lumina observed in 12 urothelial bladder neoplasms were studied histochemically, immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally. Both intercellular and intracytoplasmic lumina could be demonstrated showing an alcianophilic margin and containing non-sulphated acid mucins. The presence of secretory component (SC) was identified in neoplastic urothelial cells around or adjacent to intercellular lumina as well as in cells with intracytoplasmic lumina. The cells surrounding intercellular lumina revealed ultrastructurally tight junctions, microvilli and a prominent glycocalyx while cellular remnants were found quite often within the lumen. As similar histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural characteristics are also expressed in surface umbrella cells of normal urothelium it is suggested that a focal differentiation of neoplastic urothelial cells towards surface umbrella-like cells takes place and that this process is intimately related to the formation of lumina.

Correlation of total (TSA) and lipid and bound (LSA) sialic acid levels with cytology of cyst or body fluids in cancer patients.

In this preliminary study, aiming at the early diagnosis or the confirmation of neoplastic spreading, the levels of sialic acid (TSA and LSA, total sialic acid and "lipid bound" sialic acid) were measured and correlated with the corresponding cytologic findings in 111 body or cystic fluid samples taken from patients with suspected or confirmed cancer. The samples were classified according to the body fluid origin: peritoneal (35), breast cyst (22), pleural (21), thyroid gland cyst (5), renal cyst (5), ovarian cyst (6), bronchial washing (3), douglasic cavity (3) and various other origins (11). It was found that 32.43% of the samples were TSA positive, 44.14% LSA positive, 20.75% cytologic and 8.49% cytology suspect (positive + suspect = 29.24%). Thus, the combination of a tumor biomarker with the corresponding cytology of the body fluid gives the best possible results, as regards both the confirmation of positive cytology and the detection of possible metastases, as well as the monitoring of the disease after treatment.