Oncocytic modifications in rectal adenocarcinomas after radio and chemotherapy.

The purpose of the study is to highlight oncocytic modifications in rectal adenocarcinomas and evaluate a possible correlation with preoperative radiochemotherapy (RCT). Twenty-eight cases of advanced rectal carcinoma, treated preoperatively by 5-fluorouracil (200-225 mg/m(2)) and 44-46 Gy in 22-23 fractions, were studied. All patients underwent biopsy before RCT. Surgery was performed within 6 weeks after RCT. In all cases oncocytic modifications were searched for on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and at immunohistochemistry using an antimitochondrial antibody. In addition, in two cases, both pre- and post-RCT tissues were examined at electron microscopy. All tumors were adenocarcinomas. In pre-RCT biopsies, oncocytic changes were difficult to find on H&E, while the antimitochondrial antibody strongly stained numerous neoplastic cells (mean 48.4%). In post-RCT surgical specimens, oncocytic changes were detected in 24 out of 28 cases on H&E and the antimitochondrial antibody stained most of the residual neoplastic cells (mean 76.7%). Ultrastructural examination revealed large and bizarre mitochondria inside tumor cells both in pre- and post-RCT tissues. In conclusion, the present data suggest that rectal adenocarcinomas are "mitochondrion-rich" tumors. After preoperative RCT, residual neoplastic cells acquire a definite oncocytic phenotype.

[Tuberculosis in Italian and non-EU patients. Review of case mix (1996-2001)]. / La tubercolosi in pazienti italiani ed extra-comunitari. Revisione di casistica (1996-2001).

The Authors examined the case mix of patients with tuberculosis who were hospitalised from 1996 to the first 6 months of 2001 at the Infectious Disease Department. The patient population comprises two groups with different epidemiological characteristics. The first group consists of Italians [62] and the second of Non-EU patients [28]. The Italians have an older average age and their epidemiological and clinical risks are more serious in comparison to Non-EU's. Moreover, among Italian patients the number of subjects with HIV infection is greater. The presence of tuberculosis at the lymph nodes appears to be related to patients with HIV, whereas for HIV-negative patients the most frequent sites are the lungs and pleura. Some of the patients underwent biopsy in the sites affected by the pathology and the histopathological findings are very similar to the typical data. There does not seem to be any difference between the results of the X-rays of the lung X-rays for the Italians and the Non-EU's, whereas in general there are very few patients who show the typical location of tuberculosis at the apex of the lungs.