Cytogenetic studies in patients with gastric cancer.

Banded cytogenetic studies of gastric carcinoma are still relatively scarce, comprised of only a small number of patients. This study was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes and malignant cells of 16 patients with gastric carcinoma. The lymphocytes were analyzed by standard techniques. All patients had a normal constitutional karyotype; 90% of the patients presented an increased breakage rate and nonrandom chromosomal instability mainly in the heterochromatic regions of chromosomes 1, 9, and 16. Decreased response to phytohemagglutinin was observed in 6 (38%) patients. The tissue specimens were analyzed using direct techniques. Normal ploidy was observed in only one patient, 3 tumors were near-diploid, 4 hyperdiploid, 4 near-triploid, and 4 near-tetraploid. Those with the near-triploid or near-tetraploid constitution were in a more advanced pathological stage, most of them with a more complex cytogenetic profile. Particular involvement was found for chromosomes 1 to 4, 7 to 9, 17, and 20, but the more specific nonrandom changes seemed to involve chromosomes 7, 8, 9, and 17.

[A rare pelvic tumor].

Splenosis consists of the autotransplantation of splenic tissue following splenic trauma. Unlike hypersplenism, to which it is not related, it does not usually result in any clinical manifestation. It is usually discovered incidentally during operation years after splenic trauma. A benign tumor is found which may or may not be histologically identical with normal splenic tissue, and may or may not be functional. We present a 52-year-old man with a pelvic mass thought to be malignant. Work-up, including CT scan, 99m Tc colloid scintigraphy and 99m Tc-labeled heat-denaturated erythrocyte scintigraphy revealed pelvic splenosis. This case highlights the fact that a pelvic tumor after emergency splenectomy may represent splenosis.

Ferritin-bearing lymphocytes in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Four hundred forty-seven women attending a breast clinic because of either suspicious lesions, anxiety about breast cancer, follow-up after the removal of a benign breast lesion, or a family history of breast cancer had a routine test for percentage of ferritin-bearing lymphocytes ( FBL ) in their peripheral blood. Among patients who received surgery following physical examination in the clinic and/or mammography, the test was positive in 40 of the 45 (89%) with Stage I;II carcinoma, 3 of 3 with Stage IV carcinoma, and only in 29 of the 97 (37%) with benign breast disease. The possible reasons for the poorer detection rate in Stage III carcinoma are discussed. The test, however, identified 2 cases of Stage I carcinoma, 1 of breast lymphoma, and 12 with premalignant lesions in those who were found normal on physical examination and mammography. Ferritin-bearing lymphocyte results tended to become negative after surgical removal of the lesion, and became positive on recurrence of the tumor and appearance of metastases. The detection rate was maximized by combining the FBL test with the clinical modes of detection.