A probable case of metastatic carcinoma in the medieval Netherlands.

Despite recent considerable gains, our knowledge of cancer in antiquity is still limited. This paper discusses an adult individual from a Dutch medieval hospital site who demonstrates osteoblastic and osteolytic lesions on the ribs, scapula, clavicle, and vertebrae. The morphology, radiographic appearance, and distribution of the skeletal lesions suggest that this individual was affected by metastatic carcinoma. This case increases the number of publications that present an osteoblastic and osteolytic response to cancer and contributes to the body of evidence for archaeological neoplastic disease. For the Netherlands, this individual presents the first published case of probable metastatic carcinoma with mixed skeletal lesions.

A Bacterial Cause of Cancer: An Historical Essay.

This article reviews the history of the discovery of microbes that increase the risk of cancer of some tissues with a special emphasis on the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and the role played by two Australian physicians, neither schooled in research, who had open minds about the shibboleth that mycobacteria (acid-fast organisms) can survive the acid environment of the stomach, but that other pathogenic bacteria cannot. They discovered one of the most important human pathogens, Helicobacter pylori, and showed it capable of inducing severe gastric inflammatory disease. Subsequently, others built on their observations and showed it capable of inducing two gastric neoplasms: carcinoma and lymphoma. The Oncologist 2017;22:542-548.

[Jules Baretta and the secrets of modeling in pathology in the 19th century. Analysis of wax No. 1364 at the Museum of the Saint Louis hospital]. / Jules Baretta et les secrets du moulage pathologique au XIXème siècle. Analyse de la cire no 1364 au musée de l'hôpital Saint-Louis.

The Museum of the Saint-Louis hospital in Paris presents life casts produced by Jules Baretta in the 19th century: the casts seem incredible as they captured the complex forms of illness. How could Baretta cast in plaster an irregular epithelium or lupus without damaging the pathology or causing deep pains? From this observation, an investigation on those casts took place and especially one on an epithelium of the nose (no 1364) in order to understand the trade secrets. This investigation shows that Baretta used protective films on these pathologies and that he then interpreted them by modelling. The scientific and artistic interest of this discovery is to revise the mechanical objectivity of the casting through the modelling.

On the antiquity of cancer: evidence for metastatic carcinoma in a young man from ancient Nubia (c. 1200 BC).

Cancer, one of the world's leading causes of death today, remains almost absent relative to other pathological conditions, in the archaeological record, giving rise to the conclusion that the disease is mainly a product of modern living and increased longevity. This paper presents a male, young-adult individual from the archaeological site of Amara West in northern Sudan (c. 1200 BC) displaying multiple, mainly osteolytic, lesions on the vertebrae, ribs, sternum, clavicles, scapulae, pelvis, and humeral and femoral heads. Following radiographic, microscopic and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) imaging of the lesions, and a consideration of differential diagnoses, a diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma secondary to an unknown soft tissue cancer is suggested. This represents the earliest complete example in the world of a human who suffered metastatic cancer to date. The study further draws its strength from modern analytical techniques applied to differential diagnoses and the fact that it is firmly rooted within a well-documented archaeological and historical context, thus providing new insights into the history and antiquity of the disease as well as its underlying causes and progression.

Skeletal metastatic carcinomas from the Roman period (1st to 5th Century AD) in Hungary.

OBJECTIVES: According to paleopathological records, tumors have a great antiquity. The prevalence of cancer in ancient populations might have differed from that in modern humans because of substantial differences in environmental factors, life expectancy and the availability of treatment. This study presents 3 cases of probable skeletal metastatic carcinoma from the Roman period (1st-5th century AD) in Hungary, showing the development of bone metastases of cancer without chemo- and radiotherapy. METHODS: All skeletons were subjected to a careful macroscopic investigation, which was extended by radiological, stereo- and scanning electron microscopic analyses. RESULTS: In 1 case, the mixed nature and localization of the lesions, as well as the sex and age of the individual, suggested breast cancer as the primary focus. In the other 2 cases, based on the mostly osteoblastic nature and the localization of the lesions as well as on the sex and age of the individuals, the most probable diagnostic option is prostate carcinoma with skeletal metastases. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the scarcity of cancer metastases that have been diagnosed in archeological specimens in general, identification of all examples of cancer in antiquity represents an important contribution both to paleopathology and to modern medicine.

Historical perspectives: The evolution of the thymic epithelial tumors staging system.

Thymic epithelial tumors (thymomas, thymic carcinomas and neuroendocrine tumors - NETs) are rare primary mediastinal neoplasms, recently classified as orphan diseases. Their rarity might explain the fact that currently, no official staging system has been defined by the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) and the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC). However, the appropriate staging of these tumors has been matter of debate and several proposals have been published over the years, but very few have received a clinical validation. Recently an international database for thymic malignancies has been provided by the International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group (ITMIG); one of its aims is to accomplish a new and evidence based staging system, to allow progress in clinical management in thymic tumors. This paper will review the history of proposed staging systems, comparing resemblances and differences, being a sort of starting point for the development of a new widely accepted clinical staging system.

Uracil mustard and 5-fluorouracil combination chemotherapy: a historic record.

BACKGROUND: Uracil mustard and 5-fluorouracil (UM-FU) combination chemotherapy was used as one of the earliest combination chemotherapies in ovarian carcinoma from 1964 to 1971 at Yale New Haven Medical Center. METHODS: UM-FU was offered to patients with stage III and IV, histologically verified, ovarian carcinoma. Uracyl mustard was administered orally--1 mg/ kg, daily. 5-Fluorouracyl was administered every four weeks at 5 mg/kg for five days by intravenous infusion. RESULTS: Of a total 185 patients with ovarian cancer, 76 received UM-FU. Thirty-five patients had measurable disease. Fifteen (42%) showed objective response lasting three to 95 months, with decrease in size of masses and disappearance of ascites or hydrothorax. Their survival from diagnosis to death was 41 months. Twenty patients showed no response; their mean survival was 18 months. Three of the 76 patients who received UM-FU developed acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. CONCLUSION: UM-FU was effective in controlling ascites and hydrothorax and diminished intraabdominal masses. The discovery of adriamycin and then platinum led to more effective therapy and the use of uracil mustard was superseded. It is no longer available. The experience reported is of historic interest.

Oil on the water: Government regulation of a carcinogen in the twentieth-century Lancashire cotton spinning industry.

In the Lancashire cotton textile industry, mule spinners were prone to a chronic and sometimes fatal skin cancer (often affecting the groin). The disease had reached epidemic proportions by the 1920s, which necessitated action by the government, employers, and trade unions. In contrast to previous accounts, this article focuses on the government's reaction to mule spinners' cancer. Using official records in the National Archives, the slow introduction of health and safety measures by the government is explored in detail. Although obstructionism by the employers played a key role, one of the reasons for government inaction was the ambiguity of scientific research on engineering oils. On the other hand, prolonged scientific research suited a government policy that was framed around self regulation - a policy that had proved largely ineffective by the 1950s.

Carcinoma parotídeo de células claras / Parotidean clear cells carcinoma

El carcinoma parotídeo de células claras es una neoplasia poco frecuente, con problemas de diagnóstico diferencial con una amplia variedad de tumores de las glándulas salivares, que contienen células claras, en mayor o menor proporción, como los tumores mixtos, mioepiteliomas, oncocitomas, carcinoma mucoepidermoide, carcinoma de células acinares, adenocarcinoma, polimorfo de bajo grado y carcinoma adenoide quístico. Es un carcinoma de bajo grado, localmente invasivo, siendo raras las metástasis a nivel de los ganglios linfáticos cervicales, y su pronóstico, en general, es bueno.

Parotidean clear cells carcinoma is a rare neoplasia with a differential diagnosis problem with a wide variety of salivary glands tumours, containing clear cells, in a greater or lower proportion, such as the mixed tumours: myoepitheliomas, oncocytomas, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, acinar cells carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, lower grade polymorphic carcinoma and cystic adenoid carcinoma. It is a lower grade carcinoma, locally invasive, metastasis are rare at the level of cervical lymph ganglia and its prognosis, in general, is good.

Circumferential pharyngeal reconstruction: history, critical analysis of techniques, and current therapeutic recommendations.

Reconstruction of circumferential pharyngeal defects following total pharyngolaryngectomy presents major challenges with respect to surgical morbidity and restoration of functional deficits, which are often made more demanding by the increasing trend to utilize primary chemoradiation protocols with surgery reserved for salvage cases. The present review evaluates the reconstructive techniques described in the literature, including historical techniques as well as more recent innovative methods. Each technique is critically appraised with particular reference to postoperative morbidity and functional rehabilitation. Treatment recommendations are made based on the available evidence.

A comprehensive analysis of Babe Ruth's head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: This article discusses the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) of American baseball icon Babe Ruth, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of NPC. CASE DESCRIPTION: NPC is a tumor originating from the epithelium of the nasopharynx. It is the leading form of cancer in certain well-defined populations in areas such as southern China, Southeast Asia, the Arctic, North Africa and the Middle East; it is relatively rare in the United States. Despite the fact that Babe Ruth's family was of German descent and NPC is not prevalent in Germany, reports regarding Ruth's autopsy demonstrate that his head and neck cancer was NPC. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dentists play a pivotal role in the recognition of oral signs and symptoms and in the diagnosis of NPC, as well as the subsequent oral care of patients during and after treatment.

Carcinomas cutáneos: historia y clasificación / Cutaneous carcinomas: history and classification

Se efectua una apretada síntesis histórica desde los papiros egipcios hasta la actualidad. Luego se clasifica a los epiteliomas o carcinomas cutáneos en: 1- Carcinomas primitivos cutáneos. 2- Carcinomas intermediarios. 3- Carcinomas espinocelulares. 4- Carcinomas anexiales: sudoríparos, sebáceos, pilosos. 5- Carcinomas anexiales fundamentales. 6- Carcinomas "in situ" (intraepiteliales). Este sistema clasificatorio, basado en la histogénesis, ha demostrado ser de utilidad práctica a través del tiempo. Consideramos que se trata de un valioso trabajo de revisión y actualización producto de 5 décadas de experiencia. Se caracteriza por ser sintético, preciso y con criterio didáctico. Los conceptos están vertidos mediante 150 diapositivas demostrativas que expresan con certeza los caracteres clínicos e histológicos de las neoplasias cutáneas, salvo el melanoma. Uno de los autores (J.A) comienza el estudio en 1953 con su tesis de doctorado: "Epiteliomas cutáneos: ensayo de clasificación citogenética". Es un monumental ensayo ilustrado con numerosas microfotografías en blanco y negro, cuya consulta recomendamos en la Biblioteca de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la UBA.

Mrs Hitler and her doctor.

OBJECTIVE: The doctor who attended the mother of Adolf Hitler in her terminal illness has been blamed as a cause of the Holocaust. The medical details recorded of this professional relationship are presented and discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Dr Bloch's medical care of Mrs Hitler was consistent with the prevailing medical practice of the management of fungating breast carcinoma. Indeed, the general practitioner's care and attention of the family appear to have been astute and supportive. There is nothing to suggest that Dr Bloch's medical care was other than competent. Doctors who have the (mis)fortune to professionally attend major figures of history may be unfairly viewed, despite their appropriate and adequate care.