Short communication: a new technique in immunosuppression of Syrian hamsters xenografted with human tumors.

Application of hyperimmune rabbit antisera against mouse lymphomas (6C3HED lymphoma, NK lymphoma) or against rat leukemic cells (RBA-34-Le leukemia) caused a considerable degree of lymphocyte depletion in hamsters.

Systemic chemotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer.

A total of 60 patients with muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were entered into the nonrandomized study. The 1st group consisted of 30 patients treated by M-VAC neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy when a residual tumor had been detected by biopsy made after the treatment. The overall clinical response was 70%. Fifteen (50%) out of 30 patients achieved clinical complete response (cCR). Objective pathologic response was attained in 6 (66.7%) of 9 evaluable patients who underwent radical cystectomy, pathologic complete response (pCR) was observed in two (22.2%) patients. Ten (33.3%) patients are still alive at a median follow-up of 22+ months. There were three (10%) drug-related deaths. The 2nd group consisted of 30 patients treated by CMV (with carboplatin) neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical pathologic response was attained in 9 (47.4%) of 19 evaluable patients, with pCR in 6 (31.6%) patients. Twenty four (80%) patients are still alive at a median follow-up of 13+ months. There was one (3.3%) drug-related death. The authors recommend immediate radical cystectomy following neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in all patients if their total status it allows.

Malignant Leydig-cell tumour of testis.

A rare case of a malignant Leydig-cell tumour of the testis in a 26-year-old patient, with radical orchiectomy from an inguinal incision is described. Although the results of AFP, HCG, biochemical, X-ray, lymphographic and scintigraphic examinations were negative, the first metastases into the lungs appeared one year after the operation. Combined cytostatic treatment, polychemotherapy and X-ray therapy proved ineffective. The patient died of multiple metastases 28 months after the surgical intervention.

[Primary adenocarcinoma of the esophagus]. / Primárny adenokarcinóm pazeráka.

The presented analysis of a patient treated at the 1st Surgical Department of the Teaching Hospital in Bratislava meets the criteria for being classified as primary adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, whose characteristics are described in the paper. Primary adenocarcinomas of the esophagus occur rarely and constitute only about 0.5% of large series of esophageal malignancies. The tumor is not connected with the gastric mucosa, being separated from it by the normal mucosa of the esophagus, and it is not a metastasis. The patients suffer from late not marked dysphagia. The endoscopic and histologic findings are frequently misleading since the mucosa above the tumor is usually intact.

[Cardiomyopathy with hepatic necrosis after several years of using Norbiogest Spofa]. / Kardiomyopatia s hepatálnou nekrózou pri viacrocnom uzívaní Norbiogestu SPOFA.

PIP: Findings in a 28 year old woman who had been using the hormonal contraceptive Norbiogest Spofa for 3 years are described. She ceased taking the pill 40 days prior to her death. Congestive cardiomyopathy, massive hepatic necrosis, and hemorrhagic infarctions in the lungs and spleen were diagnosed at autopsy. The disease probably occurred in connection with previous pregnancies and had been gradually deteriorating her condition during drug application. Findings in the liver, lung, and spleen are considered a consequence of chronic heart insufficiency, even when the effect of the drug on venostatically changed organs could not be excluded. (author's modified)^ieng

[Factors affecting the recurrence of epithelial tumors of the urinary bladder]. / Faktory ovplyvnujúce recidívu epitelových nádorov mocového mechúra.

Of the 178 patients with superficial tumors of the urinary bladder followed up over minimally three years from the onset of treatment, 137 (77%) developed relapse of the tumor. Comparison of anamnestic data and objective examination findings in patients with and without relapses yielded a statistically significant probability of relapses in patients with multiple tumors, in tumors with an increased number of cell layers, and in tumors with infiltration of the lamina propria. Patients presenting with any of these features are at risk of relapses and require prophylactic treatment.

[Metastasizing melanoma]. / K problematike metastázovania melanómu.

The complexities of diagnosing melanoma metastases are discussed. More accuracy can be attained with the aid of USG, CT, NMR and scintiscans of the liver. The LDH test appears to be the most effective in cases of metastases developing in the liver. A case of melanoma metastases in the gallbladder is analyzed.

[Ultrastructure of the red pulp of the spleen in various anemias]. / Ultrastuktúra cervenej pulpy sleziny pri niektorých anémiách.

Eighteen tissue samples of human spleens obtained from patients suffering from hereditary sphaerocytosis, acquired haemolytic anaemia, hypersplenism, Banti's syndrome and extralienal neoplastic disease were subjected to electron microscopical examinations. Lesioned erythrocytes were removed with the aid of the macrophages of the red pulp and in cases of a high number of injured erythrocytes the cells lining the sinuses were also involved. The proliferation of collagen connective tissue was possibly also involved in injuring the blood cells. The spleens obtained from patients with neoplastic disease not affecting the spleen could not be regarded as normal.

[Ultrastructure of the red pulp of the spleen in various thrombocytopenias]. / Ultrastruktúra cervenej pulpy sleziny pri niektorých trombocytopéniách

The authors describe 10 cases of samples of spleen tissue obtained from patients with various thrombocytopenias which had been subjected to electron microscopical examinations. In splenomegalies associated with liver cirrhoses a certain proportion of platelets accumulated in the spleen, whereas others were ingested by macrophages. No significant polymorhism of the platelets was observed. In cases of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura marked polymorphism of the platelets as regards size and structure was observed. The platelets also showed a concoisuous relation to the polymorphonuclear laucotytes. The alterations of the inner structure of the platelets could not be regarded as specific, because they were also found in lymhogranuloma.