Inhibin-like material--an immunohistologic marker for prostatic origin of metastases.

Immunocytochemical localization of inhibin-like material (ILM) using a specific antiserum generated against ILM of prostatic origin was carried out in metastatic lymph nodes of known primary prostatic tumours and in rectal biopsies showing direct invasion with known prostatic carcinoma. Nine of the 11 metastatic lymph nodes gave positive reaction, which was readily apparent in differentiated tumours showing micro-acinar formation. In poorly differentiated tumours it was often focal and indicated intracytoplasmic staining within randomly scattered cells. Rectal biopsies showing invasion of prostatic carcinoma (4 cases) also showed positive reaction for ILM. Using this experimental protocol, the reaction for metastatic lesions from patients with non-prostatic carcinomas was completely negative indicating the specificity of the test for prostatic origin of metastasis. In conclusion, the present investigation indicates the potential application of ILM in confirming or excluding the prostatic origin of invasive tumour in metastatic lesions.

Prediction of biological behaviour of human breast cancer using multiple parameters. A preliminary study.

Prediction of early metastases in individual patients has been attempted by combined evaluation of a battery of recognised parameters such as blood vessel invasion (BVI) of tumor cells, Barr body frequency (BBF), plasminogen activator (PA), collagenase, estradiol receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PgR), and peroxidase activity (PRA) in 18 malignant and 3 benign (control) breast tumors. Since breast tumor cells spread through the blood vessels, the cases were divided into BVI (+) and BVI (-) groups. Results show that in the former group, all the cases had poor prognosis and two even had distant metastases within one year. In BVI (-) group, 9 out of 12 appeared to have good prognosis.

DNA analysis of breast cancer by flow cytometry & correlation with other prognostic parameters.

Flow cytometric estimation of DNA content (ploidy and S-phase fraction--SpF) was done on breast cancer tissues from 171 patients. Twenty eight per cent of the tumours were diploid and 72 per cent were aneuploid. SpF was measurable in 82 DNA histograms; of these 22.4 per cent had SpF less than 10 per cent, 34.1 per cent had SpF between 10-20 and 43.5 per cent had SpF greater than 20 per cent. The mean SpF of the measurable histograms was 19.01 per cent with a range 1.78 to 45.19 per cent. A significant correlation between DNA ploidy and SpF was observed (P less than 0.01). Eighty nine per cent of diploid tumours had SpF less than 10 per cent and 73 per cent of aneuploid tumours had SpF greater than 20 per cent. A significant correlation was also found between ploidy and SpF and oestrogen receptor (ER) status of the tumours (P less than 0.05) and between SpF and progesterone receptor (PgR) status of the tumours (P less than 0.05), but not between ploidy and PgR status of the tumours. A significant direct correlation was observed between SpF and tumour grade (P less than 0.05), but not between ploidy and tumour grade. No correlation was observed between DNA ploidy and SpF and tumour type, tumour size, axillary lymph node involvement, age and menopausal status of the patients. Although the incidence of breast cancer is one-third of that reported in the Western countries, there is apparently no biological difference between the various parameters studied.

Hemangiopericytoma of greater omentum.

A 67-year-old man presented with a painless abdominal lump. CT scan revealed a large vascular intraperitoneal mass. At laparotomy, a large, vascular tumor was seen to arise from the greater omentum, which was resected. At histology, this tumor was a benign hemangiopericytoma.

Differences in oestrogen receptor status and histological grade of breast cancer in different religious communities in Bombay.

The various religious communities in India viz.Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Parsi have different breast cancer incidence rate. It is not known whether there might also exist differences in biological properties of breast cancer between these communities. To investigate this possibility we have studied the distribution of oestrogen receptor (ER) status and histological grade of tumour in these four communities. Significant differences were observed in the overall distribution of ER positivity and histological grade between the communities P less than for both parameters). Christians had the highest incidence of ER +ve (65.2%) and grade I + II tumours (16.0%), while Muslims had the lowest incidence of ER +ve (35.8%) and Grade I + II tumours (4.7%). In general, we found a significant positive relationship between ER status and age of the patient (p less than 0.0.1). The mean age of the christians was slightly but significantly higher than that of the Hindus and Muslim. The difference ER positivity between the communities might, therefore, be partly (but probably not wholly) explained by difference in age of the patients. However, the difference with respect to grade of tumour cannot be explained as a function of age since no significant association was found between grade of the tumour and age of the patient. Further investigation with respect to difference in the biology of the breast cancer between the communities are warranted.