0000000000741676
AUTHOR
Margarete Mitze
Biological and prognostic significance of stratified epithelial cytokeratins in infiltrating ductal breast carcinomas
The biological significance of the differential expression of cytokeratin (CK) polypeptides in breast carcinomas is unclear. We examined the CK profiles of 101 primary infiltrating ductal breast carcinomas using monoclonal antibodies directed against 11 different CKs and against vimentin. Two major CK phenotypes were distinguished: first, a phenotype expressing only the simple-epithelial CKs 7 (variably), 8, 18 and 19, and secondly, a bimodal phenotype co-expressing significant amounts of one or more of the stratified-epithelial CKs 4, 14 and 17. The vast majority of G1 and G2 carcinomas had the simple-epithelium phenotype, as did a subgroup of G3 carcinomas. Interestingly, the majority (62…
Intraarterielle präoperative Chemotherapie fortgeschrittener Zervixkarzinome
Three patients suffering from very advanced primary cancers of the cervix uteri (FIGO II B or III B) were treated. By preoperative selective perfusion of both uterine arteries, using cis-platinum alone, a distinct reduction of the tumour volume was achieved. This was demonstrated clinically and also by CAT scan and NMR technique. The elevated serum CEA and SCC levels decreased to normal values. The histomorphology of the Wertheim-Meigs specimens revealed no tumour invasion of the initially infiltrated parametria. This treatment modality has been developed to minimise the toxic side effects of the inductive (neo-adjuvant) chemotherapy for cervical cancers.
Tumor Vascularity—A Novel Prognostic Factor in Advanced Cervical Carcinoma
Objective: In the search for the optimal treatment of advanced cervical cancer, the identification of valid prognostic factors obtainable without histopathologic investigation of the entire tumor and the locoregional lymph nodes is of paramount interest. Tumor microvessel density has recently been demonstrated to correlate strongly with disease aggressiveness in breast cancer and other malignancies. Methods: We established a computerized image analysis system to quantify tumor microvascularity by using the closest-individual method, which determines the distribution of distances from random points within the tumor to the closest microvessel (DTCMV). Tumor microvascularity was assessed in pa…
Tumor Oxygenation and Tumor Vascularity: Evidence for Their Clinical Relevance in Cancer of the Uterine Cervix and Considerations on Their Potential Biological Role in Tumor Progression
Most solid malignancies are thought to be derived from a single neoplastic precursor cell having lost proliferation control and gained the ability to penetrate basement membranes and to invade into the stroma. During the disease course tumors increase their overall cell number by local expansion and the development of regional and distant metastases. Along with the increase in cell number the tumors loose hormonal or other external signal dependencies and acquire resistances towards radio— and chemotherapy. The progressing disease causes symptoms through impaired tissue/organ functions and complications, and finally kills the individual (unless other causes leading to death become manifest …
Einfluß der Proliferationsrate auf den Krankheitsverlauf von nodalnegativen Mammakarzinomen
In 250 patients with node-negative breast cancer and no systemic adjuvant therapy the impact on the prognosis of the variables age, histological tumour type, tumour size, histological grade, receptor status and localisation of the tumour within the breast, was studied. Patients were followed over a mean period of 60 (range 7-164) months. In a subset of 124 cases additional examination of the growth fraction rate, detected by immunohistochemical determination of antibody Ki-67 and semiquantitative measurement of the stained tumour cell nuclei was performed. In 43 cases, measurement of S-phase fraction by flow cytometry was also performed. By univariate analysis, the histological tumour type …
Imunohistochemical Demonstration of Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) in 120 Mammary Carcinomas and its Correlation with Tumor Type, Grading, Staging Plasma-CEA, and Biochemical Receptor Status
Antisera to CEA were used for the immunohistochemical localization and quantification of this antigen in 120 Bouin-fixed, paraffin embedded mammary carcinomas. These results were compared to tumor type, grading, staging, biochemical receptor status, cytosolic CEA-levels of the same tumors, and preoperative plasma CEA-levels. Mammary carcinomas were usually characterized by a low percentage of CEA-positive tumor cells: 50.9% of the cases contained more than 5% CEA-positive tumor cells and were therefore defined as being CEA-histopositive in this study. A relation could be shown between CEA-histopositivity and the histologic tumor type. The majority of invasive lobular carcinomas, tubular, an…
Value of routine abdominal and lymph node sonography in the follow-up of breast cancer patients.
Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to review usefulness and intervals for abdominal sonography during the follow-up of breast cancer patients. Additionally, we assessed the value of regional lymph node sonography in patients with possible locoregional recurrence. Subjects: Retrospectively, 2657 abdominal ultrasound examinations of 414 patients and 299 sonographic examinations of the regional lymph nodes in 227 patients after surgical treatment for breast cancer were evaluated. Results: Follow-up abdominal sonography revealed metastases in 6.8% of patients, and in 1% of examinations. There was no dependence on the initial T- or N-stage. At sonography of the regional lymph nodes in…
Assessment of myometrial infiltration and preoperative staging by transvaginal ultrasound in patients with endometrial carcinoma
In recent years, the incidence of carcinoma of the endometrium has shown an upward trend, such that it is currently the most frequently encountered malignant tumor of the female genital tract. An accurate preoperative diagnosis of the extent and spread of such carcinomas is of crucial importance for the selection of a therapeutic approach appropriate to the stage and infiltration of each particular tumor. In a prospective study of 80 patients with a carcinoma of the endometrium, performed at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Mainz, we compared the preoperative findings of transvaginal sonography with the postoperative histological results with respect to the f…
Hypoxia and radiation response in human tumors
This study demonstrates by an updated analysis of an ongoing prospective study that tumor oxygenation, as measured with a validated standardized polarographic needle electrode method before treatment, powerfully predicts the prognosis of patients receiving radiotherapy for intermediate and advanced stage cancer of the uterine cervix. First evidence for a host component in tumor oxygenation based on a significant correlation between median pO 2 values determined in normal subcutaneous fatty tissue and in cervical cancer is also presented. Further investigations are necessary to clarify whether tumor hypoxia is just a marker of intrinsic tumor aggressiveness or whether the negative impact of …
Immunohistochemical evaluation of growth fractions in human breast cancers using monoclonal antibody Ki-67.
We performed immunohistochemical analyses of 568 breast/cancer specimens using Ki-67, a monoclonal antibody specific for a nuclear antigen present in proliferating cells. The specimens were divided into three groups (I-III) according to the proportion of Ki-positive cells detected. These findings were compared with features of tumor extension as well as with certain prognostic variables. There was no detectable correlation between Ki-67 reactivity and either tumor size or node involvement. In contrast, a statistically significant correlation was found between Ki-67 reactivity and tumor grading, in that G-I tumors had small growth fractions, while a high proportion of G-III tumors exhibited …
C-erbB-2-oncogene expression in breast carcinoma: Analysis by S1 nuclease protection assay and immunohistochemistry in relation to clinical parameters
The c-erbB-2 mRNA was detected by the S1 nuclease protection assay and Northern blotting in breast cancer tissues. In contrast to the Northern blot analysis which has been used in all recent publications concerning c-erbB-2 expression on the level of RNA, the S1-nuclease protection assay has distinct advantages with respect to sensitivity, reproducibility, and handling of radioactive probes. We compared the expression of c-erbB-2 in 120 breast carcinomas which were operated in the years 1989-1990 on the level of the mRNA (S1 nuclease protection assay) and the protein (immunohistochemistry), respectively. In general, results obtained with both methods were in good agreement. Only minor diffe…