E. Von Haam

A Study of the Exfoliative Cytology in Patients with Carcinoma of the Oral Mucosa

INCE the use of the cytologic smear has become so popular as an aid in J diagnosis of carcinoma of the cervix, uterus, and certain other areas of the body, it seemed logical that the method might also be useful in the study and diagnosis of carcinoma of the oral cavity. For this investigation fifteen patients with oral carcinoma were chosen and cytologic smears were prepared from the lesions and the six normal areas of the mucosa according to the technic described by Montgomery.1 These smears were fixed and stained by the method outlined by Papanicolaou and Traut.2 Differential counts of the types of epithelial cells found were made and a detailed study of the individual cells obtained from the lesion was undertaken. The pertinent clinical data, a gross description of the lesions, and the biopsy diagnosis are summarized in Table I. It is interesting to note that all these patients were white and with one exception they were men. Their ages varied between 57 and 94 years. The duration of the lesions varied between two months and sixteen years, although some of the data are vague and unreliable. The regions most frequently involved were the mucosa of the cheek, the lower lip, and the mucosa of edentulous ridges. Nine patients showed lymph node metastasis at the time they came under our observation. Biopsies were performed in twelve eases. One patient refused surgery and two others were considered far advanced and inoperable. Eleven of the twelve biopsies showed squamous cell carcinoma. Five patients had been treated previously by surgery or irradiation before we had the opportunity to examine them. Smears were prepared from the lesions in all fifteen eases and from the six normal sites in thirteen of the cases. The differential counts of both the normal and pathologic areas of the thirteen cases are listed in Table II. The figures under N represent differential counts of smears from normal areas and the figures under L, those from the lesions. Statistical comparison of differential counts from normal areas in these mouths of patients with corresponding areas of healthy individuals was done by the Statistics Laboratory of Ohio State University, using a formula similar to that applied in the study of leueoplakia.3 Similarly, the normal areas of the mouths of cancer patients were compared with the normal areas of patients with leucoplakia. The significant differences are marked by one asterisk in Table III. Those values marked by two asterisks signify that a more extensive experiment might lead to significant differences in these means.

A Study of the Exfoliative Cytology of Oral Leucoplakia

IN a previous communication one of us reported a study of the exfoliative cytology of the normal oral mucosa by the Papanicolaou method.* After thus having established the criteria for the exfoliative cytology of the normal mouth, various pathologic conditions were examined by the same technic. In this article we wish to report on the exfoliative cytology of oral leucoplakia. Ten patients showing various degrees of this condition were selected for our study. The important clinical data and a gross description of the lesions of the oral cavity are listed in the following paragraphs.

The Tissue Catechol Amine Concentration of the Human Heart Determined by the Aluminum Hydroxide-Arsenomolybdic Acid Method

With the aluminum hydroxide-arsenomolybdic acid method, which has recently been extensively modified in this laboratory, the tissue concentration of catechol amines was determined in 100 human hearts. The results were correlated with clinical history and autopsy findings. Previous work has suggested that cardiovascular disease and uremia were associated with an elevation in the heart catechol amine concentration, and that some cases of sudden death were associated with an elevated heart catechol amine concentration. In this study cardiovascular disease and uremia showed low or low normal values while not a single instance of sudden death could be explained by an abnormally elevated heart catechol amine concentration.

Effect of carbon blacks on carcinogenic compounds.

Summary 1. Adsorption of 20-methyl-cholanthrene, 3,4 benzpyrene and p-dimethylaminoazobenzene to 7 different carbon blacks has been determined quantitatively. Differences in the amount adsorbed are related not only to the specific carcinogen but also to the total surface value of a carbon black. 2. Administration of carbon black alone by feeding, painting and subcutaneous injection did not produce any benign or malignant tumor in 460 animals. 3. The carcinogenicity of p-dimethylaminoazobenzene was almost completely inhibited by carbon black. Only 1 out of 72 animals fed carbon black adsorbed azo dye developed a hepatoma. 4. Administration of carbon black adsorbed 20-methyl-cholanthrene and 3,4-benzpyrene in combination with olive oil and acetone respectively inhibited carcinogenesis to a lesser degree. The incidence of tumors occurring in these experiments was approximately that expected from the concentrations of the free carcinogen eluted by the vehicle from the carbon black. 5. It is therefore suggested that in the adsorbed state all 3 compounds tested are not carcinogenic and that carcinogenicity in two of the compounds was restored due to elution by either olive oil or acetone.

Influence of Estrone upon Formation of Heterophil Antibodies

Summary Administrations of estrone produced a moderate increase in the titer of nonspecific hemagglutinins in rabbits. This was followed by a more striking increase in the antibodies after immunization with pneumococcal vaccine.