Fumiaki Sagawa

Pancreatoblastoma with marked elevation of serum alpha-fetoprotein. An autopsy case report with immunocytochemical study.

The autopsy findings in a pancreatoblastoma in a 7-year-old Japanese girl is reported. The tumour was in the head and body of the pancreas, and was associated with diffuse carcinomatous peritonitis and hepatic and pulmonary metastases. There was marked elevation (more than 10000 ng/ml) of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Histopathologically the tumour was composed of solid epithelial elements with fibrous stroma, showing acinar arrangement, squamoid clusters and tubular structures. The epithelial elements contained numerous fine PAS positive granules in the cytoplasm. Immunocytochemical results suggested epithelial differentiation with positivity to alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), keratin, CA19-9, and AFP. No endocrine elements were recognized. Characteristic feature of this tumour are discussed and compared with prevoius reports.

Mechanism of decrease in the atrial potential after implantation of a single-lead VDD pacemaker: atrial histological changes after implantation of a VDD pacemaker lead in dogs.

HIGASHI, Y., et al.: Mechanism of Decrease in the Atrial Potential After Implantation of a Single‐Lead VDD Pacemaker: Atrial Histological Changes After Implantation of a VDD Pacemaker Lead in Dogs. The single‐lead VDD pacemaker system (VDDPS) enables atrial synchronous ventricular pacing with only one lead in patients with an atrioventricular block. There are some cases in which the atrial potential decreases after implantation of a VDDPS, making physiological pacing difficult. The mechanism of this decrease has not been elucidated yet. To elucidate the possible relationship between the decrease of the atrial potential after implantation of a VDDPS and histopathological changes of the atrium. We implanted a VDDPS from the jugular vein under anesthesia in 10 adult dogs. The tip of the pacing lead was fixed in the right ventricular apex of the heart under fluoroscopic guidance. Then, the lead was ligated and fixed to the jugular vein at a point where a favorable atrial potential was obtained. The end of the lead was passed from the neck to the back subcutaneously; then pulled outside and fixed there to measure the atrial potential. The atrial potential was measured using a pacing system analyzer under anesthesia on days 3 (n = 9) and 7 (n = 8) , as well as on weeks2 (n = 6), 3 (n = 4), and4 (n = 3), after the implantation. The heart was removed from the dogs on day3 (n = 2), day7 (n = 2), week2 (n = 2), and week4 (n = 4)to examine the atrial histological findings. The atrial potential was2.7 ± 0.7 mVat the time of the implantation,1.7 ± 1.1 mV (P < 0.05)on day 3, and1.7 ± 0.7 mVon week 4 after the implantation. Macroscopically, the pacemaker lead was covered with thrombus, and adhered to the atrial wall in 80% of animals. Microscopically, the endocardium was hypertrophic due to fibrous tissue; besides RBC extravasation, inflammatory cells infiltration and degeneration of myocardial cells, were observed under the endocardium. Inflammatory changes developed in the atrial wall after implantation of the VDDPS, and this seemed to be one of the mechanisms for the decrease of the atrial potential of the VDDPS. (PACE 2003; 26:685–691)

Metastatic Lung Choriocarcinoma Resected Nine Years after Hydatidiform Mole

A 38-year-old woman with metastatic choriocarcinoma of the lung had been treated for a hydatidiform mole nine years previously. During the interval she had conceived and given birth to a child. Following lobectomy she has been metastasis-free for five years.

Cellular and Structural Atypia of the Early Colorectal Cancers

Cellular and structural gland atypia in lesions of early colorectal cancer removed by endoscopic polypectomy in 101 patients were histopathologically studied. The following results were observed. Cellular atypia was frequently found in lesions with a high rate of nuclear polarity loss and multiple nuclear mitoses (99. 0%). The most frequent findings in the glands with structural atypia was intraglandular glands and crowding of neoplastic glands (85. 1%). Most of the appearances of the cellular and structural atypias showed no marked relationship with the sizes of the lesions, depth of invasion and association of adenoma components. Early cancer had both cellular and structural atypia in 95% of the patients and could be diagnosed by conventional histopathological criteria. However five patients with early cancer showed no structural atypia and were diagnosed as having cellular atypia. These cancers were early intramucosal cancer and four lesions were associated with adenoma components 20 mm or less in size. The loss of nuclear polarity and nuclear pleomorphism may be considered more important than nuclear stratification and mitoses in the diagnosis of early cancer.

Intrathoracic Malignant Peripheral Nerve-Sheath Tumour Associated with Lipoma: Case Report

A 76-year-old woman presented with an intrathoracic malignant peripheral nerve-sheath tumour accompanied by mediastinal lipomas. The tumours were resected, but the schwannoma recurred 4 months later. The patient died of pneumonia after a second operation. To our knowledge, this is the first published case of malignant intrathoracic tumour of nerve-sheath origin associated with lipomas.