Toshio Kubo

Neoplastic argentaffin cells in gastric and intestinal carcinomas

Histochemical examination for argentaffin cells in 382 gastric and 81 intestinal carcinomas was carried out, and revealed that 3.1% of gastric and 2.5% of intestinal carcinomas contained argentaffin cells as an integral element of the tumor. Occurrence of these specific cells was predominantly encountered among diffuse carcinoma of the stomach. A hitherto undescribed case of diffuse carcinoma of the stomach containing numerous argentaffin cells is reported, and the term “diffuse argentaffinoma” is suggested. The findings obtained may provide the background for the possible presence of gastric cancer in patients who have a carcinoid syndrome.

Clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses: a comparative study of 13 cases with a provisional subgrouping into the melanotic and synovial types.

Electron microscopy of two cases of clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses showed different fine structures. On the basis of these differences a proposed division is made of melanotic and synovial types of the tumor. A subsequent comparative histological study carried out on these tumors showed that there were histological criteria to separate the melanotic and synovial types of sarcoma. Using these histological criteria eleven further cases of clear cell sarcoma in the files of the Tumor Registry were subdivided. Review of the Tumor Registry material showed that eight were melanotic type tumors and one was a further synovial type tumor. Using these histological criteria there are two further cases in the Tumor Registry which are not clearly classifiable into either group. The present observations indicate that the majority of the so‐called clear cell sarcomas are in reality “melanomas of soft parts” with a minority of this type of tumor being of “synovial type”.

Clear cell sarcoma of patellar tendon studied by electron microscopy

A case of clear‐cell sarcoma of patellar tendon in a 31‐year‐old Japanese woman is reported, with an emphasis on its electron microscopic description. The chief fine structural findings were: 1. presence of 2 types of cells—large clear cell and small dark cell, with abundant glycogen contents, 2. basement membrane and pseudoacinal structures, 3. filopodia, and 4. electron‐dense bodies in the cytoplasm. Some histogenetic relation to synovial tissue was suggested. It seems that the tumor might fall under the category of synovial sarcoma.

Histologic appearance of gastric carcinoma in high and low mortality countries: Comparison between Kyushu, Japan and Minnesota, U.S.A.

A comparative study was made of 800 Japanese and 627 American cases of gastric carcinoma which had been surgically resected. The intention was to show if there was a difference in histologic appearance associated with geographic distribution and incidence. In both Japan and the United States adenocarcinoma was the predominant tumor type among the patients over 50 years of age. In patients under 50. years, the predominant tumor was diffuse carcinoma. The proportion of adenocarcinoma to diffuse carcinoma studied in age group from both populations showed no significant statistical difference in the proportionate number of each type. In the high incidence population of Japan, there was a predominance of younger patients, which contained a predominance of diffuse carcinoma.

GEOGRAPHICAL PATHOLOGY OF GASTRIC CARCINOMA

An international comparative study was made of gastric carcinoma in order to determine whether or not the tumor showed any different morphological features In different countries. The series were from Japan, Korea, U.S.A., New Zealand, and Chile. Further comparison was made at different time periods in U.S.A., New Zealand, and Japan. It was found that there was no significant difference in histological appearance of gastric carcinoma both in different countries and at different times. Some statistical data indicate that the same and common factor may be operating throughout the world as a gastric carcinogen.

Gastric carcinoma in New Zealand

An epidemiologic‐pathologic study was made of gastric carcinoma in a defined area of New Zealand with a population of 532,731. There were 1,063 male and 575 female patients suffering from gastric carcinoma in the period 1950‐1970 inclusive. A further group of Maori patients was identified from throughout New Zealand; this totalled 186 male and 112 female patients in the period 1953‐1968 inclusive. The incidence rates were higher in Maoris than in Europeans. The histologic appearance of the New Zealand series showed no significant difference when compared with the Japanese, Korean, and American series. It appears likely that the histologic appearance of gastric carcinoma could be the same in different countries regardless of the different incidence rates. This may indicate that the same factor is operating in different countries as a gastric carcinogen.

Histologic types of gastric carcinoma among Koreans

Five hundred forty‐six gastric carcinomas from Korea were histologically classified into 3 main types (adenocarcinoma, mucoid carcinoma, and diffuse carcinoma). Adenocarcinoma was the predominant tumor type among the aged, while diffuse carcinoma was predominant among the younger patients. The results obtained were consistent with the previous data from Japan and the USA. No significant difference in the histologic appearances of gastric carcinoma in these three countries is apparent.

A NOTE ON FINE STRUCTURE OF SYNOVIAL SARCOMA

A well differentiated synovial sarcoma was examined by electron microscopy. This study shows that the epithelioid cells lining the gland like spaces are lying on a basement membrane. These cells have filopodia on their free surfaces and have desmosomes. This further study of the fine structure of the synovial sarcoma suggests that there is a histogenetic relationship to the clear‐cell sarcoma described in a previous communication by the author.

EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION OF CHRONIC ULCER IN THE GLANDULAR STOMACH OF MICE BY ADMINISTRATION OF CORTISONE COMBINED WITH FASTING

The present author has succeeded in producing chronic gastric ulcer in CF1 male mice, in a state of fasting, by subcutaneous administration of cortisone in large doses. It was elucidated that the process began with the formation of acute erosion which subs equently progressed to chronic ulcer. The chronic ulcer was produced within a period of 57 days from the start of the experiment. The ulcer was characterized by the presence of such mucosal fibrosis and marginal regenerates as commonly observable in chronic peptic ulcer in man. The ulcer occurred with a predilection for the pyloric area. In addition, the chronic changes in the mucosa, such as, cyst formation, intestinal metaplasia with Paneth cells, mucosal atrophy, or hyperplasia and glandular ectopia as well, were observed in many cases. ACTA PATH. JAP.18: 227–237, 1968.

Fibromusculosis in chronic gastritis.

Seven‐hundred‐and‐sixty‐four stomachs from the Japanese and 456 from the Americans, both autopsy and surgical materials inclusive, were studied histologically. There were seen, within an unexpectedly large proportion of cases, distortion and thickening of the muscularis mucosae. This change consisted of a proliferation of fibrous and muscular elements. The incidence of the lesion increased with the advance of age reaching 77.4 per cent in the 6th decade in autopsy cases in the Japanese, whereas in the Americans it was less than 20.0 per cent, thus making a sharp contrast. Its association with classical gastritic changes was a usual occurrence. The term “fibromusculosis” was proposed by the author for the lesion, on the ground that it would constitute one of the important anatomical features of chronic “Umbau‐gastritis”