Pattern of cancer in Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana (a ten year retrospective study).

A ten year retrospective study was undertaken to ascertain the pattern and incidence of cancer in Ludhiana which is an industrial town with catchment area of Ludhiana consisting of Ludhiana distt., Sangrur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Ropar, Kapurthala, some parts of Himachel Pradesh and Haryana. A total number of 56,565 biopsies were received for histopathological examinaiton in 10 years and 4,730 cases of cancer were diagnosed. The incidence of total malignant tumors was 8.36%. Females out numbered males in the incidence of cancer, with male to female ratio being 1:1.09. Most of the cancers were seen in the age group of 41-50 years. In females the two most common cancer sites were breast (21.07%) and cervix (19.4%) while in males hypopharynx--larynx (13.94%) and prostate (9.65%) were the most common sites of cancer.

Renal amyloidosis--a clinicopathologic study.

A total of 19,075 necropsies and 1169 renal biopsies were scrutinised over a period of 20 years (1973-1992) retrospectively with an aim to study the incidence and pattern of renal amyloidosis in Nair Hospital. A total of 75 cases with amyloidosis were detected, 33 from the necropsy series (0.162%) and 42 from biopsies (3.59%). Secondary amyloidosis was seen in 82.66% and primary amyloidosis in 10.66%. Tuberculosis of various organs was the main cause of secondary amyloidosis (79.03%). Nephrotic syndrome was the common mode of presentation (52%). Besides kidney, which were involved in all cases, the liver, spleen and adrenals were other commonly involved organs at necropsy. Renal failure was the leading cause of death (51.51%). Thioflavine-T proved to be more sensitive technique than other conventional staining methods. The potassium permanganate test is a useful test to distinguish secondary amyloid fibrils from other amyloid fibrils. Abdominal fat aspiration may prove to be specific, sensitive and a routine procedure enabling the early diagnosis of amyloidosis leading to increased incidence of amyloidosis during life than at necropsy.