Cystic cervical metastases are not branchiogenic carcinomas.

This paper examines the issues of the existence, the diagnosis and the management of carcinoma in a cervical cyst. Five cases highlight a discussion of the problems facing the pathologist and the surgeon. Patients with a cystic squamous carcinoma in the neck likely have a primary in the oropharynx and a meticulous investigation is warranted.

Establishment and characterization of a panel of human lung cancer cell lines.

The establishment and characterization of 11 human lung cancer cell lines are described in this article. Nine of these cell lines were established over a 5-year period, from 1983 to 1988, from patients treated at the Kingston Regional Cancer Centre. These include eight definite or probable small cell lung cancer (SCLC) lines and one adenocarcinoma line. In addition, two other SCLC cell lines were characterized. All of the lines have been in continuous culture for more than 2 years. The clinical histories of the patients from whom the cell lines were derived are outlined here. Several features of the cell lines are presented, including the following: (1) a comparison of the histologic features of the cell lines with the original biopsy specimens; (2) the expression of various markers, including cytokeratin, carcinoembryonic antigen, calcitonin, and neuron-specific enolase; (3) activities of the enzymes l-dopa decarboxylase and the brain isoenzyme of creatine kinase; (4) growth characteristics; (5) cloning efficiency in soft agar; (6) tumorigenicity in nude mice; and (7) cytogenetic studies. These cell lines, obtained directly from patients with a spectrum of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tumors, will be valuable in vitro models of sensitivity and resistance to chemotherapy in lung cancer.

DNA amplification and metastasis of the human melanoma cell line MeWo.

A positive correlation was found between the presence of amplified DNA in the form of homogeneously staining regions (HSRs), and the formation of spontaneous metastases by the human melanoma cell line MeWo. HSR+ and HSR- MeWo sublines and clones were injected s.c. into BALB/c nude mice. All MeWo lines produced primary tumors that were allowed to grow to a similar size before the animals were sacrificed and examined for the presence of metastatic nodules in the lungs and abdominal cavity. HSR+ lines gave extensive metastases (greater than 100 nodules) in the lungs and/or liver and abdomen in 18 of 19 animals. The HSR- MeWo lines were effectively nonmetastatic, producing metastases in 3 of 20 animals, two of which had only a single metastatic lung nodule each. Evidence for the presence of HSRs in the primary tumors and metastatic nodules was obtained by DNA dot-blot hybridization to a sequence (D15Z1) amplified in the HSRs, flow cytofluorometry for cellular DNA content, and quinacrine staining of metaphase spreads. The HSR+ clones also colonized the lung to a much greater extent than HSR- clones following i.v. injection. In addition, the HSR+ clone had a selective advantage in lung colonization, since i.v. injection of a 50:50 mixture of HSR+ and HSR- clones resulted in extensive metastases populated exclusively by HSR+ cells. The results suggest that DNA sequences amplified in the HSRs of human melanoma MeWo cells may confer enhanced metastatic properties to these cells.

Systemic cystic angiomatosis in a woman with hematuria and splenomegaly.

Cutaneous hemangiomas are frequently found on routine clinical examination and generally are not important. But when internal organs are involved, these vascular tumours assume greater importance because of associated morbidity. A case is presented of multiple organ involvement by angiomas in a woman with a history of flank hemangioma who was investigated for hematuria and splenomegaly. She subsequently underwent splenectomy. The uncommon systemic syndromes characterized by vascular tumours are discussed, and the case reported is appropriately classified. The clinical picture, pathologic features and investigations appropriate for systemic cystic angiomatosis are briefly reviewed. The authors recommend conservative management when there is splenic involvement unless the size of the spleen makes its rupture likely or when there are hematologic complications.

Establishment of a human large cell lung tumor line (QU-DB) with metastatic properties in athymic mice.

A continuous human cell line was established from a patient with large cell anaplastic lung carcinoma. This cell line, designated QU-DB, has been in culture for over 36 months and grows as an adherent monolayer with a doubling time of 10-12 hours. Its morphology, ultrastructure, karyotype, ability to grow in soft agar and heterotransplantability, indicate it is a large-cell lung tumor cell line of human origin. Three cell lines were established from metastatic tumors in nude mice receiving subcutaneous injections of QU-DB cells. The morphology and growth characteristics exhibited by these cell lines were similar to the primary cell line. Karyotypic analysis of cell lines derived from the primary tumor and a metastasis to the diaphragm were similar, but cells from a liver metastasis culture showed additional karyotypic changes. This large cell lung tumor cell line may prove useful as a model system for studies of human tumor progression and metastasis.

Synchronous independent primary osteosarcoma and adenocarcinoma of kidney.

Primary osteogenic sarcomas are extremely rare tumors of the kidney. The association with a juxtaposed renal "clear" cell carcinoma would appear to be unique, although several cases of osteogenic sarcomatous differentiation have been described within so-called sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma variants. We report a case of synchronous independent development of both renal cell carcinoma and osteogenic sarcoma within the same kidney.