Incidence and mortality of malignant melanoma in Berlin (West) from 1980 to 1986.

Newly diagnosed melanomas were investigated utilizing the histological reports from the 4 Departments of dermatology as well as from 3 Departments of pathology in Berlin (West) during the years 1980-86. The study included 960 melanomas and documented the histological features, age, gender and nationality of the patients involved. 936 patients were Germans (379 males, 557 females), and the mean age-adjusted incidence rate (for the European standard population) was 7.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year for both genders with an increase between 1980-81 and 1985-86 in men from 6.0 to 9.8 and in women from 5.8 to 7.8/100,000 and year. Thus a 49% increase in incidence was observed for both genders combined during a 5-year period. In this study, a preponderance of male incidence rates was observed for the first time in Germany. Interestingly, the age-adjusted incidence rate for the Turkish population, which is the largest foreign population with more than 100,000 inhabitants in Berlin, was only 1.3/100,000 and year. 162 men and 145 women died of melanoma in the time period examined. From 1980-81 to 1985-86, the age-adjusted mortality rate changed from 3.5 to 2.6 for men and from 1.2 to 1.6 for women per 100,000 and year, thus revealing a slight decrease in mortality for both genders combined.

[Cerebral infarct following traumatic carotid artery thrombosis]. / Hirninfarkt nach traumatischer Karotisthrombose.

An autopsy case of a 45-year-old man is presented. The man had sustained a minor head injury in a traffic accident 11 years ago previously and 5 years later had a cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of the carotid artery. There was histological evidence of a traumatic lesion of the vessel wall. Several contradictory expert opinions were rendered regarding the questionable causal relationship between occlusion of the artery and the previous trauma. In the court of appeal, an agreement was arrived at between the widow of the deceased and the third-party insurance of the person responsible for the accident.

An atypical Aspergillus flavus from a case of bronchopulmonary aspergilloma. A contribution to the cultural and serological diagnosis of A. flavus infections.

A slow-growing, non-pigmented hyphomycete was isolated from sputum and a fungus ball removed at autopsy from the lung. The patient, an alcoholic, also suffered from cirrhosis and primary carcinoma of the liver. The atypical and otherwise non-recognizable isolate showed a growth typical of Aspergillus flavus when cultured on sterilized peanuts. This observation indicates the diagnostic significance of such strains which have become atypical, as etiologic agents and sources of antigen. Serologically, the antigen of the atypical strain proved to be stronger than that of a typical A. flavus strain. In view of the simultaneous presence of the liver carcinoma and the absence of aflatoxin production by the atypical strain, the possible role of chronic colonization of the lung by A. flavus is discussed.