ABSTRACT
The authors report a case of malignant breast tumour induced by oestrogens in a patient treated for 7 years for carcinoma of the prostate. They review the literature on the subject and stress the important diagnostic and prognostic role of hormonal receptor assays. These allow the much more numerous cases of mammary metastases of prostatic cancer to be distinguished and, in cases of primary malignant tumour, they permit the choice of the best possible hormone therapy available.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/chemically induced , Breast Neoplasms/chemically induced , Estrogens/adverse effects , Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy , Adenocarcinoma/secondary , Aged , Breast Neoplasms/secondary , Humans , Male , Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/chemically induced , Prognosis , Receptors, Estrogen/analysisABSTRACT
Endometriosis involving the digestive tract accounts for 1% of all cases of the disease. There is a marked predominance in the recto-sigmoid and terminal ileal loops. Symptomatology is dominated by disturbances in intestinal transit, sub-occlusion or acute obstruction, pain worsening at the time of menstruation and by a haemorrhagic rectal discharge again accompanying menstruation. Apart from classical aetiopathogenic theories such as grafting onto the digestive tract by tubal, lymph vessel or venous propagation, it would appear that prostaglandins and in particular a change in the (formula; see text) ratio may play a large role. Operative resection of localised stenosis combined with oophorectomy, if the latter is possible in view of the patient's age, or prolonged medical treatment with progestational agents or even better Danazol results in cure and avoids recurrences.
Subject(s)
Endometriosis/pathology , Ileal Neoplasms/pathology , Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/pathology , Rectal Neoplasms/pathology , Sigmoid Neoplasms/pathology , Adult , Endometriosis/therapy , Female , Humans , Ileal Neoplasms/therapy , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/therapy , Rectal Neoplasms/therapy , Sigmoid Neoplasms/therapyABSTRACT
The authors give 9 case histories of endometriosis localised to the abdominal wall : 3 of them in the umbilicus, 3 in laparotomy incisions (2 of those were Caesareans), 2 of them in the round ligaments at the external opening of the inguinal canal and 1 of them in the right rectus muscle sheath in the abdomen. The functional symptomatology is rhythmical according to menstruation; it is associated with a burning type of pain, a tumour and blood loss. Over and above the theories of aetiology that are now classical, namely tubal retrograde spill, and lymphatic or venous spread, it would seem that prostaglandins and in particular the ratio of P.G.E. divided by P.D.F2 alpha can play a big role. Although Danazol is an effective treatment for endometriosis, the treatment of choice is, in these lesions that are superficial in localisation and easily accessible, to cut them out surgically. This makes it possible on the one hand to look for other intra-abdominal lesions and also on the other hand to confirm the anatomy and pathology (this was done in 7 out of 9 of our cases).
Subject(s)
Abdominal Muscles , Endometriosis/pathology , Abdominal Muscles/pathology , Adult , Endometriosis/therapy , Endometriosis/ultrastructure , Female , Humans , Menstruation , Middle AgedABSTRACT
The authors report a case of polymorphous liposarcoma situated in the pancreas. Ultrastructural study of proliferation demonstrated two cell contingents which appeared to represent stages of varied differentiation in the elaboration of adipose cells. The marked preponderance in the case studied of clear and little organised cells would appear to justify the histological classification of the polymorphous liposarcoma as a relatively undifferentiated tumour. Furthermore, this study emphasised the value of electron microscopy in the diagnosis of neoplasms which are complex from a morphological standpoint.
