neu overexpression correlates with extent of disease in large cell ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.

In a retrospective study of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast, the expression of the neu oncogene was determined immunohistochemically in 76 women treated by local excision or mastectomy. The histopathological features, including the extent of the lesion, histological subtype, cell type, and number of mitoses, were related to neu overexpression. Immunopositivity was found only in DCIS of large cell type, where it correlated with extent of disease but not with mitotic rate. Our findings, together with previous experimental evidence, suggest that this relationship is a consequence of the effect of the neu protein on cell motility.

Vimentin expression of renal cell carcinoma in relation to DNA content and histological grading: a combined light microscopic, immunocytochemical and cytophotometrical analysis.

An immunocytochemical and cytophotometrical analysis of 30 renal cell carcinomas was carried out in order to investigate the expression of cytokeratin and vimentin in relation to the ploidy and mitotic index. Thirty renal cell carcinomas were studied using monoclonal antibodies CAM 5.2 and anti-vimentin in a biotin-streptavidin staining procedure. The renal cell carcinomas were classified according to the criteria of Fuhrman with a nuclear grading from I to IV. All carcinomas expressed cytokeratin, whereas co-expression with vimentin was present only in 53%. Expression for both intermediate filaments was present in aneuploid tumours with a marked nuclear pleomorphism and was more frequently related to a tubulo-papillary and pseudosarcomatous growth pattern. It is suggested that vimentin expression in renal cell carcinomas may be useful as a prognostic index in addition to nuclear grade. DNA content, mitotic rate and tumour stage.

Feulgen DNA content and mitotic activity in proliferative breast disease. A comparison with ductal carcinoma in situ.

Nuclear Feulgen DNA content was measured by cytophotometry and the number of mitoses per 40 high power fields was determined in hyperplastic and atypical hyperplastic lesions of fibrocystic disease in 18 patients, in ductal carcinoma in situ in 14 patients and in ductal carcinoma in situ associated with infiltrating carcinoma in 11 patients. These parameters were also investigated in the hyperplastic lesions accompanying ductal carcinoma in situ and ductal carcinoma in situ associated with infiltrating carcinoma. The nuclear Feulgen DNA content could not discriminate between atypical hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ. Although differences in the mitotic count between hyperplastic and atypical breast lesions were not statistically significant, there was a statistically significant greater mitotic count in ductal carcinoma in situ alone or associated with infiltrating carcinoma. These findings suggest that the mitotic count is useful for the differential diagnosis between atypical hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ. In addition, hyperplastic lesions associated with ductal carcinoma in situ, with or without infiltrating carcinoma, exhibited a statistically significant higher mitotic count than those in benign fibrocystic disease. Hyperplastic breast lesions exhibiting high mitotic counts may indicate the presence of a neighbouring ductal malignancy and suggest an increased proliferative activity in breast tissue in the neighbourhood of malignancy.

Evaluation of trace elements in human lung tissue. III. Correspondence analysis.

The concentrations of 22 trace elements in 13 segments of both lungs of eight individuals were subjected to correspondence analysis, a display method based on principal components analysis. Sample groups were isolated which coincide with the age of the individuals. The firmness of the clusters decreased however with aging. The elements Br, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Pb, Sc, Se and V had the most important influence on the grouping. It can be assumed that they are enriched in the tissue by inhaled particulate matter, deposited and accumulated in an insoluble form. The correlation between the elements is proof for their similar behaviour in the lungs: Co, Cr, Sb, Sc and V have a long biological half-life in the tissue, whereas Zn and K are easily removed.