ABSTRACT
The authors present cytological and clinical features of six cases of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. They are quoting a review of the literature about the cytological picture of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid and they draw attention to the advances of immunocytology.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Medullary/pathology , Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Using the complement consumption test by double culture of Paramecium caudatum and Aerobacter cloacae (DPA) as antigen we examined blood sera and compared survival rates and stage of disease in 124 patients with carcinoma of cervix uteri, corpus uteri, ovaries and breast. The evidence suggests that bacteria Aerobacter cloacae constitute the proper antigenically effective substances of DPA. The intensity of reaction and therapy the relative titres of antibodies detected by the test were expressed by the amount of complement consumed in the reaction and designated by the abbreviation "NMHD", i. e. number of minimum haemolytic doses of complement fixed by antigen in the reaction. Patients with NMHD above 8 (i. e. with an intensive reaction corresponding to a high level of antibodies) exhibited partly higher three-year survival rates -- starting from the time of diagnosis, partly more often the clinical stages of disease I or II as compared with patients with NMHD below 4. The best survival rates were found in patients with NMHD above 8 and clinical stage I or II. NMHD values in patients with the initial period of disease and in healthy women did not differ substantially.
