The role of cytology in the diagnosis of benign and malignant anal lesions.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a rather infrequent neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. Nevertheless its frequency is increasing lately especially in high risk groups of the population infected from HIV or HPV viruses. Squamous cell carcinoma is a slowly and locally growing neoplasm which metastasizes in advanced stages. Its diagnosis must be accomplished by the least traumatic examinations possible. In our study we reviewed our five years experience that included 116 cases. In 89 of them cytological material from ulcerated positions of the anal region was examined. In the rest 27 cytological material was obtained by fine needle aspiration of subcutaneous or submucosal anal lesions. All 116 case reports were retrospectively evaluated. Cytological evaluation revealed 29 cases of normal anal epithelium, 13 granulomas, 12 cases of HPV infection, 28 anal squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASIL), 17 post radiation injuri-es of the anal mucosa and 17 carcinomas. The neoplasms were further subclassified in 12 well differentiated squamous cell carcinomas, 4 cloacogenic carcinomas and 1 leiomyosarcoma. Histological examination followed the initial cytological diagnosis in 75 cases. The correlation between cytological and histological reports did not reveal any false negative or any false positive result. The agreement between histological and cytological evaluation was absolute. Cytological examination is proved to be an easily accessible and totally reliable, low cost diagnostic method, not requiring any kind of anesthesia. It is well accepted by the patients and of paramount clinical utility for the initial diagnostic assessment, the long-term follow up after treatment of anal cancer patients. It is also valuable for the differential diagnosis among benign, premalignant and malignant anal lesions.

Low-dose heparin treatment does not inhibit SW480 human colon cancer growth and metastasis in vivo.

We investigated heparin effects on the biological behavior of SW480 human colon adenocarcinoma cells in vivo. Tumor growth, pathological features, metastatic potential and karyotype, were studied after the twelve week low-dose heparin treatment of nude mice subcutaneously injected with SW480 cells. A non statistically significant increase in tumor growth was observed (0.05 < p < 0.1, compared to the control group). No differences in tumor histology and karyotype were detected. Two of the six heparin-treated animals exhibited an increase in tumor vascularization. Metastasis to the lungs and liver was not inhibited. These results do not support the role of heparin in the prevention of the in vivo growth and metastasis of SW 480 colon cancer cells.

Our experience with chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of breast cancer.

We are reporting about 300 female patients with progressive breast cancer and metastases. One hundred them had been treated by single agent in 5 sub-groups consisting each of 20 patients. Their medial survival was 18.5 month in complete response (CR) patient. One hundred of the patients had 5-drugs chemotherapy with median survival in complete responders of 26 months. One hundred patients had a 5-drug combination chemotherapy including adriblastina with median survival for complete responders of 34 months. In the present work it is apparent that adriblastina prolongs the life of the patients. Our findings and the data of other investigators urge us to consider future experimental pilot protocols which will allow us to individualize treatment by defining for each patient the optimal mix of modalities and agents. We emphasize the use of tumor cell markers and ER receptors.