[Plasma cell leukemia. Bibliographic review and ultrastructural study (by transmission and scanning electron microscopy) in 2 cases]. / La leucemia plasmacellulare. Revisione bibliografica e studio ultrastrutturale (al M.E.T. ed al M.E.S.) in due casi.

After a brief examination of the recent literature on plasma cell leukemia, the Authors describe the clinical features and the ultrastructural findings of the peripheral blood plasma cells, examined with transmission (T.E.M.) and scanning (S.E.M.) electron microscopes, of two patients with acute plasma cell leukemia. Both of them had a previous history of myeloma. T.E.M. confirmed the diagnostic value of the asynchronous plasma cells, and S.E.M. showed the characteristic microvilli and blebs, previously observed.

[Non-secretory plasmacytoma. Bibliographic review and immunohistochemical study of a case]. / Plasmocitoma non secernente. Revisione bibliografica e studio immunoistochimico di un caso.

After a brief examination of the recent literature on non-secretory multiple myeloma, the Authors describe the immunohistologic study (peroxidase-antiperoxidase method) of a case of truly non producing plasmacytoma, interesting because of the presence of a small polyclonal plasma cell population within the neoplastic clone. Several possible explanations are considered.

[Autoantibodies and respiratory allergy: immunologic case study]. / Autoanticorpi e allergie respiratorie: studio casistico immunologico.

Sera obtained from 212 patients with rhinopathy and/or asthma of allergic origin (pollens and/or mites) and from 87 apparently healthy controls were studied for the presence of organ and non organ specific autoantibodies. These were determined by indirect immunofluorescence techniques (5) using test tissue from monkeys (thyroid) and rats (stomach, liver and kidney). Two groups were matched for age and sex and the tests were performed using the double-blind method. The incidence observed was not dissimilar to that detected in healthy subjects, with the exclusion of smooth-muscle antibodies. These were present to a lesser extent in patients with respiratory allergies (0.94%) in contrast with the incidence of 5.73% in normal subjects (P less than 0.01). On the basis of our findings, it seems possible to hypothesize that allergic patients have a lesser tendency to autoimmune diseases because the immune system is committed to the IgE-mediated immunoreactions. In conclusion, autoantibodies do not seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of respiratory allergies to inhaled allergens.

[Hypocholesterolemia in multiple myeloma. Inverse relation to the component M and the clinical stage]. / Ipocolesterolemia nel mieloma multiplo. Relazione inversa con la componente M e con lo stadio clinico.

The following parameters were studied in 41 Durie & Salmon staged patients with multiple myeloma: M component, bone lesions, marrow plasma cell %, Hb, leukocytes/mm3, lymphocytes/mm3, platelets/mm3, blood calcium, serum albumin, blood creatinine, BUN, total blood cholesterol. Linear correlation was adopted for the relation between two variables, using Pearson's coefficient, and Student's t test for unpaired data for comparison between the means. A significant (slight to excellent) inverse correlation was noted between total blood cholesterol and the M component. There was also a significant difference between the 1st and 2nd stage of the disease in this respect (P less than 0.05), between the 1st and 3rd (P less than 0.01), and between the 1st and the 2nd and 3rd combined (P less than 0.01). Progress of the disease appears to result in a fall in blood cholesterol. This parameter may be of assistance in differentiating slow-progressing forms from the more aggressive forms requiring treatment. The reasons for this change are discussed. Since cholesterol is an essential part of the cell membranes, attention is given to theories postulating a disorder in intracellular membrane metabolism.

[Prognostic factors and response to chemotherapy in breast cancer. bibliographic review]. / Fattori prognostici e risposta alla chemioterapia nel carcinoma della mammella. Revisione bibliografica.

The recent literature on prognostic factors in breast cancer was examined with regard to: early or delayed diagnosis, age, menopause, tumour site and size, histological type and grading, involvement of lymph nodes, clinical stage, local recurrence, and distant metastasis. With respect to prognostic factors connected with the response to therapy, the following points were considered: menopause, involvement of lymph nodes, dimensions, clinical stage, free interval, performance and loss of weight, particular sites of metastasis, radiotherapy, oestrogen receptors, prior endocrine management, and certain body fluid parameters (haemoglobin, total lymphocytes, platelets, and white cells, albumin, LDH, SGOT, alkaline phosphatase, blood bilirubin and calcium). Radiotherapy appears to make patients less responsive to subsequent antiblastic treatment, whereas premenopausal status, good psychological and physical efficiency, and prior endocrine management seem to play a positive role in the response to chemotherapy.