[Morphological analysis of puncture biopsies of the thyroid gland. Methods--diagnostic criteria--evaluation].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to W Böcker.
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Tissue was taken from 16 patients with benign thyroid lesions (10 nontoxic nodular colloid goiter, two follicular adenoma, one autonomous adenoma, one iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis, 2 Graves' disease) and 18 patients with malignant thyroid tumors [seven papillary, five follicular, five undifferentiated (anaplastic), and one medullalry carcinoma] and was xenotransplanted into the flanks of 124 syngeneic female BALB/c-nu/nu mice 6 weeks of age. Subsequently, without any further treatment, serum levels of thyroglobulin (TG), T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone were determined by radioimmunoassay at 4 or 5 weeks posttransplantation and at the end of the experimental time period of 4 months. All animals were autopsied. The grafts were examined by light microscopy and TG immunohistochemistry. Morphologically, the grafts of benign and malignant thyroid tumors showed features overall identical to the original tissue. Conversely, nontoxic nodular colloid goiter and Graves' disease grafts revealed a transformation to normofollicular structures. All benign thyroid grafts showed a stationary growth, as did most differentiated thyroid carcinomas. Tumor take rates in differentiated and in medullary carcinoma were 15%, and in undifferentiated carcinomas, 100%. In the cancer grafts, a correlation between resting phase (period until progressive tumor growth) and survival time of the corresponding patients was disclosed. All patients whose tumors were not taken by nude mice are still alive and show no signs of progressive tumor growth at 9 to 34 months after surgery. All but one patient with tumors revealing positive tumor take died within 3 months (resting phase, 3 weeks) or one year (resting phase, 7 to 14 weeks) after surgery. Integrity of hormonal function in benign and malignant xenografts at 4 months posttransplantation could be shown by significantly higher T3 and T4 serum concentrations in animals with benign thyroid tissues (T3, 1.69 +/- 0.13 nmol/liter; T4, 45.69 +/- 2.09 nmol/liter; S.E.) as compared to controls without grafted tissue [T3, 1.29 +/- 0.10 nmol/liter (p less than 0.05); T4, 33.39 +/- 2.71 nmol/liter (p less than 0.05)] and by increased TG serum concentrations in animals receiving benign (TG, 2.70 +/- 1.39 ng/ml) or malignant (e.g., TG in follicular carcinoma, 34.44 +/- 13.83 ng/ml; controls, 0.30 +/- 0.02 ng/ml) thyroid tissue. Thus, we conclude that benign and malignant thyroid xenografts in the nude mouse maintain full morphological and, regarding T3, T4, and TG serum levels, functional integrity for at least 4 months after transplantation.
Of a total of 182 papillary neoplasms, 25 lesions (average size, 3.1 cm) were classified on cytologic and histologic grounds as being encapsulated carcinomas. In eight of these tumors (32.2%) cervical lymph node metastasis and/or intraglandular lymphatic spread was observed. It was not possible to separate on histologic grounds those that did metastasize from those that did not. The excellent prognosis for the encapsulated variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma was confirmed by a long follow-up period in which no evidence of recurrences or further metastasis was registered as compared with the time of initial diagnosis, whatever the mode of therapy. On the basis of these findings, the encapsulated papillary carcinoma can be regarded as an early or slowly growing form of the papillary thyroid carcinoma.
In a retrospective study of 86 follicular carcinomas of the thyroid gland, 35 lesions were classified as encapsulated carcinomas (40.7%). In two of these, lymph node metastases were detected initially. Another patient presented with distant metastases. The biological behaviour of these 35 tumours was studied over a long-term follow-up period (0.4-19.1 years, mean 10.3 years) which featured three cases of death from thyroid carcinoma 0.4-5.0 years after thyroidectomy. Another patient suffered from local recurrence of a follicular carcinoma 13.9 years later. The morphological and clinical findings of those five patients who initially presented with metastases and/or whose follow-up registered the local recurrence of thyroid cancer or death as a result of it, were compared with the remaining 30 cases which were of a benign clinical course. Statistical analysis showed that the prognosis of encapsulated follicular carcinoma is more serious when tumours occur in patients older than 65 years of age and when the tumour diameter is 5.0 cm or more. There was a tendency towards poorer prognosis in those tumours exclusively composed of oxyphilic epithelium.
Peanut lectin (PNL) is known to bind beta-D-galactosyl-(1-3)-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, which provides antigenic determination of the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen ( TFAg ). The aim of this study was to analyse the expression of peanut lectin binding sites in mammary carcinomas and to correlate these with tumor type, histological grading, staging and biochemical receptor status. The series comprised 120 invasive mammary carcinomas and 14 cases with normal breast tissue or benign epithelial proliferations as controls. In controls mainly luminal or apical PNL-binding was discovered, however, in all except three carcinomas a cytoplasmatic localisation of TFAg with three major patterns was found: diffuse, granular-globular and vacuolar reactions. The quantitative-qualitative evaluation of the PNL-staining revealed a statistically significant correlation between globular-vacuolar PNL-reaction and tumor type with a higher percentage of this type of reaction in invasive lobular carcinomas as opposed to tubular and invasive ductal carcinomas. Furthermore a statistically significant relationship was disclosed between PNL- histopositivity and estrogen positive - progesterone positive cases. However, the findings of contradictory PNL-status and hormone-receptor status illustrates clearly the difficulty of predicting the biochemical receptor status. No correlation was found between PNL-histochemistry, histological grading, and pathological staging. The practical implications of PNL-histochemistry of mammary carcinomas are discussed.
Rare fat cell-containing adenomas (adenolipomas) found in the thyroid gland of two patients are presented. Previously documented cases are reviewed. An origin from embryonic rests for these tumours as for diffuse lipomatosis of the thyroid is discussed.
A thyroid adenoma consisting of lipid-rich follicle cells is presented which has not previously been described in this organ. The discussion focuses on the possibility of its metaplastic origin and on its histological analogy to lipid-rich carcinoma of the breast.
On studying 182 papillary neoplasms of the thyroid, 32 nonencapsulated lesions were found to be occult papillary carcinomas (maximum diameter 1.5 cm); out of these 32 patients 18 cases of cervical lymph node metastases were observed. Histologically, 4 circumscribed microcarcinomas, 3 partially encapsulated carcinomas, and 25 occult sclerosing carcinomas were distinguished. The mean diameter of the 4 circumscribed tumours as compared to that of the remaining 28 lesions proved to be statistically significantly smaller, but no significant differences could be observed regarding the rate of lymph node metastasis. One occult sclerosing carcinoma showed a morphologic pattern different from the remaining cases--namely that it had an exclusively solid appearance in the primary lesion and also in its lymph nodes metastases. The follicle cell origin of this lesion was established immunohistochemically by patchy thyroglobulin synthesis. The excellent prognosis of the occult category of papillary thyroid carcinoma was confirmed by a follow-up (mean 7.7 years, range 1.1 to 16.3 years), in which only 2 instances of eradicable recurrent lymph node metastases within the group of occult sclerosing carcinomas were recorded.
Nineteen patients with various types of lipoma in the pelvis are described. Clinical findings, radiological examinations, and follow-up studies constitute a particular type of lipoma, diffuse infiltrating lipomatosis; this can be distinguished from other fatty tumours because of its localisation, extent, therapeutic results and long course. Computed tomography enables us to differentiate simple lipomatosis pelvis from diffuse infiltrating lipomatosis. Histological examination is essential for excluding a liposarcoma. Growth or malignant change of diffuse infiltrating lipomatosis is most easily recognized by computed tomographic serial observation.
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Thyroglobulin (TG) immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded thyroid tissue is a functional morphological method to analyse qualitatively and quantitatively benign and malignant lesions of the thyroid. In this article new aspects of pathogenesis, functional morphology and differential diagnosis resulting from the application of this method are reported. According to our immunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings the formal pathogenesis of nontoxic (sporadic) goitre is characterized by the progressive transformation of active small thyroid follicles into inactive macrofollicles. In nodular goitre, the final stage of this process, the macrofollicles are probably irreversibly inactive and not TSH-responsive. Thyroid adenomas can be divided scintigraphically and by TG immunohistochemistry into endocrine active ("hot") and endocrine non-active ("cold") adenomas. The first group consists of autonomous adenomas, second group of other maincell adenomas and adenomas of specific cytological differentiation (e.g. oxyphilic and clear cell adenomas). In metastasizing differentiated thyroid carcinomas TG immunohistochemistry is a reliable method to differentiate primary thyroid carcinomas from other adenocarcinomas, e.g. lymph node metastases of the neck in the case of papillary carcinomas or bone metastases in cases of follicular carcinomas of the thyroid.
Guinea pig thyroid tissue was incubated in a tissue culture system in the presence of various TSH concentrations and for various time periods. The morphokinetic response was examined with the electron microscope. The qualitatively finer aspects of the TSH-caused sequence of events are described and compared with in vivo results. After in vitro stimulation the general changes of cell membranes and of the cytocavitary network are very similar to those in vivo. On the other hand, there are differences with regard to intensity and duration of the structural response to TSH and additionally degenerative changes of organelles are found which might be explained by incubational factors. The role of the mitochondria as a source of energy is demonstrated by typical qualitative and quantitative alterations. An interesting finding is the degradation of mitochondria within colloid droplets, a mechanism which is suggested to represent a modified autophagy. Intracellular follicles are occasionally found during in vitro experiments. The formal genesis of this structure and its possible role is discussed. The present study indicates that this incubation model provides a useful tool for further analyses of thyroid disorders.
This immuno-histochemical description of thyroglobulin synthesis in human thyroid carcinomas is based on the analysis of 72 malignant thyroid neoplasms and about 100 cases of thyroid adenomas and other diseases of the thyroid gland. In our experience immuno-histochemistry has been an invaluable diagnostic adjunct to light microscopy for three reasons: 1) as an approach to a functional classification of thyroid carcinomas, 2) as an aid in the differential diagnosis of thyroid carcinomas of follicle cell type from tumors of other origins, 3) as an aid in the functional classification of non-cancerous thyroid tissue. In the field of metastasizing thyroid carcinoma this immuno-histochemical approach combined with a morphometrical method may enable accurate identification of patients for whom radioiodine therapy is appropriate.
The morphology and biology of tumors of the nerve sheath show rather heterogeneous aspects. In most the site of origin seems to be the Schwann's cells. Essentially these tumors can be differentiated into three groups: 1. malignant schwannoma, 2. neurinoma, and 3. neurofibroma. Although the Schwann's cell is the common origin, the three different tumors can be well differentiated histologically with the exception of malignant schwannoma and spindle cell sarcoma. The clinical symptoms are determined by the location of the tumor and are without general characteristics. The treatment of choice is always radical surgery. In addition, radiation and chemotherapy are indicated in special cases.