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H Dralle

Publications and source records attributed to H Dralle.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Histology and immunocytochemistry of differentiated thyroid carcinomas do not predict radioiodine uptake: a clinicomorphological study of 62 recurrent or metastatic tumours.

Sixty-two metastases or recurrences of differentiated thyroid carcinomas were investigated using conventional histology and immunocytochemistry for thyroglobulin (TG), thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). In each patient, 131I total body scans had been performed 4-10 weeks before surgery. Twenty-seven of the 62 tumours exhibited a predominance of follicles (A1), while 35 either exclusively or predominantly consisted of papillae or, in the case of follicular carcinomas, were predominantly trabecular or solid in structure (A2). TG and T4 immunoreactivity was observed in 60 cases, only 4 of these also expressing T3. Positive radioiodine uptake (RIU) was noted in 27 of 62 (44%) cases (A1:18/27 = 67%; A2:9/35 = 26%), 25 of which showed intraluminal TG and T4 positivity. Two follicular carcinomas showing RIU lacked follicular lumina, but exhibited strong diffuse cytoplasmic positivity for both TG and T4. In another 95 differentiated thyroid carcinomas, the structure of primary and secondary lesions was assessed. Of these, 27 (28%) showed a discordant pattern (A1/A2 or A2/A1) when comparing the structure of primary and secondary lesions. Our data suggest that differentiated thyroid carcinomas show a dissociation of TG/T4 expression and RIU, defects of iodine uptake and storage being found more frequently than a depression of TG and T4 synthesis. Intact synthesis of TG and T4, but not of T3 may be regarded as a prerequisite for RIU. Positive RIU is based on the presence of mature neoplastic follicles containing TG and T4 immunoreactive colloid and among follicular carcinomas, positive RIU may be encountered in neoplasms lacking follicular lumina but exhibiting strong cytoplasmic TG and T4 staining. Finally, the RIU of recurrent and metastatic PC and FC is not predictable from histological features of the primaries.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Gene expression of differentiation- and dedifferentiation markers in normal and malignant human thyroid tissues.

Steady state mRNA transcript levels of thyroid differentiation markers such as TSH receptor (TSHR), thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) as well as a potential marker of dedifferentiation, c-myc, marker were investigated in patients with thyroid tumors and in normal controls using Northern blot analysis. Blots were normalized by acridine orange staining whereas analysis of beta-actin mRNA levels revealed highly variable levels already in normal tissue suggesting regulation of this "constitutively" expressed gene. Determination of c-myc mRNA revealed increased steady state mRNA levels in anaplastic carcinomas (ATC) as compared to normal tissues. However, in some patients c-myc transcript levels were lower in the tumor than in the adjacent normal tissue reducing the significance of c-myc as a marker of dedifferentiation. High levels of TSH mRNA were found in control thyroids, whereas in ATC no normal TSHR mRNA was detected. In PTC and follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTC) the transcripts varied from increased to markedly reduced levels. In one patient with FTC 2 independent preparations of the tumor revealed different results, undetectable and clearly detectable TSHR mRNA levels. Xenotransplantation of this tissue on nude rats showed a variable expression pattern in the individual xenotransplantations suggesting heterogeneity of the tumor tissue. Tg and TPO mRNA were strongly expressed in normal tissues and completely lost in all ATC. In differentiated thyroid tumors the transcript levels of Tg and TPO varied from normal to complete loss of expression of either Tg or TPO, or both.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acridine Orange↗

The nude rat is established as a model for endocrine studies: regulation of thyroid function and xenotransplantation of a thyroid tumor cell line.

The thyroid physiology of athymic nude rats, rnu/rnu, is characterized and established here as an animal model to study transplanted thyroid tumors. Male rats were catheterized 5 days before experiments were started. The mean thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH) plasma concentrations were 2.9 +/- 0.6 ng/ml during infusion of 0.25 ml/h of 0.9% NaCl (n = 12). T3 plasma concentrations were 2.6 +/- 0.4 ng/ml. T4 plasma levels were 22.0 +/- 5.6 micrograms/dl. A bolus of 0.1 mg thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) significantly increased TSH plasma concentrations (P less than or equal to 0.001; from 2.9 +/- 0.6 to 7.8 +/- 1.1 ng/ml, n = 12). No pulsatile TSH secretion was observed in a 2-hour period with blood samples taken every 10 minutes (n = 12) and hourly sampling disclosed no circadian variation of TSH during a 24-hour period (n = 4). Successful xenografting was possible in 12 of 15 cases using a follicular thyroid carcinoma cell line (FTC 133). Measurement of human thyroglobulin (hTg) by a hTg IRMA revealed high levels in rats with functional FTC tumors, whereas no hTg was detected in untransplanted rats or animals with nonfunctional transplants.

Animals↗

Frequency and significance of cervicomediastinal lymph node metastases in medullary thyroid carcinoma: results of a compartment-oriented microdissection method.

The frequency and significance of cervicomediastinal lymph node metastases have been investigated in 82 medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) patients retrospectively comparing two surgical techniques of lymph node dissection: selective lymphadenectomy (n = 63) versus compartment-oriented microdissection (n = 35). No positive correlation was observed between primary tumor size and the number of lymph node metastases. In patients with lymph node metastases proven histologically, 42% showed only cervical involvement (35% unilateral--type A, 7% bilateral--type B) and 22% cervicomediastinal lymph node involvement (15% cervico-unilateral and mediastinal--type C, 7% cervicobilateral and mediastinal--type D). Biochemical cure was 83% in node-negative patients but only 21% in node-positive patients. In node-positive MTC, calcitonin normalization was achieved in none with bilateral lymph node involvement but only in those unilateral lymph node metastases (31% in type A, 17% in type C). Survival and biochemical cure are significantly improved by application of the compartment-oriented microdissection method more so at primary surgery than at reoperation.

Carcinoma↗

Surgical approach of synchronous medullary thyroid carcinoma and pheochromocytoma in MEN 2 syndrome.

In cases with concurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and pheochromocytoma, discussion regarding a one-stage versus two-stage treatment strategy approach remains open. From 1975 to 1990, 11 of 25 multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) patients presented with biendocrinopathies or triendocrinopathies synchronously. All patients were treated surgically and followed subsequently in our hospital. Of the group of nine patients with concurrent MTC and pheochromocytoma, five were treated in one-stage and four in two-stage procedures. No patient had major complications intraoperatively. For the two-stage group, the total hospital stay (preoperatively and postoperatively) averaged 35 days. For the one-stage group, the total hospital stay averaged 25 days. In patients with increased operative risks (patients with higher age and impaired physical condition or if neck surgery includes transsternal cervicomediastinal lymphadenectomy), two-stage procedures should be selected. However, in young patients with the MEN 2 syndrome or syndromes with small tumors detected by family screening, thyroidectomy, cervical lymphadenectomy, and adrenalectomy may be performed in a one-stage procedure without increasing surgically related morbidity.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

[Cervical interventions on the airway and esophagus in infiltrating thyroid cancer].

In 1989 und 1990 a resection within the region of the cervical airways and/or oesophagus was performed for an infiltrating tumor in 9 out of 95 patients (9.5%) suffering from thyroid carcinoma and in one patient with lymph node metastases from a carcinoma of the uterine cervix. There was no operative mortality. One patient died six weeks after resecting the anterior wall of the trachea of an intratracheal arterial bleeding due to radiation therapy. In one case the reconstruction of the trachea was performed with autologous material, in three patients alloplastic material was used. The oesophagus was reconstructed preferably by means of free microvascular jejunum autografts (n = 4), using a colon interposition in another two patients. In locally advanced differentiated and medullary thyroid carcinoma curative operations of the cervical hollow organs using microsurgical techniques can be performed with an acceptable operative risk and good functional results. They may markedly improve the otherwise limited prognosis of the disease.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

[Therapy of a malignant sympathetic paraganglioma of the organ of Zuckerkandl--a case report].

We present a case report on a 35-year-old patient in whom a malignant sympathetic paraganglioma of the organ of Zuckerkandl was the cause of severe hypertension with excessive perspiration at night. Since curative surgery was not possible medical treatment was initiated. Interferon alfa 2b (Intron A, Essex Pharma) and the somatostatin-analogue SMS 201-995 (Sandostatin, Sandoz) had no effect on catecholamine production and progression of the tumor. Treatment with alpha-methyl-para-tyrosin (MPT, [Metyrosin], Demser, MSD) turned out to be an effective and well tolerable therapy in this patient with peritoneal carcinosis. Clinical and hormonal progression of the paraganglioma resumed only after two years of therapy, which constitutes the longest documented period of time of successful MPT treatment. The superior efficacy of MPT in our patient should encourage postoperative medical treatment with MPT in malignant pheochromocytoma or malignant paraganglioma, particularly when the tumor turns out to be resistent to alpha blocking drugs.

Adult↗

DNA cytophotometry in adrenocortical tumours: a clinicomorphological study of 66 cases.

Surgical specimens of 66 adrenocortical tumours were investigated by conventional microscopy and DNA cytophotometry. Histologically, 50 neoplasms were classified as adenomas and 16 as carcinomas. In only 8 of the latter cases were distant metastases and/or a lethal outcome recorded. On single cell scanning cytophotometry either non-euploid or aneuploid DNA histograms were identified in 24 of 50 adenomas (48%) and in 14 of 16 carcinomas (88%). The two carcinomas exhibiting euploid DNA distributions fell into the group of 7 malignancies which are recurrence-free so far. From these findings it is concluded that DNA measurements have no diagnostic and only limited prognostic value in neoplasms of the adrenal cortex.

Adenoma↗

Human thyrotropin receptor gene: expression in thyroid tumors and correlation to markers of thyroid differentiation and dedifferentiation.

Human thyrotropin (TSH) receptor steady-state transcript levels were analyzed by Northern blot analysis in thyroids of patients with thyroid carcinoma, with hyperfunctioning adenoma and in normal controls. In control tissue and benign tumors expression levels of TSH receptor mRNA were high whereas in anaplastic carcinomas no normal TSH receptor mRNA was detected. In papillary and follicular tumors it varied from normal to markedly reduced levels. Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (Tg) mRNA were strongly expressed in normal tissue and in hyperfunctioning adenomas but were completely lost in all anaplastic tumors. In papillary tumors expression of TPO and Tg mRNA varied from normal to a complete loss of expression of either TPO, Tg or both. Tg and TPO steady-state expression did not correlate to TSH receptor transcript levels. C-myc mRNA was highly expressed in anaplastic carcinomas, very variable in normal controls and in differentiated thyroid tumors and low in hyperfunctioning adenomas. In summary, TSH receptor mRNA is persistently expressed in all differentiated thyroid tissues and tumors but lost in undifferentiated carcinomas. Its persistence far along the transformation pathway further supports the concept that this gene which inserts the thyrocytes in the physiological regulatory network is almost constitutively expressed in this cell.

Adolescent↗

[Radical surgical intervention with conventional radiation versus multimodality therapy protocol in undifferentiated thyroid cancer].

Out of a total of 550 patients with thyroid cancer diagnosed over the 16-year period 1972-June 1989, 44 showed undifferentiated carcinoma and were treated by thyreoidectomy and early postoperative external irradiation. In order to analyse the outcome in patients treated by primary surgery in contrast to patients treated by means of a multimodal therapy concept we compared our surgical procedures with regard to primary surgical approach, early postoperative course, operative complications and survival to the data on the multimodal therapy concept of the Karolinska Hospital reported by E. Tallroth et al. 1987. A significantly better survival was correlated with radical (n = 20) versus palliative tumour resection (n = 24) (p less than 0.001), and total thyroidectomy (n = 25) versus subtotal thyroidectomy (n = 19) (p less than 0.006). Radical surgery with early postoperative external irradiation revealed no postoperative mortality and no symptomatic cervical tumour recurrence. By contrast, palliative surgery, particularly in the case of synchronous tracheotomy, was attended by a relatively high mortality (29%) and symptomatic local recurrences. The results of this study suggest that in undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma an attempt at radical tumour resection should be undertaken, since multimodal therapy procedures revealed a significantly highly complication rate (up to 36%) and, in comparison with a radical surgical treatment policy, showed a higher rate of local recurrences (0% vs. 48%) and a lower survival (mean survival 42 vs. 15 months).

Aged↗

[A registry of medullary thyroid cancer in West Germany].

A register for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in FRG has been set up by the "German Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Study Group" in 1988. The aim is to provide a basis for collaborative work on MTC especially in the hereditary forms (i.e. multiple endocrine neoplasia [MEN] type IIa, IIb). For these hereditary varieties reliable screening tests exist and, if the disease is detected by family screening in an early stage, curative surgery is possible. Until now 408 patients (234 female, 174 male) with MTC have been reported by 17 cooperative centers. The mean age at diagnosis was 45.5 years. 25% (n = 104) are hereditary forms, most of them MEN IIa (n = 86), 13 are MEN IIb and 18 belong to the familial variety without other endocrinopathy. The mean age at diagnosis for MEN IIa was 36.5 years, MEN IIb 26.9 and for the pure familial form 27.5 years. As 33 patients per year have been diagnosed since 1982, nearly 25% of all expected cases of MTC in FRG have been registered.

Adult↗

Adrenomedullary hyperplasia and phaeochromocytoma. DNA cytophotometric findings in 47 cases.

Fifty adrenalectomy specimens containing normal (n = 3), hyperplastic (n = 4) or neoplastic (n = 43) medullary tissue were subjected to quantitative cytophotometric measurements of DNA content. Differing evaluation schemes were applied for interpretation of DNA distribution patterns. Of the 43 phaeochromocytomas (PCC), 16 were inherited as part of the syndrome of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2a (MEN 2a). Five of 27 sporadic PCCs followed a malignant course. Three benign and three malignant PCCs lacked endocrine activity. In normal medulla and in adrenomedullary hyperplasia, diploid or euploid DNA distributions were found. In contrast, 87% (33/38) of the benign and all 5 malignant PCCs exhibited non-diploid or aneuploid DNA histograms. No differences in DNA content existed between functioning and non-functioning PCCs or between sporadic and hereditary tumours. In this study, in contrast to earlier communications, DNA cytophotometry did not discriminate between benign and malignant adrenomedullary tumours. In addition, as opposed to the findings in a variety of other endocrine tumours, DNA measurements did not appear to be a useful tool to assess the prognosis of an individual malignant PCC.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Immunocytochemical differential diagnosis of adrenocortical neoplasms using the monoclonal antibody D11.

The monoclonal antibody D11 is a valuable aid in the accurate typing of adrenal tumours as, in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedding material, strong nuclear D11 positivity was observed only in adrenocortical cells in 190 neoplasms (including 100 adrenal tumours). This pattern was demonstrated for all zona glomerulosa cells in 27 normal adrenals and for the neoplastic cells of 15 adrenocortical adenomas derived from that zone, as judged from clinically evident hyperaldosteronism. Normal cells of zona fasciculata and reticularis also showed strong diffuse D11 immunostaining and the same nuclear plus cytoplasmic D11 reactivity was evident in 15 benign and malignant adrenocortical neoplasms derived from these zones, documented by hypercortisolism. Cytoplasmic and/or nuclear D11 staining made topohistogenetic typing possible in 15 non-functioning cortical tumours. D11 immunostaining gave negative results in 50 specimens containing normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic adrenomedullary cells. In addition, absence of D11 reactivity was recorded in 4 adrenal metastases of extra-adrenal carcinomas, 5 paragangliomas, 25 primary renal carcinomas and 59 of 60 primary thyroid carcinomas. D11 immunocytochemistry allows the accurate typing of benign and malignant adrenocortical neoplasms, irrespective of histology and function. With this method, primary adrenocortical tumours can be separated from carcinomas metastatic to the adrenal gland, including secondary tumours of similar phenotype (such as renal carcinomas). By exclusion, D11 negativity provides evidence of the medullary origin of primary adrenal tumours even in the absence of clinical, structural, histochemical and conventional immunohistochemical indicators of phaeochromocytoma.

Adenoma↗

Acute hypercalcemic crisis after an open heart operation.

Acute hyperparathyroidism developed in a previously normocalcemic 64-year-old woman during the first week after a coronary operation. Prolonged QT interval in the electrocardiogram and hypercalcemia were documented on the fourth postoperative day. Neck exploration on the fifth postoperative day revealed a lower right parathyroid adenoma. Parathyroidectomy resulted in rapid and dramatic improvement of the clinical picture and normalization of laboratory values.

Acute Disease↗

[Chemical embolization of carcinoid metastases in the liver].

We performed chemo-embolisation with gel foam powder and epirubicin in 11 symptomatic patients with liver metastases from carcinoids. In all cases the symptoms regressed completely after the procedure. In two patients the liver was re-embolised because of tumour growth and both again became symptom-free. In one case, increasing extra-hepatic tumour growth was treated with interferon. One female patients died seven days after the procedure from renal failure and from complications of cerebral oedema. Two other patients died from extensive extra-hepatic tumour in the skeleton and lungs at 88 and 97 weeks after embolisation, respectively. The remaining patients are still symptom-free at 18 to 161 weeks.

Adult↗

[Histology, immunocytochemistry and DNA cytophotometry of adrenocortical tumors--a clinicomorphological study of 72 tumors].

Surgical specimens of 72 adrenocortical tumours were investigated by conventional histology, immunocytochemistry and DNA-cytophotometry. Histologically, 57 tumours were classified as adenomas and 15 as carcinomas. Nine adenomas weighed more, 2 carcinomas less than 50g. Only in 9 of the latter cases were distant metastases and/or lethal outcome of disease recorded, while the clinical course of the remaining patients was uneventful. No significant differences in DNA content were found between adenomas and carcinomas or between carcinomas with aggressive and indolent behaviour. Neither could immunocytochemistry discriminate between these conditions. Immunostaining with the monoclonal antibody D 11 proved to be the only effective means to definitely type adrenocortical neoplasia. Thirty-one cases exhibited positivity upon immunostaining with a polyclonal antiserum against synaptophysin. This phenomenon has so far not been encountered in non-neuroendocrine neoplasia.

Adenoma↗