We report the case of a 25 year old man with pituitary carcinoma with Cushing's syndrome. Though the diagnosis was initially proposed, it was only confirmed by the appearance of meningeal and lymphatic metastases. These were secretory, as confirmed by immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. These tumours are rare, whether they secrete or not, and can be confirmed only by the existence of metastases, most often in the brain or the liver.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Evolutive patterns of diffuse pleural mesothelioma (author's transl)].

The clinical beginning of diffuse pleural mesothelioma is a pleurisy. Initially pleura may be normal at X-ray examination, then either a pachypleuritis or a tumorous pleura appears. Thery serious since there is in the literature no cured case. The average survival time from diagnosis to death is 15 months. At terminal stage mesothelioma does not invade the other coelomic cavities. It may remain limited to the hemithorax where it has started, invading then the organs by contiguity. Metastasis may occur but their frequency is very variable, from 30 to 70% according the literature. On a therapeutic point of view all was tried: Surgery is rarely curative but may reduce temporarily effusion pain and dyspnea. Radiotherapy at high doses produces a partial effect in some series, but results are variable. Chemotherapy: adriamycin could be the most promising agent. At present time according to many authors no treatment seems to change the course of the disease.

Doxorubicin↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[An unusual case of talco-asbestosis].

The authors present an unusual case of asbestosis. The latter had very diffuse macrophagic and giant cell granulomatous lesions. The morphological findings and the history enabled one to relate the appearance observed to the conjoined handling of asbestos and talc. A primary adenocarcinoma developed on these lesions.

Asbestosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Unusual tumours of the digestive tract (author's transl)].

The authors summarize the difficulties in diagnosis some tumour-like lesions or digestive tumours. They rely upon thirty years experience in digestive pathology and upon a survey of relevant literature. They recall the difficulties arising from the inflammatory tumour-like lesions (infiltrating sclerosis or granulomas, colitis cystica profunda, inflammatory polyps). They mention the circumstances which bring about errors or incomplete diagnosis among these very tumours. Some difficulties are due to the circumstances in which these tumours appear : the digestive cancers of the child, the assocations of some family cancers (the ill-forming tumours and the dysembryoplasic cancers, and lastly the connections that exist between some inflammatory or dystrophic diseases and tumours. Other difficulties depend upon the topography or the tumorous structure. Paneth-cell carcinomas, goblet cell carcinoid are chosen as instances among epithelial tumours. In the group of non-epithelial tumours, digestive localizations of angiomatosis and of lymphomatosis may cause errors. Likewise this can be applied to some secondary digestive tumours. Regarding these difficulties, the authors stress the necessity of a close cooperation between gastro-enterologists, surgeons and pathologists. They also stress the strict observance of techniques in fixation and preparation of specimens and biopsies, and also the necessity of completing, if need be, the habitual microscopy through more elaborate explorations (histochemistry, electron microscopy...).

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied