Biomedical subjects

S W Coons

Publications and source records attributed to S W Coons.

39 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1988

Correlation of DNA content and histology in prognosis of astrocytomas.

Thirty-two cases of astrocytoma were analyzed for DNA content and cell-cycle proliferation features by flow cytometry using paraffin-embedded tissue. The findings were correlated with histologic grading and survival. Abnormal DNA (aneuploidy or elevated G2-M fraction greater than or equal to 7%) was present in 18 cases (56%). Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) had 11 of 16 (69%), anaplastic astrocytomas (ANA) 7 of 11 (64%), and low-grade (LG) neoplasms 0 of 5 cases with abnormal DNA content. Short-term survival (less than or equal to 26 months) occurred in all 16 patients with GBM (100%), 7 of 11 patients with ANA (64%), and 1 of 5 patients with LG neoplasms (20%). Seventeen of 18 patients (94%) with abnormal DNA content were short-term survivors (P less than 0.0002). Abnormal DNA content was found in 17 of 24 short-term survivors (71%), whereas histologic grading identified 16 of 24 such cases (67%). A combination of grading and abnormal DNA content identified 22 of 24 (92%) of the poor survival cases. DNA content was most useful in the anaplastic group. Six of seven cases (86%) with abnormal DNA content had short survival (P less than 0.055), and three of four (75%) with normal DNA content had long survival. DNA analysis combined with histologic grading improves prognosis designation.

Aneuploidy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Neutral glycolipid composition of primary human brain tumors.

Neutral glycolipids (NGL) were isolated and quantitated in 98 primary human brain tumors; 19 low grade astrocytomas (LGA), 12 anaplastic astrocytomas (AA), 37 high grade astrocytomas (HGA), 18 oligodendroglial tumors, and 12 primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET). In 38 of these, the nature of the hexose in the cerebroside was determined using immunothin-layer chromatographic techniques. Galactosylceramide (GalCer) was the major ceramide monohexoside (CMH), and glucosylcerebroside never comprised more than 6% of this fraction in any tumor type. Furthermore, there was no correlation between the proportion of glucosylcerebroside and histological diagnosis. AA had the most characteristic neutral glycolipid pattern, with high levels of total lipid, total neutral glycolipid, CMH, and ceramide dihexoside (CDH) but low water contents. Consistent with this glycolipid composition is the finding that AA usually had neither ceramide trihexoside (CTH) nor globoside. Oligodendrogliomas were somewhat similar to AA in having high levels of CMH and infrequently having CTH or globoside. However, oligodendrogliomas had low water and total lipid contents. PNET had low levels of total lipid, total NGL, and CMH, but frequently contained CTH and globoside. LGA had high water contents but low levels of total lipid and CMH. HGA tended to have intermediate levels of almost all constituents analyzed, probably reflecting the pronounced cellular heterogeneity of these tumors. The frequent presence of GalCer in astrocytomas raises the possibility that some of these contain a population of cells that are related to the oligodendroglial lineage. However, the low amounts of GalCer and infrequent presence of sulfatide in PNET is consistent with their lack of differentiation toward oligodendrocytes. It will be of interest to determine if the neutral glycolipid patterns reported here will correlate with patient survival and be of prognostic significance.

Astrocytoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intradural primary chondroblastic osteosarcoma: case report.

We report a rare case of intradural primary osteosarcoma (IPOS) in a 74-year-old man with aphasia and right-sided hemiparesis. Radiologic workup revealed a large, partially calcified, left-sided frontotemporal intracranial mass lesion. At surgery, the tumor was found to be entirely intradural; it involved the brain and subarachnoid space of the left sylvian fissure. The adjacent dura was uninvolved. Neuropathologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of chondroblastic osteosarcoma. To our knowledge, this is the sixth reported case of IPOS and the first reported case of the chondroblastic subtype.

Aged↗