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A cooperative study of combination of UFT (a compound of FT and Uracil) and human lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN-alpha) was conducted in the cases of metastatic renal cell cancer. IFN-alpha was administered over 3 times a week at a dose of 3 X 10(6) units in combination with UFT at a daily dose of 600 mg FT equivalent. Twenty-eight patients from 16 collaborating institutions were the subjects of the present study. The antitumor effects of the drugs were clinically evaluable in 25 cases according to the response criteria of Japan Society for Cancer Therapy. Complete responses and partial responses were observed in 3 and 2 cases, respectively, showing a response rate of 20 per cent. One complete responder had bone and liver metastases and has been alive for more than 2 years without any evidence of relapse. All of the other responders had lung metastasis. The survival durations of the other two complete responders were 716 days and 255 days. The two partial responders had been alive for more than 819 days and 471 days. The adverse effects of this combination therapy were minimal. Combination of a biological response modifier and a cancer chemotherapeutic agent seems to be a way to increase the treatment efficacy of renal cell cancer.

In order to determine the localization of alpha 1-adrenoceptors in human hypertrophied prostates, in vitro autoradiography was performed on the frozen specimens from 13 enucleated hypertrophied prostates with [125I]-HEAT (iodo-2-[beta-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethylaminomethyl] tetralone) and [3H]-prazosin. In vitro autoradiograms showed macroscopically the specific binding site on the areas seemed to the nodular area for [125I]-HEAT, but not so clear specific binding sites for [3H]-prazosin. Microscopic autoradiograms seemed to show binding sites located mainly on the interstitial beneath the gland, and partly on the basement membrane and epithelium of the prostatic gland. Further studies are needed to show clearer specific binding sites of alpha 1-adrenoceptors.

Lymphocyte subsets were examined in renal cell carcinoma (TILs), adjacent non-tumor renal tissue and peripheral blood (PBLs) by flow cytometry and histochemistry in eighteen patients with renal cell carcinoma. CD5-positive cells were predominant in the TILs in 14 patients. In the renal cell carcinoma tissue, CD8-positive cells were predominant over CD4-positive cells, resulting in a less than unity ratio of CD4/CF8-positive cells. The lymphocyte number was significantly in adjacent normal renal tissue than in renal cell carcinoma. However, lymphocyte subsets ratios were not significantly different between these two tissues. PBLs showed the same proportions (CD4/CD8 mean 1.9 +/- 0.8) as the previously published healthy controlled data. The proportions of CD8-positive cells were significantly increased (p less than 0.05) and those of CD4-positive cells were also significantly decreased (p less than 0.01) in the TILs. The infiltrating pattern of TILs in 17 patients was divided histochemically into cluster (N = 7), single (N = 4), and mixed types (N = 6). The cluster and mixed types were significantly more common in grade 1 tumors and the single type was more common in the grade 2 tumors (p less than 0.05). The pT3 tumors showed the single type of TIL infiltration pattern, but showed no significant difference. In the cluster pattern of TILs, CD8-positive cells were surrounded by CD4-positive cells. Non-tumorous kidneys showed no infiltration of lymphocytes, except in 2 patients of pyelonephritis. These results suggest that cytotoxic T-cells stained as CD8 play an immunoreactive role against renal cell carcinoma.

The binding sites of lectins in parathyroid glands were determined by an immunohistochemical method in normal parathyroid gland, hyperplasia, adenoma and carcinoma, the used lectins were commercially available Glycine max (SBA), Concanavalin enciformis (Con A), Triticum vulgaris (WGA), Richinus communis (RCA), Banderiaea simplicifolia II (BSA II) and Arachis hypogaea (PNA). For normal parathyroid glands (2 cases) and hyperplasia (2 cases), WGA and BSA II were stained in cytoplasma and cell membrane. For carcinoma (1 cases), all lectins but BSA II were positively stained. In particular, SBA revealed more stronger stain than any other hystological types. From the staining patterns of lectins, it was suggested that adenomas (22 cases) be divided into one group similar to carcinoma and the others to normal parathyroid gland and hyperplasia. But there was no difference in clinical data of patients between the two groups.

The histochemical detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) was performed using the technique of in situ hybridization from the formalin fixed paraffin embedded specimens of penile carcinoma and condylomata+ acuminata . One of 19 penile cancer cases (5.3%) revealed the positive staining on the nuclei of the tumors for HPV type 16/18. However, the positive nuclei were scattered and localized in small part of the tumor which showed no koilocytosis. On the contrary, 11 of 12 condyloma acuminata cases (91.7%) showed positive staining on the nuclei of the tumors for HPV type 6/11, also 5 of the 11 cases (45.5%) revealed cross reaction for other type of HPV. The HPV types 6/11, 16/18 and 31/33/35 may be unrelated to the pathogenesis of the Japanese penile carcinoma. However, further study is necessary to evaluate that the number of HPV-DNA copy in our cases is too small, or the other type of HPV is responsibility.

Two cases of localized urethral amyloidosis are reported. Data pertaining to 13 cases including our two cases are reviewed. The difficulty in preoperative differentiation of an amyloid tumor from a urethral malignancy is stressed. It is advisable to perform open or transurethral biopsy of the urethral tumor before deciding on radical surgery.

A case of spontaneous passage of a foreign body in the upper urinary tract is reported. Approximately 60 cases have been collected and reported in the world, 18 in Japan. Our case is, however, the first with spontaneous passage. As complications may occur if these foreign bodies are left behind, we advocate the surgical removal as treatment of choice.

A rare case of vaginal stone in a male pseudohermaphrodite who had undergone plastic surgery for external genitalia 16 years ago is presented. It is recommended to remove the entire wall of vagina musculina at the time of plastic repair for hypospadias in a male pseudohermaphrodite.