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Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that is associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Although PBL is most commonly observed in the oral cavity of HIV-positive patients, it can also be observed at extra-oral sites in HIV-negative patients. This report represents an unusual case of HIV-negative PBL that occurred in the sigmoid colon. This patient had a history of systemic lupus erythematosus and an underlying immunosuppressive state from long term steroid therapy. The lymphoma cells were positive for CD138, kappa light chain restriction and Epstein-Barr virus and negative for CD20/L26, CD3, CD79a, UCHL1 (CD45RO) and cytokeratin (AE1/AE3). The patient died approximately 2 mo after the operation. In the present paper, we review cases of PBL of the colon in HIV-negative patients.

Unlabelled: In this work we describe the case report of a woman affected by cancer of the sigmoid colon and with a positive direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and indirect antiglobulin test (IAT). Case report with results: A meticulous medical history showed that the woman had been suffering from recurrent fetal loss. Then she had cardiac and coagulative problems. These data suggested a phospholipid syndrome., Conclusion: The patient had a medical history positive for a phospholipid syndrome and we think that this disease could explain the onset of the autoantibody., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The patient was a 73-year-old woman. Her chief complaints were abdominal pain and lower abdominal distension. After some examinations, we diagnosed pelvic tumor, bladder cancer (adenocarcinoma) and sigmoid colon cancer. We performed a first operation, but the pelvic tumor was firmly fixed anterior to the sacrum and right common pelvic artery. We judged it unresectable and performed tumor biopsy and ileostomy. The pathological findings were very similar to sigmoid colon cancer, so we diagnosed that the pelvic tumor was sigmoid colon cancer with extramural progression. Later, the patient was treated with three courses of FOLFOX4 and three courses of bevacizumab+FOLFOX4. After this chemotherapy, the pelvic tumor was reduced significantly, we considered resection possible and performed pelvic exenteration. She has had no recurrence for 6 months after second operation. This treatment appeared to be effective for unresectable primary colon cancer.

The patient was a 73-year-old female with sigmoid colon cancer, who underwent resection of sigmoid colon cancer and liver metastasis. She was treated with 5-fluorouracil and levofolinate calcium(sLV5FU2)plus bevacizumab(BV) for advanced colorectal cancer. She was treated with angiotensin II receptor blocker(ARB)because hersystolic blood pressure was 200 mmHg and her diastolic blood pressure 100 mmHg after five courses of BV therapy. As a result, her blood pressure was controlled. It was possible to administer BV. Therefore, ARB may be the preferred antihypertensive agent in the management of BV-induced hypertension.

Background and Objectives: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) are well known to be the most common tumor markers of colorectal carcinomas. However, the significance of increase in these markers to predict the prognosis of the patients remains a problem for debate., Methods: One hundred three patients with colorectal carcinoma, who had been treated by resection and reconstruction of digestive tracts were studied. Correlation of preoperative serum value of CEA and CA19-9 with clinicopathologic features including prognosis of the patients was investigated., Results: Preoperative elevation of both of the two markers proved to be an independent prognostic indicator, however, an elevation of only one of the two markers did not obtain a prognostic significance., Conclusions: Combined data of preoperative increase in CEA and CA19-9 in sera can provide a powerful and useful information to predict prognosis of patients with colorectal carcinoma., (Copyright (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Background: Laparoscopically assisted resection of colorectal carcinoma is technically feasible and minimally invasive. Postoperative immunosuppression also may be reduced. This study compared the lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity in patients after laparoscopically assisted resection with those after open resection of rectosigmoid carcinoma., Methods: In this study, 40 patients with rectosigmoid carcinoma, but no evidence of metastasis, were randomized to receive either laparoscopically assisted or conventional open resection of the tumor. Blood was collected before the operation, then 24 h, 72 h, and 8 days after the operation for studies of lymphocyte subsets and NK cell cytotoxicity., Results: The lymphocyte subsets and NK cell cytotoxicity of both groups showed typical suppression after surgery. The suppression of T cell activation and NK-like T cells was significantly less after laparoscopically assisted resection than in after open resection, whereas the difference in other lymphocyte subsets and NK cell cytotoxicity was not significant., Conclusion: This study showed that some cellular components of the immune system are less suppressed after laparoscopically assisted than after conventional open resection of rectosigmoid carcinoma. This may have implications for tumor recurrence and long-term patient survival.

Thirty-five patients received 105AD7 human anti-idiotype vaccination prior to surgery for colorectal carcinoma. Patients were immunized before and also received one to two immunizations after surgical resection of their colorectal cancer. The vaccine was well tolerated with no associated toxicity. Lymphocytic infiltration within the resected tumors was quantified by immunohistochemistry and image analysis. Enhanced infiltration of helper T cells (CD4) and natural killer (NK) cells (CD56) were observed in the tumors from immunized patients when compared with tumors from stage, grade, site, age, and sex matched unimmunized patients. NK activity was increased in the blood, peaking 7-10 days post immunization and then dropping rapidly and correlating with NK extravasation within the tumor. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of 105AD7 anti-idiotype and the antigen it mimics, CD55, has predicted that patients with HLA-DR1, HLA-DR3, and HLA-DR7 haplotypes should show helper T cell responses following 105AD7 vaccination. Eighty-three percent of patients expressing these haplotypes responded to 105AD7, whereas 88% of patients who failed to express these haplotypes were nonresponders. With a median follow-up of 4 years (range, 2.5-6 years) 65% of patients remained disease free. This trial shows that 105AD7 stimulates antitumor inflammatory responses allowing extravasation within tumor deposits of both helper T cells and NK cells. This represents a way of evaluating immune responses in patients both within the blood and at the tumor site. The study confirms that immunization with a human anti-idiotypic antibody results in immune responses in 83% of patients with a permissive haplotype.

Based on the important role of CD44 in tumour progression and metastasis, we evaluated, in a prospective study, plasma-soluble CD44 (sCD44) as a serum marker in colorectal cancer. Blood plasma specimens from 89 patients with colorectal neoplasm, 22 patients with a gastrointestinal disease and 23 healthy donors were analysed for quantitation (ELISA assay) and purification of sCD44. The concentration of sCD44, indicating the concentration of all isoforms, was significantly higher in patients with colorectal cancer and intestinal disease than in normal individuals, but no significant differences were found between the two groups. We found no association between plasma levels and staging of the colorectal cancer patients according to Astler and Coller. A two-step batch purification combining ion exchange and immunoaffinity chromatography, followed by Western blot analysis, revealed a complex pattern with a major band corresponding to the standard form of CD44 and minor bands that may correspond to larger variant forms. No particular sCD44 isoform was clearly associated with anatomopathological or biological information.

A total of 7 (4 males and 3 females) patients were included in this retrospective study to determine the sensitivity of radioimmunoscintigraphy with I-131 labeled anti CEA/CA 19-9 monoclonal antibodies. Out of 7 patients 2 had ascending colon cancer, one had sigmoid colon cancer, one had rectal cancer and one had adenocarcinoma in the CBD and the remaining two had metastatic tumor (one in the lungs and the other in the liver). Whole body as well as spot images showed a 72% (5/7) positive scan. But post operative specimen counts and imaging showed a high tumor to non-tumor ratio and a good tumor to non-tumor contrast of activity of I-131 labeled monoclonal antibody. We did not find any relation between CEA/CA 19-9 levels and scan findings. A case of liver metastasis was also detected by this radioimmunoscintigraphy.

The presence of Lewis blood group antigens (Lewis(a), Lewis(b)) was determined immunohistochemically in 75 carcinomas and 58 adenomas of the sigmoid colon and rectum. 1. The rate of positive Lewis(b) staining of adult normal mucosa was 100% in the ascending colon, 100% in the transverse colon, 25% in the sigmoid colon and 30% in the rectum, respectively. The incidence of Lewis(b) was high in the proximal colon but low in the sigmoid colon and rectum. 2. The rate of positive Lewis(b) staining was 97% in cancer, 57% in adenoma and 26% in normal mucosa, respectively. The difference between the incidence of positive Lewis(b) staining in normal mucosa, and those in cancer and adenoma was significant (p less than 0.01). 3. The rate of positive Lewis(b) staining was 42% in mild and moderate dysplastic adenoma and 68% in severe dysplastic adenoma. There was a significant difference between the percentage of Lewis(b) staining in mild or moderate dysplastic adenoma and that of severe dysplastic adenoma (p less than 0.05). The expression of Lewis(b) antigen correlated with the size of adenoma. These results suggest that Lewis(b) antigen has a cancer-associated nature and Lewis(b) staining might be useful as an indicator of malignant potential of adenoma of the sigmoid colon and rectum.

Expression of CA19-9 was studied in 29 adenomas and 6 adenocarcinomas of the distal colon in rectum. The authors did not find an unequivocal correlation between expression of CA19-9 and the morphological differentiation. Expression of CA19-9 was recorded twice in epithelia of normal mucosa.

The present immunohistochemical investigation reveals that difucosylated carbohydrate antigens (DFCA) are extensively expressed in rectal and rectosigmoid carcinomas while normal mucosa and hyperplastic polyps are mainly negative. The adenomas showed intermediate staining patterns where adenomas with villous structures and moderate-severe dysplasia resembled of carcinomas. CEA was more extensively expressed in both normal, premalignant, and malignant tissue. Thus, DFCA is better than CEA as a discriminator between normal and malignant tissue in the distal large bowel, and may be used in future studies with the intention of advancing our understanding of the neoplastic process and assessing clinical relevance.

The local graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR) test was used to assess the cellular immune competence of lymphocytes obtained from 29 patients with malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract before and after removal of the tumor. Prior to removal most patients showed impairment of cellular immune competence; 10 to 14 days after surgery there was an improvement in a considerable number of patients. However, when tested four months later, the GVHR was again negative in some patients. The possible factors leading to deficiency in cellular immune competence and the value of the local GVHR test in the long-term follow-up of patients who have had malignant disease are discussed.

Methods are described for the purification on isokinetic gradients of isolated large bowel lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) and large bowel adenocarcinoma-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). The in vitro cytotoxic and proliferative responses of these lymphocytes and of peripheral blood lymphocytes from tumor patients were assayed. Neither K cell nor NK cell cytotoxic activity was detected in LPL and TIL, although both types of lytic response were present in PBL. Lectin-induced cytotoxicity was mediated by LPL and TIL populations, but their responses in this assay were reduced comparable to that of PBL. Although TIL comprised equivalent T cell proportions to PBL, the proliferative response of TIL T cells was comparatively lower. LPL and TIL populations, but their responses in this assay were reduced comparable to that of PBL. Although TIL comprised equivalent T cell proportions to PBL, the proliferative response of TIL T cells was comparatively lower. Co-culture experiments and attempts to induce suppressor cells with concanavalin A suggested that the reduced proliferative response of T cells infiltrating these tumors was not due to the action of suppressor lymphocytes.

A patient who had been admitted to hospital for surgical treatment of inguinal hernias was found to have group phenotype of A1B in the presence of a non-auto-anti-B. No previous records of the patient's blood group were available. The serological workup including absorption and saliva inhibition studies yielded a high probability for an acquired B-antigen which is known to be often associated with carcinoma of the colon. Subsequent coloscopy revealed the presence of a carcinoma of the sigmoid, unaccessable to palpation. To our knowledge this is the first report in the literature that the serological diagnosis of an acquired B-antigen led to the detection of a hitherto undetected carcinoma.

We have reported two patients with multiple primary cancers in the presence of normal tests of cellular immune function, including normal natural killer cell activity. Immunodeficiency has been associated with an increased incidence of neoplastic disorders, but the resulting malignancies are unique, consisting of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and a limited number of carcinomas. Immunosuppressive therapy and AIDS have been associated with aggressive sarcomas. Immunocompetence is of major importance against certain tumors. On the other hand, in spite of the limitations of the clinical evaluation of immunologic function, immunocompetence is insufficient to protect against neoplasia.

This study evaluated the possibility of dividing patients with primary rectal carcinoma into prognostic groups before surgery based on preoperative serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA), and an antigen defined by the monoclonal antibody C-50 (CA-50), as well as on some easily available clinical characteristics providing prognostic information. The evaluation was made both for patients who were "potentially curable" by surgery and, among those, for patients who were "potentially cured." Using the Cox regression model, the serum levels of the three tumor markers, together with the knowledge of whether or not the tumor was polypoid were combined to make up the set of variables that best predicted patient outcome. These variables and their associated regression coefficients were used to classify the patients according to prognosis. The cancer-specific mortality rate for the 24% of potentially curable patients with the best prognosis was 15%; for the 26% of potentially curable patients with the worst prognosis, the cancer-specific mortality rate was 57%. For potentially cured patients among those who were potentially curable, the cancer-specific mortality rates for patients with the best and worst prognoses were 14% and 47%, respectively. The information provided by these preoperatively available variables together was comparable with that given by Dukes' staging system, but the latter system was more informative. On the other hand, some of the preoperative variables provided information not provided by Dukes' staging system.

This clinical study was based on experimental results obtained in nude mice grafted with human colon carcinoma, showing that injected 131I-labeled F(ab')2 and Fab fragments from high affinity anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monoclonal antibodies (MAb) gave markedly higher ratios of tumor to normal tissue localization than intact MAb. 31 patients with known colorectal carcinoma, including 10 primary tumors, 13 local tumor recurrences, and 21 metastatic involvements, were injected with 123I-labeled F(ab')2 (n = 14) or Fab (n = 17) fragments from MAb anti-CEA. The patients were examined by emission-computerized tomography (ECT) at 6, 24, and sometimes 48 h after injection using a rotating dual head scintillation camera. All 23 primary tumors and local recurrences except one were clearly visualized on at least two sections of different tomographic planes. Interestingly, nine of these patients had almost normal circulating CEA levels, and three of the visualized tumors weighed only 3-5 g. Among 19 known metastatic tumor involvements, 14 were correctly localized by ECT. Two additional liver and several bone metastases were discovered by immunoscintigraphy. Altogether, 86% of the tumor sites were detected, 82% with F(ab')2 and 89% with Fab fragments. The contrast of the tumor images obtained with Fab fragments suggests that this improved method of immunoscintigraphy has the potential to detect early tumor recurrences and thus to increase the survival of patients. The results of this retrospective study, however, should be confirmed in a prospective study before this method can be recommended for the routine diagnosis of cancer.

Radioimmunologic procedures were used in a comparative assay of ganglioside and carcinoembryonic antigen levels in the blood plasma of patients with benign and malignant lesions at different sites. Measurements of ganglioside antigen level proved to be an efficient test for differentiating between benign and malignant tumors of the pancreas. However, it cannot be used as an aid to carcinoembryonic antigen test for detection of stomach and rectal cancers or their recurrences and metastases into the liver.

Specimens from 93 patients with histologically confirmed tumors of the large bowel (53 single, 40 sequential determinations) were investigated by a new CEA radioimmunoassay (double antibody method, direct serum determination). Of the single and preoperative sequential determinations 37-40% were normal (below 2.5 ng/ml), one third was intermediately elevated (2.6-15 ng/ml) and 26-28% were highly pathological leveled (over 15 ng/ml). Following operation, cases with local or regionally confined tumor showed significantly more normal or normalizing CEA levels within 1-6 weeks (17/27), whereas patients with overt metastases developed more pathological or increasingly pathological levels (8/11).

Investigations of over 300 oncological patients and 120 healthy individuals have evidenced a considerable increase in the frequency of detecting antibodies to thyreoglobulin (in the titre 1/80 and higher) in patients with cancer of the breast, sigmoid and stomach in females and a tendency to such increase in cancer of the uterine body, and a number of other localizations.

Histologic parameters which are thought to reflect either cell-mediated (T cell) or humoral (B cell) immune responses in lymph nodes have been studied in regional lymph nodes draining carcinoma of the sigmoid colon. Patients whose lymph nodes show morphological evidence of cell-mediated immunity, manifested either by an increased number of paracortical immunoblasts or sinus histiocytosis, survive significantly longer than those whose lymph nodes show no such changes. Patients whose lymph nodes show simultaneous paracortical activity and sinus histiocytosis have the best survival of all. Of this latter group, 11/13 (83 percent) are living without signs of recurrent tumor 5 or more years after surgery. Histologic parameters which suggest an antibody-mediated immune response (germinal center activity) were not an important prognostic indicator. The occurrence of favorable lymph node histology does not appear to significantly correlate with the modified Duke's classification. Rather, the favorable changes allow selection of a large proportion of those patients within the various Duke's categories who are destined to become long-term survivors.

Patients with a primary immunodeficiency syndrome have an increased risk of developing a malignancy. Lymphoreticular malignancies are the most common malignancies in these patients. Patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT) also appear to be at a high risk for the development of nonlymphoid tumors--in particular, carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system tumors. We describe a child with an immunodeficiency and slight neurological manifestations. During childhood she developed three consecutive primary malignancies.

Patients who undergo immunotherapy with a murine anti-colon carcinoma mAb (mAb17-1A) generate high titers of anti-idiotype and anti-isotype antibodies. Specifically selected anti-idiotypic antibodies that elicit in vivo a humoral and a cellular immune response against the nominal Ag can be used as surrogate Ag for immunization. We established from the B lymphocytes of a treated patient a series of EBV-transformed cell lines. Three weeks after immortalization, the cells were selected for production of antibodies (Ab2) against the Fab fragment of the murine mAb17-1A. The selected cells were cloned and screened by ELISA for specific anti-mAb17-1A idiotypic antibodies. Thirty-six out of 89 clones were anti-idiotypes. Cell culture supernatants and the purified Ig derived from 10 clones completely inhibited the specific binding of radiolabeled mAb17-1A to HT-29 colon carcinoma cells thus resembling Ab2-gamma anti-idiotypes. These cell lines which grow now in culture for 18 mo, continuously secrete IgG,K anti-Ab1-idiotype mAb. Human anti-idiotypic mAb might be candidates for vaccines when the nominal Ag itself is not available or cannot be used as such.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and lactatedehydrogenase (LDH) as tumor cell markers have been determined in the blood serum of 10 patients with colorectal cancer, who underwent preoperative irradiation with 200 to 250 rad daily (total focal dose 2000 to 2500 rad). Daily analysis was made during the irradiation, and, moreover, a determination 2 weeks after the resection of the tumor. Simultaneously CEA and LDH were determined in 10 controls. Serum CEA and LDH levels were found significantly increased in tumor patients as compared to controls. The course was characterized by a peak of LDH on days 4 and 7 from the onset of radiation treatment, while serum CEA did not show a peak in the total of the tumor patients; but in 3 individual patients a peak was detected. In 5 patients, with low CEA values from the beginning, no significant modifications of CEA did appear. Thus, some of the patients undergoing irradiation revealed CEA kinetics conform to theoretical considerations, suggesting a response to irradiation of the colorectal carcinoma. The prognostic value of the early CEA kinetics during radiation treatment should be examined in patients being irradiated for inoperable local recurrence.

The levels of plasma carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were estimated in 59 control subjects attending St Mark's Hospital and in 139 patients with uncomplicated ulcerative colitis. There was little difference in the CEA levels in the two groups. In the colitic patients, the actual CEA values could not be correlated with the age of the patient, the activity of the disease, the extent of bowel involvement, or the length of history. In addition, seven colitic patients with severe dysplastic changes in the rectal mucosa and seven patients with established carcinoma in colitis were studied. With one exception in each group, the CEA levels in these patients were within the range shown by the St Mark's Hospital control population.

Sera obtained in 1969 from 956 unselected elderly persons in Busselton, Western Australia were tested for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by a "double antibody" microradioimmunoassay. Forty-four (4-5%) were positive for CEA (5 ng/ml or greater). Review of health records for the 4-year period subsequent to accession of sera showed that 6 (14%) of the 44 persons positive for CEA died of CEA associated cancers, 15 were heavy smokers, 2 had colonic diverticula and 1 a peptic ulcer. On the other hand, 18 (2%) of the 912 persons negative for CEA developed CEA associated cancers. Thus, a significantly greater proportion of cancers (P = 0-01) was found in the persons positive for CEA. Furthermore, when 21 persons who were positive for CEA in 1969, but clinically well 4 years later, were examined 2 had occult cancer of lung and colon respectively. However, the relatively low yield of diagnosis of cancer from our present population survey led to the conclusion that, if screening for cancer were to be solely dependent on testing for CEA, increased specificity and sensitivity of test systems should be awaited.