Small intestinal carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.
An elderly woman underwent jejunectomy for a large, stenosing neoplasm. Histologically, we found an undifferentiated carcinoma with scattered mononuclear and multinuclear macrophages in the intestine and lymph node metastases. The multinuclear cells, being acid phosphatase-positive and CD68-immunoreactive, are referred to as osteoclast-like giant cells. Hepatic secondaries were discovered 6 months postoperatively. The patient succumbed to a chemotherapy-related septic event. We suggest that intratumoral infiltration by mononuclear and multinuclear macrophages expresses one of the body's defense mechanisms against cancer.
Odeh
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine B, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Misselevich
I
I
Oliven
A
A
Boss
J H
JH
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007580:Jejunal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000473:pathology*