A malignant adenoma of the adrenal with transformation into sarcomatous tissue / by J.C. Meakin.

  • Meakins, J. C.
Date:
[1908?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A malignant adenoma of the adrenal with transformation into sarcomatous tissue / by J.C. Meakin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/18 (page 274)
    Adenomatous Tissue.—The histological appearance presented by the tumor tissue of this type is entirely different from that observed in the sarcomatous areas. The difference is not so much in the character as in the shape and arrangement of the cells. The cells are cuboidal with a faintly staining protoplasm which is finely granular. The nucleus is usually situated near the pe¬ riphery of the cell. It is round and vesicular, with a deeply stained nucleolus and a pale chromatin network. These cells closely resemble those of the adrenal cortex. The cells in a single layer are arranged to form tubular al¬ veoli. The alveoli are usually straight, but occasionally are tor¬ tuous. The lumina are patent and frequently contain debris derived from desquamated cells. Between the alveoli there are fibrous trabeculae fairly rich in cells. The reticulum is well dem¬ onstrated by Van Gieson’s stain, and does not extend between the tumor cells. Broad bands of connective tissue separate the tumor into lobules, and from these bands the trabeculae between the alveoli are derived. (Plate I). In some of the larger tumor masses of this type the cells at the periphery of the mass differ from those in the centre. In the centre the cells tend to lose their distinctly alveolar arrangement. The lumen disappears and the trabeculae become less distinct. The cells at the same time become longer, although the nucleus does not change. Sarcomatous Tissue.—There are found in such parts of the tumor various types of cells which may be grouped in three classes. (1) Some of the cells closely resemble those of the normal adrenal cortex. They have a large, deeply staining nucleus, which, as a rule, is round, but occasionally assumes an oval shape. The cell body is small and, corresponding in shape to the nucleus, is round or oval. The protoplasm takes eosin poorly. These cells are not numerous or uniformly distributed but occur in small collec¬ tions, chiefly about the blood-vessels. Under the low power of the microscope they closely resemble lymphocytes but, with a