Virus-like Behaviour of Human Carcinoma

Abstract

A THOROUGH study of 20 autopsy cases of metastatic carcinoma to liver^1,2 and kidney and of 72 cases of primary carcinoma of the liver (hepatoma)^3,4 has revealed the following facts : (1) Continuity of structurally normal parenchyma with contiguous cancer parenchyma (Figs. 1 and 2). This was observed in 30 per cent of hepatoma cases in the liver and in 100 per cent of metastases to the liver and kidney. This higher percentage of positive findings in the material which promised less probability for this finding is ascribed to more careful sampling of blocks for sectioning. (2) Presence of single cancer cells in the vicinity of tumours as integral components of the host parenchyma, under conditions where invasion could be excluded (Fig. 3). (3) Morphological evidence for transformation of normal cells into cancer cells. (4) Transformation is preceded by cytochemical changes not visible with routine stains, but recognizable if special stains are applied.