Small intestinal carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.

Odeh, M; Misselevich, I; Oliven, A; Boss, J H · Am J Gastroenterol · 1995

case_report · Level V

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Abstract

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.

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