[Ultrastructural findings in carcinoma of the prostate after combined endocrine and radiation treatment]

Cell Death by Autoschizis in TRAMP Prostate Carcinoma Cells as a Result of Treatment by Ascorbate: Menadione Combination

A prostate carcinoma cell line derived from the transgenic murine prostate cancer model (TRAMP) was treated with ascorbate (VC) alone, menadione (VK(3)) alone, or a combination of ascorbate:menadione (VC + VK(3)) for 1, 2, and 4 h. Cytotoxic cell alterations examined by light and electron microscopy were treatment-dependent with VC + VK(3) > VC > VK(3). Induced by oxidative stress, these alterations included cytokeletal changes conducive to cytoplasmic blebbing, self-excisions, and progressive nuclear alterations. While the excised parts contained ribosomes, they were devoid of nuclear fragments or other organelles. The organelle-free self-excisions caused an extreme reduction in cell size as well as chromatolysis and karyolysis that were consistent with cell death by autoschizis, but not with apoptosis.

Cytological findings in transrectal aspriation biopsy on hormone- and radio-treated carcinoma of the prostate

The study reports cytological findings in 63 cases of radio- and/or oestrogen-treated carcinoma of the prostate. The different effects of therapy on the tumor cells in the cytological smear are described and discussed. An evaluation of the results, depending on the type of therapy, showed, that radio-treated tumors, due to the rapid and strong sclerosis of connective tissue, were less suitable for aspiration biopsy than hormone-treated tumors. Further, we were able to show that the effect of therapy in well-differentiated tumors is better than in poorly differentiated tumors. Cytological examination of treated prostate carcinoma is a simple method, quickly carried out, repeatable several times, and of high diagnostic value. Aspiration biopsy is most of all indicated for follow-up of the less well-differentiated and the hormone-treated carcinomas.