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Jugular body tumors: Hyperplasias or true neoplasms?

Light and electron microscopical investigations

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Summary

Problems of classification of certain growth processes were discussed using jugular body tumors to find out cytological criteria for characterizing growth traits. For this purpose light microscopical (9 cases), electron microscopical (6 cases) and enzyme histochemical investigations (3 cases) were performed. For comparison 4 carotid body tumors were examined. We are inclined to assume a neoplastic nature. An explanation as hyperplastic proliferation is refuted because a remarkable cellular variation in size and form, only sparse nerve fibers and lacking synaptic contacts, because submicroscopical features and because the clinical picture and course of the disease. It is pointed to the origin of the tumor cells from rudimentary endocrine-like cells occurring in the glomus jugulare-tympanicum in analogy to other neoplasias. The clinical symptoms, the course and the pathologic anatomical pattern suggest an interpretation of jugular body tumors as potential malignant growths.

Zusammenfassung

An Hand von Paragangliomen des Mittelohres (jugular body tumors) werden Probleme der Klassifikation von Wachstumsprozessen erörtert. Im Vordergrund stand die biologische Einordnung dieser Tumoren. Dabei wurden zytologische Kriterien mittels lichtmikroskopischer (9 Fälle), elektronenmikroskopischer (6 Fälle) und enzymhistochemischer Methoden (3 Fälle) erarbeitet. Zum Vergleich wurden 4 Karotiskörpertumoren herangezogen. Als Ursache dieser Gewächse wird eine hyperplastische Proliferation abgelehnt. Die Annahme der neoplastischen Natur ergibt sich aus der zellulären Form- und Größenvariation, der Spärlichkeit von Nervenfasern und dem Fehlen von Synapsen, ferner aus submikroskopischen Befunden sowie aus dem klinischen Bild und dem Verlauf der Erkrankung. Der Ursprung der Tumorzellen wird auf rudimentäre, endokrinähnliche Zellen zurückgeführt. Damit besteht eine Analogie zu anderen Neoplasien. Die klinischen Symptome, der Verlauf und das pathologisch-anatomische Bild legen eine Interpretation der Paragangliome des Mittelohres als potentiell maligne Gewächse nahe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology and Clinic of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, German Democratic Republic

    Dankwart Stiller, Detlef Katenkamp & Klaus Küttner

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  1. Dankwart Stiller
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  2. Detlef Katenkamp
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  3. Klaus Küttner
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Additional information

Presented to Prof. Dr. E. Uehlinger on behalf of his 75. birthday.

The authors are gratefully indebted to Miss W. Bräuer for technical assistance.

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Stiller, D., Katenkamp, D. & Küttner, K. Jugular body tumors: Hyperplasias or true neoplasms?. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 365, 163–177 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432387

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432387

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