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.

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    XV. A MALIGNANT ADENOMA OF THE ADRENAL WITH TRANSFORMATION INTO SARCOMATOUS TISSUE. By J. C. Meakins, M.D., Resident Pathologist. ici-'v * i •». V i o — Malignant adenomata of the adrenal are uncommon, and es¬ pecially uncommon are adenomata which show in the primary tumor or in the metastasis sarcomatous transformation. Such a condition is paradoxical, but the embryology of the adrenal affords an explanation. It was formerly believed that the cortex of the adrenal develops from the mesoblast and the medulla from the epiblast. The studies of Janosik and Gottschau, Minot1 and Aichel,2 have established the fact that the entire adrenal devel¬ ops primarily from the mesoderm. The mesoderm divides into two parts: the mesochymal part forms the connective tissues, and from the mesothelial part develop the serous membranes, the genito¬ urinary tract (except the urinary bladder) and the striated mus¬ cles. The mesothelial structures undergo greater differentiation than mesochymal tissues and take on certain “epithelial” char¬ acters. It may be assumed that the cells of a malignant tumor do not acquire new features but revert to a former state; there is rever¬ sion first to the characters latest acquired and finally to the orig¬ inal embryological condition. This view may help to explain peculiarities of the following case. Since the cells of the adrenal are mesothelial in origin and assume epithelial functions, tumors arisingfrom them may exhibit epithelial characters of new growth, but revert to the primitive mesodermal type more readily than cells primarily of epithelial origin. The patient with the tumor, which will be described, was ad-