In order to analyse the possible mode and pathways of adrenal metastases from lung cancer, the frequency of adrenal metastases ipsilateral and contralateral to the site of the primary cancer was investigated based on autopsied lung cancer cases. In 405 of 1,607 such cases, adrenal metastases could be found: on both sides, 234; ipsilateral only, 105; contralateral only, 66 cases. In the early stages of tumor progression, a striking difference can be seen between the two sides. Ipsilateral metastases were of significantly higher incidence in early metastatic tumor stages, but later, in cases having six or more involved organs, the ipsilateral/contralateral quotient reaches 1. It is postulated that in the early stages adrenal metastases from lung cancer probably develop mainly by lymphogenous, but later mainly by hematogenous routes.

Obstruction of the urethra, caused by a prostatic tumour necessitated prostatectomy in a 49-yr-old man. Histology revealed a moderately cellular and vascular tumour with marked cellular atypia. After a follow-up for three years, the results of both the clinical investigations and prostatic needle biopsy were negative. Thus the original opinion of malignant prostatic mesenchymal tumour was revised, resulting in the diagnosis of bizarre leiomyoma. Subsequently the smooth muscle cell origin and the benign nature of the tumour were demonstrated by electron microscopy and Feulgen-cytophotometry, respectively. This is the first prostatic bizarre leiomyoma in which malignancy was excluded by demonstrating euploid polyploidy. This case also calls the attention to the need of more sophisticated methods in everyday diagnostic pathology.

Study objective-The aim was to compare the value of four sources of data in assessing morbidity in a population: (1) data from a screening programme including follow up records, (2) death certifications by attending physicians, (3) death certifications by doctor-coroners, and (4) necropsy reports.Design-The study was a cohort analysis of health and mortality in a sample of agricultural workers first examined in 1964-66 when they were aged 60 years or older. Follow up examinations enabled morbidity assessment to be made and ICD diagnostic categories to be compared with data available on persons in the cohort who had died.

Normal seminal vesicles were studied histologically in 80, and by Feulgen's cytophotometric method in 10 autopsied cases (males, 44-82 years of age). In every case large, hyperchromatic nuclei were found. By cytophotometry euploid polyploid atypia was also shown in every case, which is characteristic of benign hormonal dysplasia.

Cytophotometric investigations were performed on the atypical renal tubular epithelium of a young man who died of renal failure, possibly due to chronic lead exposure. The aim of this analysis was to determine whether nuclear atypia indicates incipient malignancy or is a type of so-called "benign atypias". DNA histogram, showing euploid polyploidy supports the latter view and the dysplastic epithelial lesion is not even considered to be a preneoplastic condition.