Morphologic study on apoptosis by insitu end labeling of 50 cancer cases

ObjectiveTo study the morphology of apopt osis of malignant tumors and its differences from necrosis.MethodsCancer tissues from 50 cases of various common cancers were measured by HE and in situ end labeling(ISEL) according to Gavrieli's metho d;positive and negative controls were made.3 cases were measured by M 30 -C ytodeath monoclone antibody immunohistochemistry.Apoptosis or necrosis lesions w ere divided into single cell,small piece,and massive according to the size.The a poptosis lesions(ISEL+) were divided into early,middle and late stage(the latter equal to apoptotic necrosis) according to the morphology.The criteria of non-a poptotic necrosis(necrosis) were ISEL(-),and no piknosis or karyorrhexis in HE. R esultsThe number of apoptosis lesion was signifieantly more than necro sis( P 0.01),while there were no evident differences among different sizes and among different stages of the apoptosis lesions( P 0.05).The apoptosis morphology was described.3 Cases of ovarian carcinoma were M 30 -Cytodeath positive i n the cytoplasm of apoptotic cance cells.The minor apoptotic necrosis lesions wa s special.There was no difference between apoptotic necrosis and necrosis in HE, while ISEL revealed positive nuclei.ConclusionThe majority of cancer tissues the HE morphology betwe en apoptosis and necrosis was evidently different,and ISEL was positive in apopt osis,negative in necrosis.So,both lesions were distinguishable.Although the mech anism of apoptotic necrosis was complicated,its ISEL was positive,so its nature should belong to apoptosis,not necrosis.In cancer tissues,the number of apoptosi s lesions was much nore than that of necrosis.