Studies on the Origin of Cancer Cell

Abstract

The origin of cancer cell in human uterine carcinoma was investigated, mainly, on the ordinary sectioned materials stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The results obtained are described as follows (i) The new cell theory, presented by O. B. Lepeshinskaya and O. P. Lepeshinskaya is true, so that the orthodox cell theory must be re-examined fundamentally. (ii) As the typical mitotic figure of cancer cell is so rare that the main factor of the vigorous increasing in number of cancer cell may not be depended on the result of mitotic cell division of cancer cell. And the so-called atypical mitotic figures observed in cancer cells also show no firm evidence that the figure is a factors, by which the proliferation of cancer cell necessarily bring about. On the contrary, in the cancer tissue, there can easily be seen every transitional stage from erythrocyte into cancer cell. (iii) The writer classified the transitional phase into five stages, for convenience' sake. And each stage is further divided into two groups, the differentiation of (a) single or isolated erythrocyte, and the (b) aggregated or fused mass of erythrocyte. It is a noteworthy fact that a nucleus or nuclei take its appearance in a erythrocyte or in a fused mass of erythrocytes, and it then show transitions into cancer cell through a stage of the small lymphocytoid element and the primordial cancer cell. (iv) The so-called cancer nest is not a sin g le, isolated, sphere shaped cell-mass, but it is an elongated cord-like one in structure resembling closely with the pattern or plexus of the venous sinuses or arterio-venous anastomosis, moreover, there can be recognized the transitional phases between them, (v) The capillary system in the cancer tissue does not necessarily a closed type, rather it is an open type system. So that many of extravasated erythrocytes can be found in the cancer tissue. Furthermore, they show transitions into cancer cell through intermediate phases described above. (vi) The most widely accepted opinion that the cancer cell is an epithelial origin has not been confirmed in the present observation. And there can hardly be seen any evidence of continuation from epithelial element into canc er cell through mitotic cell division. From all the evidence described above, I can not escape the conclusion that the most of cancer cells are derived from a result of differentiation of erythrocytes. The present auth o r wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. T. Suzuki for kindly furnishing the material.