Effect of arterial infusion of bleomycin on esophageal carcinoma--an evaluation by nuclear cytophotometry.

In order to determine the histological changes after a single infusion of bleomycin (BLM) into the aortic esophageal artery (BLM A.I.), resected specimens from 58 patients with esophageal carcinoma (27 cases with BLM A.I., 14 untreated cases, 13 cases with radiation therapy and four cases with combined therapy of radiation and BLM) were examined and evaluated by Feulgen microspectrometry for nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content. The histological changes following the BLM A.I. were characterized by degeneration and necrosis at the front of the invading carcinoma tissue accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration with foreign body giant cells and fibrosis. In comparison with untreated cases, BLM-treated cases showed an increase in nuclear DNA content and a wide dispersion of the DNA values especially at the perinecrotic area and at the front of advancing carcinoma nests. Therefore, a histological effect of the BLM A.I. was shown by the measurement of the nuclear DNA content of carcinoma cells.