SMALL-INTESTINAL CARCINOMA WITH OSTEOCLAST-LIKE GIANT-CELLS

An elderly woman underwent jejunectomy for a large, stenosing neoplasm . Histologically, we found an undifferentiated carcinoma with scattere d mononuclear and multinuclear macrophages in the intestine and lymph node metastases. The multinuclear cells, being acid phosphatase-positi ve and CD68-immunoreactive, are referred to as osteoclast-like giant c ells. Hepatic secondaries were discovered 6 months postoperatively. Th e patient succumbed to a chemotherapy-related septic event. We suggest that intratumoral infiltration by mononuclear and multinuclear macrop hages expresses one of the body's defense mechanisms against cancer.