6^ 



Caticcr Research 



gested that the present tumor reopens the problem 

 of the histogenesb of melanublastonias and that of 

 the specificity of the melanin-forming function." 



Abstract* of other reported cases of MeUnuma 



PuMCB, 1892 : In a cachectic female haddock Melano- 

 grammus aeglifmus there was a brown tumor, 20 z 5 

 cm., just bcluw the lateral line. The surface was ulcer- 

 ated, the fturruunding ^kin intlamed. Three pigmented 

 spots were present near the tumor. Histologically both 

 pigmented and nonpigmented cells were seen ; the under- 

 l3ring musde was not invaded 



JouNSTONB, 1911: On the right side of the head, 

 behind the eye of a thoro-back ray Raja clavata, was 

 a black, elliptical tumor, 7.5 z 6 z 2 cm. The animal 

 was so emaciated that the skeleton was visible. The 

 skin over the neoplasm was intact, though intiltrated 

 by tumor celb. Histologically the growth was made up 

 of irregular interlacing bundles of spindle cells that 

 were heavily laden with pigment and had inhltrated the 

 surrounding tissues. No metastases were found. 



Johnstone, 1912: A thom-back ray Raja clavata, 2 

 feet in length, bore a spherical tumor 7 cm. in diameter. 

 The growth, which was located on the dorsum of the 

 head at eye level, was black and very soft. The pig- 

 mented tumor cells were short spindles that infiltrated 

 the adjacent tissues. At the posterior margin of one 

 eye was a firm white tumor apparently a fibroma. 



Johnstone, 1912: Melanotic tumors were found in 

 the skin of two rays Raja batis. One of the fish was 

 caught off the coast of Ireland, the other near Scotland. 

 In one the growth was found on the pectoral fin; it 

 was small and was not ezamined histologically. In the 

 other fish a flat black tumor, 10 z 6 z 1 cm., was present 

 near the center of the dorsal surface of the left pectoral 

 fin. Several 1 cm. nodules were scattered elsewhere on 

 the fin surface; all were covered by normal epithelium. 

 The tumor cells were pleomorphic, rich in melanin 

 granules, and infiltrated the adjacent tissue. 



Johnstone, 1913: Melanotic sarcomas were found in 

 two rays Raja batis. In one a fiat pigmented lesion rose 

 a millimeter or more above the surface of a pectoral 

 fin. In the other, caught off the coast of Ireland at a 

 depth of 70 fathoms, and measuring 5 ft. in width, 

 there were numy melanotic tumors scattered over the 

 surface. The largest was <» the back, measured 15 z 7 

 z 2.5 cm., and was very soft. On section, the densely 

 pigmented spindle cells deeply invaded the adjacent 

 muscle. 



Johnstone, 1915: Scattered over the body surface 

 of a hahlMt Bippoglossus hippoglossus were numerous 

 tumor nodules. Histologically, they consisted of spindle 

 cells, some multinucleate, others containing melanin 

 granules. The tumor cells infiltrated the surrounding 

 fnwtcif tiarae. 



Bbmmam, 1921 : On the right side of the Uil of an 

 cd-poitt Zoarces vhdpona was a black tumor the size 

 of a haael nut. Cro« sections of the body revealed 

 strands of black tissue eztending to the vertebrae and 

 (Sffusely infiltrating the mmde. Most of the cells were 



spindle shaped with a homogeneous cytoplasm that oc- 

 casionally contained a few pigment granules. Other 

 cells were branched, rich in pigment, and not distinguish- 

 able from melanophores. The author believed that the 

 nonpigmented cells were melanophores that had de- 

 velc^)ed too quickly for the pigment to form. 



Johnstone, 1925: Behind the pectoral fin on the 

 pigmented side of a plaice Pleuronectes platessa was a 

 circular tumor 3 z 0.5 cm. with raised edges and a 

 manamillated surface, which was variegated black and 

 orange. The corium was increased in width by the 

 tumor cells, which resembled short thick connective 

 tissue cells; the masses of pigment were mostly eztra- 

 cellular. The surrounding muscle was infiltrated. 



Haussler, 1928: Melanomas, derived from melano- 

 phores in hybrids of the swordtail Xiphophorus hellerii 

 and platyfish Platypoecilus maculatus, Mexican killi- 

 fishes, were large and infiltrative, though no metastases 

 were noted. The author reports 8 cases, involving 20 

 of the F2 generation; there was one case in a male Fj. 

 All tumors were located near the midline on the ventral 

 surface. 



KosswiG, 1929: Melanotic tumors were observed in 

 hybrids of female Xiphophorus hellerii and male Platy- 

 poecilus tnacttlatus. In Fi, the hybrids were much 

 blacker than the male Platypoecilus because the black 

 factor — Gene N — ^acts differently on the female Xipho- 

 phorus than on the female Platypoecilus. By again 

 breeding a dark hybrid with Platypoecilus, the pigmen- 

 tation became even more pronounced, and the prolifera- 

 tion of the melanophores formed small melanomas on 

 the surface; they also infiltrated the internal organs. 



Takahashi, 1929: In the middle of the left side of 

 the body near the lateral line of a coalfish Theragra 

 chalcogramma was a tumor that measured 9 z 5 z 5 cm. 

 It was mottled gray and black, rather soft in consistency 

 and sharply demarcated, ezcept at its base. The tumor 

 cells were round, spindle, or starshaped, embedded in 

 an abundant vascular connective tissue stroma. On the 

 left side of another coalfish, more emaciated than the 

 last, was a soft, uniformly black tumor, infiltrating the 

 skeletal muscle. A subperitoneal, black, pea-sized nod- 

 ule of the same histologic structure was probably a 

 metastasis. The cells were oval, many contained pig- 

 ment granules. 



Takahashi, 1929: On the left side of a chub mack- 

 erel Pneumatophorus colias was a tumor, 3 z 4 z 1.5 

 cm., which on section was yellow-brown in color. The 

 ttmior parenchyma consisted of small round or oval 

 celk some of which contained small amounts of melanin. 

 A few large pigment-bearing cells were scattered among 

 them. The vascular tumor had a scanty stroma, and 

 actively infiltrated the surrounding tissue. 



Inclebv, 1929: A black warty tumor, apparently 

 arising in the subcutaneous tissue, was found in a 

 northern angler fish Lophius piscatorius. The main mass 

 of the tumor lay above the level of the skin and was 

 not encapsulated. Histologically it consisted of large 

 branched cells loaded with masses of pigment which in 

 most instances completely obscured the nuclei. The 



