Cytochemical examinations of Ca, cytochrome oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase enzymes in endometrium carcinomatous tissue after high dose progestogen treatment.

Authors investigated the effect of high dose progestogen in endometrium carcinomatous tissue on the distribution of calcium depots, as well as on the chemically detectable activity of cytochrome oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase. By means of electron microscopy no characteristic destructive effect could unequivocally be demonstrated; cytochemical examinations showed a very significant activity of cytochrome oxidase, and in the activity of succinate dehydrogenase a considerable decrease was observed. They found distributional alterations in plasma membranes, in mitochondria and in the ground cytoplasm. Changes between Ca depots are thought to have an effect on tumour cells also in a protective way, and can be regarded as compensatory phenomena.