On some pathomorphological features of the pineal gland in cancer

On the material of 60 pineal glands, taken from those who died from cancers of various localization, by morphological and histochemical methods, as well as using electron microscopy, it was shown that changes in the pineal glands are similar to involutive ones, however, they are more pronounced and are observed at a younger age. It was found that a decrease in the functional activity of the gland is manifested by a decrease in its mass and specific volume of the parenchyma, changes in the nuclear-nucleolar apparatus, accumulation of lipids, a decrease in the activity of lunoamine oxidase, the amount of RNA and secretory granules in the cytoplasm of pinealocytes. The depth of changes does not depend on the localization of the tumor, but is determined by the stage and duration of the disease.