摘要:

The effects of PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide, on the survival period and effector cell activity were examined using C57BL/6 mice with melanoma B16. PSK prolonged the survival period of the mice with tumors in a schedule- and dose-dependent manner. However, no life-prolonging effect was observed when carrageenan-treated mice or congenitally athymic mice were used as hosts. PSK enhanced the cytostatic activity and interleukin-1-producing capacity of peritoneal exudate plastic-adherent cells in C57BL/6 mice with tumors. These findings suggested that PSK prolongs the survival period of mice with B16 tumors through T-cell- and macrophage-dependent mechanisms.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227354

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We evaluated 28 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma for the initial expression of P-glycoprotein (MDR1 gene product) employing immunocytochemistry. Tumor specimens were obtained upon primary tumor nephrectomy. In all patients, progression-free survival time following nephrectomy was evaluated and correlated statistically with the staining results. Progression-free survival of patients with no or very few ( < 1%) P-glycoprotein-positive tumor cells (n = 8, median survival 27.0 months) was significantly extended (p < 0.04) as compared to patients with 1% or more P-glycoprotein-positive tumor cells (n = 20, median survival 4,0 months). Correlations with histopathological tumor characteristics were insignificant. These results suggest a potential role for P-glycoprotein as a biologic parameter predictive of tumor progression in renal cell carcinoma patients.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227355

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The expression and the distribution of the c-myc oncogene product (p62) was studied by a 3-step immunoperoxidase technique using the monoclonal antibody myc 1-6 E10 in 22 cases of normal endometrium (11 proliferative and 11 secretory phase), 43 endometrial hyperplasias (24 adenomatous and 19 adenocystic) and 26 endometrial carcinomas. Increased expression of c-myc product appeared in endometrial carcinomas compared with respective non-neoplastic tissue (p < 0.001). The immunolocalization of the c-myc protein shows a consistent difference between the various histologic patterns of non-neoplastic and neoplastic endometrium. Nuclear staining of the c-myc product was demonstrated in epithelial cells of the proliferative phase and predominantly in poorly differentiated forms of endometrial carcinomas. On the other hand cytoplasmic staining was found predominantly in the secretory phase and in well differentiated carcinomatous endometrium. In hyperplastic endometrium an intermediate immunohistochemical pattern was observed. The results of the present study emphasize that c-myc product overexpression and localization plays an important role in initiation, differentiation and progression of endometrial carcinomas.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227356

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Mutated ras genes are found in a variety of human tumors. For biological activity the gene product p21 ras needs to be bound to the cell membrane by a farnesyl residue. Treatment of tumor cells with lovastatin reduces the availability of farnesyl pyrophosphate for the modification of the ras proteins. The membrane localization of p21 ras has been reduced by 30-36% after the tumor cells have grown in the presence of 10 μM lovastatin for 7 days. The extent of the inhibition depends on the growth kinetics of the cell lines.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227357

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

This study of 786 node-negative breast cancer patients demonstrates that the prognostic effect of age at operation, tumor diameter and mean nuclear area (MNA) changed over time. Identifying patients at higher risk of dying after 5 years may be of clinical importance. These are patients who may have had a low metastatic tumor burden at the time of operation and in whom cytostatic adjuvant treatment could be of value. When estimating 10-year survival, a significant loss of strength was found for age. A near significant loss of effect was also found for MNA, while tumor diameter was the variable best maintaining prognostic power during the observation period. Due to the loss of strength for MNA and age when estimating 10-year survival, the observation period was divided into two periods. When estimating 5-year survival, MNA was the strongest variable, while tumor diameter and age gave additional significant information. When estimating the next 5 years, excluding patients who died before 5 years, only tumor diameter gave significant prognostic information (573 cases). This again stresses the importance of tumor diameter in assessing prognosis in node-negative patients.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227358

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Cathepsin D is an acidic lysosomal protease expressed in all cells. Some studies have shown correlations between high levels of tissue cathepsin D and poor prognosis. This paper deals with 158 cases of breast cancer in which tissue concentrations in cathepsin D, age, estrogen and progesterone receptor content, and pathological characteristics of the tumor were investigated. Tumors were considered to be cathepsin D+ when a concentration > 40 pmol/mg protein (median value in our samples) was determined. The expression of cathepsin D appears to be related to grading (p = 0.04) and lymph node status (p = 0.05). We found no significant associations among cathepsin D levels, patient age, steroid receptors and histological type. Moreover, the levels of cathepsin D have been evaluated in 9 samples of recurring or metastatic neoplasia and 11 cases of benign breast lesions. We conclude that cathepsin D may be a useful prognostic predictor in breast cancer. Further investigations are required to improve and extend the applications of this assay.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227359

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We assayed thymidylate synthase (TS) activity and performed flow-cytometric DNA analyses in fresh tumor tissues from 38 patients with ovarian cancer. TS activity was closely correlated with prognosis but was not related to age, clinical stage, histologic type or lymph node metastases. Patients with TS activity higher than 2.0 pmol/g tissue had significantly worse prognoses than those with lower levels (p 20%) had worse prognoses than those with DNA diploidy or lower fractions. Results suggest that TS activity may be a good prognostic indicator in ovarian cancer.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227360

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Carboquone (CQ) and hyperthermia (HT) are capable of preferentially killing oxygen-deficient cells, both in vitro and in vivo. We examined effects of the combination of CQ and HT on an in vitro hypoxic system and on murine solid tumors using hydralazine (HYD), a vasoactive agent. Under in vitro hypoxic conditions, the combined cytotoxicity of CQ and HT (43°C, for 1 h) was enhanced and the enhancement ratio (ER) for the IC90 of CQ was 21.4-, 9.4-, and 2.6-fold compared to that for CQ alone, CQ under hypoxic condition, and CQ plus HT under aerated cells, respectively. Five mg/kg i.p. HYD reduced the level of tumor blood flow in mice to about 20% of constant level and this reduction persisted for 1 h. In mice bearing B16 melanoma tumors, HYD enhanced tumor susceptibility of the combined therapy of CQ and HT. The ER which was a comparison of tumor growth time in the control group, was 2.3, 3.6 for the two combination groups of 1, 2 mg/kg i.p. CQ, HT (43°C for 20 min), and 5 mg/kg i.p. HYD, respectively. Thus, hyperthermochemotherapy using CQ combined with HYD, seems to selectively attack a solid tumor.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227361

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Our preliminary studies in humans have shown that the pineal neurohormone melatonin (MLT) may enhance the antitumor activity of IL-2, by confirming the existence of a neuroendocrine control on cytokine effects. On this basis, a study was started to evaluate the influence of a concomitant administration of MLT and low-dose IL-2 in cancer patients, who had progressed during a previous immunotherapy with IL-2 alone. The study included 14 patients with advanced solid tumors (lung 6; kidney 4; stomach 2; liver 1; melanoma 1). IL-2 was given at a daily dose of 3 million IU s.c. for 6 days/week for 4 weeks. MLT was given orally at a daily dose of 40 mg every day, starting 7 days prior to IL-2. Objective tumor regression, consisting of a partial remission (PR), was achieved in 3/14 (21%) patients (lung 1; kidney 1; liver 1). Six other patients had a stable disease (SD), while the remaining 5 cases progressed. PR and SD were associated either with a significantly longer survival at 1 year, or with a significantly higher increase in lymphocyte and eosinophil mean number with respect to the patients with disease progression. This preliminary study suggests that advanced solid neoplasms resistant to IL-2 may become responsive to IL-2 therapy by a concomitant administration of the pineal hormone MLT, which could act by enhancing IL-2 antitumor immune effects and/or by increasing the susceptibility of cancer cells to the cytolysis mediated by IL-2-induced cytotoxic lymphocytes.

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227362

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

From October 1990 to September 1991, 20 consecutive patients with histologically proven malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), secondary to environmental exposure to asbestos or erionite, were treated with cisplatin, mitomycin C and alpha interferon (cisplatin 50 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 of a 21-day cycle; mitomycin C 10 mg/m2 i.v. day 1 of cycles 1, 3 and 5; alpha-2b-interferon 10 × 106 units i.m., 4 h prior to cisplatin and 10 × 106 units i.v. immediately prior to cisplatin day 1 of each cycle). Eighty-two treatment cycles were administered to 19 evaluable patients. Two patients attained a partial response. Eleven patients had stable disease and 6 had disease progression. Toxicities included interferon-related fever and flu-like symptoms, and vomiting. Actuarial median survival was 15 months. Three patients are alive at 20+, 21+ and 27+ months. We conclude that while the addition of alpha interferon to cisplatin and mitomycin C did not result in an objective response higher than previously reported with the cytotoxic agents alone, the trend towards an improvement in median survival as compared to a well-matched historical group suggests some benefit from the inclusion of interfero

ISSN:0030-2414    

DOI:10.1159/000227363

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1994

数据来源: Karger