VPAC1 receptors for imaging breast cancer: a feasibility study.

Unlabelled: VPAC1 encodes G-protein-coupled receptors expressed on all breast cancer (BC) cells at the onset of the disease, but not on benign lesions. Our extensive preclinical studies have shown that (64)Cu-TP3805 has a high affinity for VPAC1, is stable in vivo, and has the ability to distinguish spontaneously grown malignant BC masses from benign lesions. Our long-term goal is to develop (64)Cu-TP3805 as an agent to perform in vivo histology, to distinguish malignant lesions from benign masses noninvasively and thereby avoid patient morbidity and the excess economic costs of benign biopsies.

Drug dependence involving prednisone: two cases and a review of the literature.

Dependence is an unusual, but potentially serious complication of corticosteroid use. Two cases of prednisone dependence are reviewed; the first involving a patient with inflammatory orbital pseudotumor who developed a dependent pattern of prednisone use that persisted years after the resolution of the acute episode. The second case involves a patient with factitious disorder who attempted to obtain corticosteroids from multiple clinicians, despite the absence of any clinical indication for them, manipulating elements of her medical history to influence the prescription of corticosteroids.