Clinical significance of Akt and HER2/neu overexpression in African-American and Latina women with breast cancer.

Introduction: Breast cancer patients with HER2/neu overexpression have poor outcomes with a decrease in disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival. The biology of HER2/neu overexpression in breast tumors in African-American and Latina women is poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to understand the clinical significance of activated Akt (phospho-Akt or pAkt) expression in breast tumors from African-American and Latina patients with corresponding tissue HER2/neu overexpression.

Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor is useful in assessing progression of breast cancer post surgery and during adjuvant treatment.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been shown to induce angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. However, the association of plasma VEGF with tumor histopathology in high risk groups such as African American and non-white Hispanic women with breast cancer is not well understood. There is limited information on the prognostic relevance of plasma VEGF in patients who have had surgery and adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.

Missense alterations of BRCA1 gene detected in diverse cancer patients.

The mutations in the breast cancer susceptible gene BRCA1 are responsible for about 50% of inherited breast cancers and confer increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer to its carriers. BRCA1 gene mutations may also be related with other types of cancers such as prostate cancer and colorectal cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate if BRCA1 mutation could be detected in diverse types of cancers.

Mutation analysis of BRCA1 gene in African-American patients with breast cancer.

An estimated 7% of all breast cancers and 10% of all ovarian cancers are associated with inherited mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The mutations of a breast cancer-susceptible gene, BRCA1, confers increased risk of breast cancer in young women. Numerous studies have reported specific mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in the white population.

Plasma insulin-like growth factor-I and serum IGF-binding protein 3 can be associated with the progression of breast cancer, and predict the risk of recurrence and the probability of survival in African-American and Hispanic women.

In vitro studies have shown that insulin-like growth factor (IGF) is a mitogen for breast cancer cells. However, the associations of plasma IGF-I with tumor histopathology in high-risk groups need further investigation. We hypothesize that plasma IGF-I and serum IGFBP3 concentrations in breast cancer patients may provide useful information on the progression of their disease, and determine the probability of recurrence and survival.

Prognostic value of plasma HER-2/neu in African American and Hispanic women with breast cancer.

We examined the significance of plasma HER-2/neu as a clinical or biological marker for assessing the progression of breast cancer in African American and Hispanic women with similar socioeconomic status, similar health insurance, and similar access to health care delivery. Base line studies show the following: average age of our breast cancer patients was 48 for Hispanic and 53 for African American women. Most of our patients presented invasive ductal carcinoma, and there was no ethnic difference.

Differential cleavage and developmental rates and their correlation with cell numbers and sex ratios in buffalo embryos generated in vitro.

In vitro matured and fertilized buffalo oocytes were co-cultured with buffalo oviductal epithelial cells (BOEC) in CRlaa medium. Cleaved embryos were separated according to the time of completion of first cleavage (i.e.

A collaborative, double-blind randomized study of cetiedil citrate in sickle cell crisis.

We have recently completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, noncrossover study, the goal of which was to determine whether cetiedil citrate (cetiedil) could affect the course of vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell disease. Patients, who presented to the emergency room at least 4 but no more than 24 hours after the onset of a painful vasoocclusive crisis severe enough to require hospitalization, were considered candidates for the study. Each patient received either placebo or cetiedil at one of the following three dosages: 0.

Case report: hepatic vein thrombosis (acute Budd-Chiari syndrome) in acute leukemia.

A 29-year-old female with acute promyelocytic leukemia presented with severe liver dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Her condition rapidly deteriorated and she expired before any antileukemic therapy could be administered. At autopsy, she was found to have massive thrombosis of hepatic veins and their tributaries.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-positive lymphadenopathy in acute-phase chronic granulocytic leukemia.

A patient who had Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic granulocytic leukemia had generalized lymphadenopathy. The lymph node biopsy revealed blast cells with small numbers of eosinophilic myelocytes indicative of granulocytic differentiation. In addition, the blast cells were found to have Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome and extremely high levels of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT).

Explanation for apparent hypoxemia associated with extreme leukocytosis: leukocytic oxygen consumption.

We investigated the hypoxemia associated with extreme leukocytosis in leukemic patients. In vitro experiments showed that the rate of decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood samples from such patients was proportional to the white cell count. In the presence of normal white cell count no drop in PO2 was observed.

Bone-marrow ablation and allogeneic marrow transplantation in acute leukemia.

Thirty-three patients with acute leukemia (15 with lymphoblastic leukemia and 18 with myeloblastic leukemia) were entered into a program of high-dose radiochemotherapy followed by allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation. These patients were in various clinical stages of disease. Of 10 in complete hematologic remission at the time of transplantation, seven were alive without maintenance therapy at the time of evaluation, eight to 35 months after grafting; one was in relapse.

Use of right atrial catheter for prolonged iv support in cancer patients.

A right atrial catheter has proven to be a well-tolerated technical advance for patients requiring prolonged vascular access. It is easily inserted and suited for ambulatory maintenance by the patient. Catheters are utilized for a wide spectrum of iv medications with an acceptably low complication rate.

Detection of platelet-directed immunoglobin G in sera using the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (PAP) slide technique.

An immunohistochemical procedure for the detection of immunoglobulin G adherent to platelets is described. The peroxidase anti-peroxidase method is used to detect antibody activity directed against platelets from normal donors in the sera from 305 individuals. These subjects were divided into three groups: group 1, patients referred for tissue typing; group 2, healthy normal females; group 3, healthy normal males.

An alpha 1-antitrypsin variant, Pi B Alhambra (Lys to Asp, Glu to Asp), with rapid anodal electrophoretic mobility.

A variant of human alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1 AT) was found by acid starch gel electrophoresis and by thin-layer electrofocusing. The variant has an anodal migration velocity almost identical to PiB. It is designated as Pi B Alhambra.

Bone marrow transplantation for acute leukemia using a histocompatible paternal donor.

A bone marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical, MLC nonreactive paternal donor has been performed in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia resistant to drug treatment. Prompt engraftment was documented; however, the patient died of interstitial pneumonitis due to cytomegalovirus 65 days after transplant. Clinical manifestation of graft-versus-host reaction was mild.

Continuous intravenous deferoxamine infusion. Treatment of secondary hemochromatosis in adults.

Adult patients with chronic iron overload were given oral ascorbic acid and continuous intravenous infusions of deferoxamine mesylate. The dosage of deferoxamine mesylate was altered every 48 hours from 1 g/sq m/24 hr to 2 or 4 g/sq m/24 hr. The average iron mobilization was 55.

Bone marrow transplantation between mixed leukocyte culture reactive siblings.

Bone marrow transplantation from an HLA identical MLC reactive sibling has been performed in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia resistant to drug treatment. Prompt engraftment was documented; however, the patient died of septicemia 34 days after transplant. Clinical manifestation of graft vs.