Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D and survival in advanced colorectal cancer: a retrospective analysis.

Higher serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels are associated with decreased colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. In this retrospective study of Stage IV CRC patients, we evaluate whether 25(OH)D levels at diagnosis correlate with survival. Stored sera from carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) measurements obtained between February 2005 and March 2006 were screened.

Suitability of quality control materials for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement: inter-method variability of common tumor marker control materials.

Background: Quality control materials with minimal inter-assay differences and clinically relevant proportions of different molecular forms of the analyte are needed to optimize intra- and inter-laboratory accuracy and precision.

Methods: We assessed if clinically relevant total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) levels were present in seven commercially available Multi Constituent Tumor Marker Controls (MC-TMC). Further, we determined the concentration of free PSA (fPSA) and calculated the percentage of free PSA (%fPSA) in all materials.

Role of nutrients in the development of neonatal immune response.

Nutrients exert unique regulatory effects in the perinatal period that mold the developing immune system. The interactions of micronutrients and microbial and environmental antigens condition the post-birth maturation of the immune system, influencing reactions to allergens, fostering tolerance towards the emerging gastrointestinal flora and ingested antigens, and defining patterns of host defense against potential pathogens. The shared molecular structures that are present on microbes or certain plants, but not expressed by human cells, are recognized by neonatal innate immune receptors.

Clinical events in prostate cancer lifestyle trial: results from two years of follow-up.

Objectives: Previous research has demonstrated that patients with prostate cancer participating in the Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Trial had a reduction in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, inhibition of LNCaP cell growth, and fewer prostate cancer-related clinical events at the end of 1 year compared with controls. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical events in this trial during a 2-year period.

Methods: The Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Trial was a 1-year randomized controlled clinical trial of 93 patients with early-stage prostate cancer (Gleason score <7, PSA 4-10 ng/mL) undergoing active surveillance.

Intensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer.

Purpose: Men with prostate cancer are often advised to make changes in diet and lifestyle, although the impact of these changes has not been well documented. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of comprehensive lifestyle changes on prostate specific antigen (PSA), treatment trends and serum stimulated LNCaP cell growth in men with early, biopsy proven prostate cancer after 1 year.

Materials And Methods: Patient recruitment was limited to men who had chosen not to undergo any conventional treatment, which provided an unusual opportunity to have a nonintervention randomized control group to avoid the confounding effects of interventions such as radiation, surgery or androgen deprivation therapy.

A neuroanatomical construct for the amnesic effects of propofol.

Background: This study was designed to identify neuroanatomical locations of propofol's effects on episodic memory by producing minimal and maximal memory impairment during conscious sedation. Drug-related changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were located in comparison with rCBF increases during a simple word memory task.

Methods: Regional cerebral blood flow changes were assessed in 11 healthy volunteers using H215O positron emission tomography (PET) and statistical parametric mapping (SPM99) at 600 and 1,000 ng/ml propofol target concentrations.

Development of immunocompetence: role of micronutrients and microorganisms.

Normal maturation of immune response at birth is both supported and stimulated by the gastrointestinal microenvironment, which provides both nutrients and antigenic microbial exposure to the developing child. Micronutrients, trace elements, and vitamins are present in the local environment and have important regulatory effects on adaptive immune cell function through effects on type of cytokine response. Congenital HIV infection is critically affected by both nutrient imbalance and alteration in gastrointestinal microflora, which may impair growth and development as well as immune response.

Ovarian cancer antigen CA125 is encoded by the MUC16 mucin gene.

Serum assays based on the CA125 antigen are widely used in the monitoring of patients with ovarian cancer; however very little is known about the molecular nature of the CA125 antigen. We recently cloned a partial cDNA (designated MUC16) that codes for a new mucin that is a strong candidate for being the CA125 antigen. This assignment has now been confirmed by transfecting a partial MUC16 cDNA into 2 CA125-negative cell lines and demonstrating the synthesis of CA125 by 3 different assays.

Midazolam decreases cerebral blood flow in the left prefrontal cortex in a dose-dependent fashion.

Midazolam, a short-lived benzodiazepine producing sedation and reversible anterograde amnesia, was administered intravenously to 14 healthy male volunteers. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured using positron emission tomography (PET) with intravenous H2 15O at either a 'high' midazolam EEG effect (EEG signs of stage 2 sleep), or 'low' midazolam EEG effect (increase in EEG beta power only). Memory tests administered following PET scans showed significant drug-induced impairment in learning and retrieval at the same drug concentration at which PET images were acquired.

Monitoring therapy by serum HER-2/neu.

We have evaluated the performance of the Bayer Immuno 1 serum HER-2/neu assay. The precision is excellent and varied between 1.7% and 2.

Risk of iron overload among middle-aged women.

Iron overload, expressed as increased body iron stores, has been recognized as a potential hazard because it promotes the generation of oxygen radicals. We analyzed factors associated with serum ferritin levels (an indicator of body iron stores) among middle-aged women with a high prevalence of nutrient supplement use. Serum ferritin concentrations were determined on automated immunoassay for 487 healthy women with the mean age of 57 years who participated in the New York University Women's Health Study.

Growth and characterization of LNCaP prostate cancer cell spheroids.

Cells from the prostate tumor cell line LNCaP have been grown as spheroids. The growth kinetics of the spheroids have been characterized by fitting a Gompertz equation to spheroid growth curves. The proliferation state of cells within spheroids of different diameters was assessed by bromodeoxyuridine staining.

Epidemiologic correlates of serum folate and homocysteine levels among users and non-users of vitamin supplement.

Lower serum folate and higher serum homocysteine levels are known risk factors for various conditions. Thus, epidemiologic correlates with these measurements were studied for 256 multivitamin users and 230 non-users who were middle-aged women. Both serum folate and homocysteine levels increased with advancing age in both multivitamin users (P < 0.

Serum folate, homocysteine and colorectal cancer risk in women: a nested case-control study.

Accumulating evidence suggests that folate, which is plentiful in vegetables and fruits, may be protective against colorectal cancer. The authors have studied the relationship of baseline levels of serum folate and homocysteine to the subsequent risk of colorectal cancer in a nested case-control study including 105 cases and 523 matched controls from the New York University Women's Health Study cohort. In univariate analyses, the cases had lower serum folate and higher serum homocysteine levels than controls.

Iron intake, body iron stores and colorectal cancer risk in women: a nested case-control study.

Accumulated evidence suggests that increased body iron stores may increase the risk of colorectal cancer, possibly via catalyzing oxidation reactions. We examined the relationship between iron status and colorectal cancer in a case-control study nested within the New York University Women's Health Study cohort. For 105 incident cases of colorectal cancer with an average follow-up of 4.

Dietary intake and blood levels of lycopene: association with cervical dysplasia among non-Hispanic, black women.

We examined whether elevated levels of retinoids, carotenoids, folate, and vitamin E protected against cervical dysplasia among non-Hispanic, black women. We enrolled 32 women with incident cervical dysplasia, including cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, CIN II, and CIN III/carcinoma in situ, and 113 control women with normal cervical cytology in case-control study. Micronutrient levels were estimated from a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and measured from blood samples.

Interferon-gamma and monoclonal antibody 131I-labeled CC49: outcomes in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer.

To assess the tumor targeting, safety, and efficacy of monoclonal antibody 131I-labeled CC49 in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer, 16 patients received 75 mCi/m2 of the radiolabeled antibody after 7 days of IFN-gamma pretreatment. Sequential tumor biopsies in three patients showed a median 5-fold (range, 2-6-fold) increase in the proportion of cells staining positively for the TAG-72 antigen, whereas one showed a decrease in staining. Fourteen patients received 131I-labeled CC49, whereas 2 showed a disease-related decrease in performance status, precluding antibody treatment.

Jod-Basedow syndrome following oral iodine and radioiodinated-antibody administration.

This is a case of thyrotoxicosis, presumably due to Jod-Basedow syndrome, after stable iodine ingestion for thyroid blockade in a patient with ovarian carcinoma having 131I-labeled monoclonal antibody imaging. With the increased use of radioiodinated antibodies, for therapy and imaging, this possible side effect of excess stable iodine administration should be noted, especially in patients with pre-existing goiter.

Performance of computer-assisted continuous infusion at low concentrations of intravenous sedatives.

We studied the performance of a target-controlled drug infusion device, computer-assisted continuous infusion (CACI). Forty-one volunteers received one of midazolam (n = 11), propofol (n = 10), thiopental (n = 10), or fentanyl (n = 10) in sedative concentrations. Concentrations were kept constant for 45-70 min at five sequential target concentrations in each subject.

Micronutrient and cytokine interaction in congenital pediatric HIV infection.

Malnutrition is a frequent manifestation of HIV infection that has received comparatively little attention despite growing clinical importance with improved treatment and lengthened survival times. Fundamental relationships and mechanisms of HIV viral interaction in nutrient metabolism remain to be established. In an attempt to begin to fill the void of information relative to pediatric HIV infection, we have summarized the extant knowledge with regard to micronutrients and present some of the data from studies performed in our laboratory.

Brain tumors do not affect thiopental dosing requirements.

We used the biphasic electroencephalographic (EEG) response to increasing concentrations of thiopental to measure regional brain responses to thiopental. Eight patients with cortical parietal brain tumors, 3.3 (SD 1.

Suramin and hydrocortisone: determining drug efficacy in androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Purpose: The combination of suramin and hydrocortisone has shown clinical benefit in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. Widespread use was limited by the complex dose schedules and the need for pharmacologic monitoring. This study reports three sequential pharmacokinetically derived treatment regimens that simplified the administration of suramin and hydrocortisone with reduced toxicity.

Prospective evaluation of hydrocortisone and suramin in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Purpose: To assess efficacy of intermittent infusion of suramin in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer who have had disease progression on hydrocortisone.

Patients And Methods: Chemotherapy-naive patients with progressive androgen-independent prostate cancer were given hydrocortisone 40 mg/d and monitored for treatment effect. At the time of disease progression, suramin was administered on a pharmacokinetically derived, 2-week dosing schedule.

Impaired memory and behavioral performance with fentanyl at low plasma concentrations.

Fentanyl is commonly administered to conscious patients by continuous epidural or intravenous (i.v.) infusions, or by the transdermal route, which result in relatively constant, low, concentrations of the drug.

Effect of tamoxifen on serum cholesterol and lipoproteins during chemohormonal therapy.

The effect of tamoxifen on serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) and the ratio of LDL-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) was investigated in breast cancer patients undergoing therapy for advanced disease. Longitudinal studies in 24 patients treated with tamoxifen (10 mg, twice daily) indicated average decreases in total serum cholesterol (17%) and LDL-cholesterol (27%), whereas the effect of tamoxifen on HDL-cholesterol varied with the individual patient. There was a significant decrease in the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (33%) consistent with a decreased risk for coronary artery disease.