[Importance of preanalytical step in hemostasis].

The preanalytical conditions are the major component to assure the reliability and validity of results in hemostasis. They extend from the requirement of analysis, patient preparation, blood collection and the conditions of transport, centrifugation and plasma storage until analysis. They are the most important sources of erroneous or inconclusive results; mainly the quality of the analytical stage has seen great progress of instruments and reagents.

[Clinical and evolutive aspects of nasopharyngeal T4 N0 neoplasms].

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the primary cancer of the head and neck localisations in the Salah Azaiz Institute (Tunisia). From 1970 to 1987, 80 patients with histologically proven T4 N0 NPC, were treated with exclusive radiation (70-75 Gy to the primary lesion and 50-55 Gy to cervical lymph nodes). The T4 N0 represents 7% of all NPC and 16% of the T4 treated in our Institute.

High interferon titer and defective NK-cell activity in the circulation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

The interferon (IFN) activity of sera from 19 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was determined by the plaque-reduction assay with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in HeLa cells and compared to that of sera from matched healthy controls. High titers of interferon were detected in the sera of the NPC patients with a geometric mean titer (GMT) of 43 +/- 25 U/ml. The interferon activity of the patients' sera was acid- and heat-labile (pH = 2 and 56 degrees C for 1 hr) and could be neutralized by a goat antiserum to human IFN-gamma.

[The paraneoplastic syndrome in nasopharynx cancer. 32 cases].

Thirty-two cases of paraneoplastic syndrome associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma are reported. The prevalence of the syndrome in young subjects was striking: 29 of the patients were under 25 years of age. Seventeen presented with hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, 13 with clubbing of the fingers, 1 with dermatomyositis and 1 with myelemia due to excessive production of bone marrow cells.