Occurrence of beta-hexachlorocyclohexane in breast cancer patients.

The residues of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and neutral organochlorine compounds in breast fat of 44 breast cancer patients and 33 women free of cancer were determined. No statistically significant differences appeared between the two comparison groups with regard to occurrence of PAH compounds. Of the neutral organochlorine compounds, residues of beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) were found more frequently in breast cancer patients.

A new site for totally implanted central venous access system in patients with malignancy: long-term results of 10 cases.

In this study of 10 patients with central venous access system, the reservoir body was implanted in the lower limb. Only one complication was observed per 1,560 days of function time. The anterolateral distal half of the thigh is a good alternative site for the injection port in cancer patients whose jugular veins and veins in the arms are not available owing to a tumour or previous treatments.

Analysis of tamoxifen, N-desmethyltamoxifen and 4-hydroxytamoxifen levels in cytosol and KCl-nuclear extracts of breast tumours from tamoxifen treated patients by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using selected ion monitoring (SIM).

Tamoxifen, 4-hydroxytamoxifen and desmethyltamoxifen levels were measured in cytosolic and 0.5 M KCl extracted nuclear fractions from a small series of breast tumours from tamoxifen treated patients by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using selected ion monitoring (SIM). Tamoxifen and desmethyltamoxifen were the most abundant metabolites.

Analysis of tamoxifen and its metabolites in human plasma by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using selected ion monitoring (SIM).

A method for the analysis of tamoxifen and its metabolites in plasma from tamoxifen treated breast cancer patients, by capillary GC-MS using selected ion monitoring has been developed. Metabolite extraction was carried out on a Sep-pak C18 cartridge and metabolite purification by selective ion exchange chromatographic steps. Satisfactory recovery of radioactive standards through the extraction and purification steps was obtained.

Effect of splenectomy on circulating haematopoietic progenitors in myelofibrosis.

The effect of splenectomy on peripheral blood CFU-GM and BFU-E numbers was studied in a patient with myelofibrosis. The numbers of CFU-GM and BFU-E were twice as high in the splenic venous blood as in the peripheral blood. The number of CFU-GM in peripheral blood decreased to 20% and that of BFU-E to 7% of the presplenectomy level at 1 wk after the operation.

Cytochemical demonstration of estrogen binding sites in breast cancer by estradiol covalently linked to horseradish peroxidase.

17 beta-Estradiol-6-carboxymethyloxime was covalently linked to horseradish peroxidase for the cytochemical demonstration of estrogen binding sites in breast cancer tissue. The affinity of the 17 beta-estradiol-horseradish peroxidase (E2-HRP) conjugate for the estrogen receptor in a human myometrial cytosol preparation was reduced by a factor of about 16 relative to that of 17 beta-estradiol. The estradiol concentration of the E2-HRP conjugate used in the incubations was in the range 2 X 10(-9) -1 X 10(-7) mol/l which, when the reduced affinity of the conjugate is taken into account, corresponds to 1 X 10(-10) -7 X 10(-9) mol/l unbound estradiol.

Prostacyclin and thromboxane in breast cancer: relationship between steroid receptor status and medroxyprogesterone acetate.

To study the production and significance of prostacyclin (PGI2) and thromboxane A2 (TxA2) in breast cancer, tissue fragments of breast cancer (n=23) and mastopathy (n=10) were superfused in vitro and the release of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha (a metabolite of PG12) and TxB2 (a metabolite of TxA2) measured by radioimmunoassay. Breast cancer formed more 6-keto-PGF1 alpha (4.5 +/- 0.

A randomized double-blind study using CaNa2EDTA, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor, in the management of human acute pancreatitis.

In a randomized double-blind study the effect of CaNa2EDTA, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor, was tested as a treatment for acute pancreatitis. CaNa2EDTA was infused intravenously during the first 2 days after admission to hospital, in addition to normal conservative treatment. CaNa2EDTA decreased the serum phospholipase A2 activity and appeared to promote recovery from the illness.

Determination of axillary nodal status in surgery of breast carcinoma: a prospective study of thirty-five patients.

Thirty-seven axillary status of patients with breast carcinoma was studied with preoperative and peroperative palpation before mastectomy and total axillary dissection. Special attention was paid to the clinical suspiciousness and size of axillary nodes. The preoperative axillary palpation gave false diagnosis of axillary content 27% of the time and peroperative, 19%.

Peroperative fine needle aspiration biopsy of lung tumors.

The feasibility and reliability of peroperative fine needle aspiration biopsy of lung tumors were studied in a series of 54 patients. The postoperative histologic examination confirmed that 47 of the lesions were malignant. The cytologic examination also showed malignancy in 45 of these cases.

Phospholipase A2 inhibitors and their possible clinical use in the treatment of acute pancreatitis.

A laboratory method was established for measurement of phospholipase A2 activity in buffer and serum. A series of different phospholipase A2 inhibitors was tested. The most effective inhibitors were Ca2+ chelating compounds like EDTA, DTPA, EGTA, and phytic acid.