Carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha fetoprotein in malignant tumors of the female genital tract.

Circulating carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 53 patients with carcinoma of the ovary, 16 patients with other malignant genital tumors, and 31 women with nonmalignant diseases of the genital tract. The serum CEA concentration was elevated (greater than 5 ng/ml) in 11 patients with ovarian cancer, 2 patients with endometrial cancer, 1 patient with carcinoma of the cervix, and 1 patient with a benign embryonal cystic teratoma. Elevated CEA levels were found only in patients with advanced malignant disease, while early stages were associated with normal CEA concentrations.

Prediction of fetal outcome in threatened abortion by maternal serum placental lactogen and alpha fetoprotein.

Abnormally low human placental lactogen (HPL) or high alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels in maternal serum are unfavorable prognostic signs in women with threatened abortion but normal levels cannot be used to discriminate between viable and nonviable pregnancies. Out of 112 women with threatened abortion, 69 aborted; of these, 36 had a low HPL level and they all aborted. Five women had an increased AFP concentration.

Physiological role of meconium during delivery.

Women with green amniotic fluid (N = 495) delivered more quickly after membrane rupture (mean 2.7 h) than 495 controls with normal-coloured amniotic fluid (mean 4.6 h) whereas the labour in the first group lasted longer prior to membrane rupture.

Serum alpha-fetoprotein: diagnostic significance in liver disease.

Raised serum alpha-fetoprotein levels measured by radioimmunoassay were found in 19 out of 24 (79%) patients with primary liver cancer and in 32 out of 311 (10%) patients with other liver diseases. The rise was transient in cases of hepatitis and a transient rise was also seen after alcohol intake ceased in two patients with cirrhosis. alpha-Fetoprotein levels exceeding 500 ng/ml were 30-50 times more common in primary liver cancer than in other liver diseases.

Prostaglandin induction of midtrimester abortions: three years' experience of 626 cases.

In the first part of the survey 424 midtrimester abortion inductions with 11 different regimes of treatment were analyzed according to PG dose, PG type (PGF2alpha or PGE2), the route of administration (intravenous, extra-amniotic, and intra-amniotic), and the dose of concomitant intravenous oxytocin. Intraamniotic PG was given as a single injection, and the dose was repeated after 24 hours, if the abortion was not imminent. The highest efficacy, a 90% success rate within 24 hours and a 100% rate in 48 hours, as well as the shortest induction-abortion interval were achieved with the intra-amniotic administration of 50 mg of PGF2alpha either alone or with supplementary oxytocin, or with the intra-amniotic 10 mg PGE2 plus oxytocin.