En bloc resection for bronchogenic carcinoma with chest wall invasion. Value of pre-operative radiotherapy.

A small number of patients with lung cancer will have a tumour invading the chest wall. Pre-operative radiotherapy and surgical resection provide the best results in patients with Pancoast's tumours, although chest wall invasion is often considered to indicate incurability. We reviewed the outcome in 46 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and non-apical chest wall invasion and have tried to clarify the role of adjuvant pre-operative radiotherapy.

Stimulation of tumor cell growth in humans by a mononuclear cell-derived factor.

Serum-free supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures significantly stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation of human hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic tumor cell lines. For assay we used a low number of tumor cells per well and medium enriched with dithiothreitol-treated fetal calf serum. The growth-stimulatory activity was detected in the supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture within the first 24 h and decreased thereafter.

Treatment of advanced ovarian cancer with surgery, chemotherapy, and consolidation of response by whole-abdominal radiotherapy.

Between April 1981 and June 1985, 195 patients with ovarian cancer, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Stages IIB, IIC, III, and IV, entered a trial that consisted of surgery and chemotherapy with cisplatin (P) and melphalan (PAM) with or without hexamethylmelamine (HexaPAMP or PAMP regimens) every 4 weeks for 6 cycles. Because the intent was to study the outcome by treatment after evaluation of first-line chemotherapy, patients were evaluable only if the response was assessed by a second-look operation or if measurable disease progression was documented. One hundred fifty-eight patients (81%) were evaluable for response.

[Total abdominal irradiation following combination chemotherapy and second-look laparotomy in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer].

From 1980 to 1984 fifty-four patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma after operation and concluding chemotherapy with alkeran (n = 7) or cis-platin/alkeran +/- hexamethylmelamine (n = 47) as well as second-look laparotomy received follow-up radiotherapy either with the moving-strip technique (n = 35) or later the open-field technique (n = 19). 32 patients in CR received radiation therapy. 15 patients in CR are without relapse after undergoing open-field radiation therapy and a mean observation period of 25 months.

In vitro migration inhibition of [3H]leucine-labeled granulocytes by supernatants of Con A-Sepharose stimulated MNC cultures.

By measuring in vitro migration of [3H]leucine-labeled granulocytes from agarose containing capillary tube fragments, the migration inhibitory activity of supernatants of Con A-Sepharose stimulated MNC cultures was tested. The sensitivity of the method was increased by using higher dilutions of granulocytes in agarose (from 10(7)/1 microliter to 10(7)/3-4 microliter). Serum-free assays have been used for characterizing the migration inhibitory activity in this system.

Radiosensitive suppressor T cells for LIF production in mixed lymphocyte reactions.

LIF activity in the supernatants of one way MLR, one MNC population being irradiated, was significantly increased as compared to that produced in two way MLR. Puromycin treatment of the irradiated cells decreased LIF response while puromycin treatment of the non-irradiated cells had no detectable effect. A similar increase of LIF activity was achieved by removing either OKT8+ or OKT4+ cells from one cell component before performing the mixed culture.

Whole-abdomen radiation in patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma after surgery, chemotherapy, and second-look laparotomy.

Forty-three patients with ovarian carcinoma were treated with whole-abdomen radiation (moving strip +/- pelvic radiation), 15 patients had not received prior chemotherapy, and 28 patients were irradiated following chemotherapy and second-look laparotomy. Ten of these had been treated with a variety of chemotherapy regimens (L-PAM, CHAD, Hexa-CAF). Eighteen patients were treated in an ongoing prospective trial with combination chemotherapy consisting of melphalan, cis-platinum, and hexamethylmelamine++ (HexaPAMP).

[Characteristics of radiotherapy in childhood].

Radiotherapy of tumors in children together with surgery and chemotherapy is an important part of therapy in the multimodal approach. Since the radiotherapy of such children requires special technical as well as psychological know-how, this should only be undertaken in larger centers. The indications for using such radiation should be very strict because of the direct and longterm effects on the growing organs, and the benefits carefully weighed against the risks.

Improvement of LIF release by mononuclear cell cultures by 24 h incubation before stimulation with ConA.

By measuring granulocyte migration from clotted plasma droplets placed in Microtest II plates, leucocyte migration inhibitory factor (LIF) production by concanavalin A (ConA) stimulated mononuclear cell (MNC) cultures was tested. Moderate LIF production was observed when mononuclear cells were pulsed with ConA at 0 h, as compared with cells stimulated after 24 h culture which produced a significantly increased amount of LIF. Fresh adherent cells, when added to 24 h incubated MNC cultures before ConA stimulation, decreased LIF production, in contrast to in vitro irradiated or overnight cultured adherent cells.

Modulation by adherent cells and irradiation of in vitro LIF production by Con-A stimulated mononuclear cells.

LIF activity production by ConA-stimulated mononuclear cells was tested by measuring granulocyte migration from clotted plasma droplets placed in Microtest II plates. 90 min. incubation of MNC cultures with ConA assured a significant LIF activity in the 24 h.

Demonstration of a complement-dependent migration inhibitory activity in normal guinea pig serum.

A cell migration inhibitory effect was evidentiated in normal guinea pig serum as compared with heat inactivated serum. Granulocytes when used as target showed a greater sensitivity to this effect than lymphomonocytes or macrophages. The migration inhibitory activity of GPS is abrogated or decreased by using complement destroying agents such as: heating at 56 degrees C for as little as 5 min, absorption on immune complexes in presence of calcium, on zymosan, on Sephadex G-50 or by adding EDTA or heparin to culture medium.

Technical improvements in the clotted plasma droplet MIF assay in vitro.

The migration inhibitory activity of culture supernatants of rat and human lymphocytes stimulated with PHA and Con A-Sepharose was tested on cell migration from clotted plasma droplets. This technique was improved by using homologous as well as heterologous plasma and fibrinogen solutions for suspending the migratory cells, automatic micropipettes for performing the technique and purified cell populations as target. The effects of calcium chloride and of the cell concentration in the plasma droplets on the migration indices obtained in the MIF assay were tested.

[Computer-assisted estimation of the dose distribution in intracavitary radiation therapy (author's transl)].

A new version of a computer-assisted method for determination of the dose distribution in the pelvis of female patients treated with sealed radioactive radium or caesium sources is outlined. The position of the sources in a coordinate system centered on the symphysis is determined stereoradiographically. The dose values are calculated either for singular body points or for points situated on transversal, frontal and sagittal planes through the symphysis or for planes parallel to these.