Elevated Serum Cytokines and Trichomonas vaginalis Serology at Diagnosis Are Not Associated With Higher Gleason Grade or Lethal Prostate Cancer

Background

Inflammation and infections have been associated with prostate cancer progression. We assessed whether elevated serum cytokines or T. vaginalis seropositivity at the time of diagnosis was associated with higher grade or lethal prostate cancer.

Angiosarcoma of the pleura.

Angiosarcoma is a rare, highly malignant tumor arising from endothelial cells of small blood vessels. They usually occur in the skin, deep soft tissues, breast and liver. Pleural angiosarcomas are extremely rare and are restricted to case reports in medical literature. It is very difficult to distinguish them from malignant mesotheliomas on clinical, radiological and even histopathological features. Immunohistochemistry is valuable in making the diagnosis, showing negative reactivity for mesothelial markers and positivity for vascular markers. Prognosis is generally dismal except in occasional cases where the disease is localized and amenable for surgical resection. We report a 55-year-old man who presented to us with chest pain, cough and hemoptysis and was diagnosed to have a pleural angiosarcoma.     

Endoscopic stapling diverticulotomy: an audit of difficulties, outcome, and patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the procedure in terms of technical difficulties, patient satisfaction, symptom relief, recurrence, and further management. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study including 41 patients who underwent endoscopic stapling diverticulotomy. Clinical notes were reviewed, and patients were sent a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using the chi(2) square test. SETTING: Teaching hospital. RESULTS: Larger pouches had the best results; 81.578% were satisfied with the surgery, and 86.84% had improved swallowing. Complications presented in 6 patients (15%), including a perforated pouch and an esophageal perforation. Complications were more frequent in small pouches. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Endoscopic stapling diverticulotomy offers rapid recovery in most patients, with early oral intake and short hospital stay. There is a high degree of symptoms relief, and the patient's satisfaction rate is high. The assessment of the pharyngeal pouch size is an important factor when deciding the best management for a patient with a pharyngeal pouch.     

Deterioration in quality of life and depressive symptoms during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life and psychologic profile during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The University of Washington QoL instrument and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered to 202 patients at two or three time points during radiation therapy. RESULTS: A total of 118 (54.6%) patients completed the questionnaires at the beginning and at the end of the study. A mid-treatment dataset was also available for 67 (31.0%) patients. There was a statistically significant deterioration in composite QoL scores (P < 0.000) and a statistically significant increase in depression (P < 0.000). There was no difference in anxiety levels (P = 0.276). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing radiation are increasingly depressed as treatment progresses, with worsening QoL during the treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: This study underlines the need for good psychologic support during radiation therapy in head and neck cancer.     

Volatile Constituents of Dracocephalum nutans

The essential oil of DRACOCEPHALUM NUTANS L. (Lamiaceae) has been investigated for the first time. The GC-MS analysis of the oil showed the presence of about 25 monoterpenoids including pinocamphone (56.4%), beta-pinene (12.7%), isopinocamphone (4.3%), alpha-phellandrene (4.6%), and isopinocampheol (3.7%).     

Mitoxantrone, mitomycin-C, methotrexate combination chemotherapy with radiotherapy and/or surgery in stage III (T4B, NO-2, M0) breast cancer

Results of primary surgery with or without locoregional radiotherapy (LRRT) are poor in stage III (T4b, NO-2, M0) breast cancer. Combination of mitoxantrone, mitomycin-c and methotrexate (MMM) has been reported to be as efficacious as doxorubicin based protocols with advantages of reduced nausea, vomiting, alopecia and cardiotoxicity. We tested MMM chemotherapy with LRRT and surgery in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) with a view to assess response, survival, breast conservation, cost and toxicity. Fifty two previously untreated patients were given Mitoxantrone: 8 mg/m sq by infusion on days 1 and 21, Mitomycin-C: 8 mg/m sq by infusion on day 1 and Methotrexate: 35 mg/m sq i.v. on days 1 and 21. Cycles were repeated every 42 days. After 3 cycles LRRT was given if lump reduced to less than 2 cms. Otherwise patients were subjected to modified radical mastectomy (MRM) or radical mastectomy (RM). Following this 3 more cycles of chemotherapy were given. Patients with soft tissue, skin or heavy nodal involvement also received LRRT. Tamoxifen 20 mg daily was prescribed at the end of chemotherapy to postmenopausal patients. Complete/partial responses were seen in 5 and 26 patients, respectively after chemotherapy giving an overall response of 59.5%. Twenty four patients each had LRRT and MRM/RM. Responses could be significantly enhanced by LRRT/and or surgery. Nineteen out of 25 relapses were at distant sites. Breast conservation was achieved in 24/52 (46%) patients. Three year disease free and overall survival was 54% and 65%, respectively. There was 1 toxic death. Severe prolonged myelosuppresion was seen in those who also received LRRT. Mucositis, alopecia, nausea and vomiting were minor problems. Overall, combination was less expensive than doxorubicin based protocols.     

Primary structure of human amphiphysin, the dominant autoantigen of paraneoplastic Stiff--Man syndrome, and mapping of its gene (AMPH) to chromosome 7p13-p14

Amphiphysin is a protein peripherally associated with synapticvesicles. It is expressed in many neurons, certain endocrinecell types, and spermatocytes. Autoantibodies against amphiphysinoccur in patients afflicted with a rare neurologic autoimmunedisease, paraneoplastic Stiff—Man syndrome. To providea basis for the understanding of antl-amphiphysin autolmmunity,we have cloned cDNAs and determined the primary structure ofhuman amphiphysin. Comparison with chicken amphiphysin definesdomains of low and high amino acid sequence conservation. Asa candidate for heritable disorders of the nervous system, endocrinetissues or male fertility, the human amphiphysin gene was mappedto chromosome 7, region p13–p14.     

Oxidant-mediated activation of cytosolic phospholipase a(2) in pulmonary endothelium: role of protein kinase C alpha and a pertussis toxin-sensitive protein.

The authors have previously demonstrated that the oxidant t-buOOH stimulates phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) activity in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (S. Chakraborti et al. American Journal of Physiology, 257, L430-L437, 1989). Herein, the authors sought to investigate the mechanism by which t-buOOH stimulates PLA(2) activity and the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in this scenario. Treatment of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells with t-buOOH stimulated an aprotinin-sensitive protease activity, PKC activity, and PLA(2) activity in the cell membrane. Pretreatment with intracellular Ca(2+) chelator (BAPTA-AM), PKCalpha inhibitor (Go6976), cPLA(2) inhibitor (AACOCF(3)), and pertussis toxin prevented t-buOOH-stimulated PLA(2) activity. Immunoblot studies with aprotinin, cPLA(2), PKCalpha, and Gialpha antibodies revealed their presence in the endothelial membrane. Immunoblot studies of the cell membrane isolated from t-buOOH-stimulated cells with cPLA(2) and PKCalpha antibodies elicited an apparent increase in their immunoreactive protein profiles along with an additional 47-kDa immunoreactive fragment in the membrane. t-buOOH caused Gialpha phosphorylation in the membrane and pretreatment with Go6976 prevented the phosphorylation. Overall, these results suggest that t-buOOH stimulates an aprotinin-sensitive protease activity that proteolytically activates PKCalpha and that subsequently phosphorylates a pertussis toxin-sensitive protein, resulting in the stimulation of cPLA(2) activity in the cell membrane.     

Acquired lacrimal cyst: a rare entity

The case is reported of a 37-year-old woman who complained of a gradually progressive mass in the left medial canthus area of one year's duration associated with epiphora. Although the clinical and investigative observations were suggestive of an acquired lacrimal sac cyst, the diagnosis was clinched by the operative and histopathological findings. Excision of the cyst along with dacryocystorhinostomy provided complete cure for this patient.